The fourteenth book in the New Jedi Order series and very much the turning point.  This book is about how the remnants of the shattered New Republic are reforged into the (absurdly named) Galactic Alliance of Free Federations and how the tide of the war is turned against the Yuuzhan Vong.  Williams presents us with everything we could possibly want from a Star Wars novel.  There are some interesting theological discussions between Luke, Jacen and Vergere, there is political manouevring as the Jedi attempt to see a sympathetic Chief of State elected and there are battle scenes galore, including one of the best in the series.  We are also introduced to a new Yuuzhan Vong villain, in the gigantic shape of Supreme Overlord Shimrra, who makes Warlord Tsavong Lah seem nice.  My favourite scene in this book is where the young Jedi who we've come to know and love (the Solos, Tahiri, Alema Rar etc) are given the rank of Jedi Knight in a Galactic Alliance ceremony, although the massive battle (featuring all our various heroes) comes a close second.  There are a couple of flaws, however.  The first is Vergere, whose constant whining about things being better when she was a Jedi really gets on your nerves and makes you question her intelligence (surely if she's smart she'll see that different times call for different measures).  The other flaw is Ackbar's plan.  I was hoping for some wonderfully cunning battle plan like those that Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston write, but instead the plan turns out to be, basically, 'stop losing and start winning'.  Aside from those two issues, this is a very good book and one of the best in the NJO series.

5 out of 5

 

Star Wars: The New Jedi Order - Ylesia

Originally published as an e-book, 'Ylesia' has now been printed as an added bonus in Troy Denning's 'The Joiner King'.  Set within the events of 'Destiny's Way', here we see the New Republic/Galactic Alliance's assault on the home of the collaborationist Peace Brigade.  I was interested by the return of Ylesia itself (from A. C. Crispin's Han Solo trilogy) but more so by the appearance of Han's cousin Thracken Sal-Solo.  Thracken makes a great villain here because he detests the Vong and the Peace Brigade but is nonetheless ruthless and self-interested, giving him that great air of being a gentleman villain.  Obviously, this is spoiled slightly by his bigotry, but that is a part of why he is an interesting villain as opposed to the cliched 'galactic domination' sort.  And, for those fans who like obscure cameos, a character called General Jamira appears here who was one of the background characters on Hoth in 'The Empire Strikes Back'.  The story is, naturally, as well written as 'Destiny's Way' and I'd say this is probably the best of all the Star Wars e-books.  Nonetheless, I would say you'd be wasting your money to buy it in e-book form when you can just buy 'The Joiner King' and get two good stories for the price of one.

5 out of 5

Then you'll probably like Troy Denning.

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