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3.29 AVERAGE
3.29 AVERAGE
I honestly enjoyed this book. It may have not expanded on the lore as much as I wanted to but it did have interesting character dynamics like Lanoree and Dal.
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book represents the FURTHEST any Star Wars book has gone in the past...WAY before The Old Republic...it is literally the Dawn of the Jedi.
It is so early, these Je'daii (the predecessors of the Jedi) don't even have lightsabers yet. They are fighting with swords, blasters and the use of the Force.
This story is also a story about a LOST brother...and about how his death affected the family and especially his sister (Lanoree Brock), who is the protagonist of the story.
The story actually goes back to the original idea from George Lucas about the balance of the Force, where the Je'daii would use BOTH Bogan (what ends up to be the Dark side of the Force) and Ashla (which ends up being the Light side of the Force).
If you have not heard of this before...it is talked about in the Star Wars: Rebels animation series with the Bendu...who are able to use both.
This was the original belief that the users of the Force would use BOTH, light and dark in a balance.
In this current story, the galaxy becomes really small...when a race of aliens, scours the galaxy (before this novel begins) and finds all the Force sensitive people from ALL races and places them in this ONE solar system with ten planets in the Inner Core...and the main planet in the solar system is Tython, and it has two moons, one is Bogan and the other is Ashla...representing the balance of the Force on Tython.
If you love Star Wars, you will have a LOT of fun with this story. It is isolated, but a lot of what we have taken for granted in the Star Wars galaxy is started here.
It is a Legends book, and NOT part of the Disney Canon, but it SHOULD be read. If you do read it...I hope that you enjoy it, too.
It is so early, these Je'daii (the predecessors of the Jedi) don't even have lightsabers yet. They are fighting with swords, blasters and the use of the Force.
This story is also a story about a LOST brother...and about how his death affected the family and especially his sister (Lanoree Brock), who is the protagonist of the story.
The story actually goes back to the original idea from George Lucas about the balance of the Force, where the Je'daii would use BOTH Bogan (what ends up to be the Dark side of the Force) and Ashla (which ends up being the Light side of the Force).
If you have not heard of this before...it is talked about in the Star Wars: Rebels animation series with the Bendu...who are able to use both.
This was the original belief that the users of the Force would use BOTH, light and dark in a balance.
In this current story, the galaxy becomes really small...when a race of aliens, scours the galaxy (before this novel begins) and finds all the Force sensitive people from ALL races and places them in this ONE solar system with ten planets in the Inner Core...and the main planet in the solar system is Tython, and it has two moons, one is Bogan and the other is Ashla...representing the balance of the Force on Tython.
If you love Star Wars, you will have a LOT of fun with this story. It is isolated, but a lot of what we have taken for granted in the Star Wars galaxy is started here.
It is a Legends book, and NOT part of the Disney Canon, but it SHOULD be read. If you do read it...I hope that you enjoy it, too.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Starts strong, finishes weak. Was leading to it's own trilogy which I think did not happen.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In short, this book was a bore to get through and nearly killed the star wars legends book run for me. This book is so far removed from the existing star wars universe that we know and are familiar with, which is a good thing for creativity but also made the immersion a lot harder.
The Jedi carried physical swords around, which is pretty darn cool but that really is all the praise I have for this book.
The main character was hard to like, most likely because she was set up to be a perfect character which makes her extremely boring, and in comparison every character is much more likeable, even the shifty sidekick that she is forced to have along is much more likeable because their character is very clearly defined and thus easy to follow along and feels more like a real character than the main character could ever wish.
Speaking of undefined, perhaps I am missing alot of context, but I have no idea what the book is trying to set up, if it is even is setting up any at all. At the end, none of the things that have been set up ever get settled or pay off, and it's been an unsatisfactory, mind numbing book that got me into a reading slump. Yikes.
I'd say go ahead and read it if you're a completionist and are determined to read the books in timeline order, if not just skip this one and read the next book in line: Lost Tribe of the Sith, it's so much more engaging and enjoyable.
The Jedi carried physical swords around, which is pretty darn cool but that really is all the praise I have for this book.
The main character was hard to like, most likely because she was set up to be a perfect character which makes her extremely boring, and in comparison every character is much more likeable, even the shifty sidekick that she is forced to have along is much more likeable because their character is very clearly defined and thus easy to follow along and feels more like a real character than the main character could ever wish.
