Rating: 
Summary: "Dark Journey" not that dark
Review: This book was neither good nor bad... inconsequencial, really. While I enjoyed Elaine Cunningham's writing style and her careful character manipulations, it didn't really movie the story arc an further. Any one who has read "Star by Star" should be able to skip "Dark Journey" and not really miss anything. Through the course of the book, the Jedi whiz kids escape on the ship they stole at the end of Star by Star and land on Hapes. Jaina develops a new small tool against the Vong. That's pretty much it. The rest is all character development.Not that character development is bad... it's a much needed commodity in the New Jedi Order arc. However, the plunge to the Dark Side promised at the end of Star by Star was never really followed up apon. Still does a few unethical little things, but nothing trully mind numbingly bad. What fight scenes there were felt rushed, and were less clear than usual. At the end of the day, this book is as good of a distraction as any. Nothing more, nothing less.
Rating: 
Summary: Universe gone wrong
Review: The last review I wrote was after Vector Prime, I'm sure you can see where this is going. I want to know what has happend to this universe that I used to love to escape to? What were they thinking in Star by Star by killing off Anakin? I was under the impression from an earlier book, That Anakin and Tahiri had some pre-determind future together. I thought they had a purpouse? Has everyone forgot about this? Anyway, back to this book. I think it was poorly written with major loss of the characters pesonalities. They have turned this universe up-side-down. Hardly anyone is who they were or acts like they used to be or who they were made up to be. I want to be reading about this universe til I'm old and gray. STOP KILLING OFF ALL THE MAIN CHARACTERS!!
Rating: 
Summary: Well, I liked it.
Review: I find most of the more negative reviews of this book tend to rate so poorly not for good reasons, but simply becuas things didn't happent the way they wanted. Now, Jedi's have gone close to the dark side before and come back! Luke himself did so, twice, without immense time having to go around psycho. Rather, we see Jaina's slow deteroriation untill, reaching the crossroads at emotional rock bottom where she either had to go up or down, she went back up. Okay. So she didn't become a dark Jedi. It'd have been cool, but it didn't happen. Get over it pepople. As to the suspence, we dont' know what the hell happened to Jacen. I think that THAT was the point! This book is an aftermath book. Star by Star change a lot of things, and rather then going right into the coutnerstrike by the rebellion, Dark Journey takes the time to actually deal with some of the subjects that have occured. I liked it.
Rating: 
Summary: The worst so far of a very mediocre series
Review: In a recent interview, author Elaine Cunningham vehemently declared, "This isn't a romance novel," despite the girly pink cover DelRey gave it.
Elaine couldn't be more right. This most certainly isn't a romance novel. Romance novels have more insight into the heart and soul of a young woman blossoming into her own in one paragraph than this is able to muster up in 300+ pages. Romance novelists would also rather run screaming into the hills than allow their names to be associated with such cliched groaners as "Jaina's heart nearly lept out of her low-necked gown." Be careful when reading; the trite prose causes great rolling of eyes. And no romance writer worth his/her salt would ever include such a hackneyed fractured fairy tale plot as the deluded queen mother forcing the sweet young maiden to wed the widowed king - father of the maiden's best friend and her mother's ex-beau, to boot. I admire the author's ability to synthesize the most cheesy of plots, but perhaps some workdays spent away from "Days of Our Lives" should be encouraged. Not to mention that this plot was swiped from "The Courtship of Princess Leia." It wasn't all that realistic then, and in a book series whose editors trumpet its "realism" as a marketing tool, it is even less so. Jaina is a cypher, the apparent result of an author who couldn't make her mind whether Jaina was really going to fall to the Dark Side, or "just be a LITTLE Dark." Like being a little pregnant, it just doesn't wash. The author's inability to commit damages the character, who bounces back from her trip to the Dark Side like it was just a lost weekend in Vegas. But this cardboard slip of a girl is still lucky enough to have TWO love interests, one a taciturn fighter pilot straight out of "Sleepless in Coruscant" - or at least he would be if his dialogue wasn't trying so hard to be so cutesy it would get kicked out all but the most "B" of Hollywood romantic comedies - and the other a former Dark Sider turned apparent savior of the universe twice her age. No wonder Jaina bounces back so quickly from the Dark Side - she has Kyp as her Dark Siders Anonymous sponsor. (Psst! Hey, Luke! Remember that Jedi Council you talked about WAAAY back in NJO Book one? Guess what? KYP is declaring that HE's gonna start it!) As for the former hero of Star Wars? Luke's obviously too busy to form the Council. Kowtowing to his unrecognizable wife Mara and making cute with the wisecracks even though they are dealing with his nephew's recent death keep what little page space he gets disrespectfully occupied. Shame on the author and the editors for continuing to abuse and waste this character. I do recommend this book - but only if your eyes need a good workout from all the rolling they'll do. Otherwise, save your money.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing writing style
Review: As an avid fan of the NJO series, I would have to agree with other reviews that this was a dissappointing installment. I found that I had to reread several passages to figure out what was happening. I felt the writing was not as strong as some of the other books in the series. However, I must admit that I was caught up in the suspense and anxiety of whether or not Jaina would start to turn things around. I would also agree that this book could have been stronger with more allusions to Jacen's fate and to Luke and Mara's efforts. Here's to a better installment next time.
