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"Dark Force Rising," by Timothy Zahn [Bantam, 1992]

Discussion in 'Archive: Literature Review Forum' started by Kadue, Feb 7, 2003.

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"Dark Force Rising," by Timothy Zahn [Bantam, 1992]

Poll closed Mar 25, 2012.
  1. 10 (Excellent)

    67.7%
  2. 9

    13.3%
  3. 8

    7.0%
  4. 7

    3.8%
  5. 6 (Average)

    2.5%
  6. 5 (Average)

    1.3%
  7. 4

    0.6%
  8. 3

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  9. 2

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  10. 1 (Poor)

    3.8%
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  1. OBIX1

    OBIX1 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2002
    10,it's an awsome book! I really like everything that goes on in this chapter,especially Han and Lando's adventures. :)
     
  2. JediTrilobite

    JediTrilobite Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Nov 17, 1999
    Great middle act for the Thrawn Trilogy. The whole Katana fleet story line and that ending, Woo! Great read.
     
  3. Ilyria

    Ilyria Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2004
    well I haven't read this book in yiesh years but I loved this book
     
  4. EBSaints

    EBSaints Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 29, 2002
    I enjoyed it, but it took me a while to finish it. I enjoyed Heir to the Empire a little more.
     
  5. CodyMonKenobi

    CodyMonKenobi Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 29, 2001
    I just finished this book two days ago, for the first time. I never read any EU and since so many people love Thrawn I figured the Thrawn trilogy was a good place to start. The only thing I really haven't liked so far is Joruus C'Both, I just haven't been able to get into his charecter yet. I am starting The Last Command tomarrow. So if anyone has any good suggestions on what to read after TLC I am all ears.
     
  6. Cloned_Sidious

    Cloned_Sidious Jedi Knight star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 14, 2004
    Zahn is fantastic writer!
     
  7. DaRonin

    DaRonin Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 3, 2005
    10/10. Cant reccommend it enough.

    Ah, the Thrawn Trilogy... The series of novels that gave the whole star wars craze a kickstart that still has yet to cool down. It was an odd coincidance, that a few days after I finished heir to the empire, I found Dark Force Rising in a airport bookstore during Summer vacation. so naturally that was a great summer. I have to say that as much as Ive enjoyed the NJO, and the Xwing series, Zahn will always be the king of the EU. And to find out why, just read this novel.

    Its true, typically the middle act is a hard one to write, gotta move faster then the beginning, but save some for the end. however Zahn masterfully plotted out this book, thinking through each and every sub-plot, and characterization of the main characters, to the point where it really doesnt feel like the series is a trilogy, just one big mega-novel split up into three parts.

    I remember one review stating that this novel is so true to the original trilogy, you could almost hear the star wars score, and Ill have to agree with that. The planets, aliens, starships, technology, battles, and extra characters all just seem to fit so well with the original trilogy. Thrawn really was a formidable and frightening villan, so much so that he was able to put C'Both in in place, yet still be so elegant, refined, and charismatic. He was the reason this trilogy is so fondly remembered. You know, I almost wish mara and luke didnt kill that thrawn clone in Vision of the future, it would have been nice to see him return.

    This novel has a little bit of everything, revelations of the nogrhi, advancement for characters such as mara, C'both, karrde, Thrawn, Palleon, Fey'la, Ferrier. The battle scenes, both force dervied, space, and land, were all so well written and gripping. A wonderful scene is where leia, in a dramatic show of her pedigree, uses the force to draw her lightsaber and slice her bonds before a group of doubting noghri as they try to take her prisoner and silence her. Then she proceeds to show she is a force to be reckoned with further, but I wont spoil how, since it is one of the novels major turning points.

    This whole series shows thought, consideration, and a truly deep sense of caring for the liscense, and wanting to make it the best possible. Zahn walked the tightrope between advancing all the original characters, while keeping them as true to the movies as is possible. They were niether too held back for the sake of the movie fans, nor did they do or say anything that felt like this wasnt carrie fisher, mark hamil, or harrison ford acting out thier roles. I think thrawn was the only author to get this delicate balance just right. Sad but true, and I think that fact was also why NJO enrages so many, because now our characters are all changed beyond recognition, but it really had to be done for the sake of the EU staying fresh and gripping. I enjoyed the EU myself, and Im hoping that whereever it goes... the quality writers such as keyes, stackpole, tyers, Zahn, and alliston all continue to contribute and keep this universe fun for as long as possible. I have no doubt that the day will come when the EU may be no longer as interesting as it is today, when the characters have no more galactic menaces to battle, and the writers have exhausted thier creativity. I hope that day is still far off, but should it happen, Im certain Zahn's contributions will still be looked back on as the fondest and most entertaining in the EU. He started it, and I just hope however it ends, he will be there to make sure it goes out with a bang, just like he did for the bantam series.
     
  8. master_organa

    master_organa Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 5, 2004
    10. And it deserves more then that.
     
  9. Jayd

    Jayd Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2001
    Absolutely. 10. The Thrawn trilogy are the ONLY Star Wars books that have the feel of the original movies to them. You read this trilogy and immediately want to watch the OT again. And to my knowledge, Zahn is the only author who has created characters that sit on a par with those from the OT in terms of characterisation, fan loyalty and overall FEEL. I speak of Mara, Thrawn, Pellaeon, Bel Iblis, Karrde and Fey'lya (to a slightly lesser extent). Just for that these novels should be (and usually are) considered to be the standard to meet for SW novelists.
     
