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Reviews Books The JC Lit Reviews Special: FATE OF THE JEDI: OUTCAST (Spoilers)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Havac , Mar 24, 2009.

  1. QueenMother_LK

    QueenMother_LK Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2009
    I have to say, I was loving this book from start to finish. Overall, it sort of slowed down in the middle, and the ending wasn't super climactic, but I felt this book as a start to the series was heads and feet better than Betrayal. Betrayal moved very slow, and I get the feeling that Allston liked writing about the events/characters in this book more, (ihmo).

    So there were many things to love:

    The first 5 pages: As an avid Jaina fan, this was wonderful. I had to stop reading after the Jag/Jaina scene because I was so happy.

    The speeder/x-wing/MF chase through Coruscant. Just sitting back and thinking of the badassery that took place in this scene amazes me. I just kept thinking about how it would look as a visual, and I just get this image of a ton of speeders everywhere, holocams, crazy well-armed bounty hunters, Luke jumping around on an x-wing, jaina falling out of the sky while getting net-taser'd, and the huge, bulking MF shooting bounty hunters left and right. It was just awesome, and one of the scenes that I immediately went back and read.

    It was creep-tastic! Throughout the book there was just a level of supreme creepiness that was actually entertaining. First it was the scene in the Horn residence where you get Valin's POV when he first starts to go crazy. This was really frightening, and sad, yet enjoyable. (I especially liked Corran channeling his inner Obi-wan by trying to calm Valin down, but then kicking his ass when the time came) This has really given us a good feel for how seemingly out of touch these jedi like Valin are. Then there was the whole thing with the bogeys. I have to say that for some reason through LotF I hated having to read through much of the Han/Leia scenes, but with these creepy floating shiny things in the mines of kessel really had me stressed out, in a good way. Then there was the Kel Dors. Being stuck underground with paranoid weirdos = perfect setting for a scary movie. I was honestly worried about what was going on in this place, and after going to bed after stopping around the part where they go underground in the coffin things really bothered me, but again, in a good way.

    Ben: Throughout LotF, Ben was just trying to be like Jacen, which I think made his personality really ring of Anakin Solo, but in this book he seems to have picked up Mara's loveable trait of snarkiness during relatively serious situations. I really liked his characterization in this book, and I really do feel like he is actually mature in this book rather then the authors in LotF just beating us down by 'saying he is so mature' all the time. His jokes and comments are one of the best parts of this book. =D=

    Jaina: As I said before, I'm an avid Jaina fan, and I couldn't have been more pleased with her characterization in this book. Allston kept her Jaina-ness, but also has shown us a little bit more mature side of her. I really hope this characterization holds, because it has her in great light. =D=

    Luke: Mainly just him kicking ass at the end was great. And how he let Ben figure out everything on his own even though Luke already knew what was going on. Definitely loving Luke so far, and I can't wait for him to return to the order from his studies to make it even better than before. [face_praying]

    Tahiri: I don't like Tahiri very much at all, but I really liked her in this book. She seems to have found some balance and maturity to her life, and I hope Jaina will keep trying to steer her back to where she should be.

    Jag: I was happy to see that he wasn't just sitting around acting like the head of state that he is. Going and helping the darkmeld is awesome, and I hope to see more of that. Also, him pressuring Jaina more than once about coming to live with him. Someone needs to knock some more sense into this girl, and I'm glad he's the one trying.

    Han: when he taught Allana a valuable lesson about not having to kill everything. 5th time's the charm, Han and Leia...[face_rolling_
     
  2. KnightDawg

    KnightDawg Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2007
    This was an amazing book and a great place to jump on if you are coming back into the EU. I really enjoyed how the book balances between the 3 main story plots.

    The only thing I didn't like was I feel like the didn't really get to the most interesting thing about Kessell.....who created those ancient machines? They mentioned the possibility it was the Celestials. And what is in the tombs that nobody can open that are scattered all over the faux plant? Unfortunately I feel they will not come back to these things and probably won't see it mentioned again in the EU. :(

    I can't wait to find out who or what was talking to Allana through the force!!! [face_skull]

    Score: 9.8/10

    I've never rated a book this high!!! :eek:
     
  3. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 237.2/29 = 8.18
     
  4. Thrawn McEwok

    Thrawn McEwok Co-Author: Essential Guide to Warfare star 6 VIP

    Registered:
    May 9, 2000
  5. Ackbar_Van_Gungan

    Ackbar_Van_Gungan Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 14, 2004
    I just finished the novel and I was not impressed. If this wasn't a Star Wars novel, I don't think I would have any incentive to pick up the next release.

