Rating: 
Summary: Blew away all my expectations
Review: I have to admit that when I started this book, I wasn't too thrilled. It sounded too much to put in a 350 page book. However I found the book well paced and everything needed to make a good Star Wars book.It was nice to at least see the Solo kids front and center after what I consider the mediocre appearence of those kids in the Young Jedi Knight series. The new alien technology was very interesting and has plenty of potential. The only thing that I could have done without was Mara's disease. It did not advance the story at all for me and it would be a shame if she died.
Rating:
Summary: Finally a realistic Star Wars novel!
Review: A great read! Events finally have consequences and yes characters do die! If you want a good read where the ending isn't clear from the minute you pick up the book, grab this novel!This is the kind of story that reminds us all why we became Star Wars fans.
Rating:
Summary: Good Lead In
Review: The Star Wars universe is headed for a large change. The New Republic is no longer a fledgling government. This book is to be the first in the new style of Star Wars books, keeping the same excitement, but testing the government and the characters we have come to know. Age, Experience, and Unknown foes now combine with uncertain outcomes. No one is immortal.
Rating:
Summary: Come on people
Review: okay it was my fault i guess for reading the reviews,but i wanted to see how this book was because i was beginning to tire of the whole star wars series,so i thought what the heck.....Thanks to the peole who revealed the demise of one of the characters and other surprises....you almost ruined it for me but alas you did not...I read the book for myself at first i was outraged at the ending of a very friend but it was moving and touching to see how the others reacted and restored my faith in the star wars books...i read in my star wars insider that they decided to do it because people,like myself,were getting bored with the books because in every book it is all about the band we love surviving so hey the bad guys did not stand a chance so therefore anything that was supposed to happen bad to luke,leia,han,chewie....would be okay in the end they would survive and the bad guy wouldn't...same thing with Mara's illness you,before this book know she is going to be okay after all they do not die,but now it is well maybe everything will not be tied up in a neat little package anymore that life does exsist out there in the star wars universe and that sometimes bad things happen to good people and that is part of what shapes their character. Thanks R.A Salvatore for restoring my faith in the star wars universe and again capturing my attention as well as interest,and kudos lucas for having the gumption to end a very popular life,and recieve lots of hate mail cuz of it...so please ignore the reviews and read it for yourself cuz it is worth the time and effort..
Rating: 
Summary: Disapointing
Review: This book was a severe disapointment to me and any real star wars fan. The plot was acceptable but was still not to the level of Timothy Zahn. Furthermore, Salvatore has killed of one of the orignal Star Wars characters. To any possible readers, I suggest that you don't waste your time.
Rating: 
Summary: Different
Review: It started out reminding me of Star Trek the next generation episodes my wife watches. But I was soon not to be disappointed. Generally I take sci-fi for granted and I have not read much of the EU save for the Zahn material. After VOTF, who needs to read the other filler books. I imagine this series will have the same. Anyway, I found the story engaging and pretty much resolved what it could, even though this is a first chapter, nothing will be fully explained. I guess the other 20 or so books will fill in the gaps so the wait may be worth it. I thought the characters were dead on and actually grew. They seemed more like the personalities from the movies rather than the EU books. Mara Jade being the exception, but this is 5-6 years later so I've seen people change in 1. And her having a terminal illness on top of that. What is to be expected? As for the big controversy, catastrophe, shocker; it defintely shook things up. So what if a major character dies? Vader died, did he really have to? Who cares, it forwarded the story and I believe this will make everyone wonder...who's next? They can't all live forever. I didn't find the author's style too bad and hardly gruesome. Maybe some reader's should try some real horror stories before knocking this.
Rating: 
Summary: Could have been worse... Could have been better.