Speaking of undefined, perhaps I am missing alot of context, but I have no idea what the book is trying to set up, if it is even is setting up any at all. At the end, none of the things that have been set up ever get settled or pay off, and it's been an unsatisfactory, mind numbing book that got me into a reading slump. Yikes.
I'd say go ahead and read it if you're a completionist and are determined to read the books in timeline order, if not just skip this one and read the next book in line: Lost Tribe of the Sith, it's so much more engaging and enjoyable.
Finding myself in a serious holiday malaise and more entranced with my trial DC Universe subscription than reading, this was the book I finished out 2018 with. And it was entertaining enough.
(Prepare thyself as I release the salvo of lukewarm accolades.)
First, you should know this was a spin-off from a Dark Horse comic book series, Dawn of the Jedi. And if you noticed that I said Dark Horse and not Marvel, you are correct in assuming this story is now officially part of the Legends timeline (It's a whole canon rebooting thing that happened when Disney took over, more info than you could ever need is, naturally, on the Interwebs.) And since I didn't read that series, it means I was slightly lost and had to spend a little more time than usual on Wookieepedia.
That might deter the average reader, but let's face it: if you are looking to pick this up, you've already long crossed the line into "Jar Jar Binks was the reincarnation of Darth Plagueis and I will now spend the next 15 minutes laying out my theory" territory. And if so, greetings friend!
Even longer ago and farther away, in the Deep Core of the Star Wars galaxy approximately 25,000 years Before the Battle of Yavin (or, BBY), the Jed'aii live and train on the planet Tython (FYI, the Deep Core is still canon but Tython currently is not.) Lanoree Brock and her brother Dal are the children of two Jed'aii instructors and seek to follow in their footsteps. But from an early age, it is clear Lanoree is gifted with the Force and Dal is not. And over time, this builds a rage and hatred in Dal that will eventually cause him to violently reject the Order, fake his own death, and search ancient legends for a technology that will allow him to escape the Deep Core (an area of the galaxy isolated by an abundance of dark matter and spatial anomalies.)
Unfortunately, using this ancient technology could also cause a cataclysmic release of power that could destroy all life in the Deep Core. So the Jed'aii send Lanoree to find and stop her brother.
This mission seems kind of important, so clearly they should only send one person. Maybe everyone else was busy with a trade dispute on Naboo.
The biggest difference between the Jed'aii and the Jedi seems to be that light sabers aren't a thing yet (although there is a fleeting reference to what are clearly Kyber crystals), so Lanoree carries a sword and occasionally wields an uncivilized blaster. She also seems a little more willing to kill than the Jedi will eventually be.
This had some good action scenes and I enjoyed the universe back story, non-canon though it may be. But I didn't really connect with the story because the characters didn't come alive for me. Lanoree in particular was kind of meh, and she's the heroine of the story so that's a problem.
If you are a casual Star Wars consumer, this novel in particular is not for you. But if you are a sci-fi reader and are curious, I do recommend them overall. The novels add a lot of richness to the universe, and they often remind me of the Dune saga, except with added optimism and 90% fewer soliloquys.
Now, what in the shit am I going to read in 2019?
(Prepare thyself as I release the salvo of lukewarm accolades.)
First, you should know this was a spin-off from a Dark Horse comic book series, Dawn of the Jedi. And if you noticed that I said Dark Horse and not Marvel, you are correct in assuming this story is now officially part of the Legends timeline (It's a whole canon rebooting thing that happened when Disney took over, more info than you could ever need is, naturally, on the Interwebs.) And since I didn't read that series, it means I was slightly lost and had to spend a little more time than usual on Wookieepedia.
That might deter the average reader, but let's face it: if you are looking to pick this up, you've already long crossed the line into "Jar Jar Binks was the reincarnation of Darth Plagueis and I will now spend the next 15 minutes laying out my theory" territory. And if so, greetings friend!
