Reviews Books The JC Lit Reviews Special: KNIGHT ERRANT (spoilers)

This sums my thoughts up nicely.

A fantastic debut novel from JJM that I struggled to put down once I had started. Both capturing the essence of what makes Star Wars so much fun to experience even after all these years, and yet also adding to that dynamic with it's own quirks and style. This left me wanting more in a way no other Star Wars novel has for a long time.

As a random aside this is exactly the sort of thing I want to see from the long awaited live action TV series, although I'm sure what we will eventually get (even if good in it's own right) won't come close. This may be due to the slight 'Whedonesque' moments I felt the book had, a comparison I draw extremely favourably.

10/10.

 

Average score: 339.75/38 = 8.94

 

Perhaps the best Star Wars novel written in the past 5 years. Perhaps one of the 6 to 7 best Star Wars novels of all times. JJM has brought the fun and adventure back to the SW novel that has been so lacking in many recent releases. I have a few questions about the lack of the development of Kerra Holt in relation to that crazy dysfunctional huge Sith family but otherwise a SW novel I couldn't put down and one I for which I can't wait for the sequel.

9.75/10

 

Average score: 349.5/39 = 8.96

 

Removed.

 

Finally got around to reading this.

Knight Errant was the first Star Wars novel I've read in quite a while. I picked it up primarily based on the recommendations of the people in this thread and elsewhere.
I was not disappointed in the least.

First of all, it needs to be reiterated: this is an excellent Star Wars novel, exemplifying just about every reason I read Star Wars novels. Interesting and detailed setting, good plotting, strong characters, heroes and dastardly villains with interesting motivations, lots of good clean fun, adventure and danger, and it makes you think just enough to make it more fun. It's not my favorite Star Wars book, certainly, but it does everything a Star Wars novel should, especially one so "out there" chronologically. Kudos to JJM for his debut novel, and here's to many more!

However, there were some weaknesses, and some things that bothered me as well. I'll go over everything in more detail:

Pros:

First, everything stated above. I loved the scale of the book, how rather than just getting mired down in one place, it moved around logically from setting to setting and from villain to villain. And I like that it tied them all together into one over-arching plot rather than leaving them all as dangling threads.
I loved the varied setting and the varied villains, each with their own worked out and logical approach to Sith philosophy, and each just as diabolically evil as the last. Damian and Odion were twisted and frightening; the Dyarchy was truly creepy and disturbing; Arkadia was great. I like how the logic of each system worked its way out in the events of the novel.
Each location and villain could have had an entire novel set around them; but because they were so "unbalanced" and out there, using the different ones to contrast and understand the others made for a much stronger approach, while still leaving an oasis of untapped potential for the comic series to explore.
And the revelation at the end tied it all together in such a way that the amount of potential stories and plots available to JJM is truly staggering.

I also liked a lot of the characters: the mercenary group and the characters involved with it, Narsk and his mysterious plans, Vilia and so many others. I liked the fact that Kerra Holt wasn't merely a head-strong Jedi with no brains, but someone good at planning and logistics.
Really, I liked the vast majority of the things in the novel, so I don't think I need to state all of them in detail.

Cons:
A lot of this is fairly scrupulous, and a lot of it fairly subjective as well. But there were definitely some things that I disliked about the novel.
To start with, there's Kerra Holt. Now don't get me wrong: I really liked and sympathized with her character all throughout the novel. I never had a problem with her while reading it, never was taken out of the setting in doing so.
But that's kinda the problem: at this point, Kerra is more someone to be identified with than a character to relate to. She's simply a good, normal person who happens to be a Jedi and spends most of her time reacting to her bizarre setting in the way a good, normal person (like the average novel reader) would be expected to react. She fights the bad guys, saves people as she can, and acts like a bad-ass in the way we expect an action protagonist to do so.

Now, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and it has its strengths; but it does remove a strong element from the Knight Errant universe that really was the most appealing thing to me in the first place: the Knight part.

The Medieval Knight Errant is an interesting and romantic character not because he's an ordinary fellow trying to do good things, but because he's NOT an ordinary fellow: he's a Knight, disciplined and dedicated to his cause, committed to God, Our Lady, and his Lady, yet alone and travelling about to face with challenges, trials, and temptations that will test his resolve and his virtue and allow him to fulfill his duty by helping the weak, the poor, and the innocent. He wanders about, but

 

Average score: 358.8/40 = 8.97

 

Really liked this novel; not so much for Kerra but for the refreshing supporting characters. Bothan spies (when was the last time we had one of those as a major character, Shadows Of The Empire and Koth Melan?), totally non-Palpatine Sith Lords with varying degrees of evil/bizarre antics; antihero mercenaries, normal people, hapless refugees. Really liked that Sith Space wasn't just a Galactic Empire clone the way the TOR Empire seems to be, but more a ragged patchwork of warlord fiefdoms who would be darn near completely irrelevant if it was just one of them, but together pose a severe threat to the galaxy. Alsonice to see galaxy/Republic being differentiated for once; these Sith pose at least as much of a threat to each other as they do the Republic.

The more militaristic Order is well portrayed by Kerra I think-she's not a doomed prequel Jedi ignorantly fighting for a Republic that's already dead; she still has compassion and tolerance, yet isn't adverse to being ruthless at times. Definitely look forward to seeing the whole Jedi Order of the day.

