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48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jacen's Odyssey, July 30, 2002
This review is from: Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) (Mass Market Paperback)
Let me make two things clear: I am a diehard Star Wars fanboy, and a bigtime Stover groupie. A such, when this novel was announced months ago, it quickly became my most anticipated Star Wars novel ever. As the months wore on, the anxiety grew; I needed this book, and simply couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I trusted that Stover would give me a fantastic novel. My trust was not unfounded. Right from the outset, this book is something special. Stover is a compulsively readable writer, and his prose and writing style are head and shoulders above many of the other authors writing Star Wars novels. He knows how to turn a phrase and shape a paragraph so that it sticks in your mind long after you've finished reading the book. And what a book! From the Holy [cow]! opening (which finally explained Jacen's emanations from Dark Journey) to the stunningly awesome climax (featuring one of the coolest lightsaber fights ever) to the outstanding three-against-the-galaxy ending (and you'll NEVER guess who the third one is), Traitor proved impossible to put down. Literally. I read it in one sitting and have since read it twice more. Jacen's feats in this book put to shame similar conquests by his siblings in the novels focusing on them, and Vergere absolutely blossoms as an interesting, enigmatic character. Jacen's revelations throughout the novel, often spurred by Vergere's observations, are consistently interesting (and pretty consistent with what you'd come to expect from a Stover novel). With Nom Anor it's pretty much just more of the same, which is getting kind of old, but Ganner really shines here. You can expect a cameo or three from a long lost pal, as well as a whole lot of Stover-style philosophizing on the nature of the Force and its Dark Side, as well as what makes a Hero, and what makes a Jedi, and a whole bunch of other questions that haven't, or haven't often, been tackled before in a Star Wars novel. You'll be surprised at the answers offered, when they are offered, which isn't always, considering that, as is said, the question is often more telling than the answer. The action is fantastic, as is to be expected from a Stover novel, and for you skeptics out there - put your fears to rest; there's only one fight scene (out of many) that's described at all graphically or gorily. Do not mistake graphicness for intensity, however - these fights are as intense as anything you've seen in a Star Wars novel. Overall, yes, this is easily my favorite New Jedi Order novel so far; my only real complaint is that there's not more of it. And it could have used a little more humor. If you're a Star Wars fan, or a Stover fan, or just a fan of good Literature (yes, I daresay that this, a Star Wars novel, qualifies as Literature), you can't go wrong with this book. It is, quite simply, the best Star Wars novel yet published.
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32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An intense and gratifying read, August 2, 2002
This review is from: Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) (Mass Market Paperback)
In TRAITOR, Matthew Stover gives one of the first real hero journeys in the NJO series. Jacen Solo was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong shortly after his brother Anakin died. It has long been advanced that he was subsequently killed by them. Stover provides the action which led to Jacen's severance from the force causing even his twin sister Jaina to believe him dead. While all the previous NJO novels boasted a large supporting cast, TRAITOR possesses only six characters. The foremost of them are Jacen and Vergere. Vergere has appeared several times in past NJO novels, as well as some Pre-Empire novels. Always enigmatic, she plays both friend and foe to Jacen, seemingly helping ease his pain at times during his indenture, other times aiding those who hold him. Constantly throughout the book, the reader is forced to wonder exactly whose side she is on, if on any side at all other than her own. Thankfully, it seems this question is honestly resolved at the book's end. As a prisoner, Jacen is first subjected to what any reader would regard as torture, but not for any specific purpose, e.g., gathering of information. This motivation, among others, is part of the learning Jacen must experience in order finally to find a path for his life. In previous novels he has appeared only as a whiner, always wondering if he is doing enough, too much, or simply the wrong thing. While he must suffer much, he gains wisdom and experience unique among Jedi. This book is filled with some of the most descriptive writing in the series, but it lacks some of the flamboyant action and violence typical of some of the past books. If you really want space combat and individual battles of Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong, this is really not the book for you. While there are some moments, they all serve to educate and mature young Jacen. There is a very significant combat at the end involving a figure not seen much since the earlier novels in the series in which he played a noticeable role. I really enjoyed this book, as it was more cerebral and psychological in nature than those preceeding it in the series. It is a short book, though, under 300 pages, ending too quickly for my enjoyment.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A very emotional and very different Star Wars novel, September 9, 2002
This review is from: Traitor (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 13) (Mass Market Paperback)
Jacen Solo, brother to twin Jaina and younger Anakin.....long thought dead to the New Republic and an underestimated Jedi makes a strong comeback in this 13th installment of the New Jedi Order series. However, this book is slightly different from the 12 that preceded it. I'd say about 85% of this novel takes a direct focus on Jacen and the enigmatic Vergere. It seems that the Vong have had special plans for Jacen all along, not only as a twin to Jaina, but to help capture her as well. Nom Anor and Vergere concoct a plan to turn Jacen...turn him to the Vong cause. Everything Jacen has ever learned as a Jedi is now put to question as Vergere takes the roll of teacher. She challenges Jacen to rethink his role in the universe and his destiny....a destiny without the use or link of the Force. Jacen soon discovers that there is more to the force than just the light and dark sides. He begins to retrain himself, not necessarily as a Jedi, but something else...something bigger than the Force as he learned it from Master Skywalker. Jacen's abilities and sensitivity to telepathic and empathetic thoughts soon exceed even Nom Anor's and Verge's wildest dreams. Jacen becomes something new, and Nom Anor revels in the fact that Jaina Solo will soon be his with the aide of his newest Vong prodigy. But nothing ever ends up the way things are planned in a good Star Wars novel. Jedi Ganner Rhysode has heard the rumors....Rumors that Jacen lives and has returned to the core worlds. His mission is his own, rescue Jacen and bring hope to the losing New Republic and crush the Vong spirits. But Ganner stumbles upon a man once known as Jacen, but someone much different and much more powerful. Soon, Ganner must make a choice and perhaps place his trust in a much darker and powerful Jacen. I can't say enough good things about this novel. Though there is plenty of action and background information given on the Vong, the trial and tribulations of Jacen under the thumb of Nom Anor and Vergere are very powerful for the reader. While there is plenty of action for the reader, author Matthew Stover really gets the reader sucked into the psyche of Jacen. Soon you really are emotionally attached to Jacen's character and feel his confusion and doubt of everything he though he believed. The role of Vergere in this book was pivotal, and even though the reader may find her musings and teaching maddening at times (she speaks a lot in riddles and never gives a straight answer), but does a wonderful job in actually making the reader question everything we have read about the Jedi order and the Force. Is it possible that there in more to the Force than just the light and dark sides? This book will surely make you ponder. Excellent job.
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