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Star Wars Legends: Novels
Star Wars: The Truce at Bakura
No sooner has Darth Vader's funeral pyre burned to ashes on Endor than the Alliance intercepts a call for help from a far-flung Imperial outpost. Bakura is on the edge of known space and the first to meet the Ssi-ruuk, cold-blooded reptilian invaders who, once allied with the now dead Emperor, are approaching Imperial space with only one goal: total domination. Princess Leia sees the mission as an opportunity to achieve a diplomatic victory for the Alliance. But it assumes even greater importance when a vision of Obi-Wan Kenobi appears to Luke Skywalker with the message that he must go to Bakura—or risk losing everything the Rebels have fought so desperately to achieve.
Even as the Alliance arrives, the aliens have almost overcome the Bakura Imperial garrison, whose desperate commander will accept help from any quarter—even Rebel—against an insidious foe that enslaves Human minds to pilot their invincible machines of war and destruction.
While marshalling the tattered Imperial forces, Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia must win the trust and cooperation of the Bakurans. For although Imperial Governor Nereus has granted the Rebels temporary amnesty there is the possibility of treachery among those whose first allegiance lies with the Empire.
On the eve of the final explosive onslaught, Rebel and Imperial forces must finally come to terms with each other…or lose the entire galaxy to the hideous servitude promised by a victorious alien enemy.
Capturing the sweep and excitement of the original Star Wars saga, The Truce at Bakura plants a seed of hope for peace, sees the formation of a timeless love, and stands witness to a Jedi's undying sacrifice to defend Humanity against an alien nemesis.
Even as the Alliance arrives, the aliens have almost overcome the Bakura Imperial garrison, whose desperate commander will accept help from any quarter—even Rebel—against an insidious foe that enslaves Human minds to pilot their invincible machines of war and destruction.
While marshalling the tattered Imperial forces, Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia must win the trust and cooperation of the Bakurans. For although Imperial Governor Nereus has granted the Rebels temporary amnesty there is the possibility of treachery among those whose first allegiance lies with the Empire.
On the eve of the final explosive onslaught, Rebel and Imperial forces must finally come to terms with each other…or lose the entire galaxy to the hideous servitude promised by a victorious alien enemy.
Capturing the sweep and excitement of the original Star Wars saga, The Truce at Bakura plants a seed of hope for peace, sees the formation of a timeless love, and stands witness to a Jedi's undying sacrifice to defend Humanity against an alien nemesis.
341 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
312 people are currently reading
3,741 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Tyers
37books225followersShe is the first child of Dr. H.C. Moore, an accomplished dentist and jazz musician who had served during WWII as a test pilot, and Barbara Putnam Moore, flutist with several California orchestras.
Kathy attended Montana State University in Bozeman, where she received a degree in microbiology, married, performed widely on her flute, and then became certified as a K-12 classroom teacher. After teaching primary grades for three years, she retired to start a family. Her only son took long naps and enjoyed playing alone, so in 1983 she set her electric typewriter on her kitchen table and started writing a book. Shortly after finishing the first draft, she joined a writers group, where she learned to critique and self-edit. First novel FIREBIRD was published by Bantam Spectra books in 1987, followed by FUSION FIRE, CRYSTAL WITNESS, and SHIVERING WORLD.
In 1993, her Bantam Spectra editor asked if she’d like to be a Star Wars © writer. THE TRUCE AT BAKURA hit the bestseller list, and life got hectic, exciting, and generally crazy for a while.
After one more novel for Bantam Spectra (ONE MIND’S EYE), Kathy took a sabbatical to deal with family issues. Targeting the Christian Booksellers Association market, she attended several writers conferences before concluding that no CBA publisher was interested in science fiction. She made three attempts to write a contemporary women’s novel, then turned back to her secret passion, which was to revive the unfinished FIREBIRD series. A year later, she connected with Steve Laube of Bethany House Publishers. Laube, a science fiction fan, was willing to take a risk on the project. Rewritten to enhance their underlying spiritual themes, FIREBIRD and FUSION FIRE reappeared in 1999 and 2000, followed in 2000 by a third Firebird novel, CROWN OF FIRE. Meanwhile, the call to write Star Wars came again, this time from Del Rey Books. NEW JEDI ORDER: BALANCE POINT was also a 2000 release.
In 2001, Kathy received the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference’s Pacesetter award for her efforts in the growing Christian science fiction genre. However, during the years that followed, worsening family troubles forced another sabbatical. Another SF novel was started but shelved. Bethany House asked for a new edition of SHIVERING WORLD, which Kathy completed while working at a retail greenhouse.
Kathy was widowed in 2004 and returned to school in 2006. Also in 2006, she completed working with classical guitarist Christopher Parkening on his autobiography, GRACE LIKE A RIVER. She has received a Diploma of Christian Studies from Regent College in Vancouver, BC, and she is working on toward a Master’s degree, mentoring several apprentice writers through the Christian Writers Guild, and drafting a new science fiction novel. Her Canadian experience includes worshipping at a marvelous Anglican church with stained-glass windows, kneeling rails, and challenging Scriptural preaching.
In October 2014 Kathy married William Thomas Gillin.
Kathy attended Montana State University in Bozeman, where she received a degree in microbiology, married, performed widely on her flute, and then became certified as a K-12 classroom teacher. After teaching primary grades for three years, she retired to start a family. Her only son took long naps and enjoyed playing alone, so in 1983 she set her electric typewriter on her kitchen table and started writing a book. Shortly after finishing the first draft, she joined a writers group, where she learned to critique and self-edit. First novel FIREBIRD was published by Bantam Spectra books in 1987, followed by FUSION FIRE, CRYSTAL WITNESS, and SHIVERING WORLD.
In 1993, her Bantam Spectra editor asked if she’d like to be a Star Wars © writer. THE TRUCE AT BAKURA hit the bestseller list, and life got hectic, exciting, and generally crazy for a while.
After one more novel for Bantam Spectra (ONE MIND’S EYE), Kathy took a sabbatical to deal with family issues. Targeting the Christian Booksellers Association market, she attended several writers conferences before concluding that no CBA publisher was interested in science fiction. She made three attempts to write a contemporary women’s novel, then turned back to her secret passion, which was to revive the unfinished FIREBIRD series. A year later, she connected with Steve Laube of Bethany House Publishers. Laube, a science fiction fan, was willing to take a risk on the project. Rewritten to enhance their underlying spiritual themes, FIREBIRD and FUSION FIRE reappeared in 1999 and 2000, followed in 2000 by a third Firebird novel, CROWN OF FIRE. Meanwhile, the call to write Star Wars came again, this time from Del Rey Books. NEW JEDI ORDER: BALANCE POINT was also a 2000 release.
In 2001, Kathy received the Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference’s Pacesetter award for her efforts in the growing Christian science fiction genre. However, during the years that followed, worsening family troubles forced another sabbatical. Another SF novel was started but shelved. Bethany House asked for a new edition of SHIVERING WORLD, which Kathy completed while working at a retail greenhouse.
Kathy was widowed in 2004 and returned to school in 2006. Also in 2006, she completed working with classical guitarist Christopher Parkening on his autobiography, GRACE LIKE A RIVER. She has received a Diploma of Christian Studies from Regent College in Vancouver, BC, and she is working on toward a Master’s degree, mentoring several apprentice writers through the Christian Writers Guild, and drafting a new science fiction novel. Her Canadian experience includes worshipping at a marvelous Anglican church with stained-glass windows, kneeling rails, and challenging Scriptural preaching.
