Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1) [Hardcover]

R.A. Salvatore (Author), Cliff Nielsen (Illustrator)

Book Description

Series: Star Wars: The New Jedi Order | Publication Date: October 5, 1999

An exciting new era of Star Wars history is about to begin--as fantasy and science fiction's most acclaimed authors propel the legendary epic into the next millennium, introducing us to a rich cast of characters that features old favorites--Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa Solo--along with the next generation of Jedi and never-before seen creatures, droids, and deadly agents of darkness. In Vector Prime, the launch novel for this thrilling new saga, New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore takes the Star Wars universe to previously unscaled heights of action and imagination, expanding the beloved story of a galaxy far, far away . . .

Twenty-one years have passed since the heroes of the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star, breaking the power of the Emperor. Since then, the New Republic has valiantly struggled to maintain peace and prosperity among the peoples of the galaxy. But unrest has begun to spread; tensions erupt in outbreaks of rebellion that, if unchecked, threaten to destroy the Republic's tenuous reign.

Into this volatile atmosphere comes Nom Anor, a charismatic firebrand who heats passions to the boiling point, sowing seeds of dissent for his own dark motives. In an effort to avert a catastrophic civil war, Leia travels with her daughter Jaina, her sister-in-law Mara Jade, and the loyal protocol droid C-3PO, to conduct face-to-face diplomatic negotiations with Nom Anor. But he proves resistant to Leia's entreaties--and, far more inexplicably, within the Force, where a being should be, was . . . blank space.

Meanwhile, Luke is plagued by reports of rogue Jedi Knights who are taking the law into their own hands. And so he wrestles with a dilemma: Should he attempt, in this climate of mistrust, to reestablish the legendary Jedi Council?

As the Jedi and the Republic focus on internal struggles, a new threat surfaces, unnoticed, beyond the farthest reaches of the Outer Rim. An enemy appears from outside known space, bearing weapons and technology unlike anything New Republic scientists have ever seen. Suddenly Luke, Mara, Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca--along with the Solo children--are thrust again into battle, to defend the freedom so many have fought and died for. But this time, all their courage, sacrifice, and even the power of the Force itself may not be enough. . . .

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Fifty-seven years have passed since the events of Phantom Menace, 25 since A New Hope, and 21 since the Empire's final defeat over Endor. The still-fragile New Republic, rocked by internal conflict, now faces a potentially overwhelming challenge from beyond the known galaxy: the Yuuzhan Vong, a sinister race of warriors using highly advanced (and creepy) organic "devices" and vehicles, whose immense strength and technological edge lets them fight toe to toe with Jedi. And who better to flesh out these powerful and malevolent aliens, so dismissive and disdainful of humanity, than R.A. Salvatore, the author who almost single-handedly popularized Dungeons and Dragons' equally awful bad guys, the Drow, with his Drizzt Do'Urden books.

In kicking off Del Rey's five-year New Jedi Order story arc, Salvatore must endure the predictable hazing of any new Star Wars author. But an accomplished storyteller backed by legions of fans, the Dark Elf author proves to be up to the task and thankfully sensitive to the well-loved characters he's borrowing time with. Vector Prime sets up the early stages of the covert Praetorite Vong invasion, giving us a closeup glimpse of this nefarious new race and following our heroes' attempts to combat them. Luke struggles with whether to revive the Jedi Council; Mara still fights her deadly disease; Lando is back helping Han, Chewie, and Leia; and Leia and Solo's kids finally come into their own. Prepare yourself, though, for when a major, beloved character gets ceremoniously smushed. (Although we've seen Boba Fett come back from worse.... ) --Paul Hughes

From the Inside Flap

An exciting new era of Star Wars history is about to begin--as fantasy and science fiction's most acclaimed authors propel the legendary epic into the next millennium, introducing us to a rich cast of characters that features old favorites--Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Leia Organa Solo--along with the next generation of Jedi and never-before seen creatures, droids, and deadly agents of darkness. In Vector Prime, the launch novel for this thrilling new saga, New York Times bestselling author R. A. Salvatore takes the Star Wars universe to previously unscaled heights of action and imagination, expanding the beloved story of a galaxy far, far away . . .

Twenty-one years have passed since the heroes of the Rebel Alliance destroyed the Death Star, breaking the power of the Emperor. Since then, the New Republic has valiantly struggled to maintain peace and prosperity among the peoples of the galaxy. But unrest has begun to spread; tensions erupt in outbreaks of rebellion that, if unchecked, threaten to destroy the Republic's tenuous reign.

