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Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen

Chapter 5 

Saba and Leah race to get the Fizz sample to Cilghal’s lab for analysis at the Jedi Academy, and we get a glance into the Jedi training that Leah is receiving from Saba.  I loved it.  Leah was in a hurry to get the Fizz to Cilghal, and as she is running to the lab, Saba reminds her of the rule to meditate upon entering the Academy grounds.  Leah was in a hurry and tried reasoning with Saba about the well being of Luke and Han who are stuck on Woteba, but Saba quickly establishes who is in control putting Leah in her place with her quite yet stern Barabel ways.  Leah then finds herself meditating and being corrected later when she calls Corran Horn, Corran instead of Master Horn even though they have known each other for decades. 

I enjoyed watching Leah not be fast tracked through the Jedi program because of her service to the New Republic and then the Galactic Alliance and her relationship with the Grand Master.  I like watching Leah who has been so skilled at bossing people around and leading others and sometimes manipulating others to do what she wants them to do, I enjoyed watching her get ordered around and shown that she is not a special case.

My favorite part of this chapter was Saba not even letting Leah question Corran…I mean Master Horn on his decision.  By the way, have I stated lately that Corran Horn is my favorite Jedi? 

I love that Corran is still working from the Old Republic model of what the Jedi Order is suppose to be…a supportive arm to the rightful governing body.  Corran fights for Cal Omas the chief of state and a clear and open relationship between him and the Jedi.  I cannot stand this unifying Force garbage, and I hope the order falls back in line with Corran who is my favorite Jedi by the way.

Chapter 6

This chapter frustrates me a little.  I love Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, and I especially love them together, but this chapter, I want to hit them in the head with a sack of oranges for being so dense. 

Han and Luke discover that the Dark Nest are stock piling reactor fuel and hyper drive coolant, and they sit and wonder why they are collecting this stuff for…Well they want to leave the Utegetu Nebula…Duh.  They should have been speculating on where the Dark Nest wants to go: the Chiss Ascendancy, Hapan Cluster, Galactic Alliance Space, joy riding, conquering, but instead they wonder what they are collecting reactor fuel for.  It was not Han and Luke’s finest hour.

One important note, they do discover what the Fizz is attacking, and that was quite important.

My favorite part of this chapter was Han Solo quoting Toucan Sam stating, “I’ll follow my nose”…I hope he found those Fruit Loops. 

Chapter 7

Wow, Wow, Wubzy this was an amazing chapter.  It did not take long for Jacen’s attachment to his daughter to turn him on a path at least toward the dark side.  Jacen confronts Ta’a Chume about the attack on his daughter’s life, and Jacen gives us some of the best one liners I have ever read. 

“I promised Tenal Ka that wouldn’t kill you, and I’ll be very angry if you make me break my word.”

“Had Tenal Ka lacked courage, you would have died never knowing I was here.”

“That would be me…And I am very determined to protect my daughter.”

“I’d like some answers and we don’t have long before the security team arrives.”

We’re out of time…Tell me why I shouldn’t kill you now, or”

It is official, I am afraid of Jacen Solo.  Each line, each question sent chills up my spine, and I was very grateful to not be Ta’a Chume. 

His questioning of Ta’a Chume was just plain scary and awesome.  This has been the best chapter of this book, and one of the best I have read ever.  As a dad of a three year old and a four month old, I can totally understand Jacen’s reaction, so I loved Jacen’s response to the threat on his daughter’s life.  Parenting makes you act a little crazy when it comes to your kids.

Chapter 8

This was another really nice chapter.  It does not have the spine tingling scene of the previous chapter, but it is one of the chapters that just I like.  It is a Jedi Master’s debate over how to handle the Killik situation.  First, I enjoy a good debate where the correct course of action is difficult to discern.  Second, the New Jedi Order spread the Jedi Masters all over the galaxy, and you rarely had more than one or two together at one time.  I liked this meeting with so many masters.  You have Kyp, Corran, Kenth, Mara, and you also have the young Jedi knights we have read growing up before our eyes stand toe to toe with the Master in this debate like Jaina, Zekk, Lowbacca, Tesar, and of course, Leah makes any debate more fun.  Nothing drastic happens in this chapter except they decide it is the Jedi’s responsibility to handle Raynar Thull since he was a Jedi, but it was fun reading. 

And that is what I am reading.

As always send us your thoughts and comments to jesse@starwarsbookreport.com or leave us a voice message for our podcast at 706-760-5782.  Have a great day, and thanks for reading. 

Exploring the galaxy one page at a time, Jesse

Star Wars Book Report