Star Wars: Choices of One in The Expanded Universe

Jan 27, 2013 Josh Lewis rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sweu

Timothy Zahn brings another enthralling story to the Star Wars Universe with his sequel to “Allegiance”! Set eight months after the Battle of Yavin, “Choices of One” follows several characters--from Rebellion and Empire alike--in a suspenseful plot full of surprises. The Rebels have been made an unexpected offer of a new base by Imperial Governor Ferrouz in the Candoras Sector. Desperate yet suspicious, the Rebel leaders decide to negotiate an alliance with Ferrouz, whose only condition is prote Timothy Zahn brings another enthralling story to the Star Wars Universe with his sequel to “Allegiance”! Set eight months after the Battle of Yavin, “Choices of One” follows several characters--from Rebellion and Empire alike--in a suspenseful plot full of surprises. The Rebels have been made an unexpected offer of a new base by Imperial Governor Ferrouz in the Candoras Sector. Desperate yet suspicious, the Rebel leaders decide to negotiate an alliance with Ferrouz, whose only condition is protection from an impending invasion from a dangerous warlord. Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewbacca join the team to inspect the deal. Meanwhile, Mara Jade, the cunning Emperor’s Hand, is sent to determine the nature of this offer and, if necessary, deal with Ferrouz. The Hand of Judgment also returns, enlisted by Jade as her personal team. As everything converges on the Candoras Sector, unseen enemies are pulling strings to undo both sides.

Zahn remains to this day one of my favorite Star Wars authors, and I was so excited to read the sequel to one of my favorite novels. “Allegiance” captured me for its philosophically twisted premise, built into the actions of five characters: that the Empire actually was a force of order and justice for the galaxy. We followed Daric LaRone and his fellow stormtroopers as they fought against the Empire for the Empire, driving out corruption to maintain the order and peace for which it supposedly stood. It was a refreshing perspective that drove against the usual “good vs evil” that we see in the struggles of the Rebellion, and one that, though sadly does not focus much on the Hand of Judgment, continues credibly into this novel.

The characters I enjoyed most in this novel were Thrawn and Nuvo Esva, the warlord from the Unknown Regions. Zahn did a superb job of drawing the reader to certain conclusions, hailing back to the Thrawn trilogy through key plot points and traits of the Chiss’s personality, and turning them completely on their head. Other characters’ personalities were drawn spectacularly as well, like pre-Empire Strikes Back Luke just learning to use the Force and the ambiguous pre-General Han Solo. Some others fell flat, in my opinion, like Mara Jade. Although I enjoyed the complexity of her emotional attachment to the Emperor, her taste for justice didn’t feel like the rogueish assassin that I know.

The only complaint I had about Zahn’s sequel was the incredibly contrived near-miss of Luke and Mara’s meeting. I respect the fact that Zahn had to make everything in this novel work for the chronologically upcoming Thrawn trilogy (Mara and Luke having never met, Thrawn being in the Unknown Regions, disappearance of the Hand of Judgment, etc.), but Luke and Mara were within fifty meters of each other. And he wouldn’t have remembered her at all later? I don’t buy it.

Overall, this is a great novel for any Star Wars fan. It provides a fresh perspective and Zahn is, of course, a master of weaving complex webs with exciting endings. Though we may never see them again (see ending), the Hand of Judgment remains one of my favorite groups of characters!
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Dec 22, 2015 Kent rated it it was amazing

This was an excellent entry into the Star Wars EU. Zahn knows how to make a fairly complicated story that is very entertaining and make it easy to follow. There's a lot of twist and turns in this book, which is great. I recommend this one. ...more

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