Star By Star

[Jedi Master Carr]

Since Star By Star comes out this coming Tuesday I was curious how many are going to get a copy and read it. I know I will I want to see which character they will be killing off, I think I know who it is but I will not say. I will put in my review once I have finished reading it.

[ReaperFett]

I have contacts. I know who dies :)



Ill be getting it ASAP

[Champion of the Force]

I haven't read a SW book in over a year.

I'll probably just head over to TFN and read their review.

The TFN review section has pretty much kept me up to date with happenings in the EU - saves reading them all. :)

And their 'Zorba the Hutt' review is hilarious. :lol

[ReaperFett]

I so want to read them. For those who dont know of them, here are the reviews:

http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_glove.shtmll
http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_city.shtmll
http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_zorba.shtmll
http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_mtyoda.shtmll
http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_prophets.shtml


Best quote is from book 3

"Is it so wrong to be a murderer?" he asked. "Or a liar? Or an inhuman monster? I may be all of those things, but I still have a heart."


Awwww, you have to like him now. How sweet! :)

[Champion of the Force]

Let's call up a moffship to have a mofference. :)

But beware the braze. :lol

[Jedieb]

I'll definitely be buying a copy. I can't wait to see who gets knocked off. I have my suspicions, and if they're correct I'll be as happy as can be! :crack

[ReaperFett]

I wont do any spoilers, but Ill tell you this. There are THREE major events in SbS, and not all deaths of characters.


BTW, got the Dramatis Persone here


SPOILERS





























Alema Rar; Jedi Knight (female Twi'lek)
Anakin Solo; Jedi Knight (male human)
Bela Hara; Jedi Knight (female Barabel)
Borsk Fey'lya; chief of state (male Bothan)
C-3PO; protocol droid
Cilghal; Jedi Master (female Mon Calamari)
Eryl Besa; Jedi Knight (female human)
Ganner Rhysode; Jedi Knight (male human)
Han Solo; captain, Millenium Falcon (male human)
Jacen Solo; Jedi Knight (male human)
Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Jovan Drark; Jedi Knight (male Rodian)
Krasov Hara; Jedi Knight (female Barabel)
Kyp Durron; Jedi Master (male human)
Lando Calrissian; resistance fighter (male human)
Leia Organa Solo; former New Republic diplomat (female human)
Lowbacca; Jedi Knight (male Wookie)
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (male human)
Mara Jade Skywalker; Jedi Master (female human)
Nom Anor; executor (male Yuuzhan Vong)
R2-D2; astromech droid
Raynar Thul; Jedi Knight (male human)
Saba Sebatyne; Jedi Knight (female Barabel)
Tahiri Veila; Jedi Knight (female human)
Tekli; Jedi Knight (female Chadra-fan)
Tenal Ka; Jedi Knight (female human)
Tesar Sebatyne; Jedi Knight (male Barabel)
Tsavong Lah; warmaster (male Yuuzhan Vong)
Ulaha Kore; Jedi Knight (female Bith)
Vergere; advisor to Tsavong Lah (female Fosh)
Viqi Shesh; senator (female human)
Zekk; Jedi Knight (male human)





























END
















And apparently, all have a decent role

[ReaperFett]

hail to me :)

Review up when I finish

When you get it btw, check the tmeline. Wont spoil it for you, but they screwed it up big time :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

I got it too, Reaper do you mean the time changes on the Han Solo Triolgy? I did notice that goof plus they left out the numbers on ESB and called ROTJ the Phantom Menace. What was the editor doing sleeping? Another thing this book is 600 pages long, wow I guess it will be a while before I can post my review.

[ReaperFett]

2 hours, 150 pages :)


And the main was is the TPM time black hole :)

[ReaperFett]

OK, my review

NOTE: If you dont want spoiling, dont read. Some of these points may go close enough to spoil. Some major ones too. Heck, just DONT read if you dont want any spoilers : )










COMMENCE SPOILERS!






















GOOD
Han scaring Nom Amor with the big button : )

"She cant exactly drop what shes doing. Shes feeding ben" : )

Danni's back!

Rieeken too!

And Iblis! What is this, the EU reunion? : )

The sensor dish going again. And now we know he has a spare : )

New X-Wings : )

Wild Knightz. Good name

Voxyn. Like those sound aliens in Half Life, Vorskskrs and Aliens from Aliens. Coolness : )

Throwing torpedoes. Damn, Kyp is the man : )

"I need some Jedi in my Squadron. I need some Barabel Jedi"

Endor makes Endorian Port

Mention of Togorians

Borsk getting agressive in the Senate

Borsk getting SERIOUSLY agressive : )

Lando's droids. Im waiting for one to say "I'll be back" : )

Leia fighting

Jedi dropping like flies, and Im only at Chapter 13. Realistic for what is happening

Ganner's back!

