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capgambit's review against another edition
5.0
Great ending to the series. I did get really worried about certain characters throughout but almost everything ended up great. I especially loved the scene with Bazel in the hanger by the secret entrance to the temple. Truly amazing and made him one of my favorite Jedi Kinghts. But I won't go into it for fear of revealing anything
Spoiler
Even though it was to be expected I had hoped things would turn out differently with Vistara, but as I said it was a bit expected.ladylizardxvii's review against another edition
5.0
I wish this long battle of a book had been woven more into the previous 1 to 3 books, but alas. I liked the ending a lot, but I'm disappointed by the fact that there's no more!
ultimatumman's review against another edition
3.0
This series took a mystical turn in this book. Maybe a little too mystical. The force has always been rather philosophical but this was the first SW book I have read that incorporated things that aren't really understandable. This series also focused a lot on public reaction to government and Jedi actions, but in this book there was a complete absence of it. The public was just removed and we never saw them. Another completely different turn for this series. The events were wrapped up a little too easily for my tastes, especially since the characters have been working (very unsuccessfully) toward overcoming these events for most of the 9 book series. But things are apparently easy now.
I did enjoy the book. It was an okay ending to the series. The action took place over a fairly short period of time, but my interest was maintained throughout all the events. Though some of the main conflict was resolved a little easily, I'm really happy about how Ben and Vestara's relationship changed. It was very believable and very added some good conflict. Overall, I think the series was worth the read. There were some pretty good books throughout, with a decent ending.
I did enjoy the book. It was an okay ending to the series. The action took place over a fairly short period of time, but my interest was maintained throughout all the events. Though some of the main conflict was resolved a little easily, I'm really happy about how Ben and Vestara's relationship changed. It was very believable and very added some good conflict. Overall, I think the series was worth the read. There were some pretty good books throughout, with a decent ending.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
2.0
Finally this dreary, sorry excuse for a storyline comes to an end, and thank god it was in the hands of Troy Denning who's amazing ability to cover dangling plot holes with duels and good old fashion space operatic battles is second to none in the EU. This is capably written stylistically and there's certainly a lot of page-turning excitement, but as many other reviewers have noted, if you're looking for resolution and explanation don't hold your breath. The explanations offered up for Abeloth's existence could have been better written by a room full of monkeys with typewriters who were forced to listen to Bill Moyers interview of Joseph Campbell on a never-ending loop. While I liked a lot of the new elements added to the EU (the Celestials, the full explanation of who and what the Killiks are, and this notion of the Ones), I thought that it was rather clumsily thrown together and some of the newer notions of balance and the personifications of the Force really throw a huge monkey wrench into the delicate Force philosophies developed over the preceding novels, not just in this series but in the EU as a whole. In effect, with this novel, the SW Universe descends into the realm of Greek Mythology - not that Greek Mythology is a bad thing per se, but I liked the whole eastern mysticism thing they had going on a whole lot more.
Two stars for trying, and partially succeeding I think, in finally making some compelling connections to the ongoing Legacy series by giving some hints at backstory and explanation to the bigger mysteries of that series.
Two stars for trying, and partially succeeding I think, in finally making some compelling connections to the ongoing Legacy series by giving some hints at backstory and explanation to the bigger mysteries of that series.
hstapp's review against another edition
3.0
So much goes on in these last two books. I'm glad that they didn't leave the conclusion ambiguous, though they do set up a future that will now never be revealed. Since neither Ben nor Allana are or can be canon.
I enjoyed it overall, but it was a lot crammed into a small space. It felt like they had to cut things out and skimp over details to fit everything in.
It also ends quite confusingly in the last few lines.
So I rate it: eh, good enough.
I enjoyed it overall, but it was a lot crammed into a small space. It felt like they had to cut things out and skimp over details to fit everything in.
It also ends quite confusingly in the last few lines.
So I rate it: eh, good enough.
mferrante83's review against another edition
4.0
The Fate of the Jedi series has ostensibly been a trilogy drawn out over nine books. Lacking forward momentum, and somewhat unfocused it never managed to unite all of its cohesive parts into a unified whole. At least not until the final volume Apocalypse. This isn’t quite enough to save this series and doesn’t make up for the haphazard mess the series was but at least makes for an exciting tale in its own right.
