Here's another time when I wish Goodreads allowed half-star ratings. Because three stars is probably too good for this book, but two stars seems a little harsh. Nonetheless, I know this book is not as good as the previous entry, Rebel Dream so I'm sticking with two stars.

For those who have been playing along at home, you may recall that Luke, Mara and Tahiri Veila, along with members of Wraith Squadron have gone on a covert mission to the Yuuzhan Vong controlled Coruscant. Meanwhile, Han and Leia are traveling from planet to planet, setting up cells for their new resistance movement. And back on Borleias, Wedge Antilles attempts to hold the planet as long as he can and make the recapture of it as costly as possible.

Of these three major threads, the storyline with Han and Leia offers the most entertainment. The combination of Leia's knowledge of politics and Han's smuggler ethos combine to make them a potent team. The battle for Borleias isn't bad either, as it plays to Allston's strengths as a writer of action sci-fi. The final offensive surprise that Wedge springs on the Yuuzhan Vong is vintage Allston, a clever trick that surprises the reader and makes our heroes seem almost superhuman in their chicanery.

Unfortunately, the strike team plot thread doesn't work as well as the others. Luke's team finds that there is something wandering through the lower levels of Coruscant that frightens even the Yuuzhan Vong. And whatever it is, it has a powerful aura in the Force. When I finally got to the big reveal of what and who that was, I found myself not caring very much. I didn't understand the stakes and the monster (for lack of a better word) felt like a level boss in a video game and nothing more. The creature doesn't feel like an integral part of the larger New Jedi Order plot. We'll see if that actually proves true. At this point, I've already read the next book in the series and I know that this plot piece receives only the briefest of mentions.

This is another episodic installment of the series that is probably only for completists.

So good. And what a finale.

The first of these two was just a touch better, but this one was fan as well. One really fun chapter was dedicated to our favorite droids as they attempt a rescue of Han and Leia. Not to thrilled with the Luke and Mara arc on Coruscant, but it was still fun. Oh, and Viqi finally gets whats coming to her. Allston's writing style is smooth and humorous. He made these characters fun to be around after a long period of darkness.

The dark Jedi section of this book is a bit strange and jarring. It is entertaining, but an encounter with such a strong Jedi would normally take up a few books and not just a score of pages. The sections pertaining to this are still quite enjoyable, but also tend to bring you out of the story. The rest of the book goes quite well.

This book felt like nothing but filler - there's nothing really that happens here that couldn't have been joined into the first part of the "Enemy Lines" sub-series.

not bad. good battles. hoping the momentum keeps up in the next book

My favorite two books of the New Jedi Order by far. To be honest, most of the NJ is too dark and too grim for me, but these books bring a bit of lightness and hope. The characters are actually effective at what they do and able to recover a bit from all of the setbacks they've faced. I really enjoyed what Allston did with the ensemble and enjoyed all of the plotlines.

I think this is the one where Han Solo gets over his PTSD/stops drinking after the loss of Chewbacca, but also replaces Chewbacca with I want to say a smooth-talking cat alien. I hate to admit it, but I really loved these books as a kid.

Aw, come on. Even Wraith Squadron isn't any fun to read about. There's excessive action, most of it meaning or amounting to nothing. The stuff that is good is absolutely overshadowed by the same boring filler that plagues this series. Hoping that it gets better.

Not as good as most of the Star Wars series. Disappointing reading.

Another very nice and entertaining sequel!

The New Jedi Order is my favorite series in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. It is a long and epic story, with large ramifications for all the Expanded Universe characters. It will keep you busy for a while!