Book Description
Never before has the incendiary mix of action, politics, and intrigue that has become Timothy Zahn’s trademark, been mmore evident that in this new Star Wars epic. On the heels of the stunning events chronicled in Star Wars: A New Hope, the newly minted heroes of the Rebellion–fledgling Jedi Luke Skywalker, smuggler turned reluctant freedom-fighter Han Solo, and Princess Leia Organa, a bold leader with a world to avenge–must face the harsh realities of the cataclysmic conflict into which they have so bravely plunged. From this point forward, legends will grow, treachery will abound, and lives will be irrevocably altered, in the long, hard fight to counter the fist of tyranny and restore hope to a galaxy too long in darkness.
The destruction of the Death Star by the Rebel Alliance was a decisive blow against the Empire, but Palpatine and his monstrous enforcer, Darth Vader, are no less of a threat. The brutal extermination of Alderaan not only demonstrated the magnitude of their murderous power, but served as a chilling testament to their resolve to crush the Rebel uprising. Standing against them, Skywalker, Solo, and the Princess remain uncertain opponents. Luke is gifted and brave, but unschooled in the power he possesses. Han has doubts about waging someone else’s war–and his contentiousness is one more burden for Leia to bear as she struggles to help keep the Rebellion alive. The three have been sent to mediate a dispute between Rebel Alliance factions in Shelsha Sector–agitating matters by forcing Han to deal not only with pirates, but with his more dreaded enemy, politics. At the same time, Mara Jade–all of eighteen and years away from her fateful meeting with Luke–is serving her evil master, Palpatine, well in her role as the Emperor’s Hand: tracking suspected treachery in the Empire to what may be high places–while trying to stay out of Darth Vader’s way.
But the Rebels will prove to be only one of the Empire’s concerns. For Imperial Stormtrooper Daric LaRone, his faith in the Empire shaken by the wanton destruction of Alderaan, will commit a sudden and violent act of defiance, and take four other enforcers with him, in a desperate bid to elude their masters’ wrath.
Each of these fateful actions, whether sanctioned, secret, or scandalous, will expose brutality and corruption, spur upheavals destined to shake the Empire to its core, and shape momentous events yet to come.
Customer Reviews:
Timothy Zahn fills the gap.......2007-08-31
Timothy Zahn is my absolute favorite author so when I saw this book about Mara Jade in the Empire era I jumped.
Plot:
There are three plots that intertwine towards the end. LaRone, a stormtrooper, accidentally kills an ISB agent. He and four other stormtroopers desert and run to the nearest planet where they begin an investigation into pirate activities.
Mara Jade was sent to investigate a Moff's possible embezzlement. This leads to a pirate consortium.
Han, Luke, and Leia are originally sent to investigate a possible way to win the war. With pirates threatening supply lines, Han and Luke (along with Chewie) are diverted to investigate and Leia is sent to accomplish the diplomatic mission by herself.
Good:
Timothy Zahn does amazing things with the characters. Han Solo in his books is Han Solo from the movie: cocky, independent, and self-absorbed. Luke Skywalker is the apprentice Jedi, experimenting with his talents, naive, and unsure of who he is. Leia Organa is absolutely perfect: the independent woman who is able to mediate between differing factions.
The stormtroopers reminded me of one of the best portrayers of them--or at least their clone compatriots, Karen Traviss. The stormtroopers are real men who face real consequences. It is refreshing to see plain men who only want to do what is right instead of officers who only want power and money (as you see in so many Bantam Star Wars novels).
And Mara Jade...it's nice to finally see her at work in a novel. I felt that, for the most part (see below), she was the perfect agent--naive about the Empire and not overly practiced in every agent technique, but knowledgeable enough to be convincing for this mission.
Lastly, although this is petty, it was fun to see Leia work as a waitress. This practical, pedestrian job is often overlooked or delegated to dispensible characters but it was so nice to see the Star Wars universe in a normal light (ie having the main characters eat, bathe, etc.).
The action is superb. I love the confrontation between Darth Vader and Mara, the battle of the AT-ST, and much, much more.
Bad:
I don't know what it is with Timothy Zahn, but recently, all his books seem to be mysteries (not bad) about one of the characters being duplicitous. Night Train to Rigel: the main character was working both sides. Outbound Flight: Doriana. The Green and the Gray had the boys that fought against them. This is a little boring after awhile.
And the plot was so convoluted that I had trouble following it. Who was Disra serving: the Empire, himself, pirates, or the governor? How did Mara conclude all the things she did about the pirates? What about Han and Luke? What did Caaldra want? And so on. All three (Mara, stormtroopers, Han/Luke) make some pretty hefty assumptions that turn out pretty conveniently right.
Also, although Zahn portrays Mara as a young woman fairly well, I still have trouble believing that an 18 year-old knows this much about espionage, spying, weapons, and the like. What was she, brainwashed as a child?
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Only dialogue is in the form of made up Star Wars references. Mara wears form fitting dresses and a man oggles her. Violence is typical Star Wars fare.
Overall:
A good book, but not the best that Timothy Zahn has ever delivered. I was rather disappointed, not only because it didn't have as much Mara as I thought, but also because the story was so hard to follow. I had to just forget who wanted what and who worked for who and just enjoy the action sequences and the characters. I hope that Timothy Zahn continues to write more about Mara's adventures, but not make his plots so confusing.
Constrained and Unexceptional - Zahn's worst Star Wars Novel.......2007-07-26
Timothy Zahn here writes an entirely predictable adventure tale with three branching paths: one about a stormtrooper squadron who deserts the Empire, another about Mara Jade doing odd jobs for the Emperor, and the third about Han, Luke, and Leia on a diplomatic mission. The tales converge in a fashion only possible in novels and wrap up with no bearing on the movies.
The problem with this novel is that it is entirely predictable. The stormtrooper squad deserts the Empire quickly in an unlikely fashion. I knew a few pages after this had happened that they would doubtlessly join Han, Luke, and Leia by novel's end in Zahn's attempt to provide some entertainment for the readers. I flipped ahead to the end of the book at that time and my prediction turned out to be right.
Mara Jade's branch is exceptionally boring for the majority of the novel, as she chases after nameless thugs just to get some pricey statues back to her Emperor. She's written as an unbelievably mature and confident 18-year-old, and actually tells the Emperor what she is going to do instead of being ordered around. Zahn also writes Lord Vader as being childish toward her, while at the same time inserting a silly scene where Vader Googles for Luke.
Han, Luke, and Leia's branch is unremarkable. The characters act toward each other much like they did in Episode IV. However, Luke takes a back seat and isn't very confident about himself.
Timothy Zahn writes this novel in a very constrained space, which forces him to create new characters and just as quickly kill them or shuffle them away. Obviously in love with his own character of Mara Jade, he portrays her as overly powerful. The stormtrooper deserters were a good idea, but Zahn doesn't do enough to distinguish them effectively as memorable individual characters. For such a task, Aaron Allston would've been better. Han, Luke, and Leia's story is unremarkable. This novel is passably written and will provide some brief entertainment for literature fans, but is an awful choice for newbies to the novels.
(Reviewer's note: I've read all of the Star Wars novels of the 1990s and most of the ones from 2000-2003 that weren't prequel novels. Seeing that this was not a prequel novel, the influx of which put me off reading Star Wars novels a few years ago, I picked it up, remembering Timothy Zahn's earlier excellent work in the Star Wars universe. I was disappointed.)
More Adventures in the Star Wars Universe.......2007-07-11
Acclaimed Science Fiction author Timothy Zahn has written an exciting new novel that is worthy of inclusion with other novels of the Star Wars series.
The main story centers around five imperial stormtroopers; Macross, Brightwather, LaRone, Quiller, and Grave. They were ordered by their superior officers to execute harmless civilians during an attack. Despite carrying out these orders, the troopers felt that the killings were not necessary. Back aboard ship, an argument breaks out between the stormtroopers and one of the officers. During the argument, the officer is shot. Now, the stormtroopers realize that the only way for them to survive is to flee. They have now become fugitives..
