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Title: The Approaching Storm (Star Wars) |
Review of Star Wars: The Approaching Storm
- âENTERTAINING AND INTELLIGENT . . . This book is pure class all the way. . . . The final page is a great climax.â
âStarburst
The Republic is decaying, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was elected to save the galaxy from collapsing under the forces of discontent. On the tiny but strategic planet of Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the growing secessionist movement. At the Chancellorâs request, the Jedi Council sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, along with their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, to stabilize the planetâs population. To succeed, the Jedi will have to fulfill near-impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies, stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the negotiations collapse and the mission fail. . . .
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Comments for The Approaching Storm (Star Wars)
- Posted on 2008-08-05
Not bad, but...
Too say this book is bad would be wrong. It's a fun ride with obi-wan and company on a somewhat western adventure. My only real complaint is whether it is really necessary. Again, its not bad, but its not really necessary either. At 350 plus pages, this book is definitely overblown. Maybe an ebook would have been a better format. That being said, this is not a bad read its just a huge diversion from the rest of the books up to this point chronologically speaking.
Score: 3
- Posted on 2007-08-05
Wandering the Desert
It seems the books in the "Expanded Universe" are either hit or miss. The title of this review should insinuate where this book stands. Rather than engaging in conflict, it seems the Jedi and Padawans spend most of this book wandering the desert while engaging exotic creatures. If this excitement is not enough, the C-Span like political negotiations that are the climax should make readers label this book a "miss".
The Jedi are the peacekeepers of the universe and seem to spend many books in the "Expanded Universe" on strange and new planets brokering peace. The twist that may set this book apart is that the Jedi are attempting to keep the planet Ansion from leaving the empire to join the Separatists. With Soergg of the Hutts economically motivated to prevent the Jedi from accomplishing their mission, several devious plots are hatched. Of these plots, all seem to be different just for that sake of being different rather than actually succeeding.
If you found yourself annoyed by Jar Jar Binks, you are certain to be annoyed by the rodent-like character Tooqui. Just like Jar Jar, he speaks strangely and stupidly stumbles into saving the Jedi. In terms of sequence, this book is near Episode I. In terms of plot, it is also very close to Episode I. The three star average on this book should suggest that readers have had trouble liking this book. There is a good reason for most readers not liking it.
Score: 3 - Posted on 2007-05-20
When Animals Attack Jedi: The Approaching Drizzle
The Approaching Storm was written by Alan Dean Foster, the ghost author of the A New Hope novelization and writer of the first Star Wars spin-off novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye. This book takes place immediately before Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
This novel was released a few months before Attack of the Clones and billed as a "prologue" to the movie. I was so excited because I thought this book would set up the events of the movie while not revealing too much. Well, it definitely didn't reveal too much! Count Dooku is only mentioned once in the novel. Obi-Wan and Anakin's mission to the planet Ansion is mentioned in Episode II. The two other Jedi, which are the true main characters in the novel, are background characters in the movie. The novel mentions Anakin's issue with his mother. (And it was even intriguing to hear Anakin reflect on Watto as being the closest thing he had to a father figure before the Jedi came into his life.)
Overall, the portrayal of Obi-Wan and Anakin were fairly true to the movie, but we don't really get any insight to the character of Anakin that is not in the movie. And like Rogue Planet, this novel lacked the galactic feel that I love about Star Wars and this time it is even worse because the protagonists' adventures are set exclusively on a backwater planet. In this book, there is not a single mention of Padme, but in the movie Anakin says he has thought about her every day for the last ten years! While incorporating the Secessionist Movement into the basic plot of the novel, it really did nothing to enhance Star Wars II like Cloak of Deception did for Star Wars I.
In the movies, Jedi are portrayed as being able to sense danger right before it happens. One flat-out contradiction in this book is that the Jedi fall for the old smell-the-perfume-with-paralyzing-effects trick that I saw coming a parsec away without the powers of two Jedi Masters and their padawans. Other than that, I can consider this novel to be a part of continuity, just not a very exciting part.
And the movies did have the arena creatures, mynocks, the space slug and the rancor, but this book had countless encounters with wildlife which got old quick.
Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novels that are more relevant to the film series:
Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)
Score: 2
- Posted on 2007-03-29
The Approaching Storm
I liked this book although it was hard to follow at times. While reading more about Obi-Wan was good, I had a hard time really getting into Luminara's character. Bariss was a good character, yet there needs to be more about her. If you want to read Star Wars in order, this a good read!
Score: 4
- Posted on 2006-12-28
This book is ridiculously horrible.
Please someone tell me why we have books like this created for the Star Wars universe? I love the Expanded Universe but hate it when I waste hrs. on books like this.
Score: 1
