I really enjoyed this book, which came as a pleasant surprise considering my lack of enthusiasm for the Dark Nest Trilogy.

Jacen's descent into the dark side continues to progress, and he betrays his friends and family, even going so far as to fire at his parents near the end of the story. So far, his transformation into an evil character has felt natural and well-written, building on his experiences in the NJO. It shows that he is sympathetic towards other beings and selfless in his pursuit of peace, but he has taken it to an extreme and has been easily influenced by Lumiya.

Han and Leia are also well-portrayed in this book. They start off fighting for Corellia but end up as enemies of Han's homeworld and the Galactic Alliance. The banter between them is great, and it's one of the things that Troy Denning does best.

I also liked how Ben is following Jacen but still has his doubts. I think he will definitely see the error of his ways in future books. Mara and Luke are the first to realize that Jacen is working with Lumiya, and their reactions are logical.

The only aspects of this book that I didn't really like were that Jaina still hasn't had much to do. She does more in this book than in the previous two, but she still isn't the focus as much as I think she should be. Additionally, Troy Denning's descriptions of the space battles can be a bit confusing, which is frustrating since the last part of the book had a lot of them. Overall, however, it was a good book.

Also, the appearance of Aurora Sing was a definite surprise. I hope there are more such references in future books.

The bits in this story that I like, I truly like them a great deal. They bring a sense of excitement and engagement. However, there are a few parts where I find myself struggling to understand why a character has made a particular decision. Or why a character has made a sudden change rather than a gradual one. It makes me question the logic and development of the characters.

Pretty much all of the space and Hapan related stuff was really great. It added an interesting dimension to the story and kept me hooked. And I also enjoyed a significant portion of the Jacen related stuff. Just not as much as I had relished the early parts with him creating the Guard. That was truly captivating.

The deaths of two supporting characters near the end felt rather abrupt and pointless. It was to the extent that it's one of the moments that I vividly remembered from the series. I had expected there to be more buildup and a better explanation for their untimely demises. There's a certain casualness to death that I observe is quite common in a lot of the Denning books. While it can sometimes be very effective, as seen in "Star by Star", I find that in this series and the Dark Nest trilogy, it is overused. As a result, it loses some of its impact and becomes a bit tiresome.

Overall, the story has its strengths and weaknesses, and the handling of character decisions and deaths could have been improved upon.

Love Allana in this.

This simple statement holds a world of meaning. It implies a deep affection and regard for Allana within a particular context.

The phrase "Love Allana" shows the intensity of the emotion, as if Allana is someone truly special and worthy of this profound feeling.

"In this" further clarifies that the love is directed towards Allana in a specific situation or aspect.

It could be in a relationship, a shared activity, or perhaps a moment in time.

The fact that it is described as "Well written" suggests that the expression of this love is done in a skillful and artful way.

Maybe it is through a beautiful poem, a heartfelt letter, or a passionate speech.

Regardless of the form, the love for Allana shines through and leaves a lasting impression.

It makes one wonder about the nature of this love and the connection between the person expressing it and Allana herself.

Overall, this short sentence packs a powerful punch and leaves the reader with a sense of curiosity and longing to know more about the love between these two individuals.

Jacen is really getting on my nerves!

He seems to believe that he is some kind of hero, but in reality, he is nothing more than an immature and arrogant fool.

His actions and attitude are completely unacceptable.

He acts without thinking, assuming that he knows best in every situation.

This overconfidence leads him to make mistakes and cause problems for those around him.

He doesn't listen to others' opinions or advice, thinking that he is above it all.

It's frustrating to see him behave this way and not realize how his actions are affecting those who care about him.

I wish he would grow up and start taking responsibility for his actions instead of acting like a self-centered brat.

Maybe then he would stop pissing me off and start being a better person.

Personal Response

I firmly believe that this book is truly excellent. It is filled with an abundance of unexpected twists and turns that constantly keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Moreover, it features extremely tense moments that are not commonly found in all books. In my opinion, the author has done a remarkable job overall with this book and in the series thus far.

The way the story unfolds and the characters are developed is truly captivating.

Plot

The narrative begins with Jaina and Zekk piloting new Stealth X fighters. Suddenly, they are attacked by the Corellian fleet. However, they manage to skillfully evade their pursuers and relay the location of the Corellian fleet.

Subsequently, Han Solo and Leia Organa venture to the Hapes cluster, where they are wrongly suspected of aiding an assassination attempt. Nevertheless, they manage to escape.

The ruler of the Hapes cluster flees to the Galactic Alliance but returns after half a year.

Then, a fleet attempts to seize control of the Hapes Cluster, but is thwarted by the Galactic Alliance.

Finally, Ben rescues Jaina and Zekk when their starfighters crash and they board the Millinium Falcon, only to be fired upon by the Star Destroyer ''Anakin Solo''.

Recommendation

I would highly recommend this book to boys in middle to high school. They are the demographic that typically has a penchant for a great deal of action.

However, I would not recommend this to girls of any age as girls generally do not have the same inclination towards this type of material.

This book is best suited for those who enjoy thrilling adventures and exciting battles.

If you can't tell from the fact that it took me 5 months to read this, it was truly a bit of a slog to get through. This is really the same issue I have with most of the Star Wars books. There is an excessive focus on politics and intrigue, with not enough actual action taking place. The main characters hardly ever meet each other, so the reader is constantly being introduced to new side characters. These side characters may only be present for a single book or may resurface years later.

This approach also leads to serious pacing problems. Three to five separate plot threads are set in motion early on and are revisited only once every few chapters. It's only at the very end of the book, immediately before the climax, that it feels like there is any real momentum. I now remember why my favorite book from the New Jedi Order series, Traitor, appealed to me so much. It was almost entirely centered around one character and a sequence of events.

Some may not like what is being done with these characters, but I think it makes for compelling drama. I may not necessarily enjoy it, but it is interesting and at least makes some sense. I just really wish it could get to the point more quickly. However, knowing that the rest of the series consists of books of a similar size, I don't think that will happen anytime soon. Of course, being a glutton for punishment, I'll be continuing to read this series until it concludes.

Thank God for Troy Denning.

Overall, the plot of this installment is much, much better. It feels more carefully thought out and attempts to utilize a broader cast of characters compared to the other books, especially those by Traviss which often had a narrow focus. Mara, Han, Leia, and Luke all seem a great deal more realistic. Additionally, I think Jacen's wavering and uncertainty are portrayed in a far more vivid manner. That is, one can clearly sense that although Jacen has committed to this Sith-like path, he is still very much unsure if he can take the next step. In the previous books, it gave the impression that he had wholeheartedly embraced it.

Though I'm not convinced that the whole "Jacen will see the error of his ways" narrative is the wisest choice.

I love that Mara was calculating, trying to get Jacen to see things the right way. And it was evident that Tenel Ka was having difficulty buying into some of Jacen's thought processes.

Ben: Wow, he's still quite cool. However, that final inane conversation on the Falcon about arresting Han and Leia and stabbing Zekk was truly terrible. He is so committed to doing the right thing and being someone his father can be proud of that he fails to see how his father is attempting to teach him to understand what is happening with Jacen. That fight at the beginning was really illustrative of this.

It was nice to see Jag again. The discourse between him and Han/Leia was dry, witty, and very much in line with a Jag who is a little bitter after having been stranded for two years. Wow.. that just really sucks.

I'm not sure if there really is a whole host of Sith out there or if that ridiculous allusion to Ben being the Sith is just being fabricated by Lumiya.

Allana was a cute addition. Jacen seemed so much more human when he was trying to protect her. But listening to him calculate who he would rather sacrifice to take that final step was a little disgusting.

On a meta level, in terms of the larger Star Wars Universe, the galaxy has once again become a scary place. Especially when one can't be certain of who our friends can trust, or even if our friends are trustworthy anymore. I like how Zekk has seemingly relinquished his little crush. But at the same time, I feel sorry for Jaina and her belief that being the Sword of the Jedi means she has to be alone. I'm seriously frightened by the deaths of Tresina Lobi and the 11th hour, lack of quorum tactics by Omas.

So far, the books from this series have presented a somewhat disjointed feel – both from each other and from the EU as a whole. This is especially evident in the Dark Nest series, which directly precedes this one. In "Betrayal," it was largely ignored, while "Bloodlines" at least acknowledged its major plot lines.

However, "Tempest" breaks this trend. Given that Denning authored the Dark Nest series, this is hardly surprising. In a way, he glosses over the previous two installments by revisiting concepts from that series. While this contributes to the disjointed nature of the Legacy series, it helps with overall continuity.

In my opinion, "Tempest" is the best novel of the Legacy series thus far. It is the first one that has truly engaged me. Focusing on the core cast of characters is always a good choice, and it expands on the pre-established conflicts in a meaningful way. Jacen's easy surrender to the Dark Side remains as puzzling as ever, yet the comparisons to Anakin Skywalker are quite poignant. It's fascinating how opposite motives lead to the same outcome and strange that Jacen realizes this but doesn't change his path.

What Denning does particularly well in this novel is deliver the unexpected repeatedly. There are numerous surprises, from the allegedly dead Alema returning and inadvertently getting involved in an assassination attempt to Jacen targeting his own parents. This keeps the suspense high throughout. I truly hope that Allston can continue in this vein in the next installment.

Overall, "Tempest" is a very strong Star Wars novel and my personal highlight of the Legacy series so far. I wouldn't say one should skip the first two installments as they also provide important plot points and are solid novels in their own right. Nevertheless, "Tempest" feels like a reward for persevering through its predecessors. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the series and am glad that it includes two more books written by Denning.

I'm probably at a 3.5 to 4.0 on this book.

This indicates that my overall assessment of the book lies within this range. It could mean that the book has certain aspects that I really like and appreciate, perhaps interesting characters, a captivating plot, or well-written prose. However, there might also be some areas that could be improved or that didn't quite meet my expectations.

Maybe the pacing was a bit off in some parts, or the ending felt a little rushed. Nevertheless, a score of 3.5 to 4.0 still suggests that it's a good book that I would recommend to others, especially those who have similar interests.

Overall, while it may not be a perfect 5.0, it has enough merit to make it a worthwhile read.

This novel indeed contains a plethora of truly great action scenes. The vivid descriptions and intense pacing of these action sequences make for an exciting read. However, it still suffers from a rather contrived setup.

The family feuds that drive the plot forward seem somewhat forced and lack the authenticity that would make them more engaging. It feels as if the author has simply thrown in these feuds to create conflict without fully developing the backstory or the motivations of the characters involved.

Moreover, the conclusion-jumping in the novel is also a significant drawback. The story seems to rush towards its conclusion without properly resolving all the loose ends and subplots. This makes the ending feel somewhat abrupt and unsatisfactory, leaving the reader with a sense of disappointment.

Overall, while the action scenes in this novel are undoubtedly its strongest point, the contrived setup and conclusion-jumping prevent it from reaching its full potential.

I truly enjoyed reading Star Wars "Tempest".

There is always something within its pages that can effortlessly catch your attention. However, it's important to note that if you haven't read the first two books in the series, you might not fully understand everything that is transpiring. The story line weaves its way continuously throughout the entire series.

There are numerous controversial situations that add depth and complexity to the narrative. As you delve deeper into the book, some of the characters start to make rather bad judgment calls, which in turn makes for a very interesting and engaging story line.

Moreover, there are so many unexpected things that occur throughout the last book of this series, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

This story is told through the perspectives of many different characters, which gives a multi-faceted view of the events. Interestingly, some of the things mentioned in Star Wars "Tempest" are starting to come to life due to the advancements in our new technology. It makes you wonder if some of these scenarios could actually happen in real life.

Throughout the book, many of the characters undergo significant changes, especially in how they feel about each other.

The plot thickens as Jason is sent to another planet to assist in the investigation of the queen's assassination. Luke orders Master Lobi to follow Ben. Lumiya meets with Jason and Ben in the park, and Ben is completely unaware that he has just encountered the Sith Lord. When Jason and Ben leave the park, Lumiya shows up and kills Master Lobi.

Star Wars "Tempest" is set on the Planet Courosant in the future.

The theme of the book revolves around how to distinguish your friends from your enemies and not allowing them to take advantage of you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book because of all the exciting battles that carry over from the previous books. Additionally, they are always introducing new characters in each series, which keeps the story fresh and engaging. I would highly recommend this series to ages 14 and up. It is a great choice for people who have a passion for science fiction movies and books.

I had absolutely no clue whatsoever as to what was going on.

I really don't know if that's the consequence of not reading the first two books in the series or if there were simply far too many double-crosses to keep track of and make sense of.

It felt like I was thrown into the middle of a complex web of intrigues and betrayals without any clear understanding of the context or the relationships between the characters.

Every time I thought I had a grasp on what was happening, something new and unexpected would occur, further confusing me.

I found myself constantly second-guessing my interpretations and wondering if I was missing some crucial piece of information that would have made everything clear.