Customer Reviews

Star Wars: Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Shadows of Mindor is set in the period after the battle of Endor. Palpatine and Vader are dead, and the New Republic is in charge. However, not everyone agrees that this is the way things should be. Serious bad guys still exist, and Luke Skywalker and his friends are called upon once again to set things right in the galaxy. This time they face a legion of black-armored stormtroopers who are led by Warlord Shadowspawn and who operate from an extremely unusual position on the planet Mindor. To further complicate matters, the Sith appear to be involved as well. Fortunately, Luke has help from Han, Leia, Chewbacca, Lando, R2-D2, and C-3P0 in this mission. Needless to say, having all of these folks back in action is great fun for the reader.

Luke is the reigning hero in the galaxy, but he is still very young and does not have a clear understanding of his role in reestablishing the Jedi, much less a clear understanding of the Force itself. He is now General Skywalker and not at all sure that he should be. Luke's struggles in trying to find his way and win victories for the Republic while minimizing loss of life make for extremely interesting reading.

Mr. Stover is a highly respected author in the Star Wars world. He was responsible for the novelization of Revenge of the Sith as well as the novel Shatterpoint. Both were excellent. For the most part, he does not disappoint in Shadows of Mindor. He does a great job of portraying the characters. Luke is in doubt much of the time, but you would always want to have him on your side. Han is presented as he was in the films - easily bored, extremely loyal, highly effective in pressure situations, and one of the best pilots anywhere. You also have an opportunity to hear Han's true opinion of Mandalorians. Very funny, especially if you have read the Rebel Commando series by Karen Traviss. Chewie remains Han's loyal companion and continues to prove his worth in tight scrapes time after time. Leia remains a remarkable woman - handy in a fight and a true leader. The relationship between Han and Leia is shown as I always thought it should be - loving, respectful, and humorous.

Our favorite droids also play key roles in this tale. C-3P0 does his usual thing and unwittingly provides comic relief on several occasions. R2 is probably the most useful droid ever. You have to love him. Mr. Stover gives him a remarkable scene near the end of the book where he ejects from the Millennium Falcon through the garbage chute to land on an asteroid in an attempt to save Luke from impending doom. In the midst of this, R2 has time to philosophize about his likely final shutdown and his realization that C-3P0 is his true friend. Truly a beautiful scene.

The book is extremely well done. I only had two reservations. The first is that I felt Mr. Stover had a little too much fascination with the technical side of Star Wars a few times. I think some description of ships, weapons, and technology is extremely useful to the reader, but it is possible to go overboard. My second reservation is harder to pin down without giving away some key plot points. Let me just say that I found the concepts of Shadowspan and the meltmassif substance to be difficult to grasp clearly. I believe the story could have been just as effective with Shadowspawn and his evil machinations presented in a different way.

Basically, I am quibbling here. I enjoyed the book very much and I believe any Star Wars fan would have a great time reading Shadows of Mindor.

I promised myself I wouldn't waste my time on reviews any more...I've even conquered the urge a few times on products I really wanted to steer people away from (looking at you "Innocent Mage"!), but I just couldn't help myself this time. Buy this novel, read this novel, enjoy this novel.

I'm not one for hyperbole and I'm not one to hand out 5 star reviews like they are sour-apple candies, but I've actually been asking myself the question in my title. Is this the best SW novel ever written to this point?

A few years ago Timothy Zahn was given an opportunity to return to the glorious era that was the Original Trilogy and the surrounding New Republic adventures, an area that is filled with Bantam novels over fifteen years old. It was an amazing gift, one that was magical, and one that was a complete disaster. We got cardboard Han, Leia, and Luke and about 90% of the novel was filled with stormtroopers that no one cared about and Mara Jade. The magic died a death before it could even get started.

But here we are now with "Shadows of Mindor" and the promise of this time period has finally been fulfilled one more time. My God, your deity, everyone's deity, what a novel! I've read probably 99% of the SW novels available. I've read SW novels that had great action in them (Stackpole), novels with great villains (Thrawn), novels with a bit of actual literature and theme (Commandos), novels that really had their SW continuity together (Lucendo), and novels that made me laugh (you all know who). I have read a SW novel that did all of those things a hand full of times, and "Shadows of Mindor" is one of them, and its the best one.

