Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) Review
The entire reason that I eventually began reading Star Wars books in the first place was because of a couple other Matthew Stover works set within the universe: Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Shatterpoint. Both are fantastic, creative and visceral novels: none of the qualities that I'd ever expect from a Star Wars book. There is always that temptation, you see, to fall into the movies' way of telling a story in this universe. To have Jedi triumph over Sith, Light against Dark, Wisdom over Passion. As I have quickly learned over the course of these novels, and finally through this entry, TRAITOR, these clashes are almost meaningless, because the Force knows none of these aspects. It is all a lie, as well as the truth.
Though I had heard many good things about this book, the only reason I hesitated for so long was because TRAITOR is Book 13 in the New Jedi Order series. I had no real interest in reading the previous iterations, save for the introductory novel by one of my heroes, R.A. Salvatore. But curiosity eventually got the best of me, I started reading and I certainly don't regret picking this up so late in the series. Stover does a lot to make sure everyone is up to speed, and that his story doesn't necessarily rely on the NJO storyline too much - but even if he was, I certainly couldn't tell. I was rarely, if ever, lost.
The story begins with Jacen Solo imprisoned inside the Embrace of Pain, a torture device that does its job very, very well. He isn't told exactly why he's being held, or tortured, or kept alive for that matter. In addition to this, his connection to the Force has been severed, removing the one stable aspect of his life. All that he is told, he is told through one of his captors, one of the Yuuzhan Vong who insists on speaking to him in cryptic messages that make absolutely no sense to him at the time. Over the course of the book, he is given over to new ways of torture: some natural, unnatural, and even self-induced, all in the name of a purpose which he is never made aware of but is of galaxy-wide importance.
TRAITOR is Matthew Stover at his absolute best. There is no wasted space here, he keeps everything moving and it never lets up. He's an author who has much to say, and in a condensed form as this he's a force to be reckoned with. Despite its length, nothing seems rushed. The action is intense and, true to Stover form, as bloody as LucasBooks would likely allow. And Jacen Solo, a character who I had never read about before, is easy to sympathize with; he shares the reader's idea of what a Jedi's role should be, and is justifiably crushed when it all comes toppling down. And given Stover's talent for allowing his reader to feel what his characters feel, it makes for a very emotional ride.
This story, like KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC and Stover's own SHATTERPOINT, is one that I never expected to find in the Star Wars universe. It plays at not only our preconceptions of what a Jedi should be, but what the true nature of good and evil might be. It poses a lot of questions, most of which aren't restricted just to Jacen to answer. The whole book is an epistemologist's playground.
This is definitely one of my favorite books now, without question. It has action, but the drama is top notch. And while it's brief, it has a lot to say - most of it is a lie.
Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) Feature
- ISBN13: 9780345428653
- Condition: New
- Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) Overview
From the depths of catastrophe, a glimmer of hope
After the capture of Coruscant, the mighty heart of the New Republic, a stunned galaxy fears that nothing can stop the Yuuzhan Vong. Still, that crushing defeat produces one small miracle: Jacen Solo is alive. Yet he can scarcely imagine himself in stranger circumstances.
The young Jedi Knight is in the care of Vergere, a fascinating creature of mystery and power, her intentions hard to fathom, her cruelties rarely concealed. But this master of inscrutable arts has much to teach the young Jedi . . . for she holds the key to a new way to experience the Force, to take it to another level—dangerous, dazzling, perhaps deadly.
In the wrong hands, the tremendous energies of the Force can be devastating. And there are others watching Jacen’s process closely, waiting patiently for the moment when he will be ready for their own dire purposes. Now, all is in shadows. Yet whatever happens, whether Jacen’s newfound mastery unleashes light or darkness, he will never be the same Jedi again. . . .
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