There's no overstating the cultural importance of the Goosebumps series when it comes to talking about kid's literature from the 1990s. Back in the miThere's no overstating the cultural importance of the Goosebumps series when it comes to talking about kid's literature from the 1990s. Back in the mid-'90s, Goosebumps was handily selling millions of copies monthly, a massive cash-cow for publisher Scholastic. In the wake of its huge success, other publishers were scrambling for an answer, and Bantam, which held a license to Star Wars, cooked up its own scheme.
It's hard to say whether or not that scheme was ultimately financially successful; there's no doubt Galaxy of Fear, the series they cooked up, sold copy, but 1997 was already pretty late in the cycle for a Goosebumps style series for Star Wars readers, and the book carried for 12 novels and then was quickly forgotten by all but the most dedicated Star Wars fans.
The debut novel in the series, Eaten Alive, is actually a really fun read, though, full of action and adventure and references to the greater Star Wars canon, even if the series itself would be stricken from any sort of canonical record. All the major cast show up in important cameo appearances in this one, and the book's scare-filled plot feels much more cohesive than the Goosebumps novels it is clearly emulating.
Credit to Whitman for the cohesion; it's not easy to write in this specific style of suspense and keep things feeling fresh or entertaining, but the novel is a breezy read, driven forward by good suspense beats and its terrifying premise. In the world of children's Star Wars fiction, Eaten Alive stands very firmly in the middle of the good stuff, much more coherent than the Junior Jedi Knights novels, while perhaps not quite as expansive as the Young Jedi Knights' first arc.
But this one launches a series with an amazing premise, full of weird and spooky ideas, a strange but wonderful direction for an established IP to explore. ...more
A fitting conclusion to the Shadow Academy arc, Jedi Under Siege wraps up the major conflicts introduced in the previous five books. The whole of the A fitting conclusion to the Shadow Academy arc, Jedi Under Siege wraps up the major conflicts introduced in the previous five books. The whole of the arc should be understood within its context, as the series was intended for young readers and at the time didn't embrace a lot of the more profound and complex themes of loss and grief that might appear in more recent literature for children and teens.
What I love about this book is actually the way in which Anderson and Moesta work to establish a throughline of sympathy and empathy, which feature throughout Star Wars as radical emotion capable of creating dramatic change. This book presents tragedy, but that tragedy is always grounded in feelings of empathy. There's no mistaking the book's simplistic morality, but simplistic morality plays have always been the bread and butter of Star Wars, and since this is a book for children it also gets much more leniency in how it handles the major theme.
The destruction of the Shadow Academy is an interesting development, I think, with the dramatic reveal of the Emperor's return be particularly satisfying in light of the '90s proclivity to keep trying to resurrect Palpatine. While I wish there were more space given to developing this storyline (the story is strong enough to have been a mainline saga or trilogy instead of relegated to children's lit that few but the most hardcore adult fans may have read), I thoroughly enjoyed this saga and consider it among the very best in '90s Star Wars....more
The Young Jedi Knights series continues to be some of my favorite Star Wars media of the '90s. While some readers seem to bemoan it for one reason or The Young Jedi Knights series continues to be some of my favorite Star Wars media of the '90s. While some readers seem to bemoan it for one reason or another (in spite of it having been written for children), the series continues to dig into some of the expanded Star Wars lore and root out genuine reactions to the series' central conflicts and philosophical ideas.
That's not to say that Darkest Knight is the deepest of books, but it does present an interesting look at Kashyyyk (which has been explored quite a bit in 1996), and at least confronts some ideas of generational conflict and the conflict between light and dark as regards the Force and its influence on the main characters. The action in this book feels particularly breezy, with some surprising turns and a very swift-moving plot pace.
I still think this series is my favorite of all of the '90s media, even if it may not be the "best" of the saga's books to date. But I have the most fun with these books and this one was no exception....more
Tyrant's Test closes out the Black Fleet Crisis, perhaps one of the more underrated Star Wars trilogies from the 1990s. While it's forgivable to overlTyrant's Test closes out the Black Fleet Crisis, perhaps one of the more underrated Star Wars trilogies from the 1990s. While it's forgivable to overlook the book because of its languid pace and conflicting ideas, this conclusion does posit some very interesting ideas about the nature of power, about how it is to be used or not used, about how we consider conflict and what fair resolution looks like when dealing with wholly alien cultural concepts about power.
