Reviews Books The JC Lit Reviews Special: Rebel Dream (RD Spoilers imminent)

I haven't read the book yet, but a few thoughts in defense of MAS and AA.

I found that Corran has taken TOO much of a back role in the rest of the NJO. He is one of the characters I always look forward to seeing as you can expect humor to come out most of the time when he's around and to have some nice fights.

One of my favorite parts of the Wraith series was its ability to have humor and at the same time, to be write the death of a character (Bror Jace....) and you be able to feel it. I'm certainly hoping for Lt. Ketch to show up in RD as he's a bit of humor that I've grown to love.

On another side note, what would happen if the Ssi-ruuk met the Yuuzhong Vong? Vong lives to power mechanicals......

 

14 votes reporting.

Average = 125.6/14 ~ 8.97

 

Rebel Dream- 9

For comparison:
VP- 9.5
DT I- 9
DT II- 7
BP- 9
Eov I- 10
EoV II- 9.5
SBS- 10
DJ- 7

 

Rebel Dream- 9

For comparison:
VP-7
DT I-8
DT II-7
BP- 8
Eov I-8.5
EoV II-8.5
SBS-8
DJ-7.5

Best of the NJO, IMESHO, primarily the reasons already mentioned.

 

16 votes in.

JC RD Average Rating = 143.6/16 ~ 8.98/10

 

It's still a bit too early to say this but RD may be the beginning of a detente between NJO Fans and Critics, why? Because this book is getting good reviews in the main from fans on both sides of the divide. I'm wanting a copy to see the Lusankya in action for example!

Genghis makes an excellent summary of the DT effect. Those books did cast a shadow. That shadow was cast off for HT, briefly resurrrected in JE, cast back in BP, returned in C, was vanquished in R and returned in SBS and DJ. It has only hit the heights of DT in SBS perhaps but nonetheless the shadow was there and succeeding books, being part of the series, have been judged by their predecessors.

However, though that is one of the main root causes, along with characterizations and politics, to all things there must be an end. RD may be heralding this: The original trinity are reported to be well portrayed, the NR is being rejected and the Vong fought properly (though it seems the political plot is still not wholly dead when SBS should have resolved it), the Jedi schism is healing given I've heard talk of Luke & Kyp meeting up (details/quotes please!) and it seems the portrayal of the conflict is in keeping with SW' past record.

Anyhow, I've yet to get a copy (hits the UK 04/04/02!) but this does seem to be following up the elements of SBS I loved, while DJ focused on the element I loathed. This looks to be a good book, both for the NJO and for SW fandom as a whole.

Jedi Ben

 

I won't give RD a 10. Mainly because if there is a book that recieves a perfect score all the other books will be a failure compared to it.

So I'm happy to give RD a 9.
It was pretty much what I expected it to be, but it was still a much needed shot of levity at the right moment.

for comparison:
I, Jedi-9
EL: Rebel Dream-9
Balance Point-8
DT: Ruin-7
VP-6
AoC: Jedi Eclipse-6
SoA-9
Bounty Hunter wars trilogy-3
Crystal Star-4
CotJ-4

 

8

As odd as it may seem, I was disappointed with the way AA portrayed Luke. The rest of the book was wonderful, but AA turned Luke into a solder again, which is something Luke has been avoiding with as much vehemence as he would for anything of the Dark Side. There was no explanation given for why he changed all of his perspectives. At one point, Luke said something like, ?if there is any way to confuse the Vong, it?s worth trying?. That could be easily translated into ?the ends justify the means?, and that is not what a Jedi should be thinking.

Luke attacked a Vong base. Not in the immediate defense and protection of innocence, but for nothing more than the destruction of a Vong base. When did Luke start taking action like this in the NJO? This is the first time it has happened in the NJO, and it was done with absolutely no explanation that I can think of.

I liked the book, but I don?t remember it being as good or as funny as Starfighters of Adumar.

 

Counting 19 votes.

JC RD Average Rating = 170.6/19 ~ 8.98/10

 

Oh, almost forgot to add this to my "for comparison" section: The Crystal Star: -3 (lmao)

 

* grins *

 

Bringing this up for review.

 

I was hooked to RD at this point: "Rogue Squadron to Borleias. We're back. We kicked your butt twenty years ago. Now we're back to do it again."

 

Actually I loved Wedge's quote (to himself). It's about him hoping the YV loved Borleias and now, it's their turn to know how it feels to have something they love taken away from them.

 

Great ******* book, and I give it a 8.5/10. In comparison I gave SbS and VP both a 9.5/10.


AA made me like Lando again, and I havent liked him since RotJ. He made me realize just how much I missed Wedge, and how much I want the Wraiths back in a major way. And most importantly, he continued the humanization of Kyp.


Easily my favorite NJO ppbck to date.

 

i give it a 9 out of 10. the other NJO to compare it by:

vector prime: 7/10
onslaught: 8/10
ruin: 10/10
hero's trial: 2/10
jedi eclipse: 3/10
balance point: 6/10
conquest: 9/10
rebirth: 8.5/10
star by star: 10/10
dark journey: 9/10

~NiKe SKyLaRK~

 

21 votes in.

JC Lit Average Rating of RD = 188.1/21 ~ 8.96

 

Up, once again.

 

9

For comparison:
Vector Prime 5
DT I: Onslaught 9
DT II: Ruin 9
AoC I: Hero's Trial 8
AoC II: Jedi Eclipse 7
Balance Point 7
EoV I: Conquest 7
EoV II: Rebirth 6
Star by Star 8
Dark Journey 5

"If you can't deal with it, find a way to kill yourself."

 

First reading: 8.75

Second reading: 9.5

"Embrace the pain, scarhead!"

 

EDITED . . .

Taking into account your first rating, JadedofMara , we have:

Counting 23 votes.

JC Lit Average Rating of RD = 205.85/23 ~ 8.95/10

 

Interesting, JoM.

What'd you find different between the 1st and second times? What initially disappointed you that you saw in a better light on successive readings?

 

i'd give it a 10. i loved the books. i'd give all of the other books 10. except Dark journey, which, only got 8.5.

AT-ST

 

Genghis...the first time I read it, I dont know. A lot of the jokes werent that funny for me, and I didnt like Kyp's little descent into soap-operaville, and I think I missed around ten pages by accident ( ) so I was really confused later.

The second time I read it, everything clicked. I STILL didn't like Kyp's descent into soap-operaville, but I found the jokes a lot funnier (I actually laughed out loud a couple of times, which is unusual for me) and I understood everything that was going on.

Also for my first reading...I was VERY unhappy with Mara. She was just very...odd. The second reading, I appreciated more how she was written to be really, really SCARED to the point of excess for Ben's future, and that totally guiding all that she said or did. That made me appreciate her portrayal a lot more.

So you could only count the second reading if you want to, Caine. That is how I rate it now.