David Sherman & Dan Cragg, Star Wars: Jedi Trial: A Clone Wars Novel

Star Wars: Jedi Trial: A Clone Wars Novel

David Sherman and Dan Cragg

Del Rey, Nov 2004, $25.95, 352 pp.

ISBN: 0345461142

Separatist Admiral Pors Tonith leads an army of combat droids on an assault of planet Praesitlyn. Though ably defended by commander Capt. Zozridor Slayke, the surprise attack works so that the Separatists control a key communications center.

The Republic leadership worries who to send as there are not any acceptable Jedi Knights available to lead the counterinsurgency. To regain supremacy of the beleaguered orb, the Republic reluctantly sends Jedi Knight student Anakin Skywalker and the dishonored Jedi Knight Nejaa Halcyon to lead the assault to retake the planet. However, the defeated planetary defenders still alive do not readily ally themselves with the so-called Republic rescuers because Slayke hates Halcyon and wants him dead. In that personal mess, Anakin is being tested as a leader and whether he is ready to soar as a full Jedi Knight; failure means death.

This is a super tale that emphasizes the military battles with a close look at the impact on the troops from all sides as well as a coming of age Skywalker tale. The storyline avoids the bigness of the Star Wars military clashes by honing in on troops that lack basic necessities (the rush to Baghdad with only one bottle of water per day in 100 plus degree heat per soldier would be an oasis). Thus readers obtain a fabulous military outer space encounter as a major backdrop to a young Anakin tale. Great work once again from the five star joint chiefs David Sherman and Dan Cragg (see STARFIST: A WORLD OF HURT - also released this month)

Harriet Klausner