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jaredkwheeler's review
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #19
Background: Knights of the Old Republic: Destroyer was first released in five issues from June through October 2009. The trade paperback was released in January 2010. It was written by [a:John Jackson Miller|20028|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1272316895p2/20028.jpg] and pencilled by [a:Brian Ching|20024|Brian Ching|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], [a:Bong Dazo|53981|Bong Dazo|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], and [a:Ron Chan|939539|Ron Chan|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]. This is Ron Chan's only work in Star Wars to-date, but he's done a lot of other rather interesting looking things, including a "Plants vs. Zombies" comic (I'd read it!) and "The Guild" (based on the hit webseries), both for Dark Horse. He's also done a few things for Marvel, including some Avengers and X-Men titles.
Destroyer picks up soon after [b:Dueling Ambitions|6403060|Dueling Ambitions (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, #7)|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348007689s/6403060.jpg|6591884] (my review here, still 3,963 years before the Battle of Yavin. Malak and Revan both return, along with Cassus Fett, for some crazy business on the planet Cathar, and Doctor Demagol makes a long-awaited reappearance as well.
Summary: An unexpected encounter has forced Jarael to reveal secrets about herself that she hoped to keep hidden forever. However, with Zayne's help, she is convinced that she must face the evils that she has run from for so many years, and that means tracking down "The Crucible," an organization of unimaginable violence and cruelty, and confronting an old archnemesis that she once left for dead.
Review: I knew the relative mediocrity of Dueling Ambitions couldn't be more than a blip on the radar for this series. Knights of the Old Republic is back in pretty fine form. Like the previous collection, Destroyer brings together three separate stories, but this time they all feel like they are of a piece, and they work together to tell a larger story and connect to an ongoing arc.
In the single-issue "Masks," Zayne and Jarael deal with the fallout from the revelation at the end of Dueling Ambitions, but they are interrupted when Revan's apprentice Malak shows up. He is hoping to recruit Jarael now that Revan has officially convinced the Jedi to sanction his group of Jedi in joining the war effort against the Mandalorians, leading him to lock horns with an increasingly (and weirdly) protective Rohland Dyre. Ron Chan's art fit really well with this story and with the rest of the series, and I enjoyed it.
In the two-issue story "The Reaping," Zayne and Jarael get much more than they bargained for when they try to disrupt a mining operation fueled by expendable slaves. There are some really neat concepts in this story, most notably the sinister "Skyreapers" used by The Crucible. Finally, in the two-issue story "Destroyer," Zayne and Jarael face an unexpected challenge to their friendship, in addition to deadly danger . . . but telling any more than that would be spoiling it.
This collection is still very much a bridge to a lot of loose-ends being tied up in [b:Demon|9195356|Demon (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, #9)|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335144963s/9195356.jpg|14074853], but it's a really good read in its own right, and there are a lot of revelations that fans of the series have been waiting a long time to get. Very enjoyable.
A-
Background: Knights of the Old Republic: Destroyer was first released in five issues from June through October 2009. The trade paperback was released in January 2010. It was written by [a:John Jackson Miller|20028|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1272316895p2/20028.jpg] and pencilled by [a:Brian Ching|20024|Brian Ching|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], [a:Bong Dazo|53981|Bong Dazo|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png], and [a:Ron Chan|939539|Ron Chan|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-d9f6a4a5badfda0f69e70cc94d962125.png]. This is Ron Chan's only work in Star Wars to-date, but he's done a lot of other rather interesting looking things, including a "Plants vs. Zombies" comic (I'd read it!) and "The Guild" (based on the hit webseries), both for Dark Horse. He's also done a few things for Marvel, including some Avengers and X-Men titles.
Destroyer picks up soon after [b:Dueling Ambitions|6403060|Dueling Ambitions (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, #7)|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1348007689s/6403060.jpg|6591884] (my review here, still 3,963 years before the Battle of Yavin. Malak and Revan both return, along with Cassus Fett, for some crazy business on the planet Cathar, and Doctor Demagol makes a long-awaited reappearance as well.
Summary: An unexpected encounter has forced Jarael to reveal secrets about herself that she hoped to keep hidden forever. However, with Zayne's help, she is convinced that she must face the evils that she has run from for so many years, and that means tracking down "The Crucible," an organization of unimaginable violence and cruelty, and confronting an old archnemesis that she once left for dead.