    I was interested in all of the three significant storylines, but only the Coruscant based Valin/Jaina/Seff storyline ended up paying off. The others were so lightly developed that they felt rushed and wasted.

    The Ben/Luke storyline was paced poorly and really fell flat. It seemed as complex a plot as a Scooby Doo mystery. The promise of learning about the Baran Do was initially interesting but we didn't end up with much. Other than the Hidden One, every Baran Do was interchangable with any other. I would like to know more about their philosophy, their history, and why Jacen sought them out. Instead we got a very episodic storyline that left us no further than we had been before. On to the next world!

    The Han/Leia storyline was abruptly introduced and didn't make much sense. Aside from Leia's Force powers, why would Han/Leia be able to anything better than some geologists/biologists/archeologists? If you are going to go with a Big Dumb Object, we need a little bit more information about it to make it interesting or worthwhile. Instead there are some floating energy harddrives and giant magnetic self-destruct sequences. We barely got a what and where, so don't even think about how or why. What upset me the most was the fact that it doesn't sound like there is going to be any answer to these questions.

    Another problem I had was how G-rated the book felt. While I understand they were trying to compensate for the backlash against the R-rated NJO and LotF, there was absolutely nothing approaching evil or danger anywhere in the book. Our heroes were fighting groundquakes, spiders, training matches, bureaucracy, and couch potatoes. The most pressing issue was that of Jaina and Co. on Coruscant, which I mentioned as my favorite part of the book.

    Also, Allston's humor works well to relieve the tension when facing impossible odds and death at any turn (as in the Rogue novels and also the OT). It seems like a realistic coping mechanism and is diluted by the seriousness of the rest of the story. With Outcast, so little of the story was actually serious that the jokes came too often, and started to grate.

    I think Allston's strengths are in creating individual characters, writing strong dialogue, comic relief, and fast pacing. His world-building is some what lacking as evidenced by the Baran Do and the Kessel BDO which while promising were not detailed enough to engage me.

    Overall, I didn't feel like I was reading the start to a series, as much as I was reading a complete standalone, and a poor one at that. I realize there were some hints with the ominous voice Allana heard and that Jacen was looking for a Force nexus but we could have just introduced those in the first few chapters of the novel and been spared the sparsely written Kessel and Baran Do plotlines. The book would have been greatly improved by an additional 25 pages of exposition. I didn't have as much a problem with what was in it than what wasn't.

    6 out of 10

    -The Rebel Gungan
     
  6. Dawud786

    Dawud786 Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 28, 2006
    8/10.

    There are things that fell a little flat, things I still find to be completely ridiculous... like Daala and her accusations she likes to throw around conveniently ignoring her own crimes or acknowledging that certain folks may have done some bad things, but have since done deeds that more than atone for those. If Daala is allowed redemption, then she should be able to allow Kyp Durron redemption. He, after all, has arguably contributed more positively to the galaxy since JAT than she has or ever possibly could. Or is even looking to be doing...

    Kessel I felt was a bit stale, but I guess this is what old retired fighter jocks and smugglers do. Help the respectable one save his profitable planetoid drug business.

    The rest I was very pleased. I absolutely adored every chapter that started with "Jedi Temple, Coruscant" or anything that ended with "Dorin." Plus, the tone is so much lighter and yet no less ominous.
     
  7. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 260.45/32 = 8.14
     
  8. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    Six... point... eight. Yeah. I like that.

    I posted a lengthy review/general impressions post here, and the general gist of it was... underwhelming and often frustrating, with some fantastic stuff in the Coruscant scenes to balance it out. Didn't feel like the kickoff of a nine-book series. These few sentences don't do it justice, so click my link, yo.
     
  9. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    I finished reading Outcast, and to my surprise, once I got past Luke's exile and Daala as "honorable CoS", I really enjoyed the book.

    I thought that all of the characters (excluding Daala) were pretty much in-character, and it was fun to read an adventure/mystery story instead of constant galactic conflict. I thought all three plots were interesting. I know that a lot of posters seemed to have a problem with the Kessel scenes, but I found the exploration of the caverns quite enjoyable and liked the resolution to Han's spider-phobia.

