Apologies

Sorry for the lack of posts, dear readers, but with the fate of the Star Wars Expanded Universe in question in the last few months, I decided to cool my heels with the reviews featuring them. Now that we know it's called the Legendary Universe, I'm debating on whether to continue with the reviews for it because I don't think anyone's all that interested in them.

The other reason I haven't written some is that the last few David Weber's Honor Harrington saga books are massive and it's taking my a while to summarize the main plot. Same goes for Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois Bujold and Anne Bishop's Murder of Crows. I'm also unable to find copies of Xanth: Quest for Magic by Piers Anthony so I can't finish the review for his wonderfully puny saga.

Now, I've thought about ways around this, but I'd like your opinion. Do you think I should continue with the Star Wars Legendary Universe books now that they're only used for idea mining? Or do you think I should scrap them all together and just take a month to review each of the other series I've got on the project shelf? I'm very interested in hearing your opinions. Please leave your suggestions in the comments section.

Book Review: Star Wars: Maul: Lockdown SPOILERS!

A special treat for you patient viewers. Two books came int he mail last week and I spent my time reading them to review. This is the other.

On January 28 2014, horror author Joe Schreiber published Maul: Lockdown. In this, Maul must overcome gangs of prisoners to track down one arms dealer before Jabba the Hutt or Komari Vosa of the Bando Gora get their hands on him. The events of this book take place after Cloak of Deception by James Luceno and before Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves. Synopsis: It's kill or be killed in the space penitentiary that houses the galaxy's worst criminals, where convicts face off in gladiatorial combat while an underworld gambling empire reaps the profits of the illicit blood sport. But the newest contender in this savage arena, as demonic to behold as he is deadly to challenge, is fighting for more than just survival. His do-or-die mission, for the dark masters he serves, is to capture the ultimate weapon: an object capable of obliterating the Jedi and conquering the galaxy. Sith Lords Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious are determined to possess the prize. And one of the power-hungry duo has his own treacherous plans for it. But first, their fearsome apprentice must take on a bloodthirsty prison warden, a cannibal gang, cutthroat crime lord Jabba the Hutt, and an unspeakable alien horror. No one else could brave such a gauntlet of death and live. But no one else is the dreaded dark-side disciple known as Darth Maul.

The novel opens with Maul surviving a fight against an unknown alien with a living staff. He recalls how he arrived; then he goes about his business of tracking down Iram Radique, a local hidden arms dealer found inside Cog Hive Seven--the prison. As he does so (without use of the Force), a number of things happen: the first is that a mysterious Twi'lek calling himself Zero offers loose advice to Maul; Maul takes down the top two gangs; and an old man and his son offer help.

Maul does fight his way through opponent after opponent, even killing some of Radique's people, much to the ire of the Galactic Gaming Commission. The warden, Sadiki Blirr, brushes off many threats to her by insinuating that Maul--otherwise known as Jaganath--must be killed because he's become a problem. Meanwhile, Hego Damask has sent in a field analyst named Vesto Slipher, who also starts working with Radique in odd ways.

During all this, Darth Sidious oversees Maul's work via hologram communication, but Darth Plagueis informs Sidious through a couple of face-to-face meetings that he's aware of what Maul's doing because of Slipher. But Sidious doubts that Plagueis really knows why Maul was sent there: to acquire a bomb for the Outer Rim for their upcoming war to rip the Republic apart. Sadiki's brother, Dakarai, is often absent mostly when she needs his moral support.

She also learns that Jabba Desilijic Tiure has taken an interest and she kills his hired mercenaries which angers Jabba. Maul eventually learns that Zero is Radique--who is also Dakarai in disguise. Maul receives orders to kill Radique and leave no witnesses--which he does under cover of Jabba and his thugs coming to take over Cog Hive Seven. Jabba's takeover is harassed by Komari Vosa of the Bando Gora who wants Radique's head.

