I enjoyed this book even though I really don't like Jacen turing to the dark side. I still remember him as he was in the young jedi series. Now he is the apprentice of Lumiya, a sith and an old enemy of his father's. Boba Fett is dying and trying to find a kaminoan scientist to help him. It makes him a little more human.He is also trying to find his daughter who he hasn't seen in 50 years. He finally finds his daughter but he finds out she has died by the hands of Jacen. If you want see how Jacen falls deeper to the dark side then read this book.

I love Karen's books. She is great, but not even she could make up for this silly story. On the one hand you have all the goofy behavior of the characters. Jacen Solo--it makes me laugh. He's playing the martyr roll to the silly extreme. "Oh woe is me, I know everyone will hate me if I do these things, but it is the right thing and has to be done, so I'll do it." Even when he tortures someone to death, it doesn't quite dawn on him that he's probably not one of the good guys anymore. Its just another rehashing of the old Anakin plot. There HAS to be order in the galaxy, and of course the ONLY person who can do that is Jacen? Give me a break.

What's even more silly is that suddenly the GA are the bad guys, yet nobody ever says why. Not to mention that Luke--has allowed the Jedi to get roped back into "protecting" the government, which is exactly what lead to their downfall the first time. It is as if all those decades of experience amounted to nothing. Continuing the sillyness is their 13 year old son that they simply let run around and do whatever he wants. Jedi or not, the kid is still a kid, and although I sympathize with him to some extent, I get tired of hearing about his whining inner dialogue about being viewed as just a kid, or just luke's kid. The little family problems just got so ridiculous that they detracted from the story completely.

The saving grace of the book is the Fett storyline, which is masterfully done. It is nice seeing the world from his perspective for once. Yes its cool viewing him as this mysterious bad-guy, but that's just not enough after this many years. Karen does a fabulous job of showing his humanity, or what little he can possess given his background.

I'm really enjoying this series within the series. I hated the New Order series about the Vong. I thought it was pointless. Yes, there were some good books but overall I didn't like the series. However, I'm really getting into the changing of Jacen Solo. I've always been interested in Jacen and Jaina. I know a lot of people are saying it's a repeat of Anakin Skywalker's turn. Maybe it is, but I think it's more. Jacen is older and more mature. He knows what he is doing and getting into. He is wanting to become a Sith Lord. I really got into this second book of the series. I felt that Karen Traviss wrote the thoughts and feelings very well. She explored issues with Ben Skywalker being brought into this and being in the middle. I didn't really care for the Bobo Fett sections of the book. I didn't understand why he was in even in the book other than the author loves Mandolores. I hope that this series doesn't become an action only series. I've only read the first two and am looking forward to picking up the rest. I know what a Sith Lord can do the universe. I saw Darth Vader. I want to see what they go through on the journey. What they think and feel. I highly recommend this series and this book to all Star Wars fans.

Sadly, I found skipping over all chapters of the troubles of the Skywalker & Solo families left a really great Karen Traviss story about our favorite bounty hunter, Bobba Fett. It was almost like it was two different authors writing the intersecting story lines. Boba Fett's story was excellent and I can't wait for the author's next installment of stories of renegade clones/Mando warriors to be added to the Star Wars cannon.

Playing on modern-day threats of terrorism and the government overreactions that go along with them, Karen Traviss paints a chilling picture of Jacen Solo slipping into darkness by doing what seems right to him... and so very, very wrong to everybody around him.

Part of what makes Karen's portrayal of Jacen work is how earnest he is; he *doesn't see* that he's repeating the mistakes of his grandfather, not avoiding them. He starts with the not-so-secret police, and continues right on down to the torture of prisoners...

Which is where Boba Fett comes in. On first read, his presence here (and in her other books in the series) seems like a contrivance on the part of the author. And maybe it is, but it's one that the other authors in the series have picked up and run with, so in retrospect it actually works quite well.

Where Betrayal found Jacen turning onto the Sith path, BLOODLINES sees others noticing the changes in him. The book is very much about the war at home: both the one within the Skywalker/Solo clan, and the one Jacen is waging across Coruscant. (And even, to an extent, the one between Boba Fett and Mirta Gev.)

Because of this, BLOODLINES is very much a character piece, the kind of work that Karen excels at. The pacing and structure are definitely different from the other authors' works in the series; it doesn't seem to address the GA/Corellia war except in terms of how the war is shaping peoples' opinions on the home front of Coruscant. But while the book may not fit seamlessly in with the rest of the series, it's still telling an essential part of the whole. More, it's an enjoyable work all on its own.

Even though the parts of the book where Fett is the narrator can at times read like bad fanfiction this is still a worthy addition to the series. The only thing that drags the book down for me are the parts where Fett has to talk about his feelings.

There is a confrontation one bad guy gets killed but in a nine book saga you know that this will not be enough to stop the war or the manipulations of Jacen's new Sith teacher. For as many problems as I have with the pacing I like when they write the books in cycles it makes for a stronger narration.

I am in fact liking this series better then the New Jedi Order. The books in that series too often focused on the brutality of the Vong for no other reason then to add shock value,

Interesting questions are still being raised about the nature of the light side v. dark side of the force maybe Jacen is beginning the downward slope to Sith and maybe he isn't. Untimely the only way to tell is to continue to read more of this series.

The primary focus of this book is on character development. Traviss does a nice job of continuing Jacen's progression towards the dark side. The continuity with Betrayal is very good in this regard. Everything that Jacen does is believable, given his arrogance, and I like the way the author explores Jacen's continuous rationalizations for his behavior. Ben's character development is also excellent. He is beginning to think on his own, and I have no doubt that he will become a central player in the SW saga by the end of this series.
The book spends a lot of time focusing on Boba Fett. As with Jacen and Ben, Traviss does an excellent job of exploring the motivations of Fett, revealing him to be an almost pitiable characater. Personally, though, I have never found the Fett character especially interesting. Moreover, it isn't clear right now how Fett and the Mandalorians fit into the primary storyline. Fett seems more like a pet project of Traviss'. Hopefully, Fett will become a key actor at the conclusion of this series to justify the heavy attention given to him in this book.
The biggest downside of the book is that it is relatively low on the action scale. The action scenes are largely limited to Jacen and Ben rounding up the Correllians. The endless meetings and conversations slow down the pace considerably. Another HUGE point of objection for me is the incredible weakness of Luke's character. Instead of going with his gut and pulling Ben away from Jacen, he simply shies away from confrontation, even though he knows the direction that things are headed. For the Jedi Grandmaster, he sure seems impotent when he allows Jacen and even Ben to walk all over him. Luke is the wisest and most powerful man in the galaxy, and for him to appear so weak seems unbelievable. Hopefully, Luke will show some strength later in the series (the cover for Inferno seems to suggest as much).
Overall, this book deserves 3 stars. Despite the criticisms levelled at this series, I like the general direction of LoF. The first two installments are very polished; the level of prose is excellent for mass-market science fiction. I look forward to reading Tempest, which I hear has more action.

