“Fate of the Jedi” is the third multi-author “Star Wars” series from Del Rey, following the Yuuzhan Vong series and the Jacen-turns-evil series. The first two can be labeled interesting experiments, but the format is really clicking this time around.
After Aaron Allston’s “Outcast,” “Star Wars” newcomer Christie Golden makes a solid debut with “Omen.”
“Star Wars” yarns are only as good as the villains — the Yuuzhan Vong’s culture of pain was more gross than scary and Jacen Solo’s turn to the dark side was more rote than I would’ve liked. Golden is onto something (I hope) with the introduction of Vestara, a young woman who grows up on a planet that’s been isolated from space travel for generations.
The Sith society on Kesh assumes their culture is dominant in the galaxy, until they get off the planet via the titular talking ship and learn about Luke Skywalker’s new Jedi Order. The Kesh Sith (easier to type than say) are a yet another threat to the galaxy (what’s a “Star Wars” tale without one?), but it’s a compelling one, especially if the authors can avoid the “look at how evil they are” route and get inside the heads of Vestara and her people.
Meanwhile, back on Coruscant, “Star Wars” meets “Jurassic Park” in an entertaining sequence. Han and Leia take granddaughter Allana to a livestock show where a psychotic Jedi (the fourth to fall victim to a mysterious mental ailment) lets loose the rancors, nexus, reeks, etc. The creatures — showcased in memorable sequences in the films, particularly the arena in “Attack of the Clones” — are sometimes overlooked in the books, but Golden makes up for that.
In the third plotline, the banter between Luke and Ben — who continue to trace Jacen’s planet-to-planet path to evil — is good stuff. They seem like a real father and son, mostly getting along easily but sometimes clashing in their debates about the Force.
Up next in this hardcover-only series (money-saving tip: check out your local library) is Troy Denning’s “Abyss” on Aug. 18, then it’s back to Allston for Book 4.