What do you think?
Rate this book
Does a new start for the Galactic Alliance mark the beginning of the fall of the Jedi Order?
After a violent civil war and the devastation wrought by the now fallen Darth Caedus, the Galactic Alliance is in crisis. From all corners, politicians, power brokers, and military leaders converge on Coruscant for a crucial summit to restore order and determine the future of their unified worlds. But even more critical, and far more uncertain, is the future of the Jedi.
In a shocking move, Chief of State Natasi Daala orders the arrest of Luke Skywalker for failing to prevent Jacen Solo’s turn to the dark side and his subsequent reign of terror as a Sith Lord. But it’s only the first blow in an anti-Jedi backlash fueled by a hostile government and suspicious public. Negotiating his freedom in exchange for his exile from the Jedi Order, Luke, with his son, Ben, at his side, sets out to unravel the shocking truth behind Jacen Solo’s corruption and downfall. But the secrets Luke uncovers may bring his quest—and life as he knows it—to a sudden end. And all the while, another Jedi Knight, consumed by madness, is headed to Coruscant on a fearsome mission that could devastate the entire galaxy.
After a violent civil war and the devastation wrought by the now fallen Darth Caedus, the Galactic Alliance is in crisis. From all corners, politicians, power brokers, and military leaders converge on Coruscant for a crucial summit to restore order and determine the future of their unified worlds. But even more critical, and far more uncertain, is the future of the Jedi.
In a shocking move, Chief of State Natasi Daala orders the arrest of Luke Skywalker for failing to prevent Jacen Solo’s turn to the dark side and his subsequent reign of terror as a Sith Lord. But it’s only the first blow in an anti-Jedi backlash fueled by a hostile government and suspicious public. Negotiating his freedom in exchange for his exile from the Jedi Order, Luke, with his son, Ben, at his side, sets out to unravel the shocking truth behind Jacen Solo’s corruption and downfall. But the secrets Luke uncovers may bring his quest—and life as he knows it—to a sudden end. And all the while, another Jedi Knight, consumed by madness, is headed to Coruscant on a fearsome mission that could devastate the entire galaxy.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
302 people are currently reading
3854 people want to read
About the author
Aaron Allston
175 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews
September 28, 2017
Ah the joy of reliving Star Wars in new ways! You know you're a junkie for the stuff when you dive into SW universe fiction just to get a hit off that good good shizz.
Aaron Allston's Outcast, in which the Jedi order is being subverted, kicks off the nine-novel "Fate of the Jedi" series for the Star Wars franchise. Allston would write three of the novels, while two other writers worked on the other six, and all this was done within three years.
That's a lot of writing in a short period. It would seem like they just wanted to pump this stuff out. I mean, nine books in three years is a lot. On the other hand, it's only one book per year for each writer. That should be doable without rushing things. Quality should be maintained.
Allston probably would've done better with more time. Outcast reads like an early draft in which place-holder text is left on the page in order to expedite the writing process. A writer at leisure would go back and revise, remove redundancies, vary the language, make sure the words have the correct meaning for context.
I don't care about the vast expo/info dumps or the tropes trooping about. This is a sci-fi soap opera. I get that. I'm just looking at this from a reader's perspective. The ability to run your eyes over the page without tripping up on some non-sensical sentiment or having the 4th wall busted down because a repetitious phrase is hitting your eyes with the consistency and irritation of a Chinese water torture device.
If you're a Star Wars fan, young or old, there's good to be found within these pages. The action scenes are handled well. Plus, our old friends Luke, Leia, Han, C3P0 and R2D2 are all here. Joining them are a platoon of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, and grandkids. The warm-fuzzy of familiarity brought on by beloved characters goes a long way in fostering forgiveness for the book's other faults. If you're a Star Wars, read this and enjoy!
Aaron Allston's Outcast, in which the Jedi order is being subverted, kicks off the nine-novel "Fate of the Jedi" series for the Star Wars franchise. Allston would write three of the novels, while two other writers worked on the other six, and all this was done within three years.
That's a lot of writing in a short period. It would seem like they just wanted to pump this stuff out. I mean, nine books in three years is a lot. On the other hand, it's only one book per year for each writer. That should be doable without rushing things. Quality should be maintained.
Allston probably would've done better with more time. Outcast reads like an early draft in which place-holder text is left on the page in order to expedite the writing process. A writer at leisure would go back and revise, remove redundancies, vary the language, make sure the words have the correct meaning for context.
I don't care about the vast expo/info dumps or the tropes trooping about. This is a sci-fi soap opera. I get that. I'm just looking at this from a reader's perspective. The ability to run your eyes over the page without tripping up on some non-sensical sentiment or having the 4th wall busted down because a repetitious phrase is hitting your eyes with the consistency and irritation of a Chinese water torture device.
If you're a Star Wars fan, young or old, there's good to be found within these pages. The action scenes are handled well. Plus, our old friends Luke, Leia, Han, C3P0 and R2D2 are all here. Joining them are a platoon of sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, and grandkids. The warm-fuzzy of familiarity brought on by beloved characters goes a long way in fostering forgiveness for the book's other faults. If you're a Star Wars, read this and enjoy!
April 7, 2017
Since I've dedicated my book choices this year to reading what I want and avoiding all reading challenges, I'm a little shocked at how much Sci-fi I've read so far this year. It's more than I thought it would be. The Star Wars books have been my favorites....(I liked the Steelheart trilogy too). This is my 4th Star Wars novel and as long as the audios are entertaining, I'll read more. I liked this one. I've read some the reviews and some of them sound harsh. All I can say is DO THE AUDIOS!!!! They are fun.
January 13, 2019
General Akbar is actually called a fish head
I can't deal
I can't deal
May 21, 2025
It was ok, 2.5 stars.
August 31, 2023
It is the beginning of the end of the EU.
I've had some friends who loved this series, and some friends that were lukewarm about it. After I heard so much, I decided to buy it when I was 8 of the 9 books on sale at my local bookstore for really cheap. After finishing the first one, I'm really interested to see where it goes next.
The book feels quintessentailly Star Wars. Aaron Allston wrote quite a few Star Wars novels, 13 in total. I think by this point, he was so ingrained in it and had been involved in so many projects (X-wing, NJO, LotF, FotJ), that he just gets how to write an EU story. The characters felt on point, as did the worldbuilding and action sequences.
