Invincible (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 9)

This is the final book in the "Legacy" series. Over all I enjoyed this group of books including the final installment. The final battle between the twins was well written and the family emotions were woven in tastefully. It will be interesting to see where we go from here.

Very disappointing, abrupt ending leaving very little in the way of a future for those fans invested in the Young Jedi Knight series. I would almost rather have seen some original trilogy characters lost in a grand attempt to redeem Jacen than the cheap and easy way out. I would have liked it had they left a more ambiguos ending where there was a possibility Jacen would return in future books. I would have LOVED it had Jacen succeeded in his plans and it had not end so predictably as we all pretty much knew it would end fairly early in the series. Let's hear it for a return to character and story driven books that focus on small events in a single book!

great ending to a great series. story line was a little rushed at times, but that is to be expected when you try to tie up loose ends to a 9 book series in just over 200 pages.

[WARNING: PLOT SPOILERS]

I have to agree with previous reviews that took a dim view of this latest disaster in the Star Wars Extended Universe (SW EU). Their comments also echo my feelings about the long, tiresome New Jedi Order series. This latest series, as well as the previous 22 books, pretends to proffer weighty issues and high drama, but falls far short of delivery of either. Instead, we get book after book of inconsistent, comic book-grade stories and writing, where evil make a another insane, suicide run on all that is good and heroic, and succeeds.

Honestly, when shock becomes an important plot device in the SW EU, it is clear that either Del Rey's authors are running out of ideas, or the publisher has perceived something rather pathological about their market; and didn't hesitate to profit from it. I have to admit, that I've bought and read the past 31 pitiful novels in hope that something will lighten up. You have to agree that that is a bit sick. But, then the shock wasn't necessary to keep my interest. By the way, my wife is a far more rabid SW fan than I, and swore off the SW EU books after New Jedi Order. I think that she thinks that Del Rey is being run by the Sith. Personally, judging how I feel after reading their books, I think that it's run by dementors.

I also was frustrated with the inconsistency of character development throughout the series. For instance, in this latest travesty, there's what I would call the Boba Fett debacle. We readily recognize Boba Fett as a cut-throat, cold-blooded killer; a two-dimensional mercenary. But, we also see Boba Fett as a shrewd investor and businessman - not an unsophisticated beast. You can move him up or down a notch for that - but now he's got a smidge more depth. Ok, that's not much, but then the books delve deeply into Fett's role as the reluctant leader of a noble, dispersed, oddly Klingonesque people trying to rebuild their homeworld - and he uses his business skills to broker arms deals that helps them to rebuild a strong industry and defense. His people's world of Mandalore is moving inexorably into the greater galactic conflict. We also learn that Fett also must seek out a cure for the fatal disease that is killing him, while at the same time, learn to get along with his newly found granddaughter. He's wrestling with the idea of having family again, along with feelings of guilt for leaving them behind ages ago, and dealing with the idea of his own mortality. He finds his remedy, somewhat violently, but, then his long estranged, and long thought-dead, wife shows up after being successfully thawed from being frozen in carbonite all these years. As the story moves along, Fett's complicated, multi-scaled, soap-opera-like plot thread looks more and more like it's on a major collision course with the main plot, but in the end, it basically dries up. By the last book, Boba Fett is just another merciless brute, like all of his people - as depicted only through a few disparaging comments of the main characters - and serves little more than a backdrop.

Obviously, Troy Denning didn't like Fett as much as the previous authors. Thanks so much Mr. Denning for squelching one of the few almost interesting threads in this series. But, you do have a point. It is sad to see an auxiliary character like Boba Fett overwhelm the main characters in depth and moral meaning. So, at least you were consistent in making sure everyone found their lowest point.

I'd like to write about the Jaina-Jag-Zekk triangle, but it was so ridiculous, going back at least the past dozen books or so, let's just say that I feel embarrassed for the editors and I will leave it at that.

The bottom line is that the various authors can't agree how the characters fit into the overarching story or how to build their personalities or relationships. Just as people do change, characters should also grow richer in depth and complexity. But, in the SW EU, characters can change so drastically from book to book, they look downright unstable.

My complaints don't end there, but my review must. I do not recommend buying this book or any of Force Legacy books. If it's not too late, I'd also suggest avoiding the New Jedi Order and Dark Swarm Trilogy. There were a few dudes earlier too. However, if you're new to the SW EU, then I would suggest that you read books by Timothy Zahn (I wonder what he thinks of the demise of Mara Jade Skywalker) or Michael Kube-McDowell.

The last installment of the series was dismal and this one is no exception and while I'm on this topic the last 3 three books have been an exercise in good idea but extremely poor execution. While there is an ultimate confrontation between the twins it will leave most readers feeling extremely unsatisfied. You'll find yourself asking "when did both twins turn into raging psychopaths?"

The problem that I found is that the various author spent so much time sending Jana Solo to Mandalorian boot camp they forgot to do anything else. All other main characters Han, Leia, Luke, Ben take more or less a backseat and as for the not quite so main characters such as Lando well don't worry about them they disappeared several books ago.

There are several good points

Ben Skywalker is an interesting character and I look forward to seeing more of him although everyone knows he is just serving as a substitute for Anakin Skywalker if he had survived the war.

At least in the Star Wars expanded universe there is only one timeline that we have to worry about and if it is not well written it is at the very least consistent and if you don't know what I mean go read a Star Trek book and see how long it takes for you to get confused.