Even longer ago and farther away, in the Deep Core of the Star Wars galaxy approximately 25,000 years Before the Battle of Yavin (or, BBY), the Jed'aii live and train on the planet Tython (FYI, the Deep Core is still canon but Tython currently is not.) Lanoree Brock and her brother Dal are the children of two Jed'aii instructors and seek to follow in their footsteps. But from an early age, it is clear Lanoree is gifted with the Force and Dal is not. And over time, this builds a rage and hatred in Dal that will eventually cause him to violently reject the Order, fake his own death, and search ancient legends for a technology that will allow him to escape the Deep Core (an area of the galaxy isolated by an abundance of dark matter and spatial anomalies.)
Unfortunately, using this ancient technology could also cause a cataclysmic release of power that could destroy all life in the Deep Core. So the Jed'aii send Lanoree to find and stop her brother.
This mission seems kind of important, so clearly they should only send one person. Maybe everyone else was busy with a trade dispute on Naboo.
The biggest difference between the Jed'aii and the Jedi seems to be that light sabers aren't a thing yet (although there is a fleeting reference to what are clearly Kyber crystals), so Lanoree carries a sword and occasionally wields an uncivilized blaster. She also seems a little more willing to kill than the Jedi will eventually be.
This had some good action scenes and I enjoyed the universe back story, non-canon though it may be. But I didn't really connect with the story because the characters didn't come alive for me. Lanoree in particular was kind of meh, and she's the heroine of the story so that's a problem.
If you are a casual Star Wars consumer, this novel in particular is not for you. But if you are a sci-fi reader and are curious, I do recommend them overall. The novels add a lot of richness to the universe, and they often remind me of the Dune saga, except with added optimism and 90% fewer soliloquys.
Now, what in the shit am I going to read in 2019?
The "Dawn of the Jedi" series was first produces in comic form and of course the logical progression is novelization. It takes Star Wars back to its roots. As the title says, it's the origin story to the Jedi, the beginning of our favorite protectors of the universe, users of the force (and lightsabers!), and purveyors of piety.
(It was radioactive spiders that created the Jedi!)
And you'll never believe how they began. In fact, if I gave you infinite guesses, you'd never get it. And it's not for the reason you think.
The "Je'daii" have a mysterious society that does its own thing, which tends to be for the betterment of the universe, saying "may the force go with you."
Yeah, you'd never be able to guess because you'd be going for something new. Also, they use the force and swords and have masters and apprentices. So it's definitely an origin story and not just an exact replication of the jedi we know and love.
Okay, so if you're reading Star Wars books, you really can't go into it expecting a whole lot. And sadly, any of the newer books have the added reputation of being bloated series with little plot.
However, what you can expect is lots of action and lots of fun. Into the Void delivers on both counts. While I make fun of the "origin story" it's still an entertaining and interesting look at the beginnings of the Jedi. These Je'daii go through an interesting training period on an incredibly dangerous planet.
Into the Void follows Lanoree Brock, a Je'daii Ranger, who spends most of her time on her own in solitary missions ranging around the galaxy. She's called in for a special mission that could result in the salvation or destruction of the galaxy as they know it, and it's all because of her brother Dal, once thought dead.
The narrative switches between the present where Lanoree is in pursuit of her brother in her current mission and her past training where she and her brother participated together. It's a great way to introduce Dal and find out what his motivations are for his dark pursuits later in his life.
Lebbon does a great job with these characters and his narrative structure works well to set things up for an exciting ending while providing plenty of excitement throughout the training on this dangerous planet. I'm interested to try out Lebbon's other works because he obviously knows what he's doing.
Like other Star Wars audiobooks, Into the Void is filled with suspenseful music and every type of sound effect they can possibly fit in. Like a movie in your head, I can't recommend Star Wars audiobooks enough. And January LaVoy does an excellent job bringing Lanoree and every other character to life.
But what I really can't wait for the origin of the origin story. That's where the money is.
3.5 out of 5 Stars (recommended)
(It was radioactive spiders that created the Jedi!)
And you'll never believe how they began. In fact, if I gave you infinite guesses, you'd never get it. And it's not for the reason you think.
The "Je'daii" have a mysterious society that does its own thing, which tends to be for the betterment of the universe, saying "may the force go with you."
Yeah, you'd never be able to guess because you'd be going for something new. Also, they use the force and swords and have masters and apprentices. So it's definitely an origin story and not just an exact replication of the jedi we know and love.
Okay, so if you're reading Star Wars books, you really can't go into it expecting a whole lot. And sadly, any of the newer books have the added reputation of being bloated series with little plot.