The book is really centered on three major conflicts: Leia Organa's fight to control the New Republic after her leadership is called into question; Luke's continued search for his mother's people and his interrogation of their culture; and Lando's dealings with a vagabond starship and its mysteries. Leia's role in the book and the political intrigue she faces while chasing after her kidnapped husband is really the strongest part of the book, and it's where I think the book shines the most. Luke's story is a distant second, hamstrung largely by the seeming disconnect his role has on the central plot of the novel, even if his story is thematically relevant and represents an important character arc for him. Lando's part in the novel is easily the weakest, reminiscent perhaps far too much of L. Neil Smith's adventures from the early '80s. While Lando's story does serve as the bookend to Luke's journey and represents an important, hopeful counterpoint to the story of the Falannassi, I think it's easily the weakest (and frustratingly the longest) part of the whole trilogy.
But aside from its terrible pacing issues, the trilogy has some of the strongest thematic ideas in any of the books I've read through 1996. Kube-McDowell doesn't shy away from really complex and nuanced conversations through all of the book's characters, and it feels like the most philosophical trilogy Star Wars may ever see. While I could have done with a whole lot less Lando and a whole lot more Leia, I think the book has to be seen as part of the whole trilogy, and thus serves as a necessary chapter in the trilogy's overall thesis statement.
I honestly wish more of Star Wars were like this book, albeit perhaps better paced. The Black Fleet Crisis may not shape up as one of the more action-packed episodes in the EU saga, but it is easily the most intellectual and the most serious attempt at giving Star Wars some of the philosophical heft of other sci-fi. ...more
Tales of the Bounty Hunters is the first anthology of stories that doesn't feel like it's all just trying to rehash the same exact scene from dozens oTales of the Bounty Hunters is the first anthology of stories that doesn't feel like it's all just trying to rehash the same exact scene from dozens of different angles. Of course, there are moments in this anthology in which every one of the characters ends up trying to chase down Han Solo, but it's less about that particular instance than it is about trying to flesh out more of the world of the franchise, populating it with more characters and interesting backstories that fit into the worldbuilding.
And it's mostly really good, with some extraordinary standouts. Kevin J. Anderson gives a bananas take on IG-88, Dave Wolverton handles the emotional beat of Dengar pretty well, and M. Shayne Bell gives a phenomenal account of Zuckuss and 4-Lom. But Kathy Tyers' take on Bossk felt a little long in the tooth, and Daniel Keys Moran's characterization of Boba Fett feels incredibly off for the character as established even for 1996.
But each of the novelettes making up this collection work pretty well in spite of some obvious differences in canon. While Moran's take on Boba Fett will never be sufficient for me in terms of the character, I think this is a worthy look at some of the most unique characters in the Star Wars universe. It may not be required EU reading and certainly conflicts with later canon events, it's a great exploration of mid-90s world-building for Star Wars....more
The New Rebellion may very well be the best Star Wars novel from 1996, with just the right amount of good storytelling and bright character examinatioThe New Rebellion may very well be the best Star Wars novel from 1996, with just the right amount of good storytelling and bright character examinations, a self-contained epic with satisfying character arcs for the major players in Star Wars and just connected enough to existing continuity to pay off for attentive '90s-era readers.
What Rusch does best is finding something for every major player to do. Han and Chewbacca get plenty of space for adventure, Luke gets to demonstrate his mastery of the Force in a way that feels compelling to his character without overshadowing the rest of the cast, Leia has a complete character arc and matures in multiple dimensions by the time the book is over, and even Lando and the droids get to have their moment in the sun. While the book feels like it sprawls out, it also feels like it keeps pace satisfyingly.
One of its major strengths is that the book is a self-contained story, so there aren't any prequels, sequels, or trilogies to catch up on in order to keep pace with the book. And it manages to set up its stakes meaningfully, with a well-developed villain and plot that doesn't rely overtly on overused '90s tropes or a dizzying knowledge of EU continuity. That's not to say that the book exists completely in a vacuum of continuity, but that its focus is more on the characters and the stakes of the plot than it is on scaffolding a launching point for a new status quo. It helps to know what has happened in the saga to this point, but only so far as that knowledge can enrich the experience.
Rusch also delivers a fairly convincing villain for the book, and though I don't quite buy into the idea that Kueller is the most dangerous foe since Palpatine, I do think he sits as a more competent and believable antagonist to the New Republic than characters like Admiral Daala or some of the other villains the past several years has offered. What works best about Kueller is that he highlights the philosophies of the various main characters, showcasing their strengths and their weaknesses both for the benefit of the plot's conflict.