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty Good
Review: I wasn't been a big fan of the NJO series of books in the beginning, but I have to admit that they continue to get better. I nearly gave up completely after the lame and disappointing Balance Point. However, Rebirth, Star by Star, Recovery, and now Dark Journey are definitely on the right track. This is a 'Jaina' book and the author does a wonderful job exploring this character's Psychological turmoil during this stage of her life. All other characters are minor, however they are dealt with in fine fashion. Besides Jaina, I especially like the handling of Kyp and Tenel Ka. And this book contains the best portrayal of Star Wars most popular couple, Han and Leia, that I have ever seen. I hope other authors follow suit in this area.
Rating:
Summary: Stricken from the record
Review: Wouldn't it be great if we could strike some books from the record? This book was okay; I found the writting a bit choppy but understandable. There are also some moments of great humor. Unfortunatly, Anakin Solo is still dead. I could handle Star by Star, even though it made me wail with grief, but really Ms. Cunningham, he deserved a better funeral than this. I propose that this book be conviently forgotten, along with the Balck Fleet series, and for Anakin to be in the same type of death like coma that Luke was in during the Dark Apprentice book. Anakin was too special to die and have such a pathetic funeral. Since he didn't become one with the Force, he could not really be dead. I'm sorry ma'am, your book should be stricken from the record to bring hope to a mourning galaxy.
RESURGAM ANAKIN
Rating:
Summary: The NJO series continues to keep us in suspense
Review: Dark Journey was another good book in the New Jedi Order series. Coming off the heels of Star by Star, Jaina and her Jedi companions escape the torture of the Yuuzhan Vong by jumping into the Hapes Cluster, where vengeance remains of a tragedy committed by one of the Solo siblings. It is there that politcal rivalies heat up in a competition to get Jaina to become the next Queen Mother of Hapes. Meanwhile the Yuuzhan Vong are not far behind them, as Hapes has begun to accept refugees, and where there are refugees there are Yuuzhan Vong. The one thing I did not like about this book is how they leave Jacen Solo's life a mystery. Is he alive or dead? Reading this book will not tell you, but I recommend it anyway.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best I've seen in a while
Review: Of all the NJO books, I liked this one the best. The single biggest factor I liked was that it wasn't very depressing. There was less beat 'em up action and more talking than the other book, and fortunatly less Vong. The major plot was about who should take over the throne of Hapes, which was political, and I enjoyed that because right now the series needed a break from the characters all narrowly escaping with their lives, (or not cough cough) or disgustingly maimed. Han and Leia have more of a role than Luke and Mara (as minor as it is). There are some good jokes too. The best part was that I felt the end of the story was fitting, and one I REALLY wanted to see. The book was optomistic, and I was glad for it. I do recommend that you should have read the other few NJO books before so you know what is going on, and at least Star by Star. I'd also recommend the Courtship of Princess Leia and the Young Jedi Knigthts book Lightsabers for good backround on Hapes, Tenel Ka, etc.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I was very disappointed with this latest installment of the New Jedi Order series. The focus was primarily on Jaina, my least favorite of the Solos and the weakest. This would have been ok had the book explained some things better, like what happened to Jacen! Although I never cared for Anakin's character much before Star By Star, I was beginning to really like the character when he was killed off! Now, my favorite character, Jacen, appears to have perished as well and the arthur never eludes as to how! This makes no sense as the Vong, particularly Tsavong, were adamant to take the twins alive for their sacrifice! The book does have its good points though. I like how the new Jedi characters are used more and, going back to the Hapes to see what the fallout was as a result of what happened at Centerpoint was a good move as this was never addressed very well before. However, I think it would be better if the younger Jedi interacted more with the original characters: Han, Leia, Lando, and Luke. Also, I was glad to see Kyp start to make a change and not be so bad. He has a lot of potential. I can see potential for this book to be great but it depends upon the next installment of the series and what actually happened to Jacen. If Jacen truly did perish then the series has become very limited, which makes me truly sad due to the potential lost. I don't think the series can withstand losing another major character.
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