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Customer Reviews (103)

A good conclusion to an epic science fiction trilogy.
"The Battle of Corrin" is the last of the Butlerian Jihad trilogy, preceded by "The Butlerian Jihad" and "The Machine Crusade." Like the first two, it tells part of the history leading to Frank Herbert's Dune novels. The main theme is the struggle of humanity versus an empire of thinking machines.

Despite getting only four stars from me, this trilogy is a good example of space opera. It demonstrates how written words can serve as a portal to interesting events and worlds that would be inaccessible without written words. Characteristic of space opera, your spirit will be immersed in science-fiction action, but it will also be immersed in political intrigue, drama, passion, and some of the male-female stuff that most authors refer to as "romance." (Yet these books have almost no sex.) The ending for "The Battle of Corrin" wraps up the story neatly, and though you should read the first two volumes, I suppose you could be satisfied with only this last one.

As I did for the first two volumes, I feel obliged to subtract a star from my rating for the third volume, because of some elements of implausibility. Sure, some characters use paranormal powers, starships make hyper-spatial jumps, and the planet Arrakis has incredibly huge sandworms, but those are acceptable givens for science fiction. I do not consider them implausible. The implausibilities I am referring to are moments when characters behave unrealistically and when events do not proceed logically. They make the story unconvincing.

Fiction writers often come to a crossroad where they must answer a question: What do I value more, story elements that are plausible or story elements that will impress the reader? More often than not, Herbert and Anderson try to choose elements that are both plausible and impressive. Too often, however, they are lured down a path that is low on plausibility but high on impression. They have an agenda. Maybe they want the plot to go a certain way. Maybe they want a character to appear heroic. Maybe they want a space battle to be exciting. If, in order to achieve items on their agenda, they must fudge a little in regard to plausibility, they do so.

Maybe all writers of fiction do so. Certainly some do so more than others. Maybe Herbert and Anderson felt at liberty to fudge because they were writing space opera, not hardcore science fiction. But space opera does not require moments of implausibility. With more honest thinking, their story could have been told with fewer such moments.

Though Herbert and Anderson are not the most skillful authors, they tuned me into a science fiction epic that has soulful power. So I recommend this trilogy. But if you try it, I advise that you avoid bogging yourself down by ranting and raving about the moments of implausibility. Ignore them. Just bear down and forge ahead. The portal will open.


Note: Sometimes the worth of a book can at least partially be measured by the fondness with which it is remembered. It has been over a month since I completed my reading of the Legends of Dune trilogy ("The Butlerian Jihad," "The Machine Crusade," and "The Battle of Corrin"), and my memories of it are quite positive. Though this trilogy forms a different kind of story from that of Frank Herbert's classic "Dune," the quality of the story is as good. For this reason I have decided to give each book in the trilogy a five-star rating. I believe the weaknesses in the books do not merit a lowering of rating.

Hard to put down
It has been fifty-six hard years since the events of "The Machine Crusade," Following the death of Serena Butler, the bloodiest decades of the Jihad take place. Synchronized Worlds and Unallied Planets are liberated one by one, and at long last, after years of victory, the human worlds begin to hope that the end of the centuries-long conflict with the thinking machines is finally in sight.Unfortunately, Omnius has one last, deadly card to play. In a last-ditch effort to destroy humankind, virulent plagues are let loose throughout the galaxy, decimating the populations of whole planets . . . and once again, the tide of the titanic struggle shifts against the warriors of the human race. At last, the war that has lasted many lifetimes will be decided in the apocalyptic Battle of Corrin.In the greatest battle in science fiction history, human and machine face off one last time. . . . And on the desert planet of Arrakis, the legendary Fremen of Dune become the feared fighting force to be discovered by Paul Maud'Dib

Good Read
This book isn't the best in this 3-book window that is reserved for House Harkkonen, but this is a good informative and interesting addition to the tale of Dune.Worth reading for background and character understanding.

good book
i am assuming it is a good book since my husband wouldn't put it down until he was finished.

The Trilogy Comes to an End
The final book in the trilogy ties up all the loose ends. In this one, we see how the Bene Gesserit started their breeding programs, how mentats came about, and the beginnings of the Spacing Guild. Unlike the previous books in the trilogy, this one picks up speed at about half way through the book. There are a number of stories which must be brought to their conclusion. The ending of this book leaves open the possibility of continuing the story surrounding Omnius and Erasmus. I believe they will make an appearance in Dune 7 and 8. Like the previous books in the series, this one lacks the "feel" of the original Dune novels, but it still makes for good sci-fi reading ... Read more

Product Description
The Prize: Unlimited Power

Six adrenalin junkies who call themselves the Daredevils Club hold the fate of the world in their hands. In an ancient undersea cavern, one of them, oil man Frik van Alman, discovers a set of stones that are unlike anything else on Earth. Fitted together, the stones form an object that promises limitless free energy for the world.

After a terrified scientist scatters the pieces, the club members race to retrieve them.Each knows that whoever reassembles the unique device will have unlimited power at his or her fingertips. Can anyone be trusted?

In a thrilling adventure that stretches from deep beneath the Caribbean to the penthouses of Las Vegas, friend battles friend for control of the Artifact.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Daredevils Club
The Artifact , by Kevin J Anderson (and others) just affirmed why he is one of my favorite authors. Every book of his that I have read has been action-packed and fast-paced. It feels like you're watching a movie. The Artifact was no exception. A group of men, calling themselves the Daredevils Club meet every year to brag about their adventures. When one of the men discover several mysterious artifacts, seemingly not of this world, he enlists the aid of the Daredevils Club to help find the missing pieces.

The cast of characters was a group of people, so none of them were explored too deeply. But this was a short book, with only a back-story at the beginning, explaining how the Daredevils got together.

With plenty of twists and a surprise ending, The Artifact will keep you on the edge of your seat. I read through it in two days, because it was so hard to put down.

In a single word - uninspired
I'm not sure where to start with this one!Artifact read more like a television pilot then a novel by a couple of the better authors out there.The characters seemed shallow. The action was flat. And the story tried very hard to stay out of its own way.Don't get me wrong, I like a book that leaves something to the imagination, but this one was too unresolved and too wide open.

I could have done without reading this book.

Thank You!
In a world where we are constantly told to lower our expectations and accept the "vanilla" that our world is trying to become, it is an absolutely OUTSTANDING moment when well crafted, brilliantly executed adventure returns to our lives.ARTIFACT is that rare book, written by WRITERS (as opposed to creative typists) that engages, challenges, and entertains us at the maximum level possible.Consistently interesting, it is a novel you want to keep reading, and will become your constant companion at lunch, on trains, planes, and in every spare moment!REALLY FIRST RATE!!!

Disappointing
Picked up this book the other day.The story description looked interesting, and I noticed that one of my favorite writers, F. Paul Wilson, was one of the authors.I have to say that I was disappointed in this book.The "good guy" characters weren't particularly likeable, which is crucial to a good story.They were bland and kind of boring. The ending was unfulfilling.After forcing myself to read the entire book, hoping it would get a little better, I felt let down and cheated.Seems like the authors took the easy way out and left things unexplained. Wouldn't recommend this book.

Probably one of the worst books I have ever read...
I love F. Paul Wilson. His Repairman Jack novels are some of my favorite. I have read his collaboration works with Mathew J. Costello and enjoyed those. Kevin J. Anderson is another author I enjoy. And while I have never read Janet Berliner, this should have been a "can't miss" book, right? Wrong. It is absolutely terrible. I have been buying books from Amazon since it first had a web presence and have never returned a book because I didn't like it. But I was very tempted to return this one.

Usually in a collaborative work, the authors take pains to write such that you cannot tell where one author ends and another begins. Not so here. It is painfully obvious that different chapters are written by different authors. It even appears that when a change in author takes place that the new author often takes a drastic turn in the book by changing how you view a character or the entire direction the book appears to be headed. You develop empathy for someone and next chapter his/her personality changes. It is a book full of split-personality characters with passages that seem like they were written in haste by a junior high student.