It's rare to see a book that feels as wholly true the characters and original trilogy as The New Rebellion, especially as the characters have developed for the EU. It doesn't quite strive for the same broad, thematic, allegorical explorations as the original trilogy or even some of the other books from 1996, but that doesn't hold it back from the spirit of a very good Star Wars book. If every novel in this series were as competently written, I think I'd have a hard time moving away from Star Wars to read literally anything else.
TLDR: I had a great time with The New Rebellion, and it's easy for me to include on a list of essential EU reading. With a strong villain and great character development across the board, I think this is a real gem....more
Shadows of the Empire was a mid-level novel given the attention of a mainstream film in the Star Wars franchise, and part of that treatment was a comiShadows of the Empire was a mid-level novel given the attention of a mainstream film in the Star Wars franchise, and part of that treatment was a comic book adaptation that accompanied the novel and video game and toy line. John Wagner does enough work to differentiate the comic from the novel, offering up some (unnecessary) additional information to shore up holes in the story that really didn't need filling.
The comics expand some of Boba Fett's role in getting Han Solo over to Jabba, and fills out a tiny bit of the intelligence network Darth Vader and Prince Xizor use to undermine one another throughout the story. Aside from these very small expansions, though, the comic adaptation is definitely the lesser of the two efforts. In positive terms, it's way less horny than Steve Perry's book, but it isn't as narratively cohesive because it is only a snapshot of certain story beats taken from the novel. Because it's mostly just an adaptation, it lacks its own sense of identity, and what it adds to the story isn't good enough to make it really interesting.
Credit to Wagner for trying to add to the existing canon, and at a minimum the series' covers are amazing. Kilian Plunkett's interior art ranks in the better half of '90s Star Wars comics, and the colors are generally pretty on-point. It doesn't aspire to the sense of style of someone like Cam Kennedy, but Plunkett's layouts are fine and his characters mostly recognizable.
At the end of the day, the Shadows of the Empire adaptation is really just a decent effort at what I consider to be a pretty "okay" novel, but adapting something that was only just okay to begin with isn't always a recipe for success. What it adds isn't really good or big enough to track this one down for a personal collection, and perhaps this one is just best enjoyed as nostalgia....more
In the third chapter of the X-Wing saga, Stackpole throws Rogue Squadron into a tailspin of political intrigue, galactic economics, and courtroom thriIn the third chapter of the X-Wing saga, Stackpole throws Rogue Squadron into a tailspin of political intrigue, galactic economics, and courtroom thrills. The Krytos Trap may well be the best of these first few novels, expanding on some of Rogue Squadron's B-plots while positioning it for the next major chapter in its ongoing series.
What The Krytos Trap does especially well is take Rogue Squadron out of the cockpit in order to showcase their contributions to the expanding New Republic at a critical time in its nascency. Once again, the major cast of Star Wars are mostly absent--Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker make dignified cameos that tether Rogue Squadron to the rest of the universe, but their efforts are not the intent of the novel. Instead, we see how decisions from New Republic governance both shape the future of the Rogues and affect their operations, and vice versa.
Of special note are the trial of Tycho Celchu and the budding war over Bacta production throughout the universe. These two major plots tie in well with the events of both preceding novels. As the culmination of numerous unresolved B-plots from the previous books as well as the expansion of the Star Wars mythos, The Krytos Trap feels like mandatory reading for fans of the franchise. We get a glimpse of Twilek society on Ryloth (which, to my knowledge, had not been well-explored prior to this novel), as well as a greater expansion on Thyferran politics and Bacta production. The Krytos virus plot in this novel satisfies the threads introduced in Wedge's Gamble, and the book neatly packs away lingering questions while opening up the doors for the next sequel.
If any complaints are to be made, the last thirty or forty pages of the book feel like they rush to a conclusion, with one whole chapter existing solely for major characters to stand around and explain the plot of the rest of the book as events conclude completely out-of-narrative-frame. It's a really weird conclusion, like the end of an old police procedural wherein the audience expects an answer to lingering mysteries but the run time only has three minutes before credits need to roll. It's the only place the book really feels like it stumbles, as if Stackpole had simply run out of time and needed to clinch off the conclusion so the book could go out to print.
