Archive for September, 2009

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Abyss – Troy Denning

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

 

Abyss

Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Lucasbooks (August 18, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345509188
ISBN-13: 978-0345509185 
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Main Characters:

Luke Skywalker
Ben Skywalker
Jaina Solo
Han Solo
Leia Solo
Vestara Khai

 Storyline Summary

Luke and Ben are off to the deep core of the Maw Cluster.  They’re objective, to talk to the Mind Walkers, and determine what may have caused Caedus to turn dark.  The Jedi are still involved in determining what is making young Jedi become chaotic.  A plot is uncovered involving Mandalorians.  The Sith manage to find their way back into the Galaxy.

In the Maw Cluster, Luke and Ben Skywalker discover the Mind Walkers.  While there, they are able to leave their bodies and travel into an ethereal existence called “beyond shadows”.  In this alternate world, they are able to commune with the spirits of some of their loved ones who’ve joined the force. 

 The Sith after leaving Kesh, end up on a planet where they meet a woman known as Abeloth.  Abeloth it appears has been stranded on this planet for 30 years.  Members of the Sith strike force keep getting killed, even though under Abeloth’s protection?  Is she who she seems to be, or is there some darker agenda?

Luke and Ben also encounter Abeloth while “beyond shadows”.  Is she behind the mysterious illness of the young Jedi?  What secrets do they discover that will help them understand Caedus’s fall?  How many young Jedi will succumb to this illness before a cure is found.  Who is Abeloth and where did she suddenly come from?

Novel Review

This is the 3rd of a nine book series.  I still don’t feel a great sense of danger with Luke/Ben that I felt with the Yuuzhan Vong or other story arc’s.  The Jedi/Sith Battle left me wanting a lot more.  It seemed to be over far too quickly, and too cleanly.  Maybe I’m expecting a little too much, since we’re only 1/3 of the way through the story, but numerous Sith against 2 Jedi, would seem to indicate a much fiercer battle to me.  However, I found these Sith and the Sith masters to be weak and ineffectual.
 
Abeloth, is one character I’m interested in seeing.  I want to see what powers she possesses, and how things happen when she is unleashed on the galaxy.  While I look forward to the rest of this series, I’d like to see a little more action, and to actually feel that some of these characters are in danger.

One of the problems I had with the Sith, is how they suddenly went from the planet they were on with Abeloth, to where Luke/Ben were. There seems to be a lot of instant traveling, which, while moving the story along, sometimes makes it unclear how a character got from point A to point B.

I look forward to the future releases in this series.  Hopefully the Sith will become more powerful and plentiful, and we’ll find Jedi and Sith both in a battle for their lives.  If  the new jedi order was any indication, no-one is safe, and that is as it should be.  If you want to see the rise of a Sith Army, and some of the Sith Culture that you get a glimpse of in the Darth Bane series, then check this book out.  If you’re looking for hardcore, sith-on-jedi action, then you might want to skip it and wait for later books in the series.

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*DISCLAIMER* An Audiobook copy of this was provided to me by the publisher for review. This in no way influenced my review.

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