The story had great potential, but the delivery and readability is just not there to pull you through the book. Don't waste your money here. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (14)

A Worthy Sequel To The Original Slan!
While I would rate it a fraction below five stars, since Kevin Anderson couldn't replicate van Vogt's economy of language and marvelous "turn-of phrase", I found this sequel to be as fast-paced and compelling -- with many twists and surprises -- as the original. I reread "Slan" first (after 41 years), and I was pleased that this book picked up right after that and the roller-coaster-ride resumed almost immediately.

I didn't realize when I discovered science fiction in 1954 that I was tapping into what is known as the "Golden Age of Science Fiction", which is considered to have started around the time when van Vogt's "Black Destroyer" was published in "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine in 1939. "Slan" followed in 1940, and through to the end of the 1950's many great authors (including my other favorites, Robert A. Heinlein and Isaac Asimov) created wondrous stories. (While those and some others continued the tradition for several decades, more recent SF authors have gone different directions, and the genre is not quite the same.) "Slan Hunter" has really helped to recapture the feel of that "Golden Age". I was riveted throughout.

My recommendation to potential readers is to first read "Slan" and follow it with this sequel. And you should take it for what it is -- a marvelous extension of the story. (Then if you have been captured by A. E. van Vogt's unique style, consider reading some of his other classics. I strongly recommend "The Voyage of the Space Beagle" -- the first van Vogt book that I read -- which starts out with his "Black Destroyer" story as a basis. That has always been one of my favorites, and I plan on rereading it soon.)

Trite sequel
This sequel was an attempt to write in the 1940's style and science environment. It ends up being worse than the original book ("Slan"), which was very dated, and the plot is lame.

Kevin Anderson should have updated the science and complicated, rather than simplified, the plot. The object should have been to capture Van Vogt's intricacies, not the outdated science of the period.

Van Vogt has always been one of my favorite SF authors (Weapon Shops, Null-A, etc.), but this book and even its original predecessor (Slan) are not worth the read.

As if Van Vogt came back and wrote this himself
I think the negative reviews come from people who are expecting 2008 level sci-fi from this book.IT IS NOT.

What it is, is a continuation of the Slan story, almost from the instant of the ending of Slan, in EXACTLY the same style.

Van Vogt has always been noted for leaving holes and gaps, this book maintains this.

I was suprised at some differences from the original canon, but reading this book brought me back to the world of Slan I have missed dearly since childhood, when I first read it.

The Human Reaction
Slan Hunter (2007) is the sequel to Slan.In the previous volume, Jommy Cross learned that the tendrilless slans were preparing to invade the Earth.Returning from Mars, he attempted to warn the human government.He entered the palace by a hidden way and was met by Kier Gray, the President of Earth.

Gray released him from the trap -- which Jommy had already neutralized -- and received the news of the invasion.Then Jommy learned that Kathleen -- whom he had thought dead -- was alive and cured of the terrible wound inflicted by John Petty.

In this novel, Davis Stewart is driving his very pregnant wife to the hospital.Anthea is in labor and Davis is in a hurry.When he reaches the emergency room, he runs into the hospital to get help and comes out pushing a wheelchair and leading an orderly.

The orderly wheels Anthea toward the delivery room while calling out to the nurses.A nurse stops Davis at the door, but Anthea is quickly moved into position.The doctor speaks calmly to Anthea and tells her to push.

The baby comes quickly and the doctor holds him up for his mother to see.A nurse cries out and the doctor shows a horrified expression.The baby has golden tendrils growing out of the back of his head.He is a slan.

Neither Anthea nor Davis show any sign of being slans.They certainly are not aware of any such possibility.However, the doctor fills a hypodermic syringe with a poisonous substance and reaches for the baby.

Davis comes into the delivery room, responding to a feeling of danger.Nurses and orderlies try to block his passage, but he fights his way through.Anthea tells him of the doctor's intention and Davis throws aside everyone between him and the doctor.

After removing Anthea and their baby from the room, Davis immediately recognized the danger of three security men and a secret policeman coming toward them.He tells Anthea to take the baby and run, then he runs toward the security men.As Anthea goes the other way, she hears the shots that signal the death of her husband.

In this story, Petty had the president's quarters bugged by his secret police and learns that Gray is really a tendrilless slan.He has the president arrested and then captures Jommy and Kathleen.They are all secured in cells under the palace.Jommy and Kathleen are detained in adjacent cells and soon free themselves from their captors.

Gray was imprisoned elsewhere in the underground facility.Jommy and Kathleen soon learn the location of his cell and manage to break him free.But Petty has set up an ambush nearby and recaptures all three.

Meanwhile, the tendrilless slans attack the planet, including Centropolis, the capital.They are bombing the palace while Petty is securing his captives.Petty quickly agrees to join forces against the tendrilless slans.

This story concludes the storyline established in Slan.Very little is new other than the plot.Most of the characters, the locales and the technology are taken from the earlier story.This trend is unlike Van Vogt, who usually tried to introduce new ideas into each sequel within a series.Across series, however, he often reused older ideas.The best innovation in this tale is indicated by the concluding paragraph.

The Foreword describes how this book came to be published.This provides a fascinating -- and dismaying -- glimpse into the Van Vogt life story.The senior author tried to produce this book, but was overcome by Alzheimer's.Eventually, the novel was put into the hands of the junior author.

Recommended for Van Vogt & Anderson fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of viable mutations, reactionary social elements, and human relationships.

-Arthur W. Jordin

As good as the original. No more.
Read through both novels in one stride and, like others reported, Anderson's sequel is a cleaner and clearer read.

The themes explored, the plot, the motivations, the repsect of the overhaul way the characters were acting in Slan and now act in Slan Hunter, are all there and intact.
I did not find the harsh discrepancies other reviewers have remarked upon. Thus, in my opinion, such remarks must stem from something else...perhaps in a sacred cow feeling on the reviewer's part.

The only problem I could find were the last two paragraphs, about 6 lines of text, in which a character physically does some ridiculous thing (and here I use the term apporpriately) instead of thinking it. Anderson prefers to _show_ us, through that phsycial act, what happens in that scene instead of having another slan read it off the character's mind and say it outloud for us the readers.
Still, those last few lines don't mare the story, albeit they're definitely clumsy. The idea they convey is sound and matches well with the story, but is badly delivered to the reader. ... Read more

Product Description
The culminating volume in The Saga of Seven Suns weaves together the myriad story lines in a spectacular grand finale. Galactic empires clash, elemental beings devastate whole planetary systems, and the factions of humanity are pitted against one another. Heroes rise and enemies make their last stands in the climax of an epic tale eight years in the making. The Saga of Seven Suns is one of the most colorful and spectacular science fiction epics of the past decade.

Acclaim for The Saga of Seven Suns:
“Anderson weaves action, romance, and science with a rousing plot reflecting the classic SF of Clarke and Herbert and the glossy cinematic influence of Lucas and Spielberg.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Kevin Anderson has created a fully independent and richly conceived venue for his personal brand of space opera, a venue that nonetheless raises fruitful
resonances with Frank Herbert's classic Dune series.” – scifi.com
“Everything about Anderson’s latest is BIG – the war, the history, the aliens. These are elemental forces battling here, folks. Yet the characters are always
the heart of the story, and their defeats and triumphs give perspective to it all.” – Starlog
“A soaring epic . . . a space opera to rival the best the field has ever seen.” – Science Fiction Chronicle
“Colorful stuff . . . bursting with incidents, concepts, and a massive cast of characters, matching well-thought-out SF ideas with melodrama and interfamily strife.” – SFX ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A workmanlike wrap up to the series
While lacking a bit of energy, this final volume a rather overly long series works in the sense of resolving all story lines while leaving the universe so created in such a manner to invite a re-visit at a later date.

The series tended to run out of drive around volume 5 beginning to smell a bit like the author / publisher were milking a hit which may have surprised them a bit. However the series is surely worth a read for the interesting place with engaging characters although toward the end the evil guys got laughably evil while the good guys would make a angel blush with shame.