Whatever the case may be, The Krytos Trap is a great book in a better-than-average series for Star Wars. It may be very continuity-heavy and require digging through two previous novels at a minimum, but those efforts are rewarded with a decently-paced political thriller featuring Rogue Squadron. As the scope continues to widen for this series, I think the stories are able to do more, to show more of the existing universe, and expand on some ideas we hadn't seen before. It also makes me pretty excited for the fourth novel and the furtherance of Rogue Squadron's legend....more
In Before the Storm, Michael P. Kube-McDowell set the scene for some big ideas. Centered largely on the question of power and justice--and whether vioIn Before the Storm, Michael P. Kube-McDowell set the scene for some big ideas. Centered largely on the question of power and justice--and whether violence could ever be just--the novel focused primarily on dealings of the New Republic and the trouble that comes with organized government and politicking. If Star Wars was an allegory for the Vietnam War and British-American imperialism, Kube-McDowell set out to continue exploring that allegory for the EU. And Before the Storm was a damn fine book, on par with Ambush at Corellia for the most interesting first novel in a new Star Wars trilogy.
There's no mistaking that Shield of Lies is thematically much better than the Corellian Trilogy's second novel; Kube-McDowell continues exploring the same set of ideas he introduced in the previous book. This novel is divided into thirds, with each portion exploring the adventures of Lando, Luke, and Leia separately as the New Republic deals with its new crisis. Each third focuses tightly on expanding the central conversation Kube-McDowell wants to have: Lando's trip through a vagrant starship reveals startling news of how war destroyed an entire advanced civilization; Luke's travels with his companion Akanah questions the utility of violence and the ethics of wielding power; and Leia's dealings with the Duskhan League and Nil Spaar center largely on how a government is meant to respond to foreign aggression.
In every thematic sense, Kube-McDowell has crafted one of the most philosophically compelling second novels in a Star Wars EU trilogy, and the complex ideas his novels grapple with are truly excellent. The book feels thematically unified, an extension of the first novel's serious questions about relationships of human governments and power, and an excellent contemplation of how easy power is to abuse when the wrong people assume its mantle.
But if Kube-McDowell forgot anything in this novel, it's to make it fun. Shield of Lies is so concerned with its philosophical questions that it absolutely forgets to be fun in even the slightest sense. The book is studiously boring, and Lando and Luke's portions of the book especially cry out as being insufferably dull. Leia's third of the book--the last portion--is genuinely good and compelling, but it also rushes through some major plot developments because it comes so late in the story. I know why each of these sections exists thematically, but they're just so gob-smackingly boring to read that I honestly am unsure if I wouldn't have just preferred another Corellian Trilogy fiasco.
Kube-McDowell has the most ambitious vision of any '90s-era Star Wars writer I have yet read, and it is a genuine credit to his imagination that he can have such a bold and complex conversation with a fantasy-action franchise like this one. Nevertheless, I do show up to this fantasy-action franchise for fantasy action, and for a book to have so little movement is just a huge bummer. Reading Star Wars shouldn't feel like a chore; this book did....more
After the 2012 acquisition of Star Wars by Disney, it was inevitable the the House of Mouse would make an attempt to revitalize the IP with its own exAfter the 2012 acquisition of Star Wars by Disney, it was inevitable the the House of Mouse would make an attempt to revitalize the IP with its own expansion, and the erasure of the old Expanded Universe began. In 2021, the first concerted effort was made to branch Star Wars out into an entirely new era for the series' lore. Thus was the High Republic born.
It came with a huge marketing push on behalf of Disney, with the High Republic being marketed as a multi-media franchise all its own. Novels, junior novels, children's books, audio exclusives, comic books and graphic novels, everything but a television show or a movie was on the table.
Light of the Jedi is supposed to be the great flagship that launched the High Republic, and it does desperately try to set up the universe of stories to come. The novel is full of action, introduces dozens of characters, a brand-new villainous faction to oppose the Jedi--enough to launch a franchise. But that's all it does; there is no greater philosophy to Light of the Jedi, no real narrative significance or complexity, all flash and absolutely no substance.
Perhaps it was inevitable that the book intended to launch an entirely new setting within Star Wars was going to be a mixed bag, but I never expected the book to be so uneven, uninspiring, and at times just plain bad. The novel's pacing has major problems, its characters are extraordinarily underdeveloped, its villain's motivations nebulous at best and downright impractical at all times, and it lacks any emotional significance because the book's major themes and conceits are about as substantive as air in space.
The book's plot is essentially broken up into three parts: a huge, cataclysmic event in space followed by a second part of disparate plot contrivances followed by a climactic dogfight that feels just as bland, rushed, and undeserved as any other part of the book. Soule tries to put together an ensemble cast of new faces for us to get invested in, but does absolutely nothing more to try to develop these characters. Even the "major players" that the book seems to evolve around are barely in the book at all; Elzar Mann, Avar Kriss, and Loden Greatstorm are given slightly longer spotlights, but their characterization is anemic, with all the dimension of sock puppets. The villains fare no better, and their motivations are so ill-defined you couldn't find them no matter where in the galaxy you scour.