In October 2014 Kathy married William Thomas Gillin.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 474 reviews
November 18, 2015
Han paused in midstep. "What is this? I suppose you're going to ask my intentions toward your sister."
Luke smiled at Han. "I know what your intentions are, friend. She needs you. Just don't let her down."
Han's crooked smiled shone like an asteroid beacon. "Not on your life."
This book may be one of the best Star Wars books I have ever read. It takes place right after Return of the Jedi and demonstrates Luke, Leia, Han, and the rest of the Alliance dealing with the aftermath of having the Empire torn apart. What really impressed me however was that it also subtly dealt with smaller issues with the characters that I had always wondered about. Namely, the physical damage to Luke from the Emperor's lightning attacks and the anger/shock Leia feels while coping with the fact that Vader was her father. Also, there was brilliant and beautiful dialogue between everyone throughout the book, as well as a few really nice scenes between Han and Leia. Despite my everlasting love for the forbidden romance between Anakin and Padme, the relationship between Han and Leia will always be my favorite Star Wars couple. :) An all around wonderful book!
Luke smiled at Han. "I know what your intentions are, friend. She needs you. Just don't let her down."
Han's crooked smiled shone like an asteroid beacon. "Not on your life."
This book may be one of the best Star Wars books I have ever read. It takes place right after Return of the Jedi and demonstrates Luke, Leia, Han, and the rest of the Alliance dealing with the aftermath of having the Empire torn apart. What really impressed me however was that it also subtly dealt with smaller issues with the characters that I had always wondered about. Namely, the physical damage to Luke from the Emperor's lightning attacks and the anger/shock Leia feels while coping with the fact that Vader was her father. Also, there was brilliant and beautiful dialogue between everyone throughout the book, as well as a few really nice scenes between Han and Leia. Despite my everlasting love for the forbidden romance between Anakin and Padme, the relationship between Han and Leia will always be my favorite Star Wars couple. :) An all around wonderful book!
January 9, 2025
Is this the best Star Wars Expanded Universe novel? No.
However, for what it is, it's not bad.
It's interesting to see what happens immediately after the end of Return of the Jedi.
I also found it hilarious that the back matter in the edition I have--which I recently purchased used--had an ad for The Crystal Star. For those unfamiliar with EU books, let's just say that novel will forever go down in the history of the franchise...and not for being the least bit good.
However, for what it is, it's not bad.
It's interesting to see what happens immediately after the end of Return of the Jedi.
I also found it hilarious that the back matter in the edition I have--which I recently purchased used--had an ad for The Crystal Star. For those unfamiliar with EU books, let's just say that novel will forever go down in the history of the franchise...and not for being the least bit good.
June 14, 2024
3.5 Stars
Star Wars Reading Guide
Not the strongest book in the expanded universe but it's an interesting time period to see the events so closely after the explosion of the 2nd death star. I just wish those events had been more interesting.
Star Wars Reading Guide
Not the strongest book in the expanded universe but it's an interesting time period to see the events so closely after the explosion of the 2nd death star. I just wish those events had been more interesting.
January 31, 2016
Oooh, I really liked this one! It's set right after Return of the Jedi and I really like how it explores Leia post-movie. You get to see her dealing with Vader being her father (which, really, the movie should've given us) and she and Han start figuring things out.
I like Luke in this book, too, but his storyline also made me laugh because it felt like an old school sci fi episode. He meets a woman AND THEY HAVE THIS HUGE CONNECTION, LIKE SO SPECIAL . . . but nothing really happens, and they never see each other again!
I rec this one.
I like Luke in this book, too, but his storyline also made me laugh because it felt like an old school sci fi episode. He meets a woman AND THEY HAVE THIS HUGE CONNECTION, LIKE SO SPECIAL . . . but nothing really happens, and they never see each other again!
I rec this one.
December 20, 2019
Not bad. I thought the author did a decent enough job of bringing to life our favourite Star Wars characters. Curiously though, the action when it came wasn't particularly exciting .However, the alien lizards were seriously creepy!So, on balance a passable ⭐⭐�
May 13, 2013
In my opinion, one of the best Star Wars EU novels. I found the characterization of Leia and Han particularly good, and I enjoyed the struggles Luke faced dealing with his new identity as a Jedi master.
She did a good job with the interplay between Han and Leia, considering that at the end of Return of the Jedi, their attraction is obvious, but they haven't spent time together or learned how to resolve disagreements. Well done.
No, there's no sex, only thwarted attempts at make-outs.
The only real thing I didn't like was Luke's attraction to Gaeriel ... or how ever the hell you spell that. It felt a little Forced (waah waaaah). Gaeriel has that character undergo emotional development, and she becomes a true, three-dimensional person in the novel, which is quite a feat for an EU novel (Kevin J. Anderson, I'm looking at you, bud. Callista was the worst character I've ever witnessed.)
I also have a special place in my heart for this book, since it's the first EU book I read in high school.
She did a good job with the interplay between Han and Leia, considering that at the end of Return of the Jedi, their attraction is obvious, but they haven't spent time together or learned how to resolve disagreements. Well done.
No, there's no sex, only thwarted attempts at make-outs.
The only real thing I didn't like was Luke's attraction to Gaeriel ... or how ever the hell you spell that. It felt a little Forced (waah waaaah). Gaeriel has that character undergo emotional development, and she becomes a true, three-dimensional person in the novel, which is quite a feat for an EU novel (Kevin J. Anderson, I'm looking at you, bud. Callista was the worst character I've ever witnessed.)
I also have a special place in my heart for this book, since it's the first EU book I read in high school.
February 25, 2023
While I didn’t necessarily dislike this one, it was a bit of a disappointment. I was really looking forward to it but it unfortunately fell a bit short for me.
The one thing this book really gets right is the Original Trilogy characters. Luke, Han, Leia, and the others are all handled excellently and their interactions are lots of fun. I also like how this book briefly examines Leia’s feelings about being the daughter of Darth Vader, and how her feelings differ from Luke’s. I also really enjoyed Luke’s conversations with another character, Gaeriel, who is basically opposed to the Force due to her religious beliefs. Those discussions had a lot of interesting ideas and I wish there had been more of them. The more political scenes of Leia and the others talking to the Imperial Bakuran officials were also great.
As far as negatives, well� mainly, nothing else about the book did anything for me. The Ssi-ruuk are interesting conceptually but I never felt that they were all that exciting or even threatening. The plot overall also didn’t grab me. Really, this book works best in certain scenes for me, while the whole wasn’t as strong.
Overall this was an okay read. I was really hoping to love it, considering that it’s a very direct follow-up to Return of the Jedi. But, aside from some of the scenes, this one doesn’t leave too much of an impression on me.
Rating: 7/10
The one thing this book really gets right is the Original Trilogy characters. Luke, Han, Leia, and the others are all handled excellently and their interactions are lots of fun. I also like how this book briefly examines Leia’s feelings about being the daughter of Darth Vader, and how her feelings differ from Luke’s. I also really enjoyed Luke’s conversations with another character, Gaeriel, who is basically opposed to the Force due to her religious beliefs. Those discussions had a lot of interesting ideas and I wish there had been more of them. The more political scenes of Leia and the others talking to the Imperial Bakuran officials were also great.
As far as negatives, well� mainly, nothing else about the book did anything for me. The Ssi-ruuk are interesting conceptually but I never felt that they were all that exciting or even threatening. The plot overall also didn’t grab me. Really, this book works best in certain scenes for me, while the whole wasn’t as strong.
Overall this was an okay read. I was really hoping to love it, considering that it’s a very direct follow-up to Return of the Jedi. But, aside from some of the scenes, this one doesn’t leave too much of an impression on me.
