Some authors I like have been contributing to the New Jedi Order series, so I hit the used bookstore to pick up the set so I could get the whole context. This book opens the series with the new big problem: the galaxy is being invaded by the uber-baddies the Yuuzhan Vong. I don't know if there are any redeeming qualities in these critters, but Salvatore depicts them as caricatures who love war and pain and death and self-mutilation.

Salvatore is pretty good with the pacing, and keeps up the excitement for a Star Wars story, but the exposition gets clumsy at times. Salvatore often uses telling instead of showing, and some of the character development seems perfunctory and generic so he can get on to the next plot point.

I know this is space fantasy, but I expect space fantasy to at least invoke handwavium when ignoring the laws of physics, and I admire good handwavium. I don't have any problem with antigravity and hyperdrive, and the notion of an "etheric rudder" is actually a very elegant way to explain the way that space battles look like WWII dogfights. I can even forgive Salvatore not knowing what a Roche limit is. But when the big plot point for beating the bad guys is something that any high school chemistry student should laugh at... ugh. Well, this is Salvatore's only contribution to the series; I can hope it gets better from here. ( )

The first book of the New Jedi Order arc, Vector Prime has the arduous task of setting up a complete upheaval of the well-known universe. In and of itself, Vector Prime is not an exceptionally good star wars book, as at times it gives the impression of trying a little TOO hard to make the characters perfect. As it is a part of a huge series, the plot in this book is not resolved in this book, so this is not for anyone who has no intention of following the series to its end. That being said, the book is overall pretty good, and it starts off perhaps my favorite story arc of any series. ( )

This is a huge spanning story line - a complex history with many characters who are each given in depth exploration. There are losses, both of characters and ideas. This is a battle worthy to follow the battle to destroy the Empire. After a while, however, you begin to feel some sympathy for our favorite movie characters who live their WHOLE lives fighting in life and death situations. How exactly can you have a family and a life in that environment? Some interesting things to think about in these books. ( )

Star Wars grows up.

This book opens up a new era of SW novels which feature a darker storyline, including the possibility of death even for the previously untouchable main heroes from the original trilogy. It took me some time to decide how I felt about the New Jedi Order series, but I eventually came to like it pretty well. It was time for things to be shaken up in the SW universe, and this series, with this novel at the forefront, definitely does that.

As for this particular book, I'd say it's pretty decent. I wouldn't put it in the upper echelon of SW novels by any means (that honor is reserved almost exclusively for those books written by Tim Zahn), but it's pretty good. I like the character development, particularly of the Solo kids, even if it is done a little ham-handedly at times.

It's a little quirky, but for me one of the things that can really make or break a SW novel is the way the author treats C3PO. In quite a few books, it feels like the author is trying way too hard to make him irritating. This is one of those books. In general, I don't think Salvatore totally captures the characters, but he does get pretty close, and there's no shame in that. I know it's hard to write another writer's characters, particularly such iconic characters as these.

Bottom line: it's a fairly good read, and a good start to an interesting series. ( )

http://blogs.starwars.com/marvolo/2 ( )