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Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1)

Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1)

List Price: $7.50
Your Price: $6.75
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 .. 38 >>

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could have been better
Review: Vector Prime Was an OK read that was simple and quick to read. While Salvatore is practically brilliant in some of his forgotten realms works, it lacks here due to the demands made from the "Star Wars Censors" from Lucasfilm. While I nderstand that they (Lucasfilm) want to keep the continuity and cohesiveness of "their" characters and galaxy. They are causing the authors of these books to demean their writing by trying to fit it into the overall master plan, whatever that may be. As stated before the story goes somewhere leaving out some descriptive points in areas leaving everything gray rather than being dark as I feel Salvatore meant it to be. If you are a Star Wars Fan and planning on following this new series over the next five years as planned by Bantam and lucasfilm then this is a must read. Any real Star Wars fan will appreciate it for what it is....more Star Wars created to satisfy their craving. And as I am sure that real fans know that a major character dies in this book, and also understands that good characters need to die to keep it real. That is after all what makes a lot of Shakespeare what it is. To address the death issue in another aspect, in an interview with Salvatore on an unrelated website, he stated that Lucasfilm wanted the character dead, not him, and he protested against having to be the one to do it. His only option, do the book their way or no way. And to address others who critiqued this book; The Solo Children are only going to be all american kids. The authors are americans, they only know how to be american teens. Everyone doesn't have to have a PHD in Sociology or foreign stdies to write science fiction, just a great sense of imagination. So keeping that in mind, if SOME people feel that these Star Wars books are beneath them, then maybe they should refer to materials more suited to their level of intelligence.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A brilliant beginning to a new era
Review: The original Star Wars trilogy provided an entire generation with a landmark story of legend and mythology. Nearly a decade after Return of Jedi was released, the excitement of the Star Wars was rekindled and expanded for the original fans (and introduced a whole new generation to the Star Wars Universe) with the release of "Heir to the Empire" by Timothy Zahn. This introduced a-45 book sequence over the next 8 years that took covered everything from the early days of Han Solo to the final truce with the Empire (also written by Zahn) and several story lines in between. The unique approach was to have several stand-alone novels and many trilogies each handled by a separate author (though some had return engagements). With the final peace with the Empire being achieved, the original 45-book sequence had run its course. The creative forces at LucasBooks sought to create a brand new story arc, introducing a new menace (hinted at in the final original series book "Vision of the Future") that was so horrifying and dangerous that the conflict could not be resolved in one or three books. Rather, it would be carried out over a new 5-year, 25-book story arc. "Vector Prime" is the first book in that series that introduces to the truly terrifying Yuuzhan Vong race. This race of tattooed, mutilated warriors believe embrace pain the way a human would embrace a loved one. This extra-galactic species invades the New Republic with a determination to eliminate the 'abomination' of artificial technology (through the use of organic ships and technology) and destroy or enslave the indigenous 'infidels' who don't embrace the Vong philosophy. The invasion had been plotted for over 50 years. In "Vector Prime", the first faction of Vong (a political group known as the Praetorite Vong) penetrate the seemingly impenetrable galactic barrier at a point known as Vector Prime (hence the title). By taking over a small research planet and transforming its ecology to support the growth of more ships, the Vong establish a foothold from where they plan to control the rest of the galaxy. "Vector Prime" introduces or develops many new characters while bidding farewell to a longtime favorite. For the first time in a mainstream Star Wars novel, Han and Leia's Jedi children come into their own. They now have distinct personalities and destinies they must face independent of their parents. For the first time, the reader also reads about Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker as a married couple, as Mara battles a brutal disease brought upon her by a hidden Vong agent. This book also means the death of the great Chewbacca. The death had been hinted at for months and doubtless angered many longtime Star Wars faithful. However, Chewie died in the most honorable way possible: Saving Anakin Solo's and many other lives on the planet Sernpidal which was about the be destroyed by its moon knocked out of orbit by one of the Yuuzhan Vong gravity-warping Dovin Basals. As the Millennium Falcon is forced to speed away in order to save the lives of all aboard (and having no chance of saving Chewbacca) the last indelible image of the great Wookie standing tall, fists raised, howling at the moon as it crashes. A more honorable, heart-wrenching finale could not have been made. The loss also has a devastating effect on Han Solo, who is so grief-stricken by the death of the person he considered closer than a brother that it will be several books before he is even able to remotely come out of his depression. The invasion sparks panic and controversy throughout the New Republic. In the end, the Republic is able to mount an offensive that is able to destroy in the Praetorite Vong's invading world ship. But, the seeds of the invasion have been planted and the New Republic seems powerless to stop it. "Vector Prime" is a truly fabulous introduction to this struggle. R.A. Salvatore has remained true to the original characters while effectively developing brand new ones. Hopefully, Salvatore will be brought back for future engagements. "Vector Prime" launches a brand new era in the Star Wars Universe, the New Jedi Order, and inspires the promise of a gripping and compelling story arc for all Star Wars fans.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the Greatest Star Wars Books ever
Review: R.A. Salvatore is my favorite author and to see him writing in one of the most beloved franchises ever is already amazing in itself. Yet he goes out of his way to keep fans reading. Yes, some people may complain about the death of Chewbacca. However i prefer to see Chewie dit to save his best friends son than to watch him die in of old age. A character like Chewie needed to die a heroe and thats what salvatore did. He gave Chewbacca the perfect burial. Besides, i don't Chewie would have had any regrets. Overall, this is and amazing book which should be praised for its risk-taking.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could have been better
Review: Vector Prime Was an OK read that was simple and quick to read. While Salvatore is practically brilliant in some of his forgotten realms works, it lacks here due to the demands made from the "Star Wars Censors" from Lucasfilm. While I nderstand that they (Lucasfilm) want to keep the continuity and cohesiveness of "their" characters and galaxy. They are causing the authors of these books to demean their writing by trying to fit it into the overall master plan, whatever that may be. As stated before the story goes somewhere leaving out some descriptive points in areas leaving everything gray rather than being dark as I feel Salvatore meant it to be. If you are a Star Wars Fan and planning on following this new series over the next five years as planned by Bantam and lucasfilm then this is a must read. Any real Star Wars fan will appreciate it for what it is....more Star Wars created to satisfy their craving. And as I am sure that real fans know that a major character dies in this book, and also understands that good characters need to die to keep it real. That is after all what makes a lot of Shakespeare what it is. To address the death issue in another aspect, in an interview with Salvatore on an unrelated website, he stated that Lucasfilm wanted the character dead, not him, and he protested against having to be the one to do it. His only option, do the book their way or no way. And to address others who critiqued this book; The Solo Children are only going to be all american kids. The authors are americans, they only know how to be american teens. Everyone doesn't have to have a PHD in Sociology or foreign stdies to write science fiction, just a great sense of imagination. So keeping that in mind, if SOME people feel that these Star Wars books are beneath them, then maybe they should refer to materials more suited to their level of intelligence.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Star Wars, or a demented fanfiction
Review: This is the first time Star Wars has resembled fanfiction. That is what it seems like. A strange, demented, odd fanfiction.
Salvatore does not understand Star Wars.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Necessary but not enjoyable
Review: Although Star Wars fans will want to read this book as it is the kickoff of the New Jedi Order series, they shouldn't expect much out of it quality-wise. The writing is poor, the viewpoints change without warning and the dialogue is stiff and unbelievable. However, it contains the introduction to our heroes' new enemy, the Vong, and a wealth of information that is helpful upon reading later books.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Overall Good
Review: It was decent, good. It was not the best I've ever read. But it was the best starting book I have ever read. It turned me on to the New Jedi Order series and I just finished Traitor recently. It was good of Salvatore to kill off a main character because not only does it show the main characters of Star Wars (Luke, Leia, Han, CHEWIE, and the next generation of Solos, etc.) are not immortal (note R2 and 3PO are excluding because they are I think supposed to never be killed, they are somewhat like narrators). I do feel bad to lose Chewie and I felt like I had lost my best friend but I felt it was good for the SW Universe because it also shows how powerful and deadly the Vong will be.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Book
Review: I think this book was a very good book to start out the series but i think it was weak compaired to the Dark tide Duology. But over R.A. Salvatore did a good job