    For the first time, Jag didn't seem quite so cardboard to me, and I appreciated Jaina's maturity. Her role as leader of Darkmeld was a good fit for her and gave her character a new dimension. I was never a big fan of Jaina, but she really grew on me in this book.

    The Luke/Ben parts on Dorin were a lot better than I was expecting. Luke was portrayed as a wise and powerful Grandmaster, and it was great to see his strong relationship with his son. I really liked the "investigative teenager".

    I also liked that we got to see lots of familiar old friends that haven't been seen much, like Mirax and Winter, and that other characters, like Kenth Hamner, got some development. As others have said, the galaxy seemed much bigger in this book, and we got to see some new aspects, like its justice system and news media.

    There were two things that bothered me. The first was that Daala was presented as a "good and honorable" CoS, with no mention of her criminal past. I really didn't like that whole conversation between Luke and Daala. Luke seemed to cave too much when he certainly could have given her some great arguments. I also don't like the very premise of Luke being exiled as a common criminal. I know Luke did this to set a good example for the other Jedi, but I don't see how his pleading guilty for something he didn't do accomplishes that. If anything, I think it gives the other Jedi the wrong messages: 1. You don't have to be responsible because someone else will take the "rap" for you. 2. It doesn't pay to be a Jedi knight who risks his life and makes sacrifices for the people of the galaxy, because they'll turn on you and punish you if you don't resolve their problems quickly enough.

    So, for "good" Daala and the exile of Luke, I have to take off 2 points. My score is 8/10, which is remarkably high for me for a post Survivor's Quest book. I haven't enjoyed a post SQ book this much since TUF.
     
  10. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    the tone is so much lighter and yet no less ominous.

    yes yes yes. i know kessel seems LIKE unimportant filler, but.... this voice thing with allana will be something. i loved this book. It was so refreshing... to see luke be luke, and Ben to be the ben we all want him to be. Daala chaffs yes, but i loved the stuff with valin, and seff, and jaina and jag. i give this a 8.5 out of 10. im just so relieved about luke and his legacy so far, and what an enjoyable novel this was to read. luke is luke again CHRISTINE GOLDEN, TROY DENNING PLEASE DON'T MESS THIS UP. I KNOW IT HAS TO GET DARKER WITH THE SITH AND ALL, BUT PLEASE MAKE LUKE =LIKE ALLSTON DID IN THIS BOOK!!!!
     
  11. RebelJoseWales

    RebelJoseWales Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 10, 2008
    Hurm, to quote Rorschach. This book was by and large a disappointment to me.

    Plot
    All that really happened was Luke getting exiled (which was one of the worse breaks with logic that I've seen in a SW book) to the accompaniment of a ham-handed farewell by the Jedi on Coruscant, Valin Horn going matter-of-factly insane, the introduction of what is most likely the meditation sphere over Kessel, and the capture of Seff. All the rest is filler. Nonsensical, poorly done filler.

    Characterization
    Over the course of LotF, Ben Skywalker was portrayed as a thoughtful and intelligent individual who underwent a great deal of maturation through the course of the series. In the two IU years since, apparently, he's regressed to the maturity of a twelve-year-old and lost ten or fifteen IQ points for good measure.

    Tahiri is still shattered over Anakin, which means she crossed the line from angst to wangst approximately a decade ago.

    Daala has gone from a misandristic, axe crazy, brain-damaged (thank you, Death Star) paranoid psychopath to a level headed person while no one was looking. I actually find this somewhat believable, since she'd had about thirty years to work out her issues with men, realize that her "I have been thwarted so I MUST KILL ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET" approach doesn't work too well, undergo corrective surgery, and participate in regular sessions with a good therapist. Her being COS still grates, but that came from another book.

    Though I've never been a Jag fan, his portrayal irks me. Addmitedly, I haven't read NJO for a while, but I seem to recall a big deal in that book being his stiff personality. Allston seems to have abandoned that for something close to his generic fighter pilot character.

    Every state in the US has some provision in its child abuse laws that allows for spanking. Children like Allana are the reason behind this.

