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cloneknight's review against another edition
3.0
Quite a promising start to this saga of books. I'm very invested in Jacen Solo's story and how his influence over Ben keeps growing following the events of this book, but the more galaxy-wide conflict feels a bit stale in comparison. Especially since the whole "pitting old friends and families against each other" isn't really utilized properly? There's lots of potential for drama and weight there. Maybe it's not completely appropriate and disheartening for some to read but to me it felt like it was just kind of there but no-one really cared about it, so in turn I didn't really either. Bit of a shame, but again, there's some really intriguing stuff here to set it off.
alphaalexis's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
aguazales's review
3.0
I did enjoy this book, but it wasn't the best Star Wars writing I've ever read. I can't really articulate why; I guess that's why I'm not a literary critic.
Worth a read, maybe not a purchase.
Worth a read, maybe not a purchase.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
3.0
Alliston does a good job delivering witty banter and gets all of the characterizations right. You really get the sense that the traditional star wars holdovers really know each other like the back of their own hands and their interactions are a joy to read.
I had a couple of problems, however. This transformation that is happening to Jacen just seems so abrupt. I realize that the writers of the EU have been planning this departure for some time, laying seeds of it along the way, but when he finally takes the step, I'm unconvinced. Throughout the entire NJO arc, Jacen dithered, contemplated, mulled, agonized over every decision he made along with it's practical ramifications. I just don't feel that his time with Vergere was enough to cause this kind of dramatic shift. The flap says that this novel takes the star wars universe into new territory. Again, I disagree. Jacen = Anakin. Same path, same story so far.
I like the idea of the Corellians declaring independence, and there are some great political questions here, as there usually are in the star wars universe. But I think in the long run, the path that Jacen is taking, which is to move the entire arc from this point forward is just not convincing.
So characterization for the oldies = A+, plot = D. Grade = C
I had a couple of problems, however. This transformation that is happening to Jacen just seems so abrupt. I realize that the writers of the EU have been planning this departure for some time, laying seeds of it along the way, but when he finally takes the step, I'm unconvinced. Throughout the entire NJO arc, Jacen dithered, contemplated, mulled, agonized over every decision he made along with it's practical ramifications. I just don't feel that his time with Vergere was enough to cause this kind of dramatic shift. The flap says that this novel takes the star wars universe into new territory. Again, I disagree. Jacen = Anakin. Same path, same story so far.
I like the idea of the Corellians declaring independence, and there are some great political questions here, as there usually are in the star wars universe. But I think in the long run, the path that Jacen is taking, which is to move the entire arc from this point forward is just not convincing.
So characterization for the oldies = A+, plot = D. Grade = C
zelq's review against another edition
4.0
Started a bit slow, but the ending provided hope for the rest of the series.
kelseyjam's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
nmarceau's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hstapp's review against another edition
3.0
It's been a few years since the vong were defeated, but the galaxy's troubles are not yet over. The galactic Alliance is having trouble with Corellia. Corellia desires independence, but how they're going about it causes a great deal of strife.
I have some issues with the Grim Dark path that the Star Wars legends books started to go down. There's always been strife, there's always been evil, people have died, not main characters, but people have died. Yes that's all true.
I think it's an attempt at realism, yes people die, heroes die, heroes struggle. But I miss the optimism, the hope. Struggle is fine, but it should drag everything down into a depressed mess and smother and bury hope. Also if you want things to be more realistic do better at including women, poc, and aliens as characters. Especially as main characters, but there are so many humans in these books it drives me wild.
Speaking of which some attempts are made with that in this book. It includes guards referred to as she and people referred to as dark skinned. However it's done in a way that assumes that white male human is the standard, the norm. Every time someone kills a woman(they're mostly killed same with the black characters) it sticks out like a sore thumb.
So that's it the stories okay, it's a little wild and out there for your typical star wars book. I'm generally okay with that, though this was a little clumsier and packed in than I'd like. And it made an attempt at being more diverse that I didn't think was executed well, but overall. Yeah it was okay. I liked it well enough.
I have some issues with the Grim Dark path that the Star Wars legends books started to go down. There's always been strife, there's always been evil, people have died, not main characters, but people have died. Yes that's all true.
I think it's an attempt at realism, yes people die, heroes die, heroes struggle. But I miss the optimism, the hope. Struggle is fine, but it should drag everything down into a depressed mess and smother and bury hope. Also if you want things to be more realistic do better at including women, poc, and aliens as characters. Especially as main characters, but there are so many humans in these books it drives me wild.
Speaking of which some attempts are made with that in this book. It includes guards referred to as she and people referred to as dark skinned. However it's done in a way that assumes that white male human is the standard, the norm. Every time someone kills a woman(they're mostly killed same with the black characters) it sticks out like a sore thumb.
So that's it the stories okay, it's a little wild and out there for your typical star wars book. I'm generally okay with that, though this was a little clumsier and packed in than I'd like. And it made an attempt at being more diverse that I didn't think was executed well, but overall. Yeah it was okay. I liked it well enough.
jmckendry's review against another edition
1.0
Okay so I read this series as a child and I absolutely loved it, but I hadn’t read the whole series, somehow I missed all the books by Aaron Alston and this was one of the books I missed.
And boy am I glad I didn’t read it as a kid. It is extremely long winded for no purpose, and Aaron Allston’s writing in this is absolutely terrible. Like did he have an editor go over this?
It sucks because the story itself is really interesting and the rest of the series is great. But I literally couldn’t finish the ebook, I had to switch to the HEAVILY abridged audiobook because reading it felt worse than doing math homework. Really too bad that Allston had to be the author for the first book in this series, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned so many people off from reading the rest of it, which isn’t fair because the rest of the series is great (minus the other Allston books if they’re written this poorly). I highly recommend the audiobook to start off this series if you’re considering it, otherwise just skip this book and go on to the next one.
Very disappointing.
And boy am I glad I didn’t read it as a kid. It is extremely long winded for no purpose, and Aaron Allston’s writing in this is absolutely terrible. Like did he have an editor go over this?
It sucks because the story itself is really interesting and the rest of the series is great. But I literally couldn’t finish the ebook, I had to switch to the HEAVILY abridged audiobook because reading it felt worse than doing math homework. Really too bad that Allston had to be the author for the first book in this series, I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned so many people off from reading the rest of it, which isn’t fair because the rest of the series is great (minus the other Allston books if they’re written this poorly). I highly recommend the audiobook to start off this series if you’re considering it, otherwise just skip this book and go on to the next one.
Very disappointing.