Maul wants to hand over the weapon or Komair, but Komari goes into a blind fury believing it to be a trap, and attempts to kill Maul, but Maul bests her. She accepts the weapon and helps him escape from the prison. Hego Damask informs Palpatine that Cog Hive Seven is no more than a debris field somewhere in the Outer Rim, and all went well according to their plans. Komari, Eogan--the boy--and Maul have stolen one of Jabba's ships and fled before the destruction (so did Jabba, but we know that already).

All in all, a well-thought-out book that still keeps the suspense Schreiber is known for, as wells acknowledging the EU continuity and Darth Plagueis. This serves to show that any author can use continuity well and still tell a damn good story, and that continuity doesn't have to be tossed out because some people can't handle a unified series.

Book Review: Star Wars: X-Wing: Wraith Squadron SPOILERS!

In February 1998, writer Aaron Allston joined the Bantam Spectra ring of Expanded Universe authors to bring you the first of many one-dimensional books, and surprisingly remains a fan favorite among certain fans. Synopsis: It is Wedge Antille's boldest creation: a covert-action unit of X-Wing fighters, its pilots drawn from the dregs of other units, castoffs, and rejects given one last chance. But before the new pilots can complete their training, the squadron's base is attacked by former Imperial Admiral Trigit, and Wraith Squadron is forced to swing into action--taking over an Imperial warship and impersonating its crew. The mission: to gain vital intelligence about Trigit's secret weapons, to sabotage the admiral's plans, and to lure him into an Alliance trap. But the high-stakes gamble pits Wraith Squadron's ragtag renegades against the Empire's most brilliant master of guile and deception. Are they up to the challenge? If not, the penalty is instant death.

The novel opens with Rogue Squadron returning from the Battle of Thyferra and heralded as heroes on Coruscant. Above Gravan Seven, Lieutenant Myn Donos becomes the lone survivor of Talon Squadron during the battle. Days later, Wedge proposes starting a new X-Wing unit to Admiral Ackbar; Ackbar refuses, but strikes a bet with Wedge--if Antilles can get the squadron up and running, he can stay a commander, but if he loses, he becomes a general. Wedge actively seeks to stop this, but seeing that Ackbar's serious, he agrees. After weeks of selection and training, the new squadron is formed; it consists of Commander Wedge Antilles, Lieutenant Wes Janson, Lieutenant Myn Donos, holo-actor Garik "Face" Loran, demolitions expert and former Katarn Commando Kell Tainer, gifted mathematical Gammorrean Voort "Piggy" saBinring, Antarian Ranger Tyria Sarkin, Hohass "Runt" Ekwesh, Falynn Sandskimmer, Eurrsk "Grinder" Thri'ag, Jesmin Ackbar, and doctor Ton Phanan. It turns out that General Han Solo is given the command of the teams that will hunt for Warlord Zsinj, but Wraith Squadron isn't fully active yet.

During the next set of training, the squadron gets a name: Wraith Squadron from one of the commando-pilots. Shortly afterward, the training base at Folor is attacked by Admiral Apwar Trigit. All squadrons flee, but Wraith Squadron, though fleeing, decides to strike back. During this, it turns out that Wes killed Kell's father early on in the Rebellion because Kell's father was going to give away their position to the Empire via his panicking. Kell bears a grudge against Wes for that, but Wedge attempts to defuse it. Though Kell works well with the squadron, he still harbors anger at Wes. On the shuttle Narra, Kell and squadron mechanic Cubber Daine, send out a distress signal to Imperial Captain Darillian's ship, Night Crawler. Aboard the jury-rigged ship Lunatic, Piggy boards Night Crawler and neutralizes the hangar bay, which allows Wraith Squadron to board it. Piggy captures the bridge; Grinder takes a look and happily announces to Wedge that the Imperials left everything intact and didn't get a signal off; Piggy also killed Darillian. After visiting a number of worlds, Night Crawler faces off against more Imperials and Myn's droid Shiner and Jesmin Ackbar die--Jesmin because Kell's unable to reach her in time.

