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Star Wars: The New Jedi Order #11
Rebel Dream (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, #11)
As the Yuuzhan Vong’s spectacular conquests continue unchecked, Luke Skywalker, Han and Leia Solo , and Wedge Antilles are forced to destroy what they have risked their lives to create. . . .Scattering like rats before the Yuuzhan Vong’s invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory’s Council pause just long enough to set up a mock defense on nearby Borleias—a transparent attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all the Jedi.Leia and Han Solo trek from world to world to foment rebellion against the New Republic’s disastrous appeasement policies. But Luke Skywalker has chosen the most dangerous assignment of to sneak into the Yuuzhan Vong’s stronghold on Coruscant. His outrageous scheme to gain entry is either brilliant or suicidal, depending on the outcome. And bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Vong invasion fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy’s remaining defenders. . . . Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 26, 2002
155 people are currently reading
2699 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Allston
174 books374 followersAaron Dale Allston was an American game designer and author of many science fiction books, notably Star Wars novels. His works as a game designer include game supplements for role-playing games, several of which served to establish the basis for products and subsequent development of TSR's Dungeons & Dragons game setting Mystara. His later works as a novelist include those of the X-Wing series: Wraith Squadron, Iron Fist, Solo Command, Starfighters of Adumar, and Mercy Kill. He wrote two entries in the New Jedi Order series: Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream and Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand. Allston wrote three of the nine Legacy of the Force novels: Betrayal, Exile, and Fury, and three of the nine Fate of the Jedi novels: Outcast, Backlash, and Conviction.
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August 6, 2024
Enjoyable. Quick and easy read.
Allston does space combat well (obviously important for a Star Wars book) and some great setup for Part 2. Unlike a lot of the previous duologies in the NJO series, that contain 2 separate stories for each book, this is actually a duology where the book ends in the middle of the story and the same story continues for part 2.
Lots of great Jaina stuff here, she is a character that owns every scene she is in, really one of the best characters of the series. Also great to see a lot of Wedge in here, he's been underutilized this series so far.
Feels like the NJO series has really hit its stride after hitting the midpoint and I feel like the general quality of books are higher. Really excited to continue.
Allston does space combat well (obviously important for a Star Wars book) and some great setup for Part 2. Unlike a lot of the previous duologies in the NJO series, that contain 2 separate stories for each book, this is actually a duology where the book ends in the middle of the story and the same story continues for part 2.
Lots of great Jaina stuff here, she is a character that owns every scene she is in, really one of the best characters of the series. Also great to see a lot of Wedge in here, he's been underutilized this series so far.
Feels like the NJO series has really hit its stride after hitting the midpoint and I feel like the general quality of books are higher. Really excited to continue.
June 20, 2011
The Return of the Rebel Alliance
The New Republic forces have taken Borleias as a staging area for the evacuation of the Inner Core. Self-appointed Chief of State, Pwoe, orders Wedge Antilles and gang to set up a defense for evacuees. But Wedge, Luke, and Mara have other plans...the plans for a new way of fighting. Meanwhile, Jaina the Trickster Goddess explodes onto the scene with the help of some old Wraiths.
NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.
If I had to mark a book that began the turning of the tide for the Good Guys (Hint Hint: Note how I didn't say "New Republic"), it is this book. Aaron Allston's return to Star Wars marks a few things: 1) a veteran Star Wars writer returning, the first since Tyers/Stackpole, 2) a shift in the battle, and 3) a shift in tone. Allston had written many of the X-Wing books, so he was familiar with the landscape, and from his writing, it's obvious he is more than capable of writing Wedge, Luke, Mara, and even Jaina. Also, he is allowed to write the Good Guys kicking Yuuzhan Vong tail and this change makes the book far less dark than its predecessors.
Allston has a great grasp on characters. Wedge, Luke, Mara, and Jaina are all brilliantly written. I loved the reunion scene with Wedge and his family (watch out! You might get teary eyed!). Luke and Mara were decently done (they seem to be a tough pair for some authors to "get"), but Jaina, in my opinion, really shines. I thought Allston wrote her much better than even Cunningham (impressive, as she is a woman!!). As for new characters, there aren't many, but Tsavong Lah's father (sorry, I don't know how to spell his name!) was very interesting and well done. And kudos to Allston for the touching father-son scene between the Yuuzhan Vong. It's nice to see they aren't mindless, uncaring killing machines.
A lot of the events in this book are definitely setup for the next book, Rebel Stand. There is not much, if any, resolution in this book. But while that could be annoying, I liked it. It truly felt like a spanning novel, not a one-shot that happened to be tucked into the NJO (not that all the other NJO books have felt awkward or bad because they resolve their primary conflict by the end of the novel). I liked seeing the further devolution of the New Republic, a realigning of who is "bad" and who is "good" and who is just plain making matters worse.
The exploits of the Trickster Goddess finally make an appearance here, which I am glad (though it would have been so much more interesting to have Dark Jaina play all these pranks). I couldn't believe a teenager (or barely out of her teens) would get command of her own squadron, even if it were part of the ploy (why couldn't they do like Anakin-Ganner from Star by Star? Jaina acts as the leader, but someone more experienced is the leader). However, I did like how Kyp, Jag, and the Wraiths (Piggy and one guy I forgot) did support her and not all of the trickery was from her own mind.
The Coruscant mission seems to be starting great, though I am still perturbed that our heroes don't care about dumping their child on the nearest nanny droid. The Borleias campaign is also one of the most memorable campaigns for me, and I remember fondly drawing pictures of the space battle. I didn't even do that for the movies!
If there was one plotline that did make me groan, it was the Viqi Shesh-Tam-Danni Quee story. While I love the idea of a plant/a spy, I get tired of all these guys who are oh, so honest that are coerced into spying. I would have thought Viqi Shesh' time as Bad Guy would have been over. And for once, I'd love to see something like the following: Danni sees that Tam is all awkward around her and she thinks he is hitting on her, though terribly, when in fact, he is plagued by his coersion spying. And while that does somewhat crop up, Danni is way too easy to penetrate through Tam's facade, even though she doesn't know him from Bail.
After the tepid "Dark Journey" and the tearjerker, "Star by Star", "Rebel Dream" returns us to a Star Wars that many of us who read through the Bantam books are familiar with. There is humor; there are characters we love and enjoy; there are big events beginning. My biggest complaints are the obvious setup for the sequel, some shaky characterization, a regurgitation of plot points we've "Been there and done that", and just not having that mind-blown feeling when I finished. Otherwise, it's fun reading and definitely one of the better books of the NJO.
The New Republic forces have taken Borleias as a staging area for the evacuation of the Inner Core. Self-appointed Chief of State, Pwoe, orders Wedge Antilles and gang to set up a defense for evacuees. But Wedge, Luke, and Mara have other plans...the plans for a new way of fighting. Meanwhile, Jaina the Trickster Goddess explodes onto the scene with the help of some old Wraiths.
NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.
If I had to mark a book that began the turning of the tide for the Good Guys (Hint Hint: Note how I didn't say "New Republic"), it is this book. Aaron Allston's return to Star Wars marks a few things: 1) a veteran Star Wars writer returning, the first since Tyers/Stackpole, 2) a shift in the battle, and 3) a shift in tone. Allston had written many of the X-Wing books, so he was familiar with the landscape, and from his writing, it's obvious he is more than capable of writing Wedge, Luke, Mara, and even Jaina. Also, he is allowed to write the Good Guys kicking Yuuzhan Vong tail and this change makes the book far less dark than its predecessors.
Allston has a great grasp on characters. Wedge, Luke, Mara, and Jaina are all brilliantly written. I loved the reunion scene with Wedge and his family (watch out! You might get teary eyed!). Luke and Mara were decently done (they seem to be a tough pair for some authors to "get"), but Jaina, in my opinion, really shines. I thought Allston wrote her much better than even Cunningham (impressive, as she is a woman!!). As for new characters, there aren't many, but Tsavong Lah's father (sorry, I don't know how to spell his name!) was very interesting and well done. And kudos to Allston for the touching father-son scene between the Yuuzhan Vong. It's nice to see they aren't mindless, uncaring killing machines.
A lot of the events in this book are definitely setup for the next book, Rebel Stand. There is not much, if any, resolution in this book. But while that could be annoying, I liked it. It truly felt like a spanning novel, not a one-shot that happened to be tucked into the NJO (not that all the other NJO books have felt awkward or bad because they resolve their primary conflict by the end of the novel). I liked seeing the further devolution of the New Republic, a realigning of who is "bad" and who is "good" and who is just plain making matters worse.
The exploits of the Trickster Goddess finally make an appearance here, which I am glad (though it would have been so much more interesting to have Dark Jaina play all these pranks). I couldn't believe a teenager (or barely out of her teens) would get command of her own squadron, even if it were part of the ploy (why couldn't they do like Anakin-Ganner from Star by Star? Jaina acts as the leader, but someone more experienced is the leader). However, I did like how Kyp, Jag, and the Wraiths (Piggy and one guy I forgot) did support her and not all of the trickery was from her own mind.
The Coruscant mission seems to be starting great, though I am still perturbed that our heroes don't care about dumping their child on the nearest nanny droid. The Borleias campaign is also one of the most memorable campaigns for me, and I remember fondly drawing pictures of the space battle. I didn't even do that for the movies!
If there was one plotline that did make me groan, it was the Viqi Shesh-Tam-Danni Quee story. While I love the idea of a plant/a spy, I get tired of all these guys who are oh, so honest that are coerced into spying. I would have thought Viqi Shesh' time as Bad Guy would have been over. And for once, I'd love to see something like the following: Danni sees that Tam is all awkward around her and she thinks he is hitting on her, though terribly, when in fact, he is plagued by his coersion spying. And while that does somewhat crop up, Danni is way too easy to penetrate through Tam's facade, even though she doesn't know him from Bail.
After the tepid "Dark Journey" and the tearjerker, "Star by Star", "Rebel Dream" returns us to a Star Wars that many of us who read through the Bantam books are familiar with. There is humor; there are characters we love and enjoy; there are big events beginning. My biggest complaints are the obvious setup for the sequel, some shaky characterization, a regurgitation of plot points we've "Been there and done that", and just not having that mind-blown feeling when I finished. Otherwise, it's fun reading and definitely one of the better books of the NJO.
January 1, 2016
The New Republic, for all intents and purposes, has collapsed in the wake of the Fall of Coruscant and the scattering of the surviving members of the Galactic Senate. The confused and incompetent members of the New Republic Advisory Council---the only remaining governmental body left somewhat intact to issue orders---has ordered the fleet to take and hold planet Borleais as a staging area for an attempt at re-taking Coruscant.
Wedge Antilles, the leader of the fleet, knows that the order is merely an attempt for the Advisory Council to slip away to safety. While pretending to follow orders, he, Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo forge other plans, using tactics and strategies from their Rebel Alliance days. The Yuuzhan Vong, like the Empire, may seem like an unstoppable force, but they defeated one unstoppable force before. They know, too, that playing politics and appeasement will only lead to further ruin. Force must be stopped with force. And the Force, of course. (Apologies to Dr. Seuss…)
Hence, "Rebel Dream", Aaron Allston's awesome contribution to the New Jedi Order series. "Rebel Dream" is the first book in his Enemy Lines duology, and it is action-packed from beginning to end. Allston's novel also doesn't suffer from previous books in the series when it comes to multiple story lines getting muddled and confusing. He deftly handles several story lines, thanks in large part to his knack for good characterization. Allston may write kick-ass battle scenes, but he also understands human drama.
This is definitely one of the best books in the New Jedi Order series, and I look forward to voraciously reading the second book.
Wedge Antilles, the leader of the fleet, knows that the order is merely an attempt for the Advisory Council to slip away to safety. While pretending to follow orders, he, Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo forge other plans, using tactics and strategies from their Rebel Alliance days. The Yuuzhan Vong, like the Empire, may seem like an unstoppable force, but they defeated one unstoppable force before. They know, too, that playing politics and appeasement will only lead to further ruin. Force must be stopped with force. And the Force, of course. (Apologies to Dr. Seuss…)
Hence, "Rebel Dream", Aaron Allston's awesome contribution to the New Jedi Order series. "Rebel Dream" is the first book in his Enemy Lines duology, and it is action-packed from beginning to end. Allston's novel also doesn't suffer from previous books in the series when it comes to multiple story lines getting muddled and confusing. He deftly handles several story lines, thanks in large part to his knack for good characterization. Allston may write kick-ass battle scenes, but he also understands human drama.
This is definitely one of the best books in the New Jedi Order series, and I look forward to voraciously reading the second book.
April 13, 2022
Another New Jedi Order novel finished- and currently my favorite novel in the entire series so far!
I have heard nothing but good things when it came to Aaron Allston as a Star Wars writer, and from the first page I finally understood how much of a loss his passing was in February of 2014. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that fans have said about Allston is true. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is the first novel in the New Jedi Order series that I can confidently say I LOVED reading.
So let's not waste anymore time and dive right in!
THE STORY: The New Republic is on the verge of collapse following the Yuuzhan Vong's conquest of Coruscant. A naval fleet under the command of Wedge Antilles recaptures the planet Borleais. The remaining members of Borssk Fey'lya's inner council, claiming to be the current leaders of what is left of the galactic senate, have tasked Wedge's forces with the defense of Borleias.
However, Wedge quickly realizes that for all intents and purposes, the Republic is already gone. He gathers up his most trusted associates, including Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, to create an "inner circle", and give rebirth to the Rebel Alliance.
And that's pretty much all you need to know. The rest is an extravaganza of action, character moments, and setup for the next book.
THE BAD: While my problems with this book are few and relatively minor, this book isn't quite perfect.
First, is that the book doesn't really feel complete, and seemingly relying on Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand to pay off what Rebel Dream set up. This will only be a significant issue in the long run if Rebel Stand doesn't deliver in paying things off. But as I will get to later, I trust that Allston planned this out, so for now I treat it as something more minor.
The only other problem I had with Rebel Dream, and something that I'm not sure Rebel Stand can fix, is how Han Solo is portrayed. I don't think Everything about him feels out of character here, but the one aspect that doesn't work is noticeable- and it's something that carries over from Dark Journey. I still don't buy how little effort he is putting into reconnecting with Jaina. I'm guessing Allston was assuming that Elaine Cunningham would wrap that up in a satisfying way so he didn't have to focus on it, but I don't know. Either way, because Dark Journey spent way too much time with the Hapes storyline and not enough on Han/Leia/Jaina addressing Anakin's death, this still feels strange to me.
