Rating: 
Summary: Decent NJO book but lacks a sense of time & some emotion
Review: Destiny's Way is a decent NJO book, but there are elements to be criticized. First the good: Williams writes a good story. All the classic Star Wars characters are back and there are many great leaps made in war against the Vong. He is able to write a very compact and fast moving story. He is able to continue many of the characterizations begun in Stover's Traitor and Allston's Enemy Lines books. The down sides of this book are few but very crucial 1. because of the length of the book, Williams is unable to create any sense of time passage. The entire story takes place over a period of about 3-6 months, but it reads like something taking place over a couple days. This has happened with several of the NJO books with the exception of the longest book Star by Star. The NJO Ylesia ebook actually takes place between chapters 20 and 21 in Destiny's Way. It is a crucial chapter and should have been included in this book. Because of the shortness, Williams is unable to create emotion at key moments, everything seems just a bit rushed even on the climax, which should have more of an emotional impact than it does. Destiny's Way is no Star by Star, but it is still a competantly written, fast paced story and a decent addition to the NJO series.
Rating: 
Summary: The Turning Point...
Review: Well, I've just finished reading Destiny's Way (the fourteenth book in the ongoing New Jedi Order series). I finished the book feeling that, while overall an entertaining read, it suffers from a plot has no true focus; it seems to be compiled of a number of events that could of taken place between books. The whole "turning point of the war" (sorry if I spoiled anyone, but come on, we all knew the good guys would start winning sometime) that author alludes to, seems more like "the prelude of the turning point of the war". All the main character running around, setting up things to come in future books, or finishing tasks started in books past. It never has a big event that, the other hardcovers, mainly Vector Prime and Star By Star, had.Now I do like this book, though it may seem otherwise. It has some good writing and does have some important events: Jacen's return, the election of a new Chief of State, the reestablishment of the Jedi Council (it's called the High Council now), and the deaths of a few main\semi-main characters (as happened in the other three hardcovers of the series) and finally a book that's based on Luke! Though Han and\or Leia fans will be a bit disappointed; the two are absent in most of the book. The book also has the introduction of a handful of new characters:
Supreme Overlord Shimrra, (sorry if it's spelled wrong) who probably have the most impact in future books, A few new senators, an alderaaian senator, Cal Omas, will have the most impact of these, and some new governmental (and Vong) officials. Overall I think this is a good edition to the series, though it could have been the best if the plot was more centralized.
Rating:
Summary: A Mixed Bag
Review: I liked the way the plot carried on in this episode of the NJO series; the sensationalism has been cut back a lot since Elaine Cunningham produced the truly awful Dark Journey. These authors need to be briefed on the difference between character development and melodramatic nonsense before they start a project. Despite the improvement, Williams went a little overboard with Jaina and sometimes the other Jedi here. He, and anyone else writing NJO books, should go read Timothy Zahn's take on Jedi power (he tries not to make even Luke omnipotent). For that matter, George Lucas should go read some Zahn before making any more Star Wars films. I'd also like to see some attention to Stackpole's style here, meaning real character development accomplished so that the dramatis personae seem like real people. This is more a general complaint than something specific to Williams, though. In Destiny's Way, Williams continues the good writing around Jacen and manages to convey many well thought out events in a reasonable space. Considering the above comments, I would have given a rating of 4 stars. The real problems come in Williams' seeming lack of full proficiency in modern English. I wonder if English is his second language, or perhaps he is from a nation with a non-American and non-British connotative dictionary of the language, because some of his awkward phrasing is truly distracting. Additionally, redundancy was common fare. It was distracting enough for me to dock a point, but I would have preferred to leave give it 3.5 stars seeing as I did like the book. Finally, I have another general complaint, this toward almost all of science fiction, though the problem manifests itself frequently in this book. Air, when exposed to the vacuum of space, does not freeze! If it did, Earth's outer atmosphere would be entirely composed of frozen air crystals. It is not. Go look at a pressure vs. temperature diagram for air. At extremely low pressure, there is no temperature at which it can leave the gas phase. Also, I notice a lot of references to a substance exposed to vacuum "instantly" freezing. Think about this one, as well. On a cold winter day, an exposed object loses heat quickly. If the weather includes wind, the rate of heat loss greatly increases. This is because the main mechanism for heat loss from an object at about room temperature is convection. An object has to get up toward the thousands of Kelvin before radiation becomes fast enough to be significant. As a general guideline, we can assume that only visibly glowing things are losing a lot of overall energy through radiation. I'll get back to my point. In vacuum, there is no convection. Therefore only radiation is available to carry away heat. This makes heat loss much slower than it would be on a cold day in atmosphere.