I really enjoyed the first book in the series but had a tough time with the 2nd. I just didn't feel the characters hit home at all. I ended up speeding thru the last half of the book so I would have the content but really didn't enjoy reading it. I hope the next ones better.

As other reviews have mentioned, the overall premise for this series is flawed to begin with, but the authors had before them the opportunity to explore the dark side of the Force in a nearly unique way in Jacen Solo. Jacen's exploration of the dark side could have been a reflection of the training that he received from non-Jedi force adepts, and we could have seen the dark side used by someone with both intelligence and a firm grasp of rational ethics and morality.

This does not happen in the book.

Instead we see a character who undertakes a series of rational and justifiable, if distasteful, political actions, who suddenly goes off the deep end by brutally killing a prisoner as a result of his interrogation methods, which consist of using the Force to bash the prisoner's head onto a table. Utterly confusing and irrational considering the character's telepathic and precognitive abilities, this scene serves to reinforce only the inanity of Star Wars ethics and character development.

One can always recognize a poor book by characters who act out of character. Character change is fine, when it follows a sensible progression, but when an ethical character suddenly turns psychopath, or a mass murderer suddenly learns compassion and empathy, suspension of disbelief shatters.

Unfortunately, Star Wars authors are constrained by the arbitrary and absolute decree that any dark side user *must* inevitably be not ally, but enemy and betrayer. Until a crack is put in that restriction, until it is conceivable for a dark sider to be moral or ethical (or even rational, in this case), Star Wars cannot be a vehicle for coherent exploration of human nature.

I see that the reviews for Bloodlines are STILL messed up!
Is anybody paying attention to this problem at AMAZON??

The "Legacy of the Force" Series had a good start with Aaron Allston's "Betrayal". The second instalment by Karen Traviss has its moments but all in all doesn't really belong in the Star Wars universe. What I expect from a Star Wars novel - no matter if classic or expanded universe - is that it has the Star Wars spirit! Which means that I don't want to read about today's technology, current political events or people who behave like the average US or European citizen. For example this book almost doesn't have any aliens - except maybe the Mon Calamari Fleet Admiral. Droids don't play a part as well, only humans who behave like the protagonists of a mediocre action movie. There is war against terrorism, homeland security, nice little restaurants in richly neighbourhoods, the biotech company, the stock exchange, real estate business and the news channel that reports 24 about the current political crisis... Does this sound like Star Wars?



Then there is this problem with the characters. Over the years we got to know our heroes. But I wouldn't recognize them in this book if there weren't names attached to each sentence. Leia is all but indifferent to the political and to her personal developments - that is not the committed Leia of the many many books before this one. Han Solo is an old furt who can't keep up with an even older furt (Boba Fett). Suddenly he wants to be an assassin "Please Boba let me kill my cousin, I want to shoot please..." (free interpretation). Luke doesn't have any clue and the once tough Mara is the caring mom who wants only the best for her son by letting him be trained in the force by Jacen who obviously turns to the dark side.



The story around Boba Fett and his Mandalorian heritage and the developments around Jacen and Ben Skywalker are the good parts in this book. I also liked the writing style of Mrs Travis and her chapter openings.



All in all the negative points exceed the positive ones so that I can only give two stars.

I wasn't really impressed by Betrayal (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 1), the first chapter in the new Star Wars: Legacy of the Force saga. I thought that the idea to set Jacen Solo down the path of the Sith was a poorly conceived - not to mention overused - idea that would ruin what has been until recently one of the best characters in the Star Wars Universe. Still, I decided to give book 2 - Bloodlines - a try, hoping that the series could still be salvaged.

Bloodlines focuses alternately on Jacen Solo's continuing embrace of the dark side of the force as well as the dying Boba Fett's search for something that will prolong his life, and perhaps give it meaning. The main reason I've been reading these post-movie novels is so that I can still get some enjoyment out of the Star Wars Universe without being reminded of those godawful prequels, but the story in Bloodlines draws heavily on the events of Episodes II and III, and that's just not a good thing. Jacen's story closely mirrors Anakin Skywalker's (though thankfully without the soap opera dialogue) and Boba Fett's character has been changed so much as a result of Star Wars - Episode II, Attack of the Clones (Widescreen Edition) that he's gone from being a cool, enigmatic character to a whining daddy's boy.

Well, you do the best with what you're given, and to her credit Karen Taviss manages to keep the story moving along pretty well. I couldn't really bring myself to care for Boba Fett, but Jacen's storyline, particularly the impact it has on the people around him, is worth following. I did find the author's use of current events quite interesting. If George Lucas made thinly veiled criticisms of the Bush administration in Star Wars - Episode III, Revenge of the Sith (Widescreen Edition), then Tavis rips the veil away completely here. The draconian tactics used by Jacen on his quest to become a Sith (translation: Evil), such as extraordinary rendition, "alternative interrogation methods", and just about everything he employs against "the terrorists" on his own home world are taken "Law & Order-style" from today's headlines.

I must be a glutton for punishment, because I think I'll stick with this series long enough to give Tempest (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 3) a shot. Maybe Troy Denning can turn the series around.

Ok Ive never really beeb a Fett fan, I cant understand how a creation that barely qualified as a minor character in the movies can win such a following. The whole im tourtured thats why im so dark theme has been way over used in movies and books in the last few decades. The Jedi keep over looking the whats right in front of thier noses and keep alowing them selves to be used as pawns by big government. Mara just doesent seem to get ..well much of anything not at all like the intelligent highly trained woman she used to be. Luke suspects Jacen is bad news but does nothing but argue with Mara about she seems to think Jacen is the best thing since sliced bread. Id really like a original plot.. but all you get is the same story told a different way. Despite all the flaws I did like the book it like the other Star Wars novels are what i like to call comfort reading fun enough to make time pass in between real reading.

