Star Wars Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

 

Star Wars Young Jedi Knights: Shadow Academy by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta

Second book in the Young Jedi Knights series. 

Warnings: 

Mentions of slavery

violence

Jaina, Jacen, Lowbacca, and Lowbacca's translation Droid, Em-Teedee are off to visit Lando Calrissian's newest venture. Corusca gem mining at Yavin. Meanwhile, Tenel Ka is unhappily waiting for a visit from a Hapes ambassador sent by her grandmother.

While on the mining station, a group of Imperials bust in and kidnap the Young Jedi. When Lando notifies Luke of the news, Luke and Tenel Ka are off on a rescue mission.

Jaina, Jacen and Lowie are taken to the Shadow Academy. A dark Jedi training academy ran by Brakiss, someone from Luke's past, and Tamith Kai, a nightsister from Dathomir. Qorl, the TIE pilot from the last book is also there. 

Plot is good. Characters are great. Luke is a bit of a troll and I love him. Villains are villainous. Though… I cannot take Brakiss seriously. I know (or at least hope) I am pronouncing his name wrong but I refuse to look up how to actually pronounce it. His name is fucking stupid. Sorry to whoever named this character, but his name sounds like something a character in a romance novel would do before kissing nipples. 

There was a bit in the beginning of the book where Jacen is telling Luke that he is ready to learn to use a lightsaber and he mentions that he is tall enough. Did Luke put height restrictions on lightsabers? Rude, Luke. 

Also, there was a bit that had me fucking laughing so hard. Brakiss hurt Jaina, so Lowie starts throwing benches, as one does. A group of Stormtroopers arrive. Lowie hits them with a bench, they fall down. Another group arrives behind that group and trips over the first group. Third group arrives at another door. Lowie hits them with a bench. First group gets back up, tries to hit Lowie with some stun bolts, hits the bench Lowie is holding. He throws that. They're down again. The third group gets back to their feet, fires at Lowie, but he's bent over to get another bench, so the blaster bolts go over him and hit the second group of Stormtroopers. There were little dark Jedi wannabes running around in terror and Brakiss was telling everyone to calm down. And no one was calming down. It was fucking great. Five star fight scene. 

Great book. Sadly, I had to repair my copy multiple times while I was reading. Starting to think it is more tape than book at this point. But, it is still readable so I'm good. Which I hope it holds together for a bit longer.

“Books are no more threatened by Kindle than stairs by elevators.” 

– Stephen Fry