With such utterly poor characterization and with such an inconsequential plot, the book feels deeply disjointed, fragmentary, and totally underwhelming--like making an Avengers movie exclusively so you can spin off a bunch of characters into their own books and stories. What hurts Light of the Jedi is that it all feels so desperately corporatized, a story with the soulless intent of feeding the money-making machine that is Star Wars.
The tragedy of Light of the Jedi is that the Star Wars expanded universe of fiction used to be a space in which science fiction and fantasy auteurs could actually explore meaningful themes with unique creative visions for what kinds of stories could be told in the larger universe of the property. Light of the Jedi just doesn't have a real soul, there's nothing it tries to say, nothing it tries to do other than launch a property for a big corporation to make money. It isn't well-plotted, it isn't well-written, it isn't anything at all, really, just a faceless, featureless, bland excuse of a novel, highly marketable but braindead on arrival.
Wedge's Gamble, the second novel in the popular X-Wing series, depicts the Rebellion's efforts to retake Imperial Center, the planet Coruscant. Full oWedge's Gamble, the second novel in the popular X-Wing series, depicts the Rebellion's efforts to retake Imperial Center, the planet Coruscant. Full of action and intrigue, the novel both fills in an important gap in the Star Wars EU timeline while continuing the trajectory of its own original characters. While the appearance of figures like Leia Organa Solo give this novel a greater connection to the canon characters, it's really the dynamic among the Rogue Squadron characters that helps deepen the Star Wars lore here.
But while the second X-Wing novel may offer very similar action to the first, the book seems to take a step back from dogfighting to focus on the military intrigue of the fight between Imperial remnants and the strengthening Rebellion. In a whole subplot surrounding the Krytos virus, Stackpole begins to broaden out the scope of the Galactic Civil War to show the many ways the Empire remains a threat, even if we all know the Rebellion is destined to win. More than a few twists and turns characterize this book's overarching plot, and plenty happens outside of the cockpit to keep the story fresh.
Nevertheless, the plot of Wedge's Gamble quickly grows a bit too convoluted for its own good, with so many shifting alliances and plot contrivances that it's genuinely hard to figure out the full scope of the book until it's basically over. Even after having finished the book, I'm not entirely sure what "Wedge's gamble" actually is in this novel, and some of the B-plots like the Black Suns rivalry just don't feel like they fit into the novel well at all. It's when events in the novel feel like they're just trying to add complexity to the lore that the book feels most tedious, and I can't say it kept my attention all too well.
The X-Wing series, judging by its first two books, is still in the better half of Star Wars novels, but that doesn't always keep them from being clunky. Still, there's plenty enough to dig through in Wedge's Gamble, even if the digging can be laborious....more
Shadows of the Empire was the biggest novel in the series to date, debuting in 1996 as the focus of a massive advertising campaign to pull people backShadows of the Empire was the biggest novel in the series to date, debuting in 1996 as the focus of a massive advertising campaign to pull people back into the property ahead of Lucas's film remasters in 1997. It is, unsurprisingly, a novel built to be a blockbuster; lots of action, a dash of sex, and a couple of new characters perfect for selling some toys and other assorted merchandise.
But whereas the book was a media sensation, the story itself isn't all that great. True, Perry gives us a convincing new villain in Prince Xizor and brings back Darth Vader for the first novel in about a dozen years, but his dialogue is often clumsy, his plotting uneven, and his transitions from scene to scene whiplash-inducing. The book isn't all bad, but its seams show fairly obviously, and the book serves as too convenient an effort to narrativize Luke's transition from fledgling Jedi to Jedi Knight.
In many ways, the book is just a little too convenient, a bit too unfocused, and it stands about 80 pages too long, filled with explanatory prose that falls far too wholly on the diegetic. The story is fairly repetitive, especially as it pertains to the bits explaining Xizor's point of view. The new villain, Prince Xizor, is an interesting antagonist, but he exists only to lose, and the fact that he's only present mostly in this novel and so quickly disposed of undercuts any significance he could have had to the series as a whole.
The book is also oddly horny for a Star Wars novel, and I counted that Perry uses the word "lube" at least six times in this book, which is approximately six times too many. As much as I think Star Wars could stand to be a bit more romantic at times, I do think the bits between Leia and Xizor were just a bit overcooked, and it's pretty clear Perry intended for their interaction to go pretty well beyond a kick to the nuts.