Meanwhile, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance is deciding on its next move. The Death Star has been destroyed, but the Empire, led by Emperor Palpatine and his enforcer Darth Vader, remain powerful adversaries. Skywalker is still untrained in many areas of the Force, Leia is still devastated by the destruction of her home planet of Alderran, and Han is unsure about fully joining the rebellion. Despite these drawbacks, the three allies have been sent to mediate a dispute between rebel factions in the Shelsha sector.
On the side of the Empire, a new tool of the Emperor is about to be revealed. Her name is Mara Jade; better known as the Emperor's Hand. She serves Palpatine by maintaining order and tracking suspected wrong-doers throughout the galaxy.
During the course of the story, all of these characters will interact with one another in a most exciting and thrilling manner.
This is a very good book. I've read several books in the Star Wars series, and I found this story to be both compelling and exciting. The story is something not normally expected, namely, Stormtroopers deserting and actually doing good deeds. But, Timothy Zahn's characterization of the Stormtroopers as actual caring people with feelings is refreshing. I especially enjoyed the character of Mara Jade. Her development throughout the book as a swash-buckling fighter who's loyal to her Emperor is definitely a high point of the book. She also has no fear of Darth Vader, either. It would have been interesting to see an actual movie character like her in the films.
I recommend this book very highly. Although I found the story to be slow and drag at some points, overall, the it is exciting and loaded with action. If you've seen the Star Wars movies or have read other books in the series, then be sure to read this one.
I give this one a solid 3.5.......2007-07-09
Of course you can't give half scores so I rated it a four. Anyway, there were things I really liked about this book and things I was luke warm to (no pun intended). I really liked the rogue stormtrooper aspect. While they were deserters, they're living by the spirit of what got them to join the Empire in the first place: to protect the empire AND it's CITIZENS. These were some of my favorite parts of the book; where they were involved doing good deeds shall we say.
The other part of the book I enjoyed alot was Mara Jade. From what I gather this is her 'first' mission in a star wars book, starwars timeline speaking of course. I know she's Luke's wife in continuity, and this isn't her first published appearance. I liked the character. Powerful, yet naive towards the true nature of Palpatine and the empire as a whole.
Now, one thing I'm not really sure that needed to be in the book were Luke, Leiah, Chewie and Han. I guess Zahn included them to root this book into place firmly after A New Hope. Just to me, the parts that they played in the book really didn't further the story much and they, quite frankly, seemed to be thrown in there. Don't get me wrong, I love these core characters. But it seemed like they were forced into the book. Their presence didn't take anything away from the story of course, but they didn't add much to the whole of the book either. Except maybe to further the subplot of luke getting used to his jedi abilities some more and of course, han and leiah's relationship.
Overall a good solid read with some fine action. I think it kind of skips around a bit too much for my liking, but it's not confusing. Any star wars fan should check this one out.
A Refreshing Idea.......2007-06-21
When reading any of the Star Wars (SW) novels, one must never compare it to the SW movies, because there is always new material in the novels. If you're expecting SW novels to have the exact feel and make of the movies, then it's best that you don't read the novels at all.
That said, Allegiance was a refreshing change. We finally get to see how the Emperor's Hand works. Well, other than the comic series that Zahn wrote with Darkhorse titled Mara Jade: By The Empeor's Hand. However, the comic was written post Battle of Endor, after Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine are dead. Allegiance is written just after the events of A New Hope, where the Emperor and Vader are very much alive. So it was interesting to see how he handled their characters here and he did it very well!
I do enjoy reading Zahn's novels because he makes his characters very human, and doesn't go over the top, unlike other authors who make their characters infallible and completely resistant to injury, jumping through obstacles and performing unbelieveable Jedi tricks. At the same time, Mara has a certain amount of compassion, which makes her character all the more human and likeable.
The Hand of Judgement was an interesting idea, yes, why indeed don't we have stormtroopers who continue to uphold what they believe it. In our world, that's called going rogue, in the SW world, it's deserters from the Empire. Whichever way you call it, it's treason, but isn't that what you call fighting for what you believe in?
I do wished, however, that Zahn wrote more battle scenes into his novels, as he's always able to describe and choreograph battles so vividly that you don't need to much imagination to enjoy it thoroughly - a trademark feature in all his SW novels.
Zahn's characters are smart and believeable and his style manages to capture the essence of the characters from the SW movies, what Han Solo says to Princess Leia, the snap-hiss of the lightsaber, these are the little things that triggers your memory of those loveable moments and makes for a well-written SW novel worth reading.
I highly recommend reading all of Timothy Zahn's SW novel, starting with the Thrawn Trilogy: Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command. I guarantee that you'll enjoy them immensely.
Average customer rating:
- The Blah of Thrawn
- Zahn's triumph
- A worthy "follow-up" to the Thrawn trilogy
- boring
- Zahn is still the king!!!
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Specter of the Past (Star Wars)
Timothy Zahn
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0553095420
Release Date: 1997-11-03 |
Amazon.com
Timothy Zahn is the master of the Star Wars novel. His trilogy (Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command) did almost as much as the movie trilogy's re-release to create new interest in Luke, Leia, and Han Solo. Specter of the Past is the first of a new series, The Hand of Thrawn. Princess Leia is trying desperately to hold the loose coalition of interests known as the New Republic together long enough to see the evil Empire finally vanquished. But in a stunning setback, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker discover that the pirate ships raiding New Republic transports are staffed with clones under the command of someone who claims to be Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Empire's most powerful warlord, believed dead for 10 years. Thrawn's plan for destroying the fragile New Republic seems well on the way to completion--unless Han, Leia, and Luke can stop it.
Book Description
From Hugo Award-winning author Timothy Zahn, whose unprecedented bestselling trilogy continued the saga of George Lucas's blockbuster films and became a landmark in the history of science fiction publishing, comes a dramatic new chapter in the greatest science fiction epic ever told. Now Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo must battle to safeguard the fledgling New Republic from a dead Imperial warlord--and from itself.
Once the unquestioned master of countless solar systems, the Empire is tottering on the brink of total collapse. Once commanding an invincible armada of Star Destroyers, its fleet has been reduced to a skeleton force. Day by day, neutral systems are rushing to join the New Republic coalition. But with the end of the war in sight, the New Republic has fallen victim to its own success. An unwieldy alliance of races and traditions, the confederation now finds itself riven by age-old animosities.
Princess Leia struggles against all odds to hold the New Republic together. But she has powerful enemies. An ambitious Moff Disra leads a conspiracy to divide the uneasy coalition with an ingenious plot to blame the Bothans for a heinous crime that could lead to genocide and civil war. At the same time, Luke Skywalker, along with Lando Calrissian and Talon Karrde, pursues a mysterious group of pirate ships whose crews consist of clones. And then comes the most startling news of all: Grand Admiral Thrawn--believed to be dead for ten years--is reported alive. The most cunning and ruthless warlord in Imperial history has seemingly returned to lead the Empire to triumph.
As Han and Leia try to prevent the unraveling of the New Republic in the face of this fearful and inexplicable threat from the past, Luke sets out to track down the rogue pirate ships. To do so, he will team up with Mara Jade, with whom he will share his growing mastery of the Force and the ever-present threat of the dark side. All the while, lurking in the shadows is the enigmatic Major Tierce, a disciple of Emperor Palpatine, sharing his long-dead master's lust for power, schooled in the devious stratagems of Thrawn himself, and armed with his own dark plans for the New Republic and the Empire.
Specter of the Past marks the triumphant return of Timothy Zahn to the celebrated Star Wars(r) universe in a novel that brings together all the trademark action, suspense, startling revelations, and brilliant spectacle worthy of the name Star Wars.
Timothy Zahn is one of science fiction's most popular voices, known for his ability to tell very human stories against a well-researched background of future science and technology. He won the Hugo Award for his novella Cascade Point and is the author of sixteen science fiction novels, including the bestselling Star Wars trilogy Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command, the novels Conquerors' Pride, Conquerors' Heritage, and Conquerors' Legacy, and three collections of short fiction. Timothy Zahn lives in Oregon.
