The JC Lit Reviews Special: LEGACY OF THE FORCE: Inferno (Spoilers)

Excellent. Every LotF book has gone from okay (Exile) to enjoyable (Tempest, Betrayal) to really, really great but not quite excellent (Bloodlines, Sacrifice). This one finally reached it with the best payoff I've seen since I last watched The Shield. The characterization was rock solid as one would expect in a Denning novel but the plot twists and turns were fantastic. I did not see Cal Omas' death coming and it hit me surprisingly hard as I always liked the stubborn guy.

It was Luke's book, though, wasn't it? And man was he great. Both of the scenes between him and Jacen were fantastically done and expertly written.

Also, I'm glad to see that a Sith Order of some kind is still out there. I'm very interested in them.

The only quibble I have is the wookiee staff stuff. I felt it took away a but from the Wookiees

That said.

9.8

 

Average score: 336.94/39 = 8.64

 

I really hate using adjectives, but this book was simply incendiary (no pun intended).

How Denning managed to follow up "Sacrifice" with an entry that kept the heat on without being given any real galaxy-shaking events to construct is beyond me. To me, he's solidified his place as THE premiere EU author.

The best explanation I can think of is what Denning always brings to a book: Subtlety. He's able to identify conflicts that rest beneath the surface, and give them the greatest sense of urgency -- it's really an amazing gift. He explores everyt aspect from every level, and knows the BEST ways to exploit them -- and that's the sign a craftsman is at work.

Helping the cause is Denning's prose, which is at times poetic. All of his ideas are delivered to the reader efficiently, and with a pace that is conducive to Star Wars.

I'm enjoying Legacy of the Force, but it hasn't really gripped me. This book made me buy into the story, especially its catalyst, Jacen's arc. It's even made me emotionally invested in it. This along with the Sith stuff gives the remainder of the series great pay-off potential.

On the negative side, I felt the book was a bit rushed a couple times, and I got lost a little in the space battles (but I usually do).

9.8

Possibly the best Star Wars book I've ever read.

 

Average score: 346.74/40 = 8.67

 

I'd have to give this book a 9.8/10 simply because it was awesome beyond reason. Luke is a badass, yet he still looks civilized. He was well written. Denning is simply a superb author. I wish he did all the LOTF books.

 

Average score: 356.54/41 = 8.70

 

Denning is simply a superb author. I wish he did all the LOTF books.

So do I, my friend. So do I.

 

9/10 for me.

As a Luke fan, I've been waiting for this for a long time. Not just how he dealt with Jacen, but the reaction to his "death" was fantastic. The galaxy would end before Luke did. It would take something big to kill him, like a planet exploding or the laws of physics changing. Luke would die only when he found it neccessary to die.

To me, that's Luke Skywalker continued from the movies and twice as powerful as Sidious....even if he is only showing a quarter of his ability.

As someone said earlier, "Don't kriff with the Jedi Master."

 

Average score: 365.54/42 = 8.70

 

I got just what I expected out of this book: a solid Denning effort that managed to find a nice balance between film style action and book-minded characterization and continuity allusions. At first I thought all the dialogue heavy posturing between Luke, Jacen, and Ben was offering more of the same without actually pushing the plot towards the next level, but Ben?s decision to finally strike set into motion one of the more thrilling duels, which in turn cultivated a significant degree of horrific immediacy. Too often lightsaber duels are cookie cutter affairs, but with imagery like a section of Jacen?s skull showing and Luke?s battered but not broken body, this one seemed for real. The level of severity here more than made up for a few instances of unintentional humor that pervaded a few scenes, such as Jaina throwing her voice to sound like a male or Jacen laughing about ?the oldest trick in the universe.?

Characterization of key characters was quite strong thanks to both Luke?s depression at the beginning of his book, as well as his sheer power and steady restraint near the end. Jacen?s continued fall from grace still emits a sense of self-awareness that adds a real hint of tragedy to the situation. The fact that he still admits to loving his family speaks of a controlled chaos that makes this fall a similar but overall unique affair when compared to the major descent portrayed in Revenge of the Sith. Strongest of all under Denning?s pen was Han Solo. For the first time ever, this incarnation actually seemed appropriate for his age. From a vantage point of physical prowess, Han clearly played second fiddle to Leia to a point that it seemed clear they can longer be the same old adventuring couple when Leia has to watch over him and make sure that she does the bulk of the heavy lifting. Yet as far as attitude is concerned, Han is still Han. The most quotable line of the book for me came when Han was accused of blatantly planning a suicide run. His reply?