The Wraiths getting a mention

The way the Barabelz speak : )

The reason the mission uses kids. Although I dont like it, it at least makes it bearable

Lando having a meaty, well written role

Mara's cooking. She must have learnt from Lando : )

The way Anakin dropped his saber after Jacen spoke

The Jedi joking even in the middle of a mission

The fact the dozen are called Dozen Squadron, meaning that you finally know what the radio call for them is : )

Luke.......................DOING SOMETHING! WOO!

Mara too!

Jedi Shadow bombs : )

Headhunter and Farmboy flying in the same battle : )

Unobvious Interdictors

Some of the most vital information ever. FACE ISNT DEAD! YEAH!

Borsk bluffing : )

Jacen realising he was wrong

Dance, dance little Ewok : )

Lando trying to comfort Han

Ackbar gets a mention! Yeah!

Jaina serving Vong, extra crispy : )

The reactions to Anakin's death

Leia giving a speech

3P0 getting the wrong shuttle : )

Leia and Han helping in the defense

Borsk's sacrifice. Gonna miss that furry little guy *sniff*

Jamming the Yammosk, meaning all isn't lost




BAD
Badly done timeline

Summary being completely wrong about Kyp

MAJORLY wrong. Completely changes the perspective of the event

look forward to his holodramas on the 'net? Funny, but Id prefer without the word 'net :)

Borsk is the Jedis worst enemy in the senate? Wake up and smell the caff Leia, there are worse

Neg? Could that be the worst abbreviation ever? :)

A dangerous mission, done with SEVENTEEN jedi young 'uns including Tahiri(which is surely basic for liability) Thats near 1/5 of the Jedi!

This is so?

Jacen, who seems to want to sabotage the mission before it has begun :)

Han changing his views on Jedi since Rebirth

Alema ignited their saber underwater. Sabers fuse underwater

Tenal Ka saying fact. Its annoying. Fact :)

The explanation of Anakin reaching out with the force. Felt corny to me

STILL no perspective from Kyp




















SPOILERS END










Id give this a 9/10, second best of the series

[Jedi Master Carr]

Man you read fast like me. First I think we need to use that new spoiler thing because there is a big spoiler towards the end of the book, I see it coming even though I haven't finished it yet. First I want to add isn't Borsk still, alive? I got the impression it was knockout gas or something. Also I agree with you about the good every thing you said is why I so far love this book but the worst is yet to come I am pretty much certain who is going to die and I am going to hide my suspicion so if you don't want to read it you don't have to
I am pretty certain it is Anakin I am 2/3 of the way through and he one of the Vong ruptured his Spleen, and he is very weak. I think there will be a huge battle and he will be killed during it

When I finish the book I will tell you more and also how it affects the characters. I am curious how this will end up especially for one character in particular and if she will fall to the darkside.

[ReaperFett]

Forgot about the spoiler tags. Put them in now :)

[Jedieb]

I haven't been able to get past the first 2 chapter because of the World Series. Tonight's an off night so I should get a few uninterupted hours. If I'm lucky I'll have it done by a week from Saturday. One quick note, is this not the largest single EU novel to date? Wasn't SBS suppose to be a two parter? I can see why, 500 plus pages is a nice chunk of reading to get through.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yes it is Jedieb, but somehow I finished it in three days, what can I say I am a fast reader. Now I am going to post my review first it will be very general and then I am going to post the major spoilers (highlighted of course) and my views on them, so if you don't want to read them don't go near them because you might regreat it.

First off the book is great probably one of the best of the series for several reasons. First we the young jedi knights in action which at times is really cool, second there are some huge space battles and some of the ex rebeles are involved, Reaper went over this for the most part except for Lando who plays a major role several times. I also enjoyed the charachers, in particuarly four: Han, was terrific especially towards the end I am not going to say why, Jaina was great too again I can't go into too many of the details but you will agree with me when you find out, Borsk: this was Borsk's great moment in the novels, he finally seemed like a decent individual instead of a coward and a corrupt politician, and lastly Anakin mostly because he was great in leading the young knights against the vong but like Jaina I can say no more. Ok now I am going to go into some huge spoilers so if you don't want to find out how the book ends read no farther




