Rating: 
Summary: NJO - My Displeasure with Star by Star - reviewed by JLEO
Review: I am an ardent reader of the NJO series and this is the first time I have read a book by Denning. I have long anticipated the next book in this series and when SBS was released, I could not wait to buy it. But, although it was well written and brought together quite a few of the popular characters from the other Star War series in some substantive roles, I was still very disappointed with it. Firstly, I thought that now, perhaps finally, we will be moving into the mold where the jedi will start being triumpant over the usurpers - the vongs. I guess I was led to this expectation by the name - Star by Star. I immediately assumed that they will now be reclaiming some of those lost stars from the vongs. Instead, all we saw was the jedi destroying some of the vong's ships (and playing into the hands of the warmaster), while the vongs went on to score another major victory by capturing the seat of power of the New Republic. Secondly, I was very angry and depressed when I read of the death of Anakin - why him? He is one of the more dynamic, charismatic and interesting characters of this NJO series and to me, by killing him off, they are killing off the series. He was the only one, along with Tahiri, who was having any kind of success with the vongs and causing them to sit up and take notice. They were the bright hope of this series. Now, without characters like him, you just seem to have a lot of mediocre characters left who don't seem able to use their flaunted jedi ability to turn the tide of this war. Either they are debating whether it is right or good to take this or that action (while millions are being slaughtered), or they are struggling with other stuff that seems to detract from the war going on. It is frustrating that no one seems able to strike a decisive blow to the vongs. Why do these authors seem bent on protraying these usurpers as almost invincible?
ANd, why pick continually on the Solo family? Have'nt they have enough trouble since this NJO series began? And now, Denning is turning Jaina into a dark jedi? Come on! It is time the tide of this war changes. I think the next book in the series should address this or risk getting more people turned off from it. ANd, they better do something about Anakin's supposed death (I hope) or raise up another dynamic figure, one who is as endowed in the force as Anakin. And please, do not let us have to wait for Ben to grow up and be it!
Maybe Luke Skywalker can start being a warrior once more with some punch to him.
Rating: 
Summary: CAUTION Read this review 1st
Review: I have not yet read this book but its already been ruined for me by reading two of the customer reviews I am about to reference. Please don't read these reviews if you don't want to read a plot spoiler. By far the best NJO book yet., November 7, 2001
Reviewer: thebirdiscruel This reviewer alludes to the identity of the character that dies. Any SW fan will easily figure out who dies from this review. A Much Darker New Jedi Order, November 2, 2001
Reviewer: mal_ian from Louisville, KY USA This reviewer straight up states who dies. Please don't read these reviews if you don't want to know who dies, as I didn't.
Rating:
Summary: Epic
Review: This book covers a lot of ground, but does so with a fast pace. The writer was skilled at keeping the action going and the plot moving. It is the only book in the series that seems to move the series forward in a productive way. There needs to be a little more unity in how the characters are handled by the various authors in the series though. Jacen Solo, in particular, seems to wildly flip flop from being capable to being a complete panzy. Denning does an excellent job bringing back some old favorites though, like Lando, Wedge, and Bel Iblis. He handles several of Zahn's characters deftly and makes them have more of a purpose than just window dressing. I was also impressed with his portrayal of the main characters. Luke, in particular, is a better character when doing something other than sitting around fretting about the galaxy. The much ballihood death (which several other reviewers have already irresponsibly spoiled) was an interesting and necessary twist to do some character development in some already bland characters. Unlike Chewie's death, which seemed a silly way to make the new series "edgy", the "death" in this novel projects a spin onto some bland characters and makes them interesting. Conflict causes growth after all. For my own part, the character in question is too important to stay dead. There are several small hints that are given that this is so. The pacing was sometimes convoluted. One of the sub-plots could have been safely edited out with little loss to the novel and a big improvement to the pacing. The climax comes well before the end of the novel (with said death) and the rest seems drawn out. Ultimately though, the most epic of the bunch and very well done. For my money, the best since Zahn. The great: Battle Droids, Wedge, Lando, New Tech Improvements (it's been 25 years, new stuff WOULD be happening), Turning to the Darkside, the complete lack of a darkside/lightside conflict in one of the Jedi, mention of Wraith Squadron (if not an appearance), and finally: important stuff actually happens. The bad: Rogue Squadron usurped by super Jedi Squadrons. Jacen Solo's dual personalities. Silly minor character subplots that do not include really cool minor characters like Wedge and Lando. Kind of missed Kardde.
Rating:
Summary: Miracles do happen...
Review: Very impressive compared to some of the books I've read in this series. Good continuation of Keyes books. I eagerly await the next book to find out how this story ends. The ending was darker then any NJO book yet, including Vector Prime. Mostly the book focused on the younger jedi, and not as much on Luke, Han, Leia... which I think is a good advancement. Mostly people connect the series with Luke and his lot, and exclude the "kids", but ignore the fact that they're as old as he was when the story started out with him. Bascially the younger jedi go on a mission to get captured and destroy the queen creature that's being cloned to hunt them. Take my word for it, you'd rather run into a Dark Jedi then one of these bad boys. Over 15 Jedi kick the bucket in this book, including a really important one, and one goes to the Dark Side. Also, Coruscant is taken over, and Borsk kills himself. All in all, a great book with a deadly atmosphere. Highly recommended, unique, and powerful. Can't wait to read it again.