?I know. I?ve made lots of ?em.?

That was vintage, cocky, Han to the point that I could hear Ford speaking those words. Denning?s next book after this series should be called Han Solo and the _______. I would buy it in a second.

Back to the present and Inferno, though, overall a more than solid effort. The series needed to start hitting a crescendo, and Denning delivered. At the same time, the small things like Jacen mumbling ?Danni? among other names during sleep and talk of Mara and Luke?s walk through the forest nicely paid tribute to the vast secondary world that is the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

8.5/10

 

Average score: 374.04/43 = 8.70

 

I have not been as sucked into an EU novel that like Inferno in a while. I would give it a 9 out of 10.

 

Average score: 383.04/44 = 8.71

 

My score 7.5/10. It's the first LotF novel not written by Traviss that I really enjoyed. It is a little too dark for me because of the Tionne and Kam scene. That type of stuff usually happens off "screen" in Star Wars. I think they went out way to easy for being Jedi Masters, but somehow Jag could out do the Jedi on Ossus? The Korriban Sith was a cameo which leads no where as they seem to have a laugh at our villian's expense. Luke's stuff was all very good and I think Jacen came across much more evil than he has in the past books. I also enjoyed Ben in this book, he's becoming a player now instead of the pawn he's been. And the crazy little Ewok rocks!!!

 

I'd give it a 9 out of 10. The storyline was wonderful and I adored the way Ben is being written at this time, all teen-cocky and yet determined.

My quibbles are fairly minor. He changes POV a couple of times in the funeral chapter which seems odd for a professional writer to do (the fact that the editors didn't catch it was also odd). It thrust me out of the story for a minute.

But more telling, he lets Jacen go at the end of the book. I can't really see Luke doing that. I know there are three more books to come but it didn't feel right and so I have to reduce an otherwise brilliant book from a 10 to a 9.

I've read the book at least 5 times so far! Great book. Probably the best of the series so far.

 

Average score: 399.54/46 = 8.69

 

Inferno and Traitor. Short, sweet and my favorites.

Inferno gets a 10/10 from me. Sounds nuts but it was everything I wanted in a LOTF novel or a Star Wars EU book on any level. It felt as fresh and fun as Legacy comics have been feeling.

 

Average score: 409.54/47 = 8.71

 

Finally breaking free of the time suck that is work, college, and A Game of Thrones (not half bad, and is better than most contemporary fantasy novels), my review of Inferno is up.

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Running at under three hundred pages shows that Inferno spends less time wondering around pointlessly compared to previous LOTF entries, especially when half of Sacrifice should have been cut. The book flows better in contrast to dithering in earlier volumes. If the entire series actually told a story instead of standing around the series as a whole would work better.

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"Jacob is a great man, a brilliant man, but not a forgiving man."

Michael Emerson's voice narrated the Alema scenes when she visited the Sith on Korriban. I find it interesting to see connections between the novel and comic universes, though I am wondering if this helping the arc at all instead of fan service.

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Flow walking sucks. I cannot word it any simpler than that. I refute the claim that time travel is pushing the EU into the hard sci-fi camp since time travel is anything but. Returning to the point at hand do we really need to have events in previous novels changed to advance a plot point? Nay since time travel generals ***** a franchise's timeline unless it is handled well- as show in the picture above. Come on Denning, you can think of a better way to make ape bonkers Tahiri become even more bonkers.

[image=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v220/Sniper_Wolf_the_Warmaster/Jackie_pwned.gif]
Zachary Quinto must have traveled to the GFFA, removed every brain in the galaxy, and threw them into a supernova. That is the only way to explain chronic stupidity that infects all living life form. Han and Leia are chased around the Jedi Temple by Jacen's evil government sp00ks while not a single Jedi realises what is going on. Seriously Denning needed to cap the scene with Michael Myers popping out from behind a statue to slash up some sp00ks, neo-imperialists urinating on the Jedi statues, and have Udo Kier host the "I was killed by Kyle Katarn" reunion barbecue for the thousands of red blades killed by Kyle during his various romps. So not a single person was manning a security camera? A single Jedi could not sense the danger? Wow, we have really flown off the tracks.