Myn goes into a near coma. When Wes covers for Myn, Kell finally realizes that Wes isn't a monster and forgives him for the imaginations of a child. Face, Kell, Tyria, and Falynn help Myn recover from his coma and convince him that the failure at Garvan Seven wasn't his fault and that his former squadron would want him to live. Wedge asks New Republic Captain Choday Hrakness to help them out by filling out Night Crawler with a complete crew, commanded by Hrakness himself, but under direct command of Wedge; Hrakness agrees and Night Crawler appears to work for Zsinj while secretly having some of Zsinj's borderline worlds unknowingly joining the New Republic. Wraith Squadron gets a holocom from Trigit who demands to know what they've been up to--he believes them to still be Imperial officers under the complete command of the deceased Captain Darillian--but Face manages to convince him to drop the subject. Trigit says he can't wait to see them at the rendezvous point. At the rendezvous point, Trigit points out that Night Crawler has been upgraded and has picked up a shuttle.

Imperial Lieutenant Gara Petothel warns Trigit that their secret weapon has been neutralized by the New Republic at Talasea and Trigit orders a change of course. Hrakness catches on and orders the crew to open fire on Provocateur and  Constrictor's engines, leaving the ships unable to escape. Implacable gets a shot off to the bridge of Night Crawler and Hrakness ends up spaced. Implacable gets away, much to Rogue Squadron, General Edor Crispin, and Wraith Squadron's disappointment. Face, Tyria, and Kell get promotions while the sole surviving member of Night Crawler's crew, Imperial Lieutenant Atril Tabanne is promoted to Captain in the New Republic Fleet. Kell receives the Kalidor Crescent for excellent piloting skills and bravery; Kell doesn't want it because he failed to save Jesmin's life, but Tyria berates him for being an idiot. Later, Night Crawler rendezvous with Trigit and Zsinj; Zsinj sends them out to eliminate Rogue Squadron--Trigit boasts that he'll do to Rogue Squadron what he did to Talon Squadron: annihilation. At Ession, the climax comes to a head between Wraith Squadron and Night Crawler.

Gara warns Trigit that it might be a Rogue Squadron trap. The Katarn Commandos, led by Lieutenant Judder Page, sabotage the Imperial reinforcements from Ession, and because of this Trigit tells Gara that if they (Trigit, Gara, and Implacable) survive, they're going renegade. During the fight, Kell loses it and attempts to flee, but he sees Tyria getting swarmed by TIE Fighters and rushes back to rescue her. Falynn and Grinder enter the Star Destroy to blow out its reactor as well as to severely cripple Implacable from the inside. General Crispin, commanding the A-Wing group Blue Squadron, arrives to lend a hand, as does Rogue Squadron. Trigit arms the Star Destroyer for self destruction, but Gara stops it just to save 35,000 people's lives, then she orders the crew to abandon ship. Grinder's X-Wing explodes during the attempt to escape the falling Implacable. Falynn dies as Impacable crashes into Ession's moon. Baron Soontir Fel--former Imperial ace pilot of the 181st Imperial Fighter Group, and Rogue Squadron pilot--orders the rest of the crew of Implacable to surrender, including the pilots; Wedge wonders when Fel went back to the Empire and why he's only an observer to Trigit. Crespin eliminates Trigit's wingmen while Myn blows Trigit up. Days later, Admiral Ackbar tells Kell that he's grateful that Kell attempted to save his niece's life. Ackbar finds Wedge and reminds him that the three month bet isn't up and despite Wraith Squadron's first victory, Wedge might have to accept that promotion.

All in all, a flat, stale, one-dimensional novel with gratuitous overused "humor" that's hardly worth reading. Believe me, it's worse than Piers Anthony's puns.

Up next: Honor Harrington: Shadow of Saganami by David Weber.

Book Review: Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire SPOILERS!

