Yoda - Dark Rendezvous (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

Rating:
Summary: I thoroughly enjoyed it
Review: I stopped getting Star Wars books, apart from the occasional prequel book, some time ago. Reading this has encouraged me to take a better look at the recent books. On a technical level, this is a good book. The general writing is very good. The main characters have a lot of depth and development, including such established characters as Yoda and Dooku. The supporting characters are quite vivid and clear. The general descriptions are very vivid, well chosen and very good. The action scenes, of which there are quite a lot, are generally written from one or two characters' perspectives only. It's not always clear what is going on in the overall battle, but the character's own view, personal commentary, and the reason for the choices they make is excellent. It also fits the tone of the book, which is all about personal choice. The main characters really appealed to me, and if the author writes another book featuring `Scout' I would probably get it.

Why I really enjoyed this book, though, was its moral clarity. The big thing these days seems to be "moral ambiguity", which appears to boil to the "good guys" just being the side with the best PR. In this, good and evil are clear. It's not about your politics or your economic status or following blindly your country's leader, it is a personal choice, and not irrevocable but ongoing. The psychological battle within Dooku, watching him make his choices, was really enjoyable. The "secondary" story of the two Padawans finding their place in the Force was just as good. So, to sum up, this is well written, thoroughly entertaining, sometimes moving, and I enjoyed it.

Rating:
Summary: Great Star Wars novel that drops hints for Episode III
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this novel, which is set mere weeks before the action of Episode III. While it focuses on Yoda, it also explores the characters of Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, two previously unexplored Jedi Masters, and two unknown Jedi apprentices.

I think Stewart really nailed the character of Yoda, capturing both his crankiness (as seen in Empire Strikes Back) and his wisdom. In addition it was just a well-written book. There is excellent character development, plot twists, humor, tragedy, just about everything you could hope for.

Best of all, it really gets you thinking about what's going to happen in Episode III. It certainly does not seem to spoil anything, but it begs some questions that I am sure will be answered in the movie.

I think Star Wars fans, both hardcore and casual, would enjoy reading this book. If you've never heard of a galaxy far, far away, then you probably wouldn't get much out of it.

Rating:
Summary: Dark Rendezvous
Review: It's hard to describe this book. I feel it is quite possibly one of the best Star Wars books I have ever read. I'm an old school fan, I love Stackpole, Zahn, Allston, Anderson. That said, this new school of Star Wars writers we've been getting are usually quite good. Stover, Denning, Keyes, Luceno, and now Sean Stewart.
This book has such a unique style to the world of Star Wars, it's a breath of fresh air. I was quite surprised. Read some of it out loud, it sounds like velvet.
Good action, great pacing, and some of the best Ventress I've read outside the comics.
Deffinatly worth checking out.

Rating:
Summary: great on character, story seems confused as to purpose
Review: Shortly before the events of "Star Wars: The Revenge of the Sith", the story of "Yoda: Dark Rendezvous" takes place. Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatists and disciple of Sith Lord Darth Sidious, contacts his former master, Yoda, asking if Yoda would meet him. Is this a trap or is Dooku seriously considering turning away from the Dark Side. Yoda must take the chance and meet with Dooku. This is a fascinating idea for a Star Wars novel. On one hand we know that Dooku has to stay with the Dark Side as he is still one of the villains in Episode Three, but the idea of defection and redemption is a strong one.

There is so much that is good in "Dark Rendezvous". The novel features a very strong characterization of Yoda and for the first time since "The Empire Strikes Back" do we have the opportunity to see Yoda truly interact with students. Until this point we had Yoda the Grand Idea, meaning that we see him as the leader of the Jedi Council dispensing some wisdom and making grade pronouncements like "begun the Clone Wars have". But we never see the slapstick Yoda who tormented Luke even as he trained Luke Skywalker. Here we do. Yoda has a wicked sense of humor, he is very sarcastic but is still the great Jedi Master and is absolutely in charge. In this regard, the novel is a treat. But even though the title is "Yoda: Dark Rendezvous" and the description suggests the novel is going to deal with Yoda and Dooku, this is only a small part of the book.