Bloodlines is by far the best of these new novels (and I have read them all including the newest one, Sacrafice). Traviss is one of the finest EU writers so far and her handling of Boba Fett is outstanding. Some don't like Fett, but I for one find him very interesting. To see him actually take on some human emotions and find a lost relative is terrific. However, the best part of this book is the slowly and menacingly turn of Jacen to the dark side. It is not a quick thing as we saw with Anakin Skywalker. It takes years and much pain, anger and sacrafice to become a sith lord. While it is in Sacrafice that he actually does it, it is in Bloodlines where the seeds are set. Han SOlo plays a major role in this book which is always great and his new "comrade" is a great twist and one that is not obvious and for that reason surprising. Leia has become a true Jedi knight and she is powerful which is very cool. I am disappointed in Luke thus far. I guess the Vong war changed him for the worse as he seems to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and wants to find the good in everyone rather that take care of business. I long for the day when he activates the lightsaber and kicks butt. This mught be a integral part of this storyline, though, as Jacen rise to sith can only be done with Luke not getting what is happening. I just find it hard to believe that despite Jacen's skill at hiding his presence, Luke doesn't act stronger. Maybe that will change later on (in fact it does a bit in Sacrafice). Traviss is the bomb and I can't wait for her thrid installment. Go and get Bloodlines, it is one the best Star Wars novels along with Courtship of Leia, New Rebellion, The one with Xizor between Empire and jedi, Outbound Flight and The Last Command (3rd of the original Zahn series). By the way, Rogue Planet is also an outstanding book that I just read

One of the recurring themes in the Star Wars universe is the constant tug-of-war between good and evil. Over and over, we are presented with likable characters who embrace their dark sides. I suppose some might find it repetitive; I personally find it rather allegorical--and it makes for some great stories.

This time it's Jacen Solo's turn to travel to the dark side. It is chilling to see how easily and how quickly he embraces malevolence--all the while trying desperately to convince himself that he isn't following in his grandfather's footsteps.

But it's 13-year-old Ben Skywalker who emerges as the book's most compelling character. Torn between his admiration for Jacen and the tenets of his Jedi heritage, he begins to discover that one rarely has to choose between black and white; rather one is faced with varying shades of gray.

And then there is Boba Fett. Faced with his own mortality, filled with regrets for what might have been, and still the galaxy's best bounty hunter.

I really enjoyed Karen Traviss' "Republic Commando" books and I had high hopes for "Bloodlines". I'm happy to say that I was not disappointed.

First off, this is the only Star Wars Extended Universe novel that I have ever failed to finish upon starting; I made it through about three-quarters of the novel, and finally put it down.

Why? The prose was irritating. Not unreadable, but irritating. One of the previous reviewers mentioned the use of 'Traviss-isms', and I agree with their presence.

As long as the story stayed on Jacen and Ben, it was okay - but therein lies the problem. It didn't stay on Jacen and Ben, instead drifting to a character who has become a favorite for Traviss (and whom she reportedly begged to be allowed to be put in), Boba Fett. WHY is this guy in this novel? At this point, Fett should be quite old, and in some of the earlier stories dedicated to him it was indicated that he was re-tiring from the business, and even the need for a new liver is no excuse - after a lifetime of being easily the best bounty hunter in the galaxy, Fett should be far from the need for enough money to get the mechanical alternative to a liver in the SWverse's advanced medical science.

Essentially, although a number of fans liked him, I hated Fett's sequences. They felt like a sheer waste of space, simply because the author wanted to write another Fett novel.

I used to enjoy the Star Wars tapes and then some of the cds, because,even in sets, the plot line finally was finished, the saga told. In the last few years, I find these stories with our familiar characters full of plotting and adventure, but with no real conclusion to the story--leaving me 'hanging', and, of course, with the writer's hope that I buy the next offering. I guess I am growing tired of this evolution of the sci-fi Star Wars genre.
Of "Bloodlines" in particular, we see Boba Fett as a poor, misguided, dying, bounty hunter and assassin, aiming for the last blood money...then he gets involved with Han Solo...and Jacen Solo has taken Cousin Ben under his wing, and the convolutions begin. Not too bad a plot, but, like I say, I feel left hanging for the next 'buy'. I also really don't have any empathy for ole Boba who has spent a lifetime amassing money by killing and destroying.. For a good read, try these Star Wars paperback:
Tales from Jabba's Palace(Star Wars.)or Heir to the Empire (Star Wars: The Thrawn Trilogy, Vol. 1)

I've had the pleasure of reading several dozen of the Star Wars Expanded Universe books. This was the first one I actually had trouble finishing. It is dark and throughly depressing. If this is where the EU is going, I'm not following. I'll stick to the books before this series in the chronology. If you care about the Star Wars main characters, avoid this book and the series entirely.
On the other hand, if you are a great fan of Boba Fett, you'll probably enjoy his return. The expansion of his character was the only worthwhile part of the book.

Probably a great book, but it should be rated by age. It was too mature for my son who is 8 and the print is way too small.

Nice story. Well written and consistant with the overall Star Wars directions. Particularly like the character development of the main characters and the tension is well built throughout. Excellent read.

I wasn't crazy about the first book, "Betrayal", basically because I needed a magnifier to read it, since the font was so small. However, if the print was larger it would have been probably over 500 pages, which would have made the book too long (and it was too long anyway).
This book, "Bloodlines", was much better and smoother. I disagree with some of the criticisms that Luke and others were in denial over Jacen's turn to darkness. Luke and just about everyone else (except Mara) was keenly aware of Jacen and quite suspicious about it. But a war was on and everyone was involved in their own way and role, which explained how Jacen was to change. This is the first Star Wars novel I've read from Karen Traviss, and I plan on reading more from her.

great book, i really liked the thought process of boba fett. this is a great series so far. i absolutely love it.

great book, i really liked the thought process of boba fett. this is a great series so far. i absolutely love it.

This book is the second in the Legacy of the Force series set 10 years after the end of the NJO, 40 years ABY, and follows immediately from the first in the series Betrayal by Aaron Allston. This is Karen Traviss's first venture into this era (along with the slightly interconnected e-book, A Practical Man, to be reviewed later).

In a similar style to other books by this author, Bloodlines starts with one of the characters in the first person: this time Boba Fett. I am not one of those who is a big Fett (or Mandalorian) fan, but I found that his opening to this book got things started very nicely, even if it was not immediately apparent how it linked in with the storyline of the series.

