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Dark Journey (New Jedi Order, Book 10)
By AngelaJade | June 27, 2000
[asa book]0345428692[/asa]
Story — carries on directly after the events of ‘Star by Star‘. Don’t even THINK ABOUT reading this book before you’ve read SbS.
Characterisations — this is very much a Jaina Solo novel, and therefore concentrates on her and the characters that surround her. Lots of Han & Leia - brilliantly written, particularly their dialogue. The three dark-haired, green-eyed men in Jaina’s life - Zekk, Kyp, and Jagged Fel - also make appearances. Zekk’s pretty good, and it was great to finally read more about Jag. Kyp is more ‘definite’ - more believable than I’ve seen him written in many other books. Cunningham has taken up the gauntlet and made him confront his past (and what he has become) where other authors apparently feared to tread. And a big ‘hello’ to Ta’a Chume, Queen Mother of the Hapans. Love her or loath her, you can’t ignore her. Prince Isolder, Teneniel Djo, Tenel Ka - all well written, IMO.
New characters –Khalee Lah, son of Tsavong Lah, was introduced at the end of SbS, and continues to be a chip off the old block. Dad would be proud. The Vong priest Harrar is interesting, altho’ not as devout/inflexible as I’d always imagined the priests to be.
Cover art — (by Steven D. Anderson) Jaina, the blueprint for an X-wing, and the NR symbol. Why does the Jaina in the text have bangs, while the one on the cover doesn’t? Am I the only person bugged by this sort of thing? Hmm… maybe I am obsessed… 
Chicks — Jaina is a terrific character! Not wonderful and perfect and flawless, but REAL - darker and more human, I loved all the ties to her heritage, both from her parents and from other relatives/ancestors. I found Jaina as an eighteen-year-old very believable. Leia’s great - older and wiser, but still the Alderaanian princess we know from the movies. And as for Ta’a Chume - I thought she was better in this than in ‘Courtship of Princess Leia’. Mara’s appearances are brief but fab.
Any good? — sad and somewhat angsty - but not as depressing as I’d thought this book would be. Cunningham has a flair for characterisation and dialogue - and a sense of humour. BTW - any chance of an up-to-date map of the galaxy, Del Rey?
Read it? — depends, I guess. If you’re waiting for the book where all is peachy in the SW galaxy - sorry, this ain’t it. If it’s realism and some great characterisation you’re after, then I’d say ‘definitely’. This one is particularly recommended for Jaina and Han & Leia fans.
Rating — 7 out of 10
Topics: Books and Comics, Expanded Universe, New Jedi Order, Novels, Reviews |
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