Rating: Summary: Better and better Review: Wow. That's really all I can say. I have just finished reading Rebel Stand, easily the best NJO novel yet. Once I started (with the previous novel, Rebel Dream, being almost necessary to understand all the plot devices taking place), I just could not stop. Allston expertly weaves humor, compassion, desperation, and dedication into the plot and the characters. On Coruscant, the mysterious dark force presence, which drew Luke and the Wraiths to investigate, is revealed. Formidable is truly an understatement. In this, Allston uses a character that was a very loose end from years past in the pre-NJO series, one that I am pleased to have revealed, finally. There is also some very good suspense as Allston sets the stage for the events that culminate. Gotta LOVE infiltration of a Vong-conquered world by the best ever, plus a few jedi. On Borleias, where Wedge is commanding a stalwart and devious defense using remnants of Coruscant defenders to give the Yuuzhan Vong a good pasting, we get plenty of space combat mixed with good old Rebel ingenuity. There are many uses of technology and trickery which surfaced in previous books in the series. Foremost among them, and possibly the most satisfying, is the impersonation by Jaina Solo of the Vong trickster Goddess. This gives an extra twist in the guts of the enemy as they are desperate to capture her so that they might set her against her captured brother (whom we have not seen since Star by Star, but to which there is a reference by Tsavong Lah. This seemed to me the only foreshadowing of the next NJO installment. My guess is that they have converted Jacen into a Vong-warped dark jedi, as they failed to do with Tahiri, who shines in this book, by the way. It would explain his lack of presence in the force. Enough of this digression, though :) .). If you like Star Wars, or the NJO, or if you have become tired from some of the earlier installments in the series, this book will restore your faith. I can't give any book a higher recommendation.
Rating: Summary: Truly amazed Review: I have been a star wars fan ever since i was 5 and have read all the expanded universe books up to date, and with this one it was incredible. Allston is a truly gifted writer and this installment of the NJO was very well done. Im not going to spoil the book by tell anything about. Dont think about it just go out and buy it. Dont steal but cheat and lie if nessasry this book is worth the money.
Rating: Summary: Cool and action packed Review: it waz a cool book.I liked it when the gang get to search deep inside Coruscant since we never really knew what waz down their.Also it waz mysterious,and you could tell how all the stories come together.I can't wait for the next book Traitor comi'n this July 28,2002.I have to say this iz one of the best bookz yet.
Rating: Summary: eclipses Enemy Lines I Review: This book was a home run. It had great touches so you don't get that "im reading something written by a hack" feel you get from some of the other NJO novels. My only complain is that is should have been one book with enemy lines I instead of yet another duology. Rebel Stand makes Rebel Dream look bad, they really should have made this one book. Of course, I have felt the same way about some of the other two parters of the NJO series.
Rating: Summary: great wit n' humor (and a good story line to match) Review: the latest Star Wars novel has shows a great sense of humor from the entire cast (except the Vong, they really don't have a sense of humor). I was constantly laughing at what the characters were saying and or doing. Oh, and the overall story plot was great too, but it was the humor that really set off the the novel for me. There was something constantly going on in the book and that realy kept the plot moving. I hope this has been helpfull in yuor decision making.
Rating: Summary: Hooray for Allston! Review: This was a great book! We got to see many of our old favs is action, including Rogues & Wraiths, a little romance among all the couples (Jaina & Jag are wonderful, a lot like Han & Leia) an inciteful look into the Vong, & finally Luke & Mara doing something that reminds me of the way they were in the Hand of Thrawn duology. Lord Nyax was a interesting curve & a cool tie in of older books,Ep1,& Ep2. Luke finally figured out that stopping the bad guys isn't the same as aggression (something he use to know but recent authors didn't seem to know that.)Tahiri's pain revelation seems like a great lead to future events (Traitor perhaps?) and Wedge's x-wing battle had me racing to the next page as fast as I could read. Allston made me laugh out loud many times. This is what Star Wars books should be like!! I hope to see this kind of writing in the future NJO, the last 2 books have renewed my faith in this series, because I had been getting disappointed a lot before this. Other books have had some good parts but couldn't seem to hold it together for the whole book. This book held me captive from page 1 to 367, & dying to know what happens next. A small aside, I was very upset when Anakin was killed, but have to say that Jaina & Tahiri are now developing into strong female leaders, something that's hard to find in any story line. Keep up the good work Mr. Allston!
Rating: Summary: Life with the Old Guys Review: In this NJO old favorites come back in grand form. The story is outstandingly written. The only problem that I had with it was that there was too much jumping from one person speaking to the other. The book blew me away and frinally started making paralles to the first setup with the original trilagies. The fight scenes were great and seeing things through Luke, Leia, Han, mara, and Wedge's eyes was great. I Requimend this book for any fan of the era after Return of the Jedi, and then you will be hooked on the NJO like a rock.
Rating: Summary: Fun Book to Read. Review: Rebel Stand was good but could have been a little bit better. The reason that I say that is mainly due to the long, drawn-out Coruscant mission storyline. This would have been a more entertaining book if that had been edited down some. Thankfully the wraiths added some much needed humor that provided some zip to that storyline. Han and Leia had the best storyline and the best action. I was only disappointed that they didn't get more screen time. The spark and banter between them is still the driving force behind their relationship and is still great fun to read about. R2-D2 also had some of his best EU moments in this plotline. There was also some more Jaina/Jag/Kyp action. I feel that it's about time that plot move along a little faster. It's starting to get old. Wedge didn't get much screen time in this novel, but what's there is very good and probably provided the best tension in the book. Overall, it was a fun book to read. It's so nice to be able to say that reading a Star Wars book is fun again. I have missed feeling that way since the NJO series had begun.
Rating: Summary: Allston moves up in the ranks Review: With book II of his first non X-Wing entry into the Star Wars Universe, Aaron Allston shines. While I've been a devoted NJO fan since Vector Prime, the return of our favorite canon characters to true Rebel Form is absolutely delightful, and Allston does it with spot-on characterizations. Fans of Wraith Squadron will be happy as well, with appearances by Kell, Face, Elassar, Piggy, and Wes Janson. Allston's sense of humor is impeccable, and flows easily into the plot, action, and drama (the scenes with Threepio and Artoo come to mind). There are also a couple of really touching moments that in a lot of other SW novels would have come off as stiff, but here only enrich the world that the Vong have been trying to destroy. If you've been missing the Han and Leia of the Rebellion, if you've been waiting for Jaina to come into her own, if the Vong simply don't compare to a really frightening Dark Jedi, then this and _Rebel Dream_ are your books. My only complaints are the lack of Tenel Ka, the newly crowned queen of Hapes, and absolutely no foreshadowing of the next NJO, _Traitor_. I was expecting at least one hint of Jacen's return, but nada. However, neither of these things were enough to drop the rating down even a single star. Bravo, Aaron Allston!
Rating: Summary: Rebel Stand- Wow! Review: Once again, Allston's blown me away by his ability to write, and write well. We see great humor, great action scenes, and great bad guys all rolled into one fantastic novel! Luke's mission to Coruscant takes up a good part of the book, and so does Han and Leia's sabotaging of an election. We see more Jaina/Jag interaction (yes!) and Kyp is starting to seem less cocky and arrogant. A great book, with gripping scenes that have you on the edge of your chair till the end. You have to read it, it's a fantastic addition to the NJO.
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