Rating: 
Summary: Del Rey continues to destroy Star Wars
Review: When this series first started I was excited. Finally there would be a new enemy for the New Republic to face. I was quickly disappointed. This series only point so far has been to kill characters for no reason at all.
This book was no exception. This novel had very little story at all and dragged on. Countless characters were killed including two who were important to the novels.
For the past few years the novels have been developing Anakin and has even had him as the lead for the last few novels. Now out of the blue they decide to kill him pointlessly, like Chewbacca.
Personally I won't be buying any more of this series and I would recommend anyone who would want to read a good Star Wars story to pick up the Bantam Series.
Rating:
Summary: The author just blew it
Review: All Previous authors had been building Anakin Solo character, make us like him and think he was geat with the force, not one with the force as written by Troy Denning. That's it, I will buy no more NJO books.
Rating:
Summary: The Absolute Wrong Way to Go!!!
Review: Like most people, I was devastated when Anakin was killed. Yeah, yeah, it was in a blaze of glory and all and he will be remembered for all time, blah, blah, BUT COULDN'T THEY HAVE JUST KILLED SOMEBODY ELSE?!?!?!? I recognize the need to kill a major character every once in a while, but Anakin was the wrong person to kill. Jacen and Jaina are not the ones you want leading the next generation of Jedi (and who knows what the Vong are going to do to Jacen now that they have him). A part of me is still hoping that Anakin is still alive, even if they have to bring him back in the cheesiest way possible, I really don't care. Anakin used to be the one that was ignored while the focus was on the twins, but now that he had finally stepped to the forefront and achieved his potential, why kill him? Kill Jacen instead. Anakin's ending would have been perfect for Jacen. Anyway, the only reason I will continue to read this now ruined series is to find out what happens next.
Rating: 
Summary: Superbly written
Review: Star by Star, the next chapter of the New Jedi Order series, brings the readers all the qualities worthy of the name Star Wars: space battles, ground battles, betrayal, and even death. Now I'm sure if you've read other reviews you have already found out who dies in this book, but if not I will not say who. The New Republic is reeling from the Yuuzhan Vong attacks. Having now lost countless star systems and planets, the New Republic, more specifically the Jedi, decide to lead a strike team into the heart of Yuuzhan Vong territory. Their goal? To destroy the queen of a new species which can find, hunt, and kill Jedi. Meanwhile Luke Skywalker continues his efforts to patch up the void between the Jedi and the New Republic before it becomes unrepairable. Through all of this comes treachery, betrayal, and a battle which has been coming since, oh maybe Balance Point. Yes, that's right, the battle for Coruscant is in this book! You have to read it to see what happens! You just can't put it down!
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars By 5 Stars
Review: Star By Star by Troy Denning has to be the best incarnation of the Star Wars series I've read yet. In the New Jedi Order series, our typical star wars heroes are joined by their now full grown children in a battle against a dark menace, The Yuuzhan Vong. This book is highly emotional and very real. The author makes you care about these characters and then they drop them into unthinkable situations, and your emotions get pulled along for the ride. If you are a star wars fan, you'll love this book. It's highly representative of all the things that make the movies great, because it is harsh, depressing and real. However if you aren't a fan, this book isn't for you, for you will not understand all of it and all that has happened since the original films. A must buy for all fans, this book is, to put it simply, breathtaking. ...
Rating: 
Summary: It'll never be the same...
Review: I must say that if you don't like change, don't read this book. I'm not saying it's bad, mind you, it is a good novel. But there are dramtatic changes in the history of Star Wars that take place in this novel. There were a couple of times when I was so disappointed in the dramatic changes that I just put down the book and didn't read it for a couple of days. I have read almost all the novels within the Star Wars series except for a few of the most recent ones (Phantom Menace...) but this NJO series is quite the dramatic one and with these recent dramatic changes it almost seems to me like the Star Wars novel authors are bringing the series of Star Wars to an end. Overall, this is a great novel. The only disappointing factor was the dramatic changes that occured throughout the book.
Rating:
Summary: Pointless
Review: Star by Star was exciting and well written, and further reduces the Star Wars universe to a pointless endeavor. Personally, I have decided to exempt the NJO from my version of Star Wars--Vision of the Future was a great ending as far as I'm concerned. Star by Star (and other NJO novels) seems to make all other novels, and (more importantly) the movies obsolete. What does it matter if Han and Luke and the rest defeat the empire? Thirty years later the whole galaxy will be killed by the Yuuzhan Vong anyway. And due to the loss of major charactors, it's hard to believe any of the surviving charactors will ever by truly happy again. I'd stake my bets that the NJO series is old man Lucas' attempt to rake in some more cash for his own empire. But for me, it has just gone too far.
