| Title | : | Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, #11) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345428668 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345428660 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 320 |
| Publication | : | First published March 26, 2002 |
Scattering like rats before the Yuuzhan Vong�s invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory�s Council pause just long enough to set up a mock defense on nearby Borleias�a transparent attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all the Jedi.
Leia and Han Solo trek from world to world to foment rebellion against the New Republic�s disastrous appeasement policies. But Luke Skywalker has chosen the most dangerous assignment of all: to sneak into the Yuuzhan Vong�s stronghold on Coruscant. His outrageous scheme to gain entry is either brilliant or suicidal, depending on the outcome. And bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Vong invasion fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy�s remaining defenders. . . .
Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, #11) Reviews
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The Return of the Rebel Alliance
The New Republic forces have taken Borleias as a staging area for the evacuation of the Inner Core. Self-appointed Chief of State, Pwoe, orders Wedge Antilles and gang to set up a defense for evacuees. But Wedge, Luke, and Mara have other plans...the plans for a new way of fighting. Meanwhile, Jaina the Trickster Goddess explodes onto the scene with the help of some old Wraiths.
NOTE: Based on audiobook and novel.
If I had to mark a book that began the turning of the tide for the Good Guys (Hint Hint: Note how I didn't say "New Republic"), it is this book. Aaron Allston's return to Star Wars marks a few things: 1) a veteran Star Wars writer returning, the first since Tyers/Stackpole, 2) a shift in the battle, and 3) a shift in tone. Allston had written many of the X-Wing books, so he was familiar with the landscape, and from his writing, it's obvious he is more than capable of writing Wedge, Luke, Mara, and even Jaina. Also, he is allowed to write the Good Guys kicking Yuuzhan Vong tail and this change makes the book far less dark than its predecessors.
Allston has a great grasp on characters. Wedge, Luke, Mara, and Jaina are all brilliantly written. I loved the reunion scene with Wedge and his family (watch out! You might get teary eyed!). Luke and Mara were decently done (they seem to be a tough pair for some authors to "get"), but Jaina, in my opinion, really shines. I thought Allston wrote her much better than even Cunningham (impressive, as she is a woman!!). As for new characters, there aren't many, but Tsavong Lah's father (sorry, I don't know how to spell his name!) was very interesting and well done. And kudos to Allston for the touching father-son scene between the Yuuzhan Vong. It's nice to see they aren't mindless, uncaring killing machines.
A lot of the events in this book are definitely setup for the next book, Rebel Stand. There is not much, if any, resolution in this book. But while that could be annoying, I liked it. It truly felt like a spanning novel, not a one-shot that happened to be tucked into the NJO (not that all the other NJO books have felt awkward or bad because they resolve their primary conflict by the end of the novel). I liked seeing the further devolution of the New Republic, a realigning of who is "bad" and who is "good" and who is just plain making matters worse.
The exploits of the Trickster Goddess finally make an appearance here, which I am glad (though it would have been so much more interesting to have Dark Jaina play all these pranks). I couldn't believe a teenager (or barely out of her teens) would get command of her own squadron, even if it were part of the ploy (why couldn't they do like Anakin-Ganner from Star by Star? Jaina acts as the leader, but someone more experienced is the leader). However, I did like how Kyp, Jag, and the Wraiths (Piggy and one guy I forgot) did support her and not all of the trickery was from her own mind.
The Coruscant mission seems to be starting great, though I am still perturbed that our heroes don't care about dumping their child on the nearest nanny droid. The Borleias campaign is also one of the most memorable campaigns for me, and I remember fondly drawing pictures of the space battle. I didn't even do that for the movies!
If there was one plotline that did make me groan, it was the Viqi Shesh-Tam-Danni Quee story. While I love the idea of a plant/a spy, I get tired of all these guys who are oh, so honest that are coerced into spying. I would have thought Viqi Shesh' time as Bad Guy would have been over. And for once, I'd love to see something like the following: Danni sees that Tam is all awkward around her and she thinks he is hitting on her, though terribly, when in fact, he is plagued by his coersion spying. And while that does somewhat crop up, Danni is way too easy to penetrate through Tam's facade, even though she doesn't know him from Bail.
After the tepid "Dark Journey" and the tearjerker, "Star by Star", "Rebel Dream" returns us to a Star Wars that many of us who read through the Bantam books are familiar with. There is humor; there are characters we love and enjoy; there are big events beginning. My biggest complaints are the obvious setup for the sequel, some shaky characterization, a regurgitation of plot points we've "Been there and done that", and just not having that mind-blown feeling when I finished. Otherwise, it's fun reading and definitely one of the better books of the NJO. -
The New Republic, for all intents and purposes, has collapsed in the wake of the Fall of Coruscant and the scattering of the surviving members of the Galactic Senate. The confused and incompetent members of the New Republic Advisory Council---the only remaining governmental body left somewhat intact to issue orders---has ordered the fleet to take and hold planet Borleais as a staging area for an attempt at re-taking Coruscant.
Wedge Antilles, the leader of the fleet, knows that the order is merely an attempt for the Advisory Council to slip away to safety. While pretending to follow orders, he, Luke Skywalker, Leia, and Han Solo forge other plans, using tactics and strategies from their Rebel Alliance days. The Yuuzhan Vong, like the Empire, may seem like an unstoppable force, but they defeated one unstoppable force before. They know, too, that playing politics and appeasement will only lead to further ruin. Force must be stopped with force. And the Force, of course. (Apologies to Dr. Seuss…)
Hence, "Rebel Dream", Aaron Allston's awesome contribution to the New Jedi Order series. "Rebel Dream" is the first book in his Enemy Lines duology, and it is action-packed from beginning to end. Allston's novel also doesn't suffer from previous books in the series when it comes to multiple story lines getting muddled and confusing. He deftly handles several story lines, thanks in large part to his knack for good characterization. Allston may write kick-ass battle scenes, but he also understands human drama.