The emotions in the first 100 pages were palpable. It felt like it was starting a Last Hurrah for our main characters, and that this series is going to really mess with our emotions. Luke's goodbye sequence was one of the saddest and most difficult to read.
That being said, there is also levity to this book, particularly in the Ben/Luke moments and the Jaina/Jag moments. Their relationships were the most exciting to read about.
The worst part of this book for me was the Kessel storyline. I didn't care for it and thought it felt like it was filler. Maybe future books will make it more impactful.
I also didn't love the Kel Dor Storyline entirelyl. There were some really interesting moments in the sequence, but also some boring moments.
The Coruscant stuff was by far the best in the book, and I had a blast with all of it. Keep that story going!
Once the main thrust of the FOTJ storyline gets undeway, I think the series will jump up. At the moment, it feels at a similar level to the Legacy of the Force. Below NJO, Thrawn, and Hand of Thrawn, but at the same level as Legacy and the Jedi Academy trilogy, and above all the others.
Overall, I'll give this book a 7 out of 10. A solid start, but not as exciting as it should have been.
I've had some friends who loved this series, and some friends that were lukewarm about it. After I heard so much, I decided to buy it when I was 8 of the 9 books on sale at my local bookstore for really cheap. After finishing the first one, I'm really interested to see where it goes next.
The book feels quintessentailly Star Wars. Aaron Allston wrote quite a few Star Wars novels, 13 in total. I think by this point, he was so ingrained in it and had been involved in so many projects (X-wing, NJO, LotF, FotJ), that he just gets how to write an EU story. The characters felt on point, as did the worldbuilding and action sequences.
The emotions in the first 100 pages were palpable. It felt like it was starting a Last Hurrah for our main characters, and that this series is going to really mess with our emotions. Luke's goodbye sequence was one of the saddest and most difficult to read.
That being said, there is also levity to this book, particularly in the Ben/Luke moments and the Jaina/Jag moments. Their relationships were the most exciting to read about.
The worst part of this book for me was the Kessel storyline. I didn't care for it and thought it felt like it was filler. Maybe future books will make it more impactful.
I also didn't love the Kel Dor Storyline entirelyl. There were some really interesting moments in the sequence, but also some boring moments.
The Coruscant stuff was by far the best in the book, and I had a blast with all of it. Keep that story going!
Once the main thrust of the FOTJ storyline gets undeway, I think the series will jump up. At the moment, it feels at a similar level to the Legacy of the Force. Below NJO, Thrawn, and Hand of Thrawn, but at the same level as Legacy and the Jedi Academy trilogy, and above all the others.
Overall, I'll give this book a 7 out of 10. A solid start, but not as exciting as it should have been.
December 28, 2017
I prefer this storyline much more than the Disney storyline... Very entertaining but be warned, you will dislike what Disney has done with Star Wars if you continue this path. Just saying...now off to book 2 in this series!
May 28, 2025
A new era for Star Wars. The imperials are in charge, and the Jedi are hated/feared. Luke Skywalker is public enemy number 1. How things have changed. This was an enjoyable continuation from the Millinium Falcon. It is slightly shorter than the than average Star Wars book. As stated, there are a lot of changes and promises of things to come.
This era is dealing with the fallout from Jacen Solo's turn to the dark side. His short by brutal rule as reign as Darth Caedus has left the universe reeling. Admiral Natasi Daala is now the Chief of state of the Galactic Alliance, and Jagged Fel is essentially the Emperor (Head of the Galactic Empire or the Imperial Remnant depending on which era you are partial to). So you have 2 high-ranking Imperial officers in charge of both governments.
The Jedi are blamed and mistrusted due to Jacen's actions. The government uses this one weakness a wise (but still a little naive) Grandmaster Jedi (Luke) has. Politics. It is impossible to discredit Luke in public opinion simply of his year of service, but they can bring charges holding him accountable for Jacen's turn. Also not helping the Jedi cause some thing is causing the Jedi to act "crazy", the first Jedi to be affected was Seff Hellin, not it has affected Valin Horn, causing him to go on a paranoid rampage. More shocking to Luke is that Valin is exhibiting force techniques only employed by Jacen himself.
Luke and Ben Skywalker set out on a new direction they must accept exile; during which time he will try and find out what happened to Jacen and where during his journey to discover new force techniques did Jacen turn to Caedus. He leaves the Jedi in the hands of Master Kenth Hamner, who is accepted by the government as he fits the military man who follows orders and direction.
Great book. I can't wait to see what happens next. Anyone reading the Star Wars Legacy era in the comics, the seed are sown here. Great character development. I am all for ageing the characters as the series moves along.
This era is dealing with the fallout from Jacen Solo's turn to the dark side. His short by brutal rule as reign as Darth Caedus has left the universe reeling. Admiral Natasi Daala is now the Chief of state of the Galactic Alliance, and Jagged Fel is essentially the Emperor (Head of the Galactic Empire or the Imperial Remnant depending on which era you are partial to). So you have 2 high-ranking Imperial officers in charge of both governments.
The Jedi are blamed and mistrusted due to Jacen's actions. The government uses this one weakness a wise (but still a little naive) Grandmaster Jedi (Luke) has. Politics. It is impossible to discredit Luke in public opinion simply of his year of service, but they can bring charges holding him accountable for Jacen's turn. Also not helping the Jedi cause some thing is causing the Jedi to act "crazy", the first Jedi to be affected was Seff Hellin, not it has affected Valin Horn, causing him to go on a paranoid rampage. More shocking to Luke is that Valin is exhibiting force techniques only employed by Jacen himself.
Luke and Ben Skywalker set out on a new direction they must accept exile; during which time he will try and find out what happened to Jacen and where during his journey to discover new force techniques did Jacen turn to Caedus. He leaves the Jedi in the hands of Master Kenth Hamner, who is accepted by the government as he fits the military man who follows orders and direction.
Great book. I can't wait to see what happens next. Anyone reading the Star Wars Legacy era in the comics, the seed are sown here. Great character development. I am all for ageing the characters as the series moves along.
January 19, 2017
A great start to the series; wonder what happens next!
November 20, 2024
Great story
4.5 stars
Good start to a promising series!!
4.5 stars
Good start to a promising series!!
October 12, 2009
The Fate of the Jedi series takes place two years after the chaos and destruction caused by Darth Caedus. Chief of State Natasi Daala brings charges against Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker amounting to him failing to recognize one of his Jedi Knights was turning to the Dark Side. If Luke could have prevented the turn, then the Second Galactic Civil War could have been prevented. Within a few days, Luke Skywalker is exiled from the New Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance for ten years, and subsequently the Jedi are each assigned a GA observer to watch and study the Jedi’s actions.
