Star Wars- Legacy of the Force

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force by Karen Traviss, Aaron Alliston, and Troy Denning, 2006-2008. Series Comprises: Betrayal, Bloodlines, Tempest, Exile, Sacrifice, Inferno, Fury, Revelation, and Invincible.

If (like me) you have not been following the Expanded Universe of the Star Wars novels, you should prepare for a complicated reentry in this series that offers both gravity and payoffs aplenty to the Star Wars aficionado. In a storyline beginning forty years after the Battle of Yavin (known to the layperson as the first movie), the families of Luke Skywalker and Han and Leia Solo become embroiled in a new galactic conflict, with family and friends on both sides. In the midst of the confusion, Han and Leia’s son Jacen Solo begins treading a disturbingly familiar path towards darkness, while the Jedi Order tries to keep peace and discern the right in a galaxy gone to shades of moral gray.
The aforementioned Expanded Universe is sum of all events published under the Star Wars name, such as the New Jedi Order series. Fortunately, it is not necessary to have read previous novels in order to comprehend this series; the characters are introduced gradually, and with nine novels one would hope the individuals are known to us by the end of the journey. The prose is well delivered, and there is a conscious avoidance of Star Wars arcana which would alienate a newcomer; moreover, there are frequent moments of great human introspection, where a specific character will dive into the current events and take the time to give a very personal interpretation.
But by far the most compelling moments deal with the beloved characters of the movies; Wedge Antilles and Han Solo exchange friendly banter, and Luke Skywalker’s steps carry the weight of having been the epitome of the Jedi for four decades. These characters have changed in the years but still remain recognizable, triggering a nostalgia that touches on the profound. The Star Wars universe has moved on, and become a place that is surprisingly very similar to what we used to know. This series is an excellent read for anyone who still has a little crush on George Lucas’ infamous world, as well as simple a marvelous and epic tale of love, evil, and life.