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

That's the problem with this book. It all reads very well. It's a fun book to read, it had decent levels of actions, the characters were credible, and the story itself realistic in context of SW EU.

The problem was it just didn't work. At least for me. It felt like I was just reading some chapters towards the end of a really good story, but not the full story itself. And that sense of an incomplete story is what I felt drug the novel down.


Anyways, I will take what you're saying into account, and try to provide more info about action, credibility, et al. But I pray that you're not expecting a lot of post-modern evaluation from me. While I can think that way, it's not my default state, and tends to give me headaches.

 

Average score: 400.3/48 = 8.34

 

In my recent read of The Bonehunters I sometimes felt that way too, Kidan. Completeness, with lots of incomplete setups for another book. Only that was a 1200 page slogger.

 

Just wait until you start on Reaper's Gale - 720 pages in HB/LPB format.

Of course by that time I'l probably be on Toll The Hounds.

 

Hood damn you!

 

He can't, Quick Ben brokered a deal.

 

As a chapter in an overarching story, Fury works well. As a standalone, it doesn't. This book has some real first-class developments to it, but strangely it just doesn't feel as weighty as it should have done. Given that more happens, and is revealed, than anywhere else in the series, Sacrifice included - Allana's parentage is revealed, Alema is hunted down and killed, Centerpoint is destroyed - it should have felt just a tad more powerful. The destruction of Centerpoint was so very anticlimatic. My favourite moment has to be, however, an excerpt you can easily imagine from Jacen's diary:

***
I can't believe it's happened.

I had thought myself immune to pain, able to absorb it into myself. Even Tenel Ka had betrayed me, I reasoned; no-one closer to me than that could have done so. But I was wrong. I have been betrayed from closer to my heart, by one whom I kept with me at all times, who I loved, who I made great and even absorbed into my reputation. Even my grandfather never suffered such treachery, he who was to be betrayed by his wife and best friend. Oh, the heartache and the pain I now feel! Even Allana's loss doesn't wound me so much as the knowledge that my closest one was part and parcel of a devoted attempt to kill me. Even now, I don't know who was responsible for their evil. Who were they working for? The very question makes me feel sick at heart.

I am betrayed.

By my cape.

***

*achem*

Yes, it's official. Jacen's delusions have gone to the point of - Stark. Raving. Bonkers. He might as well be walking around singing, "I'm a little teapot, short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout!" on the bridge of the Anakin Solo for all it matters. I've noticed that, of all the authors, Allston is the one who portrays Jacen the worst - a predictable dunderhead ("in his current mindset", Luke observes, there's only one thing he'll do - a direct attack on Centerpoint), and now a madman beyond anything SW has seen before. It actually made me wince a few times, at how overdone it was. And boy, is he egotistical! Allston's opinion on Jacen seeps through in the, "I'm your daddy," moment, where Jacen lacks any of the dignity of a Sith Lord. His version of "rule with me" that follows is hilariously low-key. And the fact he kills his captain for Allana's escape - and doesn't seem to think a moment of Tycho Celchu, whose vehicle was 'stolen', old friend of Wedge Antilles, old friend of the Jedi, not expected to be present at Centerpoint at all - is a typical Jacen moment.

Switching subject, Han and Leia are wonderful. They've met their granddaughter. That is probably my favourite scene in LotF full-stop to date. And boy, must Jacen have reason to hate his parents now. Last book they single-handedly cost him a fifth of his firepower and the support of his lover. This time they take his daughter away from him. Wow, don't get on the wrong side of Han and Leia! Not even if you're their son!

The strength of Fury is its development of other characters, other plotlines, and the wonderful weaving of them. I admit the Alema plotline dragged a bit imo, but I've never been a fan of hers. Well rid.

8/10 again.

 

Kidan, your reviews of Inferno, Fury, and Death Star have struck me as pessimistic rather then negative. As others have said, I don't mind, and even enjoy, dissenting opinions, but your reviews just seem to be more about nit-picky details rather than overarching problems with a book. With Legacy in particular, the books are designed to be part of a knit series (even though they are written by vastly different authors), and thus it can be expected that some parts of the books will feel like chapters of "pawns being moved around" as one post puts it. I understand where you are coming from, but I am finding your reviews to be more full of nits about the cover art (which isn't made by the author) and typos (which are made by the author, but I'd blame the proofreader rather than the author for this one) than actual information about why the book's content wasn't worthy of a higher score. Let me suffix this with a comment; I hope I am not coming across as high and mighty and condescending, I'm merely trying to offer constructive criticism. I still enjoy your opinion, and may the Force be with you.

 

Average score: 408.3/49 = 8.33

 

Wow

After boycotting spending money on the books, I did find Fury at the library and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I was surprised because I did not like Betrayal and only vaguely liked exile.