I'd say the author got a little destruction happy at the end and, as I mentioned the good guys got stupid good. For example, one fellow who tried to kill off an entire species of human like beings and did manage to kill millions whilst engaged in an enormous destruction spree, gets captured and sent for rehab by the target species. Gimme a break.

Still, the book does the job of wrapping up the series even if a bit silly in places.

A Very Fitting Ending
This book was great! I was engaged from beginning to end. If you are a Saga fan this is a must to read. If you are new to the series, check out the other installments first if you want the most out of this one. My only regret is that this was the last book of the series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Ashes of Worlds
The book was in perfect shape and received within a week of purchase.I'm very pleased with all aspects of this purchase. ... Read more

Product Description
It has been five years since humanity's heady expansion among the stars came to an abrupt, and violent, halt.The emergence of the Hydrogues, an immensely powerful alien race dwelling within gas-giant planets, has placed the scattered colonies of the Terran Hanseatic League in jeopardy.With space travel heavily curtailed, and supplies of fuel dwindling, young King Peter and Chairman Basil Wenceslas, the harsh power behind the throne, have no choice but to impose strict rationing.But the Hydrogues are not the only enemies of humanity.The scheming Mage-Imperator, leader of the ancient Ildiran Empire, attempts to forge tangled alliances among all combatants in order to protect his failing civilization.The mysterious Klikiss robots, only remnants of an extinct race, continue to work their sinister plans while pretending to be friends and advisors to the Hanseatic League. And archaeologists Margaret and Louis Colicos -- whose discovery of an ancient alien weapon accidentally triggered the Hydrogue conflict -- have vanished on the abandoned world of Rheindic Co.Rlinda Kett and Davlin Lotze, sent to investigate the disappearance, soon realise that the Colicos' discoveries may lead to an incredible new way to travel between worlds...or to the awakening of enemies even more fearsome than the Hydrogues.Something of inestimable power must have been required to destroy the Klikiss race.Will humanity be next? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Hacked off, Hackneyed poo.
I'm not a writer so maybe this is wrong, but. This series of books are the bastard child of Stargate, Startrek, Dune and Starwars all wrapped up in predictability, gushy dewy eyed Americanisms and a level of simplicity that grates on the nerves like the indistinct sounds from a walkman being played too loud by the person next to you on the tube. It's patronising, condescending, Mills and Boonesque claptrap. I'm only reading through the second book because I need to find out where "Margaret Colicos" went after she stepped through the Stargate. That's it, 422 pages I've endured and still she hasn't shown up. I think the author knows it's the only thing in the book worth looking for, which is why it's not happened yet. Once she's found if things don't improve immediately then the book is going in the bin unfinished.

It's got some great bits in terms of the Klikiss robots, Mrs Colicos mentioned above, even the Planet Theroc is quite clever as it plays the "Quantum Tunnelling" idea of photosynthesis, but.

Basil is a nob and just not ruthless enough, he reminds me of a poncy little jobsworth, the sort of person that looks over his glasses at you with a pinched look when you get to work late and tut tut tuts. As opposed to the leader of the greatest human empire in history so far.

Jora'H is an overly handsome dumbass, who is so nice he's made of treacle. His Brother is of course as ruthless and unkind in equal measure. King Peter... why? His wife to be ... again why? Rlinda Khett... yo this big ass mama gon cook up some chickun n rice for you honky ass. Nira ... raped five times by different lldirans kithmen.... but still dippy in love with the thought that Dumbass (oops Jora'h) is gonna, rescue her and their daughter from evil brother and sail off back to hippy tree hug land and live happily ever after (I'm betting he will too, that's the way this book is written).

Starbuck (oops Taisa Tamblyn) the spunky tomboy, with a heart of gold and the ability to spit a fly off a fence post from fifty yards, and C3P0 (oops I meant Compy OX) is getting suspicious about the new range of Klikiss designed war compies/battle droids.

Jess Tamblyn the love lorn water minor who has gone off on a solo deepspace mission to collect the most abundant element in the universe "Stupidity" (oops Hydrogen, get those two mixed up all the time). And is currently communicating with deepspace water molecules he's been collecting as a by product of Hydrogen collecting.... I rather suspect that this water stuff will turn out to be the Wentals, characters written in the Saga of the Seven Suns, but not yet fully fledged. I could find out by reading reviews, but to be fair to myself, I'd rather put it all behind me.

This isn't a space opera, it's a soap opera. It's science fiction for people not into science fiction, and it's such a crying shame because there are nuggets of pure gold in there. The repetition, the grinding into your id that the good guys are good, the bad guys are bad, and that "Wuv Sweet Wuv" will save your sanity, and that even in the whatever century it is we will revert back to arranged marriages for federation and business purposes... and fortunately some of those marriages will be between couples who are so dippily compatible it's almost uncanny... whilst others... er aren't.

Not sure who would read this, and enjoy it from a science fiction perspective. I had more fun reading the first seven pages of Neal Asher's "Orbus" one Sunday morning in January, than the previous two weeks trawling through the saga. I almost gave it up but with only 225 pages to go I should at least find out if "Token Black Two" Basils spy catches up with Margaret Colicos somewhere on a Klikiss world where maybe the Hansa has a colony. What's the betting?

The story continues to unfold.
The characters are pretty much the same, Five years have passed.
The story continues to unfold and am looking forward to see what
Jess has discovered and how this plays into the overall story.

Worth the read
Another promising entry in the series, you won't be disappointed if you pick this book up and read it from cover to cover.

The Brilliance Continues
It's been five years since hydrogue warships destroyed the first gas giant skymines. The major governments in the Spiral Arm are desperate for ekti, the only known fuel for stardrive engines. With skymines out of operation and few other ways to obtain ekti, trade has ground to a near halt and distant colonies are starving.

The Ildiran Empire has suffered, as well. Hydrogues don't distinguish between the humans who accidentally annihilated billions of their people, and the alien species that only resembles them. Forced to desperate ends, the Mage-Imperator must convince his successor of the need for a reprehensible program--the one that tore his lover away.

For the past five years, the hydrogues have been content to limit the destruction to trespassers. Now they've been seen throughout the Spiral Arm, raising tensions in already-fracturing societies.

In this, the second installment to "The Saga of Seven Suns," Anderson pens an epic tale worthy in its own right. While he continues to use multiple subplots to weave the story, each thread is easily distinguishable, and they succeed in creating an overall tapestry of overwhelming depth. More impressive is his ability to do so while providing enough unknowns to keep the reader engaged.

For those who don't like metaphors: It's good. Darn good. If you forget who a character is, you can look it up in an appendix.

Although brilliant, this novel possesses a few issues, albeit nothing devastating. The first is the fuzzy timeline. Events occur in a linear order, but there are few indicators as to the passage of time. The reader is left wondering has much time has passed until one of the rare mentions of "in the past __ months. . ." A simple date stamp for each chapter, or a more concise timeline appendix would be great.

The other issue worthy of mention is that some readers may grow annoyed with the numerous subplots. This is a point than can go either way. As mentioned before, it is this reviewer's opinion that each subplot is clearly drawn and, while not always vital, certainly helpful in allowing the reader an overall view.

Highly recommended to sci-fi fans.

Reviewed by Christina Wantz Fixemer
5/31/2006

Getting better
Really impressed with this series to date.The first book was pretty good, Forest of Stars got even better.I've adjusted to the short chapters and rapid plot development that was a little disconcerting in book 1, and am really starting to enjoy it.It's nice to see an author who doesn't spend 5 pages describing a building or hole in the ground, but rather moves the pace along quickly and had great action sequences.Some may criticize this series as a cheap thrill because of the brevity of chapters and such, and maybe they're right.But who cares?It's extremely well written, the plot and characters are intriguing, and it leaves you hungry for more.I only hope Anderson continues his high quality work in books 3 and 4.But up to this point I'm very pleased with the Saga of the Seven Suns.A great scifi series that is not to be missed. ... Read more

Product Description
The finale to the Gamearth Trilogy.It’s all-out war between the players and characters in a role-playing game that has taken on a life of its own.The fighter Delrael, the sorcerer Bryl, as well as famed scientists Verne and Frankenstein, use every trick in the Book of Rules to keep the world of Gamearth intact while the outside group of players does everything possible to destroy it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good idea, bad implementation
This is a far cry from KA's best work.The first two books in this series (Gamearth and Gameplay) are downright bad.The third shows definite improvement in his writing ability, but overall, the series probably isn't worth your time, unless you're a complete D&D addict. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (65)

Good solid read after the first 96 pages.
Before saying anything else, I want to warn new Dune readers of an injustice inflicted on the Dune books written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.