The Fate of the Jedi series is part of a greater editorial initiative that by my reckoning started with the New Jedi Order novels. These novels featured a unified threat in a new extragalactic species and was unfurled over the course of multiple duologies, trilogies, and stand alone novels. The New Jedi Order novels were followed by the Legacy of the Force novels which was another nine book series. Compared to the earlier New Republic era Star Wars novels there is what looks like a greater degree of editorial control over the Star Wars expanded universe. I can’t speak on the New Jedi Order or Legacy of the Force novels (I stopped reading after Vector Prime) but with The Fate of the Jedi novels the disparate plot threads seemed to distract from the series’ primary conflict lending the series an overall unfocused feel. Here is a sample of the major plots in The Fate of the Jedi:
The Lost Tribe of the Sith, a society of Sith descended from the occupants of a crashed Sith vessel.
The erosion of the Galactic Alliance, a government founded on idealistic principles once again sliding towards the totalitarian control that brought about the old Empire.
The distrust of the Jedi, political and public opinion of the Jedi has been severally damaged by the recent, and older, atrocities committed by the fallen Jedi of old.
The greater mysteries of the force, Luke attempts to explore the Force and its various adherents in order to better understand Jacen’s fall.
The Madness of the Jedi, several Jedi are developing sudden madness driving them into fits of violent paranoia.
Abeloth, tied to Luke’s exploration of the Force and the Jedi Madness the uber-powerful Abeloth provides the primary threat for most of the series.
Each book in the series focuses rather disparately one several of these plot threads. It is easy to appreciate the scope of what the authors and editors were attempting but by and large the interweaving of so many disparate plots only managed to dilute each and limit their emotional effects. Early in the series it is the Jedi Madness and distrust of the Government that is the most grating and once the source of the madness is revealed that plot thread is pretty much dropped.
For me it was Luke and Ben’s Galactic Tour of Force Mysteries that was the most engaging aspect of the series. Luke’s training with the Baran Do Sages, the Aing-Tii, and later his exploration Beyond Shadow were engaging and did much to deepen the lore of the Jedi and Force users in the expanded universe. Of course much was made early in the series of Luke learning to teleport objects with the force, a trick that was never used after its initial introduction. By and large had the series could have focused more on a Luke and Ben’s journey.
Tied to the exploration of the Force mysteries was the introduction of Abeloth. A being seemingly crafted out of the Dark Side of the force she was something ripped right out of a Lovecraft story. It shouldn’t come as a surprise how much I loved her as the villain. Between Luke’s exploration of the Force and Aboleth (and particularly the planet on which she was found) The Fate of the Jedi saw a greater emphasis on the fantastical and the mystical than previous entries in the Expanded Universe (at least in my experience). In Apocalypse, Troy Denning finally reveals Aboleth’s origins and actually manages to tie the mythology of the Star Wars novel’s with that of the current Clone Wars animated series. It’s a brilliant bit of synergy that actually leaves me interested in seeing what comes next.
It is a bit sad that the strongest novel in the series was the last. Truth be told new readers could probably read the summaries of the previous novels then jump straight into Apocalypse and still enjoy the novel greatly. I honestly don’t feel that my experience with the earlier novels greatly enhanced my reading of Apocalypse. In Apocalypse, Denning admirably does his best to draw together the different threads of the series into a unified conclusion. I was actually pleasantly surprised at just how successful he was at this task. It seems to me that the way the novel ends sets up less of an overarching major plot going forward. I definitely think the expanded universe would benefit from a return to smaller more focused series.
The Fate of the Jedi series is part of a greater editorial initiative that by my reckoning started with the New Jedi Order novels. These novels featured a unified threat in a new extragalactic species and was unfurled over the course of multiple duologies, trilogies, and stand alone novels. The New Jedi Order novels were followed by the Legacy of the Force novels which was another nine book series. Compared to the earlier New Republic era Star Wars novels there is what looks like a greater degree of editorial control over the Star Wars expanded universe. I can’t speak on the New Jedi Order or Legacy of the Force novels (I stopped reading after Vector Prime) but with The Fate of the Jedi novels the disparate plot threads seemed to distract from the series’ primary conflict lending the series an overall unfocused feel. Here is a sample of the major plots in The Fate of the Jedi:
The Lost Tribe of the Sith, a society of Sith descended from the occupants of a crashed Sith vessel.
The erosion of the Galactic Alliance, a government founded on idealistic principles once again sliding towards the totalitarian control that brought about the old Empire.
The distrust of the Jedi, political and public opinion of the Jedi has been severally damaged by the recent, and older, atrocities committed by the fallen Jedi of old.
The greater mysteries of the force, Luke attempts to explore the Force and its various adherents in order to better understand Jacen’s fall.
The Madness of the Jedi, several Jedi are developing sudden madness driving them into fits of violent paranoia.
Abeloth, tied to Luke’s exploration of the Force and the Jedi Madness the uber-powerful Abeloth provides the primary threat for most of the series.
