Heirs of the Force (original 1995; edition 1996)

Leia and Han's twins are studying at Luke's Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. They make new friends - and discover old enemies.

This was a light, quick read. The characters are surprisingly well-drawn and the plot is straightforward enough that it doesn't hinder that, nor is it bogged down by how many main characters there are. Everything is a bit too pat at the end, but honestly, one only expects so much from tie-in novels. The story is fun, the movie characters are recognizable, everything seems to fit the universe. I won't read it again, but it was a pleasant way to spend an evening. ( )

The Star Wars franchise has spawned movies, cartoons, and novels of which this book is one. I haven't been following the Star Wars stories since the 1977, but apparently there has been an enitre soap opera going on all these years. In this book the twins of Han Solo and Princess Lea, Jacen and Jaina (who knew they had children!) are exploring the jungle outside the academy. They discover the remains of a TIE fighter that had crashed years ago during the battle against the first Death Star. They repair the fighter but the original pilot, Qqrl, an Imperial trooper, has been living wild in the jungle since his ship went down and is watching. Qqrl wants to return to the Empire and fight the Rebellion. Naturally, there are adventures and battles involving various species and lots of technology. This book would be a good addition for the LMC and would fit will for either middle or high school level LMC's. ( )

Genre: Science Fiction
Critique of Genre: This is a good example of science fiction because it is about this other world of people and creatures fighting against each other with a power known as the "force." They use weapons called lightsabers which can cut through anything like a hot knife through butter. It is full of action packed adventures of a twin brother and sister learning how to use the power of the force and being chased by the evil villains in the mean time.
Setting: This book is set on a planet not too different from ours, but in an entirely different galaxy. What makes this setting so good is that there are names for all of the different planets and you get good descriptions of what it looks like and what kinds of creatures reside there. It is essential to know a bit about where the adventures are taking place because all of the planets are so different from each other that you would get lost if you has one set picture in your mind of where they are. ( )

I had actually seen this book around quite a bit but just never picked it up then I saw it at my library and decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did. This is a very enjoyable book my favorite parts are when Luke Is introduced into the pages, plenty of action for any one looking for it and as always the Star Wars universe draws you into it's utter vastness, the two young main characters are also nice leads to read about as they go along their adventures with the help of their friends. If you love Star Wars but haven't had the chance to read this title just yet then I suggest you give it a try. ( )

The best part of these books is getting to know the 2nd generation of Star Wars characters as kids. Books are written for a younger audience, but done well, so that they are enjoyable, even for an adult reader. ( )