Archive for the ‘Shimra’ Category

Novels or Series Mentioned

The Unifying Force

Vector Prime

The New Jedi Order

I tell you The New Jedi Order was one long series.  19 books with e-books as well this series needed a stupendous ending for it to be gratifying because when you read over 6,000 pages you will be disappointed with anything less than the spectacular for the dozens and dozens of hours of your life you will never get back.  You end a single novel with a bad ending and you have lost a weekend.  You end a 19 book mega-series with a bad ending, and well, it’s a lot worse.  For all my well documented lamenting on the concept of the unifying force, this book was a climatic end to a saga that did not disappoint me at all, and in fact gave me my 6^th favorite scene.

I must admit when I began reading this series.  I thought the Yuuzahn Vong were the dumbest bad guys ever.  A group that liked pain…how stupid is that?  Also, they were extra-galactic…what is that?  In fact I bought book two of this series based solely on the fact that I wanted to see how Han Solo handled the events of Vector Prime.  But as you get into this series, the various writers did a fantastic job of making the Yuuzahn Vong world view make sense.  The Vong’s imitation of the pain their gods faced in creation struck a chord with a Christian who is trying to take up his cross and follow Jesus as best he can.  Then, when the Vong had no force presence I was intrigued.  Next, their complicated religious and social structure and interaction was fascinating, and when you get to the Shapers, the Warmasters, the Priest, and the awesome Overlord…I was hooked by a very rich and very well developed society of evil bent on total eradication of anyone that stood in their way of galactic control and dominance.  If you have trouble getting the Vong in the early books, stick to it because their society will make sense and fascinate as the story progresses. 

Now, onto my 6^th favorite scene, if you have yet to read and complete The New Jedi Order do not read any farther.  I am going to give away the ending, and ruin this series for you, so stop reading, read the 19 book series, and pick up here in 6 months.  

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