Review: I knew the relative mediocrity of Dueling Ambitions couldn't be more than a blip on the radar for this series. Knights of the Old Republic is back in pretty fine form. Like the previous collection, Destroyer brings together three separate stories, but this time they all feel like they are of a piece, and they work together to tell a larger story and connect to an ongoing arc.
In the single-issue "Masks," Zayne and Jarael deal with the fallout from the revelation at the end of Dueling Ambitions, but they are interrupted when Revan's apprentice Malak shows up. He is hoping to recruit Jarael now that Revan has officially convinced the Jedi to sanction his group of Jedi in joining the war effort against the Mandalorians, leading him to lock horns with an increasingly (and weirdly) protective Rohland Dyre. Ron Chan's art fit really well with this story and with the rest of the series, and I enjoyed it.
In the two-issue story "The Reaping," Zayne and Jarael get much more than they bargained for when they try to disrupt a mining operation fueled by expendable slaves. There are some really neat concepts in this story, most notably the sinister "Skyreapers" used by The Crucible. Finally, in the two-issue story "Destroyer," Zayne and Jarael face an unexpected challenge to their friendship, in addition to deadly danger . . . but telling any more than that would be spoiling it.
This collection is still very much a bridge to a lot of loose-ends being tied up in [b:Demon|9195356|Demon (Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, #9)|John Jackson Miller|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1335144963s/9195356.jpg|14074853], but it's a really good read in its own right, and there are a lot of revelations that fans of the series have been waiting a long time to get. Very enjoyable.
A-
lischa3000's review
4.0
I absolutely loved to follow the epic journey of Zayne Carrick. I simply swallowed the series whole.
rltinha's review
3.0
Além de enveredar por uma historieta sem grande pujança e de explorar a imagem de gajas duronas e boazonas, tem quase nenhum Marn, que era a sua mais-valia.
É sempre de lamentar que a maior qualidade de uma trade seja apenas «contar o que acontece a seguir».
É sempre de lamentar que a maior qualidade de uma trade seja apenas «contar o que acontece a seguir».
wyrmbergmalcolm's review
4.0
Once again, this is more a short story collection with our heroes bumbling from one thing to the next. This series seems to be lacking something now the main story-arc has ended.
There are three main story arcs:
Masks:
Malak and Rohlan face off and Revan's motivation for wearing the mask is revealed.
This was a nice little story that finally had Revan in it. It also shows that Malak is on the slippery slope to the dark side. I've appreciated the evolution of Alec as he becomes Malak in this series.
The Reaping:
When attempting to scam a slaver organisation, Zayne attempts to rescue the slaves instead.
This one had some good character development for Zayne as he strives to remain true to his Jedi upbringing. Gryph is classic Gryph.
Destroyer:
Zayne learns, first-hand, about the Crucible.
This is one of the darker stories in the series as the true nature of the Crucible is revealed. There's lots of spoilers here so I'll zip it. Good stuff though.
On the whole, I think this volume is stronger than the previous one. The focus on Jarael's backstory and the meaning of her facial tattoos helped a lot. The discordant artwork was pretty good throughout.
There are three main story arcs:
Masks:
Malak and Rohlan face off and Revan's motivation for wearing the mask is revealed.
This was a nice little story that finally had Revan in it. It also shows that Malak is on the slippery slope to the dark side. I've appreciated the evolution of Alec as he becomes Malak in this series.
The Reaping:
When attempting to scam a slaver organisation, Zayne attempts to rescue the slaves instead.
This one had some good character development for Zayne as he strives to remain true to his Jedi upbringing. Gryph is classic Gryph.
Destroyer:
Zayne learns, first-hand, about the Crucible.
This is one of the darker stories in the series as the true nature of the Crucible is revealed. There's lots of spoilers here so I'll zip it. Good stuff though.
On the whole, I think this volume is stronger than the previous one. The focus on Jarael's backstory and the meaning of her facial tattoos helped a lot. The discordant artwork was pretty good throughout.
depizan's review
2.0
I know that, objectively, there's nothing wrong with this arc. I can't decide if I don't like it just because it's so dark, or because it somehow feels done to death, at least as far as "protagonist has a super dark past" goes. That and the sexy, sexy female villain. Odd how male villains never prance around in slinky night things. And by odd, I mean, I believe it's the sexism, dear.
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