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Experiencing terrible dreams about a cave on Dagobah, young Anakin journeys to the planet accompanied by Tahiri, R2-D2, and the Jedi master Ikrit, and the group encounters more than they had bargained for

115 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 1997

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About the author

Rebecca Moesta

85 books81 followers
Rebecca Moesta is the author of several science fiction books. Although born in Germany, Rebecca was born to American parents and raised in Pasadena, California, where she lived until her early twenties. Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts from Cal State L.A.. and shortly after graduation married a former classmate from Caltech, becoming Rebecca Moesta Cowan.

In 1981, the couple moved to New Haven, Connecticut, where they lived for one year until they moved to Darmstadt, Germany, until 1987. In Germany Rebecca took graduate courses with Boston University and earned a Master of Science degree in Business Administration. During their stay in Germany she gave birth to her son, Jonathan, before moving back to the United States and settling in Livermore, California.

In 1989, Rebecca took a position at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a proof reader and copy editor. There she formed a science fiction club in which she met her future husband Kevin J. Anderson. She divorced her first husband in 1990 and married Anderson in 1991.

The couple started working together writing science fiction novels and to date has written two Titan A.E. young adult novels, two high-tech pop-up books and fourteen Star Wars novels, the Young Jedi Knights series. The couple owns and runs the company Wordfire, and Rebecca is currently working on several new projects, including copy editing her husband's works.

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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for Hajar.
92 reviews6 followers
October 19, 2026
We’ve reached the fourth book!
به کتاب چهارم رسیدیم!

I finished all six books in a single day. I think it’s pretty obvious how much I enjoyed them and how excited I am to be writing these reviews, right?
من کل این شش جلد رو توی یه روز تموم کردم. قشنگ معلومه که چقدر ازشون لذت بردم و با چه ذوقی دارم براشون ریویو می‌نویسم، مگه نه؟

Well, this time, there’s no golden sphere. Instead, Anakin is dealing with his own inner demons. And that demon has a name: “What if I turn out like my grandfather, Anakin Skywalker, who later became Darth Vader?”
خب، این‌جا دیگه خبری از گوی طلایی نیست، بلکه آناکین درگیر شیاطین درونی خودش شده؛ شیطانی به اسم «نکنه منم مثل پدربزرگم، آناکین اسکای‌واکر و بعدها دارث ویدر، بشم؟»

This is Anakin’s greatest fear, and I wish I could hug him and tell him that he’s so much better than that, SO much better! And I wish he weren’t so self-sacrificing.
این بزرگ‌ترین ترس آناکینه و کاش می‌تونستم بغلش کنم و بهش بگم تو خیلی بهتر از این حرفایی، خیلی بهتر از این حرفا! و ای کاش این‌قدر از خودگذشته نبودی.

Anakin asks his uncle whether the story about Palpatine’s clone wanting to use Anakin as his new body is true. And yes, it is.
آناکین از عموش می‌پرسه که آیا اون داستانی که کلون پالپاتین می‌خواسته از آناکین به‌عنوان جسم خودش استفاده کنه، واقعیه یا نه. و بله، واقعیه.

In *Dark Empire II*, as I mentioned in my review of the first book in this series, Palpatine’s clone really did want to use the unborn Anakin, who was still inside Leia’s womb, as his new body. He even reached out and touched Leia’s belly.
توی کتاب Dark Empire II، همون‌طور که توی ریویو کتاب اول این مجموعه گفتم، کلون پالپاتین واقعا می‌خواست از آناکینی که توی شکم لیا بود، به‌عنوان جسم خودش استفاده کنه و حتی شکم لیا رو لمس کرد.

And Anakin is afraid. His greatest fear is himself. He’s afraid of his own name. He’s always terrified that he’ll turn evil, fall to the dark side, and become corrupted by darkness.
و آناکین می‌ترسه. بزرگ‌ترین ترسش از خودشه. از اسمش می‌ترسه. اون همیشه می‌ترسه که بد بشه، به تاریکی بره و به تاریکی آلوده بشه.