(r), TM & (c) 1997 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.
Customer Reviews:
The Blah of Thrawn.......2007-05-22
I put the book down about half-way through it because I just couldn't get into it anywhere near as much as the Thrawn Trilogy. I realize that this book is probably just a lot of setting-up for the 2nd book, but I decided that I'd rather read other books instead of be bored on the way. It probably would have been better if Zahn had stuck with his original idea of one book instead of making it a duology.
Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:
Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
Zahn's triumph.......2006-06-13
I really, really enjoyed Tim Zahn's retur to the Star Wars universe, especially since this actually makes political sense. Though I enjoyed the Thrawn trilogy, Thrawn himself was rather annoying, as I am sure that he was to Luke, Leia et al, since he was so good at making their lives miserable. But he was just so omniscient that he was a tad over the top, a Fu Manchu from the Galaxy far, far away. This time, he is just being imitated, with humorous results. Mara Jade is back, too, and nobody does Mara like Zahn does. I don't think the other authors that touch on her really understand her, at all, least of all B. Hambly. Highly recommended.
A worthy "follow-up" to the Thrawn trilogy.......2005-08-19
I really liked this book. Zahn did a great job leading you along. You couldn't wait to start the second book in the duology A Vision of the Future.Luckily since I didn't get to read it till well after they had both been published I didn't have to wait. This is one of the better Star Wars books out there.
boring.......2005-05-18
the irritating writing style continues...unfortunately this time there is no attempt at a storyline and no interesting characters. we don't really need to be informed every time someone has to 'connect to the force', or runs through jedi meditation techniques, etc. it has to be implied at some point really.
Zahn is still the king!!!.......2005-01-26
If you think the Thrawn Trilogy was the best thing ever written in the expanded Star Wars Universe and if you think Andersen's Jedi Academy is the worst then you'll greatly appreciate the addition of the Hand Of Thrawn series. Zahn truelly makes the universe worth expanding again.
Book Description
In the aftermath of one tragedy,
will a young Jedi’s search for redemption
lead to yet another?
There is no place else to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong but the overcrowded planet Duro, poisoned by centuries of technological excess. Fortunately a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health, under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo.
While tempers flare between the Duros and the New Republic, Han Solo, his son, Jacen, and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro . . . and that Luke, Mara, and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.
Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy’s destiny toward the light or toward darkness–with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance . . .
Customer Reviews:
And now back to our program, already in progress.......2007-09-11
With Balance Point, the sixth book in the massive New Jedi Order series, we finally get back to the larger Yuuzhan Vong invasion story, and more specifically the Jedi's role in that conflict. I enjoyed James Luceno's Agents of Chaos books, but they were essentially Han Solo stories, and while enjoyable, I was ready to get back to the main event.
The action in Balance Point takes place on (and above) the planet Duro, which is the latest port of call for the refugees fleeing from their Yuuzhan Vong-ravaged planets. The book focuses on the Skywalker/Solo clan, with Han and Leia working planetside with the refugees, Luke and Mara pursuing a missing Apprentice, and the Solo kids in various supporting roles. The individual details (CorDuro, SELCORE, Randa, etc) don't really seem to matter. The main focus of the book is the further development of Warmaster Tsavong Lah (one of the best Star Wars villains) and Jacen Solo's struggle with just what his role is in this galactic conflict. Their inevitable conflict is epic, and sets the stage for the next several volumes in the NJO saga.
I'm not a huge Kathy Tyers fan, but the The Truce at Bakura (Star Wars) author acquits herself well here. I'd have preferred a bit more action and less soul-searching, but I understand that it was important to Jacen Solo's development as a Jedi. It's frustrating to read about his moral struggles in light of later events in the disappointing (on many levels) Legacy of the Force series. I'm still having a hard time believing that the Jacen Solo depicted in the NJO series is the same as the Dick Cheney wannabe in LOTF.
It's not the best book in the series, but Balance Point successfully shifts the focus back to the larger Yuuzhan Vong storyline and sets the stage for the aliens' push towards the Core and Coruscant itself, not to mention their all-out offensive against the Jedi.
Balance Point Does Deliver But With a Few Minor Quibbles.......2007-04-05
Well, its been awhile and im back for another review. Lets get right on with it. This one was good overall. I particularly liked the continuing development of the twins. The Vong here are particularly nasty and I continue to hate them more and more. Tyers did well with the prose and overall structure. However, there is one little problem i had with it. Right in the midst of a particularly intense moment of pursuit or escape, the author chooses to have her characters have a serious philosophical discussion. This would never happen obviously in reality. The characters would be too busy tryin to save themselves. That is the only thing. Other than that, I like the direction this series is headed. On to book 7. See ya next time.
This book is awesome!.......2006-11-14
There is no place else to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong but the overcrowded planet Duro,poisoned by centuries of technological excess. Fortunately a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home,the refugees will work to restore the planet to health,under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo.
While tempers flare between the Duros and the New Republic,Han Solo,his son,Jacen,and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro...and that Luke,Mara,and Anakin are on their way,searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.
Now,as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence,Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggresion? Whatever he decides,his next step could tip the galaxy's destiny toward the light or toward darkness-with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance....
I hope this was good for you all,I recommend this book
Cor Duro is not that much fun.......2006-08-09
I thought this was one of the biggest let downs in the New Jedi Order series so far. I happen to have gotten through it quicker than some of the previous books, but there really isnt anything interesting in this one that got me really excited. There was some interesting speculation with anakins dream in the beginning, but I feel that it really didnt connect to the story at the end. Alot of this book is just the planet Cor Duro about to get wasted. None of the secondary characters in the camps had stories that made me feel bad for them, so that aspect didnt carry much weight. I think mara jade was written for the best however and she had some cool parts with anakin once again. I think this one just needed more mystery. You couuld see everything happening a mile away. Just read it to get to the next book, which is turning out really great.
#6.......2006-05-03
calance point has luke skywalker seeking the vong for durability type testing as they havent been effective in kullung them .that is unless your name is anakan solo.anakan is the new all powerful hotshot.nobody wants to admit it and it makes the 15 yr old mad.mara jade skywalker has her disease which gets worse near the vong.and to make matters worse,shes not inly dhing but pregnant.the dumb beeeeeeee-och still goes out fighting.some women are far too reckless why pregnant.its sickening.jaina solo goes up rank fast as all her cos are ceung killed by the vong.she and her mother leia fight verbally.at one point jaina tells her "some women shouldnt have kids"of her mothers parenting skills.jacen solo kills a nasty ol hutt.but for some reason they never all die.i mean come on.everyonr hates them but no offensive.they probably have nowhere else to get thier "spice".the vong take like 5 more planets out in thier massive offensive.one place thet utterly destroyed was duros city.a price-the largest ever is put on jacen solos head after he messes up a war master.the vong also suddenly become very interestred in the jedi and tell everyone else that theyll quit killing if they are supplied with jedis.a lot of ppl began betraying jedis.a weopon of mass destruction was found and anakan wouldnt fire it.im not allowed to say if anyone did.also to add to anakans impressive resume is fought 4 gammorreans and easily won,held his own against master luke while sparring,built his own r2 unit and beat a bunch of vong all alone in a space battle,han solo goes about the galaxy helping leia on her mercy missions ,relocating refugees of destroyed,no longer inhabitable or vong run planets.leia suffers massive injury for her program.jacen solo is reting to wean himself off of the force.he feels the dark side and is scared.that is a vague description of book 6 in the series.
Book Description
Shadows of the Empire illuminates the shadowy outlines of a criminal conspiracy that exists in the background of the events in the movies, ruled by a character new to us. Prince Xizor is a mastermind of evil who dares to oppose one of the best-known fictional villains of all time: Darth Vader. The story involves all the featured Star Wars movie characters, plus Emperor Palpatine and, of course, Lord Vader himself.
