World Famous Comics: Invincible (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 9)
Invincible (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 9)
By: Troy Denning Publisher: Del Rey Average Rating: Binding: Hardcover Label: Del Rey Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 320 Publication Date: May 13, 2008 Release Date: May 13, 2008
Product Description: No war can last forever. Now, in the long and punishing battle between the defiant champions of the New Jedi Order and the juggernaut that is the Galactic Alliance, the endgame is finally at hand. With so much lost–and nothing less than the course of the future still at stake–there can be no turning back. No matter the consequences.
The rebel cause is losing ground under the twin blows of Admiral Gilad Pellaeon’s assassination and the death of Mara Jade Skywalker. At the same time, having gained the support of the Imperial Remnant and its ruthlessly efficient forces, the Galactic Alliance, with the extraordinary power and dark brilliance of newly ascendant Sith Lord Darth Caedus at its helm, may be unstoppable. Tormented and torn between the call of duty and the thirst for vengeance, Luke has searched the Force and beheld an unspeakable vision of the galaxy enslaved under tyranny more monstrous than even Palpatine’s. Now it seems that the last, best hope lies in mobilizing the scattered Jedi for one decisive search-and-destroy mission. The objective: eliminate Darth Caedus.
It’s a plan that will be as difficult and dangerous to execute as it is daring. For Caedus is a scion of both the Skywalker and Solo bloodlines whose command of the Force surpasses even that of his grandfather
Darth Vader. There is only one who is bound by destiny to stand against him in what will surely be a duel to the death, only one with an outside chance of bringing down the dark lord who was once Jacen Solo.
Failure is not an option. The furious final moments between power and peace are here, and whoever confronts Darth Caedus will decide the outcome–and the fate of those left standing.
While the series disappoints, this book does not. This book is what the series should have been. The novel by Denning does not wander off on inconsequential tangents for the sake of "depth". Denning sticks with the core of the series, and does not allow for much else. This is what I hoped the series to be, but alas, did not get.
First, the good points about the series: 1. We get new Sith Lore, and see a Sith being created (definitely much better than the Darth Bane book, which rehashed KOTOR video game and about 20 years of comics into one novel); 2. We get a fair dose of Mandalorian culture (thanks to Traviss) that we did not have; 3. We get the understanding from the Star Wars licenses that our heroes cannot last forever; 4. We get some fairly good action involving space, infantry, commando and jedi/sith battles.
If you think the good points are fairly obvious, they are. That leads us to what I did not like about the series:
1. Great build-up initially, horrible second act, and an all too brief last act; 2. Thready character building, due mainly to having three different authors write the series. They need to not have grand, sweeping series such as these, and keep the books to relatively manageable numbers. Nine books was WAY too many here. The story could have been told in far fewer books. My guess is four or five at the most. 3. The Mandalorian arcs. I had no idea why the Mandos were included except that everyone loves them and likes to read about them. But in this case, they could have been and should have been ancillary to this story. They have nothing to do with the arc and were shoe-horned in. Even all the training Jaina went through did not amount to much in this book. I think the entire Mando/Fett Arc could have been diminished or removed entirely and it would have made it necessary for more proper character development for newer characters. 4. Jacen's rise to power was convoluted to say the least. How he took over the Galaxy (by a loophole in the law) was just dumb, and every character accepted it. It would have been so much better for Jacen to barge in and take control, and maybe snap a couple of necks in the process to make his point. But all the subterfuge and politics was nauseating and played no other role except to mirror Palpatine's rise to power with Jacen's. 5. Ben's development. I don't have much to say except he started off as a bratty teen, almost became a Sith apprentice, and then was "wise beyond his years." I don't know where they could have gone with his character, but beyond the cliche would have been a better start. 6. The stories need to move beyond the Skywalker/Solo family. Hopefully they will, but Jaina and Ben make me think otherwise. I would like to see the next generation of Jedi/Sith not be tied up in this relationship at all, but exist from somewhere else. I think that we know there is a council of Sith still in operation on Korriban. Maybe the "darkness" referred to in the next books will be just that.