Rating:
Summary: BOO ...HOO!
Review: Grow up boys and girls. Now I've read a lot of reviews, few helpful in anyway way shape or form. Maybe this is more of a rant to those who have reviewed then a message to those who want to read, but gods! Star by Star is long. The NJO series is even longer, and not abou to end. It's a series. A damn long one. I've never even heard of a series in this sort of format that's ever been done this long before. Frankly, I love it. But, alot of people don't. That's all well and good, but I wish that they at least had good reasons. Star Wars fans, somebody dies in this novel. Quite a few die actually, but somebody important. Don't read too many of these reviews if you haven't actually read the books, some horrible spoilers have been put in. But yeah, people are upset with it. But, it seems definitivly part of the series. From book 1 one, the rules have been taken and spat upon. Major charaters die, in this case even ending serious subplots that have been going for several books. The losses mount up even higher in this epic sized novel then ever before. It's unbelievably good. Dont' get me wrong star wars fans, I grieve with the rest of you. But these books prove that the star wars world isn't perfect. As Han Solo himself said: The invisible bubble of invulnerability has been long popped. The much talked about death, when it occurs, is even not that signifigant. I think that's part of the point. Not everybody dies in some great sacrifice. Sometimes it is meaningless. Basically, if you don't like this book, don't like it for the right reasons. The few intelligent criticisims that have been made are that the setting are at some points not well described at all, and the characters could use a little more development. On the whole, I sill loved it though and would recommened it to any star wars fan, but not a new one. You have to have backround to get fully whats going on. I've said my peace now. Thank you. Please do not take anything seriously. Ever.
Rating:
Summary: One of the people that likes reality
Review: If you do want to read this, read some of the stuff before it, for the alien invaders are rather flat here, but if you know their background, and previous descriptions, their flatness is easily overlooked. It probably also helps to read at least one of the Jedi kids books where a great deal of the characters originate and developed.
It would seem the reviewers are divided into two camps, those that think the books are too depressing, and people like me. Me, I stopped reading Star Wars books long ago to escape their repetitve drivel. But now reality is finally returning to Star Wars. Characters are facing realistic conflicts and an intriguing opponent that is not as black and white as it has been in the past. I'm sad that they killed the character that they did, he was finally starting to be able to see beyond the mere black and white world that was presented to him. Death and destruction must take place to make way for the new. And the Star Wars world has been made to fester and stagnate for far too long by people who just want to relive the movies over and over. I just wish they'd put poor Luke Skywalker out of his misery. The poor guy's been worked over and over, by so many people, that his character is flat as a pancake. The only time I ever saw any chemistry between him and Mara was way back when Mara was first introduced. And now Mara is married to a sad silhoette of a man, whose actions are sadly predictable. (such as his son's name) Maybe nearly all the books between Zahn's trilogy, and the current series never took place, there might be some hope...
Rating:
Summary: Disappointed--should have been a "no star" review
Review: Although I have been been a great fan of the Star Wars saga, I am greatly disappointed with the plot and direction of the NJO. After the excellent job that Timothy Zahn did in setting up future story lines in "Vision of the Future," NJO falls flat on its face. I agree with a previous review that it would have been nice to see future story lines expand upon the Chiss and Unknown Regions. After all, there were supposed to be thousands of horrible somethings never seen before in the galaxy. Were there not enough of these horrible somethings upon which to expand and enhance the magnificent saga that preceded? Also, this entire series has been too dark for too long. It seemed especially macabre to release this after the events of September 11 given the complete destruction of the World Trade Center. As a Star Wars fan, I looked forward to becoming one with the Star Wars Universe as a means of escaping this world. I also understand the necessity of occasionally killing off an important character, but given the failure of the quality of writing to match up to that of Zahn, the death of Anakin Solo did not come off very well. Now, not only has this been too dark for too long, it is also depressing in both the content and quality. I never thought I would give a Star Wars novel a negative review, but as this story line so eloquently illustrates to me, things do change. I'm not sure I will buy the next installment in the series.
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