Rebel Dreams: Star Wars (The New Jedi Order): Enemy Lines I
by Aaron Allston
In Rebel Dreams,
Luke decides to lead a team to Coruscant. Han and Leia take the Jedi children into hiding. Jaina plays up her twin role and becomes a “goddess.”
So far, the weakest part of the novel is Jaina playing goddess. It hasn’t provoked the Yuuzhan Vong in any way. It hasn’t made them fear her, either. It’s just something she’s doing and she’s not doing it very well. It feels like a joke, which it’s not supposed to be. She’s leading a squadron, which she has no experience and not enough skill to do. She takes orders, which isn’t goddess-like at all. Where is the resentment and alienation that Wedge promised?
The Jag/Jaina relationship is progressing well. Kyp is still in the picture, and I wonder how this triangle will work. This is not a romance story, but romance is part of the story, and Aaron Allston is very good at weaving that in. On the other hand, what is a goddess doing with a mere mortal?
Part one of some duologies have an ending of sorts. This one definitely feels like it ends in the middle of something greater. Luke and Mara are positioned for a mission to find Jacen. Wedge’s new military tactics give the New Rebellion hope. With our old heroes back at the helm, they just might win this war.