But do you know how he died? Do you know what his ultimate sacrifice at seventeen was like? Like a dying star. He shone. He truly, literally shone.
ولی می‌دونید چطوری مرد؟ می‌دونید فداکاری نهاییش توی هفده‌سالگی مثل چی بود؟ مثل یه ستاره‌ی در حال مرگ. درخشید. به معنای واقعی درخشید.

Anyway... Anakin opens up to Luke about all of this, and Luke tells him about his own training on Dagobah and the cave where he faced his dark side.
بگذریم... آناکین این رو با لوک درمیون می‌ذاره و لوک درباره‌ی آموزش‌های خودش توی Dagobah می‌گه و از غاری حرف می‌زنه که توش با نیمه‌ی تاریک خودش روبه‌رو شده بود.

Anakin says he needs to go there so he can find some peace, because he keeps having nightmares.
آناکین می‌گه باید بره اون‌جا تا بتونه آروم بگیره، چون مدام کابوس می‌بینه.

Luke gives him the go-ahead, and we see Anakin even thanking his parents before setting off for Dagobah with Tahiri and a new friend named Uldir. Uldir has sneaked onto Yavin 4 because he wants to become a Jedi.
لوک هم اوکی رو می‌ده و ما می‌بینیم که آناکین حتی از پدر و مادرش تشکر می‌کنه و بعد با تاهیری و یه دوست جدید به اسم اولدیر، که یواشکی وارد یاوین ۴ شده و می‌خواد جدای بشه، راهی داگوبا می‌شن.

As usual, Dagobah is overflowing with the Force, but its wilderness is also pretty smelly and untamed. And boy, did it give them a proper welcome!
داگوبا طبق معمول هم پر از فورسه، ولی طبیعتی کمی بدبو و وحشی داره و درست‌وحسابی بهشون سلام کرد!

And, of course, discovering that some of the trees there are actually dried-up spiders was not fun.
و البته اون‌جا که مشخص شد بعضی از درخت‌های اون‌جا در واقع عنکبوت‌هایی هستن که خشک شدن، جالب نبود.

I literally got chills.
قشنگ مورمور شدم.

Overall, Anakin realizes that he could choose either the dark side or the light, and that the choice is entirely his. His destiny isn’t predetermined. He returns feeling much more at peace.
در کل، آناکین دید که هم می‌تونه به تاریکی بره و هم به روشنایی، و این کاملا دست خودشه. این یه سرنوشت از قبل تعیین‌شده نیست و آناکین با دل سبک‌شده‌ای برمی‌گرده.

I LOVED the part where Uldir says something harsh to Anakin and Tahiri immediately goes full attack-dog mode on him! Tahiri has a fiery temper that comes out whenever someone mistreats Anakin. Don’t you DARE say anything mean to her friend Anakin, or she’ll absolutely tear you apart!
من عاشق اون‌جا بودم که اولدیر به آناکین یه حرف تند زد و تاهیری قشنگ عین خروس جنگی شستش رو انداخت روی بند! تاهیری یه رگه‌ی عصبی داره که وقتی با آناکین بدرفتاری کنی، خودش رو نشون می‌ده. به دوستش آناکین چیزی نگید، وگرنه پارتون می‌کنه!

Tahiri really does act like his personal bodyguard, even though Anakin doesn’t actually need one.
تاهیری قشنگ یه نقش بادیگاردطور داره، اونم درحالی‌که آناکین اصلا نیازی بهش نداره.

And our adorable old bunny-like Master, Ikrit, reveals that his own master was none other than Master Yoda!
و استاد پیر خرگوش‌طورمون، یعنی ایکریت، هم لو داد که استادش در واقع استاد یودا بوده!

Just imagine! This creature everyone thinks is Anakin’s pet is actually an ancient Jedi Master whose own master was Yoda!
فکر کن موجودی که همه فکر می‌کنن حیوان خونگی آناکینه، در واقع یه استاد پیر بوده که استادش یودا بوده!

