written by: John Jackson Miller

An E-Book short story of sorts, it acts as a prequel to the current Fate of the Jedi and their lost tribe of the Sith and the Omen spaceship. It’s an interesting time which has not been explored in the literaryverse. I will admit that I have yet to read the comics (that will come after I re-read all the short stories/novels). I have played the games but have not immeresed myself in this portion of the timeline.

written by: John Jackson Miller

Continuing the tale of the crashlanded Sith on the backwards planet of Kesh, Skyborn ends up being not as successful as the first volume. The reason? Well we had a frenetic introduction of a group of dark warriors and so we’re ready to move forward…but now in Volume 2 we have to deal with…another introduction.

Written by: Jude Watson

The final volume (not including the special edition), which finally sees Obi-Wan take the lead on the investigation this time around and Qui-Gon allows him free reign for the most part up to letting him fail. The Jedi go to the planet of Vorzyd IV where it is all work and no play. And by no play I mean that anything that disrupts work, makes the inhabitants depressed and anxious.

Written by Jude Watson

Much like the Secrets and Legacy of the Jedi stories, Watson takes the before and after approach dividing the storyline into two halves that take place in separate decades. The first section stars Qui-Gon and Obi-wan, while the second section deals with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

A second attempt in the Jedi Apprentice saga to bridge the Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan years with the Obi-Wan/Anakin series and like before it ends up being a mixed bag of sorts. Worse in someways, but admittedly better in others. This time it is a complete standalone adventure that again transcends generations.

Written by: Jude Watson

The finale of the Death of Tahl saga. Furthering one of the major themes from last novel, this is even moreso about a Jedi straddling the line of falling to the dark side. Once again Qui-Gon Jinn, the rebellious rogue Jedi has lost his love and with her, his purpose. His only purpose now is not for justice as would befit a Jedi, but for revenge.

Written by: Jude Watson

It was a good time to have a filler book of sorts in the series. A one and done rather than another overlying arc. It serves well to let Watson and the reader concentrate more on the characters and the emotions they just went through rather than having to put them through another long termed story.

Perhaps sensing the slight staleness that has begun to permeate the series, Watson decides to up the stakes as we go hurtling towards the end of the series. Right from the beginning it seems they are trying to cleanse itself and move forward. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan open on a remote planet for training purposes. Living in the wild on Ragoon-6, they have to keep ahead of the indiginious creatures as well as the natives who hunt them.

The second act of the tragedy of Qui-Gon is in this novel and it does not disappoint or fall into the problems most middle acts fall into.

The novel is one long chase scene as our heroes trail after Balog, the trusted aide who kidnapped Tahl and placed her in a sensory deprivation chamber. Qui-Gon is a man possessed, especially given the vision he had of Tahls’ demise in the last novel.

Jedi Apprentice Volume 12: The Evil Experiment

The second part of the in series trilogy involving a crazy scientist and her mad schemes. Qui-Gon has been captured along with another unspecified Jedi to be used in experiments designed so that Jenna Zan Arbor could learn what she could about the Force.

Meanwhile Obi-Wan Kenobi is left behind with Astri to find both Qui-Gon as well as find an antidote to the poison given to Astrid’s father, Didi by the bounty hunter.

Written by: Jude Watson

Another mixed bag. After twelve volumes, there just isn’t a lot of new territory to cover and I can’t shake the feeling that we’re hitting filler mode now. Just a few more adventures until we get til Episode I. It might not be quite that bad, but I would like to see a bit more development at this stage.

Qui-Gon is rescued, but Master Noor R’aya is still in Zan Arbor’s clutches. Who is R’aya? A venerated master but I have no idea why. There is little about him that is said, even as they eventually rescue him. For someone so venerated, I expected a bit more about him by the end of the day. Especially due to the set up, where we are led to believe he is truly important.

The plot thickens throughout as Zan Arbor releases a dangerous disease on a planet as per her usual, where she has an antidote she will “discover” at the last moment.

The twist comes with the duplicity of Uta S’orn, a senator who had recently retired. Her son was a Force Sensitive whom Zan Arbor had experimented on and later killed. Despite this S’orn still works with Arbor to make her fortune, putting her own planet at risk.

2009

Starring: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, and Bob Peterson

Written by: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, and Thomas McCarthy

Directed by: Pete Docter and Bob Peterson

A true home run of a film by any stretch of imagination. To make a film so truthful, so genuine, so warm and touching, and then have it be animated? Pixar is truly the best of the best when it comes to animation simply because they know that it is the story and the characters more than it is any flashy cartoons that make a truly good movie.

2009

Starring: Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Neil Patrick Harris, Bruce Campbell, James Caan, Mr. T, and Andy Samberg

Written by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller based loosely on the book by Judi and Ron Barrett

Directed by: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Watch out for giant Pizzas! I was a fan of this book growing up and read it to my own children more than a few times and I had no idea how they were going to turn it into a movie. So the answer was to very loosely use the idea of food weather and write a new story around the basic idea.

Written by: Jude Watson

Written by: Jude Watson