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Jedi Twilight

(Star Wars: Coruscant Nights #1)

Michael Reaves

3.79 · Rating details · 2,885 ratings · 113 reviews

With the dark ascension of the Empire, and the Jedi Knights virtually wiped out, one Jedi who escaped the massacre is slated for a date with destiny-and a confrontation with Darth Vader.

Jax Pavan is one of the few Jedi Knights who miraculously survived the slaughter that followed Palpatine's ruthless Order 66. Now, deep in Coruscant's Blackpit Slums, Jax ekes out a living ...more

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Paperback, 343 pages

Published June 24th 2008 by Del Rey Books (first published July 1st 2006)

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· 2,885 ratings · 113 reviews

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Start your review of Jedi Twilight (Star Wars: Coruscant Nights, #1)

Nov 24, 2016 Jerry rated it really liked it

An interesting blend of space opera and noir.

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Jul 15, 2010 Crystal Starr Light rated it it was amazing

Shelves: simply-the-best, star-wars

"Even without the Force, you are still a Jedi"
Don't confuse this book with the other "Twilight" book! In this new edition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Jax Pavan, former Jedi Knight, is scumming around in the Coruscant underbelly, trying to keep out of the limelight and Darth Vader's target sites. But when his former master, Even Piell, asks him for one last mission, how can he say no?

I Liked:
I opened this book with some trepidation. The last two Michael Reaves books I read (Death Star (St "Even without the Force, you are still a Jedi"
Don't confuse this book with the other "Twilight" book! In this new edition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Jax Pavan, former Jedi Knight, is scumming around in the Coruscant underbelly, trying to keep out of the limelight and Darth Vader's target sites. But when his former master, Even Piell, asks him for one last mission, how can he say no?

I Liked:
I opened this book with some trepidation. The last two Michael Reaves books I read (Death Star (Star Wars) and Batman: Fear Itself) didn't impress me. In fact, I rated both two stars. I was so sure that Reaves had lost his touch, that the magic of Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul) was gone.
Boy was I wrong!
Michael Reaves brings back his amazing characters from Darth Maul, the Medstar Duology and more. We get to learn more about I-Five and ponder sentience. Are droids slaves...or are they property? Can a droid attain sentience? We see what happened to Den Dhur, reporter of the Medstar Duology. The Sullustan friend of I-Five makes some of the snappiest remarks, he is impossible to hate. Then we have Jax Pavan, Lorn Pavan's Jedi son. He has pretty much lived a bounty hunter-ish life in the underworld of Coruscant. You see him struggle with living alone, without the Jedi and then without the Force. Nick Rostu of Shatterpoint (Star Wars: Clone Wars) fame is back. I feel for him, his struggle with his limited Force ability and his desire to save his home. Also starring is Kaird, a Nediji (think bird-man), who is a part of Black Sun just to get to his own homeworld. Of those listed (there are a few others, but I found them more periphery), my favorites are Nick and Kaird. I really grew attached to Nick, felt his struggles and understood his past. Kaird, I loved how he wasn't your typical, "I want to be a big shot for the power" kind of guy. Nope, all he wanted was to go home.
So a bunch of great characters don't mean a whole hill of beans. You can have a bunch and still have a lousy story (*ahem* Death Star). Not so here. The story is fantastic! There are just enough weaves, twists and turns (I figured out the end, but still, it was pretty darn interesting!) to keep you on your seat! And how Reaves puts all the characters together at the end...well, let's just say that THAT is how Death Star's ending should have been written.
And the ending! Wowee, talk about a ride! You will want to read the last 100 pages in one sitting. Trust me, I did! I didn't want to be torn away, not at that ending!

I Did Not Like:
I really have to pick here to get negatives.
Jedi deflect lasers but to shoot lasers out of the sky with blaster bolts? Uh huh, sure. Light is neither particle nor wave, so firing a light into a light does nothing, sorry.
The middle is kinda slow and almost padded. I can't even quite remember what happens in it! Fortunately, you don't seem to notice it when you are reading, only when you get to the end do you think, "Man, that section--whatever it was about--that was slow!"
I got a little tired of some of the repetition, namely about how Xizor was oh, so good at fighting (he was, and he proves it, I just get tired of all the characters saying it).
Also, the book is almost marketed as a PI/investigator type book. Uh, not so much.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Invented Star Wars fare.
About as sexual as you get is perhaps Twi'Lek slaves. Very tame.
Violence is surprisingly light. There are some firefights, some people are injured (cuts, scrapes, one person almost dies), and an intense battle between our fighters and feral droids, but on the whole, not many get really messed up.