Since 9-6-10 I have read ten of the sixteen Dune books (excluding "The Road to Dune," which has non-mainstream Dune material and some nonfiction material). I am reading the sixteen books in chronological succession according to time in the Dune universe, not according to date of publication, and I have just finished reading "The Winds of Dune." The injustice is that here at amazon.com, each of the Dune books by BH & KJA has an average review rating lower than any of the Dune books by Frank Herbert, not because the books by BH & KJA are inferior, but because they were not written by Frank Herbert.

The lowest average rating of any of the books by FH is 4.0. The highest average rating of any of the books by BH & KJA is 3.5. Even so, the two best books by BH & KJA--"The Butlerian Jihad" and "House Atreides"--are at least as good as FH's classic "Dune," and they are better than FH's "Dune Messiah" (I have not finished FH's "Children of Dune" and FH's books that follow it). But some readers worship FH's Dune books as a fetish. These holy books are elevated to a divine shelf unworthy of the abominations written by BH & KJA.

This fetish-worship at least partly explains the overall imbalance of ratings between the two sets of Dune books, and it explains the unremarkable 3.1 rating for "The Winds of Dune." But "The Winds of Dune" really does have a significant flaw, which is that the first ninety-six pages are uneventful and dull. For that I would lower its rating by one star, if it were not for the injustice I have described. To help balance the injustice, I give this book a full five stars. (For the ninety-six pages, I am referring to Tor's 2009 hardcover edition.)

When "The Winds of Dune" takes readers back to Paul's life as a twelve-year old, the tale accelerates. From then on it is a good science fiction adventure. The characters are affectionately portrayed, and readers see what was probably Paul's most heroic act before he moved with his family to Dune. "Vermillion Hells! Fine work, young man!" Some of the tale's events are extraordinary, as impressive as just about any event you will find in any novel. The events materialize logically, following interesting plot developments. (See my note below about inconsistencies regarding characters.)

I don't know about any paperback editions, but my hardcover edition has a dust jacket with a sharp, outstanding piece of Dune art. I think it is Alia who is following Paul's footsteps across the dunes. But maybe it is Jessica, searching for her valiant son.

Thank goodness only a tiny fraction of the literary market has been infected by the Frank-Herbert fetish. (Thou shalt have no other Dunes before Frank Herbert's.) In addition to the other Dune books that I've read by BH & KJA, the publication of "The Winds of Dune" is further testament that FH was not the only person capable of imagining the Dune universe, and imagining it with crystal clarity.

NOTE: Unless you are picky about consistencies between FH and BH & KJA, you need not read any further. While reading FH's "The Children of Dune," I have noticed inconsistencies with BH & KJA regarding two characters:

1) In "The Winds of Dune," BH & KJA portray Jessica as hostile toward the Bene Gesserit, at least toward the end of their story. For example on page 398 of my hardcover edition, they say, "Jessica weighed the risks, the consequences. She had come to loathe the Sisterhood and its unrelenting schemes, the way they sent tentacles everywhere."
Conversely, in "The Children of Dune," FH portrays Jessica as cooperative toward the Bene Gesserit (also referred to as "the Sisterhood"). On pages 103-104 of my 1976 Book Club Edition, Jessica says, "...I've already sent word to the Sisterhood that Alia practices the unthinkable...," and then a few paragraphs later FH writes, "And she [Jessica] thought: They warned me I might have to use it." By "they" she is, I believe, referring to the Bene Gesserit and by "it" she is referring to the gom jabbar, a poisonous needle she may have to use on nine-year-old Leto if he turns out to be possessed.
Regarding this inconsistency, I should point out a caveat. Nine years have passed between the events of "The Winds of Dune" and the events of "The Children of Dune." During that time Jessica may have changed her mind about the Bene Gesserit, or the Bene Gesserit might have changed her mind for her. They CAN do that kind of thing.

2) I cannot rationalize my way around the second inconsistency. It involves Jessica's mother. In the House Trilogy by BH & KJA, Jessica is introduced as the daughter of Reverend Mother Mohiam and Baron Harkonnen. Mohiam is also Jessica's mother in "Paul of Dune" and "The Winds of Dune." In "The Children of Dune," however, on page 103 of my Book Club Edition, FH writes, "It'll be in their [the Bene Geserrit's] breeding records: Jessica out of Tanidia Nerus by the Baron Vladimir Harkonnen." So the three writers are consistent about the father but not about the mother.
I advise readers to accept Mohiam as Jessica's mother. In the House Trilogy, BH & KJA have told an excellent story about the birth of Jessica. Indeed this story is one of the high points in the sixteen Dune books. If, as a responsible reader of fiction, you have a flexible imagination and you imagine just one Dune universe, revising it as necessary as you read the Dune books, I think your universe will be best if it includes this story.

"Dune" Done
This seems to be the last of the prequels, which is simultaneously a bit of a relief and a pang of disappointment. Perhaps because it is the last, the narrative is the most linear of the "Dune" books without the suspense-building cross-cutting that characterizes the other novels in the series. The hendecalogy of prequels was a cut below the literary quality of the original hexalogy, but just a cut, and it was a comforting way to revisit the Dune cosmos and to have one's memories of the original revivified and fleshed out. This brings that comfort to a close. However, now one can go back and reread the originals in an enriched way thanks to these supplemental narratives.

Pointless and meandering
"Winds of Dune" is set just after Paul Atreides' death in "Dune Messiah."Frankly, "Dune Messiah" by Frank Herbert was not one of my favorite Dune novels, and this one by Anderson and Herbert Jr. is not nearly as good as "Dune Messiah."There are some flashbacks to Paul's youth in this one, and I found the storyline there, where Paul and Bronso of Ix (son of Rhombur and Tessia) run away from home to be irritating and implausible.Not at all like Paul, despite the justification that he was carrying out his pledge to guard Bronso.

Overall, this is a slow-moving novel that really has no place to go.

Kevin Anderson and Herbert Jr.'s "House Atreides," "House Harkonnen," and "House Corrino" prequels are all better than this one, as is "Paul of Dune."

This novel fails to work at many levels.I rate this one a clean miss.RJB.

New Dune Saga
Another page turning thriller of the Dune legacy.a real page turner, cant wait 5 the mect

BREAKING WIND ON DUNE
If history teaches as anything is that heirs usually inherit only a fraction of their predecessors' talent and abilities. In the case of the Herberts, make that a tiny fraction. Trying to build onto the legend of a classic series of novels is only forgivable if one brings new life to the story and does so with fresh skill. Neither of which are achieved here.

Anderson's writing (I doubt that Brian Herbert contributed anything besides his last name and claims of finding yet more of his father's..."lost notes") is immature and trivial. Case in point: the word "panoply" means suit of armor. Frank used ancient words to spice up his prose and give it a patina of retro futurism - but he knew what he was doing. In these McDune novels, words such as panoply are used in a wrong way (p.223:"Alia scattered the cards on the table, a panoply of ancient icons modified..." simply makes no sense) and because the rest of the prose is so poor they stick out like sore thumbs.
On top of that, Anderson's dialogue seems forced and limited to a very small number of pre-rendered cliche phrases. His character development is not only inadequate but also does great injustice to the original works.
Alia seems to be stuck in a fugue state coupled with sadistic hysteria. The idea of the Duke's son (without any serious motivation whatsoever) accepting "jobs no one wants" and then running off to join a circus is absurd. And the notion that Paul is later liked only because he picked up how to use... Master Jongleur hypnosis on everyone is a direct insult to the character of the man that would later become the Kwisatz Haderach! Forget about the greedy writer(s), whoever edited and proofread this never bothered to even browse through any of the original DUNE books!!?

Adding details and expanding on the background of a classic story hardly ever improves it - not anymore than adding fluorescent highlights to Mona Lisa or electric guitar riffs to Beethoven's Fifth. These DUNE prequels/sequels are a disgrace to Frank Herbert's oeuvre and memory. And this one may be the worst to be put to print ever.

I made the mistake of picking this one at an airport stand; "how bad can it be?", I though. Well, I soon found out it was more disgusting than the airline food served.
You want a writing carrier Brian? For Shai-Hulud's shake, get some ideas of your own!

AVOID. At all costs. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (119)

Solid SF, but you should read the 4 preceding novels.
"Paul of Dune" takes place after Frank Herbert's "Dune." Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson give us stories of the galactic jihad conducted by Emperor Paul Atreides, known as Muad'Dib. In this we see a dark side of Paul that was absent in preceding volume. I don't like this dark side, but I believe Paul when he tells himself that it is necessary to avert a worse catastrophe. After all, he is the one who is prescient, not me. Also, a sizable portion of the text takes us back in Paul's life for adventures when he was twelve years old. These were agreeable backflashes.

Though all the characters in this novel were interesting, I thought two of them were extraordinary: Marie Fenring and Paul's little sister Alia. I would have welcomed more space devoted to them.

According to time in the Dune universe, "Paul of Dune" is the eighth of the sixteen Dune books. For it, there's no need to read the first three--"The Butlerian Jihad," "The Machine Crusade," "The Battle of Corrin"--but you will benefit by a fresh reading of the preceding four books. These are the three volumes of Brian and Kevin's House Trilogy ("House Atreides," "House Harkonnen," "House Corrino") and the single volume of Frank Herbert's "Dune." Most of the characters in "Paul of Dune" are introduced in those four books, and knowledge of these characters and the events in the four books will make "Paul of Dune" more interesting.

The writing style of Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson is superior to that of Frank Herbert. This is as it should be since Brian and Kevin are of the next generation. Technology improves, and so does the art of writing. Brian and Kevin avoid boring philosophical asides, and their style is straightforward, standard, and easy to read, not tediously florid. And if an action sequence of theirs is implausible--as such things often are in fiction--it is not intolerably implausible. (Frank's books have some good action sequences, however; so his writing is not inferior in that respect.) Though some fans of Frank's Dune books assert that Brian and Kevin's characterizations are inconsistent with Frank's and therefore wrong and inferior, Brian and Kevin have, rather, expanded upon and enhanced Frank's characterizations.

For the seven Dune books by Brian and Kevin that I have read, the authors have done excellent jobs. The stories are good, and they are rooted well in the firmament of the Dune universe. I see two reasons for this: 1) Frank Herbert's Dune universe offers a sumptuous tapestry for interesting places, events, and characters, and 2) Brian and Kevin have a liking for the Dune universe. When authors have a liking for their subject, they are more likely to do a good job than if they are compelled to write only to earn money.

Bird Cage Lining
I've already made a review of this book - it was intertwinded with its equally horrible companion [break] Wind of Dune; however, I just cannot state enough that this book is the bottom of the cesspool due to the fact that the authors attempt to classify the original work as "in-universe" texts.This construct has a two pronged affect: 1. It is [a poor] excuse to explain away every inconcistency between the original work and the prequels, and 2. It allows the writers to add (with reckless abandon) whatever childish whim strikes their fancy.

Look, at first I was entertained by these books because, in my mind, I could differentiate the orginal work against these summer trash reads. I even gave some decent reviews to some of the prequals because I read the stories for what they were and not in comparison to the originals. However, over time, the work had gone from mediocre-at-best, to lame, to bad, to worse, to worser, to worstest. Now we have the writers attempting to revise the orignal timeline and add useless action adventure stories only to pad their work all while lining their pockets. That, combined with the bad writting within, makes this book worthy of being classified as a low intelect grade school level adventure story.

I recall sitting in at one of their stops on the Sandworms book tour - Both Brian and Keith said that they were not interested in writing a "continuing adventures of" series of stories when asked by one of thier fanboys. With that, I have to ask: What is this book then?

There are some serious low lights in this book, the most standout is the wedding where there are POTTED PLANTS THAT TURN INTO THROWING STAR ASSASIN BOTS!!!!!!- (I am sorry, but that idea is just flat stupid.)

More Jongleurs! (A small mention, but don't wory, the next book is so riddled with Jongleurs, it is almost comical.)

There are more inconsitancies introduced in this book, i.e. Paul leaves Caladan to go of and fight some un-heard of, un-mentioned in the original series battle with his father. (But don't worry, the inconsistancy is sufficiently explained away with all the revisionism.

There is also a scene featuring "a swarm of hunter seakers!" - (one hunter seaker was a compelling idea in the orignal Dune, but Keith J. Anderson has to try to one up Frank by introducing "a swarm!" Oh boy!! What is our hero Paul going to do now? - just wait and see, right after this quick commercial break.)

It is almost as if they are writting this series to be an afterschool cartoon special.

All I can say is thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU to the publishing company for cancelling the rest of this go-nowhere series. I only wish you would have cancelled this series from the start.

If you want some real action and suspence, read Dune, Children of Dune, or Heretics of Dune.
If you want deep contemplative work, read Dune Messiah, God Emperor of Dune, or Chapterhouse Dune.
Actually, all of the originals have a bit of both, but I tend to group them loosely in the above categories.

If you have read the originals already and thurst for some more, read them again. I guarantee you will find something that you did not read the first time.

To be fair, I will say that if these writers can come up with something original and thought proviking to add to Dune, then I will award more stars as I have done before. However, if they continue to offer tripe, then I will read it, and rate it accordingly.

The Person versus the Story.
I loved Frank Herbert's Dune series.I am somewhat grateful that his son answered some of the pre-Dune questions that intrigued me.However, what captivated me about Frank Hebert's Dune series, at least through the God Emperor of Dune, is that he focused on developing the characters; through this character menagerie, the story developed around them.The Dune series of today must follow the story and the characters must fit into them.It's just not the same.

Skip it, weak.
This book lacked pretty much everything compared to Frank Herbert's writings. The storyline did not draw you in and you never felt immersed in its surroundings as do F. Herbert's original series or additions. 'Paul of Dune' had no flow or feeling. It's pure filler to try to establish something that is not there. I've finished all of F. Herberts Dune novels and needed a fix more or less. I was hesitant to buy this in the first place, ya got me Brian. This book just has zero of the ambiance that his father's writing do. Critics 'loved it' because they know nothing about the entire saga...lame.

Have they no shame?
A shameful attempt to cash in on a legendary IP. The lack of quality combined with the disrespect to the core material is unconscionable. Revolting. ... Read more

Product Description
Luke Skywalker finds his academy threatened by untold dangers when his most talented and rebellious student, Kyp Durron, delves dangerously into the Dark Side of the Force, aided by an evil and deadly enemy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (72)

a books but
it is a nice 2ed book. it keeps up with the first book and leads nicely into the 3rd.

Someone gave the characters an idiot ball and they wouldn't let go
Luke Skywalker has gathered up his troops and headed to Yavin 4 to begin training.Only problem is that his most promising student, Gantoris, is now burned to a crisp and no one is sure why.Meanwhile, a mission fails, causing Ackbar to leave his command in shame, and Daala decides to wreak havoc on the New Republic.
NOTE: I listened to the audio book, and it was abridged so some scenes I may have A) forgotten since I last read the book and B) have not heard because they omitted it from the audiobook.

I Liked:
The last book was called Jedi Search, but honestly, it mostly focused on Han Solo and Kyp Durron.Kinda missed the mark to me, even if it were exciting in its own way.This book however gets into the actual training, which is particularly interesting.I enjoy seeing the new characters, particularly Kam Solusar, and wonder how he in particular fits into the new continuity with the prequels.
Kyp Durron is a fair character.I actually enjoyed seeing how he turned to the Dark Side.It was surprisingly reminiscent of Anakin Skywalker in the prequels and pretty well done in general.

