The latest offering in the ‘Fate of the Jedi’ series. Grand Master Luke Skywalker is still banished and he and his son Ben continue their quest to discover what has been causing young Jedi to flip out and become crazy.

They have discovered a whole planet and culture full of Sith. Ironically they forge an alliance with the Sith in order to address a far more powerful enemy that neither will be able to eliminate alone.

As could be expected there is plenty of intrigue when you add 97 or so capitol ships full of Sith to the mix. The Sith are guaranteed to battle among themselves for supremacy, battle Luke and Ben and everyone else wherever they go.

At the end of the book the alliance is over and there is a new threat rising in the galaxy that could threaten the Galactic Alliance itself.

Meanwhile Galactic leader Natasi Daala is unaware of the new threat and is more concerned about putting down the Jedi and actually have them penned down in the Temple and the Jedi are unable to leave and support Luke and Ben against the rising Sith.       *Top

The first half of the book follows Sir Richard Francis Burton who along with everyone who ever lived from early Neanderthals up to 2200 AD were resurrected at the same time into a new world along a nearly endless river.

Everyone starts off nude and without hair and It takes a while for folks to get use to their new circumstances and the parameters of the new world that they find themselves in. First they discover that many of their basic needs are taken care of each day provided by mushroom-shaped towers called "grailstones" found along the river at regular intervals.

Every person has been provided with their own personal mess kits commonly called ‘grails’ which they can place into the grail towers 3 times a day for food, drink, and other items like liquor, tobacco, drugs, and candy. The weather is perfect and there doesn’t seem to be any diseases but people can still get hurt by accident or on purpose. The resurrected folks can also die by accident or be killed but later they find themselves ‘resurrected’ again at another location along the river. Some even commit suicide hoping for a better location next time along the river.

Soon the newly resurrected people are forming protective groups that later become governments over areas of land along the river. They build homes, towns and new nations.

Religion

The old earthly religions are now rejected by most folks since this new ‘River World’ doesn’t seem to relate in any way to any of the old religious teachings. Both the ‘evil’ and the ‘good’ and everyone between from the former life has been resurrected together in this new world with total recall and no distinctions from the previous life.

A new religion started up with the idea that this new world was an opportunity to start over and become better people and make a better world without making the same old mistakes that were made in the former world and life. The new religionists are pacifists.

The Storylines

The first story revolves around English explorer Sir Richard Burton who is driven to find out who is behind the ‘resurrection’ and what it is all about. He comes to the conclusion that a super race of beings resurrected everyone who ever lived on Earth as some kind of experiment. In fact one of the super beings appears to him from time top time to help him along the way with important info. Former Nazi leader Hermann Goring is one character that keeps on showing up, first as an opponent to Burton, then later sometimes as a friend, and finally as a new resurrection religionist.

The second story revolves around Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) and his efforts to produce a new magnificent Riverboat like he use to captain down the Mississippi. His major allies and opponent is the former King John of Robin Hood fame. The story is delicious in its many twists and turns right to the end. Twain does finally build his boat but it quickly ends up far different than he planned.

The two stories merely wet ones appetite for more and there is more. Tor (Tom Doherty Assoc.) is in the midst of republishing the series and this is only the first with more to come. Can’t wait.           *Top

1632 actually begins in the year 2000 with a wedding in a small town mining in West Virginia—Grantville. Through an inexplicable event referred to later as the ‘ring of fire’, Grantville and the entire valley was transported to the middle of Germany and the year is 1632.

Soon the modern Americans find themselves in the middle of the 30 years war whether they want to be or not. Mike Stearn is the leader of the United Mine Workers local and assumes control of the town after a town meeting vote. His mine workers form the nucleus of a new army to protect Grantville from the marauding armies that seem to be plaguing the country side at the time.

Soon folks from the neighboring areas are looking to Grantville for protection. Those mountain boys and mining workers have far superior weapons on the racks in their pickup trucks than those carried by the regular armies of that time.

The 17th century is a time of war, chaos, religious conflict, and disease. It is interesting to see how 21st century folks adapt to their new reality and become a powerful new force in the midst of Europe. Oh yes, there are a few love stories along the way to keep it interesting. A fascinating story and book indeed. Also note: there is a whole series that follows and continues to expand.

By Aaron Allston (New York: Random House Pub., 2009, 318 pages)

“Outcast” is the first book in the new Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi series. The war is over, Jacen Solo is dead and gone, and the Galactic Alliance is expanding under leadership of Natasi Daala.