There are three major events in the story two are deaths the third is at the end. The first huge event is what I had feared all along Anakin dies. That was incredibly tragic, what happened is his sister Jaina was in danger and he went to saver and in the process a Vong staff pierced his side and in the process ruptured his spleen. This blow weakened him but he tried to go on, the others tried to make him rest but he was constantly trying to stay involved. After several Jedi Knights were killed (nobody I have knew of before this book) Anakin began pressing himself and finally faced off against Nom Anor and some of his vong warrior, he killed a lot of them but the strain was just too much and then he died. At this point the others were forced to leave them (Jacen's decision) Jaina though was incredibly angry and decided with Zekk (from YJK novels) and Talhari to go back and get his body. As they were getting him a Vong Warrior was in their way and began to tease Jania over her brother's death. She became incredibly angry and bolts of lighting came out of her hands and blew a hole in the Vong's chest (whoa) from there on she became more angry and began spouting hateful things about the Vong.

At the same time we see Luke, Han, Leia, etc react to his death. They realize as soon, at least Luke and Leia, as it happened that he was dead. It was awful this part because it was so sad to read this part but there are some touching moments with Han, he does a great job in this novel and even Lando as he helping his friend go through this horrible event. But it gets worse for our heros the Vong had decided to finally invade Courscant. The launch all their troops and the battle is lead by Riekkien from ESB Garm bel Iblis, the ex Correllian leader and Wedge Antilles. Corran Horn, Luke, and Kyp all play major roles here too and they kill a lot of Vong but the force is too great and they have to flee Courscant. It is at this moment that Borsk really shines and he apologizes to Leia asking her for forgivenises for what he had done. Then he does what I thought was unthinkable before he blows himself and much of the Imperial Palace up killing 25 thousand Vong in the process (way to go Borsk). At the end of the novel we see our heros escapping Courscant and we see Jacen get captured by Nom Anor who is still trying to get Jaina but fails (its complicated the warmaster wants them both alive) Jaina then goes after her brother (at this point I feel sorry for Anor) and this is how it ends. One final thought to me Anakin's death is the worse event that has happened in the NJO much worse than Chewbacca because of how it affects so many people and also because of the consquences it looks Jaina might follow her grandfather's legacy and fall to the darkside.

There is more I want to add in terms of my opinion of the novel but I will wait until more people have finished it.

[Jedieb]

I posted this in the other SBS thread and I'll repeat it here. I've just finished Chapter 43 and I'm stunned.

I can't believe they did it! I can't believe they killed Anakin. Ikept getting the sense he was going to die. But I kept holding out hope that he'd survive. Anakin was one of my favorite EU characters. The most powerful of the Solo children. SBS even hinted that he was more powerful than Kyp. I looked at him as a character that could end up surpassing both Luke and Vader. Now he's gone. Why couldn't they have killed Jacen? No one would have missed him. I just hope he really took Nom Anor with him. I'd hate to for him to Houdini his way out of that one. The Senate chamber escape was ridiculous enough. I'm still in shock. I had to put the book down and type this out. How could they?

Hey JMC, do you want to use some of our evil dark side mod powers and merge these two SBS threads? I'm for it so if you want to try it after you read this go ahead and give it a shot.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I'm the man, I figured out how to merge threads.:crack. yeah Jedieb I was surprised too I didn't think they would do something that major either which was way bigger than Chewbacca's death. I think I know why though, on another forum somebody said that Anakin had outlived his usefullness because he had grown too powerful and no where else to grow as a character. Another point is this really sets the next books up especially Jaina I am wonder what she will do now and if she will fall to the darkside.

[ReaperFett]

Theres the problem. Kyp is a master. Anakin isnt a full Knight. How more can he go?

[TheHolo.Net]

(OT: FOr a moment)
Its very nice to see the spoiler vBcode tag I added being put to such good use. :)
(/OT)

[ReaperFett]

wasnt until I was reminded :)

[Jedieb]

You are the man JMC!

The Aftermath
I should be able to finish SBS tonight. Last night I found myself getting all choked up as I read Leia's reaction to Anakin's death. Maybe it's the parent in me, but I found myself imagining the horror of what she, Han, and Luke must have been feeling. This was far more gut wrenching than Chewie's death. I just got done reading Jaina's can of Force Whup .... That was simply awesome, I never would have guessed she'd lose it like that. But it led me to these questoins about the Dark Side;