Stover manages all of that while at the same time nailing each and every Star Wars character. He gets Han, Leia, and Luke right; he gets rogue squadron right; he even gives us the best Chewie and Lando in the EU. But most of all, Stover gets C-3PO and R2 right, and he uses them, and he makes them heroic not scenery. He gives every character something to do and some reason to be there, not to just put them in the novel, but because they are essential to the story.

Final Thought: If you are a Star Wars fan, read this. Even if you don't usually like the books, even if you had enough of it all when the New Jedi Order killed so many and drove so many away, even if you were recently disappointed with Legacy of the Force and said "enough of this dark, badly written, wreck". Come back, please...one last time. I promise it will be worth it. Read the Best Star Wars Novel Ever Written. And everyone that has read it...please start praying that Stover writes another.

I must admit that when I started this book I was a little concerned. Uncharacteristically for a Matthew Stover novel, it didn't grab me from page one. In fact, the first few chapters were, while certainly readable, not terribly compelling. And then I got to chapter four and was reminded why, whenever Stover releases a new novel, I drop everything else and read it immediately: because it is guaranteed to knock my socks off and leave me with a big stupid grin on my face. This novel is dedicated to Alan Dean Foster and Brian Daley, for good reason: it's a postmodern upgrade of the old-school rollicking adventure novel. Fun, funny, fast-paced, exciting, thrilling, heroes-against-incredible-odds storytelling that's nigh impossible to put down before you get to the end. Set shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi, the book's accessible to new fans, yet full enough of familiar characters and references to other Star Wars stories to satisfy even the most obsessed fanboy. Stover *gets* his characters, gets them exactly right, and he can still write an action scene better than anyone else in the business. I was silly to be concerned. Matt Stover persists in writing the best Star Wars stories to grace our bookshelves and our imaginations. Thank you, sir, for once again taking me back a long time ago, to a galaxy far, far away.

Many of us seem to forget that, a long time ago, we fell in love with a western space opera about a farmboy going up against a legion of planet-destroying space Nazis. Matthew Stover gets this and, with LUKE SKYWALKER AND THE SHADOWS OF MINDOR, he not only creates a story that lightheartedly pokes fun at the movies and what the expanded universe has become, but wholly celebrates the true spirit of the Star Wars that we all grew up watching. Think of one of your favorite works within the expanded universe - books, games, or otherwise - and try to decide whether they could truly function as a true sequel or prequel to the Original Trilogy. That list is decidedly thin. With this book, Stover tries to show us why.

To those of you who might not have caught it: this book is actually a story within a story. The Galactic Empire has fallen, and Luke Skywalker is seen throughout the Republic as the hero of all heroes. Countless stories and "holothrillers" have been created with him at the center of it all. Even Han Solo has garnered enough fame to be recognized wherever he goes. But these stories have all twisted and distorted what actually happened. It goes without saying that the final battle between Luke and Darth Vader did not amount to Luke triumphantly cutting down the evil warlord after a vicious battle.

It's because of this that Luke decides that he wants someone to get his story straight, once and for all. He enlists the help of Geptun (who fans of Stover will recognize) to write a true account - not a fantastical exaggeration - of what actually happened to Luke. Specifically: at the Battle of Mindor. What follows is nothing short of amazing.

This book reads like something that you could only find in the '80s, with its initial emphasis on one bad guy, one good guy, and a predictable heroic conclusion with the good guy using his lightsaber to defeat the bad guy - with Luke Skywalker and the evil Lord Shadowspawn filling those roles respectively. Even the writing of the book itself is full of clever little similes so prevalent from that '80s era of writing I talked about. You also have the quirky and loveable sidekicks: Han, Leia, Chewie, R2, C-3P0, Lando, the whole of Rogue Squadron. Everyone is here! And everyone (and you will not believe this until you read it) talks and behaves exactly how they did in the Original Trilogy.

Everyone cracks witty jokes, a lightsaber is used, the dark lord dives into a monologue. ...but then you realize that you still have two-thirds left to read, and it's at that point that Stover pulls back the curtain, making you realize that this decidedly ISN'T the happy-go-lucky Star Wars adventure you thought it was going to be. It does a slow dive into something very dark, and anyone who has read a book by Stover will know: when he writes dark, he writes Dark.

This book had me excited the entire way through. Han had me laughing, the way he did in the movies, Leia was still his headstrong counterbalance, and Chewie was still their faithful friend who doesn't like to lose. Lando is still just as cool and vain, the droids are still along for the ride - and Luke still has much to learn.

