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| Inferno (Star Wars: Legacy of the Force, Book 6) | 
 enlarge | Author: Troy Denning
Publisher: Del Rey
Category: Book
List Price: $7.99
Buy New: $3.50
You Save: $4.49 (56%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  39 reviews
Sales Rank: 8986
Media: Mass Market Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8
ISBN: 0345477553
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780345477552
ASIN: 0345477553
Publication Date: August 28, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Authors change; the nonsense stays the same September 2, 2007
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
And so, here we are, book six of Legacy of the Force.
Jacen, who became Darth Caedus in the last novel, is on a rampage, killing kids and blowing things up real nice-like. His mom and dad, his nephew, and the rest of the Jedi are intent on stopping him. But more on that later.
The quality of Inferno is much better than the previous entries, most notably in the battle scenes. The space battles are exciting and well-described, not at all the boring time killers they were in many of the previous novels; this goes doubly so for the lightsaber duels, which are described in epic terms that remind one of the speed and finesse found in the prequel trilogy. Based on this alone the book is worth the purchase.
The story and characters, however, are a different matter. For one, Jacen is now a complete fool, as per Del Ray's wishes. Not once, not twice, but three times someone gets the drop on him, culminating in a cartoon-like rant about "The oldest trick in the book" while someone stalks him from behind. When he's not acting a fool, he's psychotic, torturing children and burning planets. Oddly enough, this is still nothing in the neighborhood of Kyp Durron, slayer of billions, who sits on the Jedi Council.
From day one, Jacen was ostracized from the Jedi and from his family for being too ruthless, never mind that he was basically right about a certain ruthlessness being needed to safeguard the galaxy. Instead of reaching out to him and perhaps preventing his fall to the dark side, they treat him with a contempt that culminated in a complete cutting of ties because he accidentally killed a prisoner. From that point on, the stories begin and end with his friends and family gleefully plotting his demise.
Which is what makes this book, and this series, so frustrating. They are nothing like the films, or even the pre-Del Ray novels. There, no one--not even Anakin Skywalker--was beyond redemption. The Jedi had a certain code they lived by, else they risked turning dark. Here, in Luke's NJO, anyone who goes against the status quo is marked for death. The last book was filled with Mara Jade rubbing her hands together with joy as she pictured the brutal way she would kill Lumiya, and then Jacen. She hunts her nephew down and nearly defeats him; and then, when he's half-dead and helpless, she throws out a pithy line and shoots him in the face. The story comes to an end with a vengeful Luke severing the head of a defeated and helpless foe.
It's a perfect lead-in to Inferno, which features a cute little scene where Leia, in a fit of misguided rage, attempts to kill Tahiri. When Tahiri is rebuked and Leia is congratulated, one gets the feeling the author and his co-planners didn't pay attention to the films. How else can Luke's desertion--in the middle of battle planned around his participation--be explained? Or his consenting to assassins being sent to dispatch Jacen? That Luke: he's some kind of Jedi.
Apparently, he's also a god. If seventy percent of the book is drenched in blood, the other thirty is spent proclaiming the omniscience and pure power of Luke. Why, when he's holding Jacen to the floor without even moving, well, he's probably not even using half his power, or even a quarter. He's just that darn powerful! When Jacen manages to give him a run for his money, it's only because Luke is still wounded from his fight with Lumiya, thus leaving him unable to counter Jacen's dirty tricks. Oh, and Luke can do everything Jacen can, only better. Why he never could before is left unexplained. But that Luke--he sure is powerful.
All in all, Inferno left me puzzled. It's a tightly written book that's heavy on action (a nice refresher after Karen Traviss and her talk-fest; look out Boba--he`s going to conjugate!), but the supposed good guys are so far out there that it makes me wonder if, perhaps, Jacen is supposed to be the hero of the story.
 Finally! August 31, 2007
4 out of 7 found this review helpful
I loved this book and was glad to here that Ben finally acts like the son of Luke and Mara! He seemed like an idot at the beggining and I was worried, but he really did live up to it. I was impressed how he caught Jacen with his guard down! I must admit that I was disspointed that Jaina decided not to fall in love with Zekk or Jag, I was expecting some romace there. But maybe they'll be in the next books!
Finally Luke lives up to the Skywalker lineage August 31, 2007
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Great read if you are passionate about the story of Star Wars and character development. This book was a turning point for Jacen's maturation into a Sith Lord. Don't get me wrong, I loved the book but there were some things that could have been better. Below are couple good/bad points of Inferno.
Good
1. It's about time Luke is not portrayed as a wimpy meatbag. I am consistently let down in prior novels Lukes ability to get pushed around both physicaly and mentaly. I mean, he is the son of Anakin Skywalker! The Chosen One! Inferno showed what Luke has been holding back all these years. I found myself excited to read the power he yielded and prove that he is as strong in the force as one would think Anakins children to be.
2. Many old story lines are tied together. From Vergere to Darth Vectivus. Characters are further developed and found myself unable to put the book down.
Bad
1. Jacen went from struggling with the morality of his decisions and justifying them for the good of the Galaxy to pure evil and way over the top acts of cruelty. Thats NOT Jacen. I understand that becoming a Sith Lord his views will change but this was too extreme. I won't spoil the book but you will know what I'm talking about when you read it.
2. Lack of cliff hangers. Basicaly all we have to look forward to next book is how vicious Jacen becomes and the entire galaxy trying to stop him. The plots have thinned out. Of course there are still some streams going on with Alema Rar and Fett, who was left out of this book, but we have a great idea how the next book will go. Thats disapointing.
All in all good read and enjoy it. If you are a Star Wars nut you will love it!
Job Well Done August 29, 2007
2 out of 5 found this review helpful
Troy Denning is one of sci-fi's great writers. The Legacy of the Force series has been uneven at best. As a die-hard Star Wars EU fan, it has been very exciting and a bit slow at times, but Denning delivers a work that deserves praise. I picked the book up yesterday and finished it before the day was over. It was a very engaging read with high action and moving character studies. I don't want to spoil it for any that are going to read it but for any Expanded Universe fan, we get everything we hope for in a Star Wars setting in this one from epic lightsaber battles, to mystery and intrigue and deception, and of course you can't forget the monumental space battles. I am looking forward to the next novel due in November to see how the events of Inferno will affect and shape the rest of the series. Job well done!!
Luke fans need to read this book, beware of spoilers. August 30, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I loved this book. The action was good, most of the characters had page time, and Luke showed Jacen why he is the Grand Master.
First considering how short the novel is I am impressed how he managed to give everyone in the Skywalker and Solo family page time and make it seem important and not tacked on.
Secondly there is action and more action. They are big battles and a killer lightsaber dual.
The last reason, and the one that makes me truely love this book is Luke. Often in recent novels Luke is portrayed as a man who sits around watches the events, at most piloting an X-wing. Meanwhile Caedus, Jacen Solo the sith, is portrayed as kicking butt and as unbeatable. While in Inferno Luke proves his just not a wise old man who is only supposedly the most powerful Jedi of the order but acts it. He force pins Jacen without any visible effort and continues to hold him there. He proved to have the upper hand most of time in his dual with Caedus, I will admit that Caedus put up a good fight though. He also managed to fool the entire Jedi order and Caedus into thinking that he died while only letting Ben know that he was alive. Any fans of Luke should read this book.
There are two reasons I gave this book only four stars. One is that it was short really short. The second one is that I think that the Solos should be told that they are grandparents if only because something happy needs to happen in this series besides Fett getting a family.
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