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Deceptions (Jedi Apprentice: Special Edition #1) - Hailey, Rebecca & Zuzana
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Mod
Besides, there's more Tahl in this book and that is always a plus. ;)
Qui-gon, stop barging into Tahl's investigation. She needs space to figure out if she wants a Padawan!
Mod
LOL! I gather you've already started reading, Rebecca. :D
Yeah. I needed to wash out the taste of that last book. It wasn't all bad, but I just didn't care for it as much.
Bad Qui-gon bad! The Jedi Council wouldn't have sent Tahl on a mission by herself if they thought she couldn't handle defending herself. Also, you seem to forget that using a lightsaber to block blaster bolts without sight is something younglings learn. Given she's had special training of some sort, I'd assume it would include combat situations now that she is blind. She won't improve or know her limits if you don't allow her to be at risk. Stop taking away her agency Qui-gon! Tahl is trying to call him out on it. Obi-wan is fed up with it as well.
Was she trying to tie this in with Zahn's Outbound Flight? The cobbled together design of the ship kind of reminds me of Outbound Flight.
Mod
Mod
In a Jedi Quest book we learn Anakin goes to various junk yards and scavsanges the parts.
Mod
I agree that it was a bit rushed.
My notes on Qui-Gon and Tahl:
- at first I was annoyed that Qui-Gon tried to talk with Tahl about her decision not to take a Padawan and change her mind. It is something only she can decide for herself. Why is he interfering? But then I remembered all those instances when Tahl offered her unsolicited advice on how Qui-Gon should handle matters with Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon mostly reacted the same way - with irritation. It made me realize that these are the parameters of their friendship. They are free with their opinions of the other one's actions. It's not one-sided. Why shouldn't Qui-Gon speak his mind? When the shoe was on the other foot Tahl never shied away from giving Qui-Gon a stern talking to. We probably shouldn't treat those instances differently.
It doesn't change the fact that the final decision on Bant lies with Tahl and I don't believe that Qui-Gon was trying to take it away from her.
- what was totally uncool though was Qui-Gon interfering with Tahl's handling of the situation in the hangar . That was badly done and just goes to show that when Tahl's life or well-being is in danger Qui-Gon is prone to making hasty/bad decisions. THAT was disrespectful and Tahl should have jumped down his throat about it (much more than she did) so he remembers never to do something like that again.
- Qui-Gon showed once again that when Tahl is involved he's all too ready to abandon Obi-Wan to his own devices. The way he justified it to himself sat badly with me.
"There was nothing more he could do for Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon reflected as he boarded an air taxi for Centax 2. He had said everything that needed to be said. One of the hardest tasks of a Master was the decision to step back. His Padawan needed to deal with his feelings on his own."
When I read it I immediately thought that was bollocks. He might have said all that was needed but his presence would have a calming effect on Obi-Wan. He's 14 and he's about to face a hostile questioning into what Qui-Gon himself is well aware has been a deeply traumatic event for him. The fact that Qui-Gon frames it as his own sacrifice to leave him alone was just hypocritical.
I liked that JW acknowledged that Obi-Wan needed Qui-Gon to be there. I didn't buy the final "I need to do this alone" given the circumstances. This is not about coddling this is about showing support. Qui-Gon not being there to at least accompany Obi-Wan to the questioning was in my book worth reprimand.
BTW Obi-Wan's self-pity party about Qui-Gon prefering Tahl was childish and I loved that Obi-Wan was quick to realize that and felt properly ashamed of himself.
I think the part that runs me the wrong way about Qui-gon giving his unsolicited opinion to Tahl at the beginning is that he first goes to Yoda, and Yoda speaks of things that were not his to disclose to another person.
I appreciate that Obi-wan does realize his pity party is childish, but I also think that it makes sense given that Qui-gon once again abandoned him to go help Tahl when Obi-wan needed him.
Mod
I just don't think that Yoda disclosed any secrets. Tahl rejected Bant. Bant told it to Obi-Wan. I guess that these things became common knowledge at the Temple. What Yoda told Qui-Gon about Tahl's reasons were just his impressions and opinions. So no trust was broken IMO. Had Tahl confessed to Yoda, and then Yoda blabbered to Qui-Gon I would feel differently.
Mod
I liked it because it shows Obi-Wan is going to expect lack of Qui-Gon's support in these situations. Otherwise it could blindside him in the future and could potentially lead to a tragic outcome. Qui-Gon has this flaw in judgment when it comes to Tahl, Obi-Wan is learning to work with this flaw instead of expecting his Master to always do the right thing. It's part of growing up, to recognize that people are not perfect and deal with it in a mature way.
Mod
There were a couple of convenient coincidences but IMO nowhere near as many as in the Zan Arbor arc.
Kad's movement started on Telos. Adra and Den were Telosians, too. Preservation of Telosian natural resources was something Adra was very passionate about. "Destruction" of Telos could make her susceptible to Kad's preaching. I don't mind her ending on BioCruiser.
What I found extremely convenient was that Obi-Wan was the one sent on the mission to BioCruiser where he discovers that their leader is Kad Chun who conveniently changed his name to Uni and nobody at the Temple knew who Uni really was.
Anyway I really enjoyed this story. Could have been a bit more fleshed out and divided into two books. But I'll take it as it is.
Hailey wrote: "It is weird that Obi-Wan keeps running into people he knows from previous missions at every turn though. I know Jude Watson is connecting previous books but the odds of running into all of these characters one after another in the same timespan is unrealistic to me."
THIS! As unrealistic as it is I just roll with it. ;)
Mod
We're told it's "12 years later". The comitee hearing takes place when Obi-Wan is 14. That would make him 26 years old and Anakin 10.
In another passage we're told that 12 years have passed since Bruck's death - that would make Obi-Wan 25.
We're also told that Qui-Gon died 3 years ago. That would make Obi-Wan 28 and Anakin 12.
The last option is the most realistic given what we're told about Anakin and his experiences at the Temple. It's still a mess.
I enjoy Kad's arc. I do wish both storylines had been more fleshed out. Qui-gon makes a point of thinking that he and Tahl need to talk things out because he doesn't like leaving things in the air between them, and yet, as we will see a time jump is between this book and the next arc and their dynamic has only gotten worse.This book really does do a good job of setting up books 14 through 16 as far as Qui-gon and Tahl are concerned. I both dread and look forward to reading the next three books.
I do wish JW had aged Obi-wan in a realistic way through these books. We are 14 books in and he's just turned 14.
Mod
It was only a comittee not a trial. I think that the point was that there was another power at play behind the scenes at the Senate/ on Telos. The Jedi didn't know anything about the upcoming investigation - Yoda and Windu were surprised. It had to be arranged all of a sudden by somebody influential or wealthy enough to make Senate move quickly.
Also Vox's pardon on Telos was likely arranged by somebody powerful enough to smooth out his criminal record.
Somebody moved against the Jedi. I don't believe that Vox was clever and resourceful enough to come up with the plan with the starfighter sabotages not to mention have access to the no-names list. Somebody used Vox and his case against the Jedi as a distraction.
Obi-Wan in the second part hints at a powerful criminal organization behind the scenes. Did he mean Offworld? I'm not sure.
"... Vox is allied with an organization that is even more powerful than the Senate." Obi-Wan stood up and began to wander around the room. "The galaxy has changed. It's full of criminal organizations. Some of them are enormously powerful. With the Senate mired in debate, there is little they have done to control this.
I agree with everything else. It would have made more sense to make Obi-Wan a bit older in the first part of the book.
BTW According to Wookieepedia the first part of the book takes place in 44 BBY (Obi-Wan is 13/14), the second in 29 BBY (Obi-Wan is 28) - what doesn't add up is JW mentioning twice that 12 years had passed.
Mod
Yeah, let's buckle up for the 14-16 arc. It's gonna be a rough ride.
Mod
I know we've discussed this before, but It would have been more realistic to space it out over years. JW should have made Obi-Wan age a year after every 3 books (that would cover 6 years)."
I totally agree. At least a year between the longer arcs.
I enjoyed this book.It was nice to see Kad had matured since he was younger and let the later events persuade him to have a change of heart toward Obi-Wan by the book's end.
Anakin cannot understand how Kad can forgive his father as he is dying for all the evil he perpetuated. This foreshadows what we know will come when Luke forgives Darth Vader/Anakin in Return of the Jedi.
Special Edition # 1 Deceptions
Participating: Hailey, Rebecca & Zuzana
Starting date: June, 7th
As an apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi is blamed for the death of another Jedi student. With the help of his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan must fight to clear his name. But even if he is found not guilty, he has gained an enemy for life--the dead boy's vindictive father.
Twelve years later, Obi-Wan is a Jedi Knight, with his own young apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. Anakin doesn't know about the secrets Obi-Wan is hiding. But as the past comes back to attack them, Obi-Wan and Anakin must fight deception with truth--and face off against enemies both new and old.