8 out of 10, here. Didn't have any real gripes, but it's not as gripping/moving as the gold standard for me, the ROTS novel.

 

Average score: 366.8/41 = 8.94

 

An amazing read, on par with Mindor and Falcon. Great story, cool characters, continuity in abundance and a shocking reveal. All you want under one cover.

I really want another JJM novel after this. Waiting months between comic issues is a pain =\

9.9/10

 

Average score: 376.7/42 = 8.97

 

This is a good summary of my thoughts, thank you, JediDingo, and I picture Daiman as Ares:

Coming from little experience with the era except KOTOR comics, I looked forward to learning more and was gratified to launch into the era with this book. Holt's resourcefulness saved the day so many times, and while it would have been more literary to read of her angst over her loneliness, I had the comics' initial issues to refer to -- now, she's doing her job and doing it well. As for sheer Star Warsiness, the multiple settings and action carried me along to a happy

9.5/10

 

Average score: 386.2/43 = 8.98

 

Average score: 396.2/44 = 9.00

 

Pros
A good story. Loved the risk element throughout.
Good to see characterizations of different Sith elements and family.
I was plesantly surprised by many of the characters' journeys.

Cons I was opposed to Kirra Holt, I did wish a Sith would turn her. The twins were inadequate.
Some chapters were like caked on mud, hard to trudge through.

7.5/10

 

Average score: 403.7/45 = 8.97

 

I'll give it a 9.5/10 (to not move the average too much. lol).

I found the book very enjoyable. I loved Kerra's character. She is unconventional, to say the least, and she shows a bit more human qualities than we see out of some other Jedi. She is always suspicious, but always caring. She questions herself (such as when she's in the Arkandiate and things seem actually somewhat good), but always is thinking of what more good she can do. She's also clearly a very skilled person and not just because she's a Jedi; I love, on a personal level, that she's a logistician for Treece (I read the short story done by Miller posted on StarWars.com before it was cleared out over the summer)... I can relate to that a lot, and it's what, I think, people would normally think as too boring for a story, yet Miller made it work. I wish I had a copy of that story.

Also, Rusher was a really great original character. He provided a lot of dry humor for the story, and I loved that.

I really hope Miller and LFL consider a sequel novel. The Kerra Holt character and storyline is just great.

 

Average score: 413.2/46 = 8.98

 

Really enjoyed it. Without writing too much, there are a few things that really struck me about this novel. The first is that, in one book, I had felt like I'd just read a duology at least. There's a ton of story crammed in here. That's definitely a comic writers strength; there were quite a few issues of KOTOR as well, where tons of revelations were put into just 22 pages. Here, JJM produces a very visual story that feels like a comic book. Some may count that as a con, but I thought it was a very enjoyable break from the norm.

As others have pointed out, this book really shines in delivering unorthodox, crazy villains. I think some have pointed out that these Sith aren't "sinister" enough, to which I would argue that's entirely the point. These aren't a bunch of Sidious's, or a bunch of Vader's. They're essentially a bunch of crazy warlords who take one part of the Sith philosophy to the extreme. They bicker like children, not caring who gets caught in between. These are the Sith lords that require a Lord Kaan to unite them; these are the Sith Lords that require Darth Bane to wipe them all out. The one exception to all of the above, possibly, is Vilia. Something tells me she's far more sinister than any of her grandchildren. Looking forward to seeing how that turns out.

The level of eccentricity coming from some of these Sith is like nothing we've ever seen in Star Wars. Even Odion, the closest to the "normal" Sith, has more in common with Cronal than he does with Vader or Sidious. I found the idea of a society under a delusional Sith child's thumb very interesting, and really liked the added touch that even Kerra was completely overwhelmed. Arkadia was interesting because she truly is "Sith-lite", evil more from necessity than a desire to destroy things. Daiman, of course, is just crazy.

My favorite part of the book was the Arkadiate part, because I was very curious on just what Arkadia wanted from Kerra. The idea of most of the Sith Lords being related appealed to me as well, because halfway through the book, it struck me that there are a huge amount of Sith Lords, when supposedly only 1% of the galaxy can use the Force. That was an interesting way to explain it.

Really, the only real nitpick I have with the book is that the title, Knight Errant, was thrust somewhat awkwardly into the prose three times. I had no problem with Rusher saying it; he's a history buff, seems like something he might say. Arkadia might say it as well, but Narsk? Dunno. Just one of those little things that probably shouldn't take me out of it, but does.

Overall, I'd say JJM did a fantastic job. Maybe it's just because I'm reading a Neil Gaiman novel at the moment, but JJM really does remind me of Gaiman; a very visual, very engaging style.

9/10

 

Yeah, that was a bit strange. It doesn't flow, either. It works fine as a title, but in speech not so much.

 

Average score: 422.2/47 = 8.98

 

I read this a few months ago after hearing so much about it and the comic. Im not good with writing reviews so I ll just state that I thought it was a 10/10. This era has so MUCH potential and is largely unknown to us. Im hoping this will obv change in the future. I dont usually like the prequel era but come on a GFFA dark ages....super epic in my book.

Keep it coming JJM...

 

Average score: 432.2/48 = 9.00

 

My review here


8.5/10