Reviews by Darth Goalie

The Qel-Dromas and Sunriders

Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 18 April 2007 05:44 (A review of Knights of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Volume One))

originally written 09/18/06; re-rated now!

In issues 1 and 2, three young Jedi, brothers Ulic and Cay Qel-Droma and Twi'lek, Tott Doneeta, are given their first mission by their Jedi Master Arca: to bring peace to the war-torn world of Onderon. For centuries, the planet has been divided into two factions: the citizens of the walled city of Iziz and the Beast Riders of Onderon, descendants of criminals cast out of the city fifty years prior. Shortly after the Jedi's arrival, Princess Galia, the heir of Onderon and daughter of reigning Queen Amanoa, is abducted by Beast Riders. The Qel-Dromas and Doneeta chase after the Outcasts and meet with surprise.

Ulic is described as "headstrong and overconfident," qualities that may doom the mission. In addition, he's naive but his intentions are good. Cay and Doneeta are also likeable.

Issues 3 and 5 comprise the story of Nomi Sunrider, the Jedi best known for her skill in Battle Meditation. Though Sunrider has long been sensitive to the Force, she has always shied away from its power, allowing her husband Andur to train as a Jedi and, when old enough, their daughter Vima. However, tragic circumstances transpire that force Sunrider to take up her role as a Jedi, albeit reluctantly. Nomi Sunrider's story is more suspenseful and less predictable than that of the Qel-Dromas and Doneeta.

In both of these tales, family is involved: the Qel-Droma brothers train together and Andur and Nomi Sunrider are married and have a child. These events take place circa 4000 BBY (before the Battle of Yavin), so when did the Jedi stop allowing familial attachments, and what situation(s) brought about that decision? Perhaps that'll be answered in one of the later comics in the Tales of the Jedi series.

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Stick to Editing, Kevin J. Anderson

Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 12 April 2007 02:08 (A review of Fall of the Sith Empire (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi))

second review originally written 09/09/06; re-rated & edited now!

That's right--Kevin J. Anderson should stick to editing the Star Wars short story anthologies and stay away from writing comics. Although the opening crawl on the first page of each issue makes it unnecessary to read previous issues as it summarizes what's happened so far, it's way too wordy. Even the intro to the movies are only three short paragraphs long, not six wordy ones. In comics, the pictures are supposed to tell the story. Duh.

And what's with Jedi-scholar Odan-Urr just handing over his lightsaber to Jori Daragon, who isn't a Jedi, to use in battle? I don't care if she was offered the chance to train as a Jedi when she was a child. She turned them down and is not a Jedi.

Even if she is Force-sensitive, she wouldn't know how to handle a lightsaber, without proper training! In Jedi Apprentice #12: The Evil Experiment, a boy wishes to trade information for young Obi-Wan's lightsaber. Astri, Obi-Wan's travel companion, remarks, "'...you have to train for years in order to use a lightsaber. Isn't that right, Obi-Wan?'" (p. 69), to which Obi-Wan replies, "'Even then, you have more to learn'" (p. 70).

This series is lame lame lame. I didn't like it the last time I read it, and I like it even less now.

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Billy Budd of the Old Republic

Posted : 2 years, 7 months ago on 12 April 2007 01:55 (A review of Fall of the Sith Empire (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi))

orginally written 12/28/05

Fall of the Sith Empire is the conclusion to The Golden Age of the Sith, and tells the tale of the Great Hyperspace War when the Sith, led by Naga Sadow, launched a two-prong attack on the Republic. Gav Daragon, now Sadow's student of Sith arts, commands the flagship on its way to attack the Koros system while another fleet attacks Coruscant.

I would have liked this story better if Gav wasn't such an idiot. Sadow didn't need to seduce Gav to the dark side; all he had to do was trick him because Gav was too stupid to figure out what was going on. Even when he realizes he's been tricked one too many times and is determined not to let it happen again, he falls for yet another trick. He's as dumb as Billy Budd--more so. Billy Budd, at least, brought destruction only upon himself and Claggart, not the entire galaxy. (Interestingly, Terrence Stamp played Billy Budd in the 1962 movie; he also played Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum in Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace.)

The only cool thing about Fall of the Sith Empire is that the cover of each issue, when placed side by side, form a mural. I don't know if the TPB contains the cover art, however.

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