Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal: Book 1
 
See larger image
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal: Book 1 [Abridged, Audiobook] [Audio CD]

Aaron Allston (Author), Marc Thompson (Reader)
3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.



Book Description

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force May 30, 2006
This is the era of Luke Skywalker’s legacy: the Jedi Master has unified the order into a cohesive group of powerful Jedi Knights. But as the new era begins, planetary interests threaten to disrupt this time of relative peace, and Luke is plagued with visions of an approaching darkness. Evil is rising again–out of the best intentions–and it looks as if the legacy of the Skywalkers may come full circle. Honor and duty will collide with friendship and blood ties as the Skywalker and Solo clans find themselves on opposing sides of an explosive conflict with potentially devastating repercussions for both families, for the Jedi order, and for the entire galaxy.

When a mission to uncover an illegal missile factory on the planet Adumar ends in a violent ambush–from which Jedi Knight Jacen Solo and his protégé and cousin, Ben Skywalker, narrowly escape with their lives–it’s the most alarming evidence yet that sparks of political unrest are threatening to ignite into total rebellion. The governments of numerous worlds are chafing under the strict regulations of the Galactic Alliance, and diplomatic efforts to enforce compliance are failing. Fearing the worst, the Alliance readies a preemptive display of military might in a bid to bring the rogue worlds in line before an uprising erupts. The designated target of this exercise: planet Corellia–renowned for the brash independence and renegade spirit that have made its favorite son, Han Solo, a legend.

Something of a rogue himself, Jacen is nevertheless duty bound as a Jedi to stand with his uncle, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, on the side of the Galactic Alliance. But when the wary Corellians launch a counterstrike, the Alliance’s show of force–and a secret mission to disable Corellia’s crucial Centerpoint Station–give way to an armed skirmish. Once the smoke clears, the battle lines are drawn. Now the specter of full-scale war looms between a growing cadre of defiant planets and the Galactic Alliance that some fear is becoming a new Empire. And even as both sides struggle to find a diplomatic solution, mysterious acts of treachery and sabotage threaten peace efforts at every turn.

Determined to root out those behind the mayhem, Jacen follows a trail of cryptic clues to a dark rendezvous with the most shocking of revelations . . . while Luke grapples with something even more troubling: dream visions of a shadowy figure whose Force power and ruthlessness remind him of Darth Vader–a lethal enemy who strikes like a dark spirit on a mission of doom. An agent of evil who, if Luke’s visions come to pass, will bring untold pain to the Jedi Master . . . and to the entire galaxy.


Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Aaron Allston is the New York Times bestselling author of the Star Wars Enemy Lines novels: Rebel Dreams and Rebel Stand; novels in the popular Star Wars X-Wing series; Web of Danger, game-based fiction supporting the Top Secret/S.I. game line; and Hitman: Killer Brand, based on the blockbuster video game. He is a former editor of The Space Gamer magazine, which won the H. G. Wells Award for Best Role-Playing Magazine in 1982. He lives in Central Texas. Visit his website at www.AaronAllston.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Leia Organa Solo, one-time princess of the world of Alderaan, former Chief of State of the New Republic, now a Jedi Knight, stood dressed in all-white robes, suitable to either a Jedi or a politician in informal surroundings, before the portal. It was not an ordinary door; though in appearance it was identical to billions of dwelling exterior doors found on the world of Coruscant, in reality it was not. In the recent past, the original low-cost, composite-material door had been replaced with this innocuous-appearing thing of armor. It would hold against blaster assault–for a while, anyway. The cool blue it was painted belied its defensive function.

Leia’s husband, Han Solo, one of the most famous men in the galaxy, moved up beside her. He was wearing his favorite clothes: dark military trousers decorated with the red Corellian Bloodstripes he had earned when he was a younger man, light long-sleeved shirt, black vest, practical black boots. Except for the lines in his face and gray in his hair, honestly earned through deeds as well as accumulated over the passage of time, he was indistinguishable from the man she’d met aboard the first Death Star so many years ago.

Her spirit lifted. No matter how badly things went, they were always better with Han at her side.

Not that she’d necessarily tell him that. His ego hadn’t diminished in all those years, either.

Han looked gravely at the door. “You figure that’s how they’re going to come at us?”

She nodded. “That’s the only approach that makes any sense, and you know it.”

“Well, the only strategy that makes any sense is for us to just open the door for them. They’re less likely to attempt some sort of sneaky side entry if the front is open. We can pick them off as they’re framed in the doorway. Once their numbers become too great for us, we can manage a staged retreat through the inner chambers.”