This is definitely one of the best books in the New Jedi Order series, and I look forward to voraciously reading the second book. -
3.5 stars
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Another New Jedi Order novel finished- and currently my favorite novel in the entire series so far!
I have heard nothing but good things when it came to Aaron Allston as a Star Wars writer, and from the first page I finally understood how much of a loss his passing was in February of 2014. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, that fans have said about Allston is true. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is the first novel in the New Jedi Order series that I can confidently say I LOVED reading.
So let's not waste anymore time and dive right in!
THE STORY: The New Republic is on the verge of collapse following the Yuuzhan Vong's conquest of Coruscant. A naval fleet under the command of Wedge Antilles recaptures the planet Borleais. The remaining members of Borssk Fey'lya's inner council, claiming to be the current leaders of what is left of the galactic senate, have tasked Wedge's forces with the defense of Borleias.
However, Wedge quickly realizes that for all intents and purposes, the Republic is already gone. He gathers up his most trusted associates, including Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker, to create an "inner circle", and give rebirth to the Rebel Alliance.
And that's pretty much all you need to know. The rest is an extravaganza of action, character moments, and setup for the next book.
THE BAD: While my problems with this book are few and relatively minor, this book isn't quite perfect.
First, is that the book doesn't really feel complete, and seemingly relying on
Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand to pay off what Rebel Dream set up. This will only be a significant issue in the long run if Rebel Stand doesn't deliver in paying things off. But as I will get to later, I trust that Allston planned this out, so for now I treat it as something more minor.
The only other problem I had with Rebel Dream, and something that I'm not sure Rebel Stand can fix, is how Han Solo is portrayed. I don't think Everything about him feels out of character here, but the one aspect that doesn't work is noticeable- and it's something that carries over from
Dark Journey. I still don't buy how little effort he is putting into reconnecting with Jaina. I'm guessing Allston was assuming that Elaine Cunningham would wrap that up in a satisfying way so he didn't have to focus on it, but I don't know. Either way, because Dark Journey spent way too much time with the Hapes storyline and not enough on Han/Leia/Jaina addressing Anakin's death, this still feels strange to me.
THE GOOD: Alright, let's get to what I liked- because wow, it's alot. This book was GREAT.
I would like to start off with Aaron Allston's writing, because what else can I say? All of the hype that Allston gets as a Star Wars author is well deserved. Even after only reading one of his books, I already consider Aaron Allston one of my favorite SW writers. Everything about Allston's writing works on so many levels- from his exciting action scenes, to the amazing dialogue (the humor in particular lands nearly every time), to how incredibly well he understands the characters- all of it is just so, so good. From the first page, I could already tell that I was reading something by an author who was in a league of his own.
Speaking of the characterization, Allston pretty much nailed it. The interplay between Luke and Mara is fantastic, and this is quite easily the best writing I've seen for Mara Jade outside of Timothy Zahn himself. I found her struggle between protecting Ben and fighting the Vong to be handled quite well.
Remember how I said Jaina Solo's characterization in "Dark Journey" was a step in the right direction? Well Allston just ran with it and she really shines here. It's amazing what Allston's knack for dialogue can do for this character, because he writes by far the best Jaina that this series has seen yet. And going off that, he writes Jag Fel really well too- and ESPECIALLY the dynamic between him and Jaina . I also thought Allston did a great job with Kyp Durron. In particular, while you can definitely tell there's a love triangle going on, I didn't actually groan. Don't worry if you hate love triangles- this one is actually interesting. And that doesn't even include the story about Jaina playing the role of Vong Trickster-goddess, which continues from "Dark Journey". This entire aspect was quite entertaining, again thanks to Allston's fantastic dialogue.
In addition, I really liked how Leia was written. Thanks to Enemy Lines being set up as an ensemble story (at least in "Rebel Dream"), Allston gets to focus more on exploring Leia's emotional struggle and he gets every bit of mileage out of it hat he possibly can .
Going off of that, there were other parts about Han Solo's characterization that I DID like. Allston made up for the shortcomings I mentioned before with some other aspects that were completely on point. The scenes between him and Leia where they confide in each other were really solid and well done, but I particularly loved the bits addressing his continued struggle to finally let go of Chewbacca and embrace Leia as his new copilot.
One of the bigger surprises to be found in this novel was how interesting the Yuuzhan Vong were. Nearly every novel, the villains' storylines were either ridiculously boring, unexpectedly pointless, or both. Not here. Getting to see Nen Yim again was just a bonus, because I actually found the storylines with Viqi Shesh and Tsavong Lah surprisingly interesting. In addition, Czulkang Lah has some good potential too.
Finally, there's fan-favorite Wedge Antilles. I'm really happy with how Allston handled ALL OF THIS. Not just Wedge, but with all of the Wraith Squadron pilots and the other Bantam Era Expanded Universe fanservice. If something needed explaining, Allston explained it (eg, Borleias) in a concise but effective manner. If it didn't (pertaining to the other Wraith Squadron pilots and Wedge's family), he just let them stay in background or cameo roles so those who read the older EU novels can have fun with the connections, while those who haven't won't get lost.
THE CONCLUSION: Final rating is 4.5 stars. Now that I have completed
Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand, I can confidently say that things were continued in a satisfying way, and hence I can round up. I'll elaborate further on that when I get to reviewing Rebel Stand in full.
I don't know what else to say for this one. Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream is hands down the best New Jedi Order novel I have read so far, and I can't wait to read its followup. This novel proved to me how much potential the NJO has always had. Does the excellence of this book excuse the hit-and-miss quality of the previous ten books in the series? Of course not. But this book was really, really, good- and what more can I ask for? -
Star Wars: Rebel Dream by Aaron Allston is the 12 entry into the New Jedi Order Series, and book one of the “Enemy Lines” trilogy. Rebel Dream was yet another of the better books in the New Jedi Order series. Rebel Dream” may not be an “X-Wing” novel, but it is very much a military novel, and like Allston’s previous work, it’s not just for people who like reading about strategies and starfighter dogfights; it’s also for people who like to see characters interact, make tough decisions and discover their true natures on tense military operations.
Here, Wedge Antilles is in fine form as he denies the New Republic’s Advisory Council. Wedge sees that the Council – led by the Quarren Pwoe, who claims to be the chief of state after Fey’lya’s death – aims to use the military only as a diversion until the Councilors can flee to their homeworlds and try to carve out deals with the Vong. In a more extreme version of his actions in “The Bacta War” (where he goes on an off-the-books Rogue Squadron mission supported by Ackbar), Wedge chooses an illegal-but-moral act over an immoral-but-legal act: He takes control of a portion of the military in order to continue fighting the invaders.
The thing I remembered most about this novel is that Wedge, along with his trusted “Insiders” or “Inner Circle” (who are essentially all the “NJO’s” main characters), determines that the military must fight not like the New Republic, but rather like the Rebel Alliance – with cells, secrecy and trickery. The book’s title references this ideology, in addition to being the name of Leia’s former Star Destroyer flagship (from back in “The Courtship of Princess Leia”) that is still in service.
In a twist that I had forgotten, Wedge and his “Rebels” ultimately win this Battle of Borleias by fighting like the Empire: by using orbital bombardment from Star Destroyers, a tactic the New Republic had never used, presumably on ethical grounds. In another parallel to the Empire, Wedge’s forces set up Operation Starlancer, where cobbled-together “pipefighters” triangulate and send a magnified laser blast across stellar systems. This is similar to the Empire’s Galaxy Gun from “Dark Empire II,” and the idea was mined yet again in Disney’s “Episode VII: The Force Awakens,” wherein the First Order destroys several planets with its Starkiller Base superweapon.
Jaina Solo doesn’t join the action until page 151 of this 304-page paperback, but she ends up stealing the show, partly because of the momentum from her starring role in “Dark Journey.” In a plot point where Allston is able to wring out some of his trademark humor, the Insiders treat Jaina as a goddess for the benefit of eavesdropping Vong spies, whom they aim to distract. Jaina, for her part, is willing to play along, but she’s still tortured on the inside, devising strategies to keep her loved ones at a distance. But her feelings betray her; this novel features Jaina and Jag’s memorable first kiss, which forever alters Jaina’s perspective on guarding her feelings.
Allson’s funniest bit, though, is when Alema Rar calmly tells a Yuuzhan Vong boarding crew that she’s transporting “holos of training regimens, holos of Jedi history and philosophy, infectious agents that turn normal beings into Jedi, a lot of lightsabers from their new manufacturing plant, that sort of thing” (p. 146). The ruse is topped off by crates literally labeled “Jedi Academy Property. Danger. Do Not Open.” Alema tops it off by offering sex to Lando (who is suitably flattered and befuddled); I’m looking forward to more of this edgy Jedi in the “Dark Nest Trilogy” and “Legacy of the Force.”
In the category of “great-but-briefly-seen characters whom I had forgotten about” is Tam Elgrin, a holocam operator for a New Republic historian. At first I liked Tam just because he’s socially awkward, a demographic not given much page-time in “Star Wars” books. Soon we learn that he’s under the influence of a Vong implant that gives him headaches when he doesn’t do their bidding — which is a little more of a cliché, but his arc is still compelling as he tries to exert his free will, even if it means his death. (On the enemy side of the narrative, it’s interesting to see Yuuzhan Vong captive Viqi Shesh’s schemes for staying alive by convincing Tsavong Lah of a conspiracy within his ranks.)
While it’s definitely not a Wraith Squadron novel, “Rebel Dream” does include some old friends: Face leads the current Wraiths (whom we don’t get to know in detail, unfortunately, as this novel also squeezes in Rogue, Twin Suns and Blackmoon squadrons), Piggy serves as an advisor for Jaina’s “Goddess” role, and Kell Tainer is on Luke’s Coruscant insertion team. Also helping in Jaina’s Goddess training is new character Sharr Latt, who is somewhat of a womanizing and wisecracking answer to the late Ton Phanan. Allston was apparently keeping up with the changing Wraith roster even though fresh novels about the squadron weren’t commissioned.
Overall, Whereas Stackpole fans might’ve been a bit let down by his “NJO” entries’ stiffness in relation to his previous work, there are no such problems with Allston’s first entry. “Rebel Dream” may not be an “X-Wing” novel, but it has all the fast-paced fun and intrigue of those books while also advancing the wider storyline. -
For 2021, I decided to reread Del Rey’s first attempt at a multi-author book series in the Star Wars universe: The New Jedi Order, which was published between 1999 and 2003. This shakes out to 19 novels, two eBook novellas, three short stories, and a tangentially-related prequel era novel.
This week’s focus: the first book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston, Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream.
SOME HISTORY:
Aaron Allston was the third and final of the Bantam era authors to collaborate on the New Jedi Order series. After the heavy angst of
Star by Star, the Enemy Lines duology features our heroes adapting their strategies--and triumphing in the process. There’s also some of Allston’s signature humor, which helps to lighten the tone. Enemy Lines: Rebel Dream made it to number seven on the New York Times paperback bestseller list for the week of April 14, 2002.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
When I first started rereading the New Jedi Order series, I didn’t think I had revisited any of the books since their initial release. But I think I might have reread just the Jaina/Jag scenes in Rebel Dream at some point? Because their interactions together felt so familiar, compared to the rest of the story.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
Scattering after the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion of Coruscant, the panic-stricken members of the New Republic Advisory Council pause long enough to order a mock defense on nearby Borleias—an attempt to buy time that fools no one, least of all General Wedge Antilles. For bearing down swiftly on Borleias is a Yuuzhan Vong fleet, determined to destroy the galaxy's remaining defenders…
THE CHARACTERS:
Wedge Antilles was a minor presence in
Dark Tide II: Ruin and
Edge of Victory II: Rebirth, and was apparently (?) reactivated for duty in
Star by Star. In Rebel Dream, he’s trying to hold his fleet group together in the face of the New Republic’s defeat at the Battle of Coruscant. Borleias is meant to be merely a temporary stop before Wedge’s group rendezvouses with General Bel Iblis and Admiral Kre’fey’s forces, but Pwoe and the other surviving members of Fey’lya’s Advisory Council put Wedge in a horrible position. Wedge must hold a planet he knows they’ll eventually lose, and his stratagems here were interesting to follow. He’s unfortunately not as fleshed out as other characters, but I found his concern about the fate of his family and his utter relief during their reunion really touching to read.
I’ve found the characterization of Luke & Mara uneven from book to book, where either the author struggles with one of them or with their dynamic as a couple. Here, I liked Allston’s portrayal of Mara (I thought it made a lot of sense that she’d become protective of Ben and anxious about his safety, especially after that debacle with Viqi Shesh), but Luke seemed less like himself--he grinned an awful lot, for someone who just lost over ten Jedi to voxyn and the Myrkr mission in Star by Star. So much of their plotline was obviously setup for book 2, though, and I wish that Mara could be part of the action without leaving her child behind--it feels too similar to Leia’s parenting style, and we can see how well that turned out!
I liked the little glimpses we got of how Han and Leia’s relationship continues to grow and mend--in particular, Han finally replaced Chewie’s oversized copilot seat with a more Leia-sized one. They don’t have much to do here, other than blunder with the Lusankya into Wedge’s action against the Domain Cha commander, and ferry the Jedi students to the safe haven in the Maw. But there’s a nice scene between Leia and Jaina that serves to bridge the divide between mother and daughter.
To be honest, I wasn’t feeling completely engaged with the first half of Rebel Dream, but then Jaina Solo and Jag Fel and Kyp Durron arrived from Hapes, and the book became considerably more interesting. Jaina’s left her Dark Side dabbling behind, but she’s still a mess: she thinks she’s going to die at any moment, and needs to disengage from her friends and family to protect them. She honestly shouldn’t be on active duty, and this is most obvious when she disobeys orders to save Jag. Afterwards, Jag asks her why, and all she can say is that she keeps losing the people she cares about.
Although Jaina has been fighting this war for over two years, it’s easy to forget that she’s only eighteen. She’s lost countless Jedi companions, and her two brothers, and she’s struggling to keep it all together. Between
Dark Journey and Rebel Dream, Jaina’s breaking my heart here, and I can’t wait for this war to end so she can finally have some peace.
I love Jag, and I love his interactions with Jaina--how their different backgrounds and very different approach to situations affect their growing relationship. That’s all. (｡♥‿♥｡)
And I appreciated more POV scenes from Kyp Durron: it’s easier for me to understand his actions, when I can actually get his reasoning behind it! Most notably, I remember there being a huge amount of uproar when this book was released because at one point, Kyp thinks about how he’s more powerful than Luke Skywalker, and can do the same feat that Luke did in
Dark Tide I: Onslaught but not suffer the same side effects from it. And readers were furious, and took it as canon truth that Star Wars thought Kyp was stronger than Luke. But it’s important to note that this is from Kyp’s POV--sure, Kyp could have more sheer power in the Force than Luke, but he could only think that, since it’s 100% in character for Kyp to want to be demonstrably better than Luke in some way.
The Wraiths reappear, although a good chunk of them were completely new members. But I was fine with that--we heard how Tyria Sarkin is doing, and got to see Face, Kell, and Piggy. Any more Wraith cameos might have felt overwhelming to new readers.
And of course, it wouldn’t be an Aaron Allston novel without a character working for the bad guys and feeling super conflicted about it. In the case of Rebel Dream, we have Tam Elgrin, the suborned holocam operator (side note: I love that there’s like a David Attenborough of the galaxy far, far away who’s reporting on the Yuuzhan Vong invasion and occupation). He doesn’t want to spy for the Vong, but he gets debilitating headaches until he obeys his orders. I just wish that his role as spy hadn’t been discovered so easily? That instead, Danni Quee just thought he was an awkward guy for longer? His subplot also ends on a cliffhanger, so no resolution here.
On the Yuuzhan Vong front, Viqi Shesh manages to postpone her execution by hinting to Warmaster Tsavong Lah that his implant is failing because it’s being sabotaged. After Nen Yim from the Edge of Victory duology examines it, Tsavong Lah suspects an active conspiracy between the priests and the shapers. So he’s a bit too preoccupied with matters on Coruscant to divert his attention towards the troublemakers on Borleias, but still needs to send a strong commander after Domain Cha’s (accidental) defeat. Enter Czulkang Lah, Tsavong Lah’s father and the former Warmaster. The father/son relationship is intriguing and prickly (Czulkang Lah did not support the invasion of the GFFA, and has been living in exile ever since), but as his son’s subordinate, Czulkang Lah is obliged to undertake military actions that he does not agree with. (Like other subplots, Czulkang Lah enters the scene halfway through the book, so hopefully we’ll see even more of him in book 2).
ISSUES:
My main issue with Rebel Dream was that it felt like setup galore. Nothing is resolved (Wedge triumphs for now, the Vong lose for now), and key plot points like the mission to Coruscant haven’t even begun yet. I never felt like the book dragged or felt slow, but you won’t get any sense of conclusion until
Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
I enjoyed the lighter tone and the change of pace, but it didn’t resonate with me in the same way that Allston’s Wraith Squadron books did. I wonder if that’s the difference between a series where the author is given a lot of leeway (Allston was told to focus on Wedge and set it after
The Bacta War, but was otherwise given free rein) vs the New Jedi Order series (the NJO story group planned all the major plot points in advance and the writers had a list of things they had to adhere to).
