Dark Apprentice (Star Wars: The Jedi Academy Trilogy, Vol. 2)

"Dark Apprentice" is the second in the "Jedi Academy" trilogy (following "Jedi Search"), taking place about seven years after "Return Of The Jedi" and roughly two years after the Thrawn trilogy. It actually improves on the impressive "Jedi Search", and in doing so even brings the former up another notch itself (it's amazing how Star Wars installments can do that for their predecessors - I recently rewatched "The Phantom Menace" and was shocked at how much better I liked it (loved it!) seeing it in the hindsight provided by "Attack Of The Clones" and "Revenge Of The Sith"). Of the many Star Wars novels, "Dark Apprentice" is perhaps the champ at juggling the most plots and subplots simultaneously and blending them to perfection - not the slightest hitch in the flow is to be found. Likewise for the large cast of characters. Almost all of the significant surviving characters from the original movie trilogy are present (and some that were previously only glimpsed), the new characters encountered in "Jedi Search" - Qwi Xux, Kyp Durron, Admiral Daala, Gantoris, et al. - play major roles, and a number of characters from other novels and comics from the early-to-mid 90s turn up. Plus brand new characters. Anderson manages to allow as many characters to shine as would normally get a chance in a book more than twice "Dark Apprentice"'s length. Admiral Ackbar and other Mon Calamari characters are pivotal; Ackbar himself is unquestionably one of the three central characters of the volume, and a great deal of the book's strength derives from this first-rate character, who only got a chance to become one of the really big players after the original movies ended. The book follows several main threads - Luke's ongoing training of a new Jedi Order at the Academy located in the ruins on Yavin 4, complete with the foreshadowings in Jedi Search of nightmares about a 'dark man' coming to fruition; the unexpected and far-reaching reprecussions of a tragic spacecrash on the planet Vortex; the emergence of Daala and her force of Star Destroyers from Maw Installation to wage war against the New Republic; and various machinations by the remaining high-ranking officials of the crumbling (and rife with infighting) Empire, to try and regain some of their Empire's fading might while there's still a chance. To start with. (There are other plot threads here as well - Anderson's quite the skilled juggler) It's a big credit to the author that he kept everything so perfectly straight and coherent while using enough plots, subplots, and instances of major character development to fill a half-dozen volumes. The result is one of the most endlessly absorbing, thrilling, and near-impossible-to-put-down books in the Star Wars saga, or anywhere else for that matter. The Jedi Code plays a big role in this book, and it cleared up a Lot of misgivings I'd had about the whole Code ever since I started hearing about it. In short, it's revealed to be a lot more flexible a

"Dark Apprentice", more than anything else, really sold me on the "Jedi Academy Trilogy" and Kevin J. Anderson as a writer. The second volume of this trilogy amplifies the action and the tension to such a high degree that I was cursing myself for not being able to read faster. "Dark Apprentice" delves deeply into Luke's education of his first group of Jedi adepts. It's fascinating to read how each of the respective Jedi students uncovers his or her latent force talents while also learning how to make the best out of force ability each one has been given. In addition, each one seems to have talents in specific areas of the force that are more powerful than the others. Kam Solusar seems to be a more gifted pure warrior, while Tionne uses her lesser force skills to spin beautiful music and be the caretaker of the Jedi tradition, and Cilgal proves to be a gifted healer. Adding to the mystery, difficulty, and danger of trying to re-establishing the Jedi order is 4000-year old presence of a Dark Jedi name Exar Kun, who's spirit has been trapped inside one of the temples on Yavin IV since a horrific Jedi battle long ago (read more about this in the Dark Horse comic "Sith War"). Kun's spirit seeks to corrupt the vulnerable Jedi trainees and turn them to the dark side. The presence of a student with seemingly greater force ability than Luke Skywalker makes Kun's influence all the more deadly. While that drama plays out on Yavin IV, the ruthless Admiral Daala took her remaining Star Destroyers out of the Maw research installation and set about waging her own personal war against the New Republic. After testing her forces against some less-populated, lower technology worlds, she sets out to attack Admiral Ackbar's homeworld of Mon Calamari. The battle is on a grand scale and the resolution of this battle is quite clever. On top of Daala's guerilla attacks on the New Republic, there is also a traitor among the Republic forces who may end up endangering Princess Leia's life and the life of her third child, Anakin. And, the Sun Crusher returns with catastrophically devastating consequences. Much in the same way "Empire Strikes Back" is generally considered to be the best of the three original movies while serving as a bridge between to the beginning and ending of the trilogy, "Dark Apprentice" has very much the same feel. It's obvious that all the situations that are introduced here or continued from the first book will not be resolved in this edition. Yet, at no time does this feel like a time filler. It's as riveting as "Empire Strikes Back" and the cliff-hanger ending of this book leaves the reader salivating at the chance to read the conclusion to this magnificent trilogy. KJA scores again.