On May 1996, Steve Perry and Ballantine Spectra books published the novelization to the Nintendo 64 game Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire. It removes the entirety of the Hoth sequence in favor of starting with an introduction to the main villain, Prince Xizor. The events of the game and novel take place between Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Synopsis: It is a time of crisis. Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, is being taken to the vile ganster Jabba the Hutt. As Princess Leia mounts a rescue mission and Darth Vader scours the Galaxy for Luke Skywalker, another sinister figure emerges. Cunning and ruthless, leader of a powerful crime syndicate, he will pit himself against Vader for the favor of their mutual master . . . the dreaded Emperor. His name is Xizor, Underlord of a galaxywide criminal organization called Black Sun. He seeks to displace Darth Vader as Emperor Palpatine's right hand. To do so, he will hatch a brilliantly evil plan to discredit Vader in the Emperor's eyes. But in the meantime he will join the Dark Lord in an unholy alliance whose common target is the young Rebel hero, Luke Skywalker. While Vader and Xizor bait their trap for Luke, Han Solo is being held captive, flash-frozen in a carbonite slab. Mourning the loss of the man she loves, Princess Leia mounts a rescue mission to free Han. She enlists the aid of Luke, who is sharpening his skill in the Force at Ben Kenobi's home on the edge of Tatooine's Western Dune Sea. Skywalker organizes a crack fighting force, including Wedge Antilles and his famous X-wing squadron; Lando Calrissian; and the mercenary Dash Rendar. Yet the fierce battle that ensues to rescue Han will not go according to plan. For the Empire's spies are everywhere. What's worse, though he is cold and reptilian, Xizor has a certain predatory charisma that not even Leia can totally resist. Against the judgment of Chewbacca, who has promised Han to keep her from harm, Leia walks willingly into Xizor's lair in a dangerous play of passion and willpower to get the information she needs to defeat him. At the same time, Luke stands in the crosshairs of a conspiracy of assassins and bounty hunters recruited by Xizor's lieutenant, the beautiful but lethal Human replicant Guri. As the struggle between Xizor and Vader intensifies, Luke finds himself the potential prize of the two most evil entities in the galaxy — one who wants him alive, and one who wants him dead. In a final, explosive showdown, the Rebels must infiltrate Xizor's impregnable stronghold and fight the combined forces of Black Sun and the Empire in deep space. With death and betrayal looming on every side, Luke, Leia, Lando, and Chewie must use every weapon and resource at their disposal, including the Rebel fleet and some intriguing new allies, if they are to prove victorious. In Shadows of the Empire, Steve Perry adds an exciting new chapter to the Star Wars saga and introduces important new characters and situations no Star Wars fan will want to miss.

The novel opens with Xizor witnessing Palpatine talking to Vader about Luke Skywalker during the events of The Empire Strikes Back and how Vader will turn his son to the dark side. On Tatooine, Leia has a nightmare about the day Han was frozen in carbonite, while Luke is off trying to keep up his Jedi training. Later, Lando arrives and informs Leia that an old friend named Dash Rendar says he's tracked Boba Fett to Gall, the moon of Zhar. The gang leaves and lands on Kile, the other moon, where Dash and Rogue Squadron's waiting for them. Together, Luke leads Rogue Squadron in a battle to keep the Imperials distracted while Dash, in his ship Outrider, takes Lando, Leia, and Chewbacca--on Millennium Falcon--to the surface of Gall. During the battle, an X-Wing pilot is killed and Dash bails when they approach the base. During the rendezvous back to the rebel base, Luke's attacked by Wes Janson's X-Wing--it's revealed that Wes' droid's been programmed to kill Luke. Luke disables Wes' ship and they land on the base, but Luke demands answers about why Dash left; Dash states that he was paid to lead them there, not stay and fight. In the hangar, Wedge and Luke are ambushed by a mechanic who killed the droid; they find out that he was working for someone, but unbeknownst to anyone, the hit came from Xizor. Prince Xizor's looking for a way to strike back at Vader for killing his family on Falleen many years ago.

