Rating: 
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS IN THE SERIES SO FAR
Review: I've read the novels in the New Jedi Order in sequential order. So far, of the first seven novels in the series, Edge of Victory II: Rebirth was arguably the best. Greg Keyes started a good thing with Edge of Victory I, and improved upon it in the second novel of the duology.This novel contains several plot lines. Luke and Mara leave Coruscant to escape arrest from the New Republic and prepare for the birth of their son. Han and Leia, with their son Jacen, attempt to establish an "underground railroad" for Jedi fleeing from the Peace Brigade, Jaina Solo teams with Kyp Durron and others to attack a perceived Yuuzhan Vong Super Weapon, and Anakin and others stumble upon a new Vong target. There is a lot in the novel, but Keyes paces it all really well. In addition, the elements of a good Star Wars novel are present. Han gets some good quips in while arguing with Leia. C-3P0 gets to fuss like only he is capable, Luke gets more than a half dozen pages, the Jedi get to display their action, and there is a climatic battle scene in the end. Add to that the "good guys" don't suffer a terrible defeat and this book becomes what Star Wars novels are suppose to be: fun. Another strength is the wide array of characters of the novel, most of which are done well. Corran Horn gets a fair amount of space after having been largely absent since third novel of the series. Even Lando gets a chance to show up and do some work. Talon Karde, Kyp Durron, and Wedge Antilles surface as well. In most cases, Keyes has stayed true to the spirit of each character as written by the author that created each character. Keyes continues to develop the Vong better than any author so far in the series. Their bio-technology makes much more sense in this duology and their way of life is much more fleshed out. The belief system, caste system, and general attitudes of the Vong get much more attention here. As a race, they seem more believable. I can't say enough about the novel without spoiling. If you have been disappointed with the New Jedi Order series so far, this will lift your hopes for the future of Star Wars novels. I only hope the novels that follow can approach how good this one was.
Rating: 
Summary: Not without faults, but nevertheless good
Review: Keyes' Conquest was a nearly perfect Star Wars novel. Focusing on one plot line, it drew us in and never let us go. Rebirth suffers from an attempt to do too much in too short a space, making it more difficult to become engrossed in any one plot. As several others have mentioned, each storyline is independent of the others, making one wonder why they are all included. A focus on only one of the stories - e.g., Anakin and Tahiri's recovery from Conquest - would have been better. And there are some details that are unconvincing or disturbint - Luke and Mara Force "revelation" at the end, and Kyp Durron's pedophiliac leers toward Jaina Solo (she's still only 17! Let's keep the PG rating here!) That being said, there is still much to be enjoyed. Keyes style is evocative of the original movies, keeping things fast-paced and interesting throughout. The action scenes, while sometimes too brief, are well-described, and the Anakin and Tahiri interaction is tastefully and touchingly explored. The viewpoint of the naysayers about the minimal role played by the older generation is certainly understandable; I particularly miss Lando. I do not believe, however, that the emphasis on the Solo children automatically turns the NJO series into another Young Jedi Knights. Jacen and Jaina aren't all that much younger than Luke and Leia were in Episode IV, or Anakin Skywalker in Episode II. Young characters do not mean a juvenile target audience. I have found nothing about the style, the plot, or the story to warrant the labeling of this or the other NJO books as "juvenile."
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