This is one of the best books I have ever read! This is an exxelent read! Better than the first one JEDI SEARCH! YOU MUST READ THIS NOVEL! The New Republic is trying to decide what to do with the Sun Crusher captured from the Imperial Admiral Daala by Han Solo with the help of Kyp Durron and Imperial defector Qui Xux, a scientist who thought she was building weapons for a good cayse. Finally, the decision is made to send the Sun Crusher into the heart of the gas planet Yavin, and the New Republic figures that problem is solved, although they have another: Daala has come out of hiding to attack with her fleet of three Star Destroyers. Young Kyp, hoping to learn how to control his Force potential, heads to Luke's Jedi academy on Yavin IV. There, he encounters the spirit of Exar Kun, an ancient Sith warrior defeated by the Jedi during the great Sith War thousands of years ago. Exar Kun twists Kyp's already confused mind to his advantage, luring him to the Dark Side of the Force. Get this book you will not be dissapointed, but first read JEDI SEARCH or else you will not understand everything!

While this book is not literary work of art, it deserves a full five stars just for the pure enjoyment I got from reading it. Even though I knew what was going to happen (I have the guide to chronology) it still somehow managed to be suspensful and interesting. It read the whole thing in less than two days, and that's having to squeeze in reading time on acount of school and such. Anyway, for a brief summery; Luke has established his Jedi academy on Yavin 4 and is in the process of training new Jedi. Meanwhile, the secret is out, Mon Mothma is dieing of some strange wasting disease so now more and more of her responsibilites fall on Leia, which severly takes a toll on the time she gets to spend with her family. Also, the imfamous Admiral Daala decides to mount a massive campaign against the New Republic, who barely even realize she exists. Meanwhile, some of Luke's students start taking dangerous risks and dabbling in the Dark Side without his knowledge, most specificly young Kyp Durron... One problem I had with this book was that Admiral Daala was, well, dissapointing! She didn't at all live up to her reputation as a brilliant commander surviving in a sexist envirnment. Sure she was cool and everything, but where are her brilliant tactics? She loses half her fleet and only blows up one small group of settlers! And she basically does nothing except lead pointless failing campaigns. Also, I hated Kyp Durron right from the beginning, because he is just a ripped-off version of what would have happened to a young Luke if he had turned to the dark side. A good thing was that they finally included Mara Jade, who is my favorite character besides Luke, though I was somewhat dismayed that she only stayed for about two chapters and then left again. I can't help but think that Zahn's Mara would have tried a little harder before just giving up. Besides that, this is a great book that I recommend to any Star Wars fan, though it might be difficult to understand if you haven't read the Thrawn trilogy.

There have been at least 30 Star Wars books released since 1991 that have continued the adventures of Han, Luke, and Leia. This is one of the better ones. The 2nd part of a trilogy, it has a cliff hanger ending, similar to Empire Strikes Back. The story continues from Jedi Apprentice about how Luke is progressing as a Jedi Master at his newly created academy. Two of his students fall to the dark side and create interesting confrontations for Luke, the second of which is the cliff hanger. Han and Leia, with the New Republic, are involved in battling the rogue Imperials who had just recently discovered that the Emperor had fallen. Character development and back ground information was well done. Overall, this story isn't just an adventure of the month that was relased, it was a true continuation of the Star Wars saga.