Book 2 - 'Dark Apprentice' by Kevin J. Anderson  

Bantam Press 1994  

Set 7 years after RotJ 

 book cover
Story -- Daala lost one of her four Star Destroyers in volume one, and is now mad as hell! She wants revenge, and if that means killing innocent civilians, tough! On Coruscant, Ambassador Furgan continues to cause trouble, and Mon Mothma is ill, leaving Leia with even more work. Meanwhile, training continues at Luke's Jedi Academy, even though a dark presence is making itself felt.

Original characters from the movies -- still not 100%. In particular, Threepio is reduced to the role of babysitter (anyone else find that REALLY unlikely), and Han and Lando spend a lot of their time arguing over who owns the Millenium Falcon. Wedge is flying again, but only delivery-type stuff (although he does get a love interest!)

New characters -- Kyp Durron is really starting to annoy me (he needs a good slap!), Daala is beginning to show why Tarkin shut her away in the Maw (she's a liability!), and Qwi Xux makes me cringe. However, meet Exar Kun, dark Jedi and all-round baddie - definitely has his moments.
 
Cover art -- s'okay, I suppose.

Chicks -- Leia (juggling raising a family with running the galaxy), Daala (feels like a great opportunity for a female baddie has been missed), Qwi (get a backbone, girl!), and Mara shows up (but not the Mara we know. This one has 'reddish-brown hair' and wears a silvery clingy suit.)

Any good? -- worse than book one, in my opinion. A distinct lack of action and poor characterisation spoiled it for me.

Read it? -- see review for book one.

Rating -- 3 out of 10
 

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