THE GOOD: Alright, let's get to what I liked- because wow, it's alot. This book was GREAT.
I would like to start off with Aaron Allston's writing, because what else can I say? All of the hype that Allston gets as a Star Wars author is well deserved. Even after only reading one of his books, I already consider Aaron Allston one of my favorite SW writers. Everything about Allston's writing works on so many levels- from his exciting action scenes, to the amazing dialogue (the humor in particular lands nearly every time), to how incredibly well he understands the characters- all of it is just so, so good. From the first page, I could already tell that I was reading something by an author who was in a league of his own.
Speaking of the characterization, Allston pretty much nailed it. The interplay between Luke and Mara is fantastic, and this is quite easily the best writing I've seen for Mara Jade outside of Timothy Zahn himself. I found her struggle between protecting Ben and fighting the Vong to be handled quite well.
Remember how I said Jaina Solo's characterization in "Dark Journey" was a step in the right direction? Well Allston just ran with it and she really shines here. It's amazing what Allston's knack for dialogue can do for this character, because he writes by far the best Jaina that this series has seen yet. And going off that, he writes Jag Fel really well too- and ESPECIALLY the dynamic between him and Jaina . I also thought Allston did a great job with Kyp Durron. In particular, while you can definitely tell there's a love triangle going on, I didn't actually groan. Don't worry if you hate love triangles- this one is actually interesting. And that doesn't even include the story about Jaina playing the role of Vong Trickster-goddess, which continues from "Dark Journey". This entire aspect was quite entertaining, again thanks to Allston's fantastic dialogue.
In addition, I really liked how Leia was written. Thanks to Enemy Lines being set up as an ensemble story (at least in "Rebel Dream"), Allston gets to focus more on exploring Leia's emotional struggle and he gets every bit of mileage out of it hat he possibly can .
Going off of that, there were other parts about Han Solo's characterization that I DID like. Allston made up for the shortcomings I mentioned before with some other aspects that were completely on point. The scenes between him and Leia where they confide in each other were really solid and well done, but I particularly loved the bits addressing his continued struggle to finally let go of Chewbacca and embrace Leia as his new copilot.
One of the bigger surprises to be found in this novel was how interesting the Yuuzhan Vong were. Nearly every novel, the villains' storylines were either ridiculously boring, unexpectedly pointless, or both. Not here. Getting to see Nen Yim again was just a bonus, because I actually found the storylines with Viqi Shesh and Tsavong Lah surprisingly interesting. In addition, Czulkang Lah has some good potential too.
Finally, there's fan-favorite Wedge Antilles. I'm really happy with how Allston handled ALL OF THIS. Not just Wedge, but with all of the Wraith Squadron pilots and the other Bantam Era Expanded Universe fanservice. If something needed explaining, Allston explained it (eg, Borleias) in a concise but effective manner. If it didn't (pertaining to the other Wraith Squadron pilots and Wedge's family), he just let them stay in background or cameo roles so those who read the older EU novels can have fun with the connections, while those who haven't won't get lost.
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 4.5 stars. Now that I have completed Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, I can confidently say that things were continued in a satisfying way, and hence I can round up. I'll elaborate further on that when I get to reviewing Rebel Stand in full.
I don't know what else to say for this one. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is hands down the best New Jedi Order novel I have read so far, and I can't wait to read its followup. This novel proved to me how much potential the NJO has always had. Does the excellence of this book excuse the hit-and-miss quality of the previous ten books in the series? Of course not. But this book was really, really, good- and what more can I ask for?
I have heard nothing but good things when it came to Aaron Allston as a Star Wars writer, and from the first page I finally understood how much of a loss his passing was in February of 2014. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that fans have said about Allston is true. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is the first novel in the New Jedi Order series that I can confidently say I LOVED reading.
So let's not waste anymore time and dive right in!
THE STORY: The New Republic is on the verge of collapse following the Yuuzhan Vong's conquest of Coruscant. A naval fleet under the command of Wedge Antilles recaptures the planet Borleais. The remaining members of Borssk Fey'lya's inner council, claiming to be the current leaders of what is left of the galactic senate, have tasked Wedge's forces with the defense of Borleias.
However, Wedge quickly realizes that for all intents and purposes, the Republic is already gone. He gathers up his most trusted associates, including Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, to create an "inner circle", and give rebirth to the Rebel Alliance.
And that's pretty much all you need to know. The rest is an extravaganza of action, character moments, and setup for the next book.
THE BAD: While my problems with this book are few and relatively minor, this book isn't quite perfect.
First, is that the book doesn't really feel complete, and seemingly relying on Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand to pay off what Rebel Dream set up. This will only be a significant issue in the long run if Rebel Stand doesn't deliver in paying things off. But as I will get to later, I trust that Allston planned this out, so for now I treat it as something more minor.
The only other problem I had with Rebel Dream, and something that I'm not sure Rebel Stand can fix, is how Han Solo is portrayed. I don't think Everything about him feels out of character here, but the one aspect that doesn't work is noticeable- and it's something that carries over from Dark Journey. I still don't buy how little effort he is putting into reconnecting with Jaina. I'm guessing Allston was assuming that Elaine Cunningham would wrap that up in a satisfying way so he didn't have to focus on it, but I don't know. Either way, because Dark Journey spent way too much time with the Hapes storyline and not enough on Han/Leia/Jaina addressing Anakin's death, this still feels strange to me.
THE GOOD: Alright, let's get to what I liked- because wow, it's alot. This book was GREAT.
I would like to start off with Aaron Allston's writing, because what else can I say? All of the hype that Allston gets as a Star Wars author is well deserved. Even after only reading one of his books, I already consider Aaron Allston one of my favorite SW writers. Everything about Allston's writing works on so many levels- from his exciting action scenes, to the amazing dialogue (the humor in particular lands nearly every time), to how incredibly well he understands the characters- all of it is just so, so good. From the first page, I could already tell that I was reading something by an author who was in a league of his own.
Speaking of the characterization, Allston pretty much nailed it. The interplay between Luke and Mara is fantastic, and this is quite easily the best writing I've seen for Mara Jade outside of Timothy Zahn himself. I found her struggle between protecting Ben and fighting the Vong to be handled quite well.
Remember how I said Jaina Solo's characterization in "Dark Journey" was a step in the right direction? Well Allston just ran with it and she really shines here. It's amazing what Allston's knack for dialogue can do for this character, because he writes by far the best Jaina that this series has seen yet. And going off that, he writes Jag Fel really well too- and ESPECIALLY the dynamic between him and Jaina . I also thought Allston did a great job with Kyp Durron. In particular, while you can definitely tell there's a love triangle going on, I didn't actually groan. Don't worry if you hate love triangles- this one is actually interesting. And that doesn't even include the story about Jaina playing the role of Vong Trickster-goddess, which continues from "Dark Journey". This entire aspect was quite entertaining, again thanks to Allston's fantastic dialogue.
In addition, I really liked how Leia was written. Thanks to Enemy Lines being set up as an ensemble story (at least in "Rebel Dream"), Allston gets to focus more on exploring Leia's emotional struggle and he gets every bit of mileage out of it hat he possibly can .
Going off of that, there were other parts about Han Solo's characterization that I DID like. Allston made up for the shortcomings I mentioned before with some other aspects that were completely on point. The scenes between him and Leia where they confide in each other were really solid and well done, but I particularly loved the bits addressing his continued struggle to finally let go of Chewbacca and embrace Leia as his new copilot.
One of the bigger surprises to be found in this novel was how interesting the Yuuzhan Vong were. Nearly every novel, the villains' storylines were either ridiculously boring, unexpectedly pointless, or both. Not here. Getting to see Nen Yim again was just a bonus, because I actually found the storylines with Viqi Shesh and Tsavong Lah surprisingly interesting. In addition, Czulkang Lah has some good potential too.
Finally, there's fan-favorite Wedge Antilles. I'm really happy with how Allston handled ALL OF THIS. Not just Wedge, but with all of the Wraith Squadron pilots and the other Bantam Era Expanded Universe fanservice. If something needed explaining, Allston explained it (eg, Borleias) in a concise but effective manner. If it didn't (pertaining to the other Wraith Squadron pilots and Wedge's family), he just let them stay in background or cameo roles so those who read the older EU novels can have fun with the connections, while those who haven't won't get lost.
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 4.5 stars. Now that I have completed Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, I can confidently say that things were continued in a satisfying way, and hence I can round up. I'll elaborate further on that when I get to reviewing Rebel Stand in full.
I don't know what else to say for this one. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is hands down the best New Jedi Order novel I have read so far, and I can't wait to read its followup. This novel proved to me how much potential the NJO has always had. Does the excellence of this book excuse the hit-and-miss quality of the previous ten books in the series? Of course not. But this book was really, really, good- and what more can I ask for?
August 5, 2022
3.5 stars
June 6, 2021
Star Wars: Rebel Dream by Aaron Allston is the 12 entry into the New Jedi Order Series, and book one of the “Enemy Lines” trilogy. Rebel Dream was yet another of the better books in the New Jedi Order series. Rebel Dream” may not be an “X-Wing” novel, but it is very much a military novel, and like Allston’s previous work, it’s not just for people who like reading about strategies and starfighter dogfights; it’s also for people who like to see characters interact, make tough decisions and discover their true natures on tense military operations.
Here, Wedge Antilles is in fine form as he denies the New Republic’s Advisory Council. Wedge sees that the Council – led by the Quarren Pwoe, who claims to be the chief of state after Fey’lya’s death – aims to use the military only as a diversion until the Councilors can flee to their homeworlds and try to carve out deals with the Vong. In a more extreme version of his actions in “The Bacta War” (where he goes on an off-the-books Rogue Squadron mission supported by Ackbar), Wedge chooses an illegal-but-moral act over an immoral-but-legal act: He takes control of a portion of the military in order to continue fighting the invaders.
The thing I remembered most about this novel is that Wedge, along with his trusted “Insiders” or “Inner Circle” (who are essentially all the “NJO’s” main characters), determines that the military must fight not like the New Republic, but rather like the Rebel Alliance – with cells, secrecy and trickery. The book’s title references this ideology, in addition to being the name of Leia’s former Star Destroyer flagship (from back in “The Courtship of Princess Leia”) that is still in service.
In a twist that I had forgotten, Wedge and his “Rebels” ultimately win this Battle of Borleias by fighting like the Empire: by using orbital bombardment from Star Destroyers, a tactic the New Republic had never used, presumably on ethical grounds. In another parallel to the Empire, Wedge’s forces set up Operation Starlancer, where cobbled-together “pipefighters” triangulate and send a magnified laser blast across stellar systems. This is similar to the Empire’s Galaxy Gun from “Dark Empire II,” and the idea was mined yet again in Disney’s “Episode VII: The Force Awakens,” wherein the First Order destroys several planets with its Starkiller Base superweapon.
Jaina Solo doesn’t join the action until page 151 of this 304-page paperback, but she ends up stealing the show, partly because of the momentum from her starring role in “Dark Journey.” In a plot point where Allston is able to wring out some of his trademark humor, the Insiders treat Jaina as a goddess for the benefit of eavesdropping Vong spies, whom they aim to distract. Jaina, for her part, is willing to play along, but she’s still tortured on the inside, devising strategies to keep her loved ones at a distance. But her feelings betray her; this novel features Jaina and Jag’s memorable first kiss, which forever alters Jaina’s perspective on guarding her feelings.
Allson’s funniest bit, though, is when Alema Rar calmly tells a Yuuzhan Vong boarding crew that she’s transporting “holos of training regimens, holos of Jedi history and philosophy, infectious agents that turn normal beings into Jedi, a lot of lightsabers from their new manufacturing plant, that sort of thing” (p. 146). The ruse is topped off by crates literally labeled “Jedi Academy Property. Danger. Do Not Open.” Alema tops it off by offering sex to Lando (who is suitably flattered and befuddled); I’m looking forward to more of this edgy Jedi in the “Dark Nest Trilogy” and “Legacy of the Force.”
In the category of “great-but-briefly-seen characters whom I had forgotten about” is Tam Elgrin, a holocam operator for a New Republic historian. At first I liked Tam just because he’s socially awkward, a demographic not given much page-time in “Star Wars” books. Soon we learn that he’s under the influence of a Vong implant that gives him headaches when he doesn’t do their bidding — which is a little more of a cliché, but his arc is still compelling as he tries to exert his free will, even if it means his death. (On the enemy side of the narrative, it’s interesting to see Yuuzhan Vong captive Viqi Shesh’s schemes for staying alive by convincing Tsavong Lah of a conspiracy within his ranks.)
While it’s definitely not a Wraith Squadron novel, “Rebel Dream” does include some old friends: Face leads the current Wraiths (whom we don’t get to know in detail, unfortunately, as this novel also squeezes in Rogue, Twin Suns and Blackmoon squadrons), Piggy serves as an advisor for Jaina’s “Goddess” role, and Kell Tainer is on Luke’s Coruscant insertion team. Also helping in Jaina’s Goddess training is new character Sharr Latt, who is somewhat of a womanizing and wisecracking answer to the late Ton Phanan. Allston was apparently keeping up with the changing Wraith roster even though fresh novels about the squadron weren’t commissioned.
Overall, Whereas Stackpole fans might’ve been a bit let down by his “NJO” entries’ stiffness in relation to his previous work, there are no such problems with Allston’s first entry. “Rebel Dream” may not be an “X-Wing” novel, but it has all the fast-paced fun and intrigue of those books while also advancing the wider storyline.
Here, Wedge Antilles is in fine form as he denies the New Republic’s Advisory Council. Wedge sees that the Council – led by the Quarren Pwoe, who claims to be the chief of state after Fey’lya’s death – aims to use the military only as a diversion until the Councilors can flee to their homeworlds and try to carve out deals with the Vong. In a more extreme version of his actions in “The Bacta War” (where he goes on an off-the-books Rogue Squadron mission supported by Ackbar), Wedge chooses an illegal-but-moral act over an immoral-but-legal act: He takes control of a portion of the military in order to continue fighting the invaders.
The thing I remembered most about this novel is that Wedge, along with his trusted “Insiders” or “Inner Circle” (who are essentially all the “NJO’s” main characters), determines that the military must fight not like the New Republic, but rather like the Rebel Alliance – with cells, secrecy and trickery. The book’s title references this ideology, in addition to being the name of Leia’s former Star Destroyer flagship (from back in “The Courtship of Princess Leia”) that is still in service.