Luke and his son Ben decide to spend their exile studying what caused the rise of Darth Caedus. Their path leads to Dorin, the home world of the Old Republic Jedi Master Plo Koon.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Order is forced to cope with the departure of their beloved and famed Grand Master, in addition to those pesky GA observers. The Jedi cannot go anywhere outside the Temple without their observers (unless they’re really sneaky), and this makes their jobs a bit more difficult to accomplish, especially when trying to capture and understand two rogue Jedi.
Like the Legacy of the Force series, the Fate of the Jedi series looks to be filled with STAR WARS philosophy and the delicate relationship between politics and justice. It’s these things that make the Expanded Universe of STAR WARS fun to read and experience. I’ve read many of the EU books, and the philosophy of the Force keeps getting murkier and grey as the years pass. All in all, if you like the STAR WARS universe and you’ve read many of the EU books, then I can easily recommend this book. It was fast-paced and entertaining and a rather quick read. On the other hand, if you’ve not read much (or any) of the EU, then I would not recommend starting with this book.
Luke and his son Ben decide to spend their exile studying what caused the rise of Darth Caedus. Their path leads to Dorin, the home world of the Old Republic Jedi Master Plo Koon.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Order is forced to cope with the departure of their beloved and famed Grand Master, in addition to those pesky GA observers. The Jedi cannot go anywhere outside the Temple without their observers (unless they’re really sneaky), and this makes their jobs a bit more difficult to accomplish, especially when trying to capture and understand two rogue Jedi.
Like the Legacy of the Force series, the Fate of the Jedi series looks to be filled with STAR WARS philosophy and the delicate relationship between politics and justice. It’s these things that make the Expanded Universe of STAR WARS fun to read and experience. I’ve read many of the EU books, and the philosophy of the Force keeps getting murkier and grey as the years pass. All in all, if you like the STAR WARS universe and you’ve read many of the EU books, then I can easily recommend this book. It was fast-paced and entertaining and a rather quick read. On the other hand, if you’ve not read much (or any) of the EU, then I would not recommend starting with this book.
October 30, 2012
I enjoyed this book quite a lot. I think it might try a little too hard at the humor at points, but it is overall a good book and starts the series off well!
October 15, 2024
FATE OF THE JEDI #1: OUTCAST
After the Legacy of the Force series that was published between 2006 and 2008, it was decided to create another series of nine books with the working title “The Odyssey.” Unlike the emo, dark, and depressing tone of Legacy of the Force, this new series adopts a more relaxed tone, where there are no major conflicts threatening the destruction of the galaxy. I consider this a good decision, as it allows for better storytelling.
The basic premise of Fate of the Jedi is intriguing because it focuses on Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Order as they constantly find themselves in trouble with politicians.
I am not a fan of Daala's character, especially now as Chief of State. Trouble arises for our heroes when Luke is exiled and is forced to travel with his son, Ben, across the galaxy to uncover the reasons for Jacen's fall to the dark side during his five-year journey. This aspect feels like a retcon; in Dark Nest, Jacen is still portrayed as fundamentally good, and it isn't until the second book of that trilogy that he starts to exhibit darker tendencies. Furthermore, in Legacy of the Force: Betrayal, the reason Jacen turns to the dark side stems from a vision he had of the galaxy falling into chaos, which he wanted to prevent. Now in Fate of the Jedi, we are told that something occurred during Jacen's five-year journey, causing him to snap and ultimately fall to the dark side. Retcons have always existed in storytelling, but I think it is challenging to reconcile so many different representations of Jacen's character in such a short span, especially when his entire story has already been established.
Another plot introduced involves Jedi Knights losing their minds due to a mysterious entity in the Maw that manipulates them, along with a group of Sith remnants from Naga Sadow's Great Hyperspace War. However, we will learn more about this in the subsequent books, as for some reason, Abeloth and the Lost Tribe of the Sith—the villains—are not introduced in the first volume.
The first novel, Outcast, is crucial because if a series starts off poorly, few will want to continue reading. Fortunately, this first installment proves to be a good book and represents a significant improvement in quality over the previous series, almost matching the enjoyment level of Crosscurrent, Riptide, and Millennium Falcon. Since it's the first in the series, it may feel somewhat small at first, but from what I remember, it was the second best overall.
Three Key Stories
The narrative begins with Luke Skywalker being brought before a tribunal for allegedly committing treason during the Second Galactic Civil War and being responsible for Jacen Solo's fall to the dark side. Luke reaches an agreement with Chief of State Daala to leave the Jedi Order for ten years until they can discover why Jacen turned evil and prove that it was not his fault.
They first travel to the planet Dorin, home to the order of Baran Do sages, a group of Force users visited by Jacen Solo. Luke seeks answers, but he and Ben discover that the Baran Do fake their deaths and live underground out of fear of another purge similar to Order 66. They hide to preserve their knowledge and avoid extermination, as one of them has visions predicting that the Jedi will face another purge. Ben uncovers their secret and ultimately convinces them that their way of life is misguided. This plot is interesting, and it’s refreshing to see the father-son dynamic between Luke and Ben. After concluding their business on Dorin, they continue their quest.
The second plot unfolds on Coruscant, focusing on the Jedi and the Galactic Alliance (GA) government. A Unification Summit is convened to foster peace between the GA, the Empire, and the Confederacy. During these events, Jedi Valin Horn and Seff Hellin exhibit erratic behavior, believing that everyone else in the galaxy has been replaced by impostors. Valin is captured and frozen in carbonite by the Galactic Alliance, while Seff, attempting to "rescue" him, is captured by the Jedi. Witnessing the erratic conduct of these two Jedi, the GA assigns observers to accompany the Jedi at all times. Throughout this political turmoil, Jaina emerges as a central character. In any case, Jaina's storyline revolves around her, Tahiri, Jag, Winter, and a few others forming a team to apprehend Seff Hellin and take him to the Jedi Temple for investigation.
