They kept spelling C3PO as threepio and it took me forever to figure it out. it was less than 300 pages and I couldn't force myself to finish it. ( )

I'm not going to lie. I couldn't stand this book. Between all the personal drama that seemed to happen when people should have been focused on the very real approaching threat, and Luke's weakened body that kept interfering with the awesome Jedi skills he had developed by Episode VI, I found a lot to dislike about this book. It felt like a mediocre, ordinary scifi book rather than a Star Wars novel. ( )

The Emperor is dead, but the Empire lives on. Luke, Leia, and Han go to a planet that I assume is named Bakura, where they try to convince the Imperial governers to surrender. Luke falls in love and tries to save a boy who is talented in the Force but controlled by evil. But what I really remember is that Luke is infected by parasites that everyone *knows* will kill him, but he fights them off with the Force and then, in a dramamtic moment that I remember to this day, appears to confront his former enemies. One of them shoots at him, he ducks, and then (barely holding himself together after all his adventures and fighting off the infection) he slowly presses upward and stands again, like a "lithe grey shadow." At least ten years later I remember specific lines from this scene. For some reason it made a huge impression upon me. For the Luke scenes alone, I recommend reading this book in addition to the rightfully ubiquitously recommended Zahn trilogy. ( )

This novel, which takes place pretty much right after the events of Episode VI, finds our heroes rushing to the aid of the planet Bakura, which has been under Imperial control and now finds itself under the threat of the Ssi-ruuk, an alien species who want to harness human souls to power small fighter droids. Luke and Leia are dealing with the death of their father (in very different ways), Han is trying to romance Leia amidst political intrigue and fighting, and Luke is learning to fully master his use of the Force. While the events of this book are interesting, I did not connect fully with the story - probably because I kept having to stop reading for long periods of time due to being busy with work and other things. I hope that as I continue to move through the Star Wars novels they become more interesting and engaging. ( )

Read this one several years ago.

Story takes place right after Return of The Jedi. The Alliance has become aware of a distress signal from a far outpost bordering the Unknown Regions and send assistance as part of the first diplomatic missions for the new to be New Republic.

Our heroes find a previously unknown alien race, the Ssi-ruuk, who drain the life-energy of sentient beings to power their ships, a technique called entechment.

Bakura is an Imperial outpost but because of the Ssi-ruuk threat they agree to join forces with the Rebels and stop an invasion of a species that had not been seen before.

Luke meet Gaeriel Captison, a young Bakura senator, to whom he feels an attraction (one of the first love interests for Luke in the Expanded Universe) and Gariel also feels something back but has to fight her religious beliefs that objects the Jedi.

Leia also starts dealing with the fact that she is the daughter of Darth Vader who appears in spirit form a few times to ask for her forgiveness.

This book opened the possibility of new threats from the Unknown Regions, something that was explored in future books, and also the growth of Luke as a character finding potential romantic interests and become a Jedi Knight/Master. Some readers might not find it one of the best books but it would be a good starting point. ( )