In a twist that I had forgotten, Wedge and his “Rebels” ultimately win this Battle of Borleias by fighting like the Empire: by using orbital bombardment from Star Destroyers, a tactic the New Republic had never used, presumably on ethical grounds. In another parallel to the Empire, Wedge’s forces set up Operation Starlancer, where cobbled-together “pipefighters” triangulate and send a magnified laser blast across stellar systems. This is similar to the Empire’s Galaxy Gun from “Dark Empire II,” and the idea was mined yet again in Disney’s “Episode VII: The Force Awakens,” wherein the First Order destroys several planets with its Starkiller Base superweapon.
Jaina Solo doesn’t join the action until page 151 of this 304-page paperback, but she ends up stealing the show, partly because of the momentum from her starring role in “Dark Journey.” In a plot point where Allston is able to wring out some of his trademark humor, the Insiders treat Jaina as a goddess for the benefit of eavesdropping Vong spies, whom they aim to distract. Jaina, for her part, is willing to play along, but she’s still tortured on the inside, devising strategies to keep her loved ones at a distance. But her feelings betray her; this novel features Jaina and Jag’s memorable first kiss, which forever alters Jaina’s perspective on guarding her feelings.
Allson’s funniest bit, though, is when Alema Rar calmly tells a Yuuzhan Vong boarding crew that she’s transporting “holos of training regimens, holos of Jedi history and philosophy, infectious agents that turn normal beings into Jedi, a lot of lightsabers from their new manufacturing plant, that sort of thing” (p. 146). The ruse is topped off by crates literally labeled “Jedi Academy Property. Danger. Do Not Open.” Alema tops it off by offering sex to Lando (who is suitably flattered and befuddled); I’m looking forward to more of this edgy Jedi in the “Dark Nest Trilogy” and “Legacy of the Force.”
In the category of “great-but-briefly-seen characters whom I had forgotten about” is Tam Elgrin, a holocam operator for a New Republic historian. At first I liked Tam just because he’s socially awkward, a demographic not given much page-time in “Star Wars” books. Soon we learn that he’s under the influence of a Vong implant that gives him headaches when he doesn’t do their bidding — which is a little more of a cliché, but his arc is still compelling as he tries to exert his free will, even if it means his death. (On the enemy side of the narrative, it’s interesting to see Yuuzhan Vong captive Viqi Shesh’s schemes for staying alive by convincing Tsavong Lah of a conspiracy within his ranks.)
While it’s definitely not a Wraith Squadron novel, “Rebel Dream” does include some old friends: Face leads the current Wraiths (whom we don’t get to know in detail, unfortunately, as this novel also squeezes in Rogue, Twin Suns and Blackmoon squadrons), Piggy serves as an advisor for Jaina’s “Goddess” role, and Kell Tainer is on Luke’s Coruscant insertion team. Also helping in Jaina’s Goddess training is new character Sharr Latt, who is somewhat of a womanizing and wisecracking answer to the late Ton Phanan. Allston was apparently keeping up with the changing Wraith roster even though fresh novels about the squadron weren’t commissioned.
Overall, Whereas Stackpole fans might’ve been a bit let down by his “NJO” entries’ stiffness in relation to his previous work, there are no such problems with Allston’s first entry. “Rebel Dream” may not be an “X-Wing” novel, but it has all the fast-paced fun and intrigue of those books while also advancing the wider storyline.
February 25, 2025
4,5 stars and half of them are because of long chapters. it was perfect outside of that i love it
November 18, 2023
This was a very enjoyable read, probably one of the better books of the series thus far. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s a favorite but it was very good.
I think I liked pretty much everything here. First, I loved the character writing. Their interactions were great in pretty much all cases, though I especially loved the OT trio and Jaina. Speaking of Jaina and the OT trio, they’ve been separated for a book or two now, and seeing them reunite was wonderful, especially with the impact of recent events. The action here was great as were some of the quieter moments. And as always, the Yuuzhan Vong were lots of fun to read. There are also some very interesting setups for the next book in the duology which I’m very excited to read next.
I really don’t have any big negatives with this one. If anything, maybe the plot didn’t grab me quite as much as I’d like, but it was still good. This was also very short book, so that’s not something that stood out all that much.
Overall this was a solid, enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the follow-up, Rebel Stand.
Rating: 8/10
I think I liked pretty much everything here. First, I loved the character writing. Their interactions were great in pretty much all cases, though I especially loved the OT trio and Jaina. Speaking of Jaina and the OT trio, they’ve been separated for a book or two now, and seeing them reunite was wonderful, especially with the impact of recent events. The action here was great as were some of the quieter moments. And as always, the Yuuzhan Vong were lots of fun to read. There are also some very interesting setups for the next book in the duology which I’m very excited to read next.
I really don’t have any big negatives with this one. If anything, maybe the plot didn’t grab me quite as much as I’d like, but it was still good. This was also very short book, so that’s not something that stood out all that much.
Overall this was a solid, enjoyable read. I look forward to reading the follow-up, Rebel Stand.
Rating: 8/10
June 24, 2025
NJO has had some disappointments for me. whether its the authors (Luceno, Stackpole) not living up to their reputation or the books themselves (while star by star was good, it was not the top 5 book I had been promised) Thankfully, we can always count on Allston. hes a fantastic writer and he hits this one out of the park like always, smoothing over things that were done previously while adding one of the more entertaining and clever plot lines so far.
he did everything really well, from the heros to the vong and the strategy. the only flaws i could find with the book was that it relies on the vong tracing the new republics transmissions somehow which I either missed or didnt understand. I also didnt care for jainas arc. playing into the beliefs of the vong makes perfect sense, but why would they actually talk as if they believe the same thing? the vong wouldn't even fall for that, they're too out of character.
still, a fantastic book, probably my favorite of the series so far
he did everything really well, from the heros to the vong and the strategy. the only flaws i could find with the book was that it relies on the vong tracing the new republics transmissions somehow which I either missed or didnt understand. I also didnt care for jainas arc. playing into the beliefs of the vong makes perfect sense, but why would they actually talk as if they believe the same thing? the vong wouldn't even fall for that, they're too out of character.
still, a fantastic book, probably my favorite of the series so far
April 14, 2023
I liked it, but I got kinda bored. This book has the same problem that so many of the other extended universe novels have, which is that I already know the fate of the galaxy and the major characters, so it ruins a lot of the tension and enjoyment I could’ve potentially gotten from the plot. It’s mostly well written and the idea about a threat trying to destroy the new republic after having conquered Coruscant is a great idea, but knowing that the Yuuzhan Vong don’t actually have a chance to win just lowers the stakes and my interest level a bit. It’s still worth the read for anyone interested in Star Wars or in this fascinating galaxy far, far away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2023
I was only able to get the abridged version of the audio for this one. At first, I thought it was the same old stuff with the leaders and Luke and Leia disagreeing with each other. However, I loved when Jaina appeared on the scene. So, it went from a "meh" book to a good book in my terms.
November 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this: exciting, full of characters I cared about, or villains I hissed at...while keeping the annoying not-as-interesting-as-they-think-they-are Vong primarily in the background. This one strikes the right balance between drama and action, and I'm looking forward to volume 2.
February 28, 2018
The aftermath of the Yuuzhan Vongs invasion of Coruscant. Luke Skywalker chooses a dangerous mission to try and change the tides of the ongoing war.
July 26, 2021
For 2021, I decided to reread Del Rey’s first attempt at a multi-author book series in the Star Wars universe: The New Jedi Order, which was published between 1999 and 2003. This shakes out to 19 novels, two eBook novellas, three short stories, and a tangentially-related prequel era novel.
This week’s focus: the first book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston, Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream.
SOME HISTORY:
Aaron Allston was the third and final of the Bantam era authors to collaborate on the New Jedi Order series. After the heavy angst of Star by Star, the Enemy Lines duology features our heroes adapting their strategies--and triumphing in the process. There’s also some of Allston’s signature humor, which helps to lighten the tone. Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream made it to number seven on the New York Times paperback bestseller list for the week of April 14, 2002.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
When I first started rereading the New Jedi Order series, I didn’t think I had revisited any of the books since their initial release. But I think I might have reread just the Jaina/Jag scenes in Rebel Dream at some point? Because their interactions together felt so familiar, compared to the rest of the story.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
Scattering after the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory Council pause long enough to order a mock defense on nearby Borleias—an attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all General Wedge Antilles. For bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Yuuzhan Vong fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy's remaining defenders…
THE CHARACTERS:
Wedge Antilles was a minor presence in Dark Tide II: Ruin and Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, and was apparently (?) reactivated for duty in Star by Star. In Rebel Dream, he’s trying to hold his fleet group together in the face of the New Republic’s defeat at the Battle of Coruscant. Borleias is meant to be merely a temporary stop before Wedge’s group rendezvouses with General Bel Iblis and Admiral Kre’fey’s forces, but Pwoe and the other surviving members of Fey’lya’s Advisory Council put Wedge in a horrible position. Wedge must hold a planet he knows they’ll eventually lose, and his stratagems here were interesting to follow. He’s unfortunately not as fleshed out as other characters, but I found his concern about the fate of his family and his utter relief during their reunion really touching to read.
I’ve found the characterization of Luke & Mara uneven from book to book, where either the author struggles with one of them or with their dynamic as a couple. Here, I liked Allston’s portrayal of Mara (I thought it made a lot of sense that she’d become protective of Ben and anxious about his safety, especially after that debacle with Viqi Shesh), but Luke seemed less like himself--he grinned an awful lot, for someone who just lost over ten Jedi to voxyn and the Myrkr mission in Star by Star. So much of their plotline was obviously setup for book 2, though, and I wish that Mara could be part of the action without leaving her child behind--it feels too similar to Leia’s parenting style, and we can see how well that turned out!
I liked the little glimpses we got of how Han and Leia’s relationship continues to grow and mend--in particular, Han finally replaced Chewie’s oversized copilot seat with a more Leia-sized one. They don’t have much to do here, other than blunder with the Lusankya into Wedge’s action against the Domain Cha commander, and ferry the Jedi students to the safe haven in the Maw. But there’s a nice scene between Leia and Jaina that serves to bridge the divide between mother and daughter.
To be honest, I wasn’t feeling completely engaged with the first half of Rebel Dream, but then Jaina Solo and Jag Fel and Kyp Durron arrived from Hapes, and the book became considerably more interesting. Jaina’s left her Dark Side dabbling behind, but she’s still a mess: she thinks she’s going to die at any moment, and needs to disengage from her friends and family to protect them. She honestly shouldn’t be on active duty, and this is most obvious when she disobeys orders to save Jag. Afterwards, Jag asks her why, and all she can say is that she keeps losing the people she cares about.
Although Jaina has been fighting this war for over two years, it’s easy to forget that she’s only eighteen. She’s lost countless Jedi companions, and her two brothers, and she’s struggling to keep it all together. Between Dark Journey and Rebel Dream, Jaina’s breaking my heart here, and I can’t wait for this war to end so she can finally have some peace.
I love Jag, and I love his interactions with Jaina--how their different backgrounds and very different approach to situations affect their growing relationship. That’s all. (｡♥‿♥｡)
And I appreciated more POV scenes from Kyp Durron: it’s easier for me to understand his actions, when I can actually get his reasoning behind it! Most notably, I remember there being a huge amount of uproar when this book was released because at one point, Kyp thinks about how he’s more powerful than Luke Skywalker, and can do the same feat that Luke did in Dark Tide I: Onslaught but not suffer the same side effects from it. And readers were furious, and took it as canon truth that Star Wars thought Kyp was stronger than Luke. But it’s important to note that this is from Kyp’s POV--sure, Kyp could have more sheer power in the Force than Luke, but he could only think that, since it’s 100% in character for Kyp to want to be demonstrably better than Luke in some way.
The Wraiths reappear, although a good chunk of them were completely new members. But I was fine with that--we heard how Tyria Sarkin is doing, and got to see Face, Kell, and Piggy. Any more Wraith cameos might have felt overwhelming to new readers.
And of course, it wouldn’t be an Aaron Allston novel without a character working for the bad guys and feeling super conflicted about it. In the case of Rebel Dream, we have Tam Elgrin, the suborned holocam operator (side note: I love that there’s like a David Attenborough of the galaxy far, far away who’s reporting on the Yuuzhan Vong invasion and occupation). He doesn’t want to spy for the Vong, but he gets debilitating headaches until he obeys his orders. I just wish that his role as spy hadn’t been discovered so easily? That instead, Danni Quee just thought he was an awkward guy for longer? His subplot also ends on a cliffhanger, so no resolution here.
On the Yuuzhan Vong front, Viqi Shesh manages to postpone her execution by hinting to Warmaster Tsavong Lah that his implant is failing because it’s being sabotaged. After Nen Yim from the Edge of Victory duology examines it, Tsavong Lah suspects an active conspiracy between the priests and the shapers. So he’s a bit too preoccupied with matters on Coruscant to divert his attention towards the troublemakers on Borleias, but still needs to send a strong commander after Domain Cha’s (accidental) defeat. Enter Czulkang Lah, Tsavong Lah’s father and the former Warmaster. The father/son relationship is intriguing and prickly (Czulkang Lah did not support the invasion of the GFFA, and has been living in exile ever since), but as his son’s subordinate, Czulkang Lah is obliged to undertake military actions that he does not agree with. (Like other subplots, Czulkang Lah enters the scene halfway through the book, so hopefully we’ll see even more of him in book 2).
ISSUES:
My main issue with Rebel Dream was that it felt like setup galore. Nothing is resolved (Wedge triumphs for now, the Vong lose for now), and key plot points like the mission to Coruscant haven’t even begun yet. I never felt like the book dragged or felt slow, but you won’t get any sense of conclusion until Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
I enjoyed the lighter tone and the change of pace, but it didn’t resonate with me in the same way that Allston’s Wraith Squadron books did. I wonder if that’s the difference between a series where the author is given a lot of leeway (Allston was told to focus on Wedge and set it after The Bacta War, but was otherwise given free rein) vs the New Jedi Order series (the NJO story group planned all the major plot points in advance and the writers had a list of things they had to adhere to).
