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Title: The Approaching Storm (Star Wars) by Alan Dean Foster ISBN: 0-345-44299-7 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.98 (63 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: not what I expected, but good just the same
Comment: "the Approaching Storm" wasn't at all what I was expecting it to be when I first picked it up. Unlike most star wars books, it focuses more on character development and political intrigue then on space battles and lightsaber duels, and unlike most star wars books it is rather well written. The story itself revolves around two jedi knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, and their respective padawans, Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, as they set off to prevent a backward but strategically allied planet called Ansion from leaving the Republic. While the political talk and plotting was sort of hard to follow, I found myself swept away by Foster's descriptions of the planet and by the characters, especially Obi-Wan and Anakin. Obi-Wan is everything a powerful yet wise Jedi Knight should be, and Anakin is characterized as both willful and well-meaning, arrogant and vulnerable. Both characters are easily recognizable as the grown up versions of the characters that were introduced in Episode one, but at the same time both can be related to the characters they will become for "A New Hope." Luminara and Barriss were also well written and likable, although I can't help but think Foster could have come up with a better name then 'Barriss,' although that may not have been at his discretion.
My one problem with Foster's writing style is the formality of his language. I have a good vocabulary, but I still had to keep a dictionary handy while reading this book. The language is perfectly suited for description, and maybe the Jedi can get away with talking like that because they do seem like a formal crowd, but I just can't picture a hutt saying "Given that, I'm not surprised at the lack of enthusiasm on the part of your peurile hirelings." or Anakin responding to a statement with "Interminably." Even the two nut cases turned native guides talk like college proffesors. Beyond that and a couple of badly worded phrases, I was impressed with Foster's writing, which is almost never the case with a star wars novel.
I know from reading the reviews here at Amazon.com that a lot of people don't like the lack of action or the slow pace of this book. It's true that this book is not fast paced, and doesn't have any space battles, but it does have it's fair share of action, and the descriptions of the planet and the various animals and plants that the protagonists encounter on their journey more then make up for the lack of x-wings in this book. I would deffinately recommend it for older readers, but I think anyone belowe the age of fifteen might not enjoy it as much.
Rating: 4
Summary: A good book
Comment: This book was good; not the best ever, but well worth the time it took me to read it. I was also pleased to see the return of a good author like Foster to the Star Wars universe. The book serves as a bit of a 'set-up' for the political situation in Episode 2, as well as a way to define the characters of Anakin and Obi-Wan, and it accomplishes these goals well, if little else. In this book, the rather backwater planet of Ansion has become a focal point in the increasingly shaky Republic; it's thinking of seceding, which could ultimately lead to war. The Council sends two Jedi teams there to try to straighten things out, Obi-Wan and a now eighteen-year-old Anakin, and Luminari Unduli and her young padawan, Bariss Offee. The book's focus is mainly the characters and relationships between the four Jedi, as they work towards a collective goal against seemingly impossible odds, and try their best to get along. All the characters were portrayed well, but Anakin especially really struck home. This is one author who remembers what it's like to be a teenager! Anyway, if your a fan of the prequels (and who isn't?) definitely check this one out, but if action and battles is your main thing, you'll most likely find this one rather tedious.
Rating: 1
Summary: gulp
Comment: Okay, so I may be a little late with my review but that's because I started reading this only just a couple of months ago, and I'm still wrestling through it. I'm one of those guys who think that if I miss one book I may miss a lot. With this one, I just keep forgetting what's being written. Basically because there are things happening that're really really not important; So what if there are creatures filled with air on this planet Ansion that need their existence explained in oh so many pages, and how about all those stupid rituals and traditions those locals live by, pfff. That's when I started to ask myself why these tribesmen were so important and why is this planet of cavemen so important for the safety of the Republic??? At first I thought only the female writers were doing a bad job of capturing the true spirit of Star Wars. (anybody read Dark Journey? Yuk!) With Foster it's clear that he isn't interested in writing Star Wars, he's just interested in writing; Mass production of many many many words that make up many many boring sentences.
So uh, can anybody tell me how it ends?
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Title: Cloak of Deception (Star Wars) by James Luceno ISBN: 0345442970 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 25 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Rogue Planet (Star Wars) by Greg Bear ISBN: 0345435400 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul) by Michael Reaves ISBN: 0345435419 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 27 November, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Shatterpoint: A Clone Wars Novel (Star Wars) by Matthew Woodring Stover ISBN: 0345455738 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 03 June, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace by Terry Brooks ISBN: 0345434110 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 29 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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