Leia considered. “I don’t know. Maybe I should be up front and center to bat back their blaster assaults while you fire on them from the side.”

“Oh, my.” This third voice was higher-pitched than Han’s and carried just a hint of alarm. “If I may ask, has there been some change of plans?”

Han and Leia turned. Entering the outer chamber was C-3PO, the gold-toned protocol droid who had served them faithfully–if fussily–for four decades.

C-3PO moved up to them, his every action accompanied by the barely audible sound of whining servos, and added, “I thought that the plan was to admit them, then feed them the appetizers I have labored for so long to assemble. Appetizers that are laid out in the kitchen. Was I wrong? Will there be shooting?”

Han and Leia exchanged a glance. “Appetizers would be easier,” Han admitted.

“Fewer blaster bolts hitting the walls, fewer repairs,” Leia said, nodding. “We could do it that way.”

“All right, Goldilocks.” Han clapped C-3PO on one shining shoulder, rocking the droid in place. “We’ll do it your way. This time.”

“You’re toying with me again, aren’t you, sir?” C-3PO’s sigh was audible.

Han nodded. “It’s more fun and less destructive than hanging meat around your neck and letting the war-dogs loose on you.”

“Humpf.” The droid turned back toward the door through which he’d entered. “Not very sporting, I must say.”

A chime filled the air–the delicate first five notes of “Path to the Sky,” a ballad from Leia’s homeworld of Alderaan.

Han heaved a sigh. “Not too late to change your mind. We could hold them off for days.”

Leia smiled at him. “Hush.”

#
First through that door were Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade Skywalker. For this occasion, Luke wore his black Jedi robe and accoutrements, a stark contrast to his still-fair complexion and bright blond hair. Mara wore more traditional Jedi robes in browns and tans, and a red belt that set off her red hair.

With them was R2-D2, the plug-shaped astromech who had variously served Luke and the Solos for decades, and the little droid made as many musical, wheetling noises of appreciation during their tour of the Solos’ new quarters as the humans made verbal comments.

Next to arrive, just a few minutes later, were Jacen and Ben. Led from room to room by C-3PO, Jacen made noncommittal noises about the antechamber, living chamber, master bedroom, bedrooms for Leia’s Noghri bodyguards Meewalh and Cakhmaim, guest bedrooms, library, refreshers, furnished balcony, kitchen, dining room, and communications center, all but the last decorated and furnished in warm-colored hardwoods, some with dark carpets and some with pebbled flooring. The communications center, where the majority of the household’s computers and electronics repair equipment was kept, was more modern, all steely surfaces and blue metal rolling racks.

Ben’s only comment was, “Where are the secret chambers?”

C-3PO stopped short and leaned awkwardly to look at the boyman. “I don’t quite understand, young sir.”

“C’mon.” Ben grinned up at the droid–not far up, as he’d grown centimeters since the last time he’d seen the protocol droid. “Uncle Han is a smuggler. I bet this place is stuffed with secret chambers. They’ll all have blasters in them. Some of them will have identicards in fake names, and credcards, and secret electronics gear, and maybe a disassembled scoutspeeder. Some of them will be hidey-holes for the Noghri.”

C-3PO’s voice was stiff, even for the droid. “I can assure you, sir, that there are no secret chambers.”

“Aha!” Ben held up an accusative finger. He sounded as though he’d just found the essential clue to solve a murder. “I can assure you isn’t the same thing as There are no. C’mon, Threepio, say it. Say ‘There are no secret chambers.’ ”

“I can assure you, sir, that there–”

“Aha!”

The droid shot Jacen a look that, a far as Jacen could interpret droid body language, looked hurt. “I say, sir, must every generation of Solos and Skywalkers act like this?”

Jacen nodded. “Pretty much, yes.”

In the living chamber, as C-3PO held out his carefully arrayed tray of geometrically shaped cheeses and fungus crackers to Mara, Leia said, “Jaina just called in. She and Zekk are just a few minutes out.”

Han straightened, irritably, on the couch. “And Zekk. Who, may I ask, invited Zekk? He’s not family.”
Luke and Mara managed to say “Not yet” simultaneously.

Han glared at them.

“I invited him,” Leia said. “Just now. Otherwise, he would have gone off to the Temple, been alone in whatever tiny chamber they gave him, been eating bland Jedi cafeteria food, all alone–”

“While rain poured on his head wherever he moved and sad synthesized music filled the hallways.” Han shot her a scornful look.