I also wish there wasn’t such a dichotomy of “Politicians bad, Military good,” although the New Republic government is visibly, demonstrably bad at their job and has been since Vector Prime. (The New Republic government makes no sense, but they’re such obvious strawmen for our heroes to knock down that I wish for a little more nuance here. But maybe I'm in the wrong sci-fi universe if I'm looking for political nuance.)
And once again, our heroes must become the resistance to battle their foes, because the actual government won’t! This is a common Star Wars problem, from Legends to the New Canon. I understand why it’s done--to evoke the feeling of the Original Trilogy, when the scrappy Rebel Alliance fought the evil Empire--but Star Wars seems far too willing to abandon legitimate authority at any sign or trouble or disagreement.
Some more timeline discrepancy: the first chapter says that the battle to retake Borleias occurs a day after Coruscant fell, and Luke and Mara are present; yet in Dark Journey, they went to Hapes and then went to the secret Jedi base after the fall of Coruscant. Like the previous book, it doesn’t quite add up. And I felt a bit of whiplash between Luke’s modus operandi in previous books (Jedi can’t get involved) and this one (Luke seems like a subordinate under Wedge, directly working with the NR military).
IN CONCLUSION:
Rebel Dream was a fun change of pace, especially after all the heavy stuff before and during Star by Star. I enjoyed getting to see General Wedge again, and Jaina’s emotional development was intriguing and moving. But it’s also all setup for the following book--which never felt like a slog to read, but did give me the sense that I would definitely need to read the second book to get the full picture.
Next up: the second book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/GRKvP9Rj81o
Q & A with Star Wars Authors - August 12, 2002: https://web.archive.org/web/200502050...
FAQs on Aaron Allston’s website: https://web.archive.org/web/200911231...
This week’s focus: the first book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston, Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream.
SOME HISTORY:
Aaron Allston was the third and final of the Bantam era authors to collaborate on the New Jedi Order series. After the heavy angst of Star by Star, the Enemy Lines duology features our heroes adapting their strategies--and triumphing in the process. There’s also some of Allston’s signature humor, which helps to lighten the tone. Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream made it to number seven on the New York Times paperback bestseller list for the week of April 14, 2002.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
When I first started rereading the New Jedi Order series, I didn’t think I had revisited any of the books since their initial release. But I think I might have reread just the Jaina/Jag scenes in Rebel Dream at some point? Because their interactions together felt so familiar, compared to the rest of the story.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
Scattering after the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory Council pause long enough to order a mock defense on nearby Borleias—an attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all General Wedge Antilles. For bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Yuuzhan Vong fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy's remaining defenders…
THE CHARACTERS:
Wedge Antilles was a minor presence in Dark Tide II: Ruin and Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, and was apparently (?) reactivated for duty in Star by Star. In Rebel Dream, he’s trying to hold his fleet group together in the face of the New Republic’s defeat at the Battle of Coruscant. Borleias is meant to be merely a temporary stop before Wedge’s group rendezvouses with General Bel Iblis and Admiral Kre’fey’s forces, but Pwoe and the other surviving members of Fey’lya’s Advisory Council put Wedge in a horrible position. Wedge must hold a planet he knows they’ll eventually lose, and his stratagems here were interesting to follow. He’s unfortunately not as fleshed out as other characters, but I found his concern about the fate of his family and his utter relief during their reunion really touching to read.
I’ve found the characterization of Luke & Mara uneven from book to book, where either the author struggles with one of them or with their dynamic as a couple. Here, I liked Allston’s portrayal of Mara (I thought it made a lot of sense that she’d become protective of Ben and anxious about his safety, especially after that debacle with Viqi Shesh), but Luke seemed less like himself--he grinned an awful lot, for someone who just lost over ten Jedi to voxyn and the Myrkr mission in Star by Star. So much of their plotline was obviously setup for book 2, though, and I wish that Mara could be part of the action without leaving her child behind--it feels too similar to Leia’s parenting style, and we can see how well that turned out!
I liked the little glimpses we got of how Han and Leia’s relationship continues to grow and mend--in particular, Han finally replaced Chewie’s oversized copilot seat with a more Leia-sized one. They don’t have much to do here, other than blunder with the Lusankya into Wedge’s action against the Domain Cha commander, and ferry the Jedi students to the safe haven in the Maw. But there’s a nice scene between Leia and Jaina that serves to bridge the divide between mother and daughter.
To be honest, I wasn’t feeling completely engaged with the first half of Rebel Dream, but then Jaina Solo and Jag Fel and Kyp Durron arrived from Hapes, and the book became considerably more interesting. Jaina’s left her Dark Side dabbling behind, but she’s still a mess: she thinks she’s going to die at any moment, and needs to disengage from her friends and family to protect them. She honestly shouldn’t be on active duty, and this is most obvious when she disobeys orders to save Jag. Afterwards, Jag asks her why, and all she can say is that she keeps losing the people she cares about.
Although Jaina has been fighting this war for over two years, it’s easy to forget that she’s only eighteen. She’s lost countless Jedi companions, and her two brothers, and she’s struggling to keep it all together. Between Dark Journey and Rebel Dream, Jaina’s breaking my heart here, and I can’t wait for this war to end so she can finally have some peace.
I love Jag, and I love his interactions with Jaina--how their different backgrounds and very different approach to situations affect their growing relationship. That’s all. (｡♥‿♥｡)
And I appreciated more POV scenes from Kyp Durron: it’s easier for me to understand his actions, when I can actually get his reasoning behind it! Most notably, I remember there being a huge amount of uproar when this book was released because at one point, Kyp thinks about how he’s more powerful than Luke Skywalker, and can do the same feat that Luke did in Dark Tide I: Onslaught but not suffer the same side effects from it. And readers were furious, and took it as canon truth that Star Wars thought Kyp was stronger than Luke. But it’s important to note that this is from Kyp’s POV--sure, Kyp could have more sheer power in the Force than Luke, but he could only think that, since it’s 100% in character for Kyp to want to be demonstrably better than Luke in some way.
The Wraiths reappear, although a good chunk of them were completely new members. But I was fine with that--we heard how Tyria Sarkin is doing, and got to see Face, Kell, and Piggy. Any more Wraith cameos might have felt overwhelming to new readers.
And of course, it wouldn’t be an Aaron Allston novel without a character working for the bad guys and feeling super conflicted about it. In the case of Rebel Dream, we have Tam Elgrin, the suborned holocam operator (side note: I love that there’s like a David Attenborough of the galaxy far, far away who’s reporting on the Yuuzhan Vong invasion and occupation). He doesn’t want to spy for the Vong, but he gets debilitating headaches until he obeys his orders. I just wish that his role as spy hadn’t been discovered so easily? That instead, Danni Quee just thought he was an awkward guy for longer? His subplot also ends on a cliffhanger, so no resolution here.
On the Yuuzhan Vong front, Viqi Shesh manages to postpone her execution by hinting to Warmaster Tsavong Lah that his implant is failing because it’s being sabotaged. After Nen Yim from the Edge of Victory duology examines it, Tsavong Lah suspects an active conspiracy between the priests and the shapers. So he’s a bit too preoccupied with matters on Coruscant to divert his attention towards the troublemakers on Borleias, but still needs to send a strong commander after Domain Cha’s (accidental) defeat. Enter Czulkang Lah, Tsavong Lah’s father and the former Warmaster. The father/son relationship is intriguing and prickly (Czulkang Lah did not support the invasion of the GFFA, and has been living in exile ever since), but as his son’s subordinate, Czulkang Lah is obliged to undertake military actions that he does not agree with. (Like other subplots, Czulkang Lah enters the scene halfway through the book, so hopefully we’ll see even more of him in book 2).
ISSUES:
My main issue with Rebel Dream was that it felt like setup galore. Nothing is resolved (Wedge triumphs for now, the Vong lose for now), and key plot points like the mission to Coruscant haven’t even begun yet. I never felt like the book dragged or felt slow, but you won’t get any sense of conclusion until Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
I enjoyed the lighter tone and the change of pace, but it didn’t resonate with me in the same way that Allston’s Wraith Squadron books did. I wonder if that’s the difference between a series where the author is given a lot of leeway (Allston was told to focus on Wedge and set it after The Bacta War, but was otherwise given free rein) vs the New Jedi Order series (the NJO story group planned all the major plot points in advance and the writers had a list of things they had to adhere to).
I also wish there wasn’t such a dichotomy of “Politicians bad, Military good,” although the New Republic government is visibly, demonstrably bad at their job and has been since Vector Prime. (The New Republic government makes no sense, but they’re such obvious strawmen for our heroes to knock down that I wish for a little more nuance here. But maybe I'm in the wrong sci-fi universe if I'm looking for political nuance.)
And once again, our heroes must become the resistance to battle their foes, because the actual government won’t! This is a common Star Wars problem, from Legends to the New Canon. I understand why it’s done--to evoke the feeling of the Original Trilogy, when the scrappy Rebel Alliance fought the evil Empire--but Star Wars seems far too willing to abandon legitimate authority at any sign or trouble or disagreement.
Some more timeline discrepancy: the first chapter says that the battle to retake Borleias occurs a day after Coruscant fell, and Luke and Mara are present; yet in Dark Journey, they went to Hapes and then went to the secret Jedi base after the fall of Coruscant. Like the previous book, it doesn’t quite add up. And I felt a bit of whiplash between Luke’s modus operandi in previous books (Jedi can’t get involved) and this one (Luke seems like a subordinate under Wedge, directly working with the NR military).
IN CONCLUSION:
Rebel Dream was a fun change of pace, especially after all the heavy stuff before and during Star by Star. I enjoyed getting to see General Wedge again, and Jaina’s emotional development was intriguing and moving. But it’s also all setup for the following book--which never felt like a slog to read, but did give me the sense that I would definitely need to read the second book to get the full picture.
Next up: the second book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/GRKvP9Rj81o
Q & A with Star Wars Authors - August 12, 2002: https://web.archive.org/web/200502050...
FAQs on Aaron Allston’s website: https://web.archive.org/web/200911231...
May 9, 2017
The mock defense of Borleias is an interesting storyline that I love. Pwoe's declaration as Chief of State is so absurd I almost laughed, but hey, who knows, maybe the Star Wars galaxy is a lot more like America than we think!
December 26, 2022
"We're going to face them with an enemy they've never had the displeasure of fighting. We're going to hit them with the Empire."
"They're not going to like the Empire."
The one thing that always comes up whenever someone mentions the New Jedi Order is its elevated sense of darkness compared to what came before. And sure, to a certain extent, it is true - worlds get destroyed, civilians are turned into refugees, and many others, including the jedi, face the fate of being hunted down, tortured, and ultimately murdered. There is an ever-present sense of misery throughout the series which hits its peak with the nihilistic Star by Star, perhaps the most depressing piece of Star Wars media by the time of its release. The Expanded Universe reached levels of conflict never before seen, so the question arises: Where to go from here? Elaine Cunningham's Dark Journey, though certainly a glum piece of media, ultimately concludes on a decisively positive note and thus paved the way for a more positive future. So who else to bring in for our heroes' triumphant return than fan favorite Aaron Allston, joining his X-Wing co-author Michael Stackpole in penning an NJO duology. Allston's first NJO novel, Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, is exactly the feel-good break from all the conflict the series needed and more.
Borleias Occupation, Day X
Sernpidal. Ithor. Duro. Yavin IV. Coruscant. By Rebel Dream, the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion has cost the New Republic and its people multiple worlds already. This novel, however, marks a shift in this development. After playing minor roles throughout the previous NJO novels, Wedge Antilles once more takes up the leading role to oversee the capture and defense of Borleias,a planet of X-Wing series fame. The recapturing, which already takes place at the very beginning of the novel, brilliantly establishes Enemy Lines I's core thesis: the Good Guys have returned, and they're ready to take back what is rightly theirs. What a breath of fresh air after the depressing last two novels. Allston really seems almost singularly devoted to making the reader sit back and have a good time, and it shows. Wedge and Tycho get to plan out Rogue/Wraith-esque plans while simultaneously dealing with the NR's corrupt Old Guard; Jaina, Kyp, and Jag return from their trip on Hapes and continue their work on the Trickster Goddess Deception with help from the Wraiths, all the while sorting things out between one another; Han and Leia, too, manage to sort things out after the events of Star by Star. As is typical with Allston, there are some great character moments, too; with Jaina, Jag, Leia, and Tahiri especially coming out of this as stronger individuals than they were previously. Allston's second main strength, his ever-present comedic touch, is of course present again, too. I haven't laughed this hard at a Star Wars novel since... Starfighters of Adumar, his previous EU novel. Figures. Rebel Dream's triumphant tone, its positive character developments, and its penchant for humor make for an easy, enjoyable read, though one thing that might disappoint some readers is the relative lack of series changing events here; Borleias is a strategically important staging place for a campaign towards the Core, sure, but it just doesn't compare to the fall of an Ithor or the deaths of important political characters, like in Star by Star. But I personally don't subscribe to this criticism, as the abundance of character moments and developments here - just think of Jaina, Leia, or even Wedge - makes up for it. No, if anything, I believe the only real problem here lies in how much Rebel Dream feels like set-up for the next book. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Luke's subplot, which mostly just consists of planning a mission, with only its beginning being presented at the very end, here. Perhaps the direction Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand takes will change my mind, but for now, Rebel Dream feels much less like its own chapter in the NJO's story (think Onslaught, Hero's Trial, and Conquest, the other first entries in a duology) and more just the first half of a bigger story (like what Specter of the Past was to Vision of the Future). There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this approach, but I personally just prefer it when all entries in a given series manage to stand completely on their own.