Overall:
Brilliant work, Michael Reaves! Thank you for proving me wrong and showing me that you really haven't forgotten the art of a brilliant novel. If the other two in the trilogy are anywhere near as good as this, sign me up! Oh, and start writing some more. Five stars, no questions. ...more

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Feb 26, 2009 Nicole rated it liked it

Recommended to Nicole by: Wendy

Shelves: star-wars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 31, 2013 Scott Rhee rated it liked it

Shelves: star-wars, movie-tie-in, science-fiction

Somewhen between "Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith" and "Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope" is the setting for the Star Wars novel "Jedi Twilight" by Michael Reaves, the first in his Coruscant Nights series. It's a fun action/adventure that pits a Sam Spade-like private detective within the Star Wars universe. The result is fun sci-fi noir that reminds readers of the pulp influences that helped inspire and infuse the world(s) that George Lucas created.

Reaves clearly grew up reading lots o Somewhen between "Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith" and "Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope" is the setting for the Star Wars novel "Jedi Twilight" by Michael Reaves, the first in his Coruscant Nights series. It's a fun action/adventure that pits a Sam Spade-like private detective within the Star Wars universe. The result is fun sci-fi noir that reminds readers of the pulp influences that helped inspire and infuse the world(s) that George Lucas created.

Reaves clearly grew up reading lots of paperback writers. His collection was obviously replete with just as many by authors like Mickey Spillane and Ross McDonald as it was with Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein.

In "Jedi Twilight", former Jedi Knight Jax Pavan is forced to go into hiding after Emperor Palpatine's Order 66, what is commonly referred to in the Star Wars universe as "The Purge". By order of the Emperor, all Jedis were branded as enemies of the state and were to be killed on sight. A few Jedis, scattered throughout the galaxy, survived the massacre. Unfortunately, they are now the Galaxy's most wanted. The Emperor's second-in-command, Darth Vader, has taken it upon himself to seek and destroy any remaining Jedi.

Pavan now moonlights as a private investigator, helping those in the lower levels of Coruscant, the "slums" beneath the great towers of the rich and powerful. When an old Republic Army buddy, Nick Rostu, shows up with news that Pavan's former Jedi Master, Even Piell, is dead, Pavan finds himself on a mission to finish what Piell started. Unfortunately, he's not completely sure what the mission is. He knows it has something to do with a missing droid, rumored to have belonged to an ancient Sith Lord. Strangely enough, someone else wants the droid just as badly: Darth Vader himself.

Along the way, Pavan picks up a rag-tag team: Den Dhur, a down-and-out reporter looking for his next big story; I-5YQ, a droid who possesses the uncanny ability to feel emotions and an accompanying smart-ass attitude; and Laranth Tarak, a female Jedi who also survived the Purge, who is tough as nails but also has a secret crush on Pavan.

The plot is relatively lame, but Reaves has fun creating some likable characters. While the novel, at times, feels more like an episode of "Futurama", with its humorous repartee between the characters, than it does its most obvious source of inspiration, "The Maltese Falcon", it is still an entertaining addition to the Expanded Universe. There are two more books in the series. ...more

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Jul 01, 2008 Erika rated it really liked it

I expected a lot more from this book. The idea, a Jedi-turned-P.I. after escaping the Purges and finding work in the slimey underbelly of Coruscant's lower levels, sounds great--a nice treat and reprieve from the same ol' same ol' Jedis always doing awesome stuff and saving an oblivious galaxy we always get.

Not only did the blurb on the back cover deceive me, the cover art did as well. It's completely noir-influenced. What else was I supposed to expect except Raymond Chandler and Star Wars all i ...more

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Jan 18, 2021 Daniel Kukwa rated it liked it

Shelves: star-wars

A mixed bag of stuff that I love (the smoldering remains of the Jedi Order, anything with Vader), stuff that I dislike (anything with Xizor and Black Sun), and stuff towards which I'm indifferent (the film noir slums of Coruscant). It feels like the unproduced "Star Wars" series "Underworld"...which means I'm happy that it was never produced. It's well-written, it's easy to read, but it's not really my personally favourite corner of the Lucasverse. ...more

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Oct 09, 2013 Branwen Sedai *of the Brown Ajah* rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-science-fiction

"I'm a Jedi. I'm sworn to help those in need, to uphold the Jedi Code. The Empire has decimated my Order-but they havn't won, and they won't win, as long as at least one Jedi remains."

