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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Parts better than the whole, 13 Aug 2008
The penultimate installment of Legacy of the Force gets off to a slow start, has far too much material that doesn't drive the plot, but is nevertheless one of the more interesting chapters in the series.
While you might not notice it among the large number of pages devoted to the Mandalorians, a few things actually happen in Revelation. The Imperial Remnant and Joint Chief of State Niathal turn against Jacen, a lovable EU character bows out while another one shows up literally out of nowhere to save the day, the Skywalkers and Solos finally wise up to Jacen, plus there's one of Legacy's most suspenseful space battles. Amongst all the happening, you'll also find the most genuine writing of the series, including what has to be one of the most touching scenes in the Extended Universe.
The first half of the book is rather plodding. A large part is written as a police procedural, with Ben out to gather forensic evidence necessary to convince his family (and prove to himself) that Jacen killed his mother, Mara. While unnecessary for the reader - we knew Jacen was the killer before we even read the fifth chapter, Sacrifice - a solid presentation of the facts is required for the Skywalker and Solo families, who, as a Mandalorian healer remarks to Jaina, have "been hoping that [Jacen will] see the light and [won't] have to do the dirty work."
Unfortunately for the series as a whole, there's been far too much material on the Mandalorians, material largely irrelevant to the main plot, and that's especially so in this volume. The editors at Del Rey should have suggested a side-project for Traviss where she could have developed the material more fully and without having to try to find ways to justify its inclusion here. The ostensible purpose for the Mandos in this volume is Jaina's search for a method or means of capturing or killing her twin brother Jacen. She goes to one of the galaxy's most feared Jedi hunters, Boba Fett, who fits her in armor, shows her how to use a metal blade, but most importantly teaches her the need to be someone else: "A nasty Jaina. A crafty, cheating Jaina. A bounty-hunting Jaina." The training itself doesn't require that many pages. What does is concluding the drama of Boba Fett and tying up loose ends from Traviss' Republic Commando series, both of which happen to fit neatly into the thematic foundation of the book, if not necessarily the plot. The revelations include Boba's poignant sacrifice for his wife, a Jedi disclosing his true identity, Jaina's calling, Mara's murderer, and a Sith's coming out.
Once all the preliminaries are out of the way, the second act is a page-turner featuring one of the most unusual space battles of the series, in which not one but two new players and two new fleets join the fray. The Galactic Alliance is riven mid-battle by a defection, and the planet being targeted becomes the planet from which a new alliance forms up against Jacen, driving him home to Coruscant to make what will most likely be his last stand in the final volume, Invincible.
The extended epilogue tidies up the Mandalorian saga with the most sincere and genuine writing of the series. This is perhaps the only Star Wars novel that ever got me choked up. And not once, but twice within the last 20 pages. The hardened mercenary unburdens himself, opens his heart and finds himself accepted, taking the first step to winning back the love and the family he had quietly cherished for more than 50 years. The Jedi deserter Gotab has at last a chance to explain himself to a fellow Jedi, to stop hiding and at last be welcomed within his adopted community for what he is, and not what he has pretended to be. Jaina learns to look outside herself, finding a reason and a will to do what 's necessary to take care of her evil twin brother. And in the last two pages, Traviss delivers the most understated and touching scene from the Star Wars Extended Universe, a quiet ending with Ben and Luke in the still of the Endor night. Read it and weep.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply Fantastic !!!!, 11 Mar 2008
I started to read the first few pages and I couldn't put it down ! I feel it is a well written book that is back to its Star Wars best ! I cant wait for the next and last book !!!
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6 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping penulitmate entry to the series, 15 Mar 2008
Revelation is book eight of Legacy of the Force and Karen Traviss rounds off her final contribution to the series in style. The pieces are brought into their final positions before the conclusion. We see Jacen Solo/Darth Caedus continue to spiral down the path he tried so hard to avoid, all the while trying to convince himself he is still on the right track and that everything can still come right. The war takes a startling turn as his allies within the Galactic Alliance leadership and military try to end his destructive quest for order.
Revelation delivers the frantic feel that a penultimate book needs to have going into the concluding chapter plus a great deal more. We see the Imperial Remnant come into the war in a big way. The plot begins with Jacen Solo trying to get an Galactic Alliance member state to commit its own fleet to the ongoing war in a situation a lot like the Wookiees assault fleet from Inferno. This time it is the Imperial Remnants fleet that is needed by Jacen. However the Imperial Remnant under the command of former Gallactic Alliance Defense Forces Supreme Commander Gilad Pelleon decides to go along with Jacens plan to attack the Confederations shipyard world of Fondor, if only to be in a position to make a grab for power if things go wrong. This along with Joint Chief of State Cha Niathals new alliance with the Jedi Order to remove Jacen from power set the scene for the explosive Battle of Fondor which sees major revelations for everyone involved. The battle is amazing and quite unique as it takes up a large chunk of the novel. While this is taking place we see Jaina Solo learn from Boba Fett and the Mandalorians the tips and tricks to bring her brother in or bring him down for the good of the galaxy. The book also has a great plot focusing on Ben Skywalker investigating his mothers death this is one of my favorite parts of the book full of heartbreaking scenes. Giving us an amazing depiction of young Ben Skywalker searching for the truth and doing things by the book. All this takes place at a great pace propelling us towards the finale with shocking revelations, events and an out of the blue appearance of a face from the past.
Karen Traviss does a very good job of telling a gripping story in its own right while obviously moving everything in place for the series conclusion. Which plays to Karen Traviss's strengths. In all honesty I believe her uncompromising and less clean cut approach to the series plot would have made her a bad choice to end the series. However in Revelation it is an essential quality in gearing up for the final book Invincible. As the saying goes "It is always darkest before the dawn". Highly recommended.
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