We then return to Coruscant and see Ben Skywlker sitting with Jacen Solo outside Cal Omas's office in the Senate building, with Ben as the point of view character, giving us an interesting insight into this young developing character.

In this book things start getting very nasty with some of the Corellian population on Coruscant, to the point where Cal Omas decides that something needs to be done. He tries to recruit Mara Jade to assist, but when she declines he engages Jacen Solo, with Ben along as his continuing informal apprentice. Jacen heads the "Galactic Alliance Guard" and starts taking some increasingly un-Jedilike action against Corellian dissenters (and others).

In the meantime things continue to go downhill on Corellia, with Han and Leia declared to be enemies of the state, and Thracken Sal-Solo putting out a bounty on Han and his whole family. In a roundabout way, not entirely as one might expect, this ultimately brings Boba Fett and Han Solo together.

Along the way we see not only the points of view of Boba and Ben but also of Han, Luke and, to an increasingly disturbing degree, Jacen.

I don't like real-life parallels, but reading Jacen's point of view reminded me very much of times I have represented paedophiles - they have themselves totally convinced (and can make their point calmly and almost convincingly) that not only is what they are doing the right thing, but that they are doing it for all the right reasons. While many see Star Wars as being about Pure Good vs Pure Evil, this is a demonstration of the reality that there are shades of good and evil and it can sometimes be far from easy to tell exactly when the line is crossed. Creepy stuff.

We also see the advancement of one of the EU's newest characters, Admiral Niathal (introduced to us in Allston's Betrayal) and we are introduced to a brand new character -Mirta Gev, a young Mandalorian woman with a secret. Mirta also has information that might (in later books) link us back with Traviss's Republic Commando books. There are a couple of nice hints about the future of that series tucked into Bloodlines. There's also a nice cameo by a descendant of another minor character from Traviss's Vader short stories.

I admit that whilst I am a big fan of this author's work, I was apprehensive about how well she would handle the characters we have come to know so well from the OT through to the NJO and beyond. I was thrilled to discover that not only were the characters handled very well, but they were developed nicely given that some of them are being taken on twists outside their comfort zones by the general story arc of this series. It was particularly good to see Ben being given more than a background role, and being developed in a way that is consistent with him really taking on the (light) Skywalker legacy.

I'm very much looking forward to reading the next in the series, Troy Denning's Tempest, as well as the continuing instalments by Allston and Traviss.

This is gearing up to be one of the best series the EU has on offer. If only it would bring Jaina and Jag back together it would be near perfect...

Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines by Karen Traviss is the second book in the Legacy of the Force series. It's a very good book. Traviss continues to show that she is a part of the next generation of expanded universe writers who can write very good, enjoyable books. I liked the style she used, and I liked the way she brought in Boba Fett. She characterized the dramatis personae very well. Overall there would seem to be nothing to complain about, but there is. The first is that unlike some of the better Star Wars books, there was really no sense of humor or fun, nothing to break the tension. Even in the middle of the New Jedi Order series when nothing good was happening, the characters were able to find that sense of humor. It might have been black humor but it was there and it lightened the book up for the reader. I know Traviss can write humor in her stories, I've read her Clone Wars books, so that is not the issue. It seems as is the editors of this series consciously decided to make it dour. Even the first book written by Allston had this problem. My second criticism is one of continuity. Characters keep getting introduced for one book and then discharged for the next. Case in point would be Wedge Antilles. He plays a pretty big role in Allston's book, but he doesn't really appear in Traviss'. Instead she brings in Boba Fett who doesn't appear in the next book. This creates a continuity problem, where the authors are just using their own either personal creations or favorite characters to tell the story then the next author is just ignoring them for the forthcoming books. Now let me say again, this book was good, I enjoyed reading it. I know a good Star Wars book when I read one considering I've read and reviewed pretty much everything Star Wars book ever written, but I also know when a book is missing something and this one is. I'm not sure if it was just the continuity and the tension relief that were missing, but something is definitely off with this series.

Karen Traviss brings the characters I loved as a kid to life as people that I can relate and reflect on as an adult. She elevates space opera to new heights as she continues to show how she can operate on two levels and tell a romping story of space opera intrigue and at the same time ask deeper questions. She continually asks the reader to think and does not give easy answers.
Boba Fett is given new life as a dying man who is looking back on a life of tragedy and blood without flinching. Jacen Solo is a metaphysical politician with a resemblance to far too many to whom power comes too easy. Ben Skywalker manages to be the stand-out. A boy born to privilage who becomes a teenager trying to be his own man but unsure of the path he has to follow.
This is the very best that Star Wars has to offer, and if anyone has any snobbery towards what is known as "tie-in" fiction, then this is the book to slap in their faces; a highly original and powerful piece of fiction that works on multiple levels and asks the reader to question both the preconceptions they and the the characters on the page have. A rare treat in a crowded universe. A must have for Fett fans and Star Wars fans.

Marc Thompson's voice may sound familiar because it can be readily heard in commercials and on numerous cartoons: here it pairs well with a new Star Wars saga which tells of the Alliance again confronting civil war and rebellion. It's tearing apart the Skywalker and Solo families, leading the children to war and introducing a new threat - from within. A vivid audio story comes to life here: it's Marc Thompson's voice that powers the special effects of high drama.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Not only is this one of the best SW books I've ever read, it's one of the best books, period. KT does a remarkable job of placing you inside the characters' heads, so well in fact that you find yourself often agreeing with Jacen even as you can see him slipping towards the Dark Side. The other characters are handled with equal aplomb; even the touchy subject of age is done brilliantly. Yes, everyone's getting older and we realize this, but they're just as strong and determined as they were in the movies and don't let their age slow them down even as they acknowledge it. The characters all have lots of changing to do, but they do it so well they never read as awkward. Han and Leia are a true treat; their bond of repartee and love that Allston set up so beautifully last book is carried through this one with flying colors. Ben is amazing to watch as he begins to truly grow up and you just end up loving this charming kid even more as he matures. The only real lack was in Jaina Solo, but although her brief apperances hardly rate a cameo, it seems to fit with the plot--squeezing too much more of her in might have seemed forced, so it's mostly a forgivable shafting of this under-appreciated character. It would have been nice to have a glimpse or two of Wedge as well, but while his absence from the book seemed a bit disappointing after the amount of play he got in Bloodlines, there wasn't an opportunity that called for him to appear, and it seems the authors are keeping their hands off the secondary characters that "belong" to each other, and that's a decision easy to respect. Even the delicate character of Boba Fett is handled well; as a longtime fan of the bounty hunter I admit to going into the book with trepidation, but I came out of it loving him more than ever. Yes, he's older; yes, he does some inner musing; yes, he realizes he's dying--but he never gets sappy, and he never lets himself weaken. The other parts of the book are done with just as much skill as Mandalore was handled with, and the eerie resemblences to the Empire should have John Williams's chilling "March" playing in the back of your mind. Even the sad/terrifying/painful/horrible moments are a true joy to read, and I found myself smiling through teary-eyes at the end. You will be amused (careful when reading in public; the humor can be sudden and surprising), amazed, horrified, saddened, thrilled, angry, and chilled--all the things one can ask of a truly remarkable book, from a writer who is likewise proving to be truly remarkable. Thanks, KT, it was an utter joy to read!

