Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse * Spoilers *

[GreenDragon]

Not worth the wait.  Some good parts, but got too weird and mystical.  Abeloth is a member of a group of "Force Gods."
No Imperial Knights yet.  No clue how Emperor Fel I actually will assume his throne.  And no clue how the One Sith will avoid being noticed by the Jedi Order for 86 years.
And no major named characters die.  With little logical way any more major threats can rise up before the Sith-Imperial War in 130ABY.

High points:
Master Jaina Solo has joined the Council.  And Married Jag.
Jacen did change the future, delaying the Dark Man's ascension for 90 years.  Luke meets the Dark Man on the Astral Plane.  He is old, craggy-skinned, with facial tatoos, and one arm and one eye don't really exist in the Force.  And he is at least as powerful as Luke.  And Vestara Khai and Ship have gone to join his Sith.  (Hence my wondering how the Jedi will not notice Darth Krayt's One Sith, on Korriban, between 44ABY and 130ABY).
Tahiri Veila, Imperial Hand.  Teaming up with Boba Fett.

Aaron Allston is writing a new X-Wing novel: Mercy Kill, set 43ABY.

And Fate of the Jedi - the series title that really means nothing - is done.  Troy Denning's acknowledgements make it sound like he's not intending to do any more SW EU books.

[Lore]

Not worth the wait.  Some good parts, but got too weird and mystical.  Abeloth is a member of a group of "Force Gods."

"Force Gods?" Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about that, but I'm intrigued by the notion of whether a true pantheon of similar entities also actually exists.

Which raises all sorts of questions:- Have the other Force Gods also been locked away/banished like Abeloth? Perhaps they are merged with the Force, and can manifest like a mortal Force Spirit? Or have they moved beyond our reality and into wherever the Force converges into the wellspring of all life?

No Imperial Knights yet.  No clue how Emperor Fel I actually will assume his throne.  And no clue how the One Sith will avoid being noticed by the Jedi Order for 86 years.
And no major named characters die.  With little logical way any more major threats can rise up before the Sith-Imperial War in 130ABY.

I recall being told by the Lucas Book folks at the end of the "Legacy of the Force" series that the whole "One Sith/Sith-on-Korriban" angle wouldn't be the focus of the "Fate of the Jedi" series. They would be left for later development beyond Apocalypse.

Master Jaina Solo has joined the Council.  And Married Jag.

Interesting. As a Master, Jaina will now undoubtedly have the potential to influence Jedi policies and, perhaps, lay the groundwork for the formation of the Imperial Knights with Jag.

Jacen did change the future, delaying the Dark Man's ascension for 90 years.  Luke meets the Dark Man on the Astral Plane.  He is old, craggy-skinned, with facial tatoos, and one arm and one eye don't really exist in the Force.  And he is at least as powerful as Luke.

Hmmm. I seem to remember Krayt referring to some "dark entity" in one of the early Legacy comics. I wonder whether this was an earlier reference to this "Dark Man?"

And Vestara Khai and Ship have gone to join his Sith.  (Hence my wondering how the Jedi will not notice Darth Krayt's One Sith, on Korriban, between 44ABY and 130ABY).

Sounds like the necessary plot hook Lucas Books need to set up the next series.

Aaron Allston is writing a new X-Wing novel: Mercy Kill, set 43ABY.

Eh. Never really cared for the X-Wing books.

And Fate of the Jedi - the series title that really means nothing - is done.  Troy Denning's acknowledgements make it sound like he's not intending to do any more SW EU books.

Well, not to completely defend Lucas Books, but, again, we were previously told that "Fate of the Jedi" was the transitional point between the revelations of "Legacy of the Force" and what was to come after "Fate of the Jedi."

[Marwynn]

Yeah, I wasn't expecting major deaths for this book. That seemed to be saved for the next series... Although there were some good points where that could've happened in this book.

Apart from Abeloth, it doesn't seem like there's a lot of closure in this book. There's still the Lost Tribe loose out there and the Jedi are moving out of Coruscant so maybe we'll get some new Knights fighting new Sith for once.

[GreenDragon]

"Force Gods?" Hmmm. Not sure how I feel about that, but I'm intrigued by the notion of whether a true pantheon of similar entities also actually exists.

Which raises all sorts of questions:- Have the other Force Gods also been locked away/banished like Abeloth? Perhaps they are merged with the Force, and can manifest like a mortal Force Spirit? Or have they moved beyond our reality and into wherever the Force converges into the wellspring of all life?

Abeloth is the "Servant who becomes mother, then bathes in the Pool of Knowledge."  There were also the Daughter (Lightside), Son (Darkside), and Father (Balance).  Yoda told Luke a story about Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker encountering beings that match those descriptions during the Clone Wars.  The Father was dying, and wanted Anakin to take his place.  Anakin refused.  The Son kills the Daughter with a Darkside dagger, and is tricked into killing himself by the Father.  Somehow, despite there being no other surviving records in the Jedi Temple, Obi-Wan's report on the incident is still there.

Eh. Never really cared for the X-Wing books.

Allston's were much better than Stackpole's.  Significantly less Corran Horn.

Well, not to completely defend Lucas Books, but, again, we were previously told that "Fate of the Jedi" was the transitional point between the revelations of "Legacy of the Force" and what was to come after "Fate of the Jedi."