The third story involves Lando Calrissian calling upon Han Solo, Leia, and his granddaughter Allana to help investigate strange earthquakes on Kessel. Han and Leia accept the challenge and delve beneath the planet's surface, discovering that Kessel is the remnant of a much larger planet. They also find potential connections to Centerpoint Station through Celestial technology devices. Han devises and executes a risky plan to detonate controlled explosives deep within Kessel to alleviate seismic pressure and prevent the planet from disintegrating. Pilots like Wedge and members of Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, and even Imperial pilots like Maarek Stele collaborate on this mission. There are also hints of the series' major antagonist when Allana Solo senses a strange presence in the depths of space that briefly contacts her. This sets up the arrival of the series’ main villain, Abeloth, though her full narrative is not revealed in this installment.
These three significant stories maintain a relaxed and slow tone while featuring well-developed characters and enjoyable dialogue.
Overall, this first book serves as a prelude to what is to come and remains one of the best in Fate of the Jedi.
After the Legacy of the Force series that was published between 2006 and 2008, it was decided to create another series of nine books with the working title “The Odyssey.” Unlike the emo, dark, and depressing tone of Legacy of the Force, this new series adopts a more relaxed tone, where there are no major conflicts threatening the destruction of the galaxy. I consider this a good decision, as it allows for better storytelling.
The basic premise of Fate of the Jedi is intriguing because it focuses on Luke Skywalker and the Jedi Order as they constantly find themselves in trouble with politicians.
I am not a fan of Daala's character, especially now as Chief of State. Trouble arises for our heroes when Luke is exiled and is forced to travel with his son, Ben, across the galaxy to uncover the reasons for Jacen's fall to the dark side during his five-year journey. This aspect feels like a retcon; in Dark Nest, Jacen is still portrayed as fundamentally good, and it isn't until the second book of that trilogy that he starts to exhibit darker tendencies. Furthermore, in Legacy of the Force: Betrayal, the reason Jacen turns to the dark side stems from a vision he had of the galaxy falling into chaos, which he wanted to prevent. Now in Fate of the Jedi, we are told that something occurred during Jacen's five-year journey, causing him to snap and ultimately fall to the dark side. Retcons have always existed in storytelling, but I think it is challenging to reconcile so many different representations of Jacen's character in such a short span, especially when his entire story has already been established.
Another plot introduced involves Jedi Knights losing their minds due to a mysterious entity in the Maw that manipulates them, along with a group of Sith remnants from Naga Sadow's Great Hyperspace War. However, we will learn more about this in the subsequent books, as for some reason, Abeloth and the Lost Tribe of the Sith—the villains—are not introduced in the first volume.
The first novel, Outcast, is crucial because if a series starts off poorly, few will want to continue reading. Fortunately, this first installment proves to be a good book and represents a significant improvement in quality over the previous series, almost matching the enjoyment level of Crosscurrent, Riptide, and Millennium Falcon. Since it's the first in the series, it may feel somewhat small at first, but from what I remember, it was the second best overall.
Three Key Stories
The narrative begins with Luke Skywalker being brought before a tribunal for allegedly committing treason during the Second Galactic Civil War and being responsible for Jacen Solo's fall to the dark side. Luke reaches an agreement with Chief of State Daala to leave the Jedi Order for ten years until they can discover why Jacen turned evil and prove that it was not his fault.
They first travel to the planet Dorin, home to the order of Baran Do sages, a group of Force users visited by Jacen Solo. Luke seeks answers, but he and Ben discover that the Baran Do fake their deaths and live underground out of fear of another purge similar to Order 66. They hide to preserve their knowledge and avoid extermination, as one of them has visions predicting that the Jedi will face another purge. Ben uncovers their secret and ultimately convinces them that their way of life is misguided. This plot is interesting, and it’s refreshing to see the father-son dynamic between Luke and Ben. After concluding their business on Dorin, they continue their quest.
The second plot unfolds on Coruscant, focusing on the Jedi and the Galactic Alliance (GA) government. A Unification Summit is convened to foster peace between the GA, the Empire, and the Confederacy. During these events, Jedi Valin Horn and Seff Hellin exhibit erratic behavior, believing that everyone else in the galaxy has been replaced by impostors. Valin is captured and frozen in carbonite by the Galactic Alliance, while Seff, attempting to "rescue" him, is captured by the Jedi. Witnessing the erratic conduct of these two Jedi, the GA assigns observers to accompany the Jedi at all times. Throughout this political turmoil, Jaina emerges as a central character. In any case, Jaina's storyline revolves around her, Tahiri, Jag, Winter, and a few others forming a team to apprehend Seff Hellin and take him to the Jedi Temple for investigation.
The third story involves Lando Calrissian calling upon Han Solo, Leia, and his granddaughter Allana to help investigate strange earthquakes on Kessel. Han and Leia accept the challenge and delve beneath the planet's surface, discovering that Kessel is the remnant of a much larger planet. They also find potential connections to Centerpoint Station through Celestial technology devices. Han devises and executes a risky plan to detonate controlled explosives deep within Kessel to alleviate seismic pressure and prevent the planet from disintegrating. Pilots like Wedge and members of Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, and even Imperial pilots like Maarek Stele collaborate on this mission. There are also hints of the series' major antagonist when Allana Solo senses a strange presence in the depths of space that briefly contacts her. This sets up the arrival of the series’ main villain, Abeloth, though her full narrative is not revealed in this installment.
These three significant stories maintain a relaxed and slow tone while featuring well-developed characters and enjoyable dialogue.
Overall, this first book serves as a prelude to what is to come and remains one of the best in Fate of the Jedi.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 14, 2011
I recently changed my review of this book from two stars to one. Why? It's just not very good.
I find Aaron Allston to be very dry and dull as an author. The fact that the current wisdom with the Star Wars books is to have nine books in a series written by three different authors is fine (in theory) if all the authors are of comparable skill.
Allow me to explain a bit. I recently finished the entire "Legacy of the Force" nine book series. Aaron Allston is one of three authors who wrote that series. It's safe to say I like him least of the three. Karen Traviss is pretty good. Troy Denning is marginal. Having three different authors write a series of books when they're not working together on each book is bound to make the quality of the books uneven, no matter how much they collaborate at a distance.
On a side note, I found the villain of the "Legacy of the Force" series, Jacen Solo (son of Han Solo and Leia), to be pretty dull. He illustrated the banality of evil, even in someone with Jedi/Sith powers, but banality doesn't make for good fiction. Sadly, banality is epidemic in Aaron Allston's books.
But I will also say that I didn't get to know and possibly appreciate Jacen Solo in the "New Jedi Order" series. I thought the whole Yuuzhan Vong war idea was a bad one and didn't think it sounded like good reading. And I still don't. It seems to be the struggle between light and dark is the center of the Star Wars universe, not the struggle between Jedi and self-mutilating aliens.
Okay, on to "Outcast." This is the first in the "Fate of the Jedi" series, set two years after the demise of Jacen Solo (a.k.a. Darth Caedus...if only he was as cool as his name) at the hands of his sister, Jaina.
Very little actually HAPPENS in "Outcast." I can summarize for you. Former Imperial Admiral Daala, a longtime nemesis of the Jedi, is in charge of the Galactic Alliance. She finds a way to get Luke Skywalker to exile himself for a decade as punishment for the excesses of Jacen Solo and other evil Jedi. Luke and his son Ben go into exile looking for "where Jacen went wrong" as a way to commute Luke's exile. Meanwhile, a strange disease is causing Jedi to go insane and become violent. Suddenly, they believe that the whole world, including their own families, are evil duplicates. This makes the Jedi look very bad to the public, and Daala takes full advantage by assigning "observers" for each Jedi. Luke and Ben go to the homeworld of the Kel Dor and have to Jedi their way into and out of trouble while trying to find the new Force techniques Jacen did on his solitary five-year journey--and also those the same techniques the newly afflicted Jedi are showing without having prior training in them.
I think that facet is a transparent way to connect this series to the previous series, with the "ghost" of Jacen Solo, whether real or imagined, causing trouble still.
Worst of all, a LARGE portion of "Outcast" is devoted to Han and Leia and their granddaughter (Jacen's daughter) on the planet Kessel helping Lando Calrissian, whose spice mines are in trouble.
It's as if the main story, the set-up for this series, could have been wrapped up in about forty pages. So the not very interesting trip Luke and Ben take to the Kel Dor homeworld and the whole Han-Leia-Lando-Allana adventure (complete with gratuitous Wedge Antilles, Allston's favorite character) reads like filler from a bad "young adults" Star Wars novel.
I would recommend this book ONLY for the die-hardest (die-hardiest?) Star Wars fans and those who actually like Aaron Allston's books.
But I'm most of the way through the next book in the series (possible masochist that I am) and Christie Golden (whom I ran across a while ago while reading horrible Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie-in books) seems to be a more capable and entertaining author.
I find Aaron Allston to be very dry and dull as an author. The fact that the current wisdom with the Star Wars books is to have nine books in a series written by three different authors is fine (in theory) if all the authors are of comparable skill.
Allow me to explain a bit. I recently finished the entire "Legacy of the Force" nine book series. Aaron Allston is one of three authors who wrote that series. It's safe to say I like him least of the three. Karen Traviss is pretty good. Troy Denning is marginal. Having three different authors write a series of books when they're not working together on each book is bound to make the quality of the books uneven, no matter how much they collaborate at a distance.
On a side note, I found the villain of the "Legacy of the Force" series, Jacen Solo (son of Han Solo and Leia), to be pretty dull. He illustrated the banality of evil, even in someone with Jedi/Sith powers, but banality doesn't make for good fiction. Sadly, banality is epidemic in Aaron Allston's books.
But I will also say that I didn't get to know and possibly appreciate Jacen Solo in the "New Jedi Order" series. I thought the whole Yuuzhan Vong war idea was a bad one and didn't think it sounded like good reading. And I still don't. It seems to be the struggle between light and dark is the center of the Star Wars universe, not the struggle between Jedi and self-mutilating aliens.
Okay, on to "Outcast." This is the first in the "Fate of the Jedi" series, set two years after the demise of Jacen Solo (a.k.a. Darth Caedus...if only he was as cool as his name) at the hands of his sister, Jaina.
Very little actually HAPPENS in "Outcast." I can summarize for you. Former Imperial Admiral Daala, a longtime nemesis of the Jedi, is in charge of the Galactic Alliance. She finds a way to get Luke Skywalker to exile himself for a decade as punishment for the excesses of Jacen Solo and other evil Jedi. Luke and his son Ben go into exile looking for "where Jacen went wrong" as a way to commute Luke's exile. Meanwhile, a strange disease is causing Jedi to go insane and become violent. Suddenly, they believe that the whole world, including their own families, are evil duplicates. This makes the Jedi look very bad to the public, and Daala takes full advantage by assigning "observers" for each Jedi. Luke and Ben go to the homeworld of the Kel Dor and have to Jedi their way into and out of trouble while trying to find the new Force techniques Jacen did on his solitary five-year journey--and also those the same techniques the newly afflicted Jedi are showing without having prior training in them.
I think that facet is a transparent way to connect this series to the previous series, with the "ghost" of Jacen Solo, whether real or imagined, causing trouble still.
Worst of all, a LARGE portion of "Outcast" is devoted to Han and Leia and their granddaughter (Jacen's daughter) on the planet Kessel helping Lando Calrissian, whose spice mines are in trouble.
It's as if the main story, the set-up for this series, could have been wrapped up in about forty pages. So the not very interesting trip Luke and Ben take to the Kel Dor homeworld and the whole Han-Leia-Lando-Allana adventure (complete with gratuitous Wedge Antilles, Allston's favorite character) reads like filler from a bad "young adults" Star Wars novel.
I would recommend this book ONLY for the die-hardest (die-hardiest?) Star Wars fans and those who actually like Aaron Allston's books.
But I'm most of the way through the next book in the series (possible masochist that I am) and Christie Golden (whom I ran across a while ago while reading horrible Buffy the Vampire Slayer tie-in books) seems to be a more capable and entertaining author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2015
I was really looking forward to Outcast. I've been looking forward to it more than any other Star Wars event of the year. I have been dying to find out what kind of series would follow the epic story of wishy-washy Sith Lord, Darth Caedus. At first glance I will say that elements of this series are reminding me of Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix and Daala it's Professor Umbridge. But instead of the Order of the Phoenix we have, Darkmeld. This portion, plot 1, the Jedi madness/Jailbreak-in portion was fun. Jaina and Jagg aren't overly interesting on their own but it was fun.
Plot 2, Ben and Luke's adventure with the Baran Do Sages was a nice little story. I love Ben and Luke together. Clearly the best part of this book was this plot but there was so little of it and it was tied up quickly with all the complication of a Clone Wars episode. I was hoping that Luke and Ben's search into the more arcane Force traditions to be a little more edgy and and mystical than this first tale.