I Didn't Like:
Like my title says, it seems every character in this novel was given an idiot ball and refused to let it go.Ackbar gets all huffy about crashing on Vortex and leaves.One incident, one mistake and he leaves in shame.I know we don't see him much in the movies, but the Ackbar there, I'm sure, wouldn't leave after one incident.Heck, the Ackbar in Zahn's books wouldn't leave after one mistake.And then, Ackbar's stupidity forces Leia to spend more time away from her family to coax him back into the military.In my opinion, if he's gonna be that huffy, I say we don't need him!
Han goes on a yelling spree with Lando like he's a PMSing woman and loses the Falcon in the most ludicrous game of sabacc ever.I was ashamed to read this part.Even if Leia were in danger (and she was), Han wouldn't jump on the Falcon, start a yelling match with Lando, and lose the Falcon.He'd go on the Falcon, yell that Leia was in trouble and everyone would be off to rescue her.
While Leia is on a mission, Han dumps his twins on Chewie, after not seeing them for months, and decides to go skiing with Kyp Durron, a kid he just met.Uh, yeah.So much for that father that Zahn set him up to be.If my dad did that...well...yeah.
Luke sees Gantoris (and later Kyp) has problems with the Dark Side and just decides to ignore it.I don't mind Luke always thinking someone can come back to the Dark Side, but I don't think Luke would ignore the clear signs of Dark Side usage and not try to swerve them off the path.Plus, Luke, as always, vacillates between too powerful and too stupid to live.
Absolute worst romantic couple of the year goes to Qui Xux and Wedge.Wedge must have forgotten all his wingmates he lost while piloting against BOTH Death Stars in order to fall in love with this air head.These sections made me cringe.A general protecting some nobody scientist?Going to Ithor, the lover's getaway?Cue eyeroll!
Lastly, Daala is said to be a military genius.So she attacks an unarmed planet (Dantooine) with refugees?Brilliant military work.It's the only engagement she ever wins, as she can't help but win against a world that has no army!Her attack against Mon Calamari was too reliant on old tactics (doesn't she realize that her tactics are TEN years old) and then when she said she was going to attack Coruscant?Uh, girlfriend, if you couldn't beat Mon Calamari, there is NO WAY you will beat Coruscant, the most heavily guarded and populated world in the galaxy.Even Thrawn waited until he had the Katana fleet and even then, he never took the world, only confused it.Plus, who says "Let's go hunting" and is met with resounding cheers?Lamest.Dialogue.Ever.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Some h*** and d*** (I think, I listened to the audiobook and can't remember).
Daala slept with Tarkin.Qui Xux and Wedge are basically a lame attempt at a love story.
Many die on the crash on Vortex.Daala attacks Dantooine.

Overall:
I had problems with Star Wars: Jedi Search, but there were some aspects that were cool enough to garner a three star review.
Not so here.I can't believe how out of character all these guys are.And the new original characters are so pathetic and lame.Cringeworthy.I don't recommend you read, but if you do, please follow up with a good dose of I, Jedi, where Stackpole calls Anderson out on a few of these stupidities.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

yawnnnn!!!!!!!!!! i went to sleep.
after reading the thrawn trilogy by timothy zahn i was inspired to pick up this series what a disconnected effort , how many super weapons are there in the starwars universe what a copeout another apprentice turns or flirts with the darkside are there no original stories left maybe kevin j anderson and richard hatch could compare notes on how to write really bad prose because the effort here is substandard to say the least dont waste your time get a life and enjoy the sun

Great entry in a great trilogy
I absolutely love the Jedi Academy Trilogy, and recommend it to everyone.There isn't a Star Wars that shouldn't read this - so long as they read them in order.

You won't be disappointed if you buy it.

Kevin Anderson Makes a Mess of Star Wars
SPOILER FREE

It's no secret that the Star Wars novels are a mixed bag.The recent ones, written after the prequel trilogy, are generally of higher quality than the novels written in the 1990's (Timothy Zahn's work and some others excepted), perhaps because there's more to work with and because, regardless of how one feels about the prequels (I liked them, albeit with the common caveats about Jar Jar and such), they expanded the scope of the Star Wars mythos, and better defined what could and could not work within it.

Unfortunately, while "Dark Apprentice" (and by extension the whole Jedi Academy trilogy) gets some things right, it misses more often than it hits.

In Anderson's defense, the complaints I have about his work can be applied equally to almost every other novel from the same era.That doesn't change the fact that this is one more failed attempt to capture the magic that is Star Wars.

Specifically (but still mostly spoiler-free), the problems with the book include:

- an obsession with what some have dubbed the "Death Star of the Month" mentality.Like many Star Wars novels from the 1990's, the plot in some way revolves around a piece of technology that threatens the galaxy (a theme ham-handedly repeated in the Corellian Trilogy, "The New Rebellion", Anderson's own "Darksaber", and others), and once again Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Lando, and others have to destroy it.The effect of this sort of plot on anyone who liked the original trilogy is that it completely guts the impact of the Death Star by making it "one of many" (or two of many, if you count the second Death Star).

- A silly bad guy who's supposed to be kind of like Vader, but isn't.Exar Kun has been rehabilitated in recent years, and also stars in several graphic novel adventures, but in this series, even in spirit form, he's as laughably portrayed as Dr. Evil in Austin Powers, except he's not supposed to be funny (the "stupid enemy Darth Vader rip-off" theme si also repeated in other novels, but most egregiously in "New Rebellion").

- Screwing with the Force.Before the prequel trilogy, Star Wars authors had a pretty wide-open field regarding the Jedi, how they worked, what they did, etc.Anderson doesn't get the Force totally wrong, but neither does he capture the mystery and wonder of it all.This wouldn't be a problem, except for the fact that the entire trilogy is focused on Luke attempting to reestablish the Jedi Academy.Particularly weak is a scene later in the trilogy involving certain children and Luke Skywalker . . .

In general, Anderson's writing is juvenile (that shouldn't be a given just because it's a Star Wars novel) and obvious, and he doesn't appear to have been interested in really continuing a saga so much as cashing in on a throw-away episode, that for some reason the powers-that-be haven't thrown away -- this novel, and basically all the others, are considered part of Star Wars continuity, regardless of quality.

Anderson's one valuable contribution to the world of Star Wars is in his portrayal of the new characters (with a couple of exceptions).The new academy prospects are at least inoffensive, and some are interesting.New enemies and allies, while at times a bit too much like 4-color comic characters, are generally readable and knowable.

If you absolutely must read everything Star Wars (like I'm doing), this review won't change your mind about reading "Dark Apprentice".But if all you want is to satisfy your curiosity about what happens to our heroes, instead I recommend Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy (starting with "Heir to the Empire"),or even "The Courtship of Princess Leia".And if you're just looking for a good, familiar space yarn to take on vacation, try any of the X-Wing novels by Aaron Allston, or any Star Wars novel that has the words "Tales from" in the title. ... Read more

Product Description
When Eagle's Claw, one of the most extreme militia groups in the United States, infiltrates the Device Assembly Facility at the Nevada Nuclear Test Site, FBI special agent Craig Kreident confronts a world-threatening situation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Fast and gripping Science Fiction
The writers of Kevin Anderson and Doug Beason team up again with the characters, Agent Kreident and gal pal, Paige Mitchell.The character of Kreident continues to be a steady, serious FBI agent with a talent for hightech.The character of Paige is sharpened up a bit from the previous book"Virtual Destruction."She no longer has some of the previouschildish mannerism portrayed in VD.

The plot thickens and continues tokeep you reading through the whole book.The twist and turns entice you tobeg for more.This reviewer had to go and hunt down the other books in theseries with Agent Kreident after finishing the brillantly written, Fallout.

This is the best book I've read
Fallout is a great book with an interesting concept, so I think that everyone should read it who is interested in Sci-Fi novels.

It's an exciting book that will keep you reading all night.
There's not much to say about this book.Simply put, it is the best book I have ever read.For those people who enjoy these kinds of books, you will love this one.It kept me up reading all night.I couldn't get my mind off of it.I was always wondering what would happen.I really enjoyed this book.

Probably Anderson's worst
I generally enjoy Anderson's books in a lot the same way I enjoy action movies. Fun to read, but not much substance. Usually he has creative plots and ideas, even if the characters are somewhat lacking. Unfortunately, this books showed no creativity at all. It was boring, the plot was contrived, and the characters thinner than cardboard. He's written quite a lot of good stuff, but this isn't part of it. Read Ill Wind or Virtual Destruction instead.

Predictable and stereotypic.
It reads like an expensive action movie, but isn't. The plot is very predictable as soon as one understands that it uses stereotypes from movies. The science is completely wrong, and the people artificial. Even as a study in stereotyping and author fallacy, it is boring. ... Read more

Product Description
On a harsh prison planet, the warden and the staff are as much prisoners as the convicts, but a risky prison break might free them all. ... Read more

Product Description
"After the fall of the Empire, many archives were opened and hidden information came to the attention of scholars across the galaxy. We are at a crux point in history . . . Citizens of the New Republic must know their history--a rich and glorious tradition, [with] many dark mistakes. We must learn from both."
--New Republic Historical Council

The story is one that began many thousands of years before the birth of Luke Skywalker . . . or Anakin Skywalker . . . or even Obi-Wan Kenobi. It spans galaxies, encompasses kingdoms and powerful dynasties, chronicles wars, and charts the rise and fall of individuals who changed the course of their times. Now, at last, the many strands of this extraordinary saga are drawn together--from the original movies, from the novels, from every verifiable source--and tied together in one, comprehensive volume.

- Learn about the Great Hyperspace War that divided the ancient Jedi Knights
- Discover the colorful adventures of the rogue heroes Han Solo and Lando Calrissian
- Experience the overthrow of the Empire, the birth of the New Republic, the founding of Skywalker's Jedi academy, the marriage of Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa, and much more!

Relive the legendary events. Catch up with the action you missed. Explore the saga of Star Wars from the very beginning--in one, authoritative essential guide!
Amazon.com Review
When this book first hit print, many Star Wars fansfelt a great disturbance in the Force. Not the bad,millions-of-voices-crying-out-in-terror kind of disturbance, mindyou--more like a galactic sigh of relief as two Star Wars vetsfinally dared to compile a comprehensive chronology, a bookambitiously subtitled "The Definitive History of the Star WarsUniverse." And Kevin J. Anderson and Daniel Wallace don'tdisappoint. Their accurately named Essential Chronologysatisfies all but the most rabid fan-boy needs, cataloging everysignificant event from the Golden Age of the Sith (roughly 5,000 yearsB.B.Y., Before the Battle of Yavin) through to the exploits of theYoung Jedi in 24 A.B.Y. (immediately preceding the events of Del Rey'sNew Jedi Order storyarc).

In encyclopedic style, the duo have compiled the periods and playersfrom what's become a sprawl of comics, computer games, newspaperstrips, "audio adventures," and paperbacks. Some niggling details, ofcourse, slip through the cracks, but the end product succeedsadmirably, proving to be both entertaining and useful. The icing onthe cake? Solid illustrations by Bill Hughes, an era-by-era timeline(including every major book, comic, computer game, and movie),and--thank the Maker--an index. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

The original chronology guide
The original chronology guide to Star Wars, showing time lines and how different events were linked and affected each other.Recommended for Star Wars scholars or collectors.

The absolute best Essential Guide!!!!!
I am a die hard Star Wars fan, my room is like a shrine to it. I got the Chronology for Christmas a few years ago, and it's my favorite out of all of the essential guides. It goes into detail about the pre-Republic days, Xim the Despot, and The Hyperspace and Sith Wars. It also goes beyond the fall of the Empire, and the beginning of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. I really loved the early Republic days and how it nearly fell to the collaboration of Exar Kun and the fallen Jedi, Ulic-Qel Droma. My favorite section of the whole guide is the Rise of Grand Admiral Thrawn. Thrawn was the only alien Grand Admiral, (Chiss was his species) and the last to nearly topple the New Republic.

There is a lot more in the Guide, but you will just have to read it.

a good source of history in star wars world
not a bad book gave alot of information and on some exploits from some of main characters but i would had hoped for a little more detail of some of the stories like they didnt give much information about clones wars or how did palpatine was able to make his new roder with the rising form of the empire or how did skywalker learn about darkside and become his transformation to darth vador. I figure most is based on from the movies but even the authors with the excess to what they have and what they can learn from lucas himself i am sure they could had put a little information on some of these events.

A brief but thorough chronology
I was always curious about how had everything started and how did it continue. Well, I had two options:
1) browse through the entire comments written about SW books
or
2) get a chronology

This chronology is well written and updated (2001) and leaves the necessary gap for the upcoming next two movies (Episodes 2 & 3).

After reading it I've decided to buy 4 books related to some parts of the history I was interested (what happened between the first 3 movies)

I strongly reccommend it

a coloring book???
this book needs a hardback counterpart, it seems like a coloring book...with it's b&w pages and pictures...the info is great but keep an eye out for the enclyclopedia update ... Read more

Product Description
Bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson is best known for his epic science fiction novels such as Hidden Empire, Dune: House Atreides (with Brian Herbert), and Star Wars: Jedi Search. This collection of twenty-two tales and two essays displays the range of his imagination, from science fiction to fantasy to horror; from alien landscapes in the far future to cutting-edge technological developments that could happen tomorrow. The first five stories take readers to parallel universes next door, on expeditions for Alternitech. Other tales put a humorous twist on classic fantasy scenarios of kissing frogs and slaying dragons. Readers will see cloned mammoths, the dark side of early Hollywood, attorneys wrestling with the legalities of time paradoxes, and backpackers on an alien planet.

Kevin J. Anderson loves to write while hiking in the Rocky Mountains of his home state, Colorado. (20021201) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

C'mas Joy
Hadda spend money for a big guy.
Said he wanted "Landscapes".
Therefor - - -
We both read it first - liked it lots.
Big guy liked it as well.
Merry C'mas.

superb speculative fiction collection
This speculative fiction collection contains twenty two short stories that run the gamut from fantasy to science fiction but all share in common, Kevin J. Anderson's ability to paint seemingly realistic backgrounds regardless of genre.The width of Mr. Anderson's talent is showcased by the differing landscapes that make up his tales (and two essays) of which fourteen are labeled sci fi; seven fantasy; and three "The Great Outdoors".Ten of the stories are from the 1990s while three first appeared in the latter half of the 1980s; the rest are from this decade.The contributions are all fun with some being collaborations with Benford, Beason and Moesta.Two interesting essays round out this strong anthology so that readers will want to rush out to obtain it. Frogs, werewolves or Santa star in alternate universes or our world which adds great fantasy to this is first-rate pert compilation.

Harriet Klausner

... Read more

Product Description
This first novel in a new trilogy finds 14-year-old cousins Gwen and Vic accidentally transported through a magical crystal door to the island Elantya. They are soon caught in a tempest of ancient magic and fierce battles all connected to ancient feuds and the cousins' own mysterious roots. ... Read more

Product Description
In the most ambitious and exciting X-Files adventure to date, Mulder and Scullyfly to the Yucatan jungle to investigate a missing team of archaelogists. Their exploration leads to a strange electronic signal coming from beneath ancient ruins -- a signal aimed upward, at the stars.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

It was entertaining
Okay so I just finished reading X-Files: Ruins and the book was really good up until the end.

The premise was very intriguing, a team of archelogists go missing down in the Yucatan Penninsula and Scully and Mulder are dispatched to find out what happened to them and bring them back alive if possible.The dialogue was spot on for Scully and Mulder through most of the book, but Dr. Rubicon left a lot to be desired.For someone who is an expert in archeology, he sure used the word "uhhh" an awful lot.I know most of us use this word as filler in our daily lives while we search our minds for the right words we want to say and it works in the movies but in a book it just looks stupid.