Yuuzhan Vong Worldship, Coruscant Orbit
So, what are the Yuuzhan Vong doing, now that the tables have ostensibly been turned? Firstly, Rebel Stand serves as a continuation of Tsavong Lah and Viqi Shesh's experiences in Star by Star. Viqi, awaiting her inevitable execution for her failure to kidnap Ben Skywalker, ultimately manages to save her hide by giving the Warmaster a potential explanation for his problems with his regenerating arm. Scheming up the most ridiculous yet plausible explanation for a problem at hand, propelled by her fear for her life and the resulting anger and giving the most convincing show as to why she shouldn't be killed just yet, this is Viqi at her absolute best. I didn't particularly care for Tsavong Lah until his showing in Star by Star, and I can thankfully say that he is similarly interesting in this novel again. The previous books established heresy within the Yuuzhan Vong's ranks, breeding uncertainty and mistrust, and now Tsavong Lah himself is becoming suspicious of the people around him as a result of Viqi's suggestion. He even calls an important character of the past to help investigate, which is a great connection that will hopefully result in something more in the next EL book. After the awesomely hilarious failure of his son Khalee, Tsavong has decided to bring his elderly father and former Warmaster Czulkang Lah out of retirement to deal with the Borleias situation. Czulkang is another example of just how great the individual Yuuzhan Vong characters can be. Though initially opposed to his people's crusade against the SW galaxy, he is nevertheless willing to support Tsavong in his quest and, more prominently, teach the next generation with a method of teaching that could best be described as "tough but fair". Czulkang Lah made a great first impression and I can't wait to see more of him. If the heroes' side teases a change of direction in how the war develops, the YV's plot here goes even further, bringing in lingering feelings of a soon-to-be-had shakeup. Viqi is ostensibly on her last legs, Tsavong Lah's conspiracy plot seems like it will reach its conclusion soon, too, and the appearance of the former warmaster brings in yet another layer of escalation; all of that is not even to mention Jaina and her heresy plot. The YV might have started without much inner turmoil at the earlier points in the series - which was a totally fine decision for those books to take, if I might add - they have become a fully fleshed out villainous force by now, a much more interesting villain than the Empire and its Remnant ever were. The New Jedi Order is great because of the Yuuzhan Vong, not in spite of them.
Coruscant System
There is much more that could be talked about, but I feel like these two paragraphs fittingly sum up my feelings on Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream. It is simply a joy to read. Perhaps not quite as good as Allston's best in Starfighters of Adumar, and not quite good enough to dethrone Edge of Victory I: Conquest as my current favorite NJO novel, but top tier Star Wars content nevertheless. The heroes are back, the tides have turned, and now the Vong have our heroes to fear, and not the other way around. So where else to continue our campaign than in the former capital, Coruscant itself? With that, we move on to the next book in this duology, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
"They're not going to like the Empire."
The one thing that always comes up whenever someone mentions the New Jedi Order is its elevated sense of darkness compared to what came before. And sure, to a certain extent, it is true - worlds get destroyed, civilians are turned into refugees, and many others, including the jedi, face the fate of being hunted down, tortured, and ultimately murdered. There is an ever-present sense of misery throughout the series which hits its peak with the nihilistic Star by Star, perhaps the most depressing piece of Star Wars media by the time of its release. The Expanded Universe reached levels of conflict never before seen, so the question arises: Where to go from here? Elaine Cunningham's Dark Journey, though certainly a glum piece of media, ultimately concludes on a decisively positive note and thus paved the way for a more positive future. So who else to bring in for our heroes' triumphant return than fan favorite Aaron Allston, joining his X-Wing co-author Michael Stackpole in penning an NJO duology. Allston's first NJO novel, Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, is exactly the feel-good break from all the conflict the series needed and more.
Borleias Occupation, Day X
Sernpidal. Ithor. Duro. Yavin IV. Coruscant. By Rebel Dream, the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion has cost the New Republic and its people multiple worlds already. This novel, however, marks a shift in this development. After playing minor roles throughout the previous NJO novels, Wedge Antilles once more takes up the leading role to oversee the capture and defense of Borleias,a planet of X-Wing series fame. The recapturing, which already takes place at the very beginning of the novel, brilliantly establishes Enemy Lines I's core thesis: the Good Guys have returned, and they're ready to take back what is rightly theirs. What a breath of fresh air after the depressing last two novels. Allston really seems almost singularly devoted to making the reader sit back and have a good time, and it shows. Wedge and Tycho get to plan out Rogue/Wraith-esque plans while simultaneously dealing with the NR's corrupt Old Guard; Jaina, Kyp, and Jag return from their trip on Hapes and continue their work on the Trickster Goddess Deception with help from the Wraiths, all the while sorting things out between one another; Han and Leia, too, manage to sort things out after the events of Star by Star. As is typical with Allston, there are some great character moments, too; with Jaina, Jag, Leia, and Tahiri especially coming out of this as stronger individuals than they were previously. Allston's second main strength, his ever-present comedic touch, is of course present again, too. I haven't laughed this hard at a Star Wars novel since... Starfighters of Adumar, his previous EU novel. Figures. Rebel Dream's triumphant tone, its positive character developments, and its penchant for humor make for an easy, enjoyable read, though one thing that might disappoint some readers is the relative lack of series changing events here; Borleias is a strategically important staging place for a campaign towards the Core, sure, but it just doesn't compare to the fall of an Ithor or the deaths of important political characters, like in Star by Star. But I personally don't subscribe to this criticism, as the abundance of character moments and developments here - just think of Jaina, Leia, or even Wedge - makes up for it. No, if anything, I believe the only real problem here lies in how much Rebel Dream feels like set-up for the next book. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Luke's subplot, which mostly just consists of planning a mission, with only its beginning being presented at the very end, here. Perhaps the direction Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand takes will change my mind, but for now, Rebel Dream feels much less like its own chapter in the NJO's story (think Onslaught, Hero's Trial, and Conquest, the other first entries in a duology) and more just the first half of a bigger story (like what Specter of the Past was to Vision of the Future). There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this approach, but I personally just prefer it when all entries in a given series manage to stand completely on their own.
Yuuzhan Vong Worldship, Coruscant Orbit
So, what are the Yuuzhan Vong doing, now that the tables have ostensibly been turned? Firstly, Rebel Stand serves as a continuation of Tsavong Lah and Viqi Shesh's experiences in Star by Star. Viqi, awaiting her inevitable execution for her failure to kidnap Ben Skywalker, ultimately manages to save her hide by giving the Warmaster a potential explanation for his problems with his regenerating arm. Scheming up the most ridiculous yet plausible explanation for a problem at hand, propelled by her fear for her life and the resulting anger and giving the most convincing show as to why she shouldn't be killed just yet, this is Viqi at her absolute best. I didn't particularly care for Tsavong Lah until his showing in Star by Star, and I can thankfully say that he is similarly interesting in this novel again. The previous books established heresy within the Yuuzhan Vong's ranks, breeding uncertainty and mistrust, and now Tsavong Lah himself is becoming suspicious of the people around him as a result of Viqi's suggestion. He even calls an important character of the past to help investigate, which is a great connection that will hopefully result in something more in the next EL book. After the awesomely hilarious failure of his son Khalee, Tsavong has decided to bring his elderly father and former Warmaster Czulkang Lah out of retirement to deal with the Borleias situation. Czulkang is another example of just how great the individual Yuuzhan Vong characters can be. Though initially opposed to his people's crusade against the SW galaxy, he is nevertheless willing to support Tsavong in his quest and, more prominently, teach the next generation with a method of teaching that could best be described as "tough but fair". Czulkang Lah made a great first impression and I can't wait to see more of him. If the heroes' side teases a change of direction in how the war develops, the YV's plot here goes even further, bringing in lingering feelings of a soon-to-be-had shakeup. Viqi is ostensibly on her last legs, Tsavong Lah's conspiracy plot seems like it will reach its conclusion soon, too, and the appearance of the former warmaster brings in yet another layer of escalation; all of that is not even to mention Jaina and her heresy plot. The YV might have started without much inner turmoil at the earlier points in the series - which was a totally fine decision for those books to take, if I might add - they have become a fully fleshed out villainous force by now, a much more interesting villain than the Empire and its Remnant ever were. The New Jedi Order is great because of the Yuuzhan Vong, not in spite of them.
Coruscant System
There is much more that could be talked about, but I feel like these two paragraphs fittingly sum up my feelings on Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream. It is simply a joy to read. Perhaps not quite as good as Allston's best in Starfighters of Adumar, and not quite good enough to dethrone Edge of Victory I: Conquest as my current favorite NJO novel, but top tier Star Wars content nevertheless. The heroes are back, the tides have turned, and now the Vong have our heroes to fear, and not the other way around. So where else to continue our campaign than in the former capital, Coruscant itself? With that, we move on to the next book in this duology, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
August 31, 2023
Primeira leitura: 2011
Releitura: 2023
4.5/5
Como sempre: spoilers de todos os livros que vieram antes.
Esse é provavelmente o livro mais difícil de avaliar até o momento? A duologia Enemy Lines tem um lugar especial no meu coração, mesmo eu lembrando praticamente nada sobre o enredo. Lembro muito da sensação de "essa história é incrível demais, socorro." e reler gerou uma certa decepção. Não que a história não seja boa, é incrível pra caramba, porém, não veio o sentimento da primeira leitura.
Esse livro foi a minha introdução ao Aaron Allston e está bem claro que ele escreveu livros para a série X-Wing. As batalhas espaciais são de tirar o fôlego e rever personagens sempre dá um quentinho no coração. Wedge Antilles tá maravilhoso e é muito legal ver como a galera que foi da Aliança Rebelde tá tomando as rédeas do conflito depois da queda de Coruscant. A decisão de usar estratégias imperiais é um golpe de gênio e o rolê da Jaina como a reencarnação de uma deusa pra deixar os inimigos birutinha das ideias é ótima.
O ponto de vista da Jaina nesse livro está infinitamente melhor que em Dark Journey, simplesmente pelo fato de que o tom do conflito interno dela é bem definido. Temos uma mulher sobrecarregada e com medo mas que não pode parar nem um segundo porque pessoas dependem dela. A conversa entre ela e a Leia me pegou demais e fiquei muito feliz em ver elas se entendendo melhor.
O relacionamento Jaina e Jag é muito bem desenvolvido e chega até a ser engraçado em como as cenas deles estavam gravadas muito claramente na minha memória kkkkk. Kyp pensando sobre a Jaina sempre vai me deixar desconfortável, independente das milhões de justificativas na cabeça dele. A espiral de pensamentos do homem quando ele percebe o que tá rolando... Misericórdia.
No geral: bom demais, só fiquei triste que não pude dar o "cinco estrelas favoritado" que dei no passado.
Releitura: 2023
4.5/5
Como sempre: spoilers de todos os livros que vieram antes.
Esse é provavelmente o livro mais difícil de avaliar até o momento? A duologia Enemy Lines tem um lugar especial no meu coração, mesmo eu lembrando praticamente nada sobre o enredo. Lembro muito da sensação de "essa história é incrível demais, socorro." e reler gerou uma certa decepção. Não que a história não seja boa, é incrível pra caramba, porém, não veio o sentimento da primeira leitura.
Esse livro foi a minha introdução ao Aaron Allston e está bem claro que ele escreveu livros para a série X-Wing. As batalhas espaciais são de tirar o fôlego e rever personagens sempre dá um quentinho no coração. Wedge Antilles tá maravilhoso e é muito legal ver como a galera que foi da Aliança Rebelde tá tomando as rédeas do conflito depois da queda de Coruscant. A decisão de usar estratégias imperiais é um golpe de gênio e o rolê da Jaina como a reencarnação de uma deusa pra deixar os inimigos birutinha das ideias é ótima.
O ponto de vista da Jaina nesse livro está infinitamente melhor que em Dark Journey, simplesmente pelo fato de que o tom do conflito interno dela é bem definido. Temos uma mulher sobrecarregada e com medo mas que não pode parar nem um segundo porque pessoas dependem dela. A conversa entre ela e a Leia me pegou demais e fiquei muito feliz em ver elas se entendendo melhor.
O relacionamento Jaina e Jag é muito bem desenvolvido e chega até a ser engraçado em como as cenas deles estavam gravadas muito claramente na minha memória kkkkk. Kyp pensando sobre a Jaina sempre vai me deixar desconfortável, independente das milhões de justificativas na cabeça dele. A espiral de pensamentos do homem quando ele percebe o que tá rolando... Misericórdia.
No geral: bom demais, só fiquei triste que não pude dar o "cinco estrelas favoritado" que dei no passado.
October 6, 2010
I had not read anything by Aaron Allston prior to this book, and I have to say that I think that I have a new favorite in the Star Wars Galaxy. Michael Stackpole is good, and has some very engaging battles, but Allston has a more conversational style. More like he is telling you a story rather than writing a story. I feel like this can make it so that you feel more engaged in the narrative. It also allows for more idioms and more humor. The humor part is nice, because sometimes, I feel like an author tries to get out of our galaxy so much that the writing gets stale. Idioms make the language interesting. If you don't feel like you can use them, then adapt them!!
The storyline itself is really interesting. The characters continue to grow and develop, albeit with some little surprises. One of the pleasant things that was introduced in this book was a little bit of humor. Things like Han Solo asking (jokingly) if he can shoot C-3PO. I don't blame him sometimes, but the way the conversation between Han and Leia at this point is very entertaining. In the middle of this huge war, you have a little bit of happiness. It doesn't distract, it just adds to the overall feeling of the book.
When all is said and done, Rebel Dream is a great Star Wars book in a great series. It takes the characters into new situations which forces them to grow, and the style of the writer makes it easier to engage and really, really, really enjoy the book.
The storyline itself is really interesting. The characters continue to grow and develop, albeit with some little surprises. One of the pleasant things that was introduced in this book was a little bit of humor. Things like Han Solo asking (jokingly) if he can shoot C-3PO. I don't blame him sometimes, but the way the conversation between Han and Leia at this point is very entertaining. In the middle of this huge war, you have a little bit of happiness. It doesn't distract, it just adds to the overall feeling of the book.
When all is said and done, Rebel Dream is a great Star Wars book in a great series. It takes the characters into new situations which forces them to grow, and the style of the writer makes it easier to engage and really, really, really enjoy the book.
May 3, 2008
So, after several books of them being scattered, we once again see all of the primary cast of the NJO get brought back together. This allows for some good character moments, and also allows the action to stay somewhat more focused around the events at hand.
And "action" is definitely the word to keep at hand with this book. It's fast-paced, with a lot more focus on the ship battles and space warfare than a lot of the other books in this series, which is fine for now, but could easily get boring if they steer the series in general in that direction.
The general theme of the book here was kind of Neitzschean, especially his warning of "he who hunts monsters must ensure that, in the process, he does not become a monster." The core of the former Rebel Alliance decides to take the battle to the Yuzhaan Vong in this volume, employing a variety of tactics that can only be described as Imperial and Dark Side in their nature. It's all done for the greater good, naturally, but we can definitely see the path to the Sith being paved with those good intentions.