All in all, Shadows of the Empire isn't the worst of Star Wars, but it is Star Wars in one of its most commercialized forms. It's not nearly as philosophically complex as some of the other novels in the series, its focus more on action and adventure in the swashbuckling fashion of old serials, and in this it gets the spirit of Star Wars kind of right; where it fails is in convincing a readership that these books are anything but quick cash-grab novels. To be fair, that is kind of what Shadows of the Empire is, but I do want it to aspire to be more than that--especially when the other books published in 1996 proves that Star Wars can aspire to more....more
The Young Jedi Knights series only continues to get better with the fourth book in the series, Lightsabers. In previous installments, lightsabers haveThe Young Jedi Knights series only continues to get better with the fourth book in the series, Lightsabers. In previous installments, lightsabers have been the topic of a lot of discussion, as the main characters struggle with differentiating the weapons from toys. Admittedly, lightsabers are freaking cool, but the Star Wars universe has long given it symbolic meaning, and one of the greater explorations in this particular series has been the importance of the Force as philosophy and the maturation of its younger characters as they come into the mastery of the Force and themselves.
Lightsabers represents both a culmination of the series' themes so far as well as another thematic exploration of the meaning of carrying a lightsaber. Far from being a phenomenal toy, these weapons are incredibly dangerous, and the sobering events of the novel clearly demonstrate why it's so important to learn their utility but also to learn why they should only be drawn as a last resort.
Even if the book only focused on the utility and terrible obligation lightsabers represent, it would be a great book, but it doesn't stop with just one message. Wrapped up in this novel is also an exploration of what it means to be a warrior, to rely on one's self and to rely on the Force, and it takes a deep look at how personal tragedy shapes someone's sense of self. In the wake of the single major disaster in this novel, the characters of the book have to figure out who they are in relation to what happened, taking responsibility over the event and taking ownership of what comes next. The contrast between Luke's academy and Brakiss' apprentice, too, demonstrates the philosophical differences between how violence is taught and internalized by the dichotomy of the Force.
Anderson and Moesta don't just "get" what Star Wars is really about; they actively work to refine these stories into cogent philosophical statements about power and the responsibility needed in order to wield it wisely. This series is resolutely the best Star Wars of the early-to-mid-'90s, and it's because it never loses sight of the lessons we can learn through the fantastic in literature....more
Star Wars is an action adventure serial. It isn't complicated, it isn't necessarily profound, and while Lucas may originally have intended it as a codStar Wars is an action adventure serial. It isn't complicated, it isn't necessarily profound, and while Lucas may originally have intended it as a coded criticism of American imperialism and expansion, the series itself has not often taken aim at greater symbolic or thematic relevance. It's a franchise that sells toys and merchandise and entertains. That's part of its charm, part of the feature.
But a few authors have tried to make it about more than just entertainment, and while I can't say all of these stories have been successful, Before the Storm presents a powerful political thriller that seeks to take Star Wars beyond the action adventure serial into a cogent exploration of the use and abuse of power.
Central to the conflict of Star Wars is the fight of the underdog Rebel Alliance against the fascist Galactic Empire, and the franchise's novels in the '90s struggled to figure out exactly what to do with the saga at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi, in which the Empire's figureheads are finally defeated. Zahn introduced a new rival, Anderson tried his hand at creating a new existential threat to the New Republic, and a handful of other authors have made their attempt at creating a galactic-sized threat worthy of succeeding Vader and the Emperor. While none of these stories should be faulted for their attempts at giving us new, charismatic antagonists, I don't think any of these stories have gone beyond playing around with stock archetypes. The closest narrative I can think of to really getting to the thematic heart of Star Wars was Ambush at Corellia by Roger MacBride Allen, which began to explore compelling ideas about racism and fascism but fell apart after two lackluster sequels that didn't seem at all interesting in the ideas first introduced by the trilogy.
But Before the Storm is interested in exploring problems of power and how it is ultimately utilized, providing interesting antagonists to the main cast of the series while simultaneously using those antagonists to explore meaningful questions about how easily corruptible power can become. As Luke struggles with his relationship to the Force and how he can use such power ethically, Leia is put to the test diplomatically as she tries to reckon with how political power can be amassed and then abused for personal gain. Both mirroring stories are great character showcases, and the book adds a depth of realism to what is otherwise stock space fantasy. It offers complex situations with problems that present genuine difficulty for the characters to resolve--and it's only through their exploration of moral duty that they can find their way through to a solution (that isn't offered by this book, but promised by its sequels).