The battles are intense, violent, and a LOT of people die. The Republic finds themselves fighting the laws of physics in the middle of a star system that's beginning to collapse in on itself. Everything is believable, with only a few slight moments where the tech jargon started to tear my brain a new one. On the whole, I can still picture the entire battle in my head, which is epic to say the least.

Every chapter does its part to celebrate various events that occurred throughout the movies, bringing all six episodes closer and tying them together to inspire the story that eventually unfolds. It escapes me how anyone could not find something to love about this book, because this was obviously written with Star Wars fans in mind.

MINDOR leaves a small door open for a possible sequel with a different set of characters (alumni from Star Wars: Shatterpoint) and I hope that we get to see this come to light. Trust me, Stover GETS Star Wars. Most of the criticisms I've seen leveled at this book are the very aspects that I loved, that Stover aimed to poke fun at. He's trying to show us what we've come to demand of the series, and all that we've, unfortunately, left behind along the way.

First, a warning: you can't take Star Wars: Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor too seriously. Matt Stover's latest entry into the Star Wars universe is at times over the top, but that's the point. As the prologue indicates, this is really a "story within a story." Luke Skywalker expresses his exasperation with tabloid "holodramas" of his adventures and tries to set the record straight. The ensuing story is yet another example of an exaggeration of Skywalker's exploits - and, most likely, Stover's implicit commentary on the direction of the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

The narration for the book often adopts a sarcastic tone or looks into the minds of the characters. Again, odd for a Star Wars novel, but one Stover uses to good effect. Some of the plot devices in the story are quite clever, such as the "holodrama" called "Luke Skywalker and the Jedi's Revenge," a twisted retelling of the events of Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi. There were a few other funny or insightful references, such as how Han fumes about the too-perfect, too-handsome Mandalorian warriors. I'd always been a bit flabbergasted at how so many other writers treat the Mandalorians as near-sacred, so I'm glad Stover poked some fun at this.

I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 because the plot got convoluted, particularly near the end. The use of gravity bombs and weapons simply went over the top. The end battle scenes were littered with techno-babble, which actually obscured how the Republic forces actually escape (if that's a spoiler, then ). One character, Kar Vastor, is introduced near the end, seems important, but is never really explained. It almost seems like the ending was rushed, or at least not quite as engrossing as the first three-quarters.

Overall, this book is probably not quite right for all audiences. You have to be willing to accept it as a fun adventure story, not worry about whether it constitutes "cannon" in the Star Wars EU. I'll put it this way: if you liked Brian Daley's comic-style Star Wars: The Han Solo Adventures (A Del Rey book), then definitely give Star Wars: Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor a try. If you prefer the more serious tone of the New Jedi Order, you might find yourself frustrated with this book.

Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor, a self-effacing, often moving little adventure by Matt Stover may just be the ultimate in EU fiction. Finally we are given a Luke Skywalker that lives up to his reputation and lore.

Stover writes what feels like a light adventure which all at once becomes a study in The Force vs nihilism and the second law of thermodynamics. If you thought Vader was dark, Shadowspawn is quite literally a black hole.

The dead on movie sounding dialogue was joy. Stover really rivaled Allston in that regard. Great dialogue. Very funny and absolutely natural.

I actually had to smile a few times throughout the book at what a fanboy feast the novel really was. It was almost as if Stover used the many obsessions and complaints fans have had of late in Star Wars novels as a partial compass. We've all wanted more Lando. He gave it. We wanted more Rouges. He wrote it. We wanted to rediscover Luke's depth and power. He brought it.

Truly, the greatest thing about Shadows of Mindor is how Stover managed to go beyond the pastiche to make a philosophically dense concept book into a light, tongue-in-cheek little gem.

Brief and Selective History of the EU:
Zahn Books - Awesome!
Jedi academy books - Yikes!
(Skips a lot)
Vong books - Started out great, ended okay, does anyone even remember the middle? Except, of course, for Traitor, which is the single best SW book I've ever read.
Bug books - meh
Darth Caedus books - Mixed feelings
Jedi outcast books - Last one was great

Why do bother with this? Because the best EU stories are the ones that are true to the spirit of SW. Swashbuckling space-action and some interesting philosophy thrown into the mix. SoM is simply a great SW book and a great book overall. The characters are believable--the dialogue just sounded like Luke, Leia, Lando, etc. The portrayal of Luke as a newly christened full Jedi was great. The links to Stovers' Clone Wars book wasn't overdone--on the contrary, the "less is more" approach made wish for more.