    Heinous and Unprovoked Assaults Against Logic

    Oh noes, mass-produced conventional explosives and proton torpedoes don't affect the weird machines! That's okay, we can just use the facilities of a spice mining operation and our skeleton crew to jerry-rig thermal detonator rockets for a wide range of military aircraft. These will of course be flown by a cross section of aging, retired, and/or otherwise employed famous pilots who we knew at one time or another, because Force knows it'll be easier to get them here on short notice than to hire any of the ridiculously high number of mercenary pilots overrunning the Galaxy.

    I mean, really, even assuming that any explosives experts that may have been involved in excavations were on Kessel at the time, where are they going to get the ballistics engineers knowledgeable enough to mate the thermal dets to the torpedoes? And an ancient correctional facility/mining operation has the capability to produce several hundred military-grade missiles?

    4.5/10
     
  12. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 288.25/36 = 8.01
     
  13. Qui-Gon_Reborn

    Qui-Gon_Reborn Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 11, 2008
    I give it a straight 10. Excellent character development, story development, plot advancement, and a book that moves foward without resorting to the "Guess what, guys? The galaxy's gonna go through the war to end all wars and we're all going to be destroyed...again!!!" that we're so used to by now. I loved Dorin, I loved Ben, and I think I'm going to love the series. Good work, Mr. Allston. =D=
     
  14. xoubara

    xoubara Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2003
    Well, my hopes for this series have increased quite a lot. I remember Betrayal was also a really good beggining, but Outcast has a better plot, overall. I'm sure, as some of you have said, that the Kessel storyline will find its path towards Luke's, and probably towards the jedi illness. So, despite Han and Leia's plot wasn't all that exciting, I think it was full of mistery because of that. Even more so if we consider that they could be the Celestials (and that an energy life form was Dark Horse's idea for their NJO storyline...).

    As for the characters, I think this is one of those few times where everyone is well portrayed, especially Luke, who is the most problematic one when it comes to show his wisdom and power. In Outcast it is not reduced even for a bit, and his relationship with Ben is amazing. I also loved seeing more screentime for several jedi masters/knights like Octa Ramis, Seha Dorvald and Tekli. The same could be said about the old Rogues and pilots on the Kessel mission.
    It was interesting Valin's POV. I think that if no one knew about the illness, many would have believed that was a fake Mirax. I think it was very well done. Loved Hellin's portrayal, too.

    As a JAT fan, I was especially happy to read so many references to it. I hope this includes a bigger role for Kyp in future books.

    Oh, and no one dies... :p

    Well, I think the only bad things I found are Daala's portrayal, which has already been mentioned, and the length of the book. I hope we get a 500 or 600 long book, like SbS or VotF.

    So, I'm giving it a 9,5.
     
  15. Jedi Vince

    Jedi Vince Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 2, 1999
    Outcast has definitely marked a change in tone and overall approach to this period, and I like the ideas.

    The execution, however, seems to be a little ... off. As I read Outcast, I couldn't help but think it was a bit rushed.

    Alston, who I believe has improved as an author with each entry ? especially in terms of his sentence structure ? hasn't reverted back to any of his old ways, but I think he could've used a little more editorial assistance in his latest effort. Outcast features some lazy and clunky prose, and that doesn't help a book where its characters go off on adventures that don't have any immediate effect on the story.

    Again ... I like the ideas, and the structure of the novel ? it was a nice Star Wars read. It just seemed stretched out to get it around 300 pages ? especially in the Kessel parts. Sloshing through these passages reminded me of some of the old Kevin J. Anderson books that would simply meander for pages upon pages at a time.

    I also wish Luke and Ben's journey would've produced a little more tangible results. Again, since this series strays away from huge, immediate, galaxy-shifting events, it needed more definitive results to resonate stronger.

    As for Corran, I felt like he should've played a more active roll in the proceedings. Calling in favors "off screen" just didn't seem like a proactive approach for a guy that joined the Jedi Academy to learn how to take down the people who kidnapped his wife.

    Daala also bothered me. I just wish Luke would've at least fired back at her for all of her past indiscretions. Oh well ... I'll roll with it.

    Outcast is a good start -- could've been a great start.

    I just feel like this was a C- effort.

    7/10
     
  16. Ceillean

    Ceillean Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 13, 2001
    I loved the book. I really did. I just wished it would have gone on. I was mortified when I reached the last page and the next few pages were only an excerpt of the new book. Meh.

    Luke and Ben make a great team and the humor was nice as well. Compared to LotF, FotJ seems to be a bit more humorous.

    Hamner as Grand Master was a good pick, too. I'd never expected the man to do such a great job.
    What I really loved is the fact that the characters seem so normal. Everyone has changed, grown up -- besides Jaina. That's the only annoying thing.

    And I am fed up with this whole Sword of the Jedi stuff.
    Enough already.

    Tahiri needs to grow up, too. So she nearly gets a heart attack when she sees Dab? Like it's his fault he looks like Anakin?
    Seriously, grow up. Anakin is gone, has been gone for years -- a fact Tahiri really needs to come to terms with.

    Han and Leia's little sojourn on Kessel was interesting. Now all I want to know is who was talking with Allana?

    All in all, a very good book and I'm annoyed that I have to wait another two months for the second book.

    10/10
     
  17. Ebonn101

    Ebonn101 Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Jan 4, 2002
    I give this a 6/10.

    I have to say, I was hoping for more from Allston. There were parts of the book I found myself really enjoying/thinking about, such as the voice speaking to Allana from the garrison moon. I also liked that Luke and Ben are finally doing something together as father and son. Luke is what, 60 years old now? And this is largely the first time that I can recall them having any extended interaction in the EU. Good, because as of now, I'm not too optimistic about Ben taking the mantle from his dad when Luke inevitably dies.

    However, like many people, I was not exactly thrilled with the whole Kessel side-story, finding it to be a "we need something for Han and Leia to do" section, although I guess it's possible the entire sequence was set up in order to provide the extremely brief, yet extremely interesting bit with Allana. And Luke's unwillingness to stand up for himself before Daala was just silly, although maybe as the Grand Master, he has a bigger, broader vision of the galaxy's future than I do :confused:. Finally, perhaps the only thing I miss from the NJO is the commitment to meaty, sizable hardcovers. I've moaned about it here before, as have many others, but please please please give us a longer, more detailed, thorough book! 9 hardcovers is a lot to ask of a reader, please reward our loyalty with another 400+ page hardcover!

    I know this is a different story, but I don't feel as much anticipation about FOTJ as I did when I closed the cover of Betrayal. Regardless of how you feel about LOTF as a whole, most of you will probably agree that Allston did a great job setting it up with that novel. With the exception of finding out who the mysterious voice on Kessel was, I can't say I feel the same way about FOTJ. There is certainly potential. If it turns out that Jacen was a victim of a Valin Horn-esque disease, I will be supremely happy, as I think Jaina, Leia, and Han will feel the regret they deserve for casting him out to the wolves so early on, and then ultimately plotting his murder. We'll see, I'm glad we're getting some fresh blood with Christie Golden, and am confident she will deliver! Looking forward to reading Omen.

    My cumulative review of FOTJ to date (not an average): 6/10
     
  18. darthbangkok

    darthbangkok Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 21, 2003
    I just finished the book yesterday. Overall I thought it was fine and I am still looking forward to the rest of the series.

    The Luke/Ben side trip was fine enough for me even though I usually don't go for those kind of things. I thought it a little ironic that Luke was exiled in part because of the Jedi going around doing things with no regards for the consequences and then they went and did the same thing while in exile. That place will never be the same again. Granted, it was probably the right thing to do, but I just thought it was strange that he didn't even have doubts about doing it. Also, I can't even remember what he learned while there, so why did he go again?

    My thoughts on Daala echo every other complaint in this thread so far. I could see another government doing what she is doing for legitimate reasons, but I don't think she is so there has to be some nefariousness somewhere. Maybe it will come out later.

    I didn't read any Han/Leia passages after they got to Kessel and I realized they were going to be geologists. They used to be the only ones who can save the universe, now they are the only ones who know about plate techtonics. I wish they would just leave these two out of the books all together rather than include them with these assinine plots. I hate having to worry that I am missing something integral to the plot, but I just can't read anymore of their crap.

    I thought it rather strange that Jag can disappear and run around on secret missions even if he does have a body double.

    The book was fine for the most part though. 7/10.
     
  19. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 337.75/42 = 8.04
     
  20. sidious618

    sidious618 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 20, 2003
    This was a good book. Parts of it were a little slow but overall I quite enjoyed it. It certainly felt more like part one of two (or nine, in this case) as there were a lot of things thrown out but not all of it makes a ton of sense quite yet. Things are still a little bit too shady and I'm not entirely sure where it's going. Nevertheless the book is promising character wise and those last few paragraphs have me thinking that some bad stuff is coming down the line. Some really bad stuff. Which is good for me, the reader!