Rating: 7/10
March 19, 2021
I actually found myself re-reading this one a lot. I've found that Star Wars books can be a little dicey, depending on how they approach the force and the POV of force users. I like the approach that Tyers took in terms of how they perceive/use the Force. Also, having read this book years before any of the new Star Wars films came out, this did my little geek heart good since it takes place right after Episode 6.
May 7, 2024
It has interesting ideas and some good characterisation, but the writing is so dull and lifeless I was bored out of my skull.
July 24, 2010
Not a day has passed since the big boom over Endor when Luke and Wedge retrieve a distress signal from the Imperials at Bakura. Spurred by a vision from Ben, Luke leads a force to Bakura, with Leia, Han, and Chewie (of course, Artoo and Threepio). At Bakura, our Rebels see the Imperial forces beleaguered in their fight against a strange alien species, the Ssi-Ruuk. But will Governor Wilek Nereus accept the Alliance's help? And can they defeat the Ssi-Ruuk anyway?
NOTE: I read the book many years ago and only just recently listened to the highly abridged audiobook.
I Liked:
Kathy Tyers has created her own little niche in the Star Wars world. While not highly crucial to continuity, she nonetheless brings her own flavor to it.
I felt she did a very good job with the main characters. Although a tad goofy in love over Gaeriel and a bit overdramatic when injured, Luke is pretty darn cool. His being sappy in love feels kinda out of character...until you realize he IS a human being after all, and why shouldn't he feel ga-ga over a lady? Leia is superb and her struggling with Vader as her biological father is the absolute highlight of the book. Han was really good as well.
As for original characters, the standouts to me were Pter Thanas and Gaeriel Captison. Pter Thanas really broke the mold of a traditional Imperial (compare him to the more stereotypically--he is even given "gross" hobbies like bug collecting and hunting--portrayed, Wilek Nereus). And although he converted (I hate Imperials converting to Rebels), it made complete sense for his character. Gaeriel is an absolute fun character. Not red-haired and green eyed (well, one is green, but I think of her more as Kate Bosworth than another Mara clone), Gaeriel also has a religious view that conflicts with Luke, making her naturally opposed to him. Her views (about the Cosmic Balance) are particularly interesting, in light of a lot of the newer Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. And at the end, unlike many Star Wars love interests, she chooses to keep the distance between her and Luke, even though there was some sexual tension (not a lot, but a little).
Dev Sibwarra was also interesting, not to leave him out. It's really interesting, as it is said his mother was a Jedi and Wookieepedia says she left the Order as a Padawan, before Order 66, thus eluding the Jedi Purge. I still wonder about why that happened...did she become discouraged like Jusik from Triple Zero (Star Wars: Republic Commando, Book 2)? And how did her name avoid being on the list that was mentioned in Star Wars 501st: An Imperial Commando Novel?
I've already brought up two minor side-plots I've enjoyed: Leia's paternal struggle and Gaeriel/Luke's Jedi struggle. But I did like how Tyers had the two factions work together to defeat a common enemy. I wonder if other worlds had similar struggles (like with the Yevetha, which are only mentioned in one series, Before the Storm (Star Wars: The Black Fleet Crisis, Book 1)).
One last thing, that pertains only to the audiobook: Anthony Heald is a magnificent reader. He gives the characters accents (though Pter and Wilek were hard to differentiate) that were really good--I was particularly impressed with Luke and Han and really speaks in a good, clear voice.
I Didn't Like:
Tyers' Star Wars feels MUCH less like Star Wars than science fiction dressed up like Star Wars. This is best shown with the whole entechment proceedings and even to an extent with her aliens, the Ssi-Ruuk (which, unfortunately, disappear and are never seen from again). Entechment is a cool idea...but it doesn't FEEL like Star Wars.
Also, Yeorg Captison gives as reasons for wanting to leave the Empire as "high taxes and sending children to foreign wars". This is great and all, but does he think that by joining the Alliance, they won't tax his planet or have his children go to war against the Empire? Honestly? This is very poor reasoning. Yes, Wilek Nereus is a "bad guy" in the traditional "I hunt and use yucky parasites that defines me as a bad guy--oh, and I also send Luke off in a trade in the hopes of saving my planet" Imperial baddie characterization. To think that life will be happy and pokey under the Alliance is ludicrous (and just look, not a few years later and everyone is bickering and power-grabbing, no different than under the Empire, only people have these esoteric "freedoms"). We haven't really seen a huge reason why the Empire is bad on Bakura!
Leia also has a bad case of Protagonist Centered Morality (look that up on TVTropes . org for a definition, but be warned: once you go there, you may not come back). When her father appears to her, she basically says: "I can forgive what you did to me, I can forgive the people you've killed, but I can't forgive what you did to Han." WTF?! Han was tortured, yes. Han was sent to Jabba in cryptonite, yes. But Han seems to be having very little in the way of side-effects from this. At least he's still alive. And you won't forgive your own father because of a thing that happened to Han?! What the...???
Another point I thought was insane: Ben returns to order Luke to go to Bakura because these Ssi-Ruuk are so dangerous. This seems completely out of character. Ben only appeared to Luke to get him to Dagobah, to keep him from leaving Dagobah to save Han and Leia, and to explain his family tree. Never has Ben appeared to order him into war. And since the threat of the Ssi-Ruuk disappears with their fleet (which seemed odd, that a minor victory for the Imperials/Rebels made them run), we wonder if the Ssi-Ruuk's victory at Bakura, already an out-of-the-way planet, would REALLY impact the galaxy so greatly.
Lastly, and this applied only to the audio book: when they say abridged, they MEAN abridged! I've not read the book in years, but I could tell HUGE chunks were missing. Scenes always seemed to end on dialog, scenes seemed to be way too short, the space battle confused the heck out of me, in fact, most of the time I spent confused and trying to follow the story. Plus, I am sure there is a scene with Wilek and Leia shaking hands (the cover of the book) that was no where in the audio book. I know that they warned me, but really, I didn't think it was that bad!
Dialogue/Sex/Violence:
None.
Luke goes ga-ga over Gaeriel. Some overtones between Han and Leia and Wilek and Gaeriel.
Kinda gruesome. Luke and Gaeriel are infected with parasites. There is a nice big battle at the end.
Overall:
It's nice to go back and be able to "read" this book--while I'm in the car driving, no less! This book is hardly groundbreaking and hasn't had much to do with more recent continuity, but there are some cool things here nonetheless. If you get a chance to read, I would recommend you do. 3 stars.
NOTE: I read the book many years ago and only just recently listened to the highly abridged audiobook.
I Liked:
Kathy Tyers has created her own little niche in the Star Wars world. While not highly crucial to continuity, she nonetheless brings her own flavor to it.
I felt she did a very good job with the main characters. Although a tad goofy in love over Gaeriel and a bit overdramatic when injured, Luke is pretty darn cool. His being sappy in love feels kinda out of character...until you realize he IS a human being after all, and why shouldn't he feel ga-ga over a lady? Leia is superb and her struggling with Vader as her biological father is the absolute highlight of the book. Han was really good as well.
As for original characters, the standouts to me were Pter Thanas and Gaeriel Captison. Pter Thanas really broke the mold of a traditional Imperial (compare him to the more stereotypically--he is even given "gross" hobbies like bug collecting and hunting--portrayed, Wilek Nereus). And although he converted (I hate Imperials converting to Rebels), it made complete sense for his character. Gaeriel is an absolute fun character. Not red-haired and green eyed (well, one is green, but I think of her more as Kate Bosworth than another Mara clone), Gaeriel also has a religious view that conflicts with Luke, making her naturally opposed to him. Her views (about the Cosmic Balance) are particularly interesting, in light of a lot of the newer Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. And at the end, unlike many Star Wars love interests, she chooses to keep the distance between her and Luke, even though there was some sexual tension (not a lot, but a little).
