Destiny's Way (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 14)

Rating:
Summary: Boring, but with some bright spots
Review: This book was decent. I'd go as far as to say it had some brilliant passages--Vergere's description of her time on Zonama Sekot was fantastic (the writing style sounded just like Traitor, which I loved), and the entire concept of Alpha Red was both intriguing and terrifying. Unfortunately, I found the book incredibly boring. The writing seemed very rote, the characters were underdeveloped, and the majority of the book was so lacking in dramatic action that I'm not entirely sure what the plot was. Destiny's Way wasn't sickeningly badly written, and the characters weren't horribly mangled--both things I've seen happen before in NJO. Instead, this installment was totally forgettable.

Rating:
Summary: Failure
Review: "This is it. The turning point. Now, everything changes." With that paraphrase, Walter Jon Williams sets the stage for the final quarter of the New Jedi Order Saga. Reeling from Anakin's death and the assumed death of Jacen, the New Republic faces one of its greatest challenges: rebuilding the fractured alliance of planets that opposed a dark empire and was crushed by an invisible enemy.
The Galactic Alliance (nee New Republic) relocates its base to Mon Calamari, and to rebuild the galaxy they need a Chief of State. And this is where the novel misses its mark; there is far too much political manuevering, and the overall tone is somewhat deadened by the far-reaching politics. We know from the beginning who will win the election between Fyor Rodan and Cal Omas; there really is no suspense. This is what we see Luke and Mara due through the course of the novel: shady backroom dealings to orchestrate desired election results.
Han and Leia attempt to reopen ties with the Remnant but are rebuffed; we learn a bit here, such as Pellaeon's penchant for gardening and overindulging in food, but in all honesty, it's really not worth the ink.
Jacen returns with Vergere a little worse for wear; she presents an idea of the Force that conflicts with Luke's, and it can be summed up rather simply: "Either the Vong are a terrible evil that live outside the Force, or your perception of the Force is skewed."
And it goes on. Jaina is named Sword of the Jedi, Jacen manages to begin his destiny but at a price, the Vong suffer a couple of setbacks, and the whole series of incidents with the aftereffects of the Well of the World Brain are highly amusing. Any planet that passes gas is worth a cheap laugh.
Tahiri also returns as a conflicted, delusional young woman who imagines Anakin is after her; Jaina rescues her and is thrust into an even greater mystery, one that will return in the Force Heretic Trilogy.
When all is said and done, Williams is a talented author, even if he changes characters' eye colors on occasion. The novel is a bridge and is necessary if you plan on finishing the cycle; a lot happens here, but it is often rushed and underplayed; this should have been a book on the scope of "Star by Star," but instead we were treated to a slimmer text that leaves more questions than answers.
As always is the case in the Star Wars Universe.