"Even the humblest of beings contains within himself a universe of infinite diversity and wonder. Therefore, when you give aid and comfort to just one being, you are, for that moment, the deity of an entire cosmos."

This book was an action packed journey into Coruscant in the days following the destruction of the Je ...more

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Dec 07, 2008 Ryan rated it really liked it

Shelves: sci-fi

One of the things that I've always loved about science fiction as a genre is how adaptable it is - lots of people have had a lot of success meshing sci-fi with everything from fantasy (Star Wars), to westerns (Firefly), to horror (the Alien trilogy). I kept this in mind as I read Coruscant Nights, which not only combines elements of science fiction and fantasy (as all SW stories do), but also mixes in equal parts of film noir as well. It's set shortly after the imposition of Order 66 and the fil ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 Jordan Anderson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, legends, 5-stars, sci-fi, rise-of-the-empire, 2020, star-wars, best-of-2020

I’m gonna keep this review short, sweet, and to the point.

Why Michael Reaves never got bigger in the Star Wars world, I’ll never know, but for whatever reason, it’s a shame.

The fact of the matter is that Reaves knows how to tell a damn good story. There’s no fluff or attempts at making this some deep philosophical thing. Instead it’s a gritty, tech noir Star Wars tale, set in a place is fans have never gotten enough of.

Plus, Reaves gets it. He knows fans just want a fast, fun story, and Jedi Tw ...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Ron rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, star-wars, fantasy

3.5 actually.

A better-than-average SW expanded universe story. Enough familiar settings and characters to connect to other stories, but good writing to draw the reader into the tale.

Cover art quibble: Jax's lightsabre is blue in the story; but yellow on the cover. The yellows works better, but isn't right. (Darth's shadow in the background is cute. Poor Vader, reduced to a boogie man.) ...more

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Sep 12, 2020 Iset rated it it was ok

Shelves: star-wars

Deflated. That’s the word that best describes how I feel coming off this book. I feel like I was promised a detective noir novel delving into the dark, seedy underbelly of Coruscant… and that’s not what I got at all.

I know: it’s Star Wars. They want this stuff to be enjoyable by almost all ages. But I can think of teen series way darker than this. Heck, Revenge of the Sith was way darker and more adult than this. It’s like they can’t keep the tone consistent. And sometimes it’s not even about ho Deflated. That’s the word that best describes how I feel coming off this book. I feel like I was promised a detective noir novel delving into the dark, seedy underbelly of Coruscant… and that’s not what I got at all.

I know: it’s Star Wars. They want this stuff to be enjoyable by almost all ages. But I can think of teen series way darker than this. Heck, Revenge of the Sith was way darker and more adult than this. It’s like they can’t keep the tone consistent. And sometimes it’s not even about how dark it is. Frankly I didn’t feel like there was a whole lot of flavour or exploration of the Coruscant underlevels at all. A brief mention of dubious street food, a trip around the planet for seemingly no good reason except to put the characters in the way of some droids run amok, and that’s about it. I expected more. I was looking forward to a rich depiction of the underlevel environment, populated by weird and wonderful characters and gadgetry. It wasn’t even really detective noir. Jax Pavan doesn’t really take a case from anyone – unless you count for his own sake and the dying request of his late master – and he doesn’t help anyone by pursuing it either. (view spoiler)

Okay, so it wasn’t as dark, flavoursome, or a detective noir as I had hoped. But all that aside, did it make the grade? Erm… not really, no. Sorry, this one was just kind of a miss with me. Jax Pavan didn’t really do anything to win my empathy. I felt like I should root for him because he’s a Jedi who’s been forced into hiding by the evil Empire and he’s also the protagonist of this nominally, so he’s nominally the good guy, but I didn’t have a reason beyond that to feel for him. He doesn’t let us into his head very much or open up. Some of the other characters are the same – we never really get to know them – for example Laranth, who had a fascinating premise for her training but never really emerged as a personality. I questioned why Den Dhur was there at all, other than Reaves likes to bring back characters from his previous Star Wars books. I mean, at first, I obviously figured that his skills as a reporter would provide something vital to a case that Jax would be working on or something, some key clue or contact who could help… but that never happens. He’s just there, along for the ride, and he feels like filler or at best a comforting familiar face when, if he’s not got a purpose in the plot, he really should have been written out (relax; I mean allowed to depart, not necessarily killed off). I’ve never really liked Kaird from the Medstar duology because his plot strand seemed to contribute almost nothing to the outcome of that story, and he’s back again here. Again, interesting concept in terms of his species and motivation for wanting to rise in Black Sun, but Kaird has always come across to me as ‘thinks he’s smarter than he actually is’, and does his plot actually contribute here? I think I’ll have to dive deeper into the trilogy in order to say for sure, though on the basis of just this one book, he pretty much only exists in order to bring antagonists to the right time and place against Jax and company without them facing down the ultimate big bad Darth Vader in Book One. One character I was pleased to see again was Nick Rostu from Shatterpoint, but I was only disappointed in him and his choices. It didn’t feel like the Nick that Mace Windu left at the end of Shatterpoint. I understand he’s being placed under terrible pressure here, but the solution to his dilemma is to tell Jax; that way they can either formulate a plan to get out from under Vader’s thumb, or the decision becomes Jax’s, whether or not to turn himself in and save countless lives. It’s quite simple, really.