There is much more about the novels that I could comment on, but I am glad the storyline is over. Am I shocked to see Jacen's demise? Not really. I am sad that it has to be a Solo to go down (again). But in the grand scheme of things, I think I am tired of seeing Luke, Leia and Han suffer so much. Haven't they had enough already? My God, if I were Luke, I think I may have been a Sith once I saw my Aunt and Uncle die, let alone Obi-Wan, Biggs, Anakin/Vader, Anakin (the nephew), Chewie, Mara, and Jacen.
Move on Del Rey, and please, no more 9-book stories, unless there is a really good story to tell. This series, unfortunately, was not it.
Star Wars books need a new lease of life. I've always thought that most Star Wars books which take place long after Return of the Jedi have been quite weak. This final book is no exception.
If you read the inner jacket summary, it says this is it, the final climactic showdown between Jacen and Jaina, trying to build tension. But anyone who has read the previous eight books can see this is, a complete load of horsespittle. Jacen's ship, the Anakin Solo was boarded several times, and he could have been killed several times as well. Once by Luke, once by Ben, and once by a Mando (forgot his name) who was under orders from Boba Fett not to kill Jacen. So far from being invincible, Jacen has been one of the most vulnerable villains yet.
In fact, Luke is revealed to be fully capable of kicking his butt. And considering Jacen admits he would only just be able to just beat Master Saba, there's no reason why any of the other masters, like the powerful Kyp (I've always felt he was underutilised) couldn't take him out either.
So basically this a book which is light on suspense and quite short in length.
As a stand alone book, and as a final volume, Invincible is not good and it is only worth reading so you know what happens in the end.
I was quite disappointed.
As an aside, there is also a Legacy comic series set roughly 100 years from this book. In it, the Sith have once again vanquished the Jedi. I was wondering if the comic series was "canon" and whether or not Invincible was the prelude to the fall of the New Jedi Order. After all, there doesn't seem to be a strong succession plan after Luke.
If I could give it zero stars I would. This whole series was awful, they intentionally vilified a good character simply so that they could destroy him. They made the availability of good fleshed out characters virtually non existant by killling them all either literally or with horrible character development. The entire intention of this series was just to sell nine books with nothing but shock tactics. Lets all keep in mind that Del Rey (who all of these authors have written all of their Star Wars novels with) will have it's license from Lucasbooks expire at the end of 2008. This was just to make sure they cash in, in the event Lucasbooks gives the license to someone else.
The Death of Luke Skywalker?????????? When will Luke meet his end??? Well guess what?? Not in this book.I have read every book in this series, and I have to say considering this is Star Wars, and, the fact there are several authors handling the story, it is the best, most accurrately correlated series in the Star Wars Universe. Finishing the prequels was the best thing for these authors, it allows them freedom they did not have in all the earlier series.They can look back accurately on all things prior to the last movie in the series. Will Luke ever die?? I doubt it, even if he does he will be ressurected in the force.Luke is the most (powerful?) figure in the Star Wars Universe and he will remain what Spiderman is to the Marvel Universe (ok maybe not the most powerful- but the most important).Lets not forget the death of Superman, maybe, just maybe, someday Luke will die, but then he would be more powerful in the force. One thing I have to say is that the only main charactors they have killed off (except for Chewbacca) are ones that exist outside the movies.And speaking as someone who roots for the dark charactors as well as the good guys, its very predictible as to whats going to happen at the end of a series.The bad guys always lose. As for the death of Mara Jade- the emperors hand , she only existed in books.C'mon if your like me you'll probably be shocked at whats to come.The Death of Leia? Han?? or even Luke, it could happen.Keep reading- each series only gets better!
How to alienate long-time fans... I can understand wanting to 'grow-up' Star Wars a bit; make it 'darker' and 'edgier', but there's a fine line between dark and edgy and just doing things (ie: killing off much-loved characters) for shock-value. We're in shock-ville here, people!
I couldn't help the bitter snort when I read in Denning's notes that the Young Jedi Knights series was one of his favorite Star Wars collections considering what all has happened to those characters in this series and just how few of them are now left! The Young Jedi Knights series *is* a favorite of mine and the treatment of those characters throughout the 'Legacy of the Force' (and the New Jedi Order series previous) is the reason why I'll no longer be purchasing Star Wars books.
Unless the words "By: Timothy Zahn" appear on the cover.
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