Leia merely smiled at him, the maddening smile of a politician who won’t be budged from her position. “Han, he’s her partner. Her Jedi partner. If he were her, say, smuggling partner, would you send him off ?”

“Depends on how he looks at her. Y’see, here’s the problem. A father’s got a right to terrorize any young bantha who’s following his daughter around.”

Leia shook her head. “Jaina says they’re friends. Just friends.”

Han’s scowl deepened and became almost comic. “Jaina’s got herself blinded. It’s got to be one of those Force abilities–they say the Force can have a profound effect on people who don’t want to believe the truth.”

Luke snorted. “No, they don’t.”

“Anyway, it’s my right to scare Zekk out of his hide, but Zekk’s a Jedi. He doesn’t scare easily. So what do I do?” Han considered, then looked around. In corners of the room, motionless, inconspicuous, stood Leia’s bodyguards, Meewalh and Cakhmaim, members of the Noghri species–gray-skinned, no taller than R2-D2, shrouded in concealing cloaks. Like hold-out blasters, they were small, hard to detect, and deadly. “Maybe we could get Meewalh and Cakhmaim to rattle him.”

“Give it up, Han,” Mara suggested. “Leia, I like your quarters.”

“Thanks.” Leia settled on the couch beside her sulky husband. “It’s really nice to have someplace that’s permanent, not the hotel of the month, or quarters aboard some political ship, or the living compartment on the Falcon. It’s the first place we’ve been able to really call home since Coruscant fell.” A shadow crossed her face. Coruscant had fallen to the Yuuzhan Vong at almost the same time the Solos’ youngest son, Anakin, had died. Those had been dark times.

“We almost decided on Corellia,” Han said. “A planet where you can move more than three meters without hitting a wall. But we have too many family and friends here.”

The door chime rang again.

“Speaking of which . . .”

This time it was Jaina and Zekk. Jaina, too, was in standard Jedi robes, hers made of hard-wearing cloth suited to travel and styled to be less conspicuously those of a Jedi Knight. She was of about the same height as her mother, and more slender of build, with dark eyes and delicate features. Zekk, her partner, was in his late twenties, slightly younger than Jaina, but was otherwise her opposite in almost every way&#...

Product Details

  • Audio CD
  • Publisher: Random House Audio; Abridged edition (May 30, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0739323954
  • ISBN-13: 978-0739323953
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 6.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,948 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (2)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, August 23, 2008
By 
Friskie (Toronto Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal: Book 1 (Audio CD)
Let me start by stating that I waited until all nine books were out before starting the series. I kept hearing all about the multi book series but decided to wait. I 'm glad I did for this book truly drew me in and I felt quite excited once I had finished listening to it. The book starts with a mission to sabotage Centre point station and never lets up until the final word is uttered. I loved the characterization, the plot lines and the dialogue. It was very well written and a superb start to the series. Corellia and the G.A are at oddds and it is up to the Solos and Skywalkers to intervean and try to bring some resolution forth. Along the way however, things do not go as planned and the two families are drawn to opposite sides of the debate. I enjoyed the aspect of seeing our beloved old heroes in conflict with each other. Lastly, Jason has begun a path down the dark side thanks to a whip wielding dark lady of the sith. His first true dark act is murder and it is only the beginning. the audio production is top notch and Marc Thompson does a great job withthe voices and emotions of each character. Sound effects and incidental music from the films adds to the listening pleasure. I was glued to my headset for hours! Excellent from start to finish. Five CDs abridged but it is like listening to an audio drama with all the filler chapters left out.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great start for a new saga, July 20, 2006
By 
Lance Liles (Ft Walton Beach, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal: Book 1 (Audio CD)
This book has it all. Action, suspense, drama, foreshadowing of events that you know are going to happen but hope the whole way through that they don't. If the rest of the books in this series can keep up with the pace and plot of this one it will be another hit saga for Star Wars.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


2.0 out of 5 stars Terrible Abridgement..., June 29, 2010
This review is from: Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Betrayal: Book 1 (Audio CD)
The soundtrack was IMHO really the only appealing thing about this. Marc is an excellent interpretationist, however, Random House gave him little to really work with regarding this abridgment. For instance they cut the entire scene with Jacen and Ben in the munitions tower in the opening. They cut some of the dialog between Han and Leia prior to the entry of the family and friends. Basically they were opting for the action and drama and left the light moments by the wayside. As well as some critical plot points.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews



Only search this product's reviews



What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...


Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject