Another volume of setting things up for major storyarcs later on... Not that this book wasn't totally entertaining, but it did feel an awful lot like waiting for things to happen. The Mon Calamari are enslaved by the Sith, the New Empire and Alliance have formed a shaky partnership, and Darth Wyrrlock has secretly seized control of the Sith through his deception over Darth Krayt's death. And of course Cade Skywalker & company are wreaking havoc and making bad choices as always. It's been made pretty clear in previous stories that Cade is not exactly the best judge of a situation, and when it comes to his dying friends he is proven even less capable of doing the right thing when he lies to ensure that his former Jedi-now-Imperial Knight friend will live with the help of a bacta suit similar to Darth Vader's. A lot of the action that did occur in this book is clearly in preparation for some major drama in the future, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it all turns out. ( )

At the end of the previous volume of Legacy, Vector, Darth Krayt, the Sith Emperor, was killed.  Storms picks up right from that, with Cade Skywalker and his band of fellow adventurers (i.e., pirates and bounty hunters) trying to make it to safety so that the dying Imperial Knight Azlyn Rae can be healed.  What follows hits the notes that Legacy has hit many times over at this point, unfortunately; a galaxy free of Krayt has not changed Cade Skywalker's outlook one jot.  He's angry and purposeless and lashing out at those who know him, yadda yadda yadda.  We do see him go the farthest he's ever gone in his attempts to hold on to someone's life, further even than with Marasiah Fel in Broken; he uses the Dark Side to keep Azlyn alive, but with a terrible cost that will make for some interesting dynamics should they ever be reunited.

As always, it seems as though the most interesting parts of the world Ostrander and Duursema dreamed up are the ones sideways from the main story.  Storms features two side stories.  The first, "Fight Another Day," focuses on the Sith Empire's ongoing attempts to exterminate the Mon Calamari for their betrayal of the Sith; this time they are opposed by a lone Imperial Knight in a decent little story that shows the Imperial Knights at their best.

The second, "Renegade," focuses on the man who is surely Legacy's best character and true hero, Gar Stazi, admiral of the Galactic Alliance Remnant.  Holding fast to the Alliance when even the Jedi have abandoned it, Stazi demonstrates his mettle here in a cool story where the GA takes the first steps in its fledgling alliance with the Imperial rebels against the Sith.  Its characterization of some of the Imperials is a little simplistic, I think, but on the whole, it is a solid story, the best in this volume.

The first half of the book gives us looks into the galactic-scale conflict, with an Imperial knight resisting the Sith effort to make an example of Dac, and an alliance between the exiled Emperor and the Galactic Republic attacking a Sith fleet. The latter part resumes the story of Cade Skywalker after his battle with Darth Krayt, and the fallout from his decisions. Lots of intense conflict— quite a page-turner. ( )

Mon Calamari are fighting for their lives but one single Imperial Knight may prove to be the decisive factor in organizing resistance against SIth lead Imperial forces.

Republic and loyalist Imperial forces have embarked on a joint mission to capture Krayt's fleet. But everything goes in an unexpected turn of events when Imperial forces decide to act ..... well following their tradition.

In the meantime, Wrylock runs into troubles while trying to hide the true condition of Darth Krayt.

Great stories, lots of twists and turns - and yes, great scenes of space combat :)

Recommended. ( )

There are three stories in this volume: an Imperial Knight helps fight the Sith Imperials underwater with the Mon Calamari, Gar Stazi tests his new alliance with Roan Fel, and Cade Skywalker makes his case for stealing the title "Dark Times" from that other series. I prefer longer, more cohesive story arcs, but these glimpses at the Legacy-era galaxy are still interesting. ( )