Customer Reviews:
Filling in the Star Wars blanks.......2007-08-22
Shadows of the Empire takes place between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite but has not yet been taken to Jabba's palace. Leia, Luke, Lando and our two favorite droids are on a quest to find Boba Fett and retrieve Han. They are joined in this quest by Dash Rendar, a cocky hotshot pilot, very reminiscent of Han Solo himself. Three very significant characters stand in their way - Darth Vader, Prince Xizor of Black Sun, and Xizor's amazing apprentice Guri.
Prince Xizor of the Falleen race is an intriguing character. He is the ultimate crime lord, and his life is filled schemes and double-dealings as he runs the huge crime syndicate of Black Sun plus some other legitimate enterprises. He is considered to be the third most important person in the galaxy behind the Emperor and Lord Vader, and he wants to move up. The point of all the Machiavellian schemes he develops during this period is to get rid of Vader and become #2 in the Empire. Even that would not satisfy him. Xizor's self esteem is extremely high. He has never met an individual who is his equal. Of course, he and Vader do not see eye to eye on most things.
The key individual in the story is Luke Skywalker. The Emperor fells that Luke is strong enough in the Force to pose a real danger to the Empire. He wants Luke out of the picture. Vader wants to keep the boy alive and turn him to the dark side. Xizor sees an opportunity here to cause trouble for Vader, so he puts out orders to have Luke assassinated. He also sends Guri to meet with Leia and to bring her back to Xizor's palace in Coruscant. Guri is an extremely advanced droid who looks completely like a human female. Her fighting skills appear to be unmatched. Leia and Chewie end up at Xizor's palace being used as bait to draw Luke in. Of course, Luke does come to the rescue. Luke, Lando, and Dash Rendar have memorable scenes making their way through the sewers below the palace and making their way up through the palace to find Leia. The last few chapters of the book tie things together very neatly and leave us set for Return of the Jedi. Maybe they will rescue Han at last.
Shadows of the Empire is an excellent tale, and Mr. Perry has done a good job with it. The story fits nicely in the time period between Empire and Jedi. I highly recommend this one.
If you've never read a Star Wars novel before, try this one.......2007-06-08
In 1996 the marketing team at Lucasfilm developed an innovative concept for a major cross-channel promotion: they proposed Shadows of the Empire, a Star Wars movie without the movie. What did this mean? It meant all the trappings of a movie were released: a novelization, a full orchestral score, a videogame, comic books, toy lines, statues, and sundry other widgets, but there was never an actual movie for them to center around. Each aspect of the campaign emphasized different aspects of the story, but the core tale was contained in Steve Perry's novel. The idea seemed to meet with mixed success, as the Shadows toys, statues, and some of the other odd products lingered on the pegs a terribly long time, but the Nintendo 64 videogame is fondly remembered by many and the score by Joel McNeely is absolutely terrific (pick up a copy if you haven't heard it before!)
Shadows of the Empire fills in some of the blank space between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, a year left largely untapped except in the Marvel comic series. Perry works hard to build a strong bridge between the two films and succeeds beautifully, exploring some of the emotional aftermath of the climax of Episode V and setting up the opening section of Episode VI. Of course, Han Solo spends the duration of this novel frozen in a block of carbonite, but the majority of the other main film characters all get a chance to shine.
The novel introduces us to Black Sun, the galaxy far, far away's leading organized crime syndicate. Black Sun is headed by the brilliant, charismatic, egotistical Falleen Prince Xizor, the third most powerful person in the galaxy after our old favorites Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader. Xizor's constant preening and self-admiration make for slightly tiresome reading, but he does play a role distinct from the usual Sith and Imperial villains in other Star Wars novels. Being the third most powerful person is not quite enough for the Prince, and so much of the plot of Shadows of the Empire is driven by his scheming against Darth Vader and his attempts to kill Vader's son. The Falleen species is endowed with some slightly creepy abilities to attract mates, and Xizor almost leads Leia, newly separated from her love Han Solo, down a very unpleasant path. Fortunately stalwart Chewbacca is on hand to help Leia escape Xizor's pheromone-driven trap. This sequence was unusual reading for a Star Wars novel, and although it is deliberately rather icky, I give Perry credit for exploring these themes rather than sticking solely to action sequences.
The other main new character is Dash Rendar, virtually a "carbon" copy of A New Hope-era Han Solo. Dash is a smuggler and superb pilot who was doing a job for the Rebel Alliance when the Empire struck the Hoth base. Dash always looks out for himself first and drops sarcastic wisecracks right and left. However, maybe Dash isn't as shallow as he first appears, and perhaps by the end of the story he'll find the need to look out for others and the ability for self-sacrifice. Sound familiar? I didn't really mind this character but Perry could have made a little more effort to make him less of a second-tier Han Solo.
The story itself is a rollicking thrill-ride. Perry takes us all over the galaxy as our heroes try to track down Boba Fett and Vader and Xizor try to track down our heroes. We learn the back story of the "many Bothans" who died procuring the Death Star II plans, how Leia got the Boushh bounty hunter disguise she uses in Return of the Jedi, how Luke spent time enhancing his Jedi skills and constructing his new lightsaber, and many other interesting tidbits. The characterization of Vader maps well with the new information we learned about Anakin Skywalker in the prequels, and it's nice to see a new element introduced to the Emperor/Vader plotting in the form of Xizor. R2 and 3PO have a hysterical sequence piloting the Millennium Falcon across Coruscant (it's rare that a Star Wars novel makes me laugh out loud). Perry writes in a brisk, cinematic style, and it is quite easy to picture this novel as a good film, an Episode Five-and-a-Half, if you will.
Shadows of the Empire does a terrific job of detailing the story between the final two films in the saga. Depending on which stories a reader considers to be canon, there are either many or very few tales set during the original trilogy. Personally, I would love to see more novels covering this period of time, as well as the three years between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back. These years host the only stories with the opportunity to directly explore the Vader-Luke dynamic, an element so central to the films. The ancillary products such as the toys, comics, and especially the soundtrack further enhance the Shadows experience. This book is highly recommended to everyone, including readers trying their first Star Wars novel.
Nice bridge if a little light.......2007-04-24
I really enjoyed this book. I always wanted some link between the Luke at the end of ESB and the beginning of ROTJ - one broken and fragile, the other darkly confident and calling himself "Jedi." And since he is my favorite character, I love that this book takes him through that process, albeit in less depth than seems warranted.
Inconsistencies in Luke's character abound, however, which jarred with the character arc I had been longing to see. His attitude and dialogue in places seem more juvenile than in Episode IV. I realize that these things change by the end of the book, but they do not match the characters we leave at the end of Empire Strikes Back; this takes away much of the book's cred.
Glitches in style also undermine it - while the author has great pacing, and I don't mind his switching between characters with a jerk for that cause - he FAR too often ends a segment with two or three more lines than necessary, degenerating into hilarious cheesiness where it could have been compelling. Sigh. "Luke hoped Leia was okay." "Luke had to think of something. Something fast... What?" These things cause eye-rolling after the tenth time. So do many thinly derived conclusions on the part of characters who should have needed more evidence.
Dash is annoying, I'm sorry, in life and in death. His only merit is giving Luke a Jedi-worthy crisis of conscience towards the finale. And Leia, while a great gal here, needed to fall for a lizard while Han was frozen WHY?? Her newfound love for Han is a bit tarnished in a plot arc for no good reason.
Having said all that, Shadows is truly an irresistible read for a die-hard Luke fan, and Vader is handled very well, without goofiness or excessive sulking. In fact, Vader's take here on his relationship with Luke enhances all future read/views of Return of the Jedi. This puts Shadows on my must-borrow list and Perry on the thank-you-for-not-butchering-my-Star-Wars list with Zahn, somewhere. :)
Episode 5.5.......2007-04-17
This is the novel that connects the dots between Episodes V and VI. The novel starts firmly planted in The Empire Strikes Back with the Emperor's holo-message to Vader - but this time from Palpatine's point of view (and although Vader didn't know it, the Emperor was not alone). And then several months later Princess Leia wakes up from a nightmare about Han Solo being frozen on Cloud City.