I did like some of the sci fi concepts the book threw around; the slowly degrading pictures of cooled superfluid, for example, although I freely admit I don’t know enough to know how plausible that is, but regardless I like when sci fi novels experiment with concepts that I haven’t seen elsewhere. And, interestingly, in the moment some of the scenes can be quite a romp. There are fight scenes, confrontation scenes, and chase scenes aplenty. The problem is they don’t stack up into a coherent plot. None of it really matters because at the end they’re all back to square zero, and the setup for a lot of these scenes feels very engineered even if the fight/chase/whatever itself is enjoyable. Maybe I could let the awkward plotting go if I felt really connected to the characters, but as I’ve discussed above, I didn’t.

I didn’t expect at all to be saying this about this book – I expected to rate it much higher – but it’s missable. It is not terrible, by any means, I just can’t justify rating it above average, and it doesn’t really contribute anything to the wider universe that I would miss.

4 out of 10 ...more

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Aug 14, 2018 Jared rated it liked it

Shelves: worth-a-look, star-wars-legends-project

Star Wars Legends Project #176

Background: Jedi Twilight was written by Michael Reaves. It was published in June of 2008. Reaves has written or co-written 9 Star Wars novels.

Jedi Twilight is set a few months after Order 66 (19 years before the battle of Yavin). The main characters are Jax Pavan, Nick Rostu, I-5, and Den Dhur. Prince Xizor and Darth Vader both play significant roles. The entire novel takes place on Coruscant.

Summary: After narrowly surviving the slaughter of his fellow Jedi du ...more

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Jun 18, 2015 Katrin von Martin rated it liked it

Shelves: star-wars

My expectations going into this book were mixed. On the one hand, I had just finished the Legacy of the Force series and was looking forward to returning to the days of the Empire. I also really enjoyed Reaves's Shadow Hunter and was therefore looking forward to seeing some of the characters (and the son of Lorn Pavan) I grew to love in that story. On the other hand, however, I've found Reaves's work to be somewhat forgettable. Ultimately, Jedi Twilight fell somewhere in the middle. Spoilers fo My expectations going into this book were mixed. On the one hand, I had just finished the Legacy of the Force series and was looking forward to returning to the days of the Empire. I also really enjoyed Reaves's Shadow Hunter and was therefore looking forward to seeing some of the characters (and the son of Lorn Pavan) I grew to love in that story. On the other hand, however, I've found Reaves's work to be somewhat forgettable. Ultimately, Jedi Twilight fell somewhere in the middle. Spoilers follow.

The plot of the novel is an old noir sort of story featuring Jax Pavan (Jedi son of Lorn Pavan), Laranth Tarak (a female Twi'lek and member of the Gray Paladins), I-Five (a witty protocol droid), Den Dhur (cynical ex-reporter), Nick Rostu (ex-soldier who fought in the Clone Wars), Prince Xizor (Black Sun member), Kaird (another Black Sun member), Rhinnan (aide of Lord Vader), and Darth Vader. The novel's primary strength lies in its interesting characters and their interactions. Den Dhur and I-Five make an interesting duo who appear very "human" in their actions (they argue, disagree, anger one another, and forgive...neither one is perfect). Laranth proved to be a fascinating female lead (I would have liked to see more of her, though) with her unique use of weapons and deep personality. Most of the characters had believable motives and it's very easy to become entangled with each character's story. Many of the characters are from Reaves's previous works; he knows his characters very well. The characters that weren't his, however, were hit and miss with their characterization. Xizor, for example, stayed more or less true to his original portrayal (though, the constant repetition of just how good at everything he was became tiresome) and I enjoyed seeing the beginnings of Guri.

However, one of the biggest disappointments of this book was Vader. I was initially pleased to see him and, while I've read worse portrayals, he just seemed a bit off (for lack of better word). I just couldn't picture him saying any of his lines. Reaves had the right idea with his general attitude, but fell short in nailing the Dark Lord's speech patterns and tone. I expected the strong, confident, practically undefeatable Vader from the movie, but the Vader here just seemed like a bit of a knockoff.

Another downfall of Jedi Twilight is the lack of a real, enticing plot. This is very obviously the first novel in a trilogy, as it is primarily backstory centred around one (relatively weak) unifying idea. The characters are all looking for a protocol droid named 10-4TO, or Bug Eyes for short, but all have their reasons for doing so (which leads to them all colliding at the climax of the book). Jax Pavan and Laranth are fulfilling the final wish of Jax's late Master; Den and I-Five are originally looking for Jax and eventually join the Jedi on their quest; Vader claims to want the droid for information, but is ultimately searching for Jax; Nick initially carries Jax's quest to him and is later trapped into aiding Vader. These characters (as well as Xizor and Kaird, who are caught in their own conflict with each other and Black Sun) come together in the abandoned Factory District, overrun with feral droids. The droid (Bug Eyes) ends up not being terribly important, but that isn't an issue as the conflict involving it isn't really gripping or believable or begin with.

There were some things I really liked about this novel, such as the setting (Reaves portrays the underlevels of Coruscant in an interesting light, making for a captivating setting), the idea of feral droids, his portrayal of the Force (Jax, for example, sees it as threads, which occurs in the book several times), and most of the characters. Unfortunately, there was also a lot I didn't like. For example, I fail to see how the Factory District could exist on Coruscant. It's possible I missed something, but I should think that an overcrowded planet such as Coruscant would use every space possible; not allow whole districts to become abandoned and overrun with feral droids. Also (and this is a complaint about the writers in general, not just Reaves), why is it that everyone is against the Empire? I get that it wasn't the best government system to grace the Galaxy Far Far Away, but I doubt that every being in the universe hates it. Aside from that, the lack of plot and Vader's characterization also failed to meet expectations.

This is probably going to be a forgettable book. It's not horrible, by any means...it's just not really that memorable. Since this book consisted of mainly backstory, I'm hoping the next book explores the "detective" side of this trilogy and continues to develop some of intriguing characters Reaves has introduced.

This review is also posted on Amazon.com. ...more

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Oct 24, 2010 Chad Bearden rated it really liked it

Shelves: star-wars-novels

There is nothing particularly outstanding about the first novel in the "Coruscant Nights" series. Indeed, if anything, readers might be quite annoyed at the noir angle suggested by the cover design and story summary. Hints of a hard boiled Jedi P.I. may lead some to suspect a Star Wars "Maltese Falcon", but author Michael Reaves never seems interested in turning his tale into any kind of noirish mystery. I'll give Reaves the benefit of the doubt and blame this on the marketing department.

What he There is nothing particularly outstanding about the first novel in the "Coruscant Nights" series. Indeed, if anything, readers might be quite annoyed at the noir angle suggested by the cover design and story summary. Hints of a hard boiled Jedi P.I. may lead some to suspect a Star Wars "Maltese Falcon", but author Michael Reaves never seems interested in turning his tale into any kind of noirish mystery. I'll give Reaves the benefit of the doubt and blame this on the marketing department.

What he instead seems intereted in delivering is a surprisingly standard Star Wars adventure, which, in the right hands, can be a lot of fun. And fortunately, Reaves is indeed up to the challenge of spinning an exciting romp through some little explored shadows of the Star Wars EU, using many of his pet characters. Coruscant is always most enjoyable when it becomes a character in the story, and not just a standard backdrop. The detailed descriptions of Imperial City (the story takes place post-Order 66) and the inclusion of characters like Prince Xizor remind me an awful lot of "Shadows of the Empire", of which I seem to have fond memories. I was even inspired to pop in the Joel McNeely score for that earlier book to help intensify the mood. [sidenote: yes, LucasFilm commissioned a soundtrack for a novel, and yes, composer Joel McNeely inexplicably knocked it out of the park]. But that's a whole other story. Back to "Jedi Twilight"...

...Nothing in a plot description would seem all that exciting or inspiring, but the success of "Jedi Twilight" lies in its execution. There are a lot of seemingly disparate threads, but Reaves treats each one with great care, teasing out believable and relatable characters and conflicting motivations for various members of the cast that converge in an extended chase/fight scene that shouldn't work but kind of does. He brushes right up against implausibility and overly coincidental happenings to keep the plot moving, but again, the characters themselves are well enough defined that you're able to go with the flow.

I feel like I'm beating a dead horse when it comes to complaining about the current "Fate of the Jedi" series. Where that series fails is in its pursuit of 'neat' ideas while ignoring plausible or logical motivations to bring about those ideas. There is no characterization because Denning, Allston, and Golden treat their characters like unchangable icons who just exist as a plot happens around them. But a few familiar mannerisms and catch-phrases do not a character make, and subsequently, the plots (both within each novel and within the series as a whole) always feels overly generic and hollow.

Reading "Coruscant Nights" is refreshing, because Reaves seems to be writing characters first. Their wishes, their desires, their conflicts cause the plot which carries you from beginning to end in a satisfying way. The plot isn't all that overly interesting, but it doesn't matter, because the characters are. I'm eager to read volume two. ...more

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Aug 29, 2015 Jim C rated it liked it

This book is part of the Star Wars Legends universe. This takes place after Order 66 has been executed and Jax Pavan is a jedi who is in hiding. He is hiding in the lower levels of Coruscant when he receives a dying message from his master to complete a mission. There are several subplots that include characters from other novels and Darth Vader.

I liked this book but it isn't the best book set in this universe. I was impressed that I immediately got the sense of Coruscant and this universe. The ...more

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Jan 02, 2014 Scott rated it really liked it

Jedi Twilight, the first book in the Coruscant Nights trilogy, takes place during the prequel era, or nineteen years before the events of Star Wars lV - A New Hope. Coruscant is a wonderfully dark locale to situate a story ("In the lowest levels, in the abyssal urban depths, of the ecumenopolis that was Coruscant, it was a rare thing indeed to see sunlight"). Following the story of reporter Den Dhur and his droid sidekick I-5YQ, Reaves' narrative here plays out in film noir style, quite suiting ...more

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Aug 06, 2019 Jake rated it liked it

This is what you'd call the Sunday afternoon Netflix of Star Wars. It's not overly complicated, not particularly deep, and just enough excitement to keep you from falling asleep.

The "sentience of droids" subplot could have toned down a lot. It's been told much better in other places, and more succinctly at that. As it is, it comes across in this book as superfluous as Hermione's S.P.E.W. movement. ...more

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Nov 27, 2014 Brendan rated it it was ok

This book lost me early when it mentioned a crystal to hone lightsabers. Plus, it was long and lots of needless information that made the book a slog. One of the worst examples was near the end when the events were shown from nearly every characters viewpoint. Tedious.

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May 22, 2017 Mal rated it it was ok

Okay so this is a novel that I truly and I mean truly wanted to love. I even came back to it multiple times in the hopes that I could find some sort of redeeming factor in this novel, however I sadly could not. So this novel on the surface has everything that my Star Wars loving heart could ever desire; a story set in Coruscant's seedy underworld, a Jedi moonlighting as a private investigator, the Empire on the rise, and a murder mystery rivaling Poirot. However that story is literally only on Okay so this is a novel that I truly and I mean truly wanted to love. I even came back to it multiple times in the hopes that I could find some sort of redeeming factor in this novel, however I sadly could not. So this novel on the surface has everything that my Star Wars loving heart could ever desire; a story set in Coruscant's seedy underworld, a Jedi moonlighting as a private investigator, the Empire on the rise, and a murder mystery rivaling Poirot. However that story is literally only on the back cover explanation of the book because this novel has NONE of what I just described in it. In fact the only thing about the teaser that appears in the book are the characters and Coruscant. Our Jedi hero Jax Pavan isn't actually a private investigator so if you were hoping for some hard boiled Star Wars pulp you aren't gonna find it here. Jax is actually a bounty hunter who makes his living hunting people down and trying to avoid the Empire however his story and struggle isn't really all that interesting and is made worse by a character who is hardly likeable. Jax really isn't relatable so I found it hard trying to really care that the Empire was trying to kill him.
Jax Pavan tries super hard to be a tough nut bounty hunter and falls under literally every single stereotypical rogue/hard boiled archetype that we know and have seen a million times. Whilst reading this novel you can almost hear Jax talking in a raspy deep voice that conjures up images of Bruce Willis in Die Hard or Mel Gibson in Lethal Weapon. Now despite it's terrible plot and not too fantastic or likeable characters I must say that the world building is fantastic in this novel and is it's major redeeming feature. Coruscant's underworld is beautifully described and beautifully crafted to where you can envision rain falling on a seedy nightclub's illuminated sign or see a flashing advert for a Twi'lek dancer with a man selling death sticks cloaked underneath it. The world building is phenomenal and I truly wanted to love this book so much because of that. There are very few Star Wars novels that deal with the underworld of Coruscant or even Nar Shaddaa and it is quite disappointing that when we finally get a novel that is set in this world it is clouded and ruined with unoriginal characters and a plot that could rival Phantom Menace in it's dullness. ...more

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Jan 10, 2021 Andrew Haile rated it really liked it

Good story and writing. I really like the short chapters. I was annoyed with the name "Even" and I also didn't like that apparently there's over 500 million people on Couruscant with the name Jax Pavan which really annoyed me. I know Couruscant is huge but that's just ridiculous. I didn't hate any of the new characters but it did take me quite a while to differentiate them and remember their names. I enjoyed Vader and Xizor of course. I didn't like Jax losing his connection with the force or par ...more

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Jan 05, 2020 Gerwin Wallace rated it it was ok

I usually love Star Wars novels, but this one was interminably boring. I finished it out of respect for the time I'd already invested in reading (not to mention the $7.99 for this nugget of a book). I don't know, maybe I just miss Luke, Leia, and Han, but these characters were interchangeable and not very well fleshed-out. I kept forgetting who was who, and there weren't that many characters in the novel to begin with. But they did manage to shoehorn in Darth Vader for a few cameos here and ther ...more

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Jun 16, 2013 Adam rated it really liked it

Shelves: legends, star-wars, appleton-public-library

The Dark Times comics, one of the stand-out Star Wars stories of all time even in its relatively short run, has established the (relatively) newly-opened period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope as a rich realm for story-telling. There's a palpable sense of terror and betrayal, as the reality of the Emperor's utter and ruthless fascist regime sinks in to a war-weary galaxy. There are still Jedi around, and they have many supporters, but all are stretched to their limits and pushed into The Dark Times comics, one of the stand-out Star Wars stories of all time even in its relatively short run, has established the (relatively) newly-opened period between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope as a rich realm for story-telling. There's a palpable sense of terror and betrayal, as the reality of the Emperor's utter and ruthless fascist regime sinks in to a war-weary galaxy. There are still Jedi around, and they have many supporters, but all are stretched to their limits and pushed into fascinating compromises and crises of character by the exigencies of the time.

Jedi Twilight comes nowhere close to the level of fear, darkness, and personal compromise seen in Dass Jennir or Master K'Kruhk in Dark Times. But it's nonetheless a good entry in the period and a well-done contribution to the EU overall. There are some flaws in the book, which are all reducible to mediocrity - nothing unusual or particularly damning for a Star Wars novel (the portrayal of Coruscant's undercity stands out; the language used seems tired and boring and everything is the same; the atmosphere, in my opinion, was not conveyed well). But Reaves does a lot of things right, things that I look for as a reader.

Reaves probably uses the word "fugue" more in this book than it has appeared in the entire EU. It's a nice tie-in, since the plot is sort of like a fugue. The theme is a character looking for someone/something, often through the abuse of another character. Each entrance chases the last, quite literally, as each character searches for the other - Den Dhur and I-Five search for Jax Pavan; Jax Pavan searches for a droid, Nick Rostu searches for Jax Pavan, Darth Vader searches for Nick Rostu, etc. The plotting is thus complex and well-executed, if not particularly interesting (compare it to, for instance, the web of plotting and counter-plot inferring of Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy).

His knowledge and use of the EU material is extensive and skillful. He includes a wide variety of species, which is something that many authors forget to do but is essential in maintaining the sense of diversity and depth that makes Star Wars so great (scenes like the cantina in ANH or Jabba's Palace, for instance, or any street view on Tatooine or Coruscant). He went so far as to create a new species, the Nediji, and give them some nice background, contributing to expanding the diversity of the Universe. There's a decent amount of relatively arcane tech around too, from the Zed police droids to glop grenades, things I only know about from Essential Guides.

He also tied in a lot of other material, building up Xizor's plot line towards Shadows of the Empire, following up with Nick Rostu from Shatterpoint, and a lot of character arcs from Reaves' previous works, the Darth Maul and MedStar series. Most importantly, Reaves wrapped up a loose end regarding the spot Anakin took when appointed to the Jedi Council by Palpatine. (view spoiler) Though Lucasfilm saw fit to make that apocryphal by (view spoiler) which does make more sense in terms of opening the spot on the council, but also makes Reaves' book not true, which is rude.