Plot 3, The Han/Lando/Kessel/Leia gambit bored me to tears. To bloody tears. I don't know if it's EU burnout or what but I wasn't really feeling Outcast. This subplot pulled me out of a book I was mildly enjoying otherwise. Even the Rogue Squadron appearance wasn't inspired, quirky or particularly funny. (And that's really strange for an Allston book)
Was it a good start to the FOTJ? It was a start. This book was as dense as a Hardy Boys mystery and as interchangeable as one as well. Daala isn't that terrifying yet. There was just no bad guy here. Nothing but "hints" of what may come. Outcast was no Vector Prime or Betrayal but it was a...start.
Plot 2, Ben and Luke's adventure with the Baran Do Sages was a nice little story. I love Ben and Luke together. Clearly the best part of this book was this plot but there was so little of it and it was tied up quickly with all the complication of a Clone Wars episode. I was hoping that Luke and Ben's search into the more arcane Force traditions to be a little more edgy and and mystical than this first tale.
Plot 3, The Han/Lando/Kessel/Leia gambit bored me to tears. To bloody tears. I don't know if it's EU burnout or what but I wasn't really feeling Outcast. This subplot pulled me out of a book I was mildly enjoying otherwise. Even the Rogue Squadron appearance wasn't inspired, quirky or particularly funny. (And that's really strange for an Allston book)
Was it a good start to the FOTJ? It was a start. This book was as dense as a Hardy Boys mystery and as interchangeable as one as well. Daala isn't that terrifying yet. There was just no bad guy here. Nothing but "hints" of what may come. Outcast was no Vector Prime or Betrayal but it was a...start.
September 13, 2015
I had given up on the New Jedi Order books for now; it was getting too tedious and I felt like I needed another series when it comes to getting my Star Wars fix.
So I skipped ahead and picked up the first book of Fate of the Jedi, not without a bit of optimism, since I had heard good things. And I figured it's as good a time as any to start, now that the last book has come out, completing the series.
Anyway, Outcast wasn't bad. I've certainly read better SW novels (recently, like Darth Plagueis) but at the same time I've also read worse.
I have a feeling that this book sets up the direction of the overarching story for the rest of FotJ, so as an introduction-type book I can't really complain (thought it was quite obvious that the Kessell side story was thrown in just so Han and Leia have something to do in this book). I'm interested in seeing where the series goes.
So I skipped ahead and picked up the first book of Fate of the Jedi, not without a bit of optimism, since I had heard good things. And I figured it's as good a time as any to start, now that the last book has come out, completing the series.
Anyway, Outcast wasn't bad. I've certainly read better SW novels (recently, like Darth Plagueis) but at the same time I've also read worse.
I have a feeling that this book sets up the direction of the overarching story for the rest of FotJ, so as an introduction-type book I can't really complain (thought it was quite obvious that the Kessell side story was thrown in just so Han and Leia have something to do in this book). I'm interested in seeing where the series goes.
July 12, 2021
This is the first "pop lit" book I have read. It showcases what makes Star Wars good to me: the smaller, definite stories which are analogous to everyday life but also to history. It is easy to see these characters in the people I know, which tends to be the case with such vivid worldbuilding at the Star Wars universe. It's not so important that books like this one have ben retconned and make not-cannon by the recent movies, since they can be reconcilled as legends anyway. Maybe had this book not been Star Wars and given to me by my Dad, I wouldn't think it was 4 stars. This book transported me and was much easier to get through than most of the books I have been reading; as such, I hope to return to this world sooner than later.
November 18, 2022
Maybe I've been lowering my expectations along all of the EU books, expecting them to be solid three-star reads, so that these later books are feeling more like actual stories and not just events from the history of the Jedi told to us, but I liked this book. It helped that I felt actual emotion at a major event in the story, but beyond that, the story was just much more engaging and personal.
November 24, 2014
Meh. I decided to check out the Star Wars books, since I haven't read one since the 90's. And frankly the two I have read seem like fan fiction, and just are not that good. I don't think I'm going to be reading any more.
March 2, 2017
I chose this book based on the cover, and was not disappointed. This book was amazing. I like how Lei is taking care of the twins and how Luke is going with Ben on a mission. I really enjoyed the plot of the story and I hope this series get made into movies. 5 star rating.
August 28, 2023
Such an enjoyable read! So very pleasantly surprised! Standalone in it's plot but also touches on the overall universe/series, the story was engaging, funny, and the equivalent of a thrilling Disney theme park ride (aka safe, good, clean fun).
December 6, 2024
Does a good job of recognizing the balance Legends Luke has sought for, while acknowledging the danger of crowd thinking and black-and-white philosphy. I am not a big fan of the mind manipulation, but I will have to continue the series to find out if it is a force trick, or maybe a parasite?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2023
..to było nudne,naprawdę nic specjalnego. Nie cierpiałam jakoś strasznie Ale coś było nie tak że stylem pisania. Każda akcja bardzo się ciągnęła. Jedyne co było ciekawe to relacje bohaterów. Daje 2 gwiazdki za relacje Han&Luke I Han&Leia bo niektóre wymiany zdań były naprawdę złotem.
May 9, 2019
So, I am finally embarking on Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi, my last great unread sequence of Star Wars Legends novels. I’ve been putting these off for a while—partially because I was suffering from Star Wars: Legacy of the Force fatigue when these were first published—and partially because I wanted to save some of the Legends material unread, so it didn’t feel ‘finished’, with nothing more new for me to read (except for Crucible).
Outcast is the first in the sequence of nine books that comprise the Fate of the Jedi sequence, and it is written by Aaron Allston, the author of my all-time favourite Star Wars novel, X-Wing: Wraith Squadron.
What Allston has produced is a solid, but not outstanding Star Wars story. There are a couple of different plot elements that exist quite separately from one another, but which are linked thematically, and carry enough subtle hints that something bigger is going on that it will not be implausible when (if my suspicions are correct) they are all linked together in subsequent novels.
The characterisation of Luke is great—his Legends persona as the wise Jedi Grand Master feels earned, and it is good to see him teamed up with a younger Ben who is utterly unlike the Kylo Ren of the Disney canon.
Leia, Han and Lando all act like themselves—Han feels so much more naturally developed as a character this far into the Legends continuity that comparisons with the crude re-tread seen in The Force Awakens feel a little bit unfair, but he feels so much more like how a man (an ex-general and hero of the Rebellion) pushing seventy would behave than JJ Abrams’ interpretation that it should not be ignored.
