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Reviews Books The JC Lit Reviews Special: CROSSCURRENT (Spoilers)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Havac , Jan 26, 2010.

  1. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 338.75/42 = 8.07
     
  2. ImpKnight

    ImpKnight Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2008
  3. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 347.25/43 = 8.08
     
  4. passer-by

    passer-by Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2010
    An excellent non-Big Three book.

    I enjoyed the characters - Jaden, Khedryn, Relin, Marr and Khel, in that order. The comparison between Jaden and Relin was interesting with the walking-the-edge metaphor and the attitude towards choice, doubt, certainty and categorization.

    The first 200-220 pages felt like a giant introduction, but the last 100 more than made up for it with the two parallel main stories - Paul Kemp writes equally well action scenes and mystery-suspense ones.

    I just wonder why the clones didn't kill Jaden at the end though. Didn't seem logical that they let him live.

    I'll be sure to check out the other SW books by Paul Kemp as soon as they come out in paperback on the strength of his name alone.

    8,5/10 (if the structure were better-balanced, it'd have been a 9)
     
  5. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 355.75/44 = 8.09
     
  6. robbiedbee

    robbiedbee Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2006
    I really enjoyed this book. From the characters, to the setting, to the plot premise, was a total breath of fresh air. Aside from a few minor qualms, this book is up there with some of my other favourites.

    Although I haven't really played Jedi Acadedy, I really liked Jaden. He was written very well, and I hope he makes more appearances in the future. Likewise with the characters of Relin and his former padawan Saes, they were interesting characters that I wanted to know more and more about. It's rare that completely new characters grab my attention in SW fiction, so Mr. Kemp has obviously done a great job of making them three-dimensional and believable.

    While I think the finale was a little underwhelming, considering how much potential was in this premise, I always felt compelled to read on. As enjoyable as it was, there was a bit of wasted potential, because the "present" and "past" characters mainly stuck to their respective fights. The most interesting portions of the book for me where the interactions between Jacen and ancient Jedi Relin. If their struggles had somehow overlapped (maybe the Sith had crash-landed on the Frozen Moon), then perhaps it would have even better, but I am more than satisfied with what I did read.

    Also, references to snot and vomit were easily in the double figures. Yuck.

    I'd give this book a score of 8.5/10, for being a perfect example of a SW story which isn't recycled material, isn't a poor interpretation of the characters we all love, and doesn't require you to commit to reading a shelfful of books.
     
  7. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 364.25/45 = 8.09
     
  8. RebelJoseWales

    RebelJoseWales Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2008
    This was a solid, fun read. There were some silly parts, but nothing insultingly stupid, and all the characters were enjoyable. All in all, about what I like in a SW book.

    8/10
     
  9. Master_Keralys

    Master_Keralys VIP star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 8, 2003
    Well written and tightly plotted. Spoilerific review: This is the sort of thing the EU needs a lot more of: focused side stories with interesting characters. I was sufficiently invested that Relin's final decision and ultimate death really bothered me?as, I think, it should have?and was genuinely relieved by Marr's survival, etc. My only significant complaint is that Jaden wasn't a Kel Dor. The novel wasn't a home run out of the park so much as a solid mid-field hit that put Kemp solidly on second base, ready to come on home with another book of the same caliber. More than that, though, it was nice to get away from galactic drama to a small, one-man (well, three...) quest, and I'd like to see this become much more normal for the future of the EU, at least for a few years.

    8/10
     
  10. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 380.25/47 = 8.09
     
  11. Kalphite

    Kalphite Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 4, 2009
    Yet another book I read because of the brilliant new e-book releases [face_dancing]

    I liked it a lot!

    The Good: No Big 3? Sign me up!

    For once...we got a Jedi that thought and acted like a Jedi should. Yay for Jaden! I love his personal critiques of the current Jedi Order...finally a character that points out how stupid and morally flawed the Order has become, and how silly it was for them to take sides in the Civil War of LotF! It's nice to know that they're all not blindly following the Council like in the main novels...there are Jedi out there like Jaden who don't like what the Order has done.

    I really enjoyed how this novel tied in EVERYTHING...Hyperspace Wars, Jedi Academy PC Game, KoTOR, One Sith, LotF, Outbound Flight, FotJ etc etc... I don't think I've ever read a novel that had so many other various EU references...and the best part was it didn't try and explain every reference in detail. It really appealed to me as an avid EU reader. Most authors/novels tend to shy away from other EU material to make the 'canon-writing' easier, which makes them feel isolated/secluded.

    The Bad: So really...what was the point of Harbinger in this story? Technically speaking, the ancient ship didn't cause Jaden's vision...and didn't affect him really (Master Relin, from the past, had an impact on Jaden I suppose). The fact that it appeared and was destroyed right afterwards was kind of odd...made the whole journey through time feel kind of insignificant...but meh...


    Looking forward to Riptide!!

    9.2 / 10
     
  12. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 389.45/48 = 8.11
     
  13. Shepherd492

    Shepherd492 Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 2, 2011
    My review here

    5.1/10
     
  14. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 394.55/49 = 8.05
     
  15. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 23, 2004
    8 of 10

    The Sith thing really seemed to come out of nowhere and goes nowhere, making this feel like there were two separate stories written, though both are well written, just do not mesh that well. Heavy bonus points for the truly extensive reference to other stuff, especially the Irdium Power Gem got me to chuckle. Also the Horror works, as do the characters, though getting Krath's Sith involved seemed rather pointless.
     
  16. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 402.55/50 = 8.05