The group splits up: Leia, Lando, Chewbacca, and C-3PO heading for Rodia to ask Black Sun for help while Luke goes back to Tatooine in case Fett shows up. Leia pays Dash to keep an eye on Luke. Luke's ambushed by bounty hunters and, after a chase through Beggar's Canyon, Dash arrives and saves Luke. They find a package waiting for Leia--it tells them about the Bothan's having recovered technical plans for a secret project the Emperor is overseeing. The two, plus R2-D2, head to Kothlis to find out. They arrive and join with the Bothans to prepare a fight, but it goes wrong and Dash's missile seemingly destroys the Bothan squadron. Devastated, Dash begins to lose faith in his abilities, despite the fact that they recovered the intel. Meanwhile, on Rodia, Guri arrives per Xizor's instructions and brings Leia and Chewbacca to Imperial City to meet with the Dark Prince. Once there, Xizor attempts to seduce Leia, but fails when Chewbacca interrupts. Chewbacca flees Xizor's palace while the Dark Prince holds her captive. Alone, Luke's captured by Barabel bounty hunters; they tell Vader, but before Vader can arrive, Lando and Chewbacca break him out. They head to Imperial City to rescue Leia. Vader's not pleased and angrily returns to Imperial City. While there, he senses Luke, but also Leia, though he doesn't realize it at the time. Luke, Lando, and Chewbacca run into Dash who agrees to help them.

They suborn a Black Sun member who leads them through the sewers into Xizor's Palace. He attempts to kill them, but Dash kills him. Once inside, they rescue Leia. Xizor, annoyed by the fight taking place, heads them off, but Lando drops a thermal detonator down a chute to the bottom of the palace. Xizor flees to his skyhook in orbit while the others race to the top. Luke fights and defeats Guri--she flees--and board the Falcon, piloted by C-3PO and R2-D2. They manage to escape, but Xizor sends his fleet to fight them; even with the arrival of Rogue Squadron, they can't hold off much longer. Earlier in the novel, Vader warned Xizor multiple times to stay away from Skywalker and his friends, and having found out what's going on and why Xizor bears a grudge against him, arrives. Vader demands that Xizor stand down, but the Dark Prince refuses. Vader orders the crew of the Executor to open fire on the skyhook. Xizor's killed, and the rebels manage to escape, but not before Dash, now on his ship, is seemingly killed. In the end, back on Tatooine, Luke finishes his recording to Jabba Desilijic Tiure and installs his lightsaber into R2-D2's dome. He and Leia get word from the Bothans that Dash is considered a hero and to let him know that he didn't kill the Bothans, it was the Imperials who fired a shot at the same moment Dash's missile impacted. The novel closes, setting up for Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

All in all, a well crafted and paced novel. Steve Perry gracefully cuts away the dried action of the game and replaces it with a sense of epicness that the game sorely lacks. The cut level of the Battle of Hoth is referred to, but not shown since it has no bearing on the novel or the game itself. Xizor is also given some missing cunning and evilness that the game doesn't have. It utilized the Original Trilogy heroes and villains well. A must read for all Star Wars fans.

Up next: Assassin's Creed: Renaissance by Oliver Bowden, the first novelization of any Assassin's Creed game. Yes, this means I'm going to do them in the order they were published.

Book Review: Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones SPOILERS!

In April 2002, the novelization of the second edition to the Prequel Trilogy was penned by acclaimed fantasy author R. A. Salvatore, his second entry into the Star Wars universe. Synopsis: There is a great disturbance in the Force…. From the sleek ships of the glimmering Coruscant skyscape to the lush gardens of pastoral Naboo, dissent is roiling. The Republic is failing, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, elected ten years earlier to save the crumbling government. Separatists threaten war, and the Senate is hopelessly divided, unable to determine whether to raise an army for battle or keep the fragile peace. It is a stalemate that, once broken, could lead to galactic chaos. Mischievous and resolved, courageous to the point of recklessness, Anakin Skywalker has come of age in a time of great upheaval. The nineteen-year-old apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi is an enigma to the Jedi Council, and a challenge to his Jedi Master. Time has not dulled Anakin’s ambition, nor has his Jedi training tamed his independent streak. When an attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala's life brings them together for the first time in ten years, it is clear that time also has not dulled Anakin's intense feelings for the beautiful diplomat. The attack on Senator Amidala just before a crucial vote thrusts the Republic even closer to the edge of disaster. Masters Yoda and Mace Windu sense enormous unease. The dark side is growing, clouding the Jedi's perception of the events. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, a slow rumble is building into the roar of thousands of soldiers readying for battle. But even as the Republic falters around them, Anakin and Padmé find a connection so intense that all else begins to fall away. Anakin will lose himself—and his way—in emotions a Jedi, sworn to hold allegiance only to the Order, is forbidden to have.


