Most helpful customer reviews
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2.0 out of 5 stars
Enh..., April 12 2004
I wont go into a whole lot of detail about the actual plot of the novel--that's been done enough in these reviews, I think. My thoughts on the book, though: I liked the plot idea (even if the bit about a Death Star prototype bound for the small planet Belsavis is a bit hackneyed), and there were enough twists to keep the reader interested. I also liked how Hambly /tried/ to analyze how past traumas would affect the characters, particularly her focus on Leia's feelings about the destruction of Alderaan. However, I felt like she focused /too/ much on that particular detail, and I also disliked her portrayal of the relationship between Han and Leia. It didn't feel authentic, or something. And then there was the whole Callista-Luke thing...Hambly completely compromised Luke's character with that. Up until that point, her portrayal of Luke was very true to the character set up in the movies and other books, but his interaction with Callista wasn't substantial enough to warrant his obsession with her, and I really lost respect for him as a result. A man who's had to be as principled and self-reliant as he would not fall so deeply in love with so little motivation, even under the considerable stress he underwent. The relationship was underdeveloped, to say the least, and in many ways it was far too cliche for the outlandish circumstances and considerably complexity of Luke's persona, at the least. Finally, Hambly's writing style is a bizarre mix of pretentious-seeming but limited vocabulary (she references a "hirsute skeleton" and uses the word puerile multiple times--if you're going to go to the effort of using "fancy" words, don't use them more than once) as well as similes intended to be funny or witty but that end up being obnoxious. What with the weak romance, the Romantically haunted pasts and the constant, overly-detailed comparisons, by the end I felt like I was reading the script for one of those old black-and-white detective movies--and a poor one at that. Nevertheless, I would say the book is worth reading; despite all of my ragging, it does have its good points. ;)
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1.0 out of 5 stars
Poor book, retread plot, just very little of anything good., May 22 2003
Children of the Jedi, the first book of the Callista Trilogy, has some intriguing qualities to it, but overall this book is too weak, repetative and convoluted to be considered good. I would give it 1.5 stars if possible, but its not so one will have to do. Yet another superweapon comes into being, the super-automated ship, Eye of Palpatine, whose mission to destroy the children of the Jedi on Belsavis was stopped 30 years earlier by a young female Jedi. Someone restarted the ship's programs, and its up to Luke Skywalker, who i accedentaly on board the vessel, to destroy the ship before it reaches the planet Belsavis where Han and Leia are currently vacationing/investigating. The superweapon story just keeps being used over and over again. IT'S OLD GET OVER IT! Luke and 2 student companions are investigating some random coordinates when they are shot down and captured by the Eye, a super-intelligent ship that does everything it possibly can to kill Skywalker and his friends, but can't tell the difference between alien species. Um ok. After an attack/warning by an old smuggler friend, Han Solo and Chief of State of the New Republic Leia Organa Solo (without escorts, bodyguards or anything) travel to Belsavis seeking out the mythical place where the children of the Jedi were hidden. Right, like the Chief of State of a galactic republic can just wander around without a planet's population of guards orbiting her. Um NO! Luke gets hurt making his job that much more difficult, but to comfort him in his time of need the Jedi who originally stopped the Eye reappeares. It seems Callista had jammed her spirit into the Eyes gun system and existed for the last 30 years by herself. Right! Han & Leia fight a former concubine/Emperor's Hand and her son, who has been implanted with a device that allows him to use the Force to control droids. Menwhile, Luke & Callista fall in love, and eventually she is able to enter the vacated body of one of Luke's students and they can live together except Callista has lost her force powers. The Eye is destroyed and they all live happily until the next galactic crisis. The biggest problem with this story is that the plot is too convoluted and confusing, the story makes little sense and the characters are written out of character. There are some good lines, the Dr. Breen line was very funny, but overall this book is very poorly done. It is probably the weakest of the Callista Trilogy, although all three books are among the weakest in the exapanded Star Wars universe.
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1.0 out of 5 stars
I'll make this review simple, April 14 2003
The writing style is too choppy to be considered a decent narrative. The plot is very weak. The characters are flat, especially Luke's love interest (who isn't even human). It is almost painful to read. The story even contradicts many beliefs of the Star Wars universe. I wouldn't even consider this a Star Wars novel hadn't the major Star Wars players been involved. I do not recommend this book.
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