    Characterization was spot on in this novel, especially with Luke and Ben. I really hope that we see a lot more of their adventures together before the inevitably return to the Jedi situation back on Coruscant (probably by book five, I'd imagine, since five is always the turning point). I sense the Ben is going to be the key character as the yars go on and I'm fine with that. I never really wanted Jacen or Jaina to take over because they never really connected with me. In this case I'm okay with Ben becoming a lead down the line.

    Han, Leia and Allana were awesome as well even if their plot was a little light. Sure, that voice Allana heard will probably be crucial but the inside of Kessel plot left some things to be desired. That said, the scenes with the spiders were sufficiently creepy and effective.

    I like Kenth Hamner as the new lead of the Jedi Order and I hope we'll see a bit more of him in the future.

    I've seen some people comment on Luke not attacking Daala (verbally) but that seemed consistent to me. Luke's a subtle guy and he's already planting the seeds of how he'll take back the Order.

    All in all, a good start to this series and I think it has quite a bit of promise.

    8.8
     
  21. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 346.55/43 = 8.06
     
  22. Liliedhe

    Liliedhe Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 22, 2009
    Ok, call me impressed. I really liked this book, even though it started to drag somewhat in the second half. The start was very tightly paced, with all those threads starting to develop and the ominous pall of government interference drawing tighter and tighter. Like the prequels, this starts out very political, and also melancholic. When Luke realizes all of the heads of states are Imperials, not only does he prove that he is someone to look PAST affiliations at the persons behind the uniform, but also that he is just as readily taken unaware as his predecessors of the Old Order. One almost could start to get conspiracy happy... Distract everyone with one war after the next so nobody realizes they are just handing over their fates to their mortal enemies... Ring a bell?

    After Millennium Falcon kind of drew the universes (of the PT and the OT) together, in Outcast they finally feel as one. It is subtle, but for me, who always liked the PT better and is prone to cheer when there's a PT reference in a post Episode VI book, it was very satisfying. Luke decides to be the pawn that is sacrificed for peace, but as Jaina puts it at one point, it's probably a bad idea. I can't shake the feeling that this starts another road to hell paved in good intentions, like the Clone Wars did.

    The observers seem like a calculated provocation, especially Dab, who might be a decent enough fellow, but his mere presence is a slap in the face. As for the Force Psychosis thing, so far there isn't much to speculate about. It seems like somebody flicks a switch in the person's head and they go over the edge. The idea that it has to do with the Maw and the voice that spoke to Allana is convincing, but so far nothing is certain. I'm a bit sad the Han/Leia/Allana plot was relegated to the background so much, because I like those three and would have enjoyed seeing more of them.

    Dorin was an interesting place, but after Luke and Ben reached the shelter of the "dead", it took a turn for the worse. Somehow this plot felt to me like all of those "unenlightened savages who need the noble white men to save them from their ignorance" stories of less politically correct times. This didn't do Plo Koon's people justice. Although, I suppose the Hidden One's paranoia might have something to do with the madness that infects the Jedi and maybe even with Jacen's visit. What if it is the other way round? What if it wasn't something Jacen learned that drove him over the edge, but it was him who infected those who taught him? Although Tahiri's speculations on "finding out when he broke" also have merit.

    Lots and lots of juicy points to speculate on. Of all the plot threads in the book the Darkmeld thing was the least exiting for me. Although Jag's conversation with Dab had me laugh loudly. Really, the humour was great. This book had many funny lines and conversations - but most of all it had an all pervading sense of melancholy. Death was a very dominant theme, from the narrowly prevented destruction of Kessel, to the black 'eyes' that stare on Dorin, the prophesied next purge of the Jedi Order, Luke's goodbye to his friends and the political points I already addressed. I can't shake the feeling that the black holes are important, and that their influence on force users, established in a very throwaway manner will come back to haunt everyone. The equipment on Kessel was monitoring gravity wells. The black holes over Dorin are eyes. Abysses do stare back in Star Wars.