Rating:
Summary: Wanted to Cry
Review: I want to start of by saying this is the best book yet in the NJO series, and would have gotten five stars if they hadn't killed off the best character in the series. I couldn't believe it, and for the last 70 pages of the book I only hoped that the character wouldn't actually be dead. I that there will be a significant tribute to the character in the next book. Warning to any die hard SW fans, your going to be depressed after reading this one. I read the book the first day it was out, and I am still depressed/angry about what happened. I guess that is a testament to how well this new story arch is pulling me in. I hope the SW authors keep up the good work, and I am really looking for Allston's first entry into the NJO series.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent but very dark story. Great Characterization!
Review: Star by Star is an excellent addition to the New Jedi Order Series. It is a very tense action packed story that does not falter. An important main character is killed (which is highly suspect, I agree with previous reviewer), and when this character "dies" it is like a physical blow to you. The reactions of the different people that experience this death are very human not what you normally expect of the heroes of the Star Wars Universe, reminding the reader that no matter how powerful a Jedi Master is they are still only human. This story is much darker, very different in tone than the Keyes's Conquest and Rebirth. As with all the other books in the series, however, Denning continues to add every Jedi ever mentioned previously into his story. This is not a book for children. There are serious issues and lots of death and destruction in it. This story pulls the reader in and does not let you go. I finished it in one night because I could not put it down. When I was finished I felt emotionally drained from it. Of all the New Jedi Order books written only Rebirth is better than Star by Star.
Rating:
Summary: Hard reading, but definitely worth it!
Review: This was my first Troy Denning-penned book. It took me half the book to get used to his writing style. Resisting the urge to keep a dictionary handy while reading, I just went with it. After that, I couldn't put the book down STAR BY STAR is a full character effort by Denning. The number of familiar and new characters in the story is impressive. Almost all of them get their moment. This book is a turning point for many characters, and I found the numerous changes for many of them to be normal, and refreshing, progressions resulting from the events they have lived through. It was a wonderful reminder that our heroes are human. I must agree with the one reviewer who commented that the Solo family has been the overwhelming recipient of the bad luck in the NJO series. It is tragic, but all this tragedy is making for great reading. Perhaps Denning will be able to expand on the progression of Han and Leia's relationship with his NJO e-book, RECOVERY. STAR BY STAR is a deft combination of action, politics, character, humor, and, most definitely, drama. I will not reveal why, but SBS made me cry, more so than even VECTOR PRIME. If you want to compare SBS to one of the Star Wars movies, choose THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. In the end, despite the dark tone of preceding events, there was still hope. And in the New Jedi Order (heck, in all of the Star Wars Universe), that means everything.
Rating:
Summary: By far the best NJO book yet.
Review: (...)This was by far the best book yet in the New Jedi Order series. Some people are having a little problem with the death. I've noticed comments about bringing him back. I don't know if this means they think he isn't really dead or that he will be ressurected. I feel fairly sure that he is dead. Certainly they would have noticed after retrieving his body if he wasn't. As for a ressurection, that I can handle as long as it's done well and not corny. I myself can't think of anyway to bring him back(Unless of course he has a Vorlon inside of him...). I myself can handle it either way. If he comes back great, if not, life goes on. I just don't want him returned to us in a stupid fashion. Perhaps we should consider that he was killed for a reason, Luke Skywalker now has a son. Perhaps they just want to clear the field of anyone strong enough to block his light when he gets a bit older. Who knows? The death was much better written than that of Chewbacca. Everyone was outraged by the death of Chewbacca, but it just wasn't emotional to read. This was. Very well written. Loved the book. Excellent plot twists. I hope this level of good writing continues through out future books. Vector Prime to me was disappointing, the Agents of Chaos duology was mediocre. Stackpole did an excellent job of repairing some of the damage done by Salvatore. Keyes was excellent was well. Tyers should never be allowed to write anything else Star Wars for as long as she and I both live. I look forward to Zahn hopefully writing a book(or several). Though I expect if he writes it will be near the end of the series. He makes an excellent closer. In "Visions of the Future" he did an excellent job cleaning up the mess that certain other writers had been making of the Bantam series for years.
Great read, can't wait for the next one!
Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This is probably one of the best books in the njo series. The characters were dead on with there attitudes. People who complain about peoplesattitude changing should relize your attitude would change to if you were in a galaxy slowly being wiped out. The way deal with a lot of the extra characters, brought out in other books, is great for those of us wondering what happen to them from the start of the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Surprised and Hopefull
Review: I first thought that this book was going to be totally different from what it actually is. Now I can not wait to see if they decide where they will go from here. I just hope that they find a way to make it look like a death was actually a trance. Otherwise I think many people won't want to go on reading the series. The characters in some cases definitly needed some help but overall it was a decent story line.
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