I liked the same parts everybody else did - the appearance of Valin Horn, Syal Antilles, Seha, and a lightsaber weilding Cilghal. I also liked the "Luke psych session" but that was not so much about Luke as it was about Ben. It is nice to see Ben Skywalker coming back to his senses. I was afraid for him for a while and glad that he and his father got most of their issues worked out and that Ben is his padawn. I have several speculations about what the "not give you special treatment" line means for the rest of the series, but will hold my thoughts here.

I was never a Jag/Jaina fan, but I'm glad that she got more page time and that their relationship has moved beyond a love triangle. Their personalities are more interesting than is usually portrayed. I'm not sorry to see Alema go and I think Jag's new description as a jedi hunter raises a lot of questions about the jedi. We've known that jedi are not invincible (ouch!) and can be killed, but this is the first time for me that it has been clearly shown that it is possible to hunt and kill jedi without being a sith lord or having any force sensitivity whatsoever.


The direct connection between Jacen force choking someone the same way Vader did seemed way too overdone. It is probably part of the reason why he apparently reveals himself as a sith lord very early in Revalation. My main beef with Allston was the lack of deeper characterization - people's actions are expressed more clearly than their feelings. Karen Traviss does a lot better job with this aspect of it. Although third person has long been a feature of star wars, this series does need more layered characters than Allston provides. Due to this lack of layering, Jacen is nothing but an insane idiot who deserves to be killed by getting hit on the head with a shovel. Even the scenes with Allana don't change my opinion.

Once exception to the lack of characterization was Luke's decision to send people on an ambush knowing that it would fail. While I applaud that decision and believe it was justified, it was a sign of how far he has come. That scene would have been more realistic if it was a minor character recently introduced at the begining of the series who was killed (not Valin!) rather than Jedi Mithric who I couldn't relate to.
The use of humor to illustrate characterization with Han and Leia was nicely done as well.

So Kyle Katarn gets stabbed in the chest, dragged across the pavement, gets dropped, closes his eyes, doesn't scream, asks for explosives, and is back in action soon. Ouch, that guy is tough.

Someone pointed out the "Han disowning Jacen" repeats. Could that factor in to the end of the series?


That's all for now.
Final rating is a 5.5 due to the humor, action, and weak characterization.

 

Average score: 413.8/50 = 8.28

 

I'm going to give it 9/10.

Alema Rar-I was sad to see her go. I wanted her to survive the series and be redeemed purely because of the shocking way she's been treated by Luke and Leia. Luke knew she would fall and so did nothing to prevent it. Leia never had sympathy for her. Rereading TJK recently and Leia never once tries to understand Alema's mind is not her own. Leia still acts like that in Fury. Jag, Jaina and Luke are all hopeful that Alema will come back to the order but Leia just wants her dead.

But still I think the death was handled well. I'm glad it wasn't Leia and that Jag acknowledged the good person that Alema once was. Still, what ever happened to capturing Alema? Like Raynar? Poor girl just couldn't get a break and now its too late.

Allana-I'm so happy Han and Leia know although I'd have liked more. I hope she continues to appear.

Luke and Ben-I loved Luke in Inferno but he went back in his shell here and I wasn't so happy. Ben shouldn't have had the cover but I enjoyed reading him as he acted very mature.

Jaina, Jag and Zekk-Finally used decently! Jaina is definitely shaping up to be a hero and Jag was just plain brilliant. I very much hope they will be together at the end of the series. I loved to fact Allston gave Zekk a character in this one. Embracing his old dark past I thought was interesting rather than him just being Jaina's lapdog.

Jacen/Caedus-purely insane. His cloak betrayed him. 'nuff said.

Jedi Masters-Finally action for Kyle, Kyp, Saba and others. Saba kicked ass in this.

Wedge, Syal, Tycho-well used and not forced in let Allston's pets. This and the fact Denning won't be using Alema gives me hope for continuity in the remainder of the series. I just hope Revelation won't be full of useless Mando crap.

Teppler and Delpin-interesting but seeing as Allston is the only author to use these characters I can't see it going any further.

 

5/10

Good points of the novel:
- Having Jaina come slightly down from her "pedistal".
- Having Luke get over himself, and start acting like a genuine hero, again.
- YVH droids always make me happy.
- FINALLY I don't have to read more about Alema Rar, after this book.

Bad points of the novel:
- Luke's psych-session was WAY too short, and it didn't come off as believable to me.
- The battle sections of the book felt generally too short, and sometimes confusing.
- I still wonder why it feels like writers have taken Jacen/Caedus to crazy characterization extremes after "Sacrifice".
- Alanna has to be one of the dopiest children I've ever read in a novel.
- While the story felt like it was going to be Tenel Ka centric, we barely saw any of her in the story.
- The "Grand Ole' Party" atmosphere of the assault team near the end of the book. (Can we have a few more quips, please?)