The story is amazing! I don't know why books like this do not get released in Hardcover?!! I did manage to find a version on Amazon that is in Hardcover when searching but that is the only place I know you can find it. I think all these Star Wars books should be more readily available in the Hardcover format!! Anyway that's just my take and the extra I paid for the one I did find was well worth it.

In this the second installment of the nine book Legacy of the Force series Karen Traviss picks up the plot after Aaron Allstons excellent Betrayal. The Galactic Alliance and the Corellian system of planets are locked in a tense stand off as the book begins. However terrorist attacks by Corellians on Coruscant threaten to push the situation into a full scale war. A war in which the Skywalker/Solo family would be torn onto opposite sides.

Bloodlines was a great read it picks up just a few days after the conclusion of Betrayal and shows us already the implications of Jacen Solos radical choice at the end of that book. Jacen Solo now believes that he alone by becoming a Sith can fix the galaxy and end the cycle of violence that has troubled the galaxy. This takes the form of him dealing with the threat of terrorism in a startling brutal way and in so doing gives the impression that the Galactic Alliance is becoming more and more like the Empire. This is mirrored by the actions of Han Solo and Leia becoming equally involved in the events within the Corellian camp. While this is all going on we see Luke and the Jedi Council attempt to get the Galactic Alliance to deal with the situation with diplomacy but Luke is extremely troubled and distracted by the thuggish actions of Jacen and worries whether he should remain as Bens master. Plus lots of Mandalorian goodness aswell. The plot is surprisingly light on action but this has no negative effect on the book at all and I found it to be an engrossing and complex look into the developing crisis in the galaxy.

Karen Traviss has given us an excellent insight into the thinking of the characters in Bloodlines. Her tight third person POV focusing on five characters Luke, Han, Jacen, Ben and Boba Fett made this book a real treat to read. There was also a lovely surprise at the end of the book in the form of an excerpt of Tempest the next book in the series by Troy Denning which was wonderfull. Overall an excellent book that was great fun to read.

I don't usually write reviews, but after reading some for this book I feel compelled. First off, I just want to say that some of these long winded "reviews" seem more like some college essay. I personally want to know what somebody thinks of the book, I don't want a long summary of the plot line.
Okay, second, I loved this book! Like many people I've loved Boba Fett from the start. Karen Traviss is an awesome author and I love her work. The Boba Fett e-novella was great. I only wish it was a tad bit longer. For true Star Wars fans who've read nearly every book like me will love this book. Period. Boba has come full circle. He was a shadowy, mysterious man, and he's developed. He realizes he can no longer be a loner. He's missed out on some things in life.
Some last thoughts: History repeats itself! I think its fitting that Jacen is becoming a Sith Lord. Those who read the New Jedi Order series and the Dark Nest Trilogy will remember some of his behavior that has led him down the dark path. He believes he's doing the right thing for the right reasons, just like Anakin believed. However Jacen thinks he's better off because he's not following the same path as his Grandfather... yet. Yoda said it best, 'Hard to see the Dark side is.'
Humans in the Star Wars galaxy don't age like us. Two minor characters in The Truce of Bakura were over 130 years, and they were considered old! I believe in Bloodlines, Karen Traviss indicates with Boba's thoughts that he should be in his prime, but that fact that he's dying rapidly is the handicap here.
Now, I'm off to buy Tempest!

I had taken a long break from Star Wars novels. I have read over a dozen, and took a break for a while. I came back when I saw Boba Fett prominently displayed on the cover of this book. I'm a big Fett fan. I don't think Traviss ever watched the movies, because everything that they are (at least the originals):magical, imaginative, innovative, and epic, the book is not. It ,ridiculous. I'm all for plot developing, but this is Star Wars, you expect some action. The closest this got was someone accidentally gets hurt, and then 100 pages talk about the political ramifications. The fall of Jacen is interesting, but the book is simply...dull.
And Boba Fett? I could write a book equal in length on how Traviss not only butchered the character, (no not literally) but stomped on all of the pieces as well. He doesn't do ANYTHING. For such a major character of the book, all Fett does is have a LOT of inner dialoge about regretting choices he made. THATS IT. Also we are told about how he invested some money. Unbelievable. If there were not a different author for the next book, I wouldn't be surprised to see Fett sitting down with his extended family and baking sugar cookies. I don't know if this series will improve, I can't imagine it getting worse, but Traviss sure gave the next authors a terrible disservice to leave them with such garbage.
If you are looking for some GOOD Star Wars fiction, check out Anderson or Zahn.

I bought this because it has Boba Fett as a main character. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of the book and I commend Traviss for portraying Jacen's descent to the Dark Side much more believably than was Anakin's in ROTS. However, Traviss' characterization of Fett horribly missed the mark. I understand that Boba is about 72 in this book so he will have gained some wisdom as compared to his other appearances in the EU. However, Traviss portrays Fett as a babbling, sentimental, old man. Regardless of the circumstances this just comes across as too out of character for me.

Traviss' attempts to take us into the minds of the character, especially Boba Fett, seemed too forced, too unnatural, too contrived. Fett operates almost exclusively on training and instinct. He doesn't wax philosophically about everything. And one of the great things that have endeared Boba Fett to so many of us over the years is the mystery surrounding him. Even with AOTC this shouldn't change! Especially when the author's portrayl of him is so wrong!

One last complaint before I jump down off of the soapbox. Despite their old age in this book, Traviss has Boba and Han still easily accomplishing the physical feats of their younger years. Let's get real. Even in the GFFA old age has an effect.