Before the Storm sets up a fantastic new adventure for the main cast of Star Wars with meaningful and original conflict with convincing stakes for the characters. This is a book of political intrigue and questions the ethics of power, even if that power is wielded by characters we know to be in the moral right. It's a phenomenal setup for Star Wars, and I absolutely believe this is among the best of what '90s Star Wars has to offer....more
Concluding Nancy Richardson's contributions to the Star Wars expanded universe, Promises concludes the mystery of the Golden Globe and fleshes out TahConcluding Nancy Richardson's contributions to the Star Wars expanded universe, Promises concludes the mystery of the Golden Globe and fleshes out Tahiri's past in one fell swoop. Undoubtedly the best of her three novels, the book takes Anakin and Tahiri back to Tatooine, where they have a short adventure before confronting the final mystery of the Golden Globe.
The bits on Tatooine are a little odd, leading to a confrontation with a Sarlacc pit as well as some Jawas and a krayt dragon (because no trip to Tatooine is complete without those confrontations, apparently). These elements wouldn't feel so out of place if the rest of the canon didn't already suggest that krayt dragons are rare and nobody even knows if another Sarlacc exists on the planet--and the one that does was destroyed by Boba Fett long prior to the events of this book.
Overall, I do feel like these books are the weakest in all of the Star Wars youth novels to date, with conflicts a little too simple and undeveloped to make for very compelling reading. I may have felt differently at 9 years old, which is the likely target audience for these books, but aside from wanting to read every Star Wars novel, there's little need to seek these (exceedingly expensive) books out any more.
I do want to see what Rebecca Moesta does with these characters, but I can't say I'll spare much more thought on Richardson's contributions to legend....more
Tales from Jabba's Palace is the second collection of short fiction set in the Star Wars expanded universe, and as its title suggests, all of the storTales from Jabba's Palace is the second collection of short fiction set in the Star Wars expanded universe, and as its title suggests, all of the stories contained in this volume have to do with the side characters seen in Jabba's Palace during the events of Return of the Jedi.
I've always been a pretty big fan of Return of the Jedi, and some of that love comes from the sequence featuring the Hutt and his weird palace. Nevertheless, like the issues I had with Tales of the Mos Eisley Cantina, this book isn't perfect. Having to read or reread the summarized events of Leia's rescue of Han or Luke Skywalker's ultimatum to Jabba, the killing of the rancor, or blowing up Jabba's sail barge becomes pretty exhausting one after the other.
In spite of the repetition, the stories are very tightly plotted around one another, with a pretty consistent set of story beats gradually uncovered through the lenses of all the myriad characters of this volume. Some mysteries introduced in a particular story don't get answered until another story coincides with events, and it really is a marvel that it is so tightly edited for continuity. Hats off to Kevin J. Anderson in this respect; he really does a great job pulling all these stories together.
But many of the stories, in spite of being very humorous or tightly paced, just don't quite do enough to flesh out Jabba or his entourage. Because the book's events focus a little too tightly on the days leading up to and then following up after Jabba's death at the hands of Leia and Luke, there's little done to get a good sense of where Jabba's criminal empire came from, or even what power vacuum was left on Tatooine (or the Outer Rim) as a result of Jabba's death.
There were some takeaways I genuinely did love: a Gamorrean (rightfully) solves some murders in a sendup of detective novels like Agatha Christie's; a group of Weequay thugs consult their Magic 8-Ball god as they search for an assassination attempt on Jabba's life; Boba Fett escapes the (psychic?) Sarlacc on account of his pure, unadulterated hatred; and the rancor's handler mourns the loss of his pet. There's a lot of stuff in here that, individually, is really interesting, but the repetition of story beats and events just tends to drag, making this book feel much longer than it needs to be.
All of that said, this is still a pretty decent gem for '90s Star Wars. It's not perfect, but no book in this series really is, and the good still outweighs the bad. ...more
Lyric's World, the second novel in the Junior Jedi Knights series, is a major improvement over its predecessor. Whereas the first novel seemed to struLyric's World, the second novel in the Junior Jedi Knights series, is a major improvement over its predecessor. Whereas the first novel seemed to struggle with pacing and plot direction, this second junior novel manages to present something that feels much more like a structured adventure, with a clearer beginning, middle, and end, all while taking greater strides to connect to the developing lore of the Star Wars expanded universe canon.
The most critical narrative developments in this one pertain to the mystery left over from the first novel: the origins and function of the Golden Globe left in the ancient Massassi temple on Yavin 4. Fischer gives Anakin and Tahiri a reason to travel off-world in this novel, and uses the plot points of the first book as a functional call to adventure for this second one. The new adventure contains its fair share of sudden dangers, and while those dangers don't feel authentically original (birds, snakes, rats, and spiders are the major actors here), they fit the novel's plot a lot better than the dreams and rafting of the first book.