I was pleased that there was the briefest of the brief cameos from Maarek Stele, the player character from the old TIE Fighter PC space combat simulator game, as well as a mention of other video game favourite, Kyle Katarn. Sure, it’s fan service, but I have no objection to that!
There is a sense of threat and ominous foreboding underpinning everything that happens in the story—which is a considerable achievement given that this is a story coming closely after the New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force, both of which involved interstellar conflicts (star wars?) of massive proportions, and which should render this sort of stuff a little underwhelming.
Allston included some of his trademark Star Wars humour—there is a scene where Ben Skywalker starts singing after inhaling helium gas which is funnier that it ought to be—but this is much toned down in comparison with the Wraith Squadron novels.
So, my first impressions of the Fate of the Jedi series are pretty positive, and I am looking forward to seeing where Christie Golden takes the story in the next book in the sequence, Fate of the Jedi: Omen.
Recommended for anyone who is looking to see an alternate vision of the Star Wars galaxy if they are unhappy with the new Disney portrayals of the heroes of the Original Trilogy, as well as anyone else who wants to be entertained by a fun space adventure.
Outcast is the first in the sequence of nine books that comprise the Fate of the Jedi sequence, and it is written by Aaron Allston, the author of my all-time favourite Star Wars novel, X-Wing: Wraith Squadron.
What Allston has produced is a solid, but not outstanding Star Wars story. There are a couple of different plot elements that exist quite separately from one another, but which are linked thematically, and carry enough subtle hints that something bigger is going on that it will not be implausible when (if my suspicions are correct) they are all linked together in subsequent novels.
The characterisation of Luke is great—his Legends persona as the wise Jedi Grand Master feels earned, and it is good to see him teamed up with a younger Ben who is utterly unlike the Kylo Ren of the Disney canon.
Leia, Han and Lando all act like themselves—Han feels so much more naturally developed as a character this far into the Legends continuity that comparisons with the crude re-tread seen in The Force Awakens feel a little bit unfair, but he feels so much more like how a man (an ex-general and hero of the Rebellion) pushing seventy would behave than JJ Abrams’ interpretation that it should not be ignored.
I was pleased that there was the briefest of the brief cameos from Maarek Stele, the player character from the old TIE Fighter PC space combat simulator game, as well as a mention of other video game favourite, Kyle Katarn. Sure, it’s fan service, but I have no objection to that!
There is a sense of threat and ominous foreboding underpinning everything that happens in the story—which is a considerable achievement given that this is a story coming closely after the New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force, both of which involved interstellar conflicts (star wars?) of massive proportions, and which should render this sort of stuff a little underwhelming.
Allston included some of his trademark Star Wars humour—there is a scene where Ben Skywalker starts singing after inhaling helium gas which is funnier that it ought to be—but this is much toned down in comparison with the Wraith Squadron novels.
So, my first impressions of the Fate of the Jedi series are pretty positive, and I am looking forward to seeing where Christie Golden takes the story in the next book in the sequence, Fate of the Jedi: Omen.
Recommended for anyone who is looking to see an alternate vision of the Star Wars galaxy if they are unhappy with the new Disney portrayals of the heroes of the Original Trilogy, as well as anyone else who wants to be entertained by a fun space adventure.
June 29, 2023
‘Outcast’ marks the beginning of the ‘Fate of the Jedi’, the final Star Wars expanded universe book series before the Disney acquired Lucasfilm and disintegrated decades of storytelling quicker than the Death Star destroyed Alderaan.
The book is a solid start to the 9 book series. It starts in the aftermath of the second galactic civil war (the Legacy of the Force series, which I have not read) and around 40 years after return of the Jedi.
The Empire and New Republic have finally put aside their differences and become the Galactic Alliance. The public opinion of Jedi is fairly low because of years of galactic bloodshed (usually a result of Jedi/Sith infighting). Just when things seem to be going okay when Jedi Valen Horn gets delusions that everyone around him is an imposter. His subsequent panic attack results in wanton destruction of property and puts the Jedi on the Galactic Alliance watch list. Jedi Grandmaster Luke Skywalker is banished from Coruscant to learn why former Jedi Jacen Solo turned evil and killed everyone in the previous series.
It has been almost 15 years since I visited this portion of the EU, and it felt like I was going home as soon as I opened the book. The story was intriguing. I liked the Luke and Ben Skywalker plot as they uncover the mysteries of the Force on the planet Doran. The Coruscant plot featuring Jedi being put under a form of house arrest was alright too. I was not interested in the Han Solo/Princess Leia plot as it felt like it would have very little relevance to the rest of the series (with the exception of a very brief spectral encounter that seemed ominous).
Overall this book was intriguing and a nice change of pace from a lot of the stuff Disney has put out. It also contains the first use (to this readers knowledge) of using the Force to make someone go to the bathroom. Like most Star Wars books, the characters don’t typically have too much development over the course of a single book. Those happen more gradually, but they do occur. I’m excited to see where the story goes.
The book is a solid start to the 9 book series. It starts in the aftermath of the second galactic civil war (the Legacy of the Force series, which I have not read) and around 40 years after return of the Jedi.
The Empire and New Republic have finally put aside their differences and become the Galactic Alliance. The public opinion of Jedi is fairly low because of years of galactic bloodshed (usually a result of Jedi/Sith infighting). Just when things seem to be going okay when Jedi Valen Horn gets delusions that everyone around him is an imposter. His subsequent panic attack results in wanton destruction of property and puts the Jedi on the Galactic Alliance watch list. Jedi Grandmaster Luke Skywalker is banished from Coruscant to learn why former Jedi Jacen Solo turned evil and killed everyone in the previous series.
It has been almost 15 years since I visited this portion of the EU, and it felt like I was going home as soon as I opened the book. The story was intriguing. I liked the Luke and Ben Skywalker plot as they uncover the mysteries of the Force on the planet Doran. The Coruscant plot featuring Jedi being put under a form of house arrest was alright too. I was not interested in the Han Solo/Princess Leia plot as it felt like it would have very little relevance to the rest of the series (with the exception of a very brief spectral encounter that seemed ominous).
Overall this book was intriguing and a nice change of pace from a lot of the stuff Disney has put out. It also contains the first use (to this readers knowledge) of using the Force to make someone go to the bathroom. Like most Star Wars books, the characters don’t typically have too much development over the course of a single book. Those happen more gradually, but they do occur. I’m excited to see where the story goes.