So, overall it is a decent book because of the plot but other than that don't get your hopes up because you'll only be disappointed.

boba fett was previously the kind of guy that shut himself off from his distracting emotions, but apparently, from the vuuzhan vong war and meeting his granddaughter, he has become a different man. that is good to see because we all make changes. the changes with Jacen are normal enough, but i guess we gotta wait for another book to find out about how he is going to react to this prophecy given to him by his new teacher.
if he reacts how she seems to want him to...that'll be really freaky, and i will have lost a lot of respect for Jacen, but overall i don't think it will hurt the overall storyline. I hope we get to see some of Tahiri in this series later on.

Betrayal was just the beginning for our Star Wars friends. In Bloodlines, we see Han and Leia as they try to deal with Sal Solo and the riff between Corillia and the GA, Jacen make tough decisions that further alienate himself from the rest of the gang, and Luke and Mara as they deal with there troubling ideas about Jacen's future and how it bodes for their son Ben.

I liked this book. It kept my attention and at points had me hooked. The real delight in Bloodlines was Ben. He became a real character who had chapters devoted to his point of view. His character is really coming along well and I'm looking forward to see what he does throughout the rest of the series.

For those who like fighting or star battles, you won't get many in this book, even with Boba Fett as a main character. Those are being saved for later, it seems. We do get some nice subtle plotlines, though, which I prefer to raging star battles.

The downfall of this book? The lack of Tenal Ka and her daughter. They are a major reason for Jacens decision-making, but are only mentioned a few times. It would have been nice to see a scene with Tenal Ka and Jacen together.

Overall, a nice continuation to Legacy. I'll be reading on!

This second installment in the new 9-volume Legacy of the Force series proves one thing - even a good writer can't make up for a silly plot.

Legacy started poorly in the first volume with a premise for which there is no evidence, namely that the Galactic Alliance (GA) is now more like the old Empire than the New Republic, running roughshod over member states, creating a general air of mistrust and indirectly fomenting ideas of rebellion and secession. When Corellia decides it's had enough, Luke Skywalker suddenly looses his good sense and sends a Jedi snatch-squad to kidnap Corellia's leaders so that they can then be bullied into not leaving the GA. How's that for implausible?

But it gets even worse in Bloodlines. Not only aren't we given any additional background information about why now everyone suddenly despises the GA, the characters start to act even more out of character, especially Luke and Mara, who despite the very obvious evidence that their nephew Jacen Solo is turning to the dark arts, do nothing to secure their son Ben Skywalker from training with the budding Sith Lord. They're also complicit in continuing to support the GA in bullying the Corellians. In the story's other major thread, Jacen is appointed colonel of an antiterrorist unit and spends his days rounding up and interrogating Corellians living on Coruscant. All the while he continues to explore his new powers, killing a "terrorist" while interrogating her and traveling through time to meet his grandfather, none other than Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader. Perhaps in the next volume he'll be able to visit Corellia by flying through space.

Fortunately, we've got Karen Traviss writing Boba Fett into the story and for a time at least diverting us from the improbable main plot.

Now 71-years old, the dying mercenary needs the help of the Kaminoan scientists to arrest a fatal condition. But the cloner who can help him has fled Kamino and if Boba is to ever to get help, he's going to have to first find him. Which is made all the more difficult when the new president of Corellia, Thrackan Sal-Solo, makes Boba an offer he can't refuse, a huge pile of cash to assassinate his cousin and chief political rival, Han Solo.

As regular readers of the Star Wars novels are aware, Traviss is the new authority on all things Mandalore, having written quite an extensive back history and even the rudiments of a language for her two Republic Commando novels and her Boba Fett novella. The former military journalist's command of detail in this world of clone warriors and mercenaries imparts a certain depth and confidence that makes these sections more compelling than the palsied main plot. They also have a sad charm about them, as Boba begins to reflect of his mortality and experience for the first time regret for having long ago abandoned his family.

Besides a well-drawn Fett, Traviss provides some clues as to what happened in the intervening years to some of the characters in her Republic Commando series, and she also gives us for the first time a partially developed Ben Skywalker. Until now he's been just a kid and mostly Luke Skywalker's kid. But Traviss here for the first time makes Ben into a young man with his own personality, who begins to come into his own as an apprentice in Jacen's antiterrorist unit, using his Force powers on raids to sniff out people and munitions. This is one character I'm now interested in seeing how Troy Denning will handle in the forthcoming volume, Tempest.

I don't expect, however, no matter how well he writes Ben, that Denning will be able to rescue us from a poorly developed premise. I think we're now too far in to see any hope of saving what has revealed itself as a thinly disguised and poorly conceived retelling of the film saga, a story about a boy of enormous talent, trained as a Jedi and lured to the dark side in the belief that only the power he can find there will prevent his loved ones from suffering.

Great Story, set in one of the best Universe's ever created.
Enough said

The book itself was fine, Traviss' usual style (which can get too into the character at times, talking about every little emotion, but better too into the character that not enough character) and her love of the Mandos again coming up with Boba Fett (who I actually liked as a counterpoint to the Solos, being used to show his family coming together even as Han and Leia's falls apart, good thematic job there), but I think that there is something fundamentally wrong with this series.

Its too topical and too much repetition. They are trying too hard to compare it to the present day and it doesn't work. People have lived this story every day for the last few years, not only in real life with the threat of terrorism (nor did we happily embrace door to door seizures like the people in the Star Wars universe seem to love) and we have also seen it on the big screen, with the prequel trilogy (and V for Vendetta too, that damn Portman and her totalitarian acting!). So maybe I'm just getting a little bit of a sense with "been there, done that."

I completely bought the turn to empire during the Clone Wars because we had powerful forces at play and the threat was serious, a galactic war. In this series, it starts as the whole GA versus a single system and only because the characters are political and tactical morons does it get worse. Worse is that all that single system wants is the right to bear arms, which this James Madison guy and a few other idiots thought would be a good idea as a last resort in a democracy. So yeah, like in the last X-Men movie (which was also trying too hard) I don't find myself stuck in the middle at all. Then, I agreed with Magneto, the humans were being punks, take them out. Here, I agree with Corellia completely, a citizen should be given the right to defend themselves in final extreme measures.

And I'm not even getting into Super Power Jacen's (I'm surprised he can fly yet) fall or Luke's and everyone else's blindness (re: mind numbing stupidy) concerning him going dark (especially poor Mara, who is totally off character and comes off as a complete moron for the sake of pushing that plot over us), mostly because I don't want to write a thesis. Read some of Palpatine's old speeches Jacen, he talks about order too.

