Preview Review: Fate of the Jedi Vortex Chapter 5. *SPOILERS*

What is Vortex?


Vortex is the 6^th of 9 books in the Fate of the Jedi series by Lucas Books/Del Ray. The novel by Troy Denning is due out November 30^th, so for those looking for Christmas gifts, it would be great way to reward that Star Wars fan you know. Denning's latest is clocking in @ 400 pages and is available for pre-order $16.20 at Amazon or if you're a Kindle owner only $6.29. If you own the Kindle there is no reason not to get the book at that price. Awesome deal. Anyways onto the official Blurb:

In a stunning turn of events, Luke Skywalker and his son, Ben, joined forces with members of the Sith armada sent to kill them -- and turned their combined might against the monstrous being Abeloth, whose power was causing young Jedi Knights to go seemingly insane. But with Abeloth gone and the Knights sane again, the Sith reverted to form, making a treacherous attempt on Luke's life.

Luke and Ben have no time for retaliation. A new and even more insidious threat is rising, one that endangers not only the Jedi but the entire Galactic Alliance. Unless the Skywalkers survive to sound the alarm -- and to pass along the secrets they have learned about Abeloth and the Sith -- the galaxy will suffer as it has never suffered before. But the reinforcements they need remain grounded on Coruscant, where the political battle of wills between the Jedi Council and Galactic Alliance Chief of State Natasi Daala has reached a boiling point.

Now Luke and Ben must go on the run, taking along the inscrutable -- and dangerous -- Sith apprentice Vestara Khai. With a host of Sith warriors in hot pursuit, the Skywalkers soon find themselves trapped on the moon Pydyr, caught between their former allies and a mob of angry Fallanassi. A new truce may be their only hope. But can a Sith ever be trusted?

               With the Jedi's most famous father-and-son team outnumbered and outgunned, the countdown to
                 galactic disaster  has begun -- and time is running out!  

There be Spoilers below…………Seriously stop reading now unless you have selective memory.......or are a Cerean with a two brains and will use one to read the spoiler and another to read the book….of course if you are a Cerean that's pretty awesome…….

CHAPTER 5: Preview Review

Vortex presents us with two main plot lines, Luke/Ben vs. Sith vs. Fallanassi (White Current), and Jedi Order vs. Daala/GA/Mando Mercs. In Chapter 5 which is available in PDF form here, we get a scene dealing with the later.


Setting: Foot of the Jedi Temple, Fellowship Plaza, Coruscant.


Chapter Dramatis Personae: Han Solo, Chief of State Daala, Jedi Sothais Saar and Turi Altamik, and Xenopsychiatrist Dr. Talleus Tharn.


Summary:

CoS Daala has come to the Jedi Temple expecting the Jedi to finally cave into the Galactic Alliance's siege of the Temple, and turn over all the crazy Jedi to be locked up in Carbonite. Little does Daala know that she is playing Sabacc against Han Solo and he has a skifter in his pocket. What Han has is sane Jedi. From the previous novel Allies by Christie Golden, when Luke "killed" Abeloth, the psychosis that was affecting the Maw sheltered Jedi miraculously dissipated. Han is running a con on Daala, attempting to trick her to publicly committing to free the cured Jedi, lift the siege and hopefully get the Horn children released from GA custody.

Chapter Excerpt:

Daala's glare turned suspicious. "I want the barvy ones, Captain

Solo: Sothais Saar, Turi Altamik, and all of the other unstable Jedi who

pose a danger to the citizens of this planet." She raised her chin and

spoke directly to the holocams hovering overhead. "And to this

galaxy."

"And then you'll lift the siege." Han phrased this not as a question,

but as a condition . . . and he made sure he was also speaking into a

holocam mike. "That's the agreement."

"I'll lift the siege after I'm satisfied that the Jedi are no longer sheltering

psychotic Jedi Knights," Daala said carefully. "And I am going to

search the Temple. Let's be very clear about that."

 Impressions:
    Its jam packed with Star Wars awesomeness! Seriously in this brief 14 page excerpt we have 14 characters making an appearance and 3 others being mentioned. It is also jam packed with descriptive writing, for example we learn that Jedi Master Kyp Durron wears algoraspice cologne. Do I need to know that? No, but it's this kind of background detail that fleshes out characters and settings and makes for a very good Star Wars novel.

    This is also a great characterization for Han Solo. It is almost like he slipped into his old Smuggler boots and ditched the "respectable" persona that has been crafted for him in much of the EU. I could just see the smirk on his face when Daala finally figured out he had her outmaneuvered and there was nothing she could do about it.

    The chapter also leaves a nice cliff hanger as the fates of Jysella and Valin Horn is left unresolved, and the presentation of Corran and Mirax Horn in really rough emotional shape foreshadows interesting and dark directions that the story could take. Does Corran go to the Dark Side in frustration/anger to get his kids back?

    If chapter 5 is any indication, Vortex has the potential to be the best book in the Fate of the Jedi Series. Will it live up to its potential? Find out with me on November 30^th.