Rating: 
Summary: The turning point....
Review: At least I hope it is... Lots of stuff happens in this installment of the NJO saga. A few of the main characters have more of a backseat role while some of the other newer characters have an excellent shot to shine. Ethics, life, death, you name it, it's got it! I won't spoil it, but the author pokes fun at the original "Star Wars: A New Hope" near the beginning of the book, you'll get what I mean later on, it's pretty funny! That is by far a classic moment in the Expanded Universe, one of the best moments. Again, as with "Star By Star," you might want to put on "Duel of the Fates" on your Phantom Menace soundtrack while reading through the space battles mentioned in it. In fact, quite a few tracks from the TPM soundtrack will fit in nicely with this. This is a major book, like the other hardcovers in the "Star Wars NJO" series. There are major events that are set in motion, and some BIG changes!!!! I hope you enjoy the read here!
Rating:
Summary: This guy needs to read more
Review: Though I haven't finished the book, I can tell right now this the author didn't really research the Star Wars Universe. The way the characters act is totally out of character. He tries to through in these little romantic hints into the Luke/Mara Han/Leia relationships and doesn't pull them off very well. I also get this feeling that he never read any of the other NJO books, but merely consulted the "script" for the series. The story isn't too bad, but the attention to detail makes this a tough read for a truly dedicated Star Wars fan. I would constantly have to stop and correct him, which made for a very bumpy read.
Rating:
Summary: Very good read
Review: This book seems to be the turning point in the NJO series. The New Republic goes on the offensive. The 2 space battles are done pretty well. We learn more about the history of Vergere. Adm. Ackbar is back as an advisor to the new Senate and CoS. One thing that disappointed me was the length. After Star by Star, I wanted more. It seemed to be over too soon. Another thing that would have made it better would be more Wedge. He is almost ignored in this book. Guess i'll have to wait for the next book.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best New Jedi Order Books
Review: Walter John Williams has written a Star Wars novel that easily is among the very best of this series, which to date numbers 14 books. From what I have read about this story arc, this is just about the halfway mark for this cycle of books. I would prefer that all of the installments be written by authors of this caliber, and that all the books are written with the same care and depth that seems to be almost exclusively reserved for hardcover episodes. This is a novel of length and of breadth that explores the fundamental beliefs that have been the foundation for the knowledge about The Force, and the Jedi who are its guardians. The story challenges the beliefs of a range of Jedi from Luke Skywalker, Jaina, Jacen, and Vergere. Verger's history is fully explained and no one other than Yoda has conveyed more understanding and knowledge of what The Force is and what it is not. The concept of the light and dark sides is replaced by a much more complex explanation of what binds all living things. The Vong are alive but invisible to the Jedi, does this justify committing Genocide against the Vong, or should compassion be shown to them. Are they as a species genetically evil, or the result of the evil of others? The answers to these questions are asked by players you may not expect to hear voice these queries, and others who advocate or protest a variety of actions against these invaders. Williams has written a book that dramatically changes whatever may happen in the future. There are a group of characters elevated to Jedi Knighthood. Jacen returns and continues to evolve even as he participates in a massive campaign against those who held and tortured him, but towards whom he holds no hatred. A new Jedi Council is formed with members that you would never expect to sit at the same table, let alone apologize for being wrong about the war from the very beginning. A knight is named The Sword Of The Jedi, another will fight The Vong Warmaster in single combat to the death, and a new head of state begins the process of rebuilding yet another New Republic. And once again a Jedi will knowingly make the ultimate sacrifice so that others may live. These are 450 very dense and very well written pages about a saga that so many people have enjoyed for over 25 years in a variety of formats. Walter Jon Williams has written a book that is excellent, and after all these years why should readers expect anything less?
Rating:
Summary: 3.5/5, A novel too compressed to be a worthy follow up...