Final Thought: As far as this book, good but sometimes too into the character. Fett was a nice tool to get away from the blindness that permeates the other characters. I'm still not sold on the series as a whole, keep convincing me. Earn the death of liberty, its not something people give up lightly

as the title suggests, this installment in the 'legacy' series centres on the families in the 'star wars' universe. as jacen turns more and more to the dark side, taking on responsibilities that have him tagged the next darth vader, han and leia must deal with the threat of thrackan sal-solo. luke and mara must decide whether to allow ben to remain with his mentor. boba fett must find a lost kaminoan bioresearcher, holding keys to his survival.
this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. again, the reader is led into the everyday lives of the characters, and must share their agony over the events beginning to spiral out of their control. lumiya is a refreshing change - an enemy who does not present as an enemy, instead only as an unattached observer. the passages concerning her are a delight, as are the parts on boba fett - karen traviss has obviously become the mandalore of our galaxy!

So I just finished reading Bloodlines, the new entry in the "Legacy of the Force" or something along those lines.

Normally I tend to stay away from Star Wars books because the whole New Jedi Order thing killed the enjoyment of the Expanded Universe for me. Too long and too many changes.

This book attempts to roll back the clock on all those changes and even further roll back to the older generations of Star wars. For example, the Jedi Temple rebuild on Croscant.

The book has a few things going on. The Alliance versus Corellion is one of the big ones. The fight is about the Corellion forces arming themselves. After the New Jedi Order, it should be apparent that almost all systems and planets should be arming themselves.

I'd like to say that the author has done some parallels to terroism in our own world but if so, the author has done a bad job on them. Things like focusing on certain racial groups, discrimination, round ups based on race, etc...

Next up is characters. I'm not a fan favorite follower of any characters from the EU, but I've read numerous books. If I said that I felt that many of the characters here were not who they were even remotely in previous books, I don't think I'd be off.

Luke's son Ben isn't portrayed too bad but not really a lot of development with him going on outside of what I'd call typical 'growing pains'.

The older characters in the series, Han and Luke, are well, old men who act easily as if they were still in their prime, their age only coming up when compared with their youth in terms of their physical fitness or appearance.

Boba Fett. This is the reason I picked up the book. Good old Boba right on the cover. Boba is a whiner. Never before had I seen Boba written with a near obsession about his dead father. I don't know if the writer just saw Attack of the Clones or what but every other line is, "I miss my daddy. Damn jedi take everything from me.". Where's the vomit smiley I tell you?

The pacing wasn't too bad and some things get resolved even as other things are set up for the next book and some of the action sequences aren't too bad and I'm kinda curious to see how they're continue to evolve the EU now that it's out of the "New Jedi Order" area but as a first book to read in a long while, consider me unimpressed.

Perhaps I'm just burnt out on things I remember being fairly upbeat being made into `realistic' versions of themselves?
Did I just miss the 'good' qualities of this book or ?

A planet blockade? Secret Police? Sith in forcer and emergencey plans. Weren't these the reason for overthrowing the Empire? How quickly people forget. Its scary and thrilling to see the G.A. becoming the very thing they destroyed. Jacen is still becoming creepy, scary, and becoming more dangerous as he follow's his grandfather and its making for a very exciting read. What was scarier was Ben following Jacen through the raids at least finally at the end Ben realized something was wrong and went to his parents. It was great having Jaina ignore Jacen's order even at the expense of her job. The reaction to Jacen's turn was very surprising. The reaction of Jacen's family surprised me though. After Padme and then Luke went after Anakin and Leia went after Luke I expected at least one of them to talk to Jacen and see if anything was wrong. At least Luke sensed Lumiya. The Boba Fett part was kind of dull until the end when he met up with Han and made a deal with him then his story got a lot more exciting. What's going to come from that? The ending was stunning and defiently left the impression things are only going to get worse. I can't wat to get a hold of Tempest. Tenel Ka watch your back!

A planet blockade? Secret Police? Sith in forcer and emergencey plans. Weren't these the reason for overthrowing the Empire? How quickly people forget. Jacen is still becoming creepy, scary, and becoming more dangerous as he follow's his grandfather. What was scarier was Ben following Jacen through the raids at least finally at the end Ben realized something was wrong and went to his parents. It was great having Jaina ignore Jacen's order even at the expense of her job. The reaction to Jacen's turn was very surprising. The reaction of Jacen's family surprised me though. After Luke went after Anakin and Leia went after Luke I expected at least one of them to talk to Jacen and see if anything was wrong. At least Luke sensed Lumiya. The Boba Fett part was kind of dull until the end when he met up with Han and made a deal with him then his story got a lot more exciting. The ending was very good and defiently left the impression that things are only going to get a lot worse.

I wasn't all that impressed with the writing in Book 1, though the new storyline did intrigue me. I felt book 2, however, kept me much more entertained, and I particularlly liked Traviss' writing. Some Star Wars writers tend to get bogged down in the mundane, and though I know many fans enjoy that, I do not. I felt Traviss kept things moving in book 2. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Triple Zero and Bloodlines are two of my all time favorite Star Wars novels. The author's real-life knowledge of law enforcement and military matters adds a needed touch of realism to this fine book. I love the grittiness, insight into Mandolarian culture, pacing and characterization. Jacen's descent toward the dark side is a thousand times better written than Anakin's in either the book or the movie. The impact on Ben, Jiana, Luke, Han, Leia, etc. is very well done as well. Furthermore, the escalating schism between Luke/Mara and Han/Leia as they find themselves on opposite sides of the GA/Corellian conflict is not only believable and but heart-wrenching as well. Boba Fett is cool too, one of the most interesting characters in the story. Fast paced and great fun, this book is very well worth buying. This one is much darker than earlier Star Wars books, but overall a supremely stellar job. Highly recommended!

Karen Traviss paints the transition from lovable hero to cold-hearted villain in a far better way than George Lucas did in Revenge of the Sith. Apparently, she realizes that you don't turn from good to evil in five minute long scene - and that's a very good thing.

Without spoiling the story, Traviss expands on what happened at the end of Betrayal and takes it about five steps farther. I thought Betrayal was dark, but this book really exlipses it. For one thing, the story is a bit more believable, as are the character's motivations. Instead of portraying Han as a whiny old man, we finally see why he's on the side he is. Luke's reservations also make more sense. Best of all, however, is the way Jacen is written - think Anakin without the whining or poorly-written love affair.