And "action" is definitely the word to keep at hand with this book. It's fast-paced, with a lot more focus on the ship battles and space warfare than a lot of the other books in this series, which is fine for now, but could easily get boring if they steer the series in general in that direction.
The general theme of the book here was kind of Neitzschean, especially his warning of "he who hunts monsters must ensure that, in the process, he does not become a monster." The core of the former Rebel Alliance decides to take the battle to the Yuzhaan Vong in this volume, employing a variety of tactics that can only be described as Imperial and Dark Side in their nature. It's all done for the greater good, naturally, but we can definitely see the path to the Sith being paved with those good intentions.
August 6, 2016
This is now part of the Legends story line and continues the war with the Vong. In this one, the New Republic has lost Coruscant and this is their answer to that crushing defeat.
This book surprised me as I wasn't expecting much. It was good to see the whole gang together and I liked the inclusion of other characters from other books. The highlight of this book was the characters and how this author portrayed them. I was glad to see that not all characters were despondent and dramatic with their situations and this gave the reader some hope that our heroes do have a fighting chance. This author should be commended for putting the character Jaina back on track. She is dealing with her losses but in a more realistic way. And that is how I feel about this book. It made sense in this story arc.
This book has plenty of action and does give the reader that Star Wars feeling with a nice nod to an earlier period. The only drawback is that this is part of a duology and this book is more of a set up novel.
This book surprised me as I wasn't expecting much. It was good to see the whole gang together and I liked the inclusion of other characters from other books. The highlight of this book was the characters and how this author portrayed them. I was glad to see that not all characters were despondent and dramatic with their situations and this gave the reader some hope that our heroes do have a fighting chance. This author should be commended for putting the character Jaina back on track. She is dealing with her losses but in a more realistic way. And that is how I feel about this book. It made sense in this story arc.
This book has plenty of action and does give the reader that Star Wars feeling with a nice nod to an earlier period. The only drawback is that this is part of a duology and this book is more of a set up novel.
April 25, 2024
Llegué a este libro con bajas expectativas porque inconscientemente, estoy desesperada por llegar a Traitor, pero me encontré con una sorpresa. Este ha sido uno de los libros que más he disfrutado y prácticamente me lo terminé en dos sentadas de lo mucho que me enganchó y que me gustó. No considero que sea un 5 estrellas al nivel de Star by Star; pero es un 5 🌟 merecido por haberlo disfrutado, ser muy entretenido y tener una narrativa estupenda.
En mi mente se sigue repitiendo la escena de la sala de conferencias entre Jag y Jaina. ¡El amor triunfó!, y cada vez amo más a Jagged Fel, este chiss corelliano tiene mi corazón completo. Cuando decía que no se quería morir yo tenía una sonrisota en la cara y daría mi vida por protegerlo a toda costa...
Ahora sí, vayamos a la historia.
Este libro comienza con una faceta de Wedge Antilles que no recuerdo haber visto nunca. Hasta Luke se quedó atónito con las primeras reuniones, porque de la nada se ha vuelto un gran líder que se saca 50 planes por debajo de la manga y no perdona absolutamente nada. Las reuniones llevan a establecer una operación en Borleias, un planeta cerca del Core que alberga una base gigante de Yuuzhan Vong, así que pretenden establecer ellos mismos su base ahí para obtener más conocimiento de estos seres.
También tenemos a Viqi, como siempre, buscando cómo salirse con la suya; pero esta vez está dentro de las naves de los Yuuzhan Vong recibiendo curaciones dolorosas. Viqi, como miembro de la inteligencia del Maestro Bélico Tsavong Lah, le ha propuesto que su garra se niega a curar porque los curanderos la han alterado para que se coma el tejido del brazo.
El libro presenta un personaje muy importante: Tam. Este operador de holocámara que estuvo en la terraformación de Coruscant, es en realidad un agente de los Yuuzhan Vong, quienes lo tienen a dolores de cabeza insoportables a cambio de información.
Por otra parte, ¡se ha creado la Resistencia! Debo admitir que este nuevo círculo rebelde (o los Internos, que es la célula inicial) está muchísimo mejor planeado que las secuelas. No odio las secuelas, pero de Legends algo que me gustó mucho es cómo muestran el nacimiento de todo.
Otros detalles que quiero mencionar, es que por fin Wedge se pudo reunir de nuevo con su esposa Iella y sus hijas. Iella otra vez es la líder de la inteligencia y la sustituta Mara por fin puede seguir con su vida. También nos presentan a un escuadrón de inteligencia llamado los Espectros liderado por Garik Loran. Una nave fue interceptada por guerreros Yuuzhan Vong, y de forma muy cómica, iba dirigida por Alema y por Lando, quienes le terminaron dando una sorpresa a los Vong, guiándolos hacia la bodega donde la caja de "Propiedad de la Academia Jedi. No abrir" llevaba droides YVH. También Luke tuvo una visión de oscuridad consumiendo algo, así que decide ir a Coruscant a investigar y Mara opta por acompañarlo cuando la misión se de. Entre detalles de medio libro también es importante mencionar que elaboran un plan en el que Jaina será la diosa mentirosa de los Yuuzhan Vong para que se confundan, dejando el cargo del escuadrón de Soles Gemelos que le habían dado hace unas 50 páginas antes (aún no encuentro cómo ha aportado esa parte a la historia, pero leer los diálogos de "como desees, diosa" es muy divertido). Se forma un trío de naves entre Jaina, Kyp y Jag, donde intentan que Jag se conecte con los pilotos Jedi para perseguir los mismos objetivos y empiezan a entrenar. También se unen a la historia Sharr Lat y Piggy, quienes se creen expertos en técnicas de psicología Vong y guían a Jaina para ser una diosa creíble.
Como en todos los libros, siempre hay combate en el espacio, y esta vez el escuadrón de Soles Gemelos participa en una batalla contra coralitas y otras fragatas enemigas. Kyp controla las bombas sombra con todo su potencial, sabiendo que incluso Luke había quedado demasiado agotado después de realizar una maniobra similar, pero él cree que es más poderoso en la fuerza y lo hace. Todo se pone mal y al final Jag sugiere un plan en el que él va primero para detener los interceptores. Al final Wedge le ordena a Jaina que se retire y que no vuelva a la zona de batalla cuando Kyp y ella se niegan a saltar al hiperespacio como el resto de fighters, pero se devuelve por Jag y logran escapar.
Y por fin surge la escena del beso entre Jag y Jaina. Fue perfecto. Se sintió como el de Mara y Luke.
En los otros confines de la galaxia, Tare se niega a quedarse en la base que había hecho Lando en zonas poco exploradas de las Fauces y convence a Leia y a Han de quedarse con ellos. Lo logró.
Tam intenta matar a Danni en sus aposentos y se resiste, pero al menos obtuvo la información que necesitaba. Lo que no sabía era que Danni estaba despierta y le informó inmediatamente a Iella.
Jaina y Leia hacen un poco las paces, después de la relación amor-odio que tenían como madre ausente e hija, al fin logran entenderse un poco. Creo que la conversación que tuvo con Tahiri ayudó.
Wedge se saca la última carta bajo la manga en este libro y propone la operación Martillo del Emperador. El último combate es inminente y el Maestro Bélico, ignorando los consejos de su padre, ordena abrir fuego y destruir toda la base de Borleias, que tiene el cultivo del cristal lambert. Jaina y su escuadrón comienzan el combate y se retiran a órdenes de Wedge para que entre el Lusankya, un destructor estelar del Imperio, con la máxima potencia de Legends para que resista el fuego de la Pretoria.
Al final Mara, Luke y Tahiri logran entrar a Coruscant con los trajes/navecitas que habían diseñado unos ingenieros antes para que pudieran entrar a una atmósfera sin quemarse en caída libre. Me causó gracia que Luke la estaba pasando malísimo y Tahiri pidió hacerlo de nuevo.
💫 "No tengo miedo de morir, tengo miedo de sobrevivir y llegar al final de la guerra para descubrir que estoy sola. Que todos aquellos a los que conocía y amaba, han desaparecido" 💫
Me encantó, espero que el próximo resuelva todo lo que quedó pendiente.
En mi mente se sigue repitiendo la escena de la sala de conferencias entre Jag y Jaina. ¡El amor triunfó!, y cada vez amo más a Jagged Fel, este chiss corelliano tiene mi corazón completo. Cuando decía que no se quería morir yo tenía una sonrisota en la cara y daría mi vida por protegerlo a toda costa...
Ahora sí, vayamos a la historia.
Este libro comienza con una faceta de Wedge Antilles que no recuerdo haber visto nunca. Hasta Luke se quedó atónito con las primeras reuniones, porque de la nada se ha vuelto un gran líder que se saca 50 planes por debajo de la manga y no perdona absolutamente nada. Las reuniones llevan a establecer una operación en Borleias, un planeta cerca del Core que alberga una base gigante de Yuuzhan Vong, así que pretenden establecer ellos mismos su base ahí para obtener más conocimiento de estos seres.
También tenemos a Viqi, como siempre, buscando cómo salirse con la suya; pero esta vez está dentro de las naves de los Yuuzhan Vong recibiendo curaciones dolorosas. Viqi, como miembro de la inteligencia del Maestro Bélico Tsavong Lah, le ha propuesto que su garra se niega a curar porque los curanderos la han alterado para que se coma el tejido del brazo.
El libro presenta un personaje muy importante: Tam. Este operador de holocámara que estuvo en la terraformación de Coruscant, es en realidad un agente de los Yuuzhan Vong, quienes lo tienen a dolores de cabeza insoportables a cambio de información.
Por otra parte, ¡se ha creado la Resistencia! Debo admitir que este nuevo círculo rebelde (o los Internos, que es la célula inicial) está muchísimo mejor planeado que las secuelas. No odio las secuelas, pero de Legends algo que me gustó mucho es cómo muestran el nacimiento de todo.
Otros detalles que quiero mencionar, es que por fin Wedge se pudo reunir de nuevo con su esposa Iella y sus hijas. Iella otra vez es la líder de la inteligencia y la sustituta Mara por fin puede seguir con su vida. También nos presentan a un escuadrón de inteligencia llamado los Espectros liderado por Garik Loran. Una nave fue interceptada por guerreros Yuuzhan Vong, y de forma muy cómica, iba dirigida por Alema y por Lando, quienes le terminaron dando una sorpresa a los Vong, guiándolos hacia la bodega donde la caja de "Propiedad de la Academia Jedi. No abrir" llevaba droides YVH. También Luke tuvo una visión de oscuridad consumiendo algo, así que decide ir a Coruscant a investigar y Mara opta por acompañarlo cuando la misión se de. Entre detalles de medio libro también es importante mencionar que elaboran un plan en el que Jaina será la diosa mentirosa de los Yuuzhan Vong para que se confundan, dejando el cargo del escuadrón de Soles Gemelos que le habían dado hace unas 50 páginas antes (aún no encuentro cómo ha aportado esa parte a la historia, pero leer los diálogos de "como desees, diosa" es muy divertido). Se forma un trío de naves entre Jaina, Kyp y Jag, donde intentan que Jag se conecte con los pilotos Jedi para perseguir los mismos objetivos y empiezan a entrenar. También se unen a la historia Sharr Lat y Piggy, quienes se creen expertos en técnicas de psicología Vong y guían a Jaina para ser una diosa creíble.
Como en todos los libros, siempre hay combate en el espacio, y esta vez el escuadrón de Soles Gemelos participa en una batalla contra coralitas y otras fragatas enemigas. Kyp controla las bombas sombra con todo su potencial, sabiendo que incluso Luke había quedado demasiado agotado después de realizar una maniobra similar, pero él cree que es más poderoso en la fuerza y lo hace. Todo se pone mal y al final Jag sugiere un plan en el que él va primero para detener los interceptores. Al final Wedge le ordena a Jaina que se retire y que no vuelva a la zona de batalla cuando Kyp y ella se niegan a saltar al hiperespacio como el resto de fighters, pero se devuelve por Jag y logran escapar.
Y por fin surge la escena del beso entre Jag y Jaina. Fue perfecto. Se sintió como el de Mara y Luke.
En los otros confines de la galaxia, Tare se niega a quedarse en la base que había hecho Lando en zonas poco exploradas de las Fauces y convence a Leia y a Han de quedarse con ellos. Lo logró.
Tam intenta matar a Danni en sus aposentos y se resiste, pero al menos obtuvo la información que necesitaba. Lo que no sabía era que Danni estaba despierta y le informó inmediatamente a Iella.
Jaina y Leia hacen un poco las paces, después de la relación amor-odio que tenían como madre ausente e hija, al fin logran entenderse un poco. Creo que la conversación que tuvo con Tahiri ayudó.
Wedge se saca la última carta bajo la manga en este libro y propone la operación Martillo del Emperador. El último combate es inminente y el Maestro Bélico, ignorando los consejos de su padre, ordena abrir fuego y destruir toda la base de Borleias, que tiene el cultivo del cristal lambert. Jaina y su escuadrón comienzan el combate y se retiran a órdenes de Wedge para que entre el Lusankya, un destructor estelar del Imperio, con la máxima potencia de Legends para que resista el fuego de la Pretoria.
Al final Mara, Luke y Tahiri logran entrar a Coruscant con los trajes/navecitas que habían diseñado unos ingenieros antes para que pudieran entrar a una atmósfera sin quemarse en caída libre. Me causó gracia que Luke la estaba pasando malísimo y Tahiri pidió hacerlo de nuevo.
💫 "No tengo miedo de morir, tengo miedo de sobrevivir y llegar al final de la guerra para descubrir que estoy sola. Que todos aquellos a los que conocía y amaba, han desaparecido" 💫
Me encantó, espero que el próximo resuelva todo lo que quedó pendiente.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2025
This book was VERY good! But you have to know about star wars legends in order to read it. It was really, really powerful and really sad.
May 7, 2024
The rebellion was formed to overthrow the empire, the empire fell and the new Republic was formed. The new Republic fell and formed... THE RESISTANCE!!! I see what you did there J.J. Abrams 😏
Second time reading, went from 4 stars to 5 stars! Now that I've read the books prior to the NJO series, previous characters and events bring back some nostalgia and smaller plots click a lot better.
Jaina's character since the events of Star by Star and Dark Journey keeps getting explored. I enjoyed reading her growth and interactions with people as she deals with her personal dilemmas
Second time reading, went from 4 stars to 5 stars! Now that I've read the books prior to the NJO series, previous characters and events bring back some nostalgia and smaller plots click a lot better.