Maybe I'm biased...Traitors & the novelization of ST:RotS are my two favorite SW books. But maybe STover is just a great SW writer. If he had written some of Legacy of the Force books, maybe the ending wouldn't have sucked so bad.

At any rate, this book is great. Any true SW episode 4, 5, 6 fan will not fail to enjoy it.

When Timothy Zahn's historic Thrawn Thrilogy was released in 1991, it did more than present new stories of Luke Skywalker, his friends, and that galaxy far, far away. It also presented the Expanded Universe with a five-year gap between the Rebels' victory at Endor and the beginning of Grand Admiral Thrawn's campaign. In the 20 years since then, Michael Stackpole, Aaron Allston, and others have more or less fleshed out those critical early years of the New Republic. But the Battle of Mindor, first mentioned in 1993, has remained one of the biggest untold stories of that era. It is a story that had ramifications for Luke Skywalker's role in the New Republic's formative years and is a story that veteran Star Wars writer Matt Stover has finally tackled...

The novel opens 6 months after the events of Episode VI. The Second Death Star has been destroyed, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are dead, and the Empire is fragmenting. The Rebel Alliance, now rechristened the New Republic, is mounting their own campaign to retake the galaxy, but their attempts to penetrate the galaxy's Inner Rim have hit a snag. A new Imperial warlord styling himself Lord Shadowspawn has taken the strategic world of Mindor and has begun launching raids and attacks on New Republic ships and civilians. Luke Skywalker, recently promoted to the rank of General, is given the task of commanding the Mindor campaign. But the battle to take the world and defeat Shadowspawn is no simple matter and will push Luke and his friends to their limits and into the abyss of darkness...

This is Matt Stover's fourth outing in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. As his previous novels took place either during the Prequel or New Jedi Order eras, it's interesting to see him tackle the classic characters. His characterization pretty much picks up where Kathy Tyers left off with the characters in "The Truce at Bakura". Luke is struggling to understand his dual-role as a Jedi and a soldier, Leia is still coming to terms with the revelation of her parentage, and Han hasn't quite given up his old tricks. It's also refreshing to see a return to basics, with Luke and company going up against Imperials and Dark Side users. Stover's style is as crisp, detailed, and philosophical as ever. His customer grittiness and darkness adds to a story about the perception of heroes in conflict and the legends they create.

On a final note, I recommend that you read Stover's Clone Wars novel "Shatterpoint" first as Stover makes significant ties back to this story which may confuse new readers.

I know it's campy. But guess what, guys? Star Wars is campy. All of the EU stuff that makes it seem like it isn't is just terrible--it's dark, and sad, and complicated, and incredibly boring. This book was fantastic. Fun, like Star Wars is supposed to be. All of the cheesy B-movie stuff was very effective, very meta, very making fun of EU (which is probably why lots of people don't like it). The serious parts, Luke's internal conflicts, were interesting and genuine, and though the contrasted the campy parts of the book, I never felt like they were at odds or out of place with one another--in fact, they complimented each other brilliantly. Luke was there in the OT to give us someone to identify with. Here, he's the one who is able to see through the story in creepy, self-referential ways that make the audience feel like someone else gets it.

I don't like Star Wars novels. I've read a few, but they usually make me squirm until I decide that burning them might put them to better use. This one was not only not a complete waste of the weird-smelling cheap paper it is printed on (what's with how Star Wars novels all smell the same?) but I honestly seriously enjoyed it. It's like the Star Wars comics I used to read when I was a kid--and, even better, it knows it.

Matthew Stover, I haven't read what else you've done, but at this point I don't care. We're cool.

Another brilliant addition by Matthew Woodring Stover to the Star Wars universe. His books are the only ones that actually delve into the force and give plausible alternative explanations to what the force really is (not the same old "is the force a tool or does it only guide our actions?).The new Fate of the Jedi series is trying to do so (and failing miserably) but just ends up coming out with odd force powers among other things.

There are also some physics theories tied into this book, which "interact" nicely with the force and produce some very interesting concepts.

The characters were all back to there old selves, except Luke who has a different light shown on him, and his struggle therein is captivating and "horrifying" all at the same time. There are also some returning characters from Shatterpoint and a new antagonist who has a new philosophy on the dark side.

I leave you with the advice that you should be prepared to think before you begin reading this book. If you aren't in the mood to do some cognitive processing go watch a movie and save this for another time.