Ikrit tells Luke that this boy, Anakin, is incredibly powerful—more powerful than Ikrit himself—and doesn’t even realize it. And the girl beside him will become incredibly powerful, too.
و ایکریت به لوک می‌گه این پسر، یعنی آناکین، قدرت به‌شدت بالایی داره، حتی از خودم بیشتر، و خودش هم بی‌خبره. و اون دختر هم در کنارش به‌شدت قوی می‌شه.

Together, these two can become an incredible force, and Ikrit wants to protect them in his own way.
یعنی این دوتا با هم یه قدرت عظیم ایجاد می‌کنن و ایکریت می‌خواد یه جورایی ازشون محافظت کنه.

This idea comes up again in later books, and it honestly leaves you speechless.
این حرف توی کتاب‌های بعدی هم تکرار می‌شه و آدم قشنگ دهنش باز می‌مونه.

Oh, my dear Ikrit, you have absolutely NO idea what’s going to happen to these two innocent kids...
ایکریت عزیزم، تو هیچ ایده‌ای نداری که چه بلایی سر این دوتا بچه‌ی معصوم میاد...

Uldir’s thick skin is both annoying and admirable.
پوست‌کلفتی اولدیر هم عصبی‌کننده‌ست و هم قابل تحسین.

But the three of them are a lot of fun together. Still, Uldir is only a temporary addition to the group. Anakin and Tahiri will always be the main duo.
ولی با هم خیلی باحالن. هرچند اولدیر موقتیه و همیشه آناکین و تاهیری تیم اصلی‌ان.
Profile Image for T.R. Preston.
Author 6 books200 followers
August 13, 2020
Quite a bit of depth into Anakin here, actually. His struggles with his family's past are interesting to read. How would one react if he found out his granddad was space Hitler?
Profile Image for Thomas.
2,107 reviews89 followers
September 15, 2021
With this book, we have a new writer in this series, and it's a big improvement. The story still feels simplified, but gone are the repetition and patronizing tone of Nancy Richardson's narrative style. The characters also feel a little more realized, especially with the introduction of Ulthir. He's not a likable character by any means, but he feels more solid than the other secondary characters from the rest of the series.

Like the other books, though, there's a lot of build up to the conclusion, and then the conclusion comes in a hurry. I'm not sure if that was a requirement from the publisher to the authors, but it feels like a long way to go to get to where the story finally gets interesting, only to see it rush past.
101 reviews1 follower
May 17, 2024
I loved this book!! The main lesson was sort of a redo from book 1 (we aren't destined for good or evil, but our choices determine who we become), but everything else was very different. It was cool to go to Dagobah and learn more about that planet, and we also got to learn more about Anakin, Tahiri, and Ikrit. The new character Uldir was so annoying 💀, but we got some more sweet friendship moments with Anakin and Tahiri that made up for it. Only two books left!!
Profile Image for April.
77 reviews3 followers
March 24, 2021
I thought this was a good book. The pacing was good. The plot was tighter than the last series. My issue was with the stowaway teenager. He has an attitude problem. I have enough teenagers in my life. I didn’t need to read about one with a horrible attitude.
Profile Image for Sean.
105 reviews3 followers
May 7, 2020
Anakin Solo has been having dreams of the Emperor and Darth Vader as the legacy his name carries continues to bear weight down on him. Rebecca Moesta who also helped to pen the Young Jedi Knights series takes over writing the remaining Junior Jedi Knights stories and it is a very welcome changing of the guard. Her handling of the prose in a little over a hundred pages is excellent and even though Tahiri, Anakin, Ikrit, and R2 once again go off on their own, she takes just the right amount of time to make everything seem plausible instead of having things occurring because they needed to. They also take on an annoying new friend named Uldir who's desperate to become a Jedi even though he's not Force sensitive in the least; he behaves with the temperament of Mandark and the kid with the glasses from Polar Express.

The group goes on a journey of self discovery on Dagobah where they tangle with all sorts of nasty creatures in an adventure that culminates at the cave Luke went into in Empire. The visions Anakin and Tahiri have within are interesting as Ikrit explains that only they can forge their destinies, not their families who came before or who raised them and not those whose name is burdened by legacy. It's a surprisingly deep theme to be found here and it's very enjoyable and develops the pair in a wonderful way. All in all, a highly enjoyable character outing and an easy read.

7 1/2 Knobby White Spiders out of 10
Profile Image for Tom.
1,236 reviews3 followers
December 27, 2023
A new author and a new subtrilogy begin with this book. I think I slightly prefer this new prose style, but the addition of Uldir as a headstrong, bratty foil to Anakin and Tahiri just plays into a lot of the problems I have with child characters in general. Maybe the intended reader isn't annoyed by Uldir's ceaseless blunders, though how different are they really from some of the predictable rebelliousness of Kyp or Jacen? Time is a flat circle, I guess.

We do get some additional lore on the Force vision cave from Empire Strikes Back, which is kind of fun.
Profile Image for Volkan.
37 reviews6 followers
May 6, 2017
For my 8th birthday (in 1998), my father gave me a special edition of this book where one of the characters had my name. I felt like I was a part of the story and have loved sci-fi ánd Star Wars ever since. I recently gave the book to my nephew who is 9 years old. He loves it!

5 stars for if you're 7-9 years old.
Profile Image for Josiah.
213 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2020
The weakest book so far, the introduction of an angst ridden boy with no force potential trying to force his way into the academy had me wishing he will die a slow painful death on dagobah...

Anakin and Tahiri continue to be the best couple on the saga and the unconventional Jedi Master who has joined them has me wanted to know more about him.

3.5/5
Profile Image for Morgan.
Author 16 books102 followers
January 30, 2021
Yes indeed, Rebecca Moesta is a better writer than Nancy Richardson. Much less cringy. Still love Anakin and Tahiri, and I loved the little nod to the Jedi Academy trilogy. Anakin’s dealing with fear that he’ll end up like his grandfather, and so he goes to the cave on Dagobah where Yoda sent Luke. And Tahiri learns the value of shoes.
Profile Image for Katie.
444 reviews4 followers
October 27, 2021
I'm glad to see that we are actually addressing the effect on Anakin of carrying his namesake. I understand it probably couldn't have always just been about he and Tahiri, but I find Uldir pretty painful to read. He's just a jerk, and having finished the series at this point, I don't think he ever really improves.
85 reviews
July 23, 2024
Not the first, and not the last, book to suffer from the 'retracing the OT' problem, and Uldir is of course intentionally dislikable. But Anakin's struggle with living up to his name (for better or worse) is an important avenue for him to go down, so there are some good points. Again, I'd probably enjoy this more if I read it when of the target age.
Profile Image for Maxine.
87 reviews2 followers
March 6, 2024
Junior Jedi Knights is such a wonderful and magical series just like Young Jedi Knights and this book of the JJK series is probably my favorite so far! Such a fun little adventure with Anakin, Tahiri and Ikrit!
Profile Image for jaina.
56 reviews2 followers
May 9, 2022
I hate that uldir dude💀💀
Profile Image for Jaime K.
Author 1 book45 followers
October 21, 2012
The prologue is a bit confusing. Are the twins on Yavin? If so, why didn't they go home with Anakin? Why is there no interaction between the three in the series?
And if it is indeed the case, then Moesta has contradicted what Richardson wrote in the first book - that Leia doesn't want all her kids out of the house at once.
However, I find Moesta to be a better writer of Star Wars than Richardson.

Moesta goes along with the third book in that Tahiri is 2 years younger than Anakin and was orphaned at the age of 3. I misremembered that she was only a year younger. HOWEVER in the first book she does say she was orphaned at the age of 4.
FOUR, PEOPLE!

Anyway...

This book takes place three months after the previous one. It brings in the fact that Anakin - while in Leia's womb - was ouched by Palpatine's clone. The boy worries about this and fear he has legitimately been infected by the Dark Side. The questions he asks Luke about this are almost calming. Not only are they reminiscent of Luke and Yoda's conversations, but it also brings to mind his namesake talking to Qui-Gon and Yoda, despite those events taking place in our world after this book was originally published.

Luke tells his nephew about the cave on Dabogah, and Anakin is determined to go there.
And he does, along with Tahiri and Ikrit, the latter of whom volunteered to take the youth.

And there is a stowaway on Peckham's ship, named Uldir. I'm surprised Anakin didn't sense the teen, given that he's been able to sense things since he was a young child. I'm also surprised that Uldir's presence wasn't felt by any of the Force sensitives on the way to Dagobah.

Uldir is annoying and arrogant, but is still written well. I feel bad for him, more than anything.

Zekk is mentioned!

What all four characters learn on Dagobah is perfect and beautiful.
Profile Image for Bernard.
Author 16 books12 followers
February 12, 2013
It has been kind of a chore to sign up myself up to read this series, especially as it is aimed at very young readers and isn't full of space fantasy awesomeness that is the adult-side of the Expanded Universe, but I signed up myself for this all the same because I wanted to a) read every story out there and b) get some more background on little Anakin due to him being a grown up major player in future storylines. That noted, this story was actually pretty cool. It is the first story I remember where a character has gone into the tree-cave Luke went into in Empire. Plus the novel idea that the knobbly-root trees of Dagobah are actually spiders that plant themselves into the ground and turn into trees. That's some pretty cool sci-fi there, let me just admit. All that noted, let me write that there's not much in this piece, except that Anakin realizes he has potential for good and evil, and the choice is up to him, and isn't so haunted by the fact that his parents named him after Darth Vader and his destiny could be evil no matter what.
Profile Image for C. .
565 reviews
March 19, 2015
I think my favorite of the Junior Jedi Knights series thus far.

Ikrit, Anakin, and Tahiri were all better written than the first JJK book and the exploration of Anakin's concern regarding his heritage was perhaps not anything unusual or surprising, but was handled decently well with several quotable moments from Master Ikrit. This boy felt like a future great Jedi Knight more than he has in some of the earlier stories. :)

The only low point in this book was the addition of the character of Uldir - a boy who wants to be a Jedi, but has no Force sensitivity. His plotline seemed to have no real conclusion, or particular purpose in the novel, and he could have been dropped from the story line without any real loss - he's somewhat forgettable as it is.

Otherwise, an easy, quick, fun read.
Profile Image for Darryl Dobbs.
273 reviews2 followers
December 5, 2016
This is a good series earmarked for ages 7-9. As I noted before, my seven-year-old just finished the Potter series so she's past this, and my five-year-old isn't ready for this. Just a light, quick read with all the usual goofy quirks of a kids book (i.e. silly coincidences, luckily-timed events, and farfetched permissions for the child characters). This one was a little worse than the first three because the character Uldir is pretty annoying.

I won't punish any books this series with a low rating because let's face it - I'm 42, and not seven. Frankly, I think a seven year old would love these books as the adventures move along quickly. Much, much better than the Galaxy of Fear children's series.

I'll read the series because it won't take long and perhaps some of the characters will appear in the regular novels.
Profile Image for Duane.
1,448 reviews19 followers
October 15, 2008
This book follows the adventures of Anakin as he's becoming a Jedi. It involves Anakin, a couple of new friends and a unusual Jedi Master. A little predictable and not very exciting. Read it once, won't recommend it to anyone.
Profile Image for Max.
1,560 reviews14 followers
May 18, 2012
The new character is annoying, but it's interesting to return to the cave on Dagobah and the story is competently written. I think I like this book a bit better than the first three, especially as the writer is somewhat better.
Profile Image for Tania.
37 reviews1 follower
August 2, 2014
I was a bit disappointed, since the plot was not very fast-paced, and the endings less interesting than I'd expected. But I suppose it's not bad as Moesta's first novel on her own (as opposed to coauthoring).
Profile Image for Megan.
215 reviews26 followers
May 3, 2015
Anakin's Quest is primarily about Anakin's need to find himself, deciding to go to a faraway cave that Master Yoda sent his uncle into one time.

Four stars, I think Uldir's existence knocked a star off.
Profile Image for Mark Kaye.
157 reviews3 followers
April 21, 2012
Not a bad book. I felt sorry for the transport pilot that took them to degobah, the auther called him old peckhum that many time the poor guy must have a a complex.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews