Rating: Summary: On the Right Track! Review: EoV 1, Conquest was a great read, and EoV 2, Rebirth definantly didn't drop the ball. Excepting that the dialog seems a little forced at times, the action and story of this newest NJO novel are a great addition to the series. Everything is just pushing ahead on the right track. The Vong Juggernaut has finally ran into a major setback, but they are far from finished. The Jedi are starting to come together at last, with the possible exception of Kip Durron whose decisions seem to be getting worse and worse. The Solo kids are handling their problems a whole lot better. And, with great delight on my part, it looks like the active roles of Luke and Mara may again pick up and take hold! Once again, there were some little things that I didn't like. No mention of the Imperial Remnant, and galactic apathy still reins with the Star Wars citizens at-large. But, that takes nothing away from this terrific book. I wholeheartedly recommend it to all NJO readers! BUY IT!
Rating: Summary: Keyes continues to breathe new life into the New Jedi Order Review: In 'Rebirth', the second in the Edge of Victory duology, Keyes holds himself to the same high standards as his previous effort. While 'Rebirth' involves a much larger cast than 'Conquest', it is no less personal. Events range from the most important (the birth of Luke Skywalker's child) to the most trivial (two young teenager's first kiss.), but Keyes presents them all perfectly. Two-dimensional characters are given depth, intelligence, and motive. Classic characters are properly characterized, realistically and respectfully. Once again we are given a glimpse though the Yuuzhan Vong's eyes, at a variety of the alien cultures classes and occupations. This book is a true page turner, which will leave you feeling good at the end. Long time Expanded Universe readers like myself have reason to rejoice. Star Wars, and the New Jedi Order, are back with a vengance. I hope this is a sign of what's to come.
Rating: Summary: Another fine chapter of the New Jedi Order series Review: As the conclusion of the Edge of Victory, Rebirth brought out some interesting twist to the New Jedi Order series. I feel some resemblance of this one and A New Hope, aka Episode IV. Luke and Mara's son probably has some special place in the new Jedi Order and might even be the one that ends the whole thing; The destruction of the Worldship has the similar effect as the destruction of the death star. For the first time, the Jedi has striked back hard, which also leads to the question of Kyp's development as a Jedi. Personally, I like him better than Luke, certainly more than Jacen. But he seems to be wandering on the edge of the darkside. Hopefully, we will see more of him in the next book "Star by Star". The whole book is intense, with actions on several fronts. It also revealed more about the inner struggles among Yuuzhan Vong and we finally got to their leader, the supreme overlord.
Rating: Summary: Awesome! Review: This book was absolutley amazing. I couldn't put it down, not even at work! It had plot upon plot upon plot and only got me geared up for the next book. Greg Keys does an excellent job of portraying the hardships and short fuses that war will put on even the most elite Jedi. This is a fast paced action story that only leaves the necessary plots open to continue the story. Everything is tied up quite nicely for a book that isn't the end. I would recommend this to anyone... even you!
Rating: Summary: This one's a good read Review: Since the other reviewers have already gone over the main plot points, I won't bore you with it. Suffice to say that this is a fun read. I devoured the book and thoroughly enjoyed myself in the process. The characters are drawn well. The Solo kids (if you can still call them that) are growing up in a realistic way. And everyone's reactions in moments of crisis seemed pretty much dead-on to me. My only complaints would be that it got a bit sappy towards the end. And a certain plotline got tied up a bit too neatly. But those aren't the worst problems you can have with a book and are easily overlooked. And we're now free to move on to bigger and better, plot-wise, as a result. My congratulations to Mr. Keyes!
Rating: Summary: Beyond Excellent! Review: If I could say but one thing to Greg Keyes, it would be an emphatic THANK YOU! He brought everything to this book, and then some. I feel he did a much better job with Rebirth than with Conquest. There were moments in this book where I couldn't stop laughing out loud at the action and dialogue. He brought a much needed breath of fresh air to the written-realm of the Star Wars universe with this book. I saw characters acting as they would have in the days of old, saying things that had me rolling on the floor at times. And, what's more, the plot of the book is so enthralling and gripping, I couldn't put it down - all non-stop action. To top all the excellent writing off, we finally see the tide turning in favor of our friends, and the arrival of a new person, possibly more powerful in the Force than anything we have seen before. I have but one complaint: I just wish that the authors would publish these books a LOT quicker than every 4 months! So, as if you couldn't tell, I highly recommend the book!!
Rating: Summary: The Best of the Bunch! Review: The plot is now thicker than wet cement... this latest addition is probably the best of the New Jedi Order bunch as of yet. This one doesn't have as much focus on the cool internal workings of the evil Yuuzhan Vong race, but it's fun, and harkens back to the old days of Star Wars, when it was the few against the many, the good against the bad, and only a few heroes could stand up to... okay, that was corny. Let's just say that this book is a cure for all those years we spent tossing back novels where some doddering old badguy makes a futile attack on the New Republic. In any event, it will surely be a great setup for Star by Star, which hits shelves in November. And besides that, this one gives us glimpses into the future of Star Wars... and if the books stay as good as this one, that future is a bright one (Boy am I corny!).
Rating: Summary: On the Right Track Review: Overall, I say that this book is very good. The characterizations were good with the exception of Luke. I would like to for Luke to stop letting everyone push him around so much. The Han and Leia interaction is the best thing about this book for me. There's plenty of banter and affectionate moments between the two of them. References to their recent estrangement and Leia's injuries are a nice touch. There's still a little bit of residue strain in their relationship but that's to be expected and gives a realistic feel to the story. The Han/Jacen and Leia/Jacen scenes were also well done. Another good point about this book is the appearance of some old friends such as Corran, Lando, Wedge and the Rogues. It was refreshing to see more adults taking part in the action and occasionally taking charge. It would be good to see more of this in the future. Keyes is also very good at showing us the Vong's point of view. I never found them to be very interesting until now. I may not like them, but I can at least relate to them better. Another bright spot in the story is how things work out for Luke/Mara/baby. My biggest complaint about this book is that it's too short and the writing was a little to simplistic at times. However, I strongly recommend this book.
Rating: Summary: Excellent book. A standout book in a standout series. Review: I have been reading Star Wars books regularly since Tim Zahn's first trilogy first hit the stands, and I have watched while lesser authors (with a few notable exceptions) slowly lowered the quality of the books. Then came the New Jedi Order Series. The first books were excellent and the authors have seemed to just get better. Then comes Greg Keyes. His first book was good but his second, REBIRTH, is probably among the top 10 Star Wars novels ever written. Keyes has an excellent grasp of the characters and doesn't overload the cliches. He writes in such a way that although the reader realizes that the Solo young adults are warriors and Jedi knights, it is also apparant that they are still young and naive. Corran Horn absent since the 3rd book of this series has returned with a vengeance. And Keyes is also able to write one of the most (unfairly) maligned characters in Star Wars expanded universe history in a sympathetic light (Kyp Durron). Keyes knows the history of the expanded universe, and uses this knowledge quite effectively. I have already written a list of the top 25 Star Wars novels, but I will have to modify it to ensure Rebirth's placement. Once again an exceptional book in an excellent series.
Rating: Summary: Excellent Review: This book was a much needed breath of fresh air in the NJO series. The Han/Leia interaction was beautifully done, the two of them exchanging their witty banter, saving the galaxy, and sharing some affectionate moments. I was so glad to see this after the travesty that was Balance Point in which the author (Tyers) botched her assignment with the Han/Leia reunion. I'm very glad Keyes is more professional and talented in this area; if only he had been allowed to write their reunion. I was also glad to see both couples we given equal treatment, as the NJO has had a very heavy Luke/Mara slant, and ignored the Han/Leia romance. I was relieved to see this turnaround in this book. Another wonderful thing was that the adults were all acting like adults, putting the kids in their place. Jaina was well developed into a mature, realistic girl I could relate too as well. I still dislike Jacen and Anakin strongly, but Keyes developed them best as he could. My one complaint about this book was that it was too short for so many plotlines. Overall though, an excellent read. I have been highly critical of the NJO ever since it came out and this book may just turn things around for me.
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