    So a very promising start to a new series. 8/10
     
  23. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Average score: 354.55/44 = 8.06
     
  24. Inara

    Inara Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 30, 2005
    I also posted this in the Outcast discussion thread, so apologies to those who read it twice.


    1. I loved Luke and Ben's relationship. They make a great pair, and it was nice to see so much of Mara reflected in Ben. I didn't feel her absence as keenly as I thought I would.

    2. While I also found the three separate story lines disconcerting at first, there are eight more books to go, so hopefully they'll be tied together sometime soon. I'm also kind of glad the book explored Kessel - it's such a weird planet that I've always wanted to know more about it.

    3. I'm really really really tired of this Tahiri/Anakin thing. Let the girl move on for goodness sake. It's been YEARS since Anakin died. And yet her obsession with him is turning into a running gag. It'd be nice if the profic authors could stop beating this plot line because it should have died ages ago. I'd be happy to see her settle down with some ordinary guy on some ordinary planet somewhere. Really, just anything to end this needless Tahiri torture. Even this Dab/Tarc/Creeper is in the story just to revisit Tahiri's Anakin issues. If they end up together, I'll be pissed.

    4. And since I'm griping about Tahiri...I'm also getting tired of the repeated mentions, either by her or the other characters, of her past actions and how people are still mad at her about it. What about Ben?!?! He's being treated as a normal teenager despite committing so many crimes of his own. I don't buy the "oh he was only 14 and therefore not really responsible" nonsense. Padme was a queen of an entire planet at 14 and Leia was a senator at 16. So the fact that no one has any hard feelings towards Ben but only towards Tahiri is troubling. Plus I was hoping to see Ben a bit more affected by Jacen. It's been three years, but you'd think that he'd still bear a little trauma as opposed to being a perfectly normal teenager whose biggest concern is not being seen in public with his dad's haircut.

    5. For the first time since the Thrawn Trilogy, I find myself liking Jaina. I never thought it would happen, but I guess if anyone can resurrect a character, it's Allston. On the other hand, I'm now creeped out by Jag. I don't know if it's his political maneuverings or his incessant horniness, but something doesn't seem right about him.

    6. I was totally disappointed by the Baran Do storyline. I was hoping for some interesting insights into their unique Force philosophy, which might have explained some of Jacen's later viewpoints. Instead, all Luke learned was how Jacen could block a brain scan and that the Baran Do Sages are insane. I can't believe it took Luke an entire book to figure that out. Jacen journeyed for five years - I don't know how Luke plans to piece together Jacen's travels because even ten years doesn't look to be enough.

    7. I was thrilled to see Kenth Hamner do more than show up at Council meetings with a long face. He's got a biting personality, which is awesome. I think he'll play a bigger role as the series progress. It looks like Allston was setting him up to eventually be in a position of conflict with Luke's crew, so it'll be interesting to see how that plays out.

    8. After I got over the ridiculousness of Daala being in charge of the GA, I realized that I missed the sadistic Daala of the JAT days. Not that she's particularly nice in Outcast, but I sense character whitewashing. Sure she had Valin imprisoned in carbonite, but the Daala in the past would have pushed him out an airlock.


    The quality of the writing was superb, the characterizations were mostly great, and the pace was quick and kept things interesting. Most of the issues I'm irritated with have more to do with the direction Del Rey is taking the series than this one single book. No doubt Allston is writing what he's been told to write. So I give the book an 8/10.
     
  25. darthadimentsu

    darthadimentsu Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 24, 2007
    I am stunned by the good ratings of this book, especially so much about characterisation... every page of this book reads with a single voice, Allston's, which is fine when it's Wraith Squadron, because that is their character, but when they are complex, established characters, simply doesn't work. Compare this with Enemy Lines, where the balance is much better struck, and you'll see how much more homogenous the characters appear in Outcast.
    Other problems include the all-too-easy resolution of the Jedi observer legal problem, the Luke vs. Daala argument, the jarring bizarreness of the Baran Do paranoia, the trivialisation of Luke (again, mostly because of the Allston voice), the compulsive need for a secret resistance that will inevitably disappear a couple of books later (Insiders, I'm looking at you), and the forced precursors to Legacy which in no way seem plausible to the situations or characters.

    Good parts, by contrast, are the hints at Celestials on Kessel, the brief return of Maarek Stele and the idea that Jacen in LotF wasn't really the Jacen of the NJO.


    4.5/10