I also wish there wasn’t such a dichotomy of “Politicians bad, Military good,” although the New Republic government is visibly, demonstrably bad at their job and has been since
Vector Prime. (The New Republic government makes no sense, but they’re such obvious strawmen for our heroes to knock down that I wish for a little more nuance here. But maybe I'm in the wrong sci-fi universe if I'm looking for political nuance.)
And once again, our heroes must become the resistance to battle their foes, because the actual government won’t! This is a common Star Wars problem, from Legends to the New Canon. I understand why it’s done--to evoke the feeling of the Original Trilogy, when the scrappy Rebel Alliance fought the evil Empire--but Star Wars seems far too willing to abandon legitimate authority at any sign or trouble or disagreement.
Some more timeline discrepancy: the first chapter says that the battle to retake Borleias occurs a day after Coruscant fell, and Luke and Mara are present; yet in Dark Journey, they went to Hapes and then went to the secret Jedi base after the fall of Coruscant. Like the previous book, it doesn’t quite add up. And I felt a bit of whiplash between Luke’s modus operandi in previous books (Jedi can’t get involved) and this one (Luke seems like a subordinate under Wedge, directly working with the NR military).
IN CONCLUSION:
Rebel Dream was a fun change of pace, especially after all the heavy stuff before and during Star by Star. I enjoyed getting to see General Wedge again, and Jaina’s emotional development was intriguing and moving. But it’s also all setup for the following book--which never felt like a slog to read, but did give me the sense that I would definitely need to read the second book to get the full picture.
Next up: the second book in the Enemy Lines duology by Aaron Allston,
Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand.
My YouTube review:
https://youtu.be/GRKvP9Rj81o
Q & A with Star Wars Authors - August 12, 2002:
https://web.archive.org/web/200502050...
FAQs on Aaron Allston’s website:
https://web.archive.org/web/200911231... -
"We're going to face them with an enemy they've never had the displeasure of fighting. We're going to hit them with the Empire."
"They're not going to like the Empire."
The one thing that always comes up whenever someone mentions the New Jedi Order is its elevated sense of darkness compared to what came before. And sure, to a certain extent, it is true - worlds get destroyed, civilians are turned into refugees, and many others, including the jedi, face the fate of being hunted down, tortured, and ultimately murdered. There is an ever-present sense of misery throughout the series which hits its peak with the nihilistic Star by Star, perhaps the most depressing piece of Star Wars media by the time of its release. The Expanded Universe reached levels of conflict never before seen, so the question arises: Where to go from here? Elaine Cunningham's Dark Journey, though certainly a glum piece of media, ultimately concludes on a decisively positive note and thus paved the way for a more positive future. So who else to bring in for our heroes' triumphant return than fan favorite Aaron Allston, joining his X-Wing co-author Michael Stackpole in penning an NJO duology. Allston's first NJO novel, Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream, is exactly the feel-good break from all the conflict the series needed and more.
Borleias Occupation, Day X
Sernpidal. Ithor. Duro. Yavin IV. Coruscant. By Rebel Dream, the Yuuzhan Vong's invasion has cost the New Republic and its people multiple worlds already. This novel, however, marks a shift in this development. After playing minor roles throughout the previous NJO novels, Wedge Antilles once more takes up the leading role to oversee the capture and defense of Borleias,a planet of X-Wing series fame. The recapturing, which already takes place at the very beginning of the novel, brilliantly establishes Enemy Lines I's core thesis: the Good Guys have returned, and they're ready to take back what is rightly theirs. What a breath of fresh air after the depressing last two novels. Allston really seems almost singularly devoted to making the reader sit back and have a good time, and it shows. Wedge and Tycho get to plan out Rogue/Wraith-esque plans while simultaneously dealing with the NR's corrupt Old Guard; Jaina, Kyp, and Jag return from their trip on Hapes and continue their work on the Trickster Goddess Deception with help from the Wraiths, all the while sorting things out between one another; Han and Leia, too, manage to sort things out after the events of Star by Star. As is typical with Allston, there are some great character moments, too; with Jaina, Jag, Leia, and Tahiri especially coming out of this as stronger individuals than they were previously. Allston's second main strength, his ever-present comedic touch, is of course present again, too. I haven't laughed this hard at a Star Wars novel since... Starfighters of Adumar, his previous EU novel. Figures. Rebel Dream's triumphant tone, its positive character developments, and its penchant for humor make for an easy, enjoyable read, though one thing that might disappoint some readers is the relative lack of series changing events here; Borleias is a strategically important staging place for a campaign towards the Core, sure, but it just doesn't compare to the fall of an Ithor or the deaths of important political characters, like in Star by Star. But I personally don't subscribe to this criticism, as the abundance of character moments and developments here - just think of Jaina, Leia, or even Wedge - makes up for it. No, if anything, I believe the only real problem here lies in how much Rebel Dream feels like set-up for the next book. Nowhere is this more apparent than with Luke's subplot, which mostly just consists of planning a mission, with only its beginning being presented at the very end, here. Perhaps the direction Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand takes will change my mind, but for now, Rebel Dream feels much less like its own chapter in the NJO's story (think Onslaught, Hero's Trial, and Conquest, the other first entries in a duology) and more just the first half of a bigger story (like what Specter of the Past was to Vision of the Future). There's nothing fundamentally wrong with this approach, but I personally just prefer it when all entries in a given series manage to stand completely on their own.