In a move to consolidate her power and to control even the Jedi, Chief of State Daala unleashes a media witch hunt against the Jedi and has Jedi Master Luke Skywalker arrested and charged with negligence for not controlling Jedi Jacen and for standing by and allowing him to rise up and become a Sith lord- Darth Caedus. Luke accepts exile rather than watch the entire Jedi order be disbanded.

Luke does extract a legal right to come back from exile if he is able to account for and explain why he is not responsible for Jacen’s turn to the dark side. This launches Luke and Ben on a journey to seek out and retrace Jacen’s 5 year odyssey seeking alternate force traditions and force users—hoping to find evidence and reasons for Jacen’s change.

Their first stop is the Temple of the Baran Do at Dorin.  At the same time, the Solos along with Allana are having an adventure of their own helping old friend Lando Calrissian save the mining planet of Kessel. Meanwhile, back at Coruscant, Master Kenth Hamner is now in charge of the Jedi order and must deal with a new government order that all Jedi are to be monitored personally by an assigned ‘observer’.

It is an interesting read. Luke and Ben learn a few secrets while with the unwilling Baran Do leaders. Allana is spooked by a force presence from near space trying to communicate with her while on Kessel with the Solos. The Jedi try and cope with tag along observers shadowing their every move and reporting back to the government. Jaina Solo and others find ways to ditch their shadows and get the job done anyway–unobserved.

“Outcast” is the first installment in a series which promises to highlight an on-going struggle between Galactic Chief of State Daala and the Jedi. The Solos will continue to be uncontrollable ‘loose cannons’ in the continuing cold war between the government and the Jedi. Meanwhile, Luke and Ben Skywalker will continue their exiled quest for evidence to exonerate Luke and the rest of the Jedi.  It should be interesting to say the least!   

By James Luceno (New York: Ballantine Books, 2008, 317 pages)

The story follows the Millennium Falcon from the moment it was born (manufactured) at Corellian Engineering Corp. Assembly Facility 7. Then traces the history and different owners of the Falcon up to when Han Solo ‘won’ it from Lando.

Years later, Han and Leia go on a fun safari along with their adopted daughter (really their granddaughter) Allana in a hunt for the history, past owners, and secrets of Han’s beloved old YT-1300 freighter. Meanwhile, a former Captain and a wealthy consortium are also looking for the Falcon and the secrets that she may hold to a lost Republic treasure.

The book supplies a fun story that fills you in on a number of facts about the famous ship and its past. However, the real story in the end is the developing relationship between Allana and her grandparents Leia and Han.

The book fills the gap between the ‘Legacy of the Force’ series and the new ‘Fate of the Jedi’ series which will be launched in April 2009.           *Top

This is the final offering in the ‘Legacy’ series. The most that I am going to say about the outcome is that the war is finally over at the end of the book.

Jaina Solo was training with Boba Fett in order to confront and defeat her twin brother Jacen,who had become Darth Caedus, in the previous book of the series. 

In this one, the Jedi masters meet in council to decide how to deal with Darth Caedus. Luke informs them that although he could defeat his nephew, he has seen in a number of force visions of the future that the outcome would be disastrous. Jaina boldly presents herself as the one who should confront Jacen and is surprisingly supported by Luke,the Jedi Council, and even by her parents Leia and Han Solo.

In the first confrontation with her brother Darth Caedus, Jaina barely escapes with her life and is severely injured. However, she did cut off Jacen’s arm during the battle.  Darth Caedus thought that he was fighting Luke and didn’t know that it was really his sister Jaina. Luke had projected a force vision on him and had backed up Jaina by projecting extra power upon her in the force.

In a attempt to get intel. from Capt. Shevu, Ben is captured and Shevu is killed by Tahiri Veila, now a sith apprentice to Caedus. Ben eventually escapes and attempts to turn Tahiri back to the force.

The final battle ends up being nearly anti-climatic. Remember, Darth Caedus had become far more powerful than his grandfather Vader. In these final moments, Jaina has indeed become the “Sword of the Jedi” as predicted by Master Luke. The battle is high pitched and furious. All of the characters that we have come to know over the years are there participating and some do not survive.

At the end, the Galaxy is united once more.             *Top

Jaina Solo is determined to bring in or eliminate her brother Jacen who had become Darth Caedus. She goes to Mandalore to receive training from Boba Fett. She reasons that he will need to learn another method of fighting if she is going to have a chance against Jacen. Her experiences on Mandalore among Fett’s family and friends is quite interesting and it fills us in on Mandalorian culture, ethics, and battle strategy.