Review: Be careful reading this review, if you have not yet read the book... It might spoil a few things. There were things I liked. There were things I didn't. When I first began reading this book, I thought, "Wow, a lot of stuff has been going on since the last book." There was quite a bit of background info missing about Leia's retirement, Mara's illness, the Jedi Academy, why the Preatorite is ivading, etc. The characters have grown up! Yes, Han, Luke and Leia are pushing 50 years in this book. Aren't they getting too old for this sort of adventuring, especially now that the New Republic is firmly established? I thought they all would have retired on government pensions a long time ago. Let someone else save the galaxy for a change. The Solo kids, even though they are being trained as Jedi, do seem a bit too mature for their age. Who discusses the meaning of Life, the Universe and Everything at the age of 16? The Praetorite Vong's new biotechnology was quite an inspiration. It was nice to see a truly differnet technology. Some devices, were a bit too powerful in my opinion, the snake-staves, and the gravity beasties, in particular. How come the Vong didn't have the problems fighting regular tech, the way the Republic did fighting the biotech? Why were the Vong not "Forceful"? There was no good explaination, and no good reason. Chewie, Chewie, Chewie... Sure, I am sad he's gone. But it's better to burn out than to fade away. He could have had more justification for killing him off though. What a spectacular way to go... The way previous book were going, I did't think he could have killed Chewie off by anything short of dropping a planet on his head. Also, for those of you who REALLY want to bring Chewie back (personally, I hope they don't), don't forget the cap that Han has with a few of Chewie's hairs in it. A cloning tank would work wonders with those. Heck, they've it in a dozen other SW books. All in all, I enjoyed the book, if only for the following reasons: 1. Luke DOESN'T struggle with the dark side. 2. The Solo kids DON'T get kidnapped. 3. There are NO evil clones. 4. The are NO planet smashing, star crushing super weapons... well, maybe just one. 4. They're not duking it out with yet ANOTHER remnant of the old Empire. Salvatore had a lot of good ideas, but he could have used a little more skill stringing them together. Not a bad book, but not great either. If you're used to the usual SW formula, then read this as a pleasant change. It'll be a good series for shifting the SW focus away from the old characters, and onto a new set of heroes.
Rating:
Summary: I barely reached the last page before starting over again!
Review: In the oft-crowded league of Star Wars novels, few stand out as triumphant victories for the spectacular series George Lucas brought us in 1977. Actually, many of the spin-off series (The Jedi Academy Trilogy, the Corellian Trilogy, the Dark Empire series of comics) bring shame to the very name they rely upon for profit. Despite the reckless, harsh, and in many cases unfounded complaints of many Star Wars fanatics, this book is hardly a blemish on it's namesake. R.A. Salvatore is a magnificent author that brings a new imagination to a storyline very aged and bland. The Yuuzhan Vong are an intriguing foe, reminiscent of the Illithid of his Dark Elf Trilogy, with more character and power than every pseudo-emperor since the enigmatic Thrawn. I rate this book, hopefully the beginning of a new era, among the ranks of Shadows of the Empire, and the Heir to the Empire trilogy. Since my disappointment with the previous Timothy Zahn works, rushed and under-developed re-hashings of old ideas in my humble opinion, this book rekindled my faith in Star Wars novels. I highly recommend it, to all those like myself, who long to read more but were ashamed of what had become of Star Wars. Give this book a chance.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Mr. Salvatore...........
Review: While I am not one to critize, my 11th grade education does not qualify me for that, I would just like to say that Vector Prime dosent exactly jive whith the rest of the stories.... I have no qualms with the plot or any of the creative ideas that Mr. Salvator has introduced, with the exception of diseased Mara (this in my opinion is a terrible idea, but one that adds plot depth)and some of the alien technology (how exactly does a gravity well cancle out shields and lasers). My biggest complaint is whith some of the characters, most notably Jacen. Since when has Jacen been a philosopher, and what has all of a sudden made him hate the academy. The other characters arent quite as bad, but they are a little off.... And since everyone else has talked about it, I feel I need to mention Chewbacca. His death didnt do that much, his character was dead a long time ago, being as most of the authors dont realy have him do anything, just be there (with the exception of the Thrawn Triliogy). Over all his death did little to the books over all appeal. This was definitly worth reading though.
Rating:
Summary: Stop whinning
Review: I havn't actually read the book yet, but I love it already! A main character actually dies. What a concept, someone dying in war. Go fig.
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