Dark Side
So let me get this straight, you can use the Force to propel you into the air and guide your lightsaber as you lop someone's head off and everything is fine. Slam a torpedo into a Vong cruiser? No problem! But if you use the Force to choke a Voxyn that's the Dark Side and off limits? WTF?Didn't Luke avail himself of that little trick in ROTJ? If he could do it and remain in control then why couldn't the Jedi strike team? And why is Force Lightning evil, but Force pushing a Vong onto a partners lightsaber groovy? I really hope Yoda busts out with some Force Lightning in EP2 or EP3 to show everyone that Force Lightning is an acceptable use of the Force. I know the ROTJ novelization described it as a corruption of the Force, but it's such an awesome power that I'd like to see Luke use it once or twice. :smokin :smokin

[ReaperFett]

Eb, about the Choke thing. What you must remember is that Zekk, who had the problem, was once of the dark side, allied with those two dark siders. His problem was more personal than anything else

[Jedieb]

Yeah, I remember when Zekk was recruited by the Shadow Academy and fell to the Dark Side. But that still doesn't mean the other Jedi couldn't have used that tactic. It wsa kind of funny to see Zekk a bit scared after Jaina went off with her Dark Side attack. BTW, it was really cool to see all of those Yong Jedi Knights characters back. No other NJO book has used those characters to such an extent and I like it. Although I wish they would have given more time to Tenal Ka, she's one of my favorites. I still can't get over the losses by the strike team. Again, I'm going to finish SBS tonight, but the death toll has already been outrageously high.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Jedieb, I understand your point about the dark side but to me I think Yoda sums it up best when he tells Luke, "A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Oc course there is also the line from TPM, "Fear leads Anger, Anger leads to Hate, Hate leads to suffering." I'm not sure if that answers the thing about force lighting but I would guess that force lighting is a form of an attack, and plus its a quick easy way to kill somebody and that is why I think it is part of the darkside.

[Jedieb]

Yes I see your point. The way I see it, you can't help attacking your enemy. A lightsaber may be a more "elegant" weapon, but it's still a weapon and an aggresive one at that. I just don't see Force Lightning or Force Choking any different than a lightsaber. The emotions and reasons for the attack should determine whether something is of the Dark Side, not the weapon. But there may be something to the training necessary to master such attacks that could be inherently dark, I'll give you that.

BTW JMC, I've got a thread for you at the mod forum.

[Jedieb]

I finished it tonight. I must say this was one of the best, if not the best NJO novel. Anakin's death, the fall of Coruscant, Jacen's capture, and Jaina's fall to the Dark Side. And she has fallen IMO. That's why Jacen couldn't feel her while he was chasing down the voxyn. She's fallen in the same manner that Zekk fell in the Young Jedi Knights and even Luke in Dark Empire. Jacen does feel her again slightly as they're escaping, but I think she's in a very dark place right now and someone is going to have to bring her BACK to the Light Side.

There were a few negatives, but the good here FAR outweighs the bad. Anakin's death was far more powerful than Chewie's. I have to argue that their was still room for his character to grow. He may have had more raw power than anyone, but he still hadn't become a Master. That would have been great to see. The passages in which Leia and Co. react to his death were the most emotional I've read so far. Unlike Chewie's death, Anakin's will directly effect a number of characters. Sure, Chewie's death saddened everyone, but Han was the only one who went off and lost it. Anakin's death has sent Jaina to the Dark Side, Leia and Han are devastated, and Jacen gets captured fullfilling his last promise to his brother. I'm not sure where it will lead Luke and Mara because their focus will now be protecting Ben and the occasional X-Wing battle.

Negatives
Am I the only one that could spot the MAJOR editing that took place? There were entire adventures that were refered to is with just a couple of sentences. (Corran's escape for one.) And sometimes conversations were summurized with a couple of sentences. Who knows how many pages we lost, but someone cut out some material to cram two books into one 600 page novel.

There were also too many DARING ESCAPES! I don't mind seeing Luke and Co. get out of one jam after another, but watching Nom Anor perform Houdini tricks simply pissed me off. We're suppose to believe he could escape from the middle of the damn Senate chamber? He can also outrun Jacen's Thermal detonator? When the hell did Deion Sanders become a Vong? And Viqi the goodfornothingtraitorslut Shesh is quite the bad ass isn't she? She can jump railings blind and land on waiting escape craft, outrun Noghri, kill Noghri with nothing more than a dagger, dodge blaster fire from Han Solo, and outrun an enraged lightsaber wielding Leia. She's stupid enough to think Tsavong Lah being her buddy whenever he speaks to her by only using her first name. What the hell does she think is going t happen if the Vong win? She's going to be a hero and a big hit at Vong dinner theater? They should have killed her worthless butt halfway through the novel. Oooooh, how I hate her! I finally found someone I hate more than Calista!