 

Average score: 427.8/52 = 8.23

 

9.5 out of 10. Real solid story that moved things along. Only thing that kept it from a 10 was that this had to be the book to waste more time on Alema.

 

Average score: 437.3/53 = 8.25

 

Just finished reading the book!!!Loved it.Was great for a laugh in parts especially the Ewok movie reference about the little orphaned girl on Endor,the Zekk/Jag/Jaina banter etc etc.
Good Points IMO:No more Alema Rar:the phantom stuff was stupid IMO,Dician and the Sith Sphere-definately an opener for the next series if NOT finished off in Legacy novels,Luke "waking up"-but Id prefer it if he became one with the force
Bad Points:Not ENOUGH R2/3PO stuff,not enough Waru,not enough Kyp.Too much of the BIG 3-past their use by date IMO-bring on all the new character's that have been created!!!,lando's back OR Tendra with child,i mean that came out of NOWHERE.
All in all i liked this book and the Katarn/jedi attack on Jacen was the real standout for me.

8/10

 

Average score: 445.3/54 = 8.25

 

Just a very belated score from me on this...

I only listened to the audio book, but still I enjoyed this the most in that (lame) series.

8.5/10 for finally Jag crushing the bugslut's neck, for Kyle, for Jaina and Luke being back to business, and of course for the fact that it's Allston. It's a shame that once again, we didn't really see much of Corran, though.

 

453.8/55=8.25

 

Fury brings Legacy of the Force back on track. Fortunately, Allston quickly handwaves away Inferno's characterization rewrites, bringing Ben and Jacen back to much the same place they were at the end of Exile.

This time, Jacen's actions seem like the sane ones they're asserted to be?up until the very end of the book, when he accepts an officer's apology. He's become, in Mace Windu's words, dangerously sane. Jacen sees his family as nothing more than bargaining chips; he kidnaps his own daughter in order to secure Tenel Ka's cooperation.

Even as Luke goes to the rescue of Tenel Ka's daughter and hunts down Jacen, Jaina, Jag, and Zekk clean up the loose ends from Sacrifice?namely, Alema Rar. We see just what's involved in taking down a Jedi?a Sith?and get an idea of what's in store for Jaina, Luke, and the Jedi order as they continue the hunt for Jacen. More: Jaina realizes her fatal flaw, one that must be rectified before she can even think about being able to take down Jacen.

It wouldn't be an Allston book without a fleet battle, of course; and here he fails to disappoint. He manages to tie up the Centerpoint plot started back in Betrayal, while cripping the GA fleet to set up the events of Revelation. We also find out the true cost of the war; it's not just the Jedi main characters who are hurting. The men and women on the line are losing family too, something not really focused on in earlier fights.

Allston manages to weave in elements of both Traviss and Denning's books: Alema, Fett and his crushgaunts? The elements of their disparate books and plots come together, leading towards a final confrontation with Jacen with the fate of the galaxy at stake. That is, once Jaina becomes the unexpected?

8/10

 

THE GOOD:
The Master FREE-FOR-ALL at the beginning of the book. Jacen reveling that he is the Father of Allana. Jag killing Alema. Jag "knocking" some sense into Jaina. Ben telling Luke to stop being emo and get back on track. The Centerpoint Strike Team: Kyp, Jaden, Valin, and Seyah. Wedge's thoughts on Luke, Kyle, Saba, Corran, Tycho, Syal, Ben, Han, Leia, and himself being a mob.

THE BAD:
Jacen letting Leia aboard his SD. Kyle vs Jacen; simply put it was lame. Kam surviving three blaster shots to the chest. Saba living after being hi with a thermal detonator. Luke being emo.

The Ugly:
The destruction of Centerpoint Station; it was horribly written. The One Sith; stop trying to tie everything together. The Corellian Third Regime Change; stop it *smacks Allston* bad boy. Twool's death; stop killing every Rodian Jedi out there, they're not all bad. The disappearance of Kenth Hamner; where'd he go after Inferno? The inclusion of Octa Ramis; where has she been during the entire series, if I may ask? Han rejecting the Mando toys; use them to finish of your psychopath of a kid.

ALL IN ALL: 8 out of 10

 

Average score: 469.8/57 = 8.24

 

Short and sweet...

Fury isn't offensive! It's a solid read.

Caedus, Han, Leia, Tenel Ka, and Luke's Rogue Jedi Order all get nice moments in this book.

On the flip-side however, I didn't enjoy Aaron's second go 'round with his Force-phantasms.

Ha! And by a cape betrayed!

Score: 7 out of 10

 

Average score: 476.8/58 = 8.22