The bulk of the book deals with a Jedi Padawan named Scout. Scout has very little ability in the Force and has remained in the Jedi Order pretty much by grit and determination and by finding away to keep afloat. She believes that she is very close to washing out and she is probably right. Focusing on Scout introduces one of the best new characters into the Star Wars Universe, the type of Jedi we need to see: those on the margins. Typically we see the Uber-Jedi like Anakin, Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Mace Windu. Dealing with Scout also means that the reader is treated to seeing some of the inner working of the Jedi Temple. The temple is a haven for the Jedi and there is pain in how empty the Temple is because of the Clone Wars. We see some of the training and sparring and competitions between Padawan and this is the strongest section of the book despite the fact that it has nothing to do with what is supposed to be the main story.

The stories of Yoda and Scout do combine, but "Yoda: Dark Rendezvous" seems to be much more about Scout than it is about Yoda. I wasn't sure exactly what this book was about. Sean Stewart does a good job bringing Yoda, Scout, and Dooku to life here and is excellent in his descriptions, but the novel does not have a singular focus. Or, had this book been intended to be about something else it might have been better. I do hope that Scout appears again in a novel and someone can make it through the Jedi Purges and can go into hiding, but I can't hope for too much here. The bottom line is that Sean Stewart did some great stuff with characters, but somewhat less with the actual story here.

-Joe Sherry

Rating:
Summary: Read This One
Review: The quality of the Star Wars novels has varied over the years, as any aficionado knows.

I'm happy to report that this is one of the very best. The characterizations are strong, the themes are interesting, and the writing is excellent. Thank you, Sean Stewart!

I recommend this to any fan. If some of the past releases have kept you from keeping up with the Clone Wars story line, you should know that this book reads well as a stand-alone story, as long as you've seen Episode II. And if you're avoiding Ep III spoilers, you should also know that I didn't see any significant spoilers here.

Rating:
Summary: The Force is Strong in the Little Green One (Not Kermit)
Review: This book is really good -- as if judging by the title alone couldn't tell you that! Sean Steward could give lessons to old Sir George Lucas about how to construct a story and get into the heads and hearts of characters. He gives us Dooku and Yoda as flesh and blood not cardboard cutouts. He gives us two wonderful Padawans and their masters. The scenes with the Padawan tournament are amazing. Asajj Ventress is fantastic and evil and just kicks total but. This is a tragedy on a Shakespearean level in that these characters are doomed to destiny. If you are a Star Wars fan and the recent movies have let you done, leap into Dark Rendezvous without abandonment and, I promise, you will not be let down. You will only love the little green guy (not Kermit) even more and perhaps see Dooku as more than that guy with the crooked lightsaber and an impeccable beard.

BTW, this should have been in hardcover and Jedi Trial in paperback. And I meant to give it 5 stars instead of 4.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic! The Force is back with a vengeance...
Review: This is an extremely entertaining tome, if not the best, certainly one of the top two or three Clone Wars novels. The prose is excellent, the plot complex, and the characterizations fascinating. The depiction of Yoda is flawless. Stewart brings back the mystery and humor of the famous Jedi Master portraying him as a wise teacher rather than an all-powerful, omnipotent Uber-Jedi. The minor characters who flesh out the story such as Scout (who is actually pretty major in this novel) and Master Iron Hand, Hanna, and Whie are written as true individuals rather than faceless non-entities needed to fill space. The two droids Solis and Fidelis are very cool. We also get insight into how certain Jedi's can live on as self-aware waves in the Force after their death.

A snippet from a conversation about Dooku between Yoda and the ghost of Qui-Gon Jinn illustrates some of the exquisite dialog contained in this volume. Yoda is speaking first:

~~~~~~~~
"Cunning it is. If I move to see him, I must keep any Republic ships away from the Hydian Way. Deny the chance of peace utterly, must I, or else give him extra months unharried in his lair."

"He is a fencer," Qui-gon agreed. "Leverage, position, advantage--they are as natural to him as breathing."

"My old student--your old Master, Qui Gon. The truth he is telling?"

"He thinks he is lying."

Yoda's ears pricked up. "Hmm?"

He thinks he is lying.

A slow smile began to light Yoda's round face. "Yessssss!" he murmured.

A moment later Yoda felt a vibration in the Force, a ripple rolling out from the student dormitories far below, like the faint sound of distant thunder. Qui-Gon shivered and was gone, as if the Force were a pool of water and he a reflection on its surface, broken up by the splash of whatever disturbance had just struck the Temple.
~~~~~~~~

This outstanding tome brings back the true spirit of Star Wars. There is humor, adventure, moral clarity, and great fun. I recommend it without reservation!