That being said, there's much more good than bad here. I'd give it a 9/10 also. BTW, who said KJA's overrated pet Kyp was a Master? Hell, I like Corran more than I do Kyp! Farmboy is the man! Farmboy is the man!

[Jedi Master Carr]

I liked it too I thought it was a great book overall I just have one thing to ask you Jedieb, what did you think of Borsk's demise? I thought it was a great ending for him. I mean a lot of fans hated him and would have loved to see him die but the way they did I am sure most fans now see him in a different life. As far as Viqi Sheshe I was surprised she surivived, she did lose part of her back in that one scene (ouch). And I think Nom Amor's days are numbered I think Jaina is going to get him really good, if she goes and become a dark jedi, does anybody think that tweilk Jedi Alemar might become her aprentice, she has already proved she has fallen her self, and what about those two dark jedis that fled does anyone believe that might reappear and tempt them to join them. Now I can't wait for Dark Journeys anybody have date on it.

[ReaperFett]

February

Id say NJO is the 2nd best NJO book, behind Jedi Eclipse. Theyd be about #11-15 on a top 15 list too(those X-Wing novels take up a lot of space :))

[Jedieb]

X-Wing novels take a lot of space on my list too, the bottom of the list that is. ;)

I thought Borsk really stepped up and his death was great. He was a weasel, but he was still an effective political foil. I was just surprised he ever became head of the New Republic after his debacle in the first Thrawn trilogy. Lah's line about not falling for the dejarik gambit was pretty sweet. But going down and taking 25,000 Vong with you is the way to go.

I have a qustion about Coruscant's occupation. We're talking about a giant city with a population of over 1 trillion. How the hell are the Vong ever going to occupy it? And what are they going to do about lower levels that even Jedi never dare to go into? It would take YEARS to subdue that massive a population. But I guess details like that have to be overlooked to push the story along.

[ReaperFett]

Kyp is a master for many reasons. For one, he trained someone to Knighthood. Add to that 10 years of Jedi Service, and Id say he's a master.

And please, explain why he is overrated? Like Luke's force test showed, he is strong in the force. Cutting all this 'son of the chosen one must mean you are automatically the best ever' bull, Id say both Luke and Kyp have done plenty to warrant them as hardened. He is the Jedi opposite of Luke really. While one prefers to hang back, the other has the 'best form of offense is attack' mentality. Without him, the NR would be in more Turmoil. Unlike a certain other Jedi Master, he was taking it to the Vong. Luke only just appears to have woken up to this.

Corran is FAR more overrated, mainly because of the fact the main person who writes him is Corran Stackpole :)


BTW, what you got against the X-Wings? More importantly, did you actually get to Starfighters of Adumar? I refuse to acknowledge any X-Wing views until you get to it :)

[Jedieb]

I abandoned the series rigt after the Wraiths. I just kind of lost interest. I'll eventually pick them up and finish. I just kept missing Luke and the main OT characters. I had much more fun reading the Young Adult stuff.

As for Kyp, it's just a matter of taste. To me, the "son of Skywalker" stuff is very important. Luke should be the most powerful Jedi around. I don't know who let Anderson create him as THAT powerful, but it was a mistake IMO. It cheapens Luke, Vader, and even Palpatine. But it's EU and not really a concern for most fans of the films. In the middle of any SW screening you're bound to have 80% or more of the people in the theater not even have a clue as to who Kyp or Corran are. The point is, not everything in the EU is gold. Do you like the idea that the galaxy was saved because the Stormtrooper who said; "Look sir, droids!" decided to become a traitor and shoot his commander in the back? It's individual taste, you like some characters alot, others not so much. I'm not that wild about Kyp or Corran.

As for having Luke standing around, I blame the damn writers. They're so busy trying to get a large number of characters involved that they don't seem to know what to do with Luke or Han sometimes. They also want to stay away from the "Luke saves the day, again" syndrome so they have to have storylines revolving around other charcters like Corran. I mean having Corran fighting mortal combat for the fate of a planet while Luke stands by and watches is just plain ridiculous.

[ReaperFett]

with that Davin Felth comment, you must remember. The main parts would most likely have still escaped, and the AT-ATs won in the end anyway.

I think what most forget is Kyp beat Luke because of Exar Kun. Straght fight, Luke would have won in time.

[ReaperFett]

BTW, you missed something. I noticed this, and a VIP at TF.N confirmed.

In the fleet, there was a Bail Organa, Elegos E'ka and Mon Mothma.

She's dead Jim