THE REVIEW
 

While multi-book series are not new to the Star Wars galaxy, never before has one opened with such blandness. Although the premise is good, there really is no big push to get the engaged enough to want to finish the book in a speedy manner.                                            

Outcast is a good read, but it lacks the "oomph" to really draw one in. You would think that the idea of Luke Skywalker abandoning his post as Grand Master of the Jedi Order would only come with a fight, but instead Luke relinquishes the title in negotiations with the new Chief of State Natasi Daala. Where is the urgency? Where is the fervor?

One reason Luke steps down as Grand Master is to help discover the reason Valin Horn has suddenly been struck with psychotic episodes in which he views people not as themselves but as imposters wearing the faces of those he knows and loves. While it may be linked the similar episodes, which plagued Seff Hellin in earlier books, it seems a giant leap for the Jedi to link Valin's madness to the fall of Jacen Solo. To help discover the root of the problem, Luke departs with his son, Ben, to the world of Dorin in hopes to discover a link to Jacen's downfall. On Dorin, Luke and Ben find no real answers but do save an elite group of Kel Dor from a life of unfeeling near-death.

The other side-story to this book involves Han and Leia who are called to Kessel to help out their old friend Lando. It seems planetoid Kessel is weakening and on the verge of collapse, so Lando asks them to travel some long-unused caves and tunnels to see if Leia's Force abilities can give any clue as to the fate of the planet.

Here again, though, you feel no real danger for our heroes. Not once in this book do you feel any sense of urgency to make you want to read ahead to see if our heroes make it out alive. However, there are some bright spots. It is good to see members of Rogue and Shadow Squadrons come out of mothballs, and even better to see the relationship between Jaina Solo and Jagged Fel still developing, but other spots were laughable. Allston resurrected a long-forgotten character named Dab Hantaq as an "observer" for Jaina. This seems merely a mind-trick to play on Jaina, and even more so for Tahiri Veila.

 Overall Outcast is entertaining, but that is about all. I can only hope that this series gets better as it goes along and some real drama takes place soon to make the reader want to finish the saga.