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A review by imalwayswrite
Champions of the Force by Kevin J. Anderson
2.0
I recommend reading this only if you've already read the first 2 in the series (Jedi Search and Dark Apprentice) and are invested in seeing how it all ends. Otherwise, it's utterly ridiculous. Don't get me wrong -- I can suspend my disbelief, especially when it comes to Star Wars, but what Anderson asks of the reader is just too much.
For example, although I liked the idea of the Imperials' MT-AT walkers, Anderson has them deploy in breakaway cocoons. I'm no military strategist, but how stupid is that? How the hell are the Imperials supposed to get them back up to the ships? Clearly they have no flying capabilities, or they would have flown down for the ground assault instead of being dropped in these cocoons. No matter, because guess what? None of the troopers manning these vehicles survive to be evacuated anyway. I'm sorry, but that's lazy writing.
At the end of the book, after Admiral Daala is utterly defeated, she understandably asks Commander Kratas if the troops still have faith in her. Kratas is astounded that she even asks, because of course they do! Are you kidding me??? In just a couple of months, she managed to lose 3 of her 4 Star Destroyers as well as most of their personnel. It didn't seem like Kratas was saying that to placate her, either.
I love that we meet Kyp Durron in these novels, but using his new found Jedi techniques, he's able to crush -- as in break -- his arms and legs in order to fit into a message pod and survive what amounts to a suicide run? I know Jedi are capable of a great many things, but I just can't buy that.
I guess I'm just a sucker for continuing to read -- and re-read -- Star Wars novels, but it's worth it when I find a really good one. This is not a good one.
For example, although I liked the idea of the Imperials' MT-AT walkers, Anderson has them deploy in breakaway cocoons. I'm no military strategist, but how stupid is that? How the hell are the Imperials supposed to get them back up to the ships? Clearly they have no flying capabilities, or they would have flown down for the ground assault instead of being dropped in these cocoons. No matter, because guess what? None of the troopers manning these vehicles survive to be evacuated anyway. I'm sorry, but that's lazy writing.
At the end of the book, after Admiral Daala is utterly defeated, she understandably asks Commander Kratas if the troops still have faith in her. Kratas is astounded that she even asks, because of course they do! Are you kidding me??? In just a couple of months, she managed to lose 3 of her 4 Star Destroyers as well as most of their personnel. It didn't seem like Kratas was saying that to placate her, either.
I love that we meet Kyp Durron in these novels, but using his new found Jedi techniques, he's able to crush -- as in break -- his arms and legs in order to fit into a message pod and survive what amounts to a suicide run? I know Jedi are capable of a great many things, but I just can't buy that.
I guess I'm just a sucker for continuing to read -- and re-read -- Star Wars novels, but it's worth it when I find a really good one. This is not a good one.