  10. DarthAJ

    DarthAJ Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 9, 2004
    10

    Very good political and sneaky plot storyline. I loved it. But for once I'm glad Thrawn wasn't super smart. He didn't know where Han or Leia was going at first, but then he picked up his game. Oh man if C'boath hadn't interrupted him at the end...

    Great cliffhanger at the end with the whole 'mass production of Imperials' *hint hint*. Good to see they resolved alot of issues like the Karrde and for the most part the Noghri. Still want to see how this all ends in TLC. I can't wait!
     
  11. padawanlissa

    padawanlissa Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 31, 2005
    A great book in a great trilogy.
     
  12. Lady_Kenobi84

    Lady_Kenobi84 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2005
    A 10! I just loved the flow of all three of the books. A perfect middle book!
     
  13. DarthQuellonis

    DarthQuellonis Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 22, 2005
    10! Great action, and overall story.
     
  14. Darth_Plageus09

    Darth_Plageus09 Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    May 20, 2005
    I give it a 10 this book had me on edge the entire time, we go from Leai nearly being captured with Thrawn being a mere 10 feet away from here on Honogr!!!! then the fight to free Karde form the star destroyer that Thrawn is commanding himself not to mention to the race to capture and find the katana fleet...man that dirty ass bothan really pissed me off with his atcions at the katana fleet battle! He should burn for that one!!!!!!!
     
  15. Zebra3

    Zebra3 Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 28, 2004
    10

    This has to be one of my favorite Star Wars novels. I love the whole ghost ship mystery behind the Katana Fleet. Loved Kaarde in this book. Action is great and I'm glad Mara's calmed down a bit in this one. Action is solid and Leia's adventure on the Noghri world was quite thrilling.
     
  16. Eddie

    Eddie Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jan 16, 2001
    8, I preferred it to Heir.
     
  17. Master_EdgeCrusher

    Master_EdgeCrusher Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 21, 2005
    I ate them up. To read each pagbe and close your eyes to see it in your mind. Just delightful.
     
  18. Obese_1_Ka-Blooey

    Obese_1_Ka-Blooey Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 7, 2006
    i loved the whole trilogy, so i give it a 10
     
  19. 1_4_Jedi

    1_4_Jedi Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 13, 2006
    10/10

    A great follow up to the first entry in this series. I can't wait to see how this all plays out in the last book.
     
  20. mmm-pie-is-good

    mmm-pie-is-good Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Mar 2, 2006
    10 / 10.

    Great book. I especially liked the battle for the Katana fleet.
     
  21. Darth_Hiatus

    Darth_Hiatus Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    May 23, 2006
    There was absolutely NOTHING wrong with this book! It had suspense, suspense, action, some more supsense--and THRAWN! :D That alone earns a ten! Thrawn got me hooked on the EU, because I desperately hoped that there would be more characters as interesting as him! Alas, there were none. :_|

    However, I really did wish--unfairly--that Thrawn would make more success. ;)
     
  22. PrinceEspaaValorum

    PrinceEspaaValorum Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 30, 2005
    Great sequel. This second act only whetted my appetite for the third.
     
  23. disco-wookie

    disco-wookie Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    May 17, 2005
    goodevening.what was the first post return of the jedi novel/book and was it good/great??
    cheers.
     
  24. JediStarKiller2

    JediStarKiller2 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2006
    10...I just finished it tonight. Luke's and Mara's relationship is heating up, Han has a great role in this series, Thrawn finally has control of the katana fleet, and Fey'lya finally gets put in his place. I loved it...Along with our familiar old characters, we get new characters on top of new characters, new situations, and some great action....whats not to love???
     
  25. strika_amaru

    strika_amaru Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 9, 2005
    I nearly gave this book a 9, because of the Hand of Thrawn duology, which I read for the first time last summer, and the last time 'bout a month ago (and I'm still under its spell [face_batting] ); but then I remembered how I read that book, and its two sisters, and decided to tick the 10 instead.

    It was some 5-6 years ago; I was still in hi-school; I was thoroughly flat-broke, to such a degree that I couldn't afford to buy the trilogy; for one book, maybe I could've scraped the money; but not for all three. So, I've read them in the bookstore; 20-30-50 pages at a time, standing next to the bookshelf. The only thing I'm grateful for, is that those three ladies didn't throw me out. Legally, they should have.

    Bottom line: if I could like it so much that I'd run from school to bookstore, and then home, if I could stand for half-hour or more to find out "what happens next", if in the middle of some homework I'd daydream about some aspect of the storyline or some character (mostly Thrawn, but you didn't need to know that) or another (mostly Luke or Mara, but you didn't need to know that either :)) if I wore a path to the 5 bookstores I knew then when TLC was nowhere to be found, those three books deserve a 10 from me. They're fascinating. Get ya hooked. Hypnotized. Whether you knew Star Wars, or watched the OT in cinema, back when pterodactils flew, like folk on the forum, or could barely tell Han from Luke, like me back then, this is a story you could wake up in the middle of the night to finish reading. It's a nearly perfect trilogy. And a slightly-imerfect book in a nearly perfect trilogy would stand out, wouldn't it? So DFR is a nearly perfect book, too :) And not to forget, it did get me completely addicted to Star Wars.

    Overall, I still do judge Hand of Thrawn to be somewhat better; but that doesn't diminish TTT's value. Still 10/10. This isn't a race.
     
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