"Darksaber," by Kevin J. Anderson [Bantam, 1995]

You can say that again....

As I stated above, I also gave this book a 6.

 

6.5/10

GOOD:
-Luke and Han's journey with the Sandpeople
-The return of Pelleaon
-Daala's execuiton of the warlords
-Leia's meeting with Durga on Nal Hutta
-Bevel Lemelisk's flashbacks
-Dorsk 81 (both his return to Khomm and his sacrificial death on Yavin)

BAD:
-The Darksaber
-Daala's aggresive, yet tactically unfocused campaign against the New Republic
-The incompetence of the New Republic's foes
-One armed wampa
-Madine's contrived death
-Callista's lack of development as a character
-Poor ending

The book was fast paced and for the most part entertaining, but the themes and locales of the novel were recycled from previous adventures. The inclusion of the Jedi trainees helped to off-set the cliched and tired portrayal of the Big Three.

 

1/10

This book is just silly. For the most part it doesn't feel like it even belongs in the SW galaxy. The only exceptions which even made it worth reading are the the commandos and that daffy Daala. I suppose I am being a bit hard on it since I can't stand the entire concept of Callista (beyond her original sacrafice) in the firt place, but I just thought this one was a bit too far fetched, even for a fictional sci-fi novel. I hated how Luke was spending so much time pining away for his creepy, body-snatching, quasi girlfriend instead of focusing on more important matters like - oh, I don't know - a derranged hutt on a power trip with Death Star plans and too much time on his hands.

 

10 for me!

I love KJA and his writing style, fast paced, fun and exciting! It was a great story and had real depth and passion in it!

I can't wait to read more of his books!

 

The first time I read Darksaber it became one of my favorites. But it seems like my approval of this book turns a bit everyday. The SuperWeapon plot should've long ago died out, but KJA ressurects it with gusto. The only excuse for a SuperWeapon is either the Vong bringing one with them, many years later, and Centerpoint Station, which isn't even that good.

KJA does provide the reader with a fast-paced book, and I think the short chapters do not harm the pacing, although I know some people despise short chapters.

The death of Madine was completely unnecessary, the book stands alone well-enough without an OT character having to die, but if an OT character must be killed, I'm glad thay KJA went with a minor one.

Overall: 6/10 and falling

 

7/10 I read the book a long time ago (1996) when it came out in paperback. Anderson is a great author and contributor of the Star Wars EU. It was good, but not on par with some of his other works. Callista needed more development, he was that characters last hope for a decent portrayal, and the book seemed a little too fast pace. I do thank him, however, for returning Pelleaon to the EU. I am not sure if he would have re-appeared as often as he did without Anderson's contribution. Overall, I enjoyed it, but I still think he could have done better.

 

I just finished this one, which does make me happy, as after Dorsk and Madine bit it(I already knew the latter was going to, and the former didn't really surprise me either) I lost most of my interest and kept wondering when the *censored* thing was going to end! This author should not be allowed to write Luke. He can just write everyone else if he wants. And could he please not kill off two of the three interesting characters in the book? Especially since the third's story went and got itself as least partly jossed by the prequels? (Yes, that not's the author's fault, but it's still annoying.) kthxbye.
Though I really did like Daala. Very scary in a good way. Mostly.

 

This was the BEST Star Wars book I've read in my life.

Jedi.

Hoth.

Wampas.

Yoda's Hut.

The Empire.

A Death Star that looks like a lightsaber.

This book had everything except Ewoks, Jar Jar, and Boba Fett.

And it was a heackava lot better its sequal than Planet of the Twilight wich was worse than crap!

 

I believe that Darksaber is the best stand-alone SW novel I've read (I''ve only read up to the Crystal Star). I also loved KJA's Jedi Academy Trilogy and felt that it was the best trilogy I've read.

I think that KJA is one of the only authors to truly capture the essence of the SW universe. His books have the same adventurous feel that can be seen in the original trilogy and although I also really liked the Thrawn trilogy, I felt that it didn't capture that same adventurous spirit.

Also, check out KJA's Saga of Seven Suns books. In these, KJA has created his own highly immersive universe.

 

8. This was, and still is, one of my favorite Star Wars novels.

 

I don't care what u guys say about this book, it was great. I say a 9. And by the way, the one-armed-wampa thing was cool. And why the heck r u guys getting tired of the whole superlaser thing? It didn't get into it that much. The only thing bad is that Crix Madine died!!!!

 

I used to love this book; now it just makes me shudder. The superweapon angle was done to death in Dark Empire, the Jedi Academy Trilogy and Children of the Jedi; by the time we get to Darksaber, it's just boring. Who cares if Durga completes his weapon? We all know that Rogue Squadron or the New Republic fleet or some random Jedi will come along and destroy it with relative ease. Anderson's writing style is painful. The Callista subplot is a long and pointless way of eliminating her as a love interest. The list goes on. I think the crowning stupidity is the way that the 'tactical genius' Admiral Daala focuses all her efforts on the Jedi Academy, and then has her entire imperial armada repulsed by a handful of Jedi trainees, who sustain a single casualty. A low point.