However, what you can expect is lots of action and lots of fun. Into the Void delivers on both counts. While I make fun of the "origin story" it's still an entertaining and interesting look at the beginnings of the Jedi. These Je'daii go through an interesting training period on an incredibly dangerous planet.
Into the Void follows Lanoree Brock, a Je'daii Ranger, who spends most of her time on her own in solitary missions ranging around the galaxy. She's called in for a special mission that could result in the salvation or destruction of the galaxy as they know it, and it's all because of her brother Dal, once thought dead.
The narrative switches between the present where Lanoree is in pursuit of her brother in her current mission and her past training where she and her brother participated together. It's a great way to introduce Dal and find out what his motivations are for his dark pursuits later in his life.
Lebbon does a great job with these characters and his narrative structure works well to set things up for an exciting ending while providing plenty of excitement throughout the training on this dangerous planet. I'm interested to try out Lebbon's other works because he obviously knows what he's doing.
Like other Star Wars audiobooks, Into the Void is filled with suspenseful music and every type of sound effect they can possibly fit in. Like a movie in your head, I can't recommend Star Wars audiobooks enough. And January LaVoy does an excellent job bringing Lanoree and every other character to life.
But what I really can't wait for the origin of the origin story. That's where the money is.
3.5 out of 5 Stars (recommended)
I've read [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] twice. The second read was better and worse. It was better because I realized more of Lebbon's really good descriptive writing and I saw more detail in the book than I noticed during my first read. And, the second read was worse because I saw more holes in the story and saw more unanswered questions and unplumbed depths.
[b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] could have been be so much more. It feels like a missed opportunity. There is a wealth of lore, universe building and mysteries to explore that are presented in the book. Sadly, all we get is a space chase and flashbacks to Je'Daii training. The Je'Daii masters seem like complacent, lazy, and feckless middle school teachers. I was supremely disappointed in them as characters. Lanoree, especially on my second read, is so unlikable. She is a callous bully and her 'alchemy of the flesh' is a weird personal science experiment that found a place in the story, but at the very end and in a hurried and selfish manner. Worst, I never felt tension or anxiety about the alleged cataclysm the book's antagonist was trying to unleash. The danger fell flat and while the book told the reader there is a sense of critically important urgency it never makes the reader feel that way.
None of this is Lebbon's fault. He is a capable writer and does well with what he had. He was a writer-for-hire in this [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] effort.
I give this book 2.5 stars (down a half star from my read in 2017). There are no, "Wow!" moments and there is a dearth of meaningful dialogue. As noted above: so many great ideas are established but never fleshed out. See my highlights and notes for more. I might read the comics that this novel ties into. Perhaps they shed more light on the deeper story that [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] fails to convey. As a stand-alone novel, [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] is nowhere near must-read Star Wars fare.
[b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] could have been be so much more. It feels like a missed opportunity. There is a wealth of lore, universe building and mysteries to explore that are presented in the book. Sadly, all we get is a space chase and flashbacks to Je'Daii training. The Je'Daii masters seem like complacent, lazy, and feckless middle school teachers. I was supremely disappointed in them as characters. Lanoree, especially on my second read, is so unlikable. She is a callous bully and her 'alchemy of the flesh' is a weird personal science experiment that found a place in the story, but at the very end and in a hurried and selfish manner. Worst, I never felt tension or anxiety about the alleged cataclysm the book's antagonist was trying to unleash. The danger fell flat and while the book told the reader there is a sense of critically important urgency it never makes the reader feel that way.
None of this is Lebbon's fault. He is a capable writer and does well with what he had. He was a writer-for-hire in this [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] effort.
I give this book 2.5 stars (down a half star from my read in 2017). There are no, "Wow!" moments and there is a dearth of meaningful dialogue. As noted above: so many great ideas are established but never fleshed out. See my highlights and notes for more. I might read the comics that this novel ties into. Perhaps they shed more light on the deeper story that [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] fails to convey. As a stand-alone novel, [b:Into the Void|15823425|Into the Void (Star Wars Dawn of the Jedi)|Tim Lebbon|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1358473398l/15823425._SY75_.jpg|21553935] is nowhere near must-read Star Wars fare.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated