This book annoyed the hell out of me. I'm not sure I can even review it without turning it into a discussion of the EU in general. So here goes.  

The book takes place in the shadow of the Yuuzhan-Vong stuff. It seems like there is a reference to the Yuuzhan-Vong on every other page. Rightfully so, I guess, in terms of the EU since every major character seems shaped by whatever occurred with the Yuuzhan-Vong. The author does a pretty good job of explaining why the events involving the Yuuzhan-Vong were important to the characters, but too often the paths the characters take seem inorganic with these explanations being their only source.  

That is to say, we're often told how important the Yuuzhan-Vong war is to the characters, but we're not often shown it through real character development.

The whole Yuuzhan-Vong thing is particularly troubling to me from a story telling perspective. The number of times it's referenced in the book only served to remind me of how little the fall of the Empire is referenced. This is fine for the story they want to tell, I guess, but it seems to completely diminish the events in the movies. The fall of the empire comes out as more of a foot note for greater trials to come.  

I think I could deal with the Yuuzhan-Vong if the events were taking place a couple hundred years after the fall of the empire, but we're talking about 40 years here. 

Similar to the way WWII now outweighs WWI in people's minds, the Yuuzhan-Vong outweighs the fall of the empire in the EU, if this book is anything to go by. That's ok, it happens real life quite often, but I just don't think it's worth the diminishing effect this has on the original trilogy.  

Which takes us to CENTERPOINT STATION. Do we have to keep creating doomsday weapons to keep up suspense? How many of these are we going to have? Centerpoint sure makes the death Star look like a pansy. How many galaxy threatening devices are going to come along in 40 years?  

Speaking of forty years, everyone you know and love form the original trilogy is back, only really old! Except Chewbacca who had the dignity to bite the big one and choke on a chicken bone.  

Luke is actually handled pretty well in this book. Maybe it's because I didn't have as big a connection to him as a kid. Still, his character didn't keep irking me the way Han, Leia and Wedge did.  

The big problem is that there is no real reason for Han, Leia and Wedge to be in this book. Actually, there is no reason for Luke to be in the book either, except to serve as an older Jedi. There's lots of stuff going on with their offspring, but except for Han's daughter it'd be possible to change last names and you'd never know they were related (actually it's preferable this way). There's no reason to have these characters here except to pull them out and make them dance.  

I can still be on board with Luke being about 60 years old and doing the Jedi thing. But Wedge and Han piloting and dog fighting in space against a group of young pilots, I don't care how good you are, it's hard to buy. The characters, even off the battlefield, are written as if they were in their 30's. This is so that emotionally and physically they can do the things they are forced to do in the book, but it makes it really hard to jibe these characters up with the movies.  

Worst of all, it shrinks the universe to an alarming degree. Everyone seems to know, or be related to everyone else. Apparently the universe is incapable of creating new Heroes who aren't 60 years old or the offspring of said 60 year olds.  

How many adventures can three people (Han, Luke Leia) have in one life time? I'm fine reading tons of adventurers with these characters, it's connecting them with Cannon that I have a problem with. 

This is probably why I enjoy the EU books up until Episode 6, because Han, Luke and Leia are still acting like the character archetypes they were created to be.  

Even Luke Sklywalker, whose portrayal I don't really mind in this book, could have been any old Jedi. Mara Jade is in the book, but not really. If you don't know anything about her before reading the book, you'll know less after reading the book. 

Domesticated Han and Leia strips away the spark that makes them interesting to begin with. It's fine to have them get married, but it's less interesting, especially with the way their characters have been allowed to stagnate in the EU. 

It's very apparent to me in Betrayal how purposeless these characters have become. It's painful to see the author try to create reasons for them to be in the actions of the story.  

Luckily, like I Said before, it's really easy in this book to pretend Jacen Solo doesn't even know who his parents are. I can barely think of a moment where Jacen gives them the slightest consideration.  

In fact it's really easy to pretend that Jacen and Ben's story is happening many generations after the original trilogy. They are so unmoored from anything happening before the Yuuzhan-Vong war that their events may as well take place any time. This is a good thing, because I actually enjoyed Jacen and Ben's sections of the story.  

I will say that both Jacen and Ben have aspects to their characters that seem to be just teenage wish fulfillment. Jacen the dark brooding "cool" one, Ben the young kid who is having a blast being a Jedi. However, the author does a good job of creating real characters out of Ben and Jacen. Both characters compliment each other, Ben being more hopeful and wide-eyed, Jacen being more pragmatic. There is a nice, easy going brotherly dynamic to the two of them that I enjoyed.  

SPOLIER TERRITORY (FOR SURE)  

Jacen goes bad. If you care enough to read this review, you probably already know that.  

I'm mixed on this. I think his struggle between Jedi ideals and his pragmatic viewpoint certainly set him up for a fall. One could argue that it's the fact that he sees the two as being conflicting that points to his later going to the dark side.  

But, I don't think the way he fell here was believable. It feels sudden, baseless and arbitrary. It apparently is set up by his experiences with the Yuuzhan-Vong, but you wouldn't really know it from this book. Some of Jacen's actions in the book are questionable, but nothing close to what he does at the end of Betrayal.  

It feels editorial to me. They decided he had to go here and do this, so the author's hand was forced. Either Jacen's downfall should have been set up over a couple books, or they should have done away with the evil-han solo war stuff and made the whole book about Jacen and Ben. Guess which one I would have preferred. 

RANDOM JUNK: 

Centerpoint Station. 

Lightwhip. 

Sentient Droids with the memories and genetic material of dead loved ones. 

Three examples of the EU's tendency to take turn things up a notch. Coming at the expense of what made the original stories special (imo). 

More than that, they come across as ideas out of other Sci-Fi books and don't "feel" Star wars to me. Whatever that means.  

EXTRAS: 

The paperback ahs two short stories focusing on Darth Vader. Both written by Karen Traviss.  

Both are fun and interesting. A little too much telling and not showing. Also she uses the term "barbeque" which should never be used in Star Wars. But the stories are worth the read and if you own the book, you certainly should read them.  

FINALLY: 

Most of the book annoyed me. The characters I did like were treated badly and forced into plot constriction.  

Yet, I'm going to buy the next one.  

-Why?  

1) I'm stupid.  

2) Karen Traviss wrote the next one. On the basis of her terrific Republic Commando books, I'm willing to give her a shot at this. If it sucks then I'm out.  

(and btw, I'm more than willing to discuss and debate my opinions about any of the book reviews, so feel free to tell me if you think I'm wrong.)