Many questions arise about the time between the two Star Wars sequels, and this novel has the answers. How did Luke Skywalker, severely demoralized by finding out the true identity of his father and feeling that Obi-Wan Kenobi had lied to him, go from being a Jedi padawan with incomplete training to a confident, powerful Jedi Knight in every way except for his final trial? Who completed Luke's training? How did Luke construct his new lightsaber? Why didn't Boba Fett deliver Han to Jabba the Hutt right away? Who died to make Jabba the most powerful crime lord in the galaxy? How did Leia get her Boushh disguise and thermal detonators? How did Wedge Antilles become the leader of the Rebel's elite X-fighter squadron? How did the Bothans bring the Alliance the information about the second Death Star? If the droids ever tried to pilot the Millennium Falcon through Coruscant while Han was frozen, would you ever tell him about it?
Shadows of the Empire ends with Luke hiding his lightsaber in R2-D2 and recording his message for Jabba. This novel is an adventurous story very worthy of the Star Wars name. And this BOOK even has it's own SOUNDTRACK!
Star Wars: Shadows Of The Empire [Enhanced CD]
I also highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are extremely relevant to the prequel trilogy:
Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Filling in the Gaps.......2007-03-05
Steve Perry's "Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire" explores events between the two films "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi" just as Timothy Zahn's new book "Allegiance" bridges the gap between "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back".
Zahn established himself as the best writer of Star Wars fiction with his Thrawn trilogy following on from "Return of the Jedi": "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising" and "The Last Command". In "Shadows of the Empire" Perry comes close to Zahn's class in serving a similar function.
One of Zahn's strengths has been the creation of new characters who have taken their place in the Star Wars universe, like Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Zahn. In "Shadows of the Empire" Perry provides fascinating background into Prince Xizor, leader of the Black Sun criminal network, and his human-like killer droid Guri, characters also featured in A.C. Crispin's "Han Solo trilogy" tracing Han's life before the fateful day he met an old man and a kid in a Mos Eisley cantina: "Paradise Trap", "The Hutt Gambit" and "Rebel Dawn", which seem to have been published in 1997, after "Shadows of the Empire".
"Shadows of the Empire" features all the main characters of the final two Star Wars films, with the exception of Han Solo, who is still in carbonite. The action concerns the Rebels' efforts to free Han, and along the way we learn things like how Leia came by her bounty hunter suit and a thermal detonator, and how Luke made his first light saber.
In the NPR radio series of "Return of the Jedi", which goes into greater detail than the film, filling in many gaps, when Han is rescued he criticises Lando for letting C3PO fly the Millennium Falcon. That flight is in "Shadows of the Empire".
Average customer rating:
- Not Free SF Reader
- Solo's bachelor party
- failed where the author is supposed to be strong...
- Behind Zahn, but not far
- Romanace, Star Wars style
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The Courtship of Princess Leia (Star Wars)
Dave Wolverton
Manufacturer: Spectra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0553569376
Release Date: 1995-04-01 |
Book Description
Seeking rich, powerful allies to bring into the Rebel Alliance and a new home planet for the refugees of her native Alderaan, Princess Leia considers a proposal that could tip the balance of power against the evil Empire. The Hapes Consortium of 63 worlds is ruled by the Queen Mother, who wants Leia to marry her son, the dashing and wealthy Prince Isolder. Han Solo has always dreamed of marrying Leia himself, and now he makes a desperate last gamble to win her back. Soon he, Isolder, Luke Skywalker and Artoo will be at the center of an adventure leading to an awesome treasure, a group of Force-trained "witches," and a showdown with an invincible foe.
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
The main part of this is : should Princess Leia take the rich boy
political marriage, for the good of the Republic, perhaps, or marry the
scruffy Solo, who is far more likely to piss her off, and many times
more capable of rescuing her from hordes of stormtroopers, evil empires
lords, or other assorted bad guys that may be roaming around the
galaxy.
Throw in some odd Force wielding women for no apparent reason.
Solo's bachelor party.......2007-05-22
One of the main story arcs of the classic trilogy is Han's transformation from mercenary to Alliance general, which includes the resolution of the love triangle not resulting in incest. But since the Thrawn Trilogy, the married Han Solo couldn't be the charming rogue we loved in the classic trilogy.
But in this novel which ends with Solo's wedding, the author shows us the last glimps of the rogue, and ironically Han's primary motivation is his love for Leia. Han joins an illegal high stakes sabaac game and actually wins a planet! I thought that was very Han Solo and very space opera. Han uses a device to make Leia get into a smuggling compartment of Falcon, and he kidnaps her to prevent her marriage to another suitor.
Unfortunuately the novel goes downhill when they get to Han's new planet. It had a primitive female dominated society of clans with Force-users of an alternate (non-Jedi or Sith) tradition. They cast spells, and there was an evil clan of antagonists. These were interesting ideas but not very Star Wars. There were senient rancors which seemed very out-of-place.
Overall this novel is OK - not too bad but not so great either. Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are more relevant to the film series:
Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
failed where the author is supposed to be strong..........2007-05-18
The Author's bio immodestly states that "His special talent is creating fully realized characters who live in worlds utterly different from our own." While there was plenty of characterization in this novel, the author missed the mark on continuity of development of Han and Leia, who are unfortunately the key protaganists in this book. I thought he did a decent job with Luke, C-3P0 and R2-D2, and a fine job with his new character Isolder (the 'other man' wooing Leia).
My guess is that it is difficult to write a serial book wherein the key protaganists are well-established characters to a wide audience with a variety of authors. So where Wolverton was free to write his own characters, he did well, but obviously struggled to capture the essence of the Han-Leia relationship. They come across as fickle (Leia) and overbearing (Han).
The other odd thing about this book was it's Fellini-esque overtones of female dominance. In some ways it reads like some strange male fantasy where women are strong and sexually aggressive. Here's a couple of quotes that felt odd to me:
"As they passed between the monolithic mounts, the women stared down at Isolder and gave a loud ululating cry, smiling at Teneniel and laughing. He could not doubt the meaning of the hoots and chatter. These women cheered him as if he were a stripper." p. 189
"Isolder felt someone touch his buttocks, turned...he suddenly realized that they weren't trying to get a view of Leia or Augwynne, they were trying to get a closer look at him. One young witch patted his hip and whispered lustily, 'My name is Ooya. Let me snow you where I sleep.'" p.193.
Somehow, this just didn't work for me. But hey, someday maybe I'll be lucky enough to meet an attractive witch who's name is Oo-yah!
:)
So read this without expecting a whole lot in it's main characters, and you'll be OK.
Behind Zahn, but not far.......2007-04-04
The Courtship of Princess Leia is a well-done book that, although not as "faithful" as the Zahn books, was for years my second favorite book. This is a different interpretation of a successful franchise, and it scintillates. I highly reccommend this book.
Romanace, Star Wars style.......2007-03-15
I'm not a fan of romances and, at its heart, that's what this book is--a stereotypically bad romance novel. Don't believe me? Take a look at the basic plot: Career woman Leia Organa is in a long-term relationship with the scruffy Han Solo. At a business event, Leia meets the incredibly wealthy and unbelievably handsome Prince Isolder who soon asks her to marry him. Now Leia must choose between the two men. This is definitely not my sort of story.
Having said all that, I am a big Star War fan, and that's also what this book is--a chapter in a sprawling space opera filled with danger, excitement, mysterious Force-users, strange world and stranger creatures. My only complaint is that (as other reviews have mentioned) this story feels slightly "wrong" when compared with the rest of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. For example, it's really hard for me to believe that Han Solo would ever be desperate enough to ask C-3PO for advice on romance. However, taken for what it is (a stand-alone novel in a continually unfolding saga that often contradicts itself), "The Courtship of Princess Leia" delivers. It is meant to be entertaining and fun--and it succeeds.