Yuuzhan Vong Worldship, Coruscant Orbit
So, what are the Yuuzhan Vong doing, now that the tables have ostensibly been turned? Firstly, Rebel Stand serves as a continuation of Tsavong Lah and Viqi Shesh's experiences in Star by Star. Viqi, awaiting her inevitable execution for her failure to kidnap Ben Skywalker, ultimately manages to save her hide by giving the Warmaster a potential explanation for his problems with his regenerating arm. Scheming up the most ridiculous yet plausible explanation for a problem at hand, propelled by her fear for her life and the resulting anger and giving the most convincing show as to why she shouldn't be killed just yet, this is Viqi at her absolute best. I didn't particularly care for Tsavong Lah until his showing in Star by Star, and I can thankfully say that he is similarly interesting in this novel again. The previous books established heresy within the Yuuzhan Vong's ranks, breeding uncertainty and mistrust, and now Tsavong Lah himself is becoming suspicious of the people around him as a result of Viqi's suggestion. He even calls an important character of the past to help investigate, which is a great connection that will hopefully result in something more in the next EL book. After the awesomely hilarious failure of his son Khalee, Tsavong has decided to bring his elderly father and former Warmaster Czulkang Lah out of retirement to deal with the Borleias situation. Czulkang is another example of just how great the individual Yuuzhan Vong characters can be. Though initially opposed to his people's crusade against the SW galaxy, he is nevertheless willing to support Tsavong in his quest and, more prominently, teach the next generation with a method of teaching that could best be described as "tough but fair". Czulkang Lah made a great first impression and I can't wait to see more of him. If the heroes' side teases a change of direction in how the war develops, the YV's plot here goes even further, bringing in lingering feelings of a soon-to-be-had shakeup. Viqi is ostensibly on her last legs, Tsavong Lah's conspiracy plot seems like it will reach its conclusion soon, too, and the appearance of the former warmaster brings in yet another layer of escalation; all of that is not even to mention Jaina and her heresy plot. The YV might have started without much inner turmoil at the earlier points in the series - which was a totally fine decision for those books to take, if I might add - they have become a fully fleshed out villainous force by now, a much more interesting villain than the Empire and its Remnant ever were. The New Jedi Order is great because of the Yuuzhan Vong, not in spite of them.
Coruscant System
There is much more that could be talked about, but I feel like these two paragraphs fittingly sum up my feelings on Enemy Lines I: Rebel Dream. It is simply a joy to read. Perhaps not quite as good as Allston's best in Starfighters of Adumar, and not quite good enough to dethrone Edge of Victory I: Conquest as my current favorite NJO novel, but top tier Star Wars content nevertheless. The heroes are back, the tides have turned, and now the Vong have our heroes to fear, and not the other way around. So where else to continue our campaign than in the former capital, Coruscant itself? With that, we move on to the next book in this duology, Enemy Lines II: Rebel Stand. -
I had not read anything by Aaron Allston prior to this book, and I have to say that I think that I have a new favorite in the Star Wars Galaxy. Michael Stackpole is good, and has some very engaging battles, but Allston has a more conversational style. More like he is telling you a story rather than writing a story. I feel like this can make it so that you feel more engaged in the narrative. It also allows for more idioms and more humor. The humor part is nice, because sometimes, I feel like an author tries to get out of our galaxy so much that the writing gets stale. Idioms make the language interesting. If you don't feel like you can use them, then adapt them!!
The storyline itself is really interesting. The characters continue to grow and develop, albeit with some little surprises. One of the pleasant things that was introduced in this book was a little bit of humor. Things like Han Solo asking (jokingly) if he can shoot C-3PO. I don't blame him sometimes, but the way the conversation between Han and Leia at this point is very entertaining. In the middle of this huge war, you have a little bit of happiness. It doesn't distract, it just adds to the overall feeling of the book.
When all is said and done, Rebel Dream is a great Star Wars book in a great series. It takes the characters into new situations which forces them to grow, and the style of the writer makes it easier to engage and really, really, really enjoy the book. -
So, after several books of them being scattered, we once again see all of the primary cast of the NJO get brought back together. This allows for some good character moments, and also allows the action to stay somewhat more focused around the events at hand.
And "action" is definitely the word to keep at hand with this book. It's fast-paced, with a lot more focus on the ship battles and space warfare than a lot of the other books in this series, which is fine for now, but could easily get boring if they steer the series in general in that direction.
The general theme of the book here was kind of Neitzschean, especially his warning of "he who hunts monsters must ensure that, in the process, he does not become a monster." The core of the former Rebel Alliance decides to take the battle to the Yuzhaan Vong in this volume, employing a variety of tactics that can only be described as Imperial and Dark Side in their nature. It's all done for the greater good, naturally, but we can definitely see the path to the Sith being paved with those good intentions. -
This is now part of the Legends story line and continues the war with the Vong. In this one, the New Republic has lost Coruscant and this is their answer to that crushing defeat.
This book surprised me as I wasn't expecting much. It was good to see the whole gang together and I liked the inclusion of other characters from other books. The highlight of this book was the characters and how this author portrayed them. I was glad to see that not all characters were despondent and dramatic with their situations and this gave the reader some hope that our heroes do have a fighting chance. This author should be commended for putting the character Jaina back on track. She is dealing with her losses but in a more realistic way. And that is how I feel about this book. It made sense in this story arc.
This book has plenty of action and does give the reader that Star Wars feeling with a nice nod to an earlier period. The only drawback is that this is part of a duology and this book is more of a set up novel. -
It was fun seeing Allston's characters and humor again. I'm looking forward to Enemy Lines 2, though I'm taking a quick break from the New Jedi Order for a book or two.
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Much like Dark Journey this feels like a filler novel that does not really contribute much to the advancement of the overall plot. Unlike its predecessor, however, rather than heavily focusing on its own little side-plot, this novel is more concerned with setting the scene for its successor.