The characters are rich and well-characterized. Jax's tribulations cause him to be believably rude and curt, showing the strain the Dark Times are taking on normally well-composed Jedi. His attitudes toward I-five seem a bit extreme, considering how natural and intuitive it would be to treat a realistically humanoid intelligence as a person and how much exploration of artificial intelligence must surely have occurred in the GFFA. You wouldn't think a sentient droid would be news to anybody, considering all the built-in tech they have to have to prevent them from becoming so. Nor would the Jedi education be complete without a thorough meditation on the ethical and practical aspects of what "sentience" means, how to define it, and how to apply it in unusual cases like this.

True to Star Wars trope, Jax, the hero, gradually gathers a motley crew - a Sullustan reporter, an armed and sentient protocol droid, a force-sensitive ex-soldier, a blaster wielding Jedi (a female Twi-lek who isn't sexually objectified even once!!!), a former Black Sun assassin, and Darth Vader's neurotic Elomin aide de camp. The existing back-stories of Rostu, I-five, and Den Dhur contribute greatly to the depth of this group - it is a trope, but it doesn't feel like the diversity is gratuitous or contrived. The interactions between such a rich crew of characters is really the key strength of works like the OT and KOTOR, and the failure to execute this correctly is one of the big flaws of SWTOR. In order for it to work, the characters have to have depth and individuality, not just feel like tropes themselves, and Reaves pulled this off.

Somehow the inclusion of Vader - a big-name movie character, the kind whose inclusion often feels forced and unfortunate - worked well here, drawing on the personal relationship Jax had with Anakin, something I hope Reaves develops further in the rest of the series. ...more

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Mar 15, 2018 Maria rated it it was ok

Very slow start and too many different plots and characters. The first 7-9 chapters are purely introductory and because of it it takes way too long before the plot(s) get anywhere. I started and stopped reading this multiple times before I finished the book.
At least it gets a bit interesting towards the very end, but that is unfortunately the best I can say about this book. Will not read again.

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Jan 04, 2020 Christian Smith rated it really liked it

Overall: 7/10

Pro: the dark mysterious Coruscant underground is a thrilling setting for this adventure. Cooler than many planets in the star wars universe

Con: It all wrapped up too well in my opinion. The whole story didn’t seem to have many repercussions. Like couldn’t one death have been permanent.

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Nov 13, 2020 Dante rated it it was ok

Meh. It wasn’t so bad that I abandoned the book, but the plot was very mediocre. The Sullustan is a useless character, Jax and Laranth are pretty bland, and I’m so tired of Star Wars plots revolving around trying to find a droid carrying vital information. On the other hand I really enjoyed the character I5. He was probably the only reason I finished the book.

Skip it, you’re not missing much.

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Apr 29, 2020 Kat Clyde rated it really liked it

Was an interesting take on Star Wars and what happened after Order 66.
I liked the style of writing and the story itself of exploring another Jedi who survived and the idea of a sentient droid. Makes me look forward to the next one.

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Aug 28, 2020 Cat Bezubiak rated it liked it

As Star Wars books go this one was mediocre. It was an okay book, but not good enough that I really care about finishing the series. I probably will just because I want to finish all the Star Wars books, but if you don't care if you skip some, skip this one. ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 David Barney rated it liked it

The story started out slowly. But stayed with it and the story got better.

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Nov 05, 2017 Sean Watson rated it it was amazing

The dark times is one of my favorite periods. Mr. Reaves series is a good ride of good characters and villains.

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Nov 05, 2017 Steven rated it liked it

Shelves: star-wars-read, 2017-completed

Not bad, but not great. I was expecting something else, but the story was entertaining enough to keep me interested.

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Madison Mega-Mara...: Jedi Twilight (Coruscant Nights, Book 1)	1	1	May 16, 2013 09:48AM
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About Michael Reaves

Michael Reaves

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Michael Reaves is an Emmy Award-winning television writer and screenwriter whose many credits include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Twilight Zone, Batman: The Animated Series, and Gargoyles. His novels include the New York Times bestseller STAR WARS: Darth Maul- Shadowhunter and STAR WARS: Death Star. He and Neil Gaiman cowrote Interworld. Reaves has also written short fiction, comic books, and ...more

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Quotes from Jedi Twilight

“You could only to your best, and hope for a strong tail wind to waft you faster to your destination. Until then, you played the game, kept your tongue civil, and spoke favorably of your enemies when either they or their spies might overhear.” — 4 likes

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