Average customer rating:
- Horrible Translation
- Most of it has already been said, but...
- Brilliant Science Fiction
- No Sale
- If you liked the Manga or Video series, you'll love the novel
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Seikai: Crest of the Stars Volume 1: Princess of the Empire (Seikai)
Morioka Hiroyuki
Manufacturer: TokyoPop
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1598165755
Release Date: 2006-09-05 |
Customer Reviews:
Horrible Translation.......2007-09-10
I greatly enjoyed the Crest of the Stars anime, and when I found that the original Japanese sci-fi novels were translated, I was elated. Unfortunately, there is little positive to be said about the results of this endeavor. While the translator has consulted the fan community about the complex world and language that Hiroyuki Morioka created, she is incapable of producing good English prose. The poor choice of words, use of colloquial terms in formal context and general lack of skill cause this book to read like fan fiction off the Internet. I have no idea how any of this ever passed an editor. Add to this cheap paper and basic binding, and I cannot in good conscience recommend the English novels. I can only hope that these works will eventually be retranslated to the standards they deserve.
Most of it has already been said, but..........2007-08-29
The book is an entertaining read, with a fairly straightforward story arch taking place in an incredibly complicated universe. Character interaction and development is solid, even among the supporting cast and "villains."
On the whole, this is good classic science fiction of the "golden age" variety. The only real complain I have is that the decision to use untranslated Abh words in the dialogue simply doesn't work. Instead of creating a more absorbing experience, it threw me out of the story by forcing me to flip to the dictionary in the back of the book.
Still, a good read, particularly for people that have seen the anime.
Brilliant Science Fiction.......2007-08-18
Hiroyuki Morioka is the greatest Japanese science-fiction author of our time. Here he has created a massive and intricate universe, complete with culture, background and constructed languages. It's very hard to find good science fiction these days, but Morioka's work is like a breath of fresh air after so much stale and subpar sci-fi literature.
Be warned, Morioka has a particular writing style that may not appeal to everybody. He delves deeply into backstory, and he tends to explain history and technology in great detail. This may not appeal to everybody, but it will delight hardcore science-fiction fans (such as Trekkies) who delight in the explanation of such minutia.
This Roddenberry-inspired work will easily appeal to Star Trek fans, as well as fans of the original anime. Otherwise, read this if you're enough of a sci-fi junkie to enjoy a deep and well-explained space-opera universe rife with compelling characters, massive empires and interstellar war.
No Sale.......2007-05-06
I'm not sure how much of it is the translation and how much is culture barrier, but I didn't like this book at all. I couldn't even finish it. The book is the same size as your average manga, and the typeface is quite large. The prologue is pure info-dump, and very long info-dump at that. Unfortunately, this happens often in the book.
The characters don't seem very likable, even Jinto, who walks the edge of whining too often for my taste. The created culture is fascinating (which is why this gets two stars instead of one), but it's swamped under the author's con-lang.
Words were created purely for being 'alien'--all the cultures involved derived from Earth, so why is it necessary to have 'new' words for 'coffee' or 'chopsticks' when the original words are used on multiple worlds? The parenthetical asides get distracting, and having to flip to the glossary in the back, sometimes several times for one page, is frustrating. I kept losing track of the storyline because I had to keep looking things up. Character names and character titles were sometimes very similar, just a few letters difference, which added to the confusion.
I understand this is a fan-favorite, and that a succesful anime has been made of it. Perhaps it works better on screen, or for those who've seen the anime.
If you liked the Manga or Video series, you'll love the novel.......2006-11-10
I first saw the Sekei trilogy on one of the cable networks. I really enjoyed it -- more than most Anime. I have since bought the 3 series on DVD and the corresponding Manga, but I have been looking forward to the translation of the novels on which they are based. This is the first installment and is full of details that had to be left out of the Manga and videos. I really enjoyed it, but I wish they had translated more... My only criticism is that there is a heavy use of the Abh Baronh language in the book. There is a glossary, but I would have prefered seeing the English term with the Abh (in parens, or as a footnote) -- referring to the glossary gets a bit tedious. Otherwise the novel was great and I'm looking forward to Seikai 2.
Average customer rating:
- Different from the other Royal Diary books
- The princess of the moon, stars and the universe
- Sondok. Terrific!
- I have definitely read better
- What a wonder!
|
Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars, Korea, A.D. 595 (The Royal Diaries)
Sheri Holman
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0439165865 |
Book Description
During the seventh-century, the land which is now Korea was fraught with political and religious intrigue. The country was split into Three Kingdoms, each fighting for supremacy: Silla, Koguryo, and Paekche. Besides the warring kingdoms, there are three religions in conflict: Shamanism, the ancient female-dominated faith wherein Shamanist priestesses wield great power at court, foretelling the future, performing important national rituals, and healing sickness; Buddhism, the contemplative State religion; and Confucianism, a recent import from powerful China.
Customer Reviews:
Different from the other Royal Diary books.......2005-12-18
This is definetly not your typical royal diary book. Instead of being set in England Or France, this story takes place in Ancient Korea (A.D. 595) with Sondok: Princess of the Moon and Stars. It's a unique idea but the story is indeed missing something. The cover is beautiful and the book is very durable and contains a breif history of Sondok and Korean Royalty at the back. All-n-all, i enjoyed it.
The princess of the moon, stars and the universe.......2005-06-22
Sondok, heir of the royal throne of Silla is more like a man than an elegant lady.She is misunderstood by many of the few people that finally earn her respect in her book.She is a strong and young woman who is interested in the moon and the stars and has a secret love on a servant boy who her father wants her to marry, yet she declines.Sondok is one of 4 daughters who are royal and the heart of Korea.In many parts in this book, Sondok's father is mingling under the influence of a Chinese astrologist.Due to this,Sondok loses a relative, a loved one who is sent far away to never be seen again.Even though the end of this tale is tragic, i must say this is definitely one of the best royal diaries that i have ever read,due to it's suspense and royalty, a pure elegance that has never been achieved in any other royal diary
PS: Has anyone heard of the new books to come
Catherine - The great journey
Anacona - golden flower of Bacal
Maria theresa - The Italian princess
Sondok. Terrific!.......2005-01-29
By putting notes in an ancestral jar of her grandmothers ,Sondok princess of Korea began a diary about the happenings in her life and around the palace.Having an interest in the planets and stars Sondok was quite excited when a chinese astronomer was coming to visit the Korean royal family.But after being rejected by the astronomer and her father and being told that astronomy isn't for ladies ,Sondok sees red.Sondok buried her astronomy case and took on weaving,sewing and studying vowing she would never study astronomy again.But after breaking her vow ,she looses one of the most precious people in her life.This is an excellent new addition to the Royal Diaries Series and should be read by all fans.
I have definitely read better.......2004-03-17
Sondok is a Korean princess who is heir to the throne, much to the dismay of the Chinese, who believe that a woman cannot properly rule.
Another thing that is special about Sondok is that she loves astronomy, and she want's an observatory of her own so she can learn to read the stars and their meaning.
But in Korea at that time it was not considered proper for a woman to study astronomy, but Sondok refused to give up hope that someday she will be an astronomer and rule Korea with wisdom.
This book is good, except I have read better. It certainly isn't boring, though. I thought the part about the New Year's festivals was very well done.
What a wonder!.......2003-11-24
This book was a pleasant surprise for me, a Korean female looking for books in English for little cousins. Queen Sondok has been the most famous & beloved queen to Korean children, especially to girls, like the amalgam of Joan of Arc and Queen Elisabeth the first.
She was the first princess who came to the throne in whole Korean history, and her succession was possible due to the special succession law of ancient Shilla dynasty which put a higher value on the pure royal birth than the genders of heirs. There was no male heir whose both parents were royal then, so Sondok was raised as the heir apparent with formidable duty to answer to love and hope of her own parents and her people in the time of endless wars and diplomatic intrigues. And she did more.