Review: After reading what is probably the best NJO book in the whole series (Matthew Stover's Traitor), Destiny's Way was quite the disappointment. That's not to say the book is bad by any stretch of the imagination. The politics and farther-reaching military strategies of Cal Omas and Admiral Ackbar respectively were very welcome additions - things desperately needed in a universe that through the last four books, was without a general direction. The action sequences were likewise fairly well done, but seemed sort of unpolished, as though Williams was too rushed in writing them; some came off to me as being unfinished even. As well, Williams' ability to dictate the logistics of not only this book, but the entire war against the Yuuzhan Vong was badly needed - as one other reviewer said, the likeliness of a single extragalactic group, however large, consistently defeating a galaxy-spanning military just isn't likely, most especially when that group is without the ability to adjust to an enemy's expanding technology. That it took fourteen books for the New Republic to win a major battle just wasn't that feasible. Where the book starts to lag though, is in the stuttering storyline, and incorrect portrayal of a few characters. The plot, which is, for the most part, without a central conflict, hurts from the removal of the two chapters that became the Ylesia e-book, but had problems from the beginning. Though Williams does manage to tie together quite a few different sections from throughout the book to merge into the large battle at the end, the story meanders through part to part, and doesn't resolve much along the way, with the exception of Cal Omas being elected as the new Chief of State. Whether this was Lucasarts call or Williams' own writing style, it made the entire novel seem too compressed and at points straight-out rushed, for it to work properly. My second large problem with this novel is the characterization of certain major characters, most notably Vergere. In all honesty, I think Matthew Stover may be the only one able to write her properly, and that's why, unfortunately she dies through the course of the novel. This is sad, because as a living character she could've done so much more to further the plot, most specifically in the part of where the Yuuzhan Vong connect to the Force, if anywhere. Dead, she's not much good to anyone except maybe Jacen. However, throughout this novel I found myself saying "Vergere wouldn't say that," or "she wouldn't do that." Quite simply put, she wasn't lone woflish enough for me... she had ample chance to return to the New Republic with Han Solo, so Williams emphasizing her living with the Skywalkers and attempting to fit in with the new galaxy didn't work for me. All in all though, the book wasn't bad, and helped shape the series in a way the past four NJO books haven't done. 3.5/5
Rating:
Summary: Finally a well-written Star Wars book!
Review: After so many so-so books in this series, I was beginning to wonder if I should just give it up and go for some good "Orson Scott Card" instead. Walter Jon Williams restored my faith in "The New Jedi Order" series like nobody but Matthew Woodring Stover (author of "Traiter") has been able to do. This is the author's first effort in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, so some of the dialogue may seem "our of character" to readers that have dedicated their lives to this franchise. Personally I didn't notice it much except for some of Han's lines, but I read a few reviews where people complained about it. I found the story to be terrific and extremely captivating! I mean, This guy knows how to write! It's far more interesting to read a book by a guy who knows how to capture your interest and create a great story (that makes you want to stay up reading it rather than get some much-needed sleep), than it is to read hundreds of minute detail-references to previous Star Wars novels to prove that the guy has been following along with the franchise. If I want an author to show off his Expanded Universe knowledge, I'll read more of the Sean Williams' & Shane Dix' books. They know their Star Wars Expanded Universe extremely well! But unfortunately, they don't know how to write! With "Destiny's Way" I was actually caring about the characters and what happens to them. I love the way Luke re-establishes the Jedi Counsel and how the new Government is formed. It was a nice refreshing addition to the franchise and I highly recommend it. It is unfortunate that so many Star Wars fans have been reading nothing else so long that they forget what good writing really is. The trilogy of books that follows this one in "The New Jedi Order" series is a perfect example of how NOT to write (a) Star Wars book(s). I look forward to the series that Walter Jon Williams has been contracted for that will follow the events of the "New Jedi Order" series. I know that I can expect a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Just Awful
Review: Maybe it is because Traitor was so great, or whatever, but Destiny's Way is just boring and bad. That's right--I said it.
First, Mara and Jaina figure heavily in the plot (sigh), and you just can't escape them. Mara is off saving the galaxy as usual (as Luke is apparently brain dead), and Jaina gets to be THE SWORD OF THE JEDI--a stupid, stupid title that means she'll constantly be at war, but will never love. Bah! She's been that way for the NJO, now she'll be that way for all time?! Oh, and there isn't one mention of dear little Jaina walking around threating the lives of people and acting borderline homocidal. Nope, not a peep. Dear God! I really believe the folks at the Lucas farm are just laughin' it up at all us common rabble who will eat up anything with the SW name on it.
Just awful.
Oh, and remember how Matthew Stover, in his awesome book Traitor, showed us a Jacen that is not annoying, but awesome? Well, he's gone. Why? Cause the author of this one decided he should become a useless hippie again. Nice. Real nice. Who cares if numerous soldiers are dying?--I've got pacifism to contemplate.
Vergere? Useless. This book? Crap.
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