Into this volatile atmosphere comes Nom Anor, a charismatic firebrand who heats passions to the boiling point, sowing seeds of dissent for his own dark motives. In an effort to avert a catastrophic civil war, Leia travels with her daughter Jaina, her sister-in-law Mara Jade, and the loyal protocol droid C-3PO, to conduct face-to-face diplomatic negotiations with Nom Anor. But he proves resistant to Leia's entreaties--and, far more inexplicably, within the Force, where a being should be, was . . . blank space.

Meanwhile, Luke is plagued by reports of rogue Jedi Knights who are taking the law into their own hands. And so he wrestles with a dilemma: Should he attempt, in this climate of mistrust, to reestablish the legendary Jedi Council?

As the Jedi and the Republic focus on internal struggles, a new threat surfaces, unnoticed, beyond the farthest reaches of the Outer Rim. An enemy appears from outside known space, bearing weapons and technology unlike anything New Republic scientists have ever seen. Suddenly Luke, Mara, Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca--along with the Solo children--are thrust again into battle, to defend the freedom so many have fought and died for. But this time, all their courage, sacrifice, and even the power of the Force itself may not be enough. . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: LucasBooks; 1st edition (October 5, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345428447
• ISBN-13: 978-0345428448
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 1.2 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (431 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #815,288 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

R.A. Salvatore has spent so many years winding himself into fantasy worlds that he's still trying to figure out how to unwind. He is the author of more than forty novels and more than a dozen New York Times best sellers, including The Two Swords, which debuted at or near the top of many best seller lists.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

142 of 162 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Close minded judgemental SW fans stay away....., February 29, 2000

By 

Slipknot (Gresham, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1) (Hardcover)

[...] I've read all the Star Wars novels also, and I liked most of them, didn't like some, and some I thought were fantastic. Tim Zahn, for instance has 5 brilliant novels. This novel is great too. [...] Aren't you tired of the Empire making ANOTHER comeback? Aren't you tired of the Jedi kids getting kidnapped again? Aren't you tired of another Superweapon? Then this is a fantastic step in the right direction. The writing is very fast paced and is gripping. Many readers complain of "no plot movement". I beg to differ. It moves along at a fine pace, and there is another thing to consider. This is the FIRST book in a continuous story arc of a TWENTY-FIVE book series. Do you want everything resolved in one book? Give me a break. I think the Yuuzhan Vong are a very interesting race, and will make for some great books. Also, you people that can't handle Chewie's death, get a life(By the way, I found his death was classy and well done. I was nearly brought to tears, and he went out a hero). For so long now, our SW characters were invincible. The books lose some intensity when you KNOW the main stars can't die. This move wasn't a publicity stunt. It was bringing something fresh and new to the Star Wars universe, and I welcome it. There was also a comment about this being a DARK novel. I agree. It is more dark and foreboding than others. But, I must say after "Phantom Menace" seemed to target the 10 and under audience, I'm very happy to see the SW universe take a more adult view, without losing the "feeling" of this great place. You want more cute stuff, go read Ewok adventures or something. One criticism I agree with was the portrayal of Mara Jade. Her character was rather flat, and I expected much more from the firey red-headed Jedi. Of course, she kind of has her reasons for being so subdued. Finally, I'm sending a challege to all Star Wars fans that bashed Vector Prime. Go to theforce.net and read the MASSIVE interview with R.A. Salvatore in the interview section. He addresses many of the criticisms of his novel, and really explained everything you could possibly want to know about the new direction of the novels. Including the Chewie issue and many others. I GUARANTEE upon reading this, some will change minds about this novel. Hopefully I haven't offended anyone too badly, for we all love Star Wars, and I just get upset when my SW brothers and sisters can't handle change. I think more highly of us as readers. I'm off my soapbox now.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dark, Darker, Darkest, October 8, 1999

By 

taking a rest - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1) (Hardcover)

This is not the Star Wars we all grew up with. I have read all the books, all the collected comics etc, and this is something very different. The art on the cover gives you an idea of what's inside. Two things that are outstanding; 1. a Map of The Star Wars Galaxy, 2. and a Time Line of the books, that while not going all the way back, covers 99% of what should have been included years ago. THANK YOU! Mr. Salvatore adapted to this saga very well, and without the one-liners that have gotten so annoying from the original 3 movies. He didn't use any crutches, and created amazing new life forms, organic weapons etc. Excellent story, well-paced, never slumps, keeps the tension high, so plan on a late night or two. The "IT" that others refer to bothered me, as I feel it was unecessary. That type of written device usually props up a weak story, and this book is anything but weak. But be prepared, this is a grim New Republic, many of our favorite characters are angry, very angry.Teenagers kill, with justification, but it's one more reminder that this "New" series is very new and very dark. If it were a movie, they would have to work hard and cut alot to not get an R. Still it's outstanding. Don't give up on "IT", a crack in that door was left open, and fans will kick that door in. Enjoy!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Here come the Vong, hang on to your ships!!!, February 23, 2003

By 

David Roy (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vector Prime (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 1) (Hardcover)

It was with a bit of trepidation that I started the first book in the Star Wars: The New Jedi Order series, Vector Prime. It's been a long while since I've read a Star Wars book, and the ones I had read before weren't the greatest. However, I've heard good things about this series, so I decided to pick the first one up. And I am glad I did. While it's not an outstanding book, it is a very good one. It's well-written with lots of action scenes, and brought back a bit of a feeling of the movies.

There are many good things about this book. The Empire no longer exists, but the Yuuzhan Vong seem like they will be a formidable enemy for Luke and his friends. They have that seemingly unstoppable quality about them that brings to mind the Empire, but they are different enough that they don't seem like retreads. The Vong are a very organic species. They use living things as their ships as well as many of their weapons. Insects that are bred to cut through the metal of ships or that cut through flesh with the slightest touch. I found them a very interesting species, and I think they will be an intriguing enemy for the New Republic to fight. I look forward to reading more about them in subsequent books.

The main characters are well done. They are the same characters we know and love from the movies, but they have changed enough to acknowledge that they are older and wiser now. They seem a little bit more resigned to their battles, not glorying in them as they used to. Han and Leia, with teenage children now who want to be in the thick of the action, realize that their kids are becoming what they were all those years ago. Luke and his wife, Mara Jade, are also very interesting. Luke's dilemma about the Jedi Council seems like something that will come up in later books, as he doesn't have a lot of time to think about the idea in this one. It adds to the feeling of a series, as the reader gets the idea that more is happening than just what is going on in the story itself. Mara is fighting off a mysterious illness that seems to be infecting some people sensitive to the Force, and while she continues to battle hard, it's a battle that it looks like she may lose. The main characters are given interesting problems to deal with and it makes them people you want to read about.

The death of a major character is stunning (unless, of course, you've heard all about it already), and it bodes well for this series. You will never know whether or not a character who is in danger will actually die. This really sets the tone for the entire series, one that will be dark and where anything can happen. But don't worry. There are numerous light moments in this book as well, despite the foreboding feel of the plot. The good-natured competition between the three Solo children is great, and the interplay between Lando and the others is quite good as well.

One of the major problems with this book is Danni Quee and the other characters who are at the edge of the galaxy, monitoring. They are the first ones to notice the Vong coming, though they think at first it's just an asteroid or something. However, the problem is that these are some of the most uninteresting characters I've read about in awhile. They go through the motions of what they are supposed to do, fulfilling their functions happily but not engaging the reader's interest at all. Whenever they appear on the stage, the story grinds to a halt. They don't even register much when they meet their inevitable fate. Danni gets off better than the rest, but that's because she has more of a function. It's almost like Salvatore needed some characters to have Danni play off of, but otherwise didn't want to expend much effort in them.

Another problem is that the book is overwritten a bit. One thing I hate is when exclamation marks are used by the narrator. I think that it's an attempt to add false tension and excitement to a book, and it really turns me off. Salvatore does that a few times in this book, and it brought me up short each time. It's annoying, and I wish authors would stop doing that. The book was exciting enough without this. Salvatore really has a good sense of the action scene, and it seems he went to the Michael Stackpole school of writing about space battles. Ships are flying all over the place, some blowing up, some not. The pace is fluid and never dull. It's hard to do something like this in prose, but Salvatore does a good job. The tension never lets up during these scenes, a sign of a good action writer. I was very impressed. The battle at the end of the book is especially breathtaking.

All in all, though, this is a great start to the New Jedi Order series. It sets the scene very well, sets the mood, and introduces all of the characters. A lot of the main characters were introduced in previous books, but Salvatore presents everything you need to know about them. Their histories are not told completely, so there are some subtle nuances that long-time readers will see that newcomers won't, but it doesn't hurt the book at all. A large part of the plot is dependent on coincidences, but that's par for the course in the Star Wars universe, so it didn't bug me that much. If it bugs you, then you may find a few too many "yeah, right" moments. But for me, it's a good start, and I can't wait to read more.