Until this book, I always imagined her as a grown-up, like Athena with full armors springing from Zeus's head, partly because of all stories in historical texts such as the famous her 3 prophecies and the anecdote of Mun-Hee(a lady saved by Sondok from burning at stake) showing her silent bravery, deep understanding of human nature, and somewhat supernatural, shman-like foresight, all three of them which were necessary for ancient rulers.
Holman portrayed her as a little princess rather than a queen who ruled successfully her kingdom for 15 years in a very turbulent time with love of arts and intelligence and deep Buddhistic faith. And it was an interesting move. Even young readers without any knowledge of Korea may enjoy it. Thank you Holman for saving the difficulties of finding an easy and good book.
Book Description
Sometimes it seems a Jedi’s work is never done and Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker know this only too well. Despite the bond they share in the Force, after three years of marriage the Jedi Master and his wife are still learning the ropes of being a couple—and struggling to find time together between the constant demands of duty. But all that will change when they’re united on an unexpected mission—and must pool their exceptional skills to combat an insidious enemy . . . and salvage a part of Jedi history.
It begins with a message from a surprising source: Nirauan, the planet where Thrawn, dangerous disciple of Emperor Palpatine, once held sway . . . and from which Luke and Mara barely escaped with their lives. The message itself is shocking. After fifty years, the remains of Outbound Flight—a pioneering Jedi expedition viciously destroyed by Thrawn—have been found on Nirauan. Now, the fiercely honor-bound aliens who reside there wish to turn over the remnants of the doomed mission to the New Republic. Accepting the gesture will mean a long voyage into the treacherous cluster of stars where the thousands of souls aboard the Outbound Flight vessel met their grim fate. But it may also mean something more . . . something that has stirred an inexplicable sense of foreboding in Mara.
Whatever may await, the Skywalkers will not face it alone. Joining them on the strange and solemn journey are an officer of the post-Palpatine Empire, escorted by a detachment of Imperial stormtroopers; a party of diplomats from a gentle alien species that reveres the fallen Jedi for saving them from bloodthirsty conquerors; and a New Republic ambassador who harbors his own mysterious agenda.
Soon enough, suspicion, secrecy, and an unknown saboteur run rampant aboard the isolated ship. But it is within the derelict walls of Outbound Flight itself, buried for half a century on a desolate planetoid, where the gravest danger lies. As the marooned hulk yields up stunning revelations and unexpected terrors to its visitors, Luke and Mara find all they stand for—and their very existence—brutally challenged. And the ultimate test will be surviving the deathtrap carefully laid by foes who are legendary for their ruthlessness . . . and determined to complete the job Thrawn began: exterminating the Jedi.
Customer Reviews:
Boring.......2007-07-30
This has to be one of the worst books ever written for the Star Wars Expanded Universe. The story doesn't seem suspenseful at all and is very slow. I gave up this one after the first 150 pages.This was a major disappointment especially coming from such a good writer as Zahn.
I barely survived this one.......2007-07-10
If you're a fan of the Star Wars novels that took place before the New Jedi Order series, particularly those stand-alone novels where Luke, Han, Leia and the gang would split up, face mortal peril, reunite, triumph resoundingly over the forces of evil, and never ever disturb the status quo, then you're going to love Survivor's Quest. If, however, you preferred series like the Jedi Academy Trilogy, the New Jedi Order, and yes Timothy Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy, where major events had actual repercussions in the Star Wars Universe, you may want to skip this inconsequential tale of...well, not much really.
Basically, the Chiss (Grand Admiral Thrawn's people) discover the remains of Outbound Flight, a Jedi-led expedition into the Unknown Regions, and ask Luke Skywalker and his new bride Mara Jade to come take it off their hands. A band of Stormtroopers (no wait, they're good guys!) and some kindly aliens come along for various reasons, but the aliens turn out to be not so kindly after all, causing a conflict that is resolved (of course) by Luke and Mara. At the end, everyone goes their separate ways like the whole thing never happened.
Of course I'm oversimplifying, but not much. This novel didn't serve any purpose at all in the greater scheme of things, much like all of those throwaway Star Wars books from the mid 1990's. I took a chance on it based solely on the fact that it was a Timothy Zahn book, but this is far from his best work. It was a struggle to read this one through to its predictable conclusion.
If you loved those self-contained Star Wars novels from the 90's and are still fuming that they took out Chewbacca in the New Jedi Order's first book (you know who you are), then by all means pick up Survivor's Quest. If you prefer saga's like the New Jedi Order where things actually happen and the good guys don't always ride off into the sunset, you'll want to skip this one.
Don't believe the critics. . ........2007-02-24
I'll have to admit that before I bought this book I read some bad reviews people had given it. I think I had a bit of thier criticism when I started reading, so the book seemed to start slowly. As a read deeper into this adventure, I found myself getting hooked and couldn't put the book down. I'm sorry I ever listened to other people's opinions, and I should have trusted more in my favorite Star Wars author Timothy Zahn. I give this book four stars because it was a wonderful, captivating adventure, yet doesn't deserve five stars because I reserve five stars only for my very favorite.
In which Luke and Mara find out what happened to Outbound Flight.......2007-02-09
Timothy Zahn is one of the most original Science Fiction writers writing today. His contributions to the "Star Wars" Universe, especially Grand Admiral Thrawn, are some of his best work.
"Survivor's Quest" is set 22 years after the first "Star Wars" Film (Episode IV - A New Hope). Luke Skywalker is now a Jedi Master, and is married to Mara Jade, who was formerly the Emperor's Hand, but is now a Jedi Knight.
Luke is sent a message by a race called the Chiss: they have discovered the ships of a Jedi-led exploration mission called "Outbound Flight" which had left the Old Republic on a voyage to another galaxy some 50 years before.
Outbound flight had never made it out of the home Galaxy. A Chiss commander called Mitth'raw'nuruodo - who later served Emperor Palpatine as a Grand Admiral and was known by his core name, Thrawn, which humans can pronounce - intercepted Outbound Flight and apparently destroyed it.
The Chiss government had not been pleased by Thrawn's actions, and he had narrowly escaped being cashiered and exiled. Having found what is left of the ships of Outbound Flight, the Chiss want to give them back and hold a commemoration ceremony to formally apologise for their destruction. Luke and Mara are invited as representatives of the Jedi and the New Republic to take part in the ceremony and explore the remains.
But what starts out as the investigation of an old tragedy turns into a deadly pattern of intrigue and plots. Several of those who turn up to take part in the ceremony commemorating Outbound Flight are not what they seem, and it soon becomes apparent that a number of hidden agendas are in play.
Furthermore, it turns out that there are survivors from the original crew of Outbound Flight. Their experiences fifty years ago have made the survivors, and their descendants, paranoid about anyone entering the remains of the expedition. This presents some difficult challenges, but is far from being the worst danger which Luke, Mara, and their companions face.
Subsequent to writing this book, Zahn went back fifty years and published the novel "Outbound Flight" which tells the story of the original expedition. If you're minded to read both stories, I recommend that you tackle "Outbound Flight" first.
Knowing too much about what is going to happen may somewhat dampen your pleasure at reading "Outbound Flight" if you read the books in the order they were written. I also found a number of details in "Survivor's Quest" more powerful when I re-read that story after tackling the book about the earlier events.
It's difficult to illustrate this point without giving away either story, but let me give one example: two important characters in "Outbound flight" are faced with a choice between two options, one of which will mean their own deaths, the other those of the other remaining survivors of the expedition. They choose the former, and a communications failure means that nobody knows about their sacrifice.
Fifty years later, Luke and Mara find the bones of those two people in the wrecked bridge of Outbound Flight, with an item which enables one of them to be identified. Luke and Mara draw the right conclusion, that the individual concerned had died to save the people of Outbound Flight, and convey this to the next of kin of that person, on the basis of a wholly wrong assumption about what had been going on. It's very poignant if you read the two books close together, but this is one of a number of details which make more sense if you read "Outbound Flight" first.
Other good things about this book: the partnership of Luke and Mara is well described and highly enjoyable to read about. The plot and action setting are first rate.