Dev Sibwarra was also interesting, not to leave him out. It's really interesting, as it is said his mother was a Jedi and Wookieepedia says she left the Order as a Padawan, before Order 66, thus eluding the Jedi Purge. I still wonder about why that happened...did she become discouraged like Jusik from Triple Zero (Star Wars: Republic Commando, Book 2)? And how did her name avoid being on the list that was mentioned in Star Wars 501st: An Imperial Commando Novel?
I've already brought up two minor side-plots I've enjoyed: Leia's paternal struggle and Gaeriel/Luke's Jedi struggle. But I did like how Tyers had the two factions work together to defeat a common enemy. I wonder if other worlds had similar struggles (like with the Yevetha, which are only mentioned in one series, Before the Storm (Star Wars: The Black Fleet Crisis, Book 1)).
One last thing, that pertains only to the audiobook: Anthony Heald is a magnificent reader. He gives the characters accents (though Pter and Wilek were hard to differentiate) that were really good--I was particularly impressed with Luke and Han and really speaks in a good, clear voice.
I Didn't Like:
Tyers' Star Wars feels MUCH less like Star Wars than science fiction dressed up like Star Wars. This is best shown with the whole entechment proceedings and even to an extent with her aliens, the Ssi-Ruuk (which, unfortunately, disappear and are never seen from again). Entechment is a cool idea...but it doesn't FEEL like Star Wars.
Also, Yeorg Captison gives as reasons for wanting to leave the Empire as "high taxes and sending children to foreign wars". This is great and all, but does he think that by joining the Alliance, they won't tax his planet or have his children go to war against the Empire? Honestly? This is very poor reasoning. Yes, Wilek Nereus is a "bad guy" in the traditional "I hunt and use yucky parasites that defines me as a bad guy--oh, and I also send Luke off in a trade in the hopes of saving my planet" Imperial baddie characterization. To think that life will be happy and pokey under the Alliance is ludicrous (and just look, not a few years later and everyone is bickering and power-grabbing, no different than under the Empire, only people have these esoteric "freedoms"). We haven't really seen a huge reason why the Empire is bad on Bakura!
Leia also has a bad case of Protagonist Centered Morality (look that up on TVTropes . org for a definition, but be warned: once you go there, you may not come back). When her father appears to her, she basically says: "I can forgive what you did to me, I can forgive the people you've killed, but I can't forgive what you did to Han." WTF?! Han was tortured, yes. Han was sent to Jabba in cryptonite, yes. But Han seems to be having very little in the way of side-effects from this. At least he's still alive. And you won't forgive your own father because of a thing that happened to Han?! What the...???
Another point I thought was insane: Ben returns to order Luke to go to Bakura because these Ssi-Ruuk are so dangerous. This seems completely out of character. Ben only appeared to Luke to get him to Dagobah, to keep him from leaving Dagobah to save Han and Leia, and to explain his family tree. Never has Ben appeared to order him into war. And since the threat of the Ssi-Ruuk disappears with their fleet (which seemed odd, that a minor victory for the Imperials/Rebels made them run), we wonder if the Ssi-Ruuk's victory at Bakura, already an out-of-the-way planet, would REALLY impact the galaxy so greatly.
Lastly, and this applied only to the audio book: when they say abridged, they MEAN abridged! I've not read the book in years, but I could tell HUGE chunks were missing. Scenes always seemed to end on dialog, scenes seemed to be way too short, the space battle confused the heck out of me, in fact, most of the time I spent confused and trying to follow the story. Plus, I am sure there is a scene with Wilek and Leia shaking hands (the cover of the book) that was no where in the audio book. I know that they warned me, but really, I didn't think it was that bad!
Dialogue/Sex/Violence:
None.
Luke goes ga-ga over Gaeriel. Some overtones between Han and Leia and Wilek and Gaeriel.
Kinda gruesome. Luke and Gaeriel are infected with parasites. There is a nice big battle at the end.
Overall:
It's nice to go back and be able to "read" this book--while I'm in the car driving, no less! This book is hardly groundbreaking and hasn't had much to do with more recent continuity, but there are some cool things here nonetheless. If you get a chance to read, I would recommend you do. 3 stars.
July 8, 2021
A long time ago (mid 1990s), in a place far, far away (a suburb of Houston, Texas), a little girl fell in love with Star Wars. That little girl was me, and since then I've had a very complicated relationship to this "IP" as the kids are calling it these days. My love for it seems to ebb and surge; I'm equal parts awkwardly trying to tie my pigtail braids into Leia buns and quivering, despair-rage storming out of Rise of Skywalker.
Lately I've found myself reminiscing about that golden time when the theatrical re-releases of the original trilogy were happening and the prequels were in production, and about all the Extended Universe novels I read back then. I remember marveling at how all these different writers had sort of agreed-upon rules and a rough timeline. I remember some of the best characters like Thrawn and Xizor. I remember how everyone wanted Luke romantically entangled with their OC. Most of all, I remember feeling a sense of wonder at what could have happened in this universe next, a wonder that was all but obliterated by the lazy crap that Disney passes off as movie plots these days.
And so I decided this would be an excellent time to revisit some of these old stories. Partly I hope to overwrite the emotional traumas the sequel trilogy inflicted on me. Partly I hope to chuckle at, or freshly admire, the novels with older eyes. Mostly I just want to have fun with Star Wars again.
So, here's my formula for reviewing the "Legends" Star Wars novels that my younger self may or may not have read 20 something years ago:
Truce at Bakura
Threat of the Day: Aliens beyond the outer rim are coming to turn people into batteries, and they raised a brainwashed young human to help them turn Luke into the biggest battery of them all. I especially liked the cult factor as a plot device. 7/10
Thirsty for Skywalker, You Are: Gaeri is a cheap Princess Leia knock-off: a young, well-bred senator who has religious aversions to the Jedi and some never-explained Force perfume. My biggest complaint is that while her objections make sense...Luke never addresses them. 2/10 Nerfs Herded
Best part: Anakin's force ghost appearing to Leia and she is TRIGGERED.
Worst line: " 'I want to be your ally, Luke, but from a distance.' " From a distance. He pushed away the quiet desolation. He mustn't think of spending forever alone."
Would I revisit in 20 years: unlikely
Overall 4/10
Lately I've found myself reminiscing about that golden time when the theatrical re-releases of the original trilogy were happening and the prequels were in production, and about all the Extended Universe novels I read back then. I remember marveling at how all these different writers had sort of agreed-upon rules and a rough timeline. I remember some of the best characters like Thrawn and Xizor. I remember how everyone wanted Luke romantically entangled with their OC. Most of all, I remember feeling a sense of wonder at what could have happened in this universe next, a wonder that was all but obliterated by the lazy crap that Disney passes off as movie plots these days.
And so I decided this would be an excellent time to revisit some of these old stories. Partly I hope to overwrite the emotional traumas the sequel trilogy inflicted on me. Partly I hope to chuckle at, or freshly admire, the novels with older eyes. Mostly I just want to have fun with Star Wars again.
So, here's my formula for reviewing the "Legends" Star Wars novels that my younger self may or may not have read 20 something years ago:
Truce at Bakura
Threat of the Day: Aliens beyond the outer rim are coming to turn people into batteries, and they raised a brainwashed young human to help them turn Luke into the biggest battery of them all. I especially liked the cult factor as a plot device. 7/10
Thirsty for Skywalker, You Are: Gaeri is a cheap Princess Leia knock-off: a young, well-bred senator who has religious aversions to the Jedi and some never-explained Force perfume. My biggest complaint is that while her objections make sense...Luke never addresses them. 2/10 Nerfs Herded
Best part: Anakin's force ghost appearing to Leia and she is TRIGGERED.
Worst line: " 'I want to be your ally, Luke, but from a distance.' " From a distance. He pushed away the quiet desolation. He mustn't think of spending forever alone."
Would I revisit in 20 years: unlikely
Overall 4/10
February 23, 2017
No es ni de lejos mi novela de Star Wars favorita, pero me ha gustado más que la primera vez que la leí, es entretenida, sin más.
April 5, 2020
So � I’ve just finished re-reading The Truce at Bakura, the fourth of the �90s Star Wars EU novels to be published. I first read this ~25 years ago, when it was first published in the UK, and back then I was pretty underwhelmed with it after the magnificence of Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy.
However, with the benefit of hindsight, and now having plenty of other SW EU material to compare it with, I can now say that I am more positive towards it. I found that it was an enjoyable one-off story that held very few of the irritants that cropped up in some of the other EU stuff (best of all - no superweapons!)
Starting off immediately following the Rebellion’s unexpected victory over the Emperor’s forces at Endor, the story leapt into action straight away, and maintained an appropriate pace all the way through. Surprisingly, I think it could have been a bit longer, as the culture of Bakura, in particular the anti-Empire sentiment and the oppression of the populace could have been detailed a bit more � but I suspect that the author felt that action was more important to SW fans. I wasn’t too keen on the descriptions of the space combat � it didn’t have the clarity and originality of objectives that the Zahn books and the X-wing books managed � but these scenes weren’t too long.
The main characters were, by-and-large treated well. Chewie, in particular, was given some great character development moments (his friendship with both Han and Leia, and his tolerance for Threepio), which was good to read given how the wookiee is often taken for granted, or treated more like a dog than a person in other stories. The smuggler and the princess themselves were consistently portrayed (I liked Leia’s scene with ghost-Anakin), considering that from Han’s perspective this is only a few days after the betrayal at Cloud City (if we assume he didn’t experience much during his carbonite incarceration). Leia gets a chance to be a diplomat � with reasonable success (given the fact that Bakura joins the Rebellion and the Imperial occupation is overthrown).
And even Luke makes a good deal of sense in this story � he has just lost his father and experienced an evil Force warlock first hand, so his interactions with Dev Sibwarra are quite explicable, and show his determination to create a new cadre of Force users to become the core of a New Jedi Order.
I know that quite a lot of readers find Gaeriel Captison to be a weak point of this story � a brief love interest for Luke that goes absolutely nowhere � but insta-lust that burns out is much more plausible than an infatuation that becomes a long-term thing. As for the character herself � she made sense as a young woman educated by the Imperial regime, but who had close ties to the local population and who had reasons for being ambivalent in her loyalties. Thanas was also interestingly complex as a character � eventually defecting to the Republic after finally overcoming his Imperial loyalties. However, I don’t think that the writing actually did justice to these characters � to me they were more interesting in conception that execution.
In terms of villains � the Ssi’Ruuk work so much better as a villain-of-the-week in a much larger continuity than they did back in the �90s, when they seemed wildly out of place. Their usage of “entechment� as a way to use the Force essence of sentient beings to power (or “motivate�) their starfighters, droids and computers is very different from most Star Wars villains, but with the benefit of hindsight looking at how the wider Star Wars mythology has developed, it doesn’t see so wildly out of place. Force witches on Dathomir, Sith Alchemy and the more fantastical elements of the lore make the Ssi’Ruuk much less outlandish than they originally appeared. And who doesn’t enjoy mini- techno-T-rexes as space invaders?
The Imperial enemy, Governor Nereus, was less original. Like Thrawn, he was given an identifying hobby (collecting teeth as opposed to artwork), but that seemed more like an afterthought than an integral part of his character. Still, he was pretty effectively unpleasant (my imagination made him look like Harvey Weinstein!), albeit a villain who doesn’t really stand out from the crowd.
Bakura itself was rather bland � we’ve seen much more interesting worlds portrayed onscreen and in the novels. Generic wilderness worlds are ten a penny in Star Wars.
The story tied up quite nicely at the end � nothing was resolved on the wider galactic scale, but a nasty incursion was repelled, and the Rebellion increased its influence and showed that the victory at Endor wasn’t going to be its high point. There wasn’t anything particularly unexpected, but that is not the worst failing that a genre story can have. (e.g. a detective story should always end up with the detective unmasking the villain, and a romance should end up with the couple getting together).
I feel that the story works well as a one-off adventure � it is not the best plot, nor the worst. The same goes for the writing � I have read far far worse � but it is workmanlike at best. I would have been interested to see what Kathy Tyers could have made of a trilogy, but I am not too upset that she wasn’t given any further Star Wars novels to write.
I think I’d probably put this novel on a par with the best of the Fate of the Jedi Books � so a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
However, with the benefit of hindsight, and now having plenty of other SW EU material to compare it with, I can now say that I am more positive towards it. I found that it was an enjoyable one-off story that held very few of the irritants that cropped up in some of the other EU stuff (best of all - no superweapons!)
Starting off immediately following the Rebellion’s unexpected victory over the Emperor’s forces at Endor, the story leapt into action straight away, and maintained an appropriate pace all the way through. Surprisingly, I think it could have been a bit longer, as the culture of Bakura, in particular the anti-Empire sentiment and the oppression of the populace could have been detailed a bit more � but I suspect that the author felt that action was more important to SW fans. I wasn’t too keen on the descriptions of the space combat � it didn’t have the clarity and originality of objectives that the Zahn books and the X-wing books managed � but these scenes weren’t too long.
The main characters were, by-and-large treated well. Chewie, in particular, was given some great character development moments (his friendship with both Han and Leia, and his tolerance for Threepio), which was good to read given how the wookiee is often taken for granted, or treated more like a dog than a person in other stories. The smuggler and the princess themselves were consistently portrayed (I liked Leia’s scene with ghost-Anakin), considering that from Han’s perspective this is only a few days after the betrayal at Cloud City (if we assume he didn’t experience much during his carbonite incarceration). Leia gets a chance to be a diplomat � with reasonable success (given the fact that Bakura joins the Rebellion and the Imperial occupation is overthrown).
And even Luke makes a good deal of sense in this story � he has just lost his father and experienced an evil Force warlock first hand, so his interactions with Dev Sibwarra are quite explicable, and show his determination to create a new cadre of Force users to become the core of a New Jedi Order.
I know that quite a lot of readers find Gaeriel Captison to be a weak point of this story � a brief love interest for Luke that goes absolutely nowhere � but insta-lust that burns out is much more plausible than an infatuation that becomes a long-term thing. As for the character herself � she made sense as a young woman educated by the Imperial regime, but who had close ties to the local population and who had reasons for being ambivalent in her loyalties. Thanas was also interestingly complex as a character � eventually defecting to the Republic after finally overcoming his Imperial loyalties. However, I don’t think that the writing actually did justice to these characters � to me they were more interesting in conception that execution.
In terms of villains � the Ssi’Ruuk work so much better as a villain-of-the-week in a much larger continuity than they did back in the �90s, when they seemed wildly out of place. Their usage of “entechment� as a way to use the Force essence of sentient beings to power (or “motivate�) their starfighters, droids and computers is very different from most Star Wars villains, but with the benefit of hindsight looking at how the wider Star Wars mythology has developed, it doesn’t see so wildly out of place. Force witches on Dathomir, Sith Alchemy and the more fantastical elements of the lore make the Ssi’Ruuk much less outlandish than they originally appeared. And who doesn’t enjoy mini- techno-T-rexes as space invaders?
The Imperial enemy, Governor Nereus, was less original. Like Thrawn, he was given an identifying hobby (collecting teeth as opposed to artwork), but that seemed more like an afterthought than an integral part of his character. Still, he was pretty effectively unpleasant (my imagination made him look like Harvey Weinstein!), albeit a villain who doesn’t really stand out from the crowd.
Bakura itself was rather bland � we’ve seen much more interesting worlds portrayed onscreen and in the novels. Generic wilderness worlds are ten a penny in Star Wars.
The story tied up quite nicely at the end � nothing was resolved on the wider galactic scale, but a nasty incursion was repelled, and the Rebellion increased its influence and showed that the victory at Endor wasn’t going to be its high point. There wasn’t anything particularly unexpected, but that is not the worst failing that a genre story can have. (e.g. a detective story should always end up with the detective unmasking the villain, and a romance should end up with the couple getting together).
I feel that the story works well as a one-off adventure � it is not the best plot, nor the worst. The same goes for the writing � I have read far far worse � but it is workmanlike at best. I would have been interested to see what Kathy Tyers could have made of a trilogy, but I am not too upset that she wasn’t given any further Star Wars novels to write.
I think I’d probably put this novel on a par with the best of the Fate of the Jedi Books � so a 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
October 16, 2022
It was OK.
This was one of the first Star Wars books to come out after the Thrawn Trilogy. I think they were hoping to ride on those books' successes. I tried to read this years ago but never got through it. The abridged audio version was easy to listen to and follow. The story was fairly interesting and well-constructed, and the narration was excellent. It just was a bit bland compared to some of the other Star Wars books I've read or listened to.
This was one of the first Star Wars books to come out after the Thrawn Trilogy. I think they were hoping to ride on those books' successes. I tried to read this years ago but never got through it. The abridged audio version was easy to listen to and follow. The story was fairly interesting and well-constructed, and the narration was excellent. It just was a bit bland compared to some of the other Star Wars books I've read or listened to.
November 4, 2022
This was a second read.
The writing wasn’t always that clear; sometimes you didn’t know who was talking because of weird paragraph breaks, so definitely some funky writing/editing, but I really enjoyed the story! This story has some great bad guys and contains a fun twist to add to the Star Wars story - the Empire and Rebellion having to work together! Gasp!
Cleanliness: No swear words or inappropriate scenes. There is one incident where Han plans to make-out with Leia but they are interrupted. Luke has a crush on a girl.
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The writing wasn’t always that clear; sometimes you didn’t know who was talking because of weird paragraph breaks, so definitely some funky writing/editing, but I really enjoyed the story! This story has some great bad guys and contains a fun twist to add to the Star Wars story - the Empire and Rebellion having to work together! Gasp!
Cleanliness: No swear words or inappropriate scenes. There is one incident where Han plans to make-out with Leia but they are interrupted. Luke has a crush on a girl.
**Like my reviews? Then you should follow me! Because I have hundreds more just like this one. With each review, I provide a Cleanliness Report, mentioning any objectionable content I come across so that parents and/or conscientious readers (like me) can determine beforehand whether they want to read a book or not. Content surprises are super annoying, especially when you’re 100+ pages in, so here’s my attempt to help you avoid that!
So Follow or Friend me here on GoodReads! And be sure to check out my bio page to learn a little about me and the Picture Book/Chapter Book Calendars I sell !
July 23, 2012
"Truce at Bakura" takes place the day after the events of "Return of the Jedi". Still basking in the glow of victory at the Battle of Endor, the Rebels pick up a distress call from a distant planet called Bakura. It's an Imperial message (an outpost that has yet to hear the news that its Emperor and Sith Lord Vader are dead) warning of an alien race known as the Ssi-ruuk that is attempting to take over the planet. Han, Chewie, Leia, Luke, and the droids decide to respond, hoping that coming to the aid of Imperial troops will eventually open diplomatic doors in the coming years, now that the Empire is leaderless and more planets are joining the Alliance. This Star Wars novel, while not the best one I've read, is nevertheless important in the whole post-"Return of the Jedi" mythos. It establishes the creation of an official Alliance governmental hierarchy, with Mon Mothma as acting President and Leia as Head of State. It also foreshadows Luke's eventual Jedi Masterhood and his creation of a new Jedi Academy. It's a fast enjoyable read, for both die-hard Star Wars fans and those who merely liked the movies and wouldn't mind finding out what happens to the gang after "ROTJ".
March 1, 2017
I acquired this book from Audible; I only realized after that it was, unfortunately, the abridged version. I avoid abridged books if I can � they make me grumbly.
Even so, I enjoyed the book. My favorite part, though, was that it was acted out instead of merely read, but again, that's an audiobook feature. The story was fun; I hadn't ever thought to read Star Wars fiction before, though I do enjoy watching the movies.
Even so, I enjoyed the book. My favorite part, though, was that it was acted out instead of merely read, but again, that's an audiobook feature. The story was fun; I hadn't ever thought to read Star Wars fiction before, though I do enjoy watching the movies.
October 8, 2023
Not the most exciting novel but it’s a decent start. Luke is still discovering his power as a Jedi and beginning his quest in passing on his knowledge (albeit unsuccessfully here). We see the continuation of the relationship of Han and Leia which while not a huge point of focus in this book it is still there.
November 12, 2009
This is, hands down, the worst book in the EU. Forget about killing off Chewie or totally improbably enemies (or weapons) this has got to be the stupidest book in the history of SW. Except maybe the one that went between IV and V. That one was just weird.
April 9, 2022
In no way great, in no way bad, this story is decisively mediocre. It's a standalone story with no tie in to previous media (other than the films), with the weird premise of "Alien dinosaurs stealing people's souls." If you've got an excess of time on your hands, would definitely recommend.
September 29, 2020
Apparently at one point I gave this a one star rating, goodness no it is a two star. How rude of me.
It felt rushed. And was really odd.
It felt rushed. And was really odd.
November 1, 2016
A bit creepy/gruesome in places, but overall an exciting story that takes place immediately after Return of the Jedi .
January 1, 2021
While a bit sketchy at times in regards to how the dialogue flowed, this was overall an excellent book and I enjoyed seeing what happened right after ROTJ :)
January 8, 2023
Legends book takes place after Return of the Jedi. Weird new alien race
January 25, 2021
I own this book.
I haven't much reached into the world of expanded universe Star Wars books, so this was an interesting experience for me. Set the day after Vader dies, and the Empire falls, Luke Skywalker is sick. He can't see properly, he's in pain, and he's still processing the trauma that has just befallen him. A Jedi controls his emotions, but Luke seems to be finding himself on edge and struggling to find his inner zen to connect with those who came before him, and we see him multiple times reaching out to seek out Obi-Wan and Yoda, even his father, but struggling all the same. We also have Leia, battling with the information that Vader is her biological father and also her feelings for Han, who is just as Han as ever in this book.
This book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It follows the golden trio as they make their way to Bakura, following a distress signal from a world under siege to the now-dead Emperor. The Alliance see this as a way to form bonds with the now-defunct Imperials and work together to save the people of Bakura. Of course, nothing is ever as it seems within uneasy alliances and truces, and both sides find themselves at odds. I loved seeing Luke in a more sensitive and fragile state than we saw in the finale of Mando and the sequel series. He's anxious and he's tired and he's working on being a better Jedi for everyone. At various stages we see him having to control his breathing because he's overwhelmed with this new responsibility and the weight of his loss and yes, this is a Luke Skywalker stan account, thanks for asking.
I haven't much reached into the world of expanded universe Star Wars books, so this was an interesting experience for me. Set the day after Vader dies, and the Empire falls, Luke Skywalker is sick. He can't see properly, he's in pain, and he's still processing the trauma that has just befallen him. A Jedi controls his emotions, but Luke seems to be finding himself on edge and struggling to find his inner zen to connect with those who came before him, and we see him multiple times reaching out to seek out Obi-Wan and Yoda, even his father, but struggling all the same. We also have Leia, battling with the information that Vader is her biological father and also her feelings for Han, who is just as Han as ever in this book.
This book surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. It follows the golden trio as they make their way to Bakura, following a distress signal from a world under siege to the now-dead Emperor. The Alliance see this as a way to form bonds with the now-defunct Imperials and work together to save the people of Bakura. Of course, nothing is ever as it seems within uneasy alliances and truces, and both sides find themselves at odds. I loved seeing Luke in a more sensitive and fragile state than we saw in the finale of Mando and the sequel series. He's anxious and he's tired and he's working on being a better Jedi for everyone. At various stages we see him having to control his breathing because he's overwhelmed with this new responsibility and the weight of his loss and yes, this is a Luke Skywalker stan account, thanks for asking.
December 20, 2013
*SPOILER ALERT* I would recommend this book to anyone who is a Star Wars fan, there is no age limit. This book is key in reading about the future of the Star Wars universe. The book takes place in the following moments after Star Wars IV, after second Death Star was destroyed. It started with Wedge finding an old messenger ship that was sent by the Empire. The message was telling the Emperor that the Ssi-Ruuk were attacking Bakura and that they were in need of reinforcements. The Alliance decides to help the Empire out. I find that intriguing because the Alliance has been at war with the Empire for the past fifteen years. Now, after they have killed the Emperor Empire. Wouldn't you think that as soon as the Empire finds out, they would destroy the Alliance? Well the Alliance decides to go and help Bakura and and they align against the greater enemy, the Ssi-Ruuk, for the time being. That makes sense to me. After all the enemy of my enemy is my friend. After the Ssi-Ruuk are forced to retreat Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3P0, and R2-D2 head planet word to meet with the Bakuran Senate. There they met Orn Belden, Prime Minister Yeorg Captison, and Gaeriel Captison who are all on the council. Wilek Nereus is the Imperial Governor assigned control of Bakura. He is a bad guy. There is a meeting with everyone and in the next few days the small band of Alliance members go visiting around the city. One of the people who Luke visited was Orn's wife, Eppie Belden. At the time Gaeriel didn't like Jedi at all, Luke has a crush on Gaeriel, and Eppie is not right in the head. As a way to prove to Gaeriel that Jedi are not bad, Luke shows Eppie how to heal herself with the force. I find that admirable because Luke didn't even know her, yet he still showed her compassion. Now let's go over to the enemy. There we have Bluescale, Firwirrung, and Dev Sibwarra. The first two are alien but Dev is a 15 year old human slave who was brainwashed. The aliens are trying to entech humans to power their ships and eventually rule the galaxy. Fast forward until Princess Leia gets arrested and Orn Belden is murdered. The city turns to chaos and the people start to rebel. I feel that it is about time that the people finally rebel against the Empire. After all, the Empire has been controlling their lives for decades. The Alliance can help them and together I believe that they can kick out the Empire (and they did). When Gaeriel visits Eppie the next time, Eppie's mind was healed thanks to Luke. Together, Eppie and Gaeriel lead the rebellion on Bakura and capture and kill Nereus. Mean while Luke is kidnapped by the Ssi-ruuk and taken to be enteched. At this point Dev has broken out of his brain washing haze and has came to his senses. Dev helps Luke escape, but with a price. Dev sustains horrible burns and eventually dies. I found that as the saddest point in the book, because he was young enough for Luke to apprentice and he could have turned into a great Jedi. In the end, the Ssi-ruuk retreat forever, the Empire is kicked out of Bakura, and Bakura joins the Alliance. Also, Gaeriel admits that she likes Luke and that Luke likes her. They both realize that they can never be together because Gaeriel is bound to Bakura and her people, and Luke is bound to the Alliance, and his friends, and the people of the galaxy who need saving. That is a huge heart-breaker and is really sad. In conclusion, I gave this book a 5-star review because I have never read a bad Star Wars book.
March 2, 2016
It's been years since I was a voracious reader of the Star Wars novels and it's been even longer since I read 'Truce at Bakura.' Honestly, it's pure fun, it's the Star Wars characters before they got bogged down in the huge sprawling expanded universe that the novels eventually became. The Luke, Leia and Han of the novels had settled into new roles so it's refreshing to see Luke as the powerful yet inexperienced Jedi instead of the enlightened Jedi Master of later books. In fact, some of the books' best moments are the characters either coming to terms or dealing with the consequences of 'Return of the Jedi', Leia's anger and revulsion of the knowledge of her true father's identity is perfect and the fact that the book ends with Leia slowly coming to an understanding, but still unable to forgive and forget as Luke is able to is realistic.
Also refreshing is Luke's awkward, impulsive romance with Gaerial Capitson and shows that for all his strength, power and growth that Luke underwent in the Original Trilogy, he is still the inexperienced farm-boy, reaching out for something he has no real knowledge about. When coming to write the Anakin/Padme romance, Lucas should really have taken a page from Kathy Tyers' book.
September 7, 2023
“There will always be people who are strong for evil. If the only way to protect others is for a few of us to become strong in the Force for good, isn’t that important? Even if your beliefs are correct, and that means bringing someone else low? People constantly sacrifice themselves for good causes. I didn’t ask anyone to die for me.�
The Emperor has died, the second Death Star has been destroyed. The celebrations are cut short when the Rebels intercept a message to the Empire from the faraway planet Bakura, asking for help against strange alien invaders. A team led by Luke Skywalker decides to go and help the Imperial planet in the hopes of battling this new threat and bringing Bakura safely in to the Alliance.
It's really sad when you read a book that has so much potential but just ends up being deeply average. This book has so many great ideas, character concepts and themes it attempts to explore, but nothing reaches its potential. It's not a bad book, just very meh, which is sometimes even more sad than reading and hating a book. The book touched upon, for example, Leia's internal crisis regarding her parentage she's only just learned, but the way it was dealt with in the end was very unsatisfying. Leia has some good scenes where she thinks about her feelings about Anakin Skywalker and there's even that moment where , but in the end, the author didn't go far enough with it, and decided to just tell us that It felt like a very shallow conclusion. I also hoped the author would've gone further into the way this crisis forces old enemies to work together and put aside their differences - the only complex point of view we got on this theme from the Imperial side of things was Thanas, and while I did like his arc, I hoped for more conversations, more philosophical debates.
The writing of the novel was sometimes a bit clunky. There were weirdly many typos and sometimes the dialogue and actions of the characters, the way they were described, just didn't feel authentic to me. It wasn't terrible, just mediocre.
One of my other qualms had to do with some aspects of Luke's arc. While I liked that the author showed that underneath all his Jedi powers, Luke is still just a human - his body is suffering from the lightning Palpatine rained down upon him, he grieves, he regrets, he worries he will always be alone - there were aspects of the way she wrote Luke that bugged me. I cannot explain it in any other way but that he just didn't feel like Return of the Jedi Luke to me a lot of the time, especially when it came to his relationship with Gaeri: with her, he felt more like A New Hope Luke which created this disjointed vibe to his character. His relationship with Gaeri was also just very boring, rushed and I didn't care for their romantic scenes at all. But I don't mean to sound I disliked her Luke the whole time, not at all, there were some good stuff, like his I also enjoyed seeing glimpses of Luke and Leia learning to be siblings and learning to see each other differently after all this time. This quote made me feel a lot: “He had a sister; he wasn’t alone.�
The villains of the novel, the Ssi-ruuk, were delightfully strange and creepy, and I liked that they were a different kind of villain, one that's super wacky and out-there. Dev's arc was one of my favorite arcs in the whole novel. Slowly figuring out what his deal is was so satisfying, but also The imperials pose a very different kind of threat to the Ssi-ruuk in this novel, and I liked how in contrasting them, the author was able to show how evil can manifest itself in different ways in this galaxy. There is evil on the level of governments, corporations, politics, but also evil on the level of absolute bonkers technology and torture. I enjoyed Nereus's character: he was a classic corrupt SW imperial politician, but I think the way he manipulated the truth, lied, backstabbed and kept his people in line by slowly tightening his leash on them rang true. Those our ways crap real-life politicians have risen and kept their power.
I liked how the novel dealt with Bakura's political situation and the impact of the Rebels' arrival. They are a world under imperial control, but the Emperor is dead and their biggest weapon is destroyed; even if they are officially in power, they are weak. The key difference between imperial and rebel protocol when it comes to governments was on display here: the Empire forces its rule on people, but Leia extends a helping hand to Bakura with no threatening, no demand that they join the Alliance. There's a lot in this novel about freedom and the importance of being able to make your own decisions, be it on a planetary level or a personal level. Many characters are in different kinds of cages - Dev is the sole human amidst the Ssi-ruuk, Gaeri is unable to see the truth of the Empire, Eppie is in a prison of her own mind, Bakura is under imperial control - and I liked how the story, for all of them in many ways, was about breaking free of that cage.
I wouldn't particularly recommend this novel since it's not great and there are books that deal with similar themes that are a lot better, but honestly, if you wanna check it out, I wouldn't fight you. It has its moments - there really are some standout good moments! - and it's also not a very long read, so it won't take you forever.
The Emperor has died, the second Death Star has been destroyed. The celebrations are cut short when the Rebels intercept a message to the Empire from the faraway planet Bakura, asking for help against strange alien invaders. A team led by Luke Skywalker decides to go and help the Imperial planet in the hopes of battling this new threat and bringing Bakura safely in to the Alliance.
It's really sad when you read a book that has so much potential but just ends up being deeply average. This book has so many great ideas, character concepts and themes it attempts to explore, but nothing reaches its potential. It's not a bad book, just very meh, which is sometimes even more sad than reading and hating a book. The book touched upon, for example, Leia's internal crisis regarding her parentage she's only just learned, but the way it was dealt with in the end was very unsatisfying. Leia has some good scenes where she thinks about her feelings about Anakin Skywalker and there's even that moment where , but in the end, the author didn't go far enough with it, and decided to just tell us that It felt like a very shallow conclusion. I also hoped the author would've gone further into the way this crisis forces old enemies to work together and put aside their differences - the only complex point of view we got on this theme from the Imperial side of things was Thanas, and while I did like his arc, I hoped for more conversations, more philosophical debates.
The writing of the novel was sometimes a bit clunky. There were weirdly many typos and sometimes the dialogue and actions of the characters, the way they were described, just didn't feel authentic to me. It wasn't terrible, just mediocre.
One of my other qualms had to do with some aspects of Luke's arc. While I liked that the author showed that underneath all his Jedi powers, Luke is still just a human - his body is suffering from the lightning Palpatine rained down upon him, he grieves, he regrets, he worries he will always be alone - there were aspects of the way she wrote Luke that bugged me. I cannot explain it in any other way but that he just didn't feel like Return of the Jedi Luke to me a lot of the time, especially when it came to his relationship with Gaeri: with her, he felt more like A New Hope Luke which created this disjointed vibe to his character. His relationship with Gaeri was also just very boring, rushed and I didn't care for their romantic scenes at all. But I don't mean to sound I disliked her Luke the whole time, not at all, there were some good stuff, like his I also enjoyed seeing glimpses of Luke and Leia learning to be siblings and learning to see each other differently after all this time. This quote made me feel a lot: “He had a sister; he wasn’t alone.�
The villains of the novel, the Ssi-ruuk, were delightfully strange and creepy, and I liked that they were a different kind of villain, one that's super wacky and out-there. Dev's arc was one of my favorite arcs in the whole novel. Slowly figuring out what his deal is was so satisfying, but also The imperials pose a very different kind of threat to the Ssi-ruuk in this novel, and I liked how in contrasting them, the author was able to show how evil can manifest itself in different ways in this galaxy. There is evil on the level of governments, corporations, politics, but also evil on the level of absolute bonkers technology and torture. I enjoyed Nereus's character: he was a classic corrupt SW imperial politician, but I think the way he manipulated the truth, lied, backstabbed and kept his people in line by slowly tightening his leash on them rang true. Those our ways crap real-life politicians have risen and kept their power.
I liked how the novel dealt with Bakura's political situation and the impact of the Rebels' arrival. They are a world under imperial control, but the Emperor is dead and their biggest weapon is destroyed; even if they are officially in power, they are weak. The key difference between imperial and rebel protocol when it comes to governments was on display here: the Empire forces its rule on people, but Leia extends a helping hand to Bakura with no threatening, no demand that they join the Alliance. There's a lot in this novel about freedom and the importance of being able to make your own decisions, be it on a planetary level or a personal level. Many characters are in different kinds of cages - Dev is the sole human amidst the Ssi-ruuk, Gaeri is unable to see the truth of the Empire, Eppie is in a prison of her own mind, Bakura is under imperial control - and I liked how the story, for all of them in many ways, was about breaking free of that cage.
I wouldn't particularly recommend this novel since it's not great and there are books that deal with similar themes that are a lot better, but honestly, if you wanna check it out, I wouldn't fight you. It has its moments - there really are some standout good moments! - and it's also not a very long read, so it won't take you forever.
September 1, 2016
I'm surprised this book has such a low average rating. For a Star Wars book, it was actually pretty good. Beyond that, it's Sci Fi elements were spectacular, which completely enhanced the story for me.
Tyers brought in a new alien race (the Si Ruu) that capture humans and rips their living energies to droids. This is their entire galactic conquest, to rule the cosmos buy enslaving souls as batteries. I think it's a cool idea.
The story literally picks up where Return of the Jedi ends, with Luke still healing from his shocking experience with Emperor Palpatien (sorry for the pun).
If you're a Star Wars fan, pick this book up. It'll be worth it!
Tyers brought in a new alien race (the Si Ruu) that capture humans and rips their living energies to droids. This is their entire galactic conquest, to rule the cosmos buy enslaving souls as batteries. I think it's a cool idea.
The story literally picks up where Return of the Jedi ends, with Luke still healing from his shocking experience with Emperor Palpatien (sorry for the pun).
If you're a Star Wars fan, pick this book up. It'll be worth it!
September 12, 2016
Well, I sure picked a stinker for the first, of many, Stars Wars books I've decided to plow through for "Project: Reread Books from my Childhood." This one was pretty terrible.
Plot, plot, cheesy line from original trilogy, plot, plot, unsatisfied.
Plot, plot, cheesy line from original trilogy, plot, plot, unsatisfied.
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