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "That girl can fly."
Review: *I thought that I would start off with that phrase because it is the one most repeated throughout the book*

I hadn't read any of the Star Wars novels before I read this book, and, I have to say, this was a pleasant start. I really love the Star Wars movies, and this particular novel (Vector Prime) is especially interesting to me because I always wanted to know what happened to Han, Leia, and Luke. Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin are just as lovable as the other three, and they give the impression that they will be more gifted in the Force than even Luke is.

The book starts off with Leia, Mara Jade (Luke's wife), and Jaina were going on a diplomatic mission to one of two warring planets to meet with a rabble-rouser named Nom Anor who comes from an entirely different galaxy. Mara Jade has a REALLY bad disease; it breaks down the mollecular structure of a person and kills them usually within three days. Mara, however, has been fighting it using her Force abilities, and is just really, really weak and tired all the time.

So anyhow, about Nom Anor. He's one of the race of self-mutilating warmongers from a different galaxy who want to conquer our heroes' galaxy. They enlist one of their troops on a scientific base in Belkadan, and he completely transforms the planet into something that can't support human life as we know it.

At this time, Anakin and Han were on a planet trying to save it from a gravity well that was pulling down a moon into the atmosphere. They get off okay, but there's no way they could save Chewie... (sob, sob). The end is fast-paced, and there are a lot of fun and funny parts in between... I would definitely recommend this book to any die-hard Star Wars fan, or even just a casual fan of the movies.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Salvatore steps out from the Underdark and into space.
Review: As a fan of Salvatores Forgotten Realms works I looked foward to reading this book for some time. Sadly I put off reading it when life got busy for about two years :) I picked it back up one night this month and couldn't put it down once I started to read it. I guess what put me off from reading it in the first place was that I heard that Chewbacca dies in this one. I finally over came my hesitation and I am glad I did.

Salvatore is a great writer. His ablility to describe the chaos of a battle scene is the best in the business and he did a wonderful although limited job for this book. He wrote with a downgraded level probably to keep the page count down and to allow for other more important matters.

I loved his style of writing. Someone wrote that Vector Prime was like watching a Cartoon. I am perfectly fine with that as it was a wonderful crafted one that made you wonder and not want to turn off the TV.

Although I could spot some plot lines and the conclusions early it was still a good read. I would highly recommend it to any Salvatore fan and SW fan as well.

-Chip Dobbs
President
Visionary Entertainment Studio Inc.


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