Rating: 
Summary: About Bloody Time
Review: For once we actually get a three-dimensional view of the Vong, not the grotesque, disgusting zealots they all have been thus far. The talk in the prologue of a Jeedai Heresy was music to my ears. (...) But in the Civil War-era stories, you get more side plotlines, interesting Imperial chracters like Baron Fel, and so forth. Now we actually get some interesting Vong. (...)
That said, the book itself is pretty good, too, and is probably my favorite in the series thus far. It's mostly a 'side story'-type book, which is just fine with me. It mostly about Anakin and Tahiri, and while I never read the Junior Jedi Knights books, I caught on pretty quickly. The writing is interesting, as its more of a fanfic-style writing rather than a epic, masterpiece-producing nolvelist-type style. Fine by me as well. The more variety in this series the better.
A few notes. First off, Dorsk 82 dies in the first scene. Not really a spoiler. I can understand motivations for doing so, but its still a bit remniscent of the 'let's kill off a preesablished character in every book to make it more dramatic' planning that I so very much abhor. Of course, after reading 'Leviathan', I was dying for someone to shot the annoying little whiner. Another preestablished Jedi dies too, but I'll keep this one anonymous. The Yavin system gets taken over by the Vong towards the beginning, and most of the book is on Yavin 4. Another touch of a side-story. I must wonder why the Vong took so long when they were passing right by Yavin on their way to the Core.
One complaint I have is about the whole 'shaper' conept. This seems really cheesy to me, but it was handld reasonably well here. I just hope it doesn't become commonplace in the series.
Overall, its a nice change of pace from the usual NJO books. Highly reccomended, especially for those like myself who've not been fond of the NJO books thus far. A 4-star book that's finally added something worthwhile to the series, earning it an extra star.Alas, with the addition of 'Star by Star' the whole book's development seems like a waste. Looking back on it, it's quite possible that 'Conquest' will be the last good SW books I'll ever read.
Rating:
Summary: Edge Of Victory I: Conquest has to be the best on so far....
Review: All and all this would have to be the best of the series so far. Don't get me wrong I've LOVED the rest of the series, but this one was extreamly intensely vivid. I cannot describe in words on how it hit me emotionaly in so many ways, but this is an amazing book.
Rating: 
Summary: For once, an interesting NJO book...
Review: I know when I bought Vector Prime and read it, I was quite disapointed. It was good, but not good enough. This also went with a few other books, save Stakplole's books. But I have to say that Conquest was the BEST NJO novel I have read so far. Just ordered Rebirth, so...for now Conquest is great:D. Usually, when reading a Star Wars book,(especially the NJO) I flip through, trying to get to a Luke scean or a Han and Leia on (if there is any), but I was surprised that though the book focuses on Anakin, I actually WANTED to read the entire thing, front to back. It was a great novel, and I liked it very much. The only thing is I wish Luke, Mara, Han and Leia...even Lando, would get a novel or more sceans with the focus. Well, here is hopong. Conquest is a GREAT buy.
Rating:
Summary: Edge of Victory- Review
Review: The book was a good book all in all.... however some of the scenes were dragged out to long. The fact that the jedi and Vong are becoming more intertwined is a very interesting point. Good book HIGHLY RECOMENDED
Rating:
Summary: Thank god for something different
Review: I have to admit I've hated most of the Star Wars books I've read. I like Michael Stackpole, and Timothy Zahn's pretty good too. So many people took what was already estabilshed and recycled the same old stuff. With some of the more recent books, especially this one, the nature of the Force is being questioned, and other paths than the ones Luke Skywalker puts forth are being proposed. I've never liked the idea that light and dark are all there is. Characters are well done, and I have to say, it's about time.
Rating: 
Summary: Mara Jade is dead (not literally!!)