Like my review of The Phantom Menace, I'm going to point out some interesting facts in the story and shed some light into what the Expanded Universe ran with and built up. So, without further ado, here we go.

The novel opens with Anakin dreaming about his mother's death; he and Obi-Wan are on their way to Ansion to settle a dispute--this is shown in better detail in Alan Dean Foster's Star Wars: The Approaching Storm. On Tatooine, Shmi Skywalker-Lars, after talking with her husband[1] Cliegg Lars and his son and his son's girlfriend--Owen Lars and Beru Whitesun--about gathering the farmers to deal with the Tusken Raiders, is kidnapped by the natives of Tatooine. Cliegg and Owen gather the farmers and go after her, but the Tuskens kill a few of them and wound Cliegg. Meanwhile, on Naboo, Senator Padme Amidala leaves for Coruscant, despite Captain Gregar Typho's warnings about her being assassinated; she insists being there to oppose the Military Creation Act is too important. The events of the movie proceed from there, with Palpatine declaring to Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Plo Koon that he won't let the Galactic Republic collapse after a thousand years--which is when the New Sith Wars ended after the Seven Battles of Ruusan and the Ruusan Reformations, which break down the Republic having a massive fleet.

Jango Fett--Mand'alor of the Mandalorians--killing Zam Wessel so she won't tell the Jedi about him being hired to kill Padme by Dooku and the Trade Federation. Mace worries about the Sith not having shown themselves in the last ten years, despite the Sith appearing after a few decades in the days of the Old Republic (The Great Hyperspace War, The Great Sith War, The Jedi Civil War, The Dark Wars a.k.a. KOTOR2TSL, the Great Galactic War, the Cold War, the Second Great Galactic War, the New Sith Wars). Anakin is assigned to protect Padme on Naboo; they'll travel as refugees. Obi-Wan is tasked with finding where the poison dart came from. He asks Dexter Jettster, a Besalisk diner owner and chef, where the dart came from, Kamino. He searches the Jedi archives and Master Jocasta Nu tells him that the planet doesn't exist. The bust statues of certain Jedi Masters are the Lost Twenty, those who left the Jedi Order who no longer felt it's call; Dooku was the last, having been subverted by Hego Damask and Palpatine, the events of which are detailed in certain chapters of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis as well as losing Qui-Gon to Maul during the Naboo Incident.

While the worst romance in the history of movie and book romance, aside from the shitty Twilight crap and the terrible romance later in the Fate of the Jedi saga where a Jedi beats, nearly kills, and rapes his Sith love interest, goes on, Obi-Wan travels to Kamino. Prime Minister Lama Su talks with Obi-Wan about Master Syfo-Dyas creating the clone army--detailed in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis--and how every now and then, the clones develop an issue--a topic that Karen Traviss ran with in her beloved Republic Commando and Imperial Commando books. Obi-Wan talks with Jango, who mentions that a man called Tyrannus hired him on one of the moons of Bogden to serve as the template, which is detailed in the graphic novel Jango Fett: Open Seasons by Haden Blackman. After a fight with Jango, Obi-Wan tracks him to Geonosis and discovers a secret army being built by the Geonosian weaponsmakers; The Trade Federation, Corporate Alliance, Techno Union, InterGalactic Banking Clan, Commerce Guild, and senators Po Nudo and Tikkes join Dooku in creating the Confederacy of Independent Systems; Obi-Wan reports this back to the Jedi Council, via Anakin on Tatooine. Dooku tells Obi-Wan about the Galactic Senate bieng under the control of Darth Sidious--as seen in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis.

Despite being ordered to stay on Tatooine and protect the Naboo Senator, Anakin and Padme rush off and get captured. On Coruscant, Jar Jar Binks becomes the galaxy's biggest unpunished war criminal in the entire galactic history by granting Palpatine the emergency powers to use the clone army. Mace gathers 200 Jedi and leave for Geonosis while Yoda leaves to gather the army. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Padme are about to be executed by a reek, acklay, and a nexu when Mace Windu and the 200 Jedi show up, some of which are Aalya Secura (from the Repbulic comic series starring Quinlan Vos), Kit Fisto, Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Barriss Offee, Roan Shryne, Nat-Sem, K'Kruhk and Sian Jeisel (both from the Republic comics), and several others. During the fight, Jango Fett is killed, prompting Boba to hate the Jedi forever and his sole reason for becoming the best bounty hunter ever. The First Battle of Geonosis kicks off as does the Clone Wars.

Most of the CIS members escape; Sun Fac is eliminated during the events of the hit Republic Commando game where Delta Squad is tasked with assassinating Sun Fac--this explains why Sun Fac wasn't seen in Revenge of the Sith; Delta Squad also sees Greivous's starfighter escape. Anakin loses an arm to Dooku in a lightsaber duel and Obi-Wan is wounded. Yoda saves them at the cost of Dooku escaping. Dooku ends up on Coruscant, in the Works. That building that Dooku lands is in the alternate ending to the popular Star Wars game Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight when Kyle Katarn kills Jerec and assumes the title of Emperor and tells Sarriss to put down the rebel uprising on Danuta where Katarn stole the Death Star plans from during Operation: Skyhook. Bail Organa watches in dismay as the ships built by Rothana Heavy Engineering, containing 1.2 million clone troopers, depart for the upcoming battles. Anakin and Padme marry in secret on Naboo, an act that is forbidden with Yoda's Order, but not with the Corellian Jedi or Djinn Altis' rogue movement; oh, and despite Master Ki-Adi-Mundi having a couple of wives due to the low birth rate on Cerea--it's funny how Yoda will bend the rules for more favored Masters than for gifted Jedi like Anakin and Vos.

All in all, Attack of the Clones works better as a novel than as a movie. It's not the most revered novel, but it is generally well above such trash that have come out in the wake of Revenge of the Sith, namely, the series set after the New Jedi Order and before the Legacy series.

[1] this is referenced and partly detailed in Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning.

Retro Book Review: Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace SPOILERS!

Sometime in 1999, the mass execution of the Star Wars Expanded Universe began in one movie by George Lucas. It's novelization was penned by Terry Brooks. Now, it's been a few years since I read it, but I now have my hands on a copy that recently came out. It just has an updated cover for the 3D rerelease of the film that gave kids and parents nightmares. Yes, it's that film that brought you the evil Jar Jar Binks, who, so far, has only been used in The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, and a couple of Clone Wars episodes. Yeah, he's not a much loved character and neither are the Gungans.  

Synopsis: A long time ago in a galaxy far far away, an evil legacy long believed dead is stirring. Now the dark side of the Force threatens to overwhelm the light, and only an ancient Jedi Prophecy stands between hope and doom for the entire galaxy. On the green, unspoiled world of Naboo, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, arrive to protect the realm's young queen as she seeks a diplomatic solution to end the siege of her planet by Trade Federation warships. At the same time, on desert-swept Tatooine, a slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who possesses a strange ability for understanding the "rightness" of things, toils by day and dreams by night--of becoming a Jedi Knight and finding a way to win freedom for himself and his beloved mother. It will be the unexpected meeting of Jedi, Queen, and a gifted boy that will mark the start of a drama that will become legend.

And that synopsis, on the back of the novel, has me laughing out loud. Especially the part about this being a legend. Give me a break. Most Star Wars fans hate this movie and wish it never happened. Why, you ask? Because of Jar Jar Binks, a horrible child Anakin, and the cheesiness of the film's plot. It was so godawful that I'm still amazed it exists. But enough about that. Onto the novel's review where I'll let you in on some retcons we--meaning the EU fans--came up with after this novel and book were published.

The novel opens with a podrace during which Anakin crashes Watto's beloved podracer. Anakin is no longer allowed to race. He skips off work with Kitster and Wald and talk to an old spacer drinking ruby bliels (which is alcohol). Yeah, smart idea there, give the kids alcohol. It then switches to what we all know, the opening of the movie, with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan boarding the Trade Federation ship to discuss the blockade of Naboo (the events of which are detailed in the computer game Star Wars: Galactic Battlefields; just click on Boss Rugor Nass' face to start the campaign) with Nute Gunray and Rune Haako. Naturally, things take a turn for the worse and both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan end up on Naboo with that despicable character, Jar Jar Binks. The novel and Brooks write out the  Gungan language, which is horribly racist against Jamaicans. They leave Naboo with Queen Padme Amidala and her retinue of handmaidens and a couple of security types. They're stranded on Tatooine where they meet Anakin. Qui-Gon arranges to have Anakin free, but Watto refuses.

On Coruscant, Darths Sidious and Maul talk about the revenge of the Sith. A good portion of the scene in the novel details the origins of the Sith, and how wrong it is. According to Brooks and Lucas, the Sith came into existence only 2,000 years ago and waged war on the Jedi. First off, the EU set the Sith's origins back around 25,000 years ago, near the start of the Jed'aii origins. Secondly, the 2,000 years mentioned was retconned into the start of the New Sith Wars led by former Jedi Master Phanius, now called Darth Ruin. He led the war that decimated the galaxy, leaving the Republic, Mandalorians, and citizens on the brink of collapse. Into this came the Brotherhood of Darkness led by Kaan. Kaan's rival, Darth Bane--infamous creator of the Sith Rule of Two--finished off the Brotherhood via the war with the Jedi Army of Light led by Hoth on the planet Ruusan, where Kaan's thought bomb trapped hundred of Sith and Jedi spirits into it; it is now known as the Valley of the Jedi and starred in the graphic novel Star Wars: Jedi vs Sith by Darko Macan and the popular computer game Star Wars: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight and William C. Deitz novellas: Soldier for the Empire, Rebel Agent, and Jedi Knight, starring beloved Star Wars character Kyle Katarn.

Anyway, now back to the novel. On Tatooine, Anakin wins a podrace, and is set free. Qui-Gon briefly duels Darth Maul before fleeing in abject terror at a character that doesn't talk.They arrive on Coruscant (first created by Timothy Zahn in Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy I: Heir to the Empire as the capital of the former Galactic Empire and Old Republic) where Anakin is denied training from the Jedi Council and the Galactic Senate refuses to take action over the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo. Instead, they depose Chancellor Finis Valorum and elect Palpatine as Chancellor--something that Darth Plagueis and Sidious (Palpatine) orchestrated; Sidious then kills Plagueis in his sleep (as detailed in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno). Meanwhile, the main cast has returned to Naboo to ask the false-Jamaicans to bring their army to free Naboo and Gungan alike. Anakin knocks out the Droid Control Ship during the space battle, the Gungans knock the droids over and win, Padme and company seize Nute Gunray and Rune Haako. Maul kills Qui-Gon, but Obi-Wan slices Maul in half. Qui-Gon, dying, has Obi-Wan promise to train Anakin, which Yoda reluctantly agrees to. Plus, there's that line about "Which was destroyed? The Master or the Apprentice?" Now that Darth Palgueis is out, the truth is revealed that both were destroyed.

Now, while both are hated, they do bring some good things and bad things to the universe. A couple of good things is how the Old Republic ran its bureaucracy, podracing, and images of Coruscant. Bad things: Jedi not allowed to marry, ever. Yeah, this was retconned by Lucas after Bantam-era novels had Luke Skywalker marry Mara Jade, as well as Luke's Jedi Order having characters marry. Oh, and Tales of the Jedi Jedi-characters marry. But the fans retconned these married Jedi back in by saying they were a part of Jedi Master Djinn Altis' sect of Jedi that allowed Jedi to marry, therefore allowing Luke to have knowledge of these two sects and combine the best aspects from both. Not a bad story (still better than Twilight saga or Napoleon Dynamite, but then, everything is), but still lacking the full experience that the Original Trilogy gave us.