Anakin and Tahiri aren't fleshed out too much further in this slim volume, though, and we're introduced rapidly to two characters who receive little attention in light of all the rest that the novel tries to do. Pacing remains a major issue with the book, especially in the chapter structures, which don't serve to help propel the book's plot further or engage readers with meaningful suspense.
Still, in spite of all its flaws, Lyric's World is a much better volume than the first book in the series was, a sequel that absolutely surpasses its first volume....more
The Young Jedi Knights series is consistently the best Star Wars around, grounded in the believable characters Anderson and Moesta make together. In tThe Young Jedi Knights series is consistently the best Star Wars around, grounded in the believable characters Anderson and Moesta make together. In this third installment, Jaina and Jacen must face their life of privilege as one of their close friends is suddenly seduced by the Dark Side of the Force.
Maybe it's just the class warrior in me, but that this book takes on a class consciousness as it pertains to the heroes of the New Republic in distinction with the Second Imperium and its more fascist inclinations disguised as populism is just really, really cool. In much of Star Wars to this point, the politics of the galaxy have often been underexplored, so Anderson and Moesta's characterization of Zekk and the Lost Ones gives the series some much-needed political soul. It works really well here, in spite of the lack of clear resolution for the ongoing plot.
Even without a clear resolution to this series' major ideas and plotlines--like the Emperor just suddenly being back?--this book in particular gives us more and more of a look at the lives of the Solo children and their core values, building up believable characters whose lives are full of actual stakes.
This is great children's fiction, and it's even better Star Wars....more
Darksaber makes for a sequel both to Barbara Hambly's Children of the Jedi, previously released in 1995, and Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Academy trilogy,Darksaber makes for a sequel both to Barbara Hambly's Children of the Jedi, previously released in 1995, and Kevin J. Anderson's Jedi Academy trilogy, released in 1994. Anderson picks up many of the narrative threads of the previous year in Star Wars, while trying to make good on some of the dramatic promises made in Hambly's previous novel. He brings back a few antagonists familiar to fans of the series, as well as a number of his original characters.
The book's scope is sprawling, though, covering the efforts of the Hutts in creating their own superweapon, efforts of the Imperial remnants to reclaim their stake in the galaxy, and Luke and Callista's efforts to try to recover her access to the Force. With so many different threads to follow, the book can sometimes feel like it isn't quite sure of what its main focus really needs to be, and yet it still manages to find a means to address each story beat somewhat satisfyingly.
Anderson's novel thus acts as a capstone to the 1995 vintage of Star Wars. He works diligently to try reckoning with ideas both new and old, pulling in the existing continuity of the series for an action-packed (and there's so much action here!) tale of space adventure. Of any of his books, this one shows Anderson's understanding of what makes Star Wars so fun, and why we keep coming back for more....more
The first in the Junior Jedi Knights series, The Golden Globe features all-new adventures for Anakin Solo and his new friend Tahiri, a Force-sensitiveThe first in the Junior Jedi Knights series, The Golden Globe features all-new adventures for Anakin Solo and his new friend Tahiri, a Force-sensitive girl from Tatooine. In this first junior novel, Nan Fischer begins a mystery for younger fans of Star Wars to dig into and begin their journey into the broader fiction of the franchise's extended universe.
As far as youth novels are concerned, The Golden Globe doesn't really manage to accomplish very much. The one prominent theme in the book is a question of lineage and destiny versus choice and individual action, and while the book plays at these themes through Anakin Solo, it doesn't offer much by way of plot to keep a narrative hook moving forward. The book's central mystery, which has to do with a series of precognitive dreams Tahiri and Anakin have together, is not settled by the conclusion of this thin volume, and even the story's other questions aren't resolved until the final three pages of the book. The story itself feels less like a fully-contained adventure and more like an hour of aggressive throat-clearing before it can effectively set the stage.
I don't think it's fair to judge a book by the merits of a general audience novel when the primary audience is children in middle grades, but I do find this book to be structurally imbalanced and deeply repetitive in spite of being fairly short. Its main premise--the plot driving the story forward--feels too anemic here, with not nearly enough action to get the story moving forward. The creative hook to sell the series doesn't come until the last chapter, which just feels way too late.
If I weren't reading all Star Wars in order of publication, I likely wouldn't even bother to track down the rest of this series, but I do hope that future volumes provide a more fleshed out adventure than this first story. As a preamble to a larger series, it might serve its purpose, but as a stand-alone adventure, it fails to capture much imagination....more