Each book in the series focuses rather disparately one several of these plot threads. It is easy to appreciate the scope of what the authors and editors were attempting but by and large the interweaving of so many disparate plots only managed to dilute each and limit their emotional effects. Early in the series it is the Jedi Madness and distrust of the Government that is the most grating and once the source of the madness is revealed that plot thread is pretty much dropped.
For me it was Luke and Ben’s Galactic Tour of Force Mysteries that was the most engaging aspect of the series. Luke’s training with the Baran Do Sages, the Aing-Tii, and later his exploration Beyond Shadow were engaging and did much to deepen the lore of the Jedi and Force users in the expanded universe. Of course much was made early in the series of Luke learning to teleport objects with the force, a trick that was never used after its initial introduction. By and large had the series could have focused more on a Luke and Ben’s journey.
Tied to the exploration of the Force mysteries was the introduction of Abeloth. A being seemingly crafted out of the Dark Side of the force she was something ripped right out of a Lovecraft story. It shouldn’t come as a surprise how much I loved her as the villain. Between Luke’s exploration of the Force and Aboleth (and particularly the planet on which she was found) The Fate of the Jedi saw a greater emphasis on the fantastical and the mystical than previous entries in the Expanded Universe (at least in my experience). In Apocalypse, Troy Denning finally reveals Aboleth’s origins and actually manages to tie the mythology of the Star Wars novel’s with that of the current Clone Wars animated series. It’s a brilliant bit of synergy that actually leaves me interested in seeing what comes next.
It is a bit sad that the strongest novel in the series was the last. Truth be told new readers could probably read the summaries of the previous novels then jump straight into Apocalypse and still enjoy the novel greatly. I honestly don’t feel that my experience with the earlier novels greatly enhanced my reading of Apocalypse. In Apocalypse, Denning admirably does his best to draw together the different threads of the series into a unified conclusion. I was actually pleasantly surprised at just how successful he was at this task. It seems to me that the way the novel ends sets up less of an overarching major plot going forward. I definitely think the expanded universe would benefit from a return to smaller more focused series.
verkisto's review against another edition
4.0
The whole series is three stars, but this book is four.
kayfett's review against another edition
3.0
An ok end to the series, though a little anti-climatic. It didn't really leave me fulfilled, and left a lot of loose ends. And the victory seemed too easy.
Another adventure with all my favorite characters was definitely enjoyable. There were a lot of very powerful scenes that were beautifully written and very much affected me emotionally (especially the terrifying and cringe worthy scenes in which Abeloth is described in detail) but it did not overshadow Troy Denning's annoying habit of telling you every single little detail about a battle. Trust me Troy, I can live without knowing how much pain that random extra character is going through, or without knowing every single time a character makes the slightest of movements in a lightsaber battle.
I did like all the mysticism and spirituality tied in with the book surrounding Abeloth's character, though it was quite overwhelming to imagine this universe that suddenly got so much bigger and so much more complex.
And thank God Jaina was featured. She's my favorite character and I feel as if she never gets any love. Hopefully we'll get to see her and her niece Allana (who's character development really took off to a great level with this installment) much more in the next series. I'm looking forward to it, and it won't come fast enough; this ending was definitely not enough to whet my appetite.
Another adventure with all my favorite characters was definitely enjoyable. There were a lot of very powerful scenes that were beautifully written and very much affected me emotionally (especially the terrifying and cringe worthy scenes in which Abeloth is described in detail) but it did not overshadow Troy Denning's annoying habit of telling you every single little detail about a battle. Trust me Troy, I can live without knowing how much pain that random extra character is going through, or without knowing every single time a character makes the slightest of movements in a lightsaber battle.
I did like all the mysticism and spirituality tied in with the book surrounding Abeloth's character, though it was quite overwhelming to imagine this universe that suddenly got so much bigger and so much more complex.
And thank God Jaina was featured. She's my favorite character and I feel as if she never gets any love. Hopefully we'll get to see her and her niece Allana (who's character development really took off to a great level with this installment) much more in the next series. I'm looking forward to it, and it won't come fast enough; this ending was definitely not enough to whet my appetite.
fbone's review against another edition
3.0
Non-stop action from page one. It does tie up most of the loose ends and incorporates elements from the previous books. It does leave open further opportunities for new titles. All is not rainbows and cotton candy in the end.
Gave it 3 stars but would up it to 3.5 if possible. [Graded C+]
Spoiler
The storyline about Vestara was a surprise at the end.Gave it 3 stars but would up it to 3.5 if possible. [Graded C+]