Then Mara turns into a Force Ghost around a week after her death because Denning wanted her to be one with the Force and Traviss didn't. Makes more sense than the left field reason given. Then Luke sits on his ass wondering how he should react to Darth Disallowed's coup de'droid despite his nephew- the one who decides to run around in black robes to inhance his "evil fantasy cliche villain" factor in his spare time when he's not smashing prisoners' heads into walls, mind raping single digit children and borderline senile women, starting genocidal wars, and eate little children's undeveloped reproductive organs with a glass of chianti since he's "EVILE!!!!111!!!11!"- before having a plot point epiphany pop into his head to have the Jedi go camping with the Ewoks. Is the Jedi leaving the Alliance that big of a deal? All they did was spend tax payer money on great causes like sitting around when the screaming barbarians rape half the galaxy until they have a deep profound plot point epiphany, let its members run around to start genocidal wars, and have little boys with hardly any pubic hair join the Alliance government sp00k organization to assassinate rebelling political leaders. Sounds like the Alliance is in a terrible position now that their mystic money and manpower black hole is offically off to do nothing.

Han screams a lot in this book, which is apparently the only thing he can do. At least he should pull a Junior Soprano,

 

Average score: 413.54/48 = 8.62

 

nice review, but perhaps without pictures from heroes episodes I haven't seen yet next time?

 

I really disliked this book. After reading it a second time I have to think it's the worst book in the series so far, even when it had more going on than perhaps any book so far. It felt very cinematic at points, but as this is not a novelization of a movie, I can't really say that it's a positive thing. So, I give it 6.9.

 

Average score: 420.44/49 = 8.58

 

Bringbacknom : those were all images from the last season of Heroes, none were from Season 2. That Claire shot is from the future episode (note the change in her hair colour).

But back to the book, i literally couldn't put this one down. I often have that trouble with SW books, but normally the lateness of the hour does force an intermission. With Inferno, i kept going til about 5am.

Apart from getting the obvious sense that LotF is finally taking off, the first thing that springs to mind is the Luke fake death. For a moment, i must confess i thought Denning really had done it. The ultimate decoy, have the Big Death everyone expects in hardcover, then pull off the Bigger Death totally unexpected in the next paperback.

There was never a doubt in my mind that Luke could wipe the floor with Jacen, removing Luke would inject some much-needed uncertainty of the outcome. The result of this book accomplished that anyway and has brought to focus old SW themes : redemption, the Jedi question of "the right thing". Luke could've killed Jacen but he felt it was the wrong thing to do (in front of his impressionable son, at least). Luke is, as always, a good man. Meanwhile, Jacen has had a taste of what Luke will throw at him next, giving him a minute chance of actually being a deadly opponent.

For most of the book, Luke wanted to redeem Jacen and in the excerpt for Fury he's already questioning his decision. Han's already made his mind up that Jacen must die but doesn't vocalise his opinion until Jacen turns on the Wookiees (symbolically appropriate given the memory of Chewbacca), Leia is subconciously on the same page as her husband, but doesn't face the facts til now. The contrast between the Solos and Luke is striking, given that Luke had the power and opportunity to kill Jacen. It's incredibly juicy stuff, can't wait to see how it will all pan out in the end.

But back to Luke's "death", i did feel that the reactions (besides Han's and Jaina's) didn't ring true to how they should be written, which was my first clue. But the issue was resolved for me the moment Threepio mentions that Artoo would've gone down with his master

The Legacy refs are creeping in and i love it

Finally, on the flow-walking i wasn't all that concerned, rather intrigued. It seems to me to be a "Grey"/balance power, but as Jacen continues his descent and his motives become more impure, the more unstable his power will become and the less effect it will actually have. Note that in this book he's only concerned about people suddenly remembering them being present, whereas in Dark Nest his warning to Leia (a much more pure motive) was concrete and did affect the timeline. Normally, i would just think continuity flub, but it's the same author writing both scenes. I trust that Troy knows what he's doing here.

I'll give this one a 9.8