Scott Rhee's Reviews > Star Wars: Darksaber

Okay, so it's fairly obvious (to those who have been keeping track of my recent reading list) that I've been on a Star Wars reading kick. My goal (unrealistic as it is) is to eventually have ALL of the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels (post-Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, that is. While I have read a few Old Republic and Clone Wars novels, I'm not as enthralled by them as I am with the New Republic, New Jedi Order, and Legacy novels.) before the new J.J. Abrams film arrives in theaters in December, if for no other reason than because it would be a fun if completely dubious achievement.

Clearly, the place to start with this is the "Thrawn" trilogy by Timothy Zahn, a series I read years ago and loved. While I remember some of that series, my memory fails when it comes to the details. Perhaps someday I will return to that trilogy for a re-read. In any case, Zahn's series helped to jumpstart the whole Expanded Universe, inviting a whole slew of authors to join in the fun by adding their own flavor and ideas to the universe created by George Lucas.

The Thrawn trilogy was followed by a trilogy written by Kevin J. Anderson. In that series, Luke has started up a new Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. Meanwhile, a new threat arises against the New Republic: an ill-tempered ginger named Admiral Daala, who has the distinction of being the first and only female Admiral in the Imperial fleet. She's a total bad-ass. I remember really liking that series, as well, but, again, my memory is a bit hazy on the details. There was something about the ghost of an evil Sith Lord who tries to possess Luke at some point, I think. And a new weapon called a Sun Crusher that, well… seriously, if you can't figure out what it does then you really shouldn't be reading at all…

In between those series were a few stand-alone novels. Dave Wolverton's "The Courtship of Princess Leia" was, in my opinion, pretty ghastly. Barbara Hambly's "Children of the Jedi" was decent, although fans across the board have lambasted it.

"Darksaber" was the novel published immediately after "Children of the Jedi", I think. Anderson returns as the author of this one, and it may be due to the fact that the previous two authors made a mess of things, so he was invited back to clear things up, which he does, nicely.

"Darksaber" is (almost) everything one comes to expect from a Star Wars novel: exciting, action-packed, fun, and with just the right amount of pathos and comedy to even things out.

Anderson carries on a few story lines started in "COTJ", most notably the love story between Luke and Callista, a former Jedi Knight who died, was a ghost trapped in the computer of an Imperial dreadnought, and returned to life by inhabiting the body of another Jedi. (Go ahead, roll your eyes. It's as silly trying to explain it as it was reading it…) Anyway, somehow in the transition of bodies, Callista lost her ability to use the Force.

Luke and Callista fly off together to revisit various places (Tattooine, Dagobah, and Hoth) where Luke thinks he can contact either Yoda or Obi-Wan for advice on Callista's "condition".

President Leia Organa Solo is conducting negotiations with Durga the Hutt, but it's not going so well. Unbeknownst to her and the New Republic, Durga has recruited Bevel Lemelisk, one of the original architects of the Death Star, to create a new weapon, one that will be as powerful as the Death Star but hopefully minus the weak spots.

Meanwhile, far out in the deep reaches of space, Admiral Daala (who was thought to be dead by the New Republic) is rebuilding the Empire by reunifying the fleet and, unlike the Old Empire under Palpatine, including non-humans and females as officers and soldiers.

Anderson's story is told at such a break-neck pace one may get whiplash. Cleverly tying in many loose ends and story lines from previous novels, "Darksaber" is, in my opinion, one of the best of the post-ROJ Expanded Universe novels.