Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsA Multiple Personality Star Wars Novel
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2016
It almost physically hurts to write this review. As I have said in my other reviews of SW novels, I have read them all, am a huge fan of Star Wars, and always walk into a new SW novel wanting to love it as my own child. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen and Heir to the Jedi is one of those times.
I was particularly hopeful with Heir to the Jedi, Kevin Hearne has a solid pedigree of great novels, the title mirrors one of my favorite EU novels of all time (Heir to the Empire), and it actually features the heroes of the Rebellion (unlike Aftermath). It all sounds like the making of a great SW novel. Unfortunately, it just doesn't hold together.
First, and foremost, has to do with the central character, Luke Skywalker. While Luke is presented in the novel at times as unsure of himself, a powerful Jedi occasionally emerges, especially at the end of the novel. But it is next to impossible to reconcile the Luke we are presented in the novel with the Luke of A New Hope or the Empire Strikes Back. To complicate matters, the modern Marvel comic books are considered part of the Star Wars Gospel (canon) and even there we see Luke as a boy, unsure of himself and absolutely confused by his powers and he gets his butt kicked more than once. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Second, the story is horribly disjointed. Luke jumps from one end of the galaxy to the other and each piece takes on a different feel, a different genre almost. There are political thriller pieces, jailbreaks, space horror, and romantic comedy moments strewn about the novel. It sounds like a cool idea, but it never comes together. Like a 19 year old running off to backpack through Europe, the novel seems to constantly try to find itself, but never succeeds.
That being said, the novel has its saving graces. We learn a bit more about the SW universe, the Jedi, the Force, and lightsabers. The most interesting parts of the book are the descriptive areas where Luke is learning to use the Force by learning the perspective of another person and when he deconstructs a lightsaber to understand how it is constructed.
All-in-all, the novel is ok. Hardcore SW fans: read this one for the Force edification but don't expect it to end up on your shelf with your other SW favorites, the whole Luke-thing can be rough to get past.