Oh, I LOVED this one. But, beware, spoilers abound in this review.





I had pretty much figured out that Jaina would be the one to have to kill Caedus (Jacen, her twin, if you don't know) by the time he became Caedus. The Prophecy of Jaina being the Sword of the Jedi has been around since about the middle of the NJO series; it was only a matter of time before we saw what it ultimately entailed.



A lot of people don't like the book, or the whole LotF series at all. People have brought up points like, "Nobody tried to redeem Caedus/Jacen," and stuff like that. But, really, there was no other choice at the time other than kill him. He wasn't going to stop; he wasn't going to see that what he was doing was wrong (or at least the wrong way to go about it). And people DID try to redeem him, bring him back from the Dark Side, but he wasn't having any of it.



Now for random things I liked about this book.



There was a ton of Jaina material in it. She's my favorite character (EU character, anyway), and they really shortchanged her in most of the LotF novels. She was finally brought forward and was able to fulfill the Prophecy given to her when she was made a Jedi Knight.



"I name you the Sword of the Jedi. You are like tempered steel, purposeful and razor-keen. Always you shall be in the front rank, a burning brand to your enemies, a brilliant fire to your friends. Yours is a restless life, and never shall you know peace, though you shall be blessed for the peace that you bring to others. Take comfort in the fact that, though you stand tall and alone, others will take shelter in the shadow that you cast."



- Luke Skywalker, Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Destiny's Way



A pretty hefty burden for anyone to bear, but Jaina does it beautifully. She was the only one that could kill Caedus, and she did what she had to.



Zekk is missing, as of the end of the book. Not that I want him to be dead (which he probably isn't), I just like this fact because it makes it almost certain Jaina will end up with Jag. Because I am a Jaina/Jag fangirl. Lol. But it makes perfect sense for them to end up together. Besides the fact that she'd actually have a last name - seeing as Zekk doesn't have a last name; sure, she could keep Solo but c'mon! - they just click. That, and Jag can outfly her.



"She squeezed his hand again. 'Thanks.'



'Thanks aren't necessary,' Jag said. 'Zekk is a good man.'



'Not for...Zekk." Jaina shook her head - and wished she hadn't as her neck erupted into scalding pain. 'For getting here first. Glad it was...you.'"



- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Invincible, pg. 285.



Woohoo, they didn't kill off Allana! They tried to trick you for a moment there, but she's fine and is now pretending to be Amelia, a 'war orphan'. Leia and Han are her acting guardians now; they can actually act like her grandparents instead of pretending they aren't. (Due to the secrecy of Allana's parentage [besides the mother, everyone already knowing it was Queen Mother Tenel Ka of Hapes], they couldn't before).



"'Hello, Jaina,' Allana's small voice said. 'They tell me we're going to be sisters now.'



Jaina smiled, her heart suddenly filling with a joy she had not thought imaginable just ten seconds earlier. 'I guess we are, Amelia. Welcome to the family.'"



- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Invincible, pg. 299.



I loved the flahsback chapters too, especially the last one. One of my favorite quotes is in that chapter.



"And Jaina hears [Jacen] whispering to her in her dreams, telling her that no one you love really ever has to die - not if you don't want them to...All you have to do is hold a place for them in your heart."



- Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Invincible, pg. 281.



Beautiful.

:)