Jaina's character since the events of Star by Star and Dark Journey keeps getting explored. I enjoyed reading her growth and interactions with people as she deals with her personal dilemmas
April 8, 2021
It was fun seeing Allston's characters and humor again. I'm looking forward to Enemy Lines 2, though I'm taking a quick break from the New Jedi Order for a book or two.
February 11, 2024
Though Dark Journey was the book immediately following Star by Star, it didn't really follow up on the developments of that book, instead focusing on some character work, mostly with Jaina. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, is better at addressing those developments and following up on them, showing us the current state of the war.
First off, the focus on Wedge is a welcome change. With Borsk out of the way and the Advisory Council effectively powerless, the military can finally engage the Vong much more effectively. And Wedge, with the help of some of his trusted friends and advisors, comes up with some very effective strategies to hold off the Vong as long as possible. But, as Tycho says, Wedge can't even fail when he tries to, since the Lusankya shows up and beats the shit out of the Vong at Borleias. Wedge has to come up with some more effective strategies for dealing with a more adept enemy commander, and looks back to the days of the early Galactic Civil War, using tactics from both the Rebellion and the Empire. I liked the use of orbital bombardment especially.
I like how Allston expands greatly on Jaina's character once she shows up. Though she's overcome the Dark Side, she is still pretty closed off from her family. In comes Jag, who breaks down all of her barriers and shows her just how selfish she has been acting. Naturally, they grow very close during this time. I like that they are together, it is a huge step forward in Jaina's characterisation. They, with Kyp, come up with some really interesting piloting techniques, such as coordinating laser blasts to within milliseconds of each other. These help Jaina in her role as the Trickster. I thought it was a great idea for Wraith Squadron to help Jaina in this area. Piggy and Sharr Latt are simply hilarious, in true Allston style. Nevertheless, their advice to Jaina is very helpful in throwing the Vong for a loop.
The other plots of the book were pretty good. From the pathetic attempts at spy work by Tam Elgrin to the Solos dealing with Tarc, there is a lot of good material in this novel. Lando has some pretty good scenes, mostly when he is working with his YVH droid. 1-1A has some pretty good character moments himself, as he develops more of a personality and begins to get on Lando's nerves, ensuing in much hilarity. The Vong parts were pretty good, too. I was actually rooting for Tsavong Lah in his attempts to root out sabotage in regards to his new arm. I liked the use of Nen Yim as a truly competent shaper who is not inhibited by any notion of the gods. There was an interesting dynamic between Tsavong lah and his dad. It was also neat seeing what constitutes as a Vong classroom. Czulkang Lah certainly knows how to play the game of war, and he's not quite as blinded by his faith as some other warriors are, similar to Nen Yim.
I think the only glaring flaw of this book is the setup for the mission to Coruscant. Luke has his vision of darkness pretty early in the novel. We know it takes place over the course of at least a few weeks, so that seems like a bit of a long time for Luke to prepare for his mission. Otherwise, there is not much wrong with this novel. Allston is a pro at writing space combat, especially with starfighters, and his knack for humor is unchanged since the X-Wing books.
I give this 4/5 stars for another great NJO book. It has lots of great action scenes, and greatly emotional character scenes, like Jag kissing Jaina, or Leia's talk with Jaina. They all have buildup throughout the novel, and therefore resonate that much more.
First off, the focus on Wedge is a welcome change. With Borsk out of the way and the Advisory Council effectively powerless, the military can finally engage the Vong much more effectively. And Wedge, with the help of some of his trusted friends and advisors, comes up with some very effective strategies to hold off the Vong as long as possible. But, as Tycho says, Wedge can't even fail when he tries to, since the Lusankya shows up and beats the shit out of the Vong at Borleias. Wedge has to come up with some more effective strategies for dealing with a more adept enemy commander, and looks back to the days of the early Galactic Civil War, using tactics from both the Rebellion and the Empire. I liked the use of orbital bombardment especially.
I like how Allston expands greatly on Jaina's character once she shows up. Though she's overcome the Dark Side, she is still pretty closed off from her family. In comes Jag, who breaks down all of her barriers and shows her just how selfish she has been acting. Naturally, they grow very close during this time. I like that they are together, it is a huge step forward in Jaina's characterisation. They, with Kyp, come up with some really interesting piloting techniques, such as coordinating laser blasts to within milliseconds of each other. These help Jaina in her role as the Trickster. I thought it was a great idea for Wraith Squadron to help Jaina in this area. Piggy and Sharr Latt are simply hilarious, in true Allston style. Nevertheless, their advice to Jaina is very helpful in throwing the Vong for a loop.
The other plots of the book were pretty good. From the pathetic attempts at spy work by Tam Elgrin to the Solos dealing with Tarc, there is a lot of good material in this novel. Lando has some pretty good scenes, mostly when he is working with his YVH droid. 1-1A has some pretty good character moments himself, as he develops more of a personality and begins to get on Lando's nerves, ensuing in much hilarity. The Vong parts were pretty good, too. I was actually rooting for Tsavong Lah in his attempts to root out sabotage in regards to his new arm. I liked the use of Nen Yim as a truly competent shaper who is not inhibited by any notion of the gods. There was an interesting dynamic between Tsavong lah and his dad. It was also neat seeing what constitutes as a Vong classroom. Czulkang Lah certainly knows how to play the game of war, and he's not quite as blinded by his faith as some other warriors are, similar to Nen Yim.
I think the only glaring flaw of this book is the setup for the mission to Coruscant. Luke has his vision of darkness pretty early in the novel. We know it takes place over the course of at least a few weeks, so that seems like a bit of a long time for Luke to prepare for his mission. Otherwise, there is not much wrong with this novel. Allston is a pro at writing space combat, especially with starfighters, and his knack for humor is unchanged since the X-Wing books.
I give this 4/5 stars for another great NJO book. It has lots of great action scenes, and greatly emotional character scenes, like Jag kissing Jaina, or Leia's talk with Jaina. They all have buildup throughout the novel, and therefore resonate that much more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 8, 2021
Much like Dark Journey this feels like a filler novel that does not really contribute much to the advancement of the overall plot. Unlike its predecessor, however, rather than heavily focusing on its own little side-plot, this novel is more concerned with setting the scene for its successor.
It took me a relatively long time to warm up to this story. My initial lack of interest was presumably heavily driven by the focus placed on Wedge Antilles, which is most prominent in the beginning. It seems to me that the lengthy New Jedi Order series grants each of the more important characters their personal time to shine in one of its installments (e.g. Jaina in Dark Journey or Anakin in Star By Star) and now it is Wedge’s turn. While I think that precisely its giving characters beyond the core group more room is a strength of the series, I could have gone without this story. Personally, I think Wedge is a relatively bland character that I’ve never been all that interested in so I guess that made it harder for me to build interest here. Admittedly, Allston portrays Wedge in a way that gives him a level of grit that I think he usually lacks. Plus, the focus becomes less prominent as the novel progresses, so it’s not really an issue.
Plot-wise this novel is not particularly strong, but not boring either. There are many action scenes and it is pretty heavy on space battles. Nevertheless, I think the resolutions of the individual story arcs are often rather anticlimactic. For one, there is this story line around camera operator Tam. Throughout the novel he is built up as a big threat to the operation on Borleias just to conveniently sacrifice himself hence solving the problem without any action needing to be taken by any of the main characters. For another, some big novel tactic is constantly hinted at which eventually turns out to just be a rather underwhelming recycled Imperial standard procedure. The most interesting arc that is developed, i.e. the mission to Coruscant, is not resolved at all but left to be dealt with in the second installment of the Enemy Lines duology giving it a strong position to start from.
Besides that, Rebel Dream portrays some interesting ideas in a somewhat clumsy way. For instance, it makes perfect sense to exploit Jaina’s special position in the eyes of the Vong and her association with the trickster goddess. Still, the whole reasoning behind her receiving special treatment felt weird. I felt similarly about the argumentation behind returning to Rebellion tactics and the need to form a Resistance.
In my opinion this is one of the weaker novels of the series. While it does get better towards the end, somehow it never wholly managed to captivate me. Notwithstanding it sets up an interesting scenario for Rebel Stand, giving me the impression that I will probably like this one better.
It took me a relatively long time to warm up to this story. My initial lack of interest was presumably heavily driven by the focus placed on Wedge Antilles, which is most prominent in the beginning. It seems to me that the lengthy New Jedi Order series grants each of the more important characters their personal time to shine in one of its installments (e.g. Jaina in Dark Journey or Anakin in Star By Star) and now it is Wedge’s turn. While I think that precisely its giving characters beyond the core group more room is a strength of the series, I could have gone without this story. Personally, I think Wedge is a relatively bland character that I’ve never been all that interested in so I guess that made it harder for me to build interest here. Admittedly, Allston portrays Wedge in a way that gives him a level of grit that I think he usually lacks. Plus, the focus becomes less prominent as the novel progresses, so it’s not really an issue.
Plot-wise this novel is not particularly strong, but not boring either. There are many action scenes and it is pretty heavy on space battles. Nevertheless, I think the resolutions of the individual story arcs are often rather anticlimactic. For one, there is this story line around camera operator Tam. Throughout the novel he is built up as a big threat to the operation on Borleias just to conveniently sacrifice himself hence solving the problem without any action needing to be taken by any of the main characters. For another, some big novel tactic is constantly hinted at which eventually turns out to just be a rather underwhelming recycled Imperial standard procedure. The most interesting arc that is developed, i.e. the mission to Coruscant, is not resolved at all but left to be dealt with in the second installment of the Enemy Lines duology giving it a strong position to start from.
Besides that, Rebel Dream portrays some interesting ideas in a somewhat clumsy way. For instance, it makes perfect sense to exploit Jaina’s special position in the eyes of the Vong and her association with the trickster goddess. Still, the whole reasoning behind her receiving special treatment felt weird. I felt similarly about the argumentation behind returning to Rebellion tactics and the need to form a Resistance.
In my opinion this is one of the weaker novels of the series. While it does get better towards the end, somehow it never wholly managed to captivate me. Notwithstanding it sets up an interesting scenario for Rebel Stand, giving me the impression that I will probably like this one better.
December 16, 2024
7/10
Really good! This was a great way to come back to the series after a longer break.
This book, to me, is quintessential NJO. Great character dynamics, well-written action, and a thoroughly Star Wars feel. Enemy Lines I is short and sweet, focused and very entertaining. I won’t say it belongs among the greats, but I honestly struggle to think of much it did wrong. It’s only not great because it isn’t allowed to be in the grand scheme of the plot, but for a smaller story I was very impressed.
My favorite thing about this book is the focus, a strength it shares with another favorite, the Anakin/Yavin-4 centered Edge of Victory I. The plot centers entirely around Borleias and the big question of “what now?” following the apocalyptic events of Star by Star. Almost every important character gets to shine here, and in such a short duration that’s an impressive feat. I also was a big fan of how focused this book was on Wedge, and he ended up being one of my favorite characters.
Another highlight was the space combat. I was never really a fan of reading space combat in the previous books, as I felt it really didn’t translate well to the page, but this book proved me wrong. The initial assault on Borleias and everything with the Twin-suns was a great read. Every move and turn felt visceral, and the feats described felt properly weighty (shadow bombs are fucking awesome).
Really loved the continued focus on the Jaina, Kyp, and Jag trio from Dark Journey. Jaina’s development in particular I really liked, and the conversation she has with Leia towards the end is really emotional. Tarc of all people had a nice character arc with Han and Leia and it was actually very sweet. Wraith squadron were really fun to read, and I honestly might check out there books just based on how great their chemistry was here.
On the Yuuzhan Vong side, Tsavong Lah and his father were great antagonists, I really liked seeing tsavong lah put in his place for the first time in the series. Viqi Sesh is still rather confusing, but she is the only weak point in the antagonists.
Only other complaint is I wish they made Operation Starlancer clearer. It’s got a cool description, but its purpose was pretty nebulous and underwhelming. Operation Emperors Hand, introduced in the last thirty pages, was way more interesting and impactful.
A really great read. If part II builds off this one in a satisfying way, this might become my favorite duology in the series. Edge of Victory I will still be my favorite book out of the duologies, but I hope Enemy Lines II gives a better follow-up than Edge of Victory II.
Really good! This was a great way to come back to the series after a longer break.
This book, to me, is quintessential NJO. Great character dynamics, well-written action, and a thoroughly Star Wars feel. Enemy Lines I is short and sweet, focused and very entertaining. I won’t say it belongs among the greats, but I honestly struggle to think of much it did wrong. It’s only not great because it isn’t allowed to be in the grand scheme of the plot, but for a smaller story I was very impressed.
My favorite thing about this book is the focus, a strength it shares with another favorite, the Anakin/Yavin-4 centered Edge of Victory I. The plot centers entirely around Borleias and the big question of “what now?” following the apocalyptic events of Star by Star. Almost every important character gets to shine here, and in such a short duration that’s an impressive feat. I also was a big fan of how focused this book was on Wedge, and he ended up being one of my favorite characters.
Another highlight was the space combat. I was never really a fan of reading space combat in the previous books, as I felt it really didn’t translate well to the page, but this book proved me wrong. The initial assault on Borleias and everything with the Twin-suns was a great read. Every move and turn felt visceral, and the feats described felt properly weighty (shadow bombs are fucking awesome).
Really loved the continued focus on the Jaina, Kyp, and Jag trio from Dark Journey. Jaina’s development in particular I really liked, and the conversation she has with Leia towards the end is really emotional. Tarc of all people had a nice character arc with Han and Leia and it was actually very sweet. Wraith squadron were really fun to read, and I honestly might check out there books just based on how great their chemistry was here.
On the Yuuzhan Vong side, Tsavong Lah and his father were great antagonists, I really liked seeing tsavong lah put in his place for the first time in the series. Viqi Sesh is still rather confusing, but she is the only weak point in the antagonists.
Only other complaint is I wish they made Operation Starlancer clearer. It’s got a cool description, but its purpose was pretty nebulous and underwhelming. Operation Emperors Hand, introduced in the last thirty pages, was way more interesting and impactful.
A really great read. If part II builds off this one in a satisfying way, this might become my favorite duology in the series. Edge of Victory I will still be my favorite book out of the duologies, but I hope Enemy Lines II gives a better follow-up than Edge of Victory II.
