STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES

LUCAS Books
A Del Rey Book

Written by R. A. Salvatore

Copyright 2002 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved.

In Attack of the Clones, Anakin Skywalker is an older Padawan learner who becomes reunited with Senator Padme Amidala on the galactic capitol world of Coruscant. With an attempt on her life, Anakin is assigned to protect Padme as Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi goes on a quest through the Jedi Archives database to try to discover why on a hidden planet in space called Kamino, an army of clones is being created.

A lot has changed since The Phantom Menace. Padme has gone from being Queen of Naboo to being a Senator in the Galactic Republic. Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi is now a Jedi Knight and Anakin is now Kenobi's Padawan. You see more of Anakin's mother Shmi, and her new husband and adopted son Owen. While it was great to see Anakin returning home to the desert world of Tatooine to meet his step-brother Owen, you feel their pain when Shmi gets kidnapped by the Tuskin Raiders. With Anakin protecting Padme from Trade Federation assassins as the conflict with the Separatist movement increases, their relationship grows until Anakin and Padme finally wed in secret. Meanwhile, the Clone Wars begin....

Pancho
All people smile in the same langauge.

STAR WARS - CORUSCANT NIGHTS III - PATTERNS OF FORCE

A Del Rey Books Mass Market Original

Written by Michael Reaves

Copyright 2008 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

In the third book of the Star Wars - Coruscant Nights series, Patterns of Force has Jedi Knight, in hiding from the Great Jedi Purge, Jax Pavan find a young man amongst the bowels of the city planet Coruscant with such raw power in the force that he takes him on as his padawan. Pavan also becomes involved in a plot to kill Emperor Palpatine.

I liked the idea of Jax being concerned about young Kaj and that Jax tries to teach Kaj on how to use the Force. Of course Jax is also concerned that Kaj does not fall prey to the Dark Side of the Force as the Inquisitors search for them. Having self-aware droid I-5YQ volunteer to kill Emperor Palpatine since he can not feel the droid in the force is a cute but logical action as I-5's reporter partner goes home. The climax has Darth Vader completing his quest of finding Jedi Knight Jax Pavan.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Wars - Coruscant Nights II - Street of Shadows

A Del Rey Books Mass Market Original

Writen by Michael Reaves

Copyright 2008 by Lucasfilm Ltd.



In Street of Shadows, is the second book in the Star Wars Coruscant Nights series written by Michael Reaves. Former Jedi Knight Jax Pavan is now a private investigator who is hired by a rich woman, along with Jax's supportive team of misfit associates, to help her search for the one who has killed her artist lover - while Darth Vader hires an aggressive bounty hunter to find Jax.

It seems that Jax is almost too settled into his role as a private investigator, and is not concerned at all about being discovered as a Jedi Knight - until the confrontation by the bounty hunter. The subplot of Senator Padme Amidala's former head of security, Captain Gregar Typho, driven to find out what had really happened to Padme when she was killed almost makes you want Typho to discover that it was really Anakin who had killed Amidala, and it seems a little unethical that Typho is using innocent Jax in order to kill Darth Vader in revenge.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.

Star Wars - The Clone Wars: Wild Space

A Del Rey Trade Paperback Original

Written by Karen Miller

Copyright 2008 by Lucasfilm Ltd.

In Wild Space written by Karen Miller, Senator Bail Organa from the planet Alderaan comes across intelligence about the rumored Dark Lords of the Sith and persuades Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to search for an aggressive Sith planet.

Wild Space gives you further insight into Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I could see Jimmy Smits continuing his portrayal as Bail Organa's character in this book. Organa and Kenobi grow to respect each other as they go through the heavy trials of surviving on a Sith planet. Although it seemed odd to me that the Dark side of the Force had no effect on Organa, but practically disabled Kenobi.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.