I hope so.  Because with the extra six months of delays to promote the MMO, this series took way too long to finish, when the only payoff is the proposal at the beginning of Book 1 leading to a wedding in the end of Book 9.  And all hardcovers, for the extra expense.

[Lazarus Jaguar]

It's getting to the point that I'm beginning to think I could come up with better story ideas then what's being written.  Hell, I Think I have sometimes.  I can't write though.  I just have concepts that could be built on or else I'd try.

[GreenDragon]

Hey, some of the "best" writers in comics today match your description. 

Truthfully, the last few series, the individual scenes - the character moments - were what I enjoyed.  The plots themselves not so much.

[Lore]

Abeloth is the "Servant who becomes mother, then bathes in the Pool of Knowledge."  There were also the Daughter (Lightside), Son (Darkside), and Father (Balance).

Interesting.

Let's consider this from the perspectives of the most prominent Force philosophies in play throughout the galaxy -- Abeloth embodying the focus of the Dark Side, the Daughter signifying the Light Side of the Force as perceived by the Jedi Order, and the Father, the Balance, being represented, perhaps, by the Imperial Knights.

[MadCapellan]

Question - do they mention who is Imperial Head of State now?

[GreenDragon]

Interesting.

Let's consider this from the perspectives of the most prominent Force philosophies in play throughout the galaxy -- Abeloth embodying the focus of the Dark Side, the Daughter signifying the Light Side of the Force as perceived by the Jedi Order, and the Father, the Balance, being represented, perhaps, by the Imperial Knights.

The Son is the Dark Side.  Abeloth is Chaos - the opposite of Balance.

Admiral Vitor Reige won the election.  Daala is now supposed to be working for him, and he promised Tahiri a pardon as soon as he was in office.

[Arkansas Warrior]

Question - do they mention who is Imperial Head of State now?

Vitor Reige, who's long been hinted to be (one of) Pellaeon's illegitimate child(ren).

[Lazarus Jaguar]

so wait, no Emperor Fel yet?

[Arkansas Warrior]

Nope.  At least for the moment, he's just a private citizen.  Unless Reige retained him in some other role.

[Marwynn]

I think that Admiral Daala is gonna try something. Seize power and rule as Empress. Jagged Fel will be forced to return to the Empire and save it, becoming Emperor in turn. Hell, he may even get Jedi support.

I've been wondering, why don't the Jedi apply their Force-knowledge to other technologies? I mean, they built the lightsabers combining science and the Force. Why not armour of some kind? Or a fightercraft for Force-wielders?

Or hell, medicine. Some Force-enhanced Bacta could save a few million people here or there.

[garhkal]

Why... Bacta is good as is..

[GreenDragon]

Considering Bacta is only possible with the efforts of the Vratix, and not directly recreateable by Vongtech, it could be mildly Force energized.  Big reason the Jedi don't have a lot of "magic items" is that that "Science" of the Rakatans and Je'Daii went primarily to the Sith (Force-Using sect not the species).  Jedi have sabers (which are basically mechanical), but Sith Alchemy creates Holocrons, Enchanted Melee weapons that can resist sabers, etc.

[Lazarus Jaguar]

Btw, what ever happened to the legacy era?  Is that still going on?

[Niopsian]

I picked this up at the book store today, and carried it around for a bit, then realized that I was about to buy it more out of a sense of obligation than an interest in finishing the story.

So I put it back on the shelf.

Sad.

[Marwynn]

Considering Bacta is only possible with the efforts of the Vratix, and not directly recreateable by Vongtech, it could be mildly Force energized.  Big reason the Jedi don't have a lot of "magic items" is that that "Science" of the Rakatans and Je'Daii went primarily to the Sith (Force-Using sect not the species).  Jedi have sabers (which are basically mechanical), but Sith Alchemy creates Holocrons, Enchanted Melee weapons that can resist sabers, etc.

Why... Bacta is good as is..

I figure it could be enhanced somehow, twas just an example which GreenDragon answered.

That whole "Alchemy" thing seems something that should be somewhat more standard issue for a Jedi. First he forges a blade, then a suit of armour, and finally... a steed?

[GreenDragon]

Btw, what ever happened to the legacy era?  Is that still going on?

Legacy: War miniseries finished the storyline.  Brief summation: Cade kills Krayt, drops the body into Coruscant's sun.  New GA Triumvirate is Gar Stazi, Empress Marasiah Fel, and the Jedi Grand Master (Jedi running the government - bad idea). 
The team that did that series is now doing Dawn of the Jedi, which is set 36,000BBY, Pre-Hyperspace, Pre-Republic, and in issue 1 the Rakatan Infinite Empire has just conquered the lush tropical world of Tatooine.

[garhkal]

Ohh..  so tattoine was once a forest planet?

[Ruger]

Hmmm. I seem to remember Krayt referring to some "dark entity" in one of the early Legacy comics. I wonder whether this was an earlier reference to this "Dark Man?"

The description given here sounds more like Krayt himself...

I've been wondering, why don't the Jedi apply their Force-knowledge to other technologies? I mean, they built the lightsabers combining science and the Force. Why not armour of some kind? Or a fightercraft for Force-wielders?

Well, at one time, the Jedi did use armor, and their fighters have been notorious for lacking nav computers, much shielding, etc. as lack of these things can be compensated for by the use of the Force...

Ohh..  so tattoine was once a forest planet?

Tropical/rain forest types maybe...impression I got from the picture and text was that it was more like a world-wide chain of Hawa'ii's or Tahiti's...

Ruger