Ben contacts Capt. Shevu and receives info. and tips which lead to the proof that he is looking for–that Jacen was the one who really killed his mother Mara Jade.

Luke is still in a funk and finally begins to make some decisive moves. The news about Jacen and Mara brings Luke all the way back as he steps fully into his role as Jedi leader.

Every attempt to capture Jacen ultimately fails. Luke has Jacen in his sights but doesn’t finish him off.  In the end, Jacen asserts his power even over the Mofts -the leaders of the Imperial Remnant, and he comes out of the closet as Darth Caedus, a true heir of his grandfather Darth Vader.             *Top

"Fury" is the 7th book in the "Legacy" series. The book begins with the Jedi helping the Wookies control the fires set by Jacen (now Darth Caedus) on their home planet Kashyyyk.

This episode sees many of our on-going characters resolving some of their major problems that have plagued them for some time. Caedus (Jacen) is now facing the fact that he is entirely alone. He solves that by kidnapping his daughter Allana.

Han, Leia, Jaina, Zekk, and Jag finally corner Alema Rar who keeps attacking the Solos as a phantom, utilizing the Sith base that Lumiya left behind. In the process of hunting down Alema, both Jag and Jaina start healing and begin to become human again with a face toward the future.

Han and Leia finally face up to the fact that their son Jacen is probably permanently lost to the dark side and means to kill them at every opportunity.

Ben is healing from his wounds that he suffered under Jacen’s torture both physically and mentally. He finally understands why Luke did not kill Jacen when they both had the chance. In fact he is mature enough to help his father get back on tract and finally take charge of the Jedi in a more proactive way.

The Solos and Jedi are involved in attempting to rescue Allana and in a major battle to shut down the Centerpoint weapon permanently. They also use back channels and old frienships to reestablish contact with the Galactic Alliance behind Jacen’s back. All-in-all another very fine action packed episode with a number of surprises.             *Top

This is the 6th book in the series and it is a fast paced adventure just like the previous ones. The book opens with Jacen Solo deep into his new role as Darth Caedus, using his new powers to take Tahiri back in time to experience the death of Anakin once more. She is hoping to get some closure, while Jacen’s goal is to turn her into a sith and use her in the future.

The next scene opens with Mara Skywalker’s funeral at the Jedi temple. Leia and Han Solo are in the temple and planning on attending, but their son Jacen has sent a 100 or so GAG storm troopers to violate the temple and arrest them. They escape of coarse, but Jacen brazenly attends the funeral and tries to upstage Luke as a Jedi rather than in his role of Co-Leader of the Galactic Alliance.

Next, Jacen sends a whole company of GAG storm troopers to take over the Jedi Academy and hold the youngling Jedi hostage, hoping to force Luke and the Jedi masters to continue to support him and the Galactic Alliance in the war against the rebel Confederacy. Meanwhile Han and Leia go to Kashyyyk to convince the Wookie Counsel to no longer support Jacen and the Alliance. Jacen gets wind of it and takes a fleet to Kashyyyk and fires upon the Wookie forests starting major fires all over the planet.

Luke and the Jedi attack Jacen’s fleet hoping to stop him. This leads to a major battle between Jacen the Sith Lord and Master Luke Skywalker. The hand-to-hand battle between these two is well worth the price of the book and the time to read it.

In the end, Han and Leia persuade Tenel Ka, the Hapan Queen and mother of Jacen’s child, to support the Jedi in their opposition to Jacen. In a parallel storyline, Alema the dark Jedi, travels the whole galaxy in search of other Sith and finds a whole community. Latter she returns and helps Jacen escape the trap laid for him and his fleet.

At the end of the book, you’ll be looking forward to the next offering and the continuing story of this series.             *Top

This is the 5th book in the series and breaks new ground by introducing a new Sith Lord. The book is fast paced as the previous in this series.

Particularly of note: Boba Fett finally takes on his role as leader of Mandalore seriously and actually improves the conditions on his home planet. Ben Skywalker, the 13 year old son of Luke and Mara, is ordered by his cousin Col. Jacen Solo to become an assassin. Cal Omas is arrested by Jacen and Admiral Niathal for treason.

Jacen Solo and Admiral Niathal proclaim martial law and name themselves as the new Co-Chiefs of State over the Galactic Alliance and manipulate the Senate to support their action. Finally at the end of the book and the most shocking development, Jacen kills a member of his own family and one who has been always close and supported him in the past.

This completes his transition from Jedi to dark Jedi to Sith Lord and on the last page he renames himself Darth… . Well you’ll just have to read the book to find out.             *Top