November 3, 2024
4.5
WOOOOOO
Absolutely, this is what I'm looking for in star wars. This goes with Clone Wars and ROTS for me.
The character work is much better than it usually is for Star Wars (but on point for Allston who has set himself quite the high standard). The rewards for reading most of the EU, specifically X wing, are massive here. There are so many rewarding character appearances, references and components of the new republic that are so cool to see in action.
Jaina and Wedge both are the stand out characters here and they both get moments that are long overdue that no author has been smart or brave enough to approach. Dark Journey was dangerous for the mistreatment it put Jaina's character development through but Allston really saved things here. Every other character also feels exactly as they should. Most of the time Han speaks had me thinking about how I want to be half as cool as he is, just like when I was a kid watching the OT. Realistically, this entire book had me feeling like a kid and really that is what we are going for with Star Wars.
Another key component, the cool factor is off the charts here. I mean we have wraith squadron and jedi team ups for orbital drop missions and an elite team of starfighters using tactics and strong force connections with eachother to overcome anything the Yuzhan Vong come up with. This is the true potential of Star Wars realized once again. Also a special shout out to Wedge's leadership and tactical mind once again!
I also want to mention that in the past Allston has had attempts at romance so bad, they took the book down but here the little tastes of it are well done. Already established character's like Leia and Han have excellent chemistry while budding romances are handled without rush and serve to enhance all characters involved.
WOOOOOO
Absolutely, this is what I'm looking for in star wars. This goes with Clone Wars and ROTS for me.
The character work is much better than it usually is for Star Wars (but on point for Allston who has set himself quite the high standard). The rewards for reading most of the EU, specifically X wing, are massive here. There are so many rewarding character appearances, references and components of the new republic that are so cool to see in action.
Jaina and Wedge both are the stand out characters here and they both get moments that are long overdue that no author has been smart or brave enough to approach. Dark Journey was dangerous for the mistreatment it put Jaina's character development through but Allston really saved things here. Every other character also feels exactly as they should. Most of the time Han speaks had me thinking about how I want to be half as cool as he is, just like when I was a kid watching the OT. Realistically, this entire book had me feeling like a kid and really that is what we are going for with Star Wars.
Another key component, the cool factor is off the charts here. I mean we have wraith squadron and jedi team ups for orbital drop missions and an elite team of starfighters using tactics and strong force connections with eachother to overcome anything the Yuzhan Vong come up with. This is the true potential of Star Wars realized once again. Also a special shout out to Wedge's leadership and tactical mind once again!
I also want to mention that in the past Allston has had attempts at romance so bad, they took the book down but here the little tastes of it are well done. Already established character's like Leia and Han have excellent chemistry while budding romances are handled without rush and serve to enhance all characters involved.
July 26, 2023
(NOTE: At the time of this review, this is the fifteenth "STAR WARS Legends" book I have read that takes place post-Return of the Jedi, with the others being the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy, "Darksaber" and the ten books that introduce the Yuuzhan Vong, "The New Jedi Order". This review will only focus on this book; should I complete the series, the final review of the overarching series will be found in the nineteenth book.)
"With the heart of the New Republic captured by the Yuuzhan Vong, the refugees and survivors of the invasion prepare for the worst. But even as the Vong prepare to crush them on the moon on Borealis, there is one man among them who has a chance at helping the people regain hope or leading them in a suicidal defense plan....
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker senses a great evil rising on Coruscant...one that is strong in the dark side..."
I gave this book five stars because this felt really well paced, the action made sense, and it also felt more like "Star Wars" rather than a sci-fi horror.
Sure, I didn't like everything done in this book, but the things that I did like trumped the things I didn't like.
Overall, I think it deserves five stars and a 9/10; the fact I finished this in one day should also say enough about this book.
-----SPOILERS-----
So, in the beginning, I thought "Lando's troops" were of flesh and blood. So when he stopped a decapitated head with his foot and the narration said it was his "first casualty of the day" in a casual tone, I thought that Lando had become a cold-hearted badbutt general. However, it was merely a fake-out because Lando's troops were Yuuzhan Vong Hunter droids (YVHs for short).
Once I understood that, I appreciated the style. In fact, a lot of the pacing in this book just felt like a long exhale after holding my breath for all the other books I have read in this series. It FELT like "Star Wars", even with the Yuuzhan Vong.
In a skirmish with the Vong, Luke sees a creature he had stopped before (I am assuming this was the creature he defeated using a dovin basal back in "DARK TIDE: Onslaught") and admits that though he had stopped one before, he had passed out, and so he attempts to take it down using a different method.
I appreciate that.
I think this book referenced the X-Wing series (I know the title "Krytos Trap", but even without reading those books, there was just enough info to glean the important details.
So Mara and Luke argue....and it kinda had me wonder if Mara has lost that many arguments with Luke in their married life...
Kyp moved a dovin basal like Luke did in "Dark Tide: Onslaught".
I liked Viqi Sesh in this novel.
Despite being desperate, she is able to manipulate Tsavong La into becoming suspicious of the shapers and their "divinities". This leads him to bring in Nen Yim, from the "Edge of Victory" duology.
Han and Leia are recruited to create a new network in addition to the Jedi river Luke wanted. The part where Leia says in every scenario they go to Coruscant (according to her visions) Han dies gave me shivers. It was so good to see the importance of the Force in that moment.
Danni Quee is also in this novel. I know Tam is being manipulated, but not only is he a terrible spy, but he comes off as desperate to get in close with her. Not the best part, but easily overlooked in the grander scheme of things. I guess Tam is pretty much dead for his sacrifice...(couldn't help but think of "good soldiers follow orders" whenever I read Tam's segments).
I've kind of noticed Jag is like Thrawn with his predictions of Jaina's flight patterns. I guess he's human, but I keep finding myself picturing a Chiss with red eyes instead of a human...
...but now it appears that he is starting to develop his relationship with Jaina more.
Didn't realize Wedge was his uncle though.
Speaking of Wedge.....here's the thing about this novel I love so much:
Despite the stakes of the dark side power on Coruscant, despite the potential loss of Jacen and the Solos' grief over Anakin....Wedge was the main character of this particular book. He may not have had as much page time as the primary trio from the Original Trilogy, but it was so refreshing to know that the story was not relying on Luke's saber or Leia's Force powers to save the day.
No, it took an ordinary man with military experience to tactically outsmart his enemies in a desperate scenario. So even with Luke's misgivings and his desperate actions to head to Coruscant to crush the dark side threat, I didn't care much about that part of this story.
Nevertheless, the story about an inner Rebellion that would operate to get more resources against the Vong felt so RIGHT. They call themselves "the Resistance"; it's not only against the Vong, but also goes against the "powers" of Coruscant's government figures.
So finally, FINALLY, the heroes fight back in ways that MEAN something for the overall invasion.
Unfortunately, despite the complete feeling of this story, it still ends on a cliff hanger....
OVERALL, despite it's flaws, I LOVED this book, so I'll give it a 9/10; It felt like "Star Wars", the space battles were easy to follow, and it MEANT something for the overall story of the invasion. A definite must for this series, even if half of it feels unnecessary.
I will dive deeper into the importance of reading this book in the final review of "The Unifying Force".
MY NOTES:
- Luke tingle
- Lando and the head (?) (pg 15)
- ranges (rakamat) (pg 19)
- Rogue One (pg 27)
- Krytos X-wing novels referenced (pg 27)
- Has Luke ever won an argument with Mara while married? (pg 35)
- Vong scarabs
- Viqi uses Palpatine methods.
- Hot chocolate
- Luke sees a vision of Wedge shooting Pwoe in the face (TLJ) (pg 51)
- "whistled while she worked" (pg 149)
- The Rebel Alliance fought soft (pg 57)?; a new Resistance...
- "a me and a them" (pg 59)
- Luke; Dagobah vision? Dark side evil on Coruscant (pg 66)
- Cameraman Tam (pg 75)
- Tsavong Lah's doubts are planted [by Viqi Sesh] (pg 84)
- Rebel Dream (pg 112): [at Leia's] bAc (beck and call).
- Recount of "Dark Journey" (pg 120) ((seems like a mistake; wrong page number??))
- Nen Yim (pg 122)
- TLJ—"mystic" (pg 135)
- Czulkang Lah (father) (pg 142)
- whistle while work (pg 149)
- Alema's advances (pg 150)
- Jag is a Thrawn (pg 166)
- sensors (backpack) (pg 171)
- Jaina reads Mara (pg 212)
- Kyp moved a black hole.
- Jaina & Jag (pg 246)
- Danni Quee (pg 261)
- superweapon (pg 262)
- Operation Emperor's Hammer (pg 264)
- Tam rejects orders (pg 276)
- Lando: "Good feeling about this." (pg 296)
- Tahiri's pod
- Orbital bombardment
"With the heart of the New Republic captured by the Yuuzhan Vong, the refugees and survivors of the invasion prepare for the worst. But even as the Vong prepare to crush them on the moon on Borealis, there is one man among them who has a chance at helping the people regain hope or leading them in a suicidal defense plan....
Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker senses a great evil rising on Coruscant...one that is strong in the dark side..."
I gave this book five stars because this felt really well paced, the action made sense, and it also felt more like "Star Wars" rather than a sci-fi horror.
Sure, I didn't like everything done in this book, but the things that I did like trumped the things I didn't like.
Overall, I think it deserves five stars and a 9/10; the fact I finished this in one day should also say enough about this book.
-----SPOILERS-----
So, in the beginning, I thought "Lando's troops" were of flesh and blood. So when he stopped a decapitated head with his foot and the narration said it was his "first casualty of the day" in a casual tone, I thought that Lando had become a cold-hearted badbutt general. However, it was merely a fake-out because Lando's troops were Yuuzhan Vong Hunter droids (YVHs for short).
Once I understood that, I appreciated the style. In fact, a lot of the pacing in this book just felt like a long exhale after holding my breath for all the other books I have read in this series. It FELT like "Star Wars", even with the Yuuzhan Vong.
In a skirmish with the Vong, Luke sees a creature he had stopped before (I am assuming this was the creature he defeated using a dovin basal back in "DARK TIDE: Onslaught") and admits that though he had stopped one before, he had passed out, and so he attempts to take it down using a different method.
I appreciate that.
I think this book referenced the X-Wing series (I know the title "Krytos Trap", but even without reading those books, there was just enough info to glean the important details.
So Mara and Luke argue....and it kinda had me wonder if Mara has lost that many arguments with Luke in their married life...
Kyp moved a dovin basal like Luke did in "Dark Tide: Onslaught".
I liked Viqi Sesh in this novel.
Despite being desperate, she is able to manipulate Tsavong La into becoming suspicious of the shapers and their "divinities". This leads him to bring in Nen Yim, from the "Edge of Victory" duology.
Han and Leia are recruited to create a new network in addition to the Jedi river Luke wanted. The part where Leia says in every scenario they go to Coruscant (according to her visions) Han dies gave me shivers. It was so good to see the importance of the Force in that moment.
Danni Quee is also in this novel. I know Tam is being manipulated, but not only is he a terrible spy, but he comes off as desperate to get in close with her. Not the best part, but easily overlooked in the grander scheme of things. I guess Tam is pretty much dead for his sacrifice...(couldn't help but think of "good soldiers follow orders" whenever I read Tam's segments).
I've kind of noticed Jag is like Thrawn with his predictions of Jaina's flight patterns. I guess he's human, but I keep finding myself picturing a Chiss with red eyes instead of a human...
...but now it appears that he is starting to develop his relationship with Jaina more.
Didn't realize Wedge was his uncle though.
Speaking of Wedge.....here's the thing about this novel I love so much:
Despite the stakes of the dark side power on Coruscant, despite the potential loss of Jacen and the Solos' grief over Anakin....Wedge was the main character of this particular book. He may not have had as much page time as the primary trio from the Original Trilogy, but it was so refreshing to know that the story was not relying on Luke's saber or Leia's Force powers to save the day.
No, it took an ordinary man with military experience to tactically outsmart his enemies in a desperate scenario. So even with Luke's misgivings and his desperate actions to head to Coruscant to crush the dark side threat, I didn't care much about that part of this story.
Nevertheless, the story about an inner Rebellion that would operate to get more resources against the Vong felt so RIGHT. They call themselves "the Resistance"; it's not only against the Vong, but also goes against the "powers" of Coruscant's government figures.
So finally, FINALLY, the heroes fight back in ways that MEAN something for the overall invasion.
Unfortunately, despite the complete feeling of this story, it still ends on a cliff hanger....
OVERALL, despite it's flaws, I LOVED this book, so I'll give it a 9/10; It felt like "Star Wars", the space battles were easy to follow, and it MEANT something for the overall story of the invasion. A definite must for this series, even if half of it feels unnecessary.
I will dive deeper into the importance of reading this book in the final review of "The Unifying Force".
MY NOTES:
- Luke tingle
- Lando and the head (?) (pg 15)
- ranges (rakamat) (pg 19)
- Rogue One (pg 27)
- Krytos X-wing novels referenced (pg 27)
- Has Luke ever won an argument with Mara while married? (pg 35)
- Vong scarabs
- Viqi uses Palpatine methods.
- Hot chocolate
- Luke sees a vision of Wedge shooting Pwoe in the face (TLJ) (pg 51)
- "whistled while she worked" (pg 149)
- The Rebel Alliance fought soft (pg 57)?; a new Resistance...
- "a me and a them" (pg 59)
- Luke; Dagobah vision? Dark side evil on Coruscant (pg 66)
- Cameraman Tam (pg 75)
- Tsavong Lah's doubts are planted [by Viqi Sesh] (pg 84)
- Rebel Dream (pg 112): [at Leia's] bAc (beck and call).
- Recount of "Dark Journey" (pg 120) ((seems like a mistake; wrong page number??))
- Nen Yim (pg 122)
- TLJ—"mystic" (pg 135)
- Czulkang Lah (father) (pg 142)
- whistle while work (pg 149)
- Alema's advances (pg 150)
- Jag is a Thrawn (pg 166)
- sensors (backpack) (pg 171)
- Jaina reads Mara (pg 212)
- Kyp moved a black hole.
- Jaina & Jag (pg 246)
- Danni Quee (pg 261)
- superweapon (pg 262)
- Operation Emperor's Hammer (pg 264)
- Tam rejects orders (pg 276)
- Lando: "Good feeling about this." (pg 296)
- Tahiri's pod
- Orbital bombardment
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