Review - Jedi Search

Title: Jedi Search
Author: Kevin J Anderson

Continuing my string of reading Star Wars books recommended to me by Lee, I come to this, the first of a trilogy which will clearly deal with Luke Skywalker seeking out people with Jedi potential and teaching them to become the next generation of protectors - New Jedis for the New Republic.

Jedi Search was a fun read, from the very beginning. I won't say that it was formulaic, because it's not as if I knew exactly where the story was going based on knowing the original Star Wars movie, but the structure was very similar, and quite conducive to the unfolding discovery of new dangers while our heroes undergo action-packed trials.

Unlike the previous Star Wars book I just read, this one had all the main characters, and gave each of them something interesting to do as they grow into their post-"Return of the Jedi" roles as leaders in this New Republic. Han Solo and Chewbacca stumble from one bad situation into a worse one, uncovering a left-over danger from the Empire which promises to give the New Republic serious trouble. Luke tries to figure out how to spot Jedi potential (Thank God no one had mentioned midi-chlorians when this book was written) and then heads out to use his new knowledge, encountering new candidates and danger. Leia is basically second-in-command in the New Republic, but is also the mother of three young children and gets torn by those responsibilities. And, yes, the droids C-3PO and R2D2 help out. Even Lando Calrissian is around to have an adventure and take part in some action.

Fortunately, Jedi Search, like the original Star Wars, is complete as a novel. It doesn't leave a character hanging in mortal danger, as some modern "trilogies" do, but completes the primary stories, but allows a clear path for the major arc of the trilogy.

I am on to the next book immediately! Much fun!

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Personal note: After Lee loaned me the books, I thought they looked rather familiar. Sure enough, I found them in a box of my old books. Have I read them before? If so, perhaps back in the 1990's -- some of this story seemed familiar, but I didn't know what was going to happen. Perhaps 15 years is enough time to purge details from my mind? Or maybe I bought them but never read them? Either is possible, I suppose. It doesn't spoil the experience, either way.