Review: This book definitely seemed like the Junior Jedi Knights series, although I've never read any of those. I really miss the character of Mara Jade. As she appears here (and in other non Zahn books) her witty sarcasm/cynicism is replaced by inappropriate outbursts. She'll freak out at Luke about the way he treats her (misunderstandings), and just demonstrates that she doesn't understand him at all. A Jedi would KNOW what their life partner is trying to say! Mara's lost her edge. I miss her. BRING BACK ZAHN! At first I thought this new series would be cool the way it has continuity, but the Chiss disappeared after only one mention whereas they should be playing a MAJOR part in the action right now. And now I've discovered that I like having the books be on different foes, with maybe a trilogy here and there. I'm actually starting to get sick of the Yuuzhan Vong. The plot is being stretched out just to make $$$$ on sales, but the integrity of the story is not being preserved. They need to just tell the story they have and not try to make up side plots to get a bunch of books made. Overall, this book was okay if you like the character of Anakin (which I do) and you are willing to accept his relationship with Tahiri, since for most of the adults her character should be new. It was a little slow, and the writing style wasn't my favorite, but I haven't seen a star wars book I adored since Zahn's trilogy.
Rating:
Summary: Great story, could hear the music!
Review: The New Jedi Order series has caught a lot of flack from Star Wars fans. I agree with some of the complaints: certain characters from earlier novels, like Danni Quee, Corran Horn, Fel, the Chiss pilots, and others seem to be getting forgotten as the series progresses. This is good and bad. It's good because obviously, not everyone can fight every fight. It's bad because we make a connection with a character and then don't hear from them again. That said, this novel attempts to bring back some of the old characters. Shada and Talon Karrde were nice to see, as were some of the younger jedi kids. They were new to me, but their characterizations were good. The story is very interesting after the first hundred or so pages. I found the insight into the Yuuzhan Vong to be great, and the fact that there is a somewhat uplifting feel to the end is much needed. In fact, I could hear the eloquent music from the OT in my head as I finished the novel. Wonderful. Can't wait for the next one!
Rating:
Summary: Finally, a good addition to the New Jedi Order...
Review: Wow, finally a return to the Star Wars Universe with a truelly good novel. I loved it. Up till now the Yuuzhan Vong have seemed an invincible foe with a perfect society. But as the book develops you see how imperfect they really are. You can see how the New Republic still has a chance in this war. My congrats to Greg Keyes for adding a superb addition to the New Jedi Order that, up until now, seemed to be dying. I haven't read a Star Wars book this good since Visions of the Future. Don't give up on Star Wars literature before you take a look at this book...I can't wait to read the sequal! May the Force be with you!
Rating:
Summary: It's a new world out there
Review: I have been reading the New Jedi Order books with trepidation. Every time I read one I find I am so drawn into the books that I feel the same horror as the characters as they see the destruction the Yuuzhan Vong evoke as they take over the Star Wars Galaxy. This book was no exception. I bought it when it first came out and couldn't bring myself to read it until recently. I kept looking at the book and saying "I can't read that - I don't want to know what happens next..." It was very hard to approach this book since I had read the Jr. Jedi Knights series and remembered the characters Tahiri, Tionne and others. Needless to say, this was the first book that gave me hope as well as more insight into the Yuuzhan Vong and the characters of Anakin Solo and Tahiri. If you are looking for the "tried and true" characters, Luke, Mara Jade, Han and Leia - this is not the place to find them. It's a new galaxy ...
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good insight view of the Yuuzhan Vong
Review: In this book the Vong have come up with an efficient way of capturing the Jedi, a way that also helps introducing more dissent among the already divided New Republic, and that's when Anakin Solo appears and tries to rescue the Jedi Students from this new cruel and evil opponent. The best feature of this novel is that it introduces and develops a vivid description of the Yuuzhan Vong society, their beliefs, motivation and even technology. Most authors in past New Jedi Order books just give you a brief glimpse of this new enemy, not a deep description. Keyes tells the quest of young Anakin and in the way makes a great development of this enemy, going beyond the rage and technology we have seen in previous books of this series and going deep in their belief system, social structure and motivation, and finaly gives us a hint of something we have never ever seen: there could really be some dissention among the Vong. The reason I did not rated this novel with five stars was because you get the feel that the timeline extends for quite a while (the events in the book develop in more less a month, and believe me, it's A LOT), and also because there are a lot of situations and characters borrowed from the Young Jedi Knight Series (a series that, by the way, is the lousiest writting ever done around the SW Universe, even for kids), as well as a poor depiction of characters we have come to love like Mara and Talon Karrde (well, this guy definitely isn't Zahn). There are no appearances by Han or Leia, but it really doesn't matter, since the story does pretty well without them. But besides this flaws, the book is entertaining, and even if the plot is slow at some times, you will be more than satisfied with the depiction of Vong society.
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