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Author Topic: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
Jaina_Solo_Stickster 
Registered: Jun '07
Date Posted: 6/19/07 7:13pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
Jaina's one of my favourite character (obviously), so I liked this book a lot. I give it an 8.5 or a 9

 
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Dark Lady Mara  26473 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
 Registered: Jun '99
41918_Darth Maul
Date Posted: 6/25/07 11:16pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
I like Jaina too, and I think that might actually be some of why I couldn't much get into this book. I didn't think the way she was portrayed here was very flattering, and I found it hard to get into the story or understand why she was reacting the way she was. I know people react to grief in unpredictable ways sometimes, but Jaina's path was just.... weird.

The only good thing about it was the implied Kyp/Jaina interactions that would be going on after the end of the book. wink

 

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Raoul_Duke  248 posts
Registered: Jun '07
42244_Mandalorian Commander Rohlan
Date Posted: 6/27/07 3:26pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
I really liked this book, so much so that its one that I've read at least a couple dozen times. I really, really liked this book, it definitely in my top 20 SW books.

 

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KissMeImARebel  3772 posts
Registered: Nov '03
48516_Tycho Celchu (524092)
Date Posted: 11/4/07 9:37pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
Didn't like this one. For a Jaina-centered story that could have fleshed out her character and made her likable, I found her as uninteresting as ever. Her relationship with Kyp had potential, but their dark-side-angsty connection felt hollow. Why Jag was interested in Jaina was beyond me: the only personality she seemed to exhibit around him was to act like a jerk. And something is wrong when I find the court intrigue to be more entertaining than Jaina and her plot against the Vong.

Two good things:
1) Cunningham introduced a few personalities of Kyp's (Latest) Dozen, before vaping them all, for once making their deaths have some impact.
2) Tenel Ka - TK was spot on, and also the only character who seemed able to stand up to Jaina and try to help her friend.

I give it a 3.

 

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Owners-Inc 
Registered: Nov '07
Date Posted: 11/5/07 5:26pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
7/10

A lot of the time I think the characterization of the characters is left out. We enjoyed some really good bits in 'Star by Star' (which happens to be my fave SW book). Unfortunately, when Denning introduced Jaina;s anger in SbS, I really thought that she was gonna become seriously dark. I agree that the author reduced going to the dark side to little more than a violent PMS session. I found that obviously disappointing. On the other hand, the Jag/Zekk/Kyp/Jaina scenes did show us a little bit more into their characters than we usually would see.

But my BIGGEST problem with this book was that eulogy that Anakin got wasn't even close to the speech Leia gave at the end of the Battle of Corsucant. In fact, I don't think she even said anything. Han tried, but it didn't really leave an impression of the type of Jedi Anakin had become. I was really disappointed with that cos Anakin was a great character so see him be sent off in such a banal way ruined the funeral.

 
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MistrX  1557 posts
Registered: Jun '06
14536_Wedge Antilles
Date Posted: 2/24/08 1:39pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
While reading this book, I really couldn't shake the feeling that it felt more like a 300-page epilogue to Star By Star than a story in and of itself. Kind of like the filler episode that follows the week after the big, milestone episode of a TV show. Maybe that's just unfortunate timing seeing as any story that followed that book probably would feel that it came up a little short.

I also believed that the potential with Jaina's dabbling with the dark side that had been set up in SbS was reached. Seeing as that was the main plot of the book, it brought the overall quality down a bit.

That said, the book does have its merits. It's good to see the return of Jag Fel and getting to see Kyp's perspective after so many books of other characters giving their disapproval of his methods is nice as well. It's also a fun walk down memory lane with the return to Hapes and more time spent with Ta'a Chume, Isolder, and ailing Teneniel. It's also interesting to see the YV perspective on Jaina as we see with Harrar and the warmaster's son. My favorite scenes, though, were the Kyp/Jaina ones. Him taking her as his apprentice for a while opens some intriguing possibilities.

Overall, an okay book but little spectacular that sets it apart. 7/10

 

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VaderLVR64  31010 posts
Title: Manager Emeritus
 Registered: Feb '04
49060_Obi-Wan Kenobi (811092)
Date Posted: 3/11/08 8:37am Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
A very good SW book. Not the best I've read, but probably in the top dozen or so. tongue

 

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MistrX  1557 posts
Registered: Jun '06
14536_Wedge Antilles
Date Posted: 3/19/08 1:23pm Subject: RE: "Dark Journey," by Elaine Cunningham [Del Ray, 2002]
MistrX posted:

I also believed that the potential with Jaina's dabbling with the dark side that had been set up in SbS was reached.


Doh! Should be "was not reached."

 

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