Rating:
Summary: The force is strong in this one
Review: While I've been keeping track of Star Wars publishing and release dates since the New Jedi Order, this was one novel that curiously slipped under my radar, and I didn't know it existed until I saw it as a new release in my local bookstore. At first I was hesitant about this one - Star Wars readers have been tricked many times before by major characters being featured on the cover, but only appearing in the actual text for a few pages.

I was wrong, and Sean Stewart definitely gives Yoda his due. He captures all the funny quirks about Yoda that we know from the movies while adding in a lot of philosphy and "Yoda-isms" that don't seem corny and out of place (when write backwards a lot you do, danger of annoyance there is). Stewart also seems to have a blast writing about Yoda, as many of his descriptions are downright hilarious and had me laughing out loud - where else can you find the great Jedi master compared to an "evil green potato"?

Stewart also tosses a lot of secondary characters into the mix, and at first these are confusing - there are chapters dedicated to the 'black sheep Padawan' Scout, and my initial fears of Yoda being relegated to the sidelines seemed to be coming true. However, Stewart gives these characters life and ample spotlight without ever diminishing Yoda's presence, and more importantly he makes these new characters -sympathetic-. Scout could've easily been another Tahiri, but after an exciting Padawan tournament where Scout uses her quick thinking to defeat her opponents, I was ready to follow this character to the end. There are other moments were a duo of droids and even Obi-Wan and Anakin pop up to interrupt the narrative, but rest assured all the pieces fall into place at the end.

Stewart also does action well - even the best Star Wars writers like Stackpole and Zahn leave me confused at times during action sequences, but Stewart's writing style makes everything easy to follow.

There are lots of other surprises I won't reveal, including the mention of a certain planet being savaged which is a rather cool tie to the expanded universe. If you like Star Wars novels, Yoda: Dark Rendevous is a highly recommended read. Lucasfilm Licensing is strongly urged to bring Stewart back for more novels.

Rating:
Summary: Dark Rendezvous: FINALLY a book in the tradition of the film
Review: Without question, "Yoda-Dark Rendezvous" stands out as one of the truly superior "Star Wars" novels and much of this has to do with the author. Sean Stewart writes with depth, creates characters that are flawed and enjoyable, and describes situations so that they are exciting to read. Stewart's lightsaber battles are violent dances, not simply laborious "musts" for a prequel-era book. He doesn't delay the excitement for the last chapter, like the horrid "Jedi Trial" novel, but rather has action throughout the book. Indeed, this is the closest novel to the "Star Wars" tradition in that it is an ADVENTURE story. Here you will find young padawans testing their skills (and nerves) against one another (in Hogwartesque duels and real-life combat), solving situations and getting in and out of trouble. In "Dark Rendezvous" you will see Yoda as a philosopher and a warrior, but also as the cantankerous creature that banged the heck out of R2 in "The Empire Strikes Back." After reading every "Star Wars" novel to date, I can honestly say that only a few come close to capturing the spirit of the movies. "Dark Rendezvous" is one of them. I felt as if I was watching one of the movies -- not just reading but seeing the dark warrior Asajj Ventress hunt down the Jedi, the meeting between Yoda and Dooku, and the struggle of the Jedi and the padawans against their opponents. That Anakin and Obi-Wan make cameos in this only increases its worth as a tie-in to the films. You will be rewarded for the $7 you will pay for this book. Five stars -- nicely done, Sean Stewart!

Rating:
Summary: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
Review: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous ,by Sean Stewart, faces Yoda, leader of the Jedi Knights with a choice that could lead to the end of the Clone Wars. Count Dooku, the leader of the separatist movement against the Republic and former Jedi, claims that he will return to the Jedi Order and offers peace if Yoda rendezvous with him. Although it seems to be almost certainly a trap, Yoda knows that any chance for peace is worth it and a great adventure begins.
This book is very well written, to a Star Wars buff it has all the little intricacies and special details one would expect, and too someone new to the Star Wars universe it doesn't rely on much knowledge or reading of past books so it is a good read regardless of Star Wars expertise.
Like many Star Wars books, the plotline does get rather confusing, but overall it's not that convoluted compared to many other books. One of the problems with the storyline is that the end of the plot is rather obvious, but even the characters in the book know this and its more of a desperate gamble to see if the obvious doesn't occur. Some of the clumsy romantic parts of the book never really get anywhere either, they just sort of slow down some of the action.
Overall, this is an excellent book, and while other writers like Timothy Zahn have better series that might be more worth your time, it's still worth reading, especially if you're a Star Wars fan like me.