January 14, 2015
I did not like the book or disliked. A parts I thought it was really going to get good, it would turn into something else and 10 pages about who or what. I will read book two and see where it goes. I think Benedict Cumberbatch as Han Solo sith son will be awesome. So please Hollywood make this happen
June 14, 2024
Really good overall. Reminded me of the Star Wars books I grew up reading.
Enjoyed Jaina and Tahiri a lot, along with Luke and Ben.
Didn't care for Leia and Han's story, but the other stuff was strong enough to carry this to a 4.
Enjoyed Jaina and Tahiri a lot, along with Luke and Ben.
Didn't care for Leia and Han's story, but the other stuff was strong enough to carry this to a 4.
September 15, 2025
I've been somewhat on a Star Wars kick recently, and so that brought me to the EU. I've dabbled in some other parts of the EU such as Darth Plagueis, Vector Prime, and some others, but I don't consider myself at all versed in the lore of the EU. Why Outcast then? I read about Abeloth and it brought me here.
With that perhaps overly wordy preamble, let's consider Outcast. The first in the 9 book series Fate of the Jedi, it introduces the series and the conflict. A mystery draws Luke out to consider Jacen Solo's path to the darkside. This whole thing is expedited by the fact that there is a great distrust of the jedi due to the aforementioned Sith lord's war against the galaxy.
Without the benefit of knowing exactly where this series is going, I might have been disappointed. The book was fine. It was short and easy to read. The story has vague allusions to a future conflict. Centerpoint Station... Kessel... The Maw... The Hidden One... None of these seem to me that they would jump of the page without some idea of what the story has in store. Instead, much of the book reads like a story meant to be taken episodically. A reader can absolutely do that, but on that merit alone, this is a three-star book. The story is fairly easy to follow, but much information isn't wrapped up. The remaining arc seems essential, but on its own, it is enjoyable.
The cast of characters was good, and the writing was solid, although the characters do sometimes feel a bit uniform in their voice and ideas. Besides from some basic traits, Jaina doesn't sound all that different from Ben in vocabulary and usage. Not a dealbreaker though. The author explores some philosophy, but he does so in a simplistic, telling way. The author doesn't show the philosophy of the Jedi or this particular religious order, but he'll tell you all about it in a clumsy, narratively uninteresting way. The politics are a high point. I appreciated the full-orbed placement of the Order within the society of the Alliance. How might that work? How does law and order work in that scenario? The mystery of Jacen Solo's fall was plenty enough to keep me interested. The rich history that the author draws upon was also a high point as it felt like entering a fleshed-out universe (Gemini was helpful in catching up on details and characters that I wasn't aware of).
In abstract, it's a simple narrative with low stakes that point towards a larger conflict. It draws upon the large EU universe and presents a mystery that can hook an interested reader. It leverages the philosophical heart of Star Wars even if it isn't perfect in its execution of those discussions. However, the writing is simplistic and the characters, although properly distinct and likeable, do sound a bit uniform. Without the adjectives and history that describe them, it can be hard to pick out who is who based upon dialogue. In totality, a perfectly serviceable albeit flawed 4/5.
With that perhaps overly wordy preamble, let's consider Outcast. The first in the 9 book series Fate of the Jedi, it introduces the series and the conflict. A mystery draws Luke out to consider Jacen Solo's path to the darkside. This whole thing is expedited by the fact that there is a great distrust of the jedi due to the aforementioned Sith lord's war against the galaxy.
Without the benefit of knowing exactly where this series is going, I might have been disappointed. The book was fine. It was short and easy to read. The story has vague allusions to a future conflict. Centerpoint Station... Kessel... The Maw... The Hidden One... None of these seem to me that they would jump of the page without some idea of what the story has in store. Instead, much of the book reads like a story meant to be taken episodically. A reader can absolutely do that, but on that merit alone, this is a three-star book. The story is fairly easy to follow, but much information isn't wrapped up. The remaining arc seems essential, but on its own, it is enjoyable.
The cast of characters was good, and the writing was solid, although the characters do sometimes feel a bit uniform in their voice and ideas. Besides from some basic traits, Jaina doesn't sound all that different from Ben in vocabulary and usage. Not a dealbreaker though. The author explores some philosophy, but he does so in a simplistic, telling way. The author doesn't show the philosophy of the Jedi or this particular religious order, but he'll tell you all about it in a clumsy, narratively uninteresting way. The politics are a high point. I appreciated the full-orbed placement of the Order within the society of the Alliance. How might that work? How does law and order work in that scenario? The mystery of Jacen Solo's fall was plenty enough to keep me interested. The rich history that the author draws upon was also a high point as it felt like entering a fleshed-out universe (Gemini was helpful in catching up on details and characters that I wasn't aware of).
In abstract, it's a simple narrative with low stakes that point towards a larger conflict. It draws upon the large EU universe and presents a mystery that can hook an interested reader. It leverages the philosophical heart of Star Wars even if it isn't perfect in its execution of those discussions. However, the writing is simplistic and the characters, although properly distinct and likeable, do sound a bit uniform. Without the adjectives and history that describe them, it can be hard to pick out who is who based upon dialogue. In totality, a perfectly serviceable albeit flawed 4/5.
July 18, 2019
I thought some pure science fiction would be a nice change. I guess I'm just not enough of a Star Wars junkie to really appreciate this book. I had thought I would mark it as 2 stars and even thought of not finishing the book and going to a different one, but decided to finish it. It got better and the ending provided some satisfaction to the three on-going story lines, but I still didn't know all the backstory behind the book only really knowing about what was covered in the movies. And even those details were a bit murky from seeing many of the new movies only once years ago.
If you are a Star Wars fan, I have no doubt you will appreciate this book. I listened to it and the audio version came complete with sound effects in the background and the performance by the reader was also very good. I doubt I will continue with the series, but the book did provide a needed break from my current reading and listening selections.
If you are a Star Wars fan, I have no doubt you will appreciate this book. I listened to it and the audio version came complete with sound effects in the background and the performance by the reader was also very good. I doubt I will continue with the series, but the book did provide a needed break from my current reading and listening selections.
July 27, 2025
A phenomenal foray into the EU, this book (and series) capture all of the promise that the EU held prior to the Disney acquisition of Star Wars. Not a great first reading for someone delving into what is now deemed the “Legends” universe of Star Wars, but a great read for someone who is a little more well versed in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
April 13, 2021
Mildly entertaining but quite bland. Weak start to a series
Displaying 1 - 30 of 369 reviews