It took me a relatively long time to warm up to this story. My initial lack of interest was presumably heavily driven by the focus placed on Wedge Antilles, which is most prominent in the beginning. It seems to me that the lengthy New Jedi Order series grants each of the more important characters their personal time to shine in one of its installments (e.g. Jaina in Dark Journey or Anakin in Star By Star) and now it is Wedge’s turn. While I think that precisely its giving characters beyond the core group more room is a strength of the series, I could have gone without this story. Personally, I think Wedge is a relatively bland character that I’ve never been all that interested in so I guess that made it harder for me to build interest here. Admittedly, Allston portrays Wedge in a way that gives him a level of grit that I think he usually lacks. Plus, the focus becomes less prominent as the novel progresses, so it’s not really an issue.
Plot-wise this novel is not particularly strong, but not boring either. There are many action scenes and it is pretty heavy on space battles. Nevertheless, I think the resolutions of the individual story arcs are often rather anticlimactic. For one, there is this story line around camera operator Tam. Throughout the novel he is built up as a big threat to the operation on Borleias just to conveniently sacrifice himself hence solving the problem without any action needing to be taken by any of the main characters. For another, some big novel tactic is constantly hinted at which eventually turns out to just be a rather underwhelming recycled Imperial standard procedure. The most interesting arc that is developed, i.e. the mission to Coruscant, is not resolved at all but left to be dealt with in the second installment of the Enemy Lines duology giving it a strong position to start from.
Besides that, Rebel Dream portrays some interesting ideas in a somewhat clumsy way. For instance, it makes perfect sense to exploit Jaina’s special position in the eyes of the Vong and her association with the trickster goddess. Still, the whole reasoning behind her receiving special treatment felt weird. I felt similarly about the argumentation behind returning to Rebellion tactics and the need to form a Resistance.
In my opinion this is one of the weaker novels of the series. While it does get better towards the end, somehow it never wholly managed to captivate me. Notwithstanding it sets up an interesting scenario for Rebel Stand, giving me the impression that I will probably like this one better. -
An entertaining setup to Book 2, this story focuses on the New Republic retaking the planet Borleias - almost as a 'lark' and really just to give the people of the NR something positive in this war. But when the surviving NR council members charge Wedge with holding the planet for as long as possible, he sees through their agenda (lose the planet, negotiate/surrender to the Vong) and adopts old Rebellion tactics. So we're left with some unorthodox and sneaky battle methods, including building Jaina Solo up as a Vong god.
Meanwhile, Wraith Squadron (remember them) go with Luke and Mara to the captured Coruscant and into enemy territory. This book was a page-turning, but not exactly riveting. Though it was nice to get re-acquainted with some characters we got to know a few dozen books ago (I'm reading these through the Legends timeline, in order). -
This book in some ways reminds me of The Empire Strikes Back. Jaina and Jag start something. Is it love, who knows. There is some mutual admiration and attraction. All while Jaina continues her twin, Yun-Harla trickster goddess campaign.
I love that with Wedge in command and them going back to Rebel Alliance tactics we get some really interesting battles. Wedge has seen so much and just keeps throwing surprises at the Yuuzhan Vong. Overall, there is defeat, but we are still in a bit of a stalemate.
Meanwhile Luke and Mara lead a group to check on a disturbance in the Force on Coruscant. Sneaking into a Yuuzhan Vong held planet is almost as dangerous as the mission.
That’s why this feels like the Empire Strikes Back. Everyone is off in different places, it feels a bit like a cliffhanger. I can’t wait for the next book! -
I have never read a Star Wars novel until now. I've only ever watched the movies, but after delving into this great read, I want so much more. The book takes you way beyond the movies. Luke Skywalker is married to Mara Jade and has their infant, Ben. Anakin Solo has been killed and Jacen Solo is missing. Jaina has been found after her bout with the dark side and trying to get back her Jedi training. The Jedi are trying to regain control of Coruscant from Yhuuzang Von before the planet is consumed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and continue to ask myself why hadn't I read any of these sooner, but I suppose it's better late than never. -
Rebel Dream has reinvigorated my interest in the Star Wars Extended Universe novels. Sure, I still feel that the New Jedi Order series is dragging on interminably and needlessly long, but Rebel Stand has an excitement and energy to it that I miss. The novel has the flair of the old X-Wing series, not surprisingly considering that Aaron Allston was one of the authors of that series. My one criticism is that Rebel Dream is quite obviously just a set-up for the next novel, Rebel Stand and I really believe that both books could have and should have been combined into one. However, it was fun, it had exciting moments and it seems to actually accomplish something towards the overall plot.
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The crossover event of the season, Rebel Dream deftly brings together classic heroes and old legends favorites united under the banner of a new rebellion in the wake of the loss of Coruscant and the corruption of the New Republic. I really wanted to rate this higher because the character work is excellent and some scenes are really good but the space battles felt a little hecticly constructed and Kyp declaring himself "more powerful than Luke" and folding in a black hole on itself only with the force is just such a large jump the shark moment that I can't in good conscience rate this higher than 3 1/2 stars; thats not how the force should be handled in my opinion.
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I've learned to accept and enjoy this series.
This is accomplished by the following:
- This is not Star Wars, in the sense of the movies, comics, or any other book series that exists to the left of this.
- There is no great war of Rebels vs Empire, Sith vs Jedi, but instead a new 3rd faction of Reptoids that are devouring the galaxy.
- This is Sci-Fantasy, not Sci-Fi. Eat it, or walk out of the restaurant
If you *can* accept the above, and treat this as fan-fiction and not true Star Wars... infact, just rip Star Wars off the cover entirely...
You can enjoy these. You just have to massively lower your expectations. -
Aaron Allston finally makes his glorious return to Star Wars literature with
Rebel Dream, the first book in the Enemy Lines duology.