If you enjoy Zahn's Star Wars fiction but were disappointed in most of the other books set in the Star Wars Universe, there is one other writer whose Star Wars books I can strongly recommend, and that is Roger MacBride Allen. His Corellian trilogy is nearly as good as Zahn's "Heir to the Empire" trilogy, and that is saying a lot.
Overall both "Outbound Flight" and "Survivor's Quest" are worthy additions to the Star Wars canon and I recommend them.
Timothy Zahn does it again!!!.......2006-12-15
This book certainly deserves a 5 Star rating! Timothy Zahn is by far the best of the Star Wars novel writers. This book takes place just prior to New Jedi Order and prepares you for the invasion of the Yuuzhan Vong. This book also serves to close out the project known as "Outbound Flight"
Timothy Zahn was the author to establish the relationship between Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade (now Mara Jade Skywalker). You get to see the unique bond between 2 married Jedi and Luke questions why Jedi were forbidden from marrying in the past.
This book will also provide you some insight into the lives of the Chiss people. This is the first time we see much about the Chiss since the fall of Thrawn.
There are some good battle scenes in this book between the Skywalker's and the Vagaari. The Vagaari were valiant warriors, however they of course were not powerful enough to defeat Luke and Mara. Unfortunatley the Vagaari are never heard from again after this book.
Timothy Zahn did a great job of tying the older Star Wars era to the age of Star Wars past the movies. Luke and Mara have about a 9 page battle with a Droideka (last heard from prior to the rise of Vader). Also covered are the Storm Troopers from the 501st, who where Darth Vader's special force of Storm Troopers.
If you read the book "Outbound Flight" you owe it to yourself to read this book. If you are new to reading Star Wars novels, this book is a great place to start! Timothy Zahn you get 2 thumbs up from me!
Book Description
The celestial unicorns are in great danger. The Evil Shifter has stolen the jewel from the dragon's lair on Blue Mountain, and it is up to Princess Arianna and her unicorn, Sunchaser, to rescue the magical jewel and to save the rainbow herd.
Customer Reviews:
Power of the Star.......2004-05-06
I liked the book Search for the Star by Mary Stanton. It is a wonderful book. I enjoyed the parts of the book which had magic, adventure and fantasy. This book has a unicorn that has magic powers. Also there is a princess who has a magic scepter. She is trying to fight evil.
This is a good book to recommend to readers that like fantasy books. The story is very exciting to read. Throughout the story the characters say and do things that do not make sense at first until later in the book. I look forward to reading the other books in the series to see if they are as good as the 5 book. I hope you read this book and enjoy it as much as I did.
(...)
By fire, by moonlight.......2002-08-13
I Loooooooooooooooove the series. They are terrific!!! But she left us just hanging there on the last book. I've been keeping my eyes out for a new one for quite some time now. I know she defeated Shifter, but hey, I want to know if she finds her parents and how things end. That just makes me mad, so please when you read this help me help all of us to get another book from Mary Stanton.
A very neat book.......2001-05-16
This book was an imagenative,interesting book.I think one of my favorite parts was when the Shifter turned into smoke and stoll the indego star.Hope ya like the book.
BEST BOOK EVER MADE?.......2000-12-18
This is one of the best books ever made! -In the world. -The galexy. -The UNIVERSE! It is just soooooooo exiteing. Mary Stanton has got me impationtly waiting for the next book! So. Take my advice and BUY THIS BOOK!
Extremely good series.......2000-03-13
Extremely good book I've read all of the books up to #5 (this book) Mary Stanton has a very creative mind to make up such delightful characters.
Book Description
The Empire is dying; but like a dog near death, the Empire is at its most dangerous, ready to lash out with nothing to lose. Grand Admiral Thrawn may have found just the firepower needed to take a bite out of the New Republic: some two hundred Dreadnaught heavy cruisers, lost to hyperspace in the days of the Old Republic. Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca may be up against more than they bargained for, but it`s not the first time the odds have been stacked against them!
Customer Reviews:
Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03
Grand Admiral Thrawn attacks the New Republic on many fronts. He forces
our intrepid band of heroes to flee assassins, and Leia takes off with
Chewie, and Han goes looking for help by himself.
The dodgy Mara Jade is also floating around, as is a not so nice Jedi Master.
Whoever controls the 'Dark Force' of ancient ships in the end will have a massive advantage in the battle for the galaxy.
Author captures the epic spirit of Star Wars space opera.......2007-05-22
As far as post-Return of the Jedi novels about Luke, Han and Leia go, Timothy Zahn's breakthrough Thrawn Trilogy is the best.
As for the best novels from the era of the movie saga, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels:
Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
A Star Wars Fix.......2007-01-19
Do you hate George Lucas for ruining his own creation like I do? I mean, Star Wars, the defining mythology of at least two generations, the story of heroes and redemption has become the joke of our times. How could it not? Did you see that idiot, Anakin, scratching his way up the hill, beaten and burned, destined to become the shell for James Earl Jones's ominous basso voice? Did it make you groan? Did it make you want to set fire to the Skywalker Ranch? Am I alone?
Now, I'm not a Star Wars Geek. I don't play the roleplaying game. Never have. I don't have the library of tie-in novels and I do poorly at the trivia compared to a lot of people. But I snuck into the theater when I was 11 years old to watch Luke Skywalker discover The Force. I know great stories and despite the slightly cheesy effects and the ham-handed acting, Star Wars was a great story.
Why am I going on and on about what was? Because Timothy Zahn does Star Wars better than George Lucas does Star Wars. If Lucas had just filmed these three books - Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command - he'd have a masterpiece to crown his early achievements.
In Dark Force Rising, Leia conducts a mission to influence an alien race heretofore loyal to one of the Emperor's warlords, Luke finds himself battling an insane Jedi Master, Joruus C'Baoth, and Han Solo races the forces of the warlord, General Thrawn, to get to a lost fleet of Dreadnaught cruisers. The tension is high throughout this second book in the series and the characters conduct themselves admirably, keeping to the heroic expectations and rebellious attitudes we expect.
Reading this series, and especially this book, will remind you why we loved Star Wars and why we now hate George Lucas.
- CV Rick
The middle of a saga is always the best!.......2006-07-13
Just like Empire Strikes Back, Dark Force Rising is the pinnacle of what the middle portion of a saga is all about. There is tons of action and the book is so well written that you won't want to put it down.
Highly recommend this one and I can't wait to finish the triology with The Last Command.
Zahn is the man!
The Force is with you!.......2006-07-13
"Dark Force Rising" Volume 2 of the Thrawn Trilogy. Grand Admiral Thrawn continues his attempt to finish off the struggling New Republic. Talon Karrde, the smuggler who took Jabba's place is slowly being pulled over to the New Republic's side even though his right hand Mara Jade (The Emperors' Hand before he died) wants nothing to do with the new republic and who's only goal has been to kill Luke Skywalker. The two opposing sides race for a lost fleet of about 200 ships. The winner will have the upper hand in the continuing battle. Meanwhile the newly surfaced Jedi master plots to capture Leia, her twins and Luke.
The Good: The whole book (along with the other 2 were all very good). It's good to read the old favorites including Han, Leia, Luke, Chewy and Lando. The plot stays strong throughout and this kept the book enjoyable.
The Bad: Nothing memorable
Overall: The book and series are both very good and I recommend them highly
Books:
- Answered Prayer: Guaranteed!
- At the Center of the Storm: My Years at the CIA
- Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis
- Bartholomew and the Oobleck: (Caldecott Honor Book) (Classic Seuss)
- Boundaries
- Captured by Your Kiss: Brides of the Bloodstone
- Centered Riding (A Trafalgar Square Farm Book)
- Christmas with Paula Deen: Recipes and Stories from My Favorite Holiday
- Club Dead (Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 3)
- Come the Spring (Clayborne Brothers)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Weekend Warriors
- Summertime in the Big Woods
- Current Practice of Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
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Exile (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 4)
Sacrifice (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 5)
Tempest (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 3)
Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Darth Bane)
Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6)
