Top critical review
2.0 out of 5 starsStill better than Disney at least
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2023
More plot holes than the average star wars fans cratered face.
What makes the books memorable is obviously the characters, Thrawn is a brilliant character, Mara jade the emporers hand, great concept, a mad jedi clone. Such a great premise and character concepts. Some poor ones as well.
My problem with it all is that the whole story is much too similar to an actual Hollywood film plotline. Lack of nuance, Unbelievable blunders, overused scenarios, a hundred things that dont make sense and utter incongruencues with the characters. It's hard to even pick one plot hole as so many things are just plain dumb imo. If this book was ever made into film it would be a new high score on 'cinema sins'.
Seriously how many jail breaks can the new republic pull off? How many flawless victories of multiple heros? Its so tiresome.
Basically I knew how it would end halfway through the second book. Very obvious, Not very interesting at all after that. Pretty lame. I could carry on for a while but I'll just pick one major complaint, besides the plotline itself.
There are major character incongruencies. Mara being the most convoluted. She starts off being pissed that her future was ruined by the new republic and specifically Luke, she enjoyed her power and purpose in the empire, she was bitter it was taken from her. Was she selected by the emperor? Did she choose that path? Author Never really specifies but it is specified that shes pissed about losing the emporer and vows revenge. This would indicate she does not share the values of a lets say a Mon Mothma type of political world view. Which is also unclear btw but theyre obviously at opposing polarity.
However as the story progresses she completely betrays the empire and the emporers vision for the empire, her entire personal experience accounts for nothing it all amounts to just a little mind trick the emporer played on her, you know the force or something. She actually had no agency or responsibility. Which is totally contradictory to the story anyway, Joris was unique in his mind control abilities. It just doesn't hold weight that she would flip because I guess she didn't like that Thrawn told her what to do one time, such a meanie! Even though her beloved emporer would have wanted that.
Luke is just such a nice guy for helping her save the smuggler Karrde or not killing her one time and so she was so willing to throw away everything she stood for and become the most monumental asset to the war against the empire. Isnt Karrde a smuggler? smugglers ship harmful illegal goods and are criminals, theyre unsavory or ie scum of the earth, why is he presented as palatable,loyal and honorable? For a character who was her beloved emporers hand it makes no sense the whole smuggling thing would be more than a means to an end.
The karrde character was particularly annoyinv throughout the story. The endearing dirt bag Han solo was the exception and it was already done. Integrating smugglers into the story as halfway decent legitimate faction was simply bothersome and redundant imo.
Anyway...
Seriously her flipping to the "good" side wouldn't make a bad story, you expect it somewhere but the "heroes" didn't really have to do much to win her over. It was just mostly happenstance. And more annoying that she mostly overshadowed luke in the end. Which is not what I think most people would want.
I could go on about much more. Sadly disappointed in the whole thing.