One of the best parts of the book is Ben. It was a nice treat in Betrayal to see Ben in action. I was quite worried he would be a stupid character, but my fears were ungrounded. Traviss does an even better job, and some of the best scenes in the book are from the 13 year old's perspective.

I have to point out that whoever criticized her prose must not be well read at all. I didn't notice anything wrong with her sentence structure - in fact, it was well-crafted from my point of view. Although it didn't shy away from complicated prose, it was an enjoyable read. To whoever wrote this about her: maybe you should stick to YA novels. You couldn't be more wrong.

Despite all the positives, there are one or two negatives. For one thing, her portrayal of Mr. Fett isn't early as good as the Bounty Hunter Wars trilogy. Fett is far more calculating and unsentimental than Bloodlines would have you believe. I don't know, maybe she wanted to make him seem softer in old age. It wasn't horrible, but it could have been better. Secondly, she seems to have lost a bit of focus on what the general plot is. Obviously, if you've read Betrayal, you'll know what's going on with Corellia and the GA. But her story relies too much on assuming the reader knows this. Again, it's not bad - but it could have been better.

I'm looking forward to her tying it in with her RC novels.

9.75/10

"Those who do not know their history is doomed to repeat it." As cliche as this addage is, it describes the book very well. Events that unfold in this novel puts the galaxy extremely close to where it has been before. It is as though the Force is placing the main characters the same position as their ancestors before, and Jacen Solo is at the helm. Many of his actions in this book are reminscent of his grandfather's last days as Anakin Skywalker the great Jedi Hero. The galaxy is placed in a similar position as it was when his grandmother was Queen. He works closely with Cal Omas and other political leaders to establish a martial law environment against the Corellians. He heads up a campaign to capture Corellians on Coruscant and place them in an internment situation...his actions are such that those around him refer to him as a "pale imitation of his grandfather, Darth Vader," and he carries this stigma during the entire book. He orders a blockade against Corellia and he suspends his sister from combat missions for violating the "rules of engagement". He also is still Ben Skywalker's unofficial master, and Luke and Jaina are concerned that Jacen is turning to the Dark Side, and Ben really needs a new master. After going on numerous raids with Jacen, Ben gets the chance to make a decision about a raid in which he kills two innocent people, and at 13, it scares him. Jacen also uses his Force powers in an unusual way, and once again we see him send someone into a brain anyerism- this time, however, he kills Boba Fett's Daughter all the while Ben is watching. After her horrible death at Jacen's hands, he starts to question Jacen's intent because this is not the Jacen he admired...this is not the Jacen who has been caring towards him, and Ben starts to question to understand. He seems to becoming more and more like his grandmother everyday in trying to answer, "why can't the fighting stop and the diplomacy resume." Boba also learns he has a granddaughter and as he is nearing his end, decides that he and his granddaughter is all they have, and they need to bond and create some sort of relationship before his death...Meanwhile, Jacen, still on his path to Sith perfection, decides that the only thing left for him to do, is to Immortialize his love according to the Sith tassels, and as much as he loves Tenel Ka and their daughter Allana, it is up to him to kill them to achieve his full Sith ranking...however, he deeply questions what he is doing, and he realizes that this is not who he is, however, the next Sith Lord is who he is destined to be, so he must conform himself in the image of his grandfather in order to achieve that goal. He even time-walks with the Force to explore his grandfather's fall, and finds that his journey is meant to be different...so there may be hope for him. He may acquire full Sith knowledge and acknowledgement, however, he may not become the beast that Vader became...this is his goal...to bring peace as a Sith, however not to commit the same mistakes as his grandfather...needless to say, I can not wait for the next book -Tempest- to be released.

Bloodlines is an odd book.

It's not bad, and certainly brings in the angst and confrontation that have been simmering in the previous books, but that's not really the issue. I've not seen a book quite so focused on something obviously close to the author's heart.

Boba Fett, while the subject of much cult adoration, is not someone I would choose to be the main or even secondary character in a full length novel. Boba is admired because he's a cipher. Ciphers are best left with their mysteries uncovered, or referred to in ambiguous ways, not laid bare and dissected.Without revealing anything, I don't think I'll ever be able to watch Return of the Jedi again without thinking what a softie that Mandalorian is. Canderous is rolling in his grave!

Althogh this book is a nice change from the Denning automatonry that is The Dark Nest, Allston did it better, cleaner, and more nuanced- all while keeping that good ol' feeling of the Original Trilogy in the EU. Not an easy feat. Sometimes this book does manage it, but more often it clings to the new 'edgy' feel that they strove so hard for (and most often failed to reach) in the New Jedi Order series. Edgy is great, but trying for it just means that it isn't there organically, and I could feel the sweat pouring off the pages.

I for one cannot help but feel a little guilty in revelling in the endless internal dialogue and character-driven "third-person", but it gets old fast and feels out of place in a space opera where so many technological and political things are happening.

It's like watching the one camera on Anakin's face during the battle of Geonosis. What else is going on? This also becomes redundant when the dialogue proves what's just been said inside the characters's skull, something that happened rather a lot between many characters.

I'm sorry, Traviss, but it seems like adding Boba was a move to make the book feel more like the prequel books, which I and a lot of other NJO readers do not partake in (though that is of course not always the case). Between his intense shoe-gazing and Jacen's, I feel as if I were in Revenge of the Sith remastered for the EU, which I guess this is, but I wish it weren't so forced.

All in all, I really did enjoy this book, but its problems keep me from trusting it completely.

This one's not as good as the first in the series. Boba Fett fanboys might love it, because he is more involved than in any other novel I've read. He's in it so much that his parts kind of read like coitus interuptus. In the move to humanize Fett a bit, he's also wussified a little. A sub-plot involved a daughter whom few non-hardcore fans have even heard about, and at one point, the tough guy cries. Not exactly the Boba Fett fans are used to, but then again, if you can swallow the bit about him NOT actually dying in Return of the Jedi, then I guess you can swallow a little emotion. It feels like the author loves the character and would do anything to keep him in books.

Interplay between Fett and Han is fun.

Jacen Solo is as much fun as he was in Betrayal.

Truthfully it was a bit of a sleeper for the first two-thirds, but some unexpected turns in the last saved it, and turned it into a good book.