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Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting at all. What a fascinating and original book, very much unlike any other Star Wars novel I’ve ever read, to say the least. As a completionist who has been slowing working his way through the New Jedi Order, I’ve found that some books are better than others, but most follow the fairly straightforward formula we’ve come to expect from these novels: an ensemble cast, a new threat, some theorizing and arguing about the nature of the Force here and there, some space battles, a few jokes here and there. But Traitor was something else entirely, focusing almost entirely on Jacen Solo as he evolves into something completely different than he has ever been; indeed, something completely different than we’ve ever seen in this franchise.
This book is by far the most philosophical Star Wars book I’ve ever read; rather than a few throwaway scenes here and there before getting back to the fighting, Stover plunges Jacen into a psychological journey that puts him face-to-face with questions that have never been asked before about the Force, expanding the concept beyond its traditional comfort zones. I’m honestly a bit surprised the Lucasfilm overlords even allowed this book. It’s philosophical nature, it’s lack of traditional action, and it’s sark content (much of it is Jacen being straight-up tortured or witnessing true horrors around him) don’t strike me as the kind of elevator pitch most publishers go for.
Of course, there ARE action sequences, and they are memorable ones: Jacen turning the tables on his Yuzhaan Vong overlords near the middle of this book was truly captivating stuff. But it’s the more cerebral content that is of the greatest interest, with much of it centering around the mysterious Vergere, arguably the greatest new character to come out of the New Jedi Order. I expected to come away from this book finally with some answers about her, and instead was largely left with more questions... which of course is exactly as it should be.
I doubt another Star Wars book quite like Traitor is going to come along any time soon, but I’m very grateful that it did at all.
This book is by far the most philosophical Star Wars book I’ve ever read; rather than a few throwaway scenes here and there before getting back to the fighting, Stover plunges Jacen into a psychological journey that puts him face-to-face with questions that have never been asked before about the Force, expanding the concept beyond its traditional comfort zones. I’m honestly a bit surprised the Lucasfilm overlords even allowed this book. It’s philosophical nature, it’s lack of traditional action, and it’s sark content (much of it is Jacen being straight-up tortured or witnessing true horrors around him) don’t strike me as the kind of elevator pitch most publishers go for.
Of course, there ARE action sequences, and they are memorable ones: Jacen turning the tables on his Yuzhaan Vong overlords near the middle of this book was truly captivating stuff. But it’s the more cerebral content that is of the greatest interest, with much of it centering around the mysterious Vergere, arguably the greatest new character to come out of the New Jedi Order. I expected to come away from this book finally with some answers about her, and instead was largely left with more questions... which of course is exactly as it should be.
I doubt another Star Wars book quite like Traitor is going to come along any time soon, but I’m very grateful that it did at all.