For those of you who are disgruntled, and barely want to continue reading the
New Jedi Order, I understand. However, if all the NJO books were as well written as Rebel Dream, your attitudes would be completely opposite. Allston has done a great job with this novel, and I must applaud him for it.
He brings great life to nearly all the characters, making none of them feel two-dimensional, like many other books have done so far. Jaina is portrayed as a young woman going through difficult times, and not knowing how to deal with her emotions. She is very likable and understandable in this novel, and brings a great amount of depth to this story.
Wedge Antilles becomes a completely new character (as far as I’m concerned), when dealing with his wife Iella and his children. Never before has this side of the story been told; it makes Wedge even more likable than before.
Jagged Fel displays some emotion in Rebel Dream, and starts to become a three-dimensional character, and finally, is good enough for our Jaina.
I just can’t say how well Aaron Allston portrayed all the characters in this story. Lando is believable, and even gets a bit of story-time. I also liked the way Allston portrayed Tahiri in this book, continuing what I felt was a pretty crucial plotline.
But the real savior of this novel, and, as I’m sure will be the case in the conclusion in
Rebel Stand, is the tactics.
Allston keeps up the suspense throughout the book--and keeps just enough to himself--that the reader is often wondering just what’s going to happen, but knowing that it’s all part of a plan. Seldom have I seen an author do this well in any genre. But Allston excels at portraying military tactics, at least as far as Star Wars is concerned.
On the side of the Yuuzhan Vong, I was very happy with the way they were portrayed, even though little of it delved very deeply. Some of the things I enjoyed were seeing how Tsavong Lah respected his father, who was challenged by Tsavong for the position of Warmaster. It also shows that there were arguments about even coming to the Galaxy, far, far away in the first place. Nen Yim makes her reappearance, finally, and does pretty well, though the subject matter could be considered rather gruesome.
The fate of the New Republic is poor, I’m sorry to say, and the fate of Coruscant staggering. Never before have I considered what is happening there, and I shudder just thinking about it, but I am also salivating wanting to know more about the future of this story, after the Vong are eventually driven out.
I’m sure you’re wondering about the humor aspect as well. Naturally Allston gives us the goods, as usual, with several humorous sections, and even bringing in the old Ewok joke; I was certainly glad to see that. Being a rather dark series, small points of light making us smile are very welcome, and for that, Aaron, I thank you.
All that being said, and I know it’s a lot, there are very few things that I disliked about Rebel Dream. The most nagging thing I can recall was early on in the book. There were two phrases which got a little old for me. First was when Luke “knew how they felt”, or something to that effect. Another was when everyone would “suit words to action” and I think this was actually transposed somewhere, but I’m not certain. I mean, can’t someone just “follow their own orders” or something worded differently, but mean the same? I know, I’m not a professional author, and I’m sure writing books is difficult, I’ve tried. But these are the nit-pick things I’m forced to come up with when reviewing a good piece of work such as this.
I also didn’t care for the whole Tarc kid. He played his part well in Star by Star, but it’s certainly time to let him go. I never expected to see him again after Dark Journey, and I felt his reappearance to be fairly annoying. I certainly can’t see a plot for his character at all, and I wonder why he’s still hanging around. I DID like, however, the way Han deals with him in the book, being very stern and father-like. But his character wallows in “adopt me to replace Anakin”-itis and I pray that Del Rey does NOT fall into that trap. I would lose what respect I have left for this series if they did.
This may possibly be my favorite book in the New Jedi Order, but once again, I still give that edge to Vector Prime, simply for the excitement factor. I wish all of the books had been like this one; the series would be much stronger.
I really can’t find much else to complain about, except that the story does kind of drop off at the end. Not really a big deal, since the concluding book in this duology comes out in two months. In the meantime, we have the Attack of the Clones novelization, and of course that little thing like the movie, to keep ourselves entertained. But don’t forget folks, the New Jedi Order goes on, and does so only a couple weeks after the attack of the Clones. -
ugh such a good book! I've had this particular one for years now and I started reading it a long time ago, didn't like it and put the book back on the shelf. I opened it up again and started it again. I'm so glad I gave this book a second chance because I learned more about some of my favorite characters, and it was just a really good book. It explored a lot of classic characters and it seems to be the beginning of the loss of everyone's home planet and the discovery that the oldest Solo is still alive.
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Loved this one.
Some great lines:
"We'll put that in your biography. General Antilles was so good that he could fail when he tried to."
"Days ago? Jaina felt a flash of surprise and irritation. How day he attempt to predict her in this way?
How dare he do it successfully?" -
Ten out of Ten.
What a shame Aaron Allston is no longer around to write SW stories, the current crop of authors leave much to be desired..
This one moved at the perfect pace, no boring bits, although the Yuuzhan Vong are as frustratingly one dimensional an enemy as they have been for most of this 19 book series, which I feel like I will never get to the end of. This volume picked up the pace a bit and I look forward to the next one on the series, also by Allston -
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of my favorite books in the New Jedi Order so far!
Wedge and the old heroes re-establishing the Rebellion?! OMG! And Jaina back from the Dark Side and in loooooooove and Luke and Mara off on Coruscant and doing secret awesomeness there and politicians being basically told to F off and OMG I LOVE ALL OF IT! -
One of the best New Jedi Order series books so far. Loved the writing and the dynamic character relationships and easy-to-understand, yet complicated plot. Builds off the slightly less well-written Dark Journey. I expect great things from the next book.
All-in-all, a great read. -
A fun Star Wars story packed with lots of space battles and adventure. The book brings together all of the main characters from Luke, Leia, Han and Jaina all the way to Wedge and the heroes of the X-Wing books such as Tycho, Face, Kell, Piggy and more. The only downside is that the whole book focuses only on one star system. All in all, a pleasant, middle of the road book in the NJO.
