Edge Of Victory I : Conquest

A review by Don J'Bar

Woohoo! I have been eagerly awaiting this new novel for some time now! the author has done some other sci-fi work that I have enjoyed in the past, so I was excited to hear that he would be writing a little bit for our part of the Galaxy. I was not disappointed. The book is worthy of its addition to the New Jedi Order, a series of novels that I have enjoyed immensely.

The novel is set about twenty-five years after SW A New Hope. The New Republic has been rebuilt and is facing a much more serious threat than old Palpy ever was. An invading species that cannot be felt in the Force, The Yuuzhan Vong, have invaded the galaxy, looking to conquer the "infidels" of the New Republic. They abhor all uses of machine technology, and believe it is an afront to their Gods to use anything that is not biological.

In this newest novel, the Jedi School, the Praxeum, has come under the attack of the Yuuzhan Vong. Since Warmaster Tsavong Lah has declared all out war against the "Jeedai" every sentient being in the galaxy is turning against the Jedi, in the foolish belief that the Vong will leave them all be if they deliver the jedi to him. Luke Skywalker petitions the Galactic council to intervene, but to no avail. He then asks Talon Karrde to help him out. He gets an affirmative from the ex-smuggler and Karrde embarks for the Yavin system, home of the Praxeum.

Meanwhile, Jedi Anakin Solo, youngest son of Leia and Han Solo, takes matters into his own hands and plots a course to Yavin in his X-Wing, intent on saving the school, and especially a very good "friend," Tahiri, a student at the acadamy. He gets there just as the Yuuzhan Vong enter the system and saves most of the students, however Tahiri is captured by the Vong "Shapers" who study her and try to find out where her Force abilities come from. Anakin then tries to rescue her from the Yuuzhan Vong, with the help of some unlikely allies.........

This novel is worth reading in my humble opinion. It is a simple damsel in distress novel, with the protagonists clearly defined. We get excellent insight into the mind of the Yuuzhan Vong, and the fierce religious beliefs that drive them. Keyes does an admirable job developing just a couple of key characters, instead of jumping to every character in the SW Universe, as many authors are prone to do.

I don't have my rankings system completed yet, so I will just give this book a 3.5 out of 4. My only complaint, is the ending. It seems that Keyes was past his deadline and just finished it (I'm guilty of this myself in my fiction.) However, this is the first of a two part series, so perhaps the ending isn't really an ending in the traditional sense of the word.

Hope you read it, actually the entire series, because I believe you will enjoy it. Don J'Bar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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