Towards the end of the book, like the last 30-40 pages Mulder and Scully start spouting stupid catch phrases from the 90's over and over again.Also I don't remember Mulder talking out loud to himself so much in the show, why couldn't he have just internal monologues instead of talking outloud when no one was there?

Finally when he is sitting at his desk when the case is all said and done he's fiddling with a statue of a feathered snake.Yet we never find out how he got this, he never buys it, never finds it, no one gives it to him, it's just magically there at the end of the book.So much for continuity.

All in all, the book wasn't bad, it kept me interested but the ending seemed too rushed to me.3 Stars is the best I can give this.

This is NOT a five-star book!
As I write, forty of sixty-seven readers have given this book five stars. I am sorry, but I have just finished reading it, and at least for me it does not come close to being a five-star book.

Here are some books I have recently read and that I think deserve five stars: "Tigana" (Guy Gavriel Kay), "A World Undone" (G. J. Meyer), "The Dreaming Void" (Peter F. Hamilton), and The Farseer Trilogy (actually three books by Robin Hobb, though each one deserves five stars). I have read many other five-star books, but these are recent reads that I remember well and can easily compare to Kevin J. Anderson's "Ruins." Please note that "The Dreaming Void" is part of a trilogy and that "The Evolutionary Void," the third volume, is not due to be released until August 31, 2010.

Recent four-star novels: "The Empty Chair" (Jeffrey Deaver), "Berserker Kill" (Fred Saberhagen), "The Sixth Book of Lost Swords: Mindsword's Story" (Fred Saberhagen), "The Messenger" (Daniel Silva)

Recent three-star novel: "Seven of Nine" (a Star Trek Voyager novel)

As you might expect from a pulpish franchise novel, "Ruins" is short and to the point. You are taken on an adventure with Mulder and Scully to Mayan ruins in Yucatán. Being interested in the X-Files, you are probably interested in things like villains, monsters, and aliens. In that respect, maybe "Ruins" satisfies. Though the story has tragedy, it has a good ending.

What's my beef with it? Though it is okay--at least I finished it--it has too many shortcomings to get five stars. Here are some of its shortcomings:

1. Shallow characterizations: In a 264-page novel, space is limited. You get a basic picture of supporting characters Cassandra, Aguilar, Rubicon, Barreio, and Major Jakes but you don't spend much time with them. You don't get a taste of the bread of life that you get from characters in Kay's "Tigana" or Hobb's Farseer Trilogy.

2. Simple plot: The story is straightforward and unadorned with twists, turns, and surprises. It is the opposite of epic.

3. Gratuitous Levity: Mulder is a veteran of perilous adventures. So maybe it's reasonable that he makes quips during moments of peril. But Cassandra is just a humble archaeologist, and she should not be making quips during such moments. Also, most of Mulder's quips were beneath him. They were flat. Maybe I should excuse Anderson, though. I can't expect him to have Mulder's IQ. Also, near the very end, a talk show is on television. To avoid spoiling the story, I won't reveal the subject of the talk show, but I will say that it was inappropriate. Anderson was probably trying to be humorous.

4. Style: Anderson made some unnecessary descriptions and some repetitive descriptions. He uses too many adjectives.

Decent idea, phoned-in execution
Okay, let's call this novel what it is...an effort to cash in on a popular television show by hiring out a popular sci-fi writer to produce a quick and dirty imitation of the real thing. And that's exactly what you'll get. Anderson has come up with a decent-enough idea embedded in a cliché-riddled story with halfhearted dialogue and characters only loosely resembling anything from X-files canon. At the end of the day, you're left with a semi-satisfying romp through the jungle with the feeling that this novel should have been listed in the "young adult" section of the local bookstore. All in all, Anderson delivers exactly what he was commissioned to do and kudos to him for that. After all, he's produced a ton of novels based on popular TV shows, none of which are all that good but each of them doing just enough to give you a slight taste of the original. Personally, I prefer some of the fan fiction available all over the internet, which is free and only a quick google search away. Nothing smart or sophisticated here.

Great, entertaining read
The X-files: Ruins is a fun, quick read that any fan of the show should find entertaining.It is well written by Kevin J. Anderson who also wrote the bestselling `Ground Zero' prior to Ruins.His style has a nice flow to it and he is able to transfer Dana Scully and Fox Mulder to text in a near perfect fashion.So if you're worried about this book because of its writing do not threat, because unlike most tie-in authors Anderson seems to have a real grip on his quality and what pleases viewers of the show.

The plot centers on (of course) FBI special agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully who handle strange and mysterious cases known as "The X-files."Scully is the skeptical one who tries to rationalize the abnormal occurrences in the files while UFO-phile Mulder seems to believe in just about every paranormal concept imagined (due to his sister being abducted by aliens when he was young.), but I'm sure if you're reading this book you're already familiar with one of TV's most iconic pairings.

At the beginning of this adventure there seems to be little to do between Mulder and Scully other than to exchange idle chit-chat.That is until they discover that the daughter of a famous archeologist has gone missing while excavating a new site in Central America, but due to unknown circumstances they have had no contact with her in well over a week.Needless the say the old man is greatly concerned and summons to help of Agents Mulder and Scully to follow him to Central America to find his daughter.Along the way of course we discover the region is full of leftover beliefs from the long forgotten days, drug lords rage war across the region over each other's operations, and rebellion is brewing as determined rebels take artifacts from their ancestor's temples in order to fund their operation.Just another day in a chaotic world, but it only gets better once our agents get down there and discover in the hot, humid forests that human sacrifices are still practiced in this region and rumors of large feather-headed serpents slinking through the forests come up.Could this be the ancient God's returning for revenge?The pair will have to discover the truth when the venture to the previously un-excevated ruins of the lost city of Xitaclan; a place known for strange disappearances.

Mulder (as usual) brings aliens into the picture believing them to be the "Gods" worshipped by the ancient Central American civilizations (Mayan, Inca, Aztec, etc.)were in fact aliens.This also leads him to believe extra terrestrials are behind the disappearance of the archeologists and all the strange occurrences around the Xitaclan temple.

Scully doesn't have long to debate Mulder's irrational explanation for they are soon thrown into the middle of just about every Central American conflict and they even manage to get the US military involved.It becomes a fight against time as Mulder tries to discover the secrets of Xitaclan, and the whereabouts of the missing girl while Scully tries to comprehend the situation and why anyone in their right mind would still practice such barbaric rituals as self-mutilation and human sacrifice.

Ruins is an exciting read and really plots itself well even with its limited page count and is one of the best book tie-ins I've ever seen for a movie/TV series.The writing is quick and exciting while still managing to be descriptive enough to give the reader a clear visualization of what it is they're processing.When characters talk the dialogue comes as if directly from the show.Mulder's sly comments are funny, and his interactions with Scully retain their charm in this novel.

If you're an X-Phile or just a casual fan of the series you should enjoy Ruins as a quick adventure with TV's favorite FBI agents.Trust me, if you have a quiet afternoon, are away from the TV, but you still want your dose of X-Files, or just sci-fi/fantasy adventure, lean back and open a copy of Ruins and read the day away.

Great Book!
Love, love, love this book!Kevin Anderson has the characters of Mulder and Scully spot on.The story is gripping and adventurous and is the best in the series.Definitely a must read for the X-files fan craving more Mulder/Scully stories. ... Read more

Product Description
A BRAVE NEW WORLD
New York City, 1939. Crack investigative reporter Polly Perkins unearths plans to create a violent new World of Tomorrow.

A BRASH NEW THREAT
Soon after, gigantic mechanical robots are unleashed upon New York and other major cities of the world, meting out death and destruction in their wake.

A BOLD NEW HERO
The call goes out to Joe Sullivan, leader of the heroic Flying Legion, to save the day. As Joe and Polly circle the globe, encountering mutant creatures, monstrous mechanical machines, and dangerous tentacled robots, they are drawn ever closer to the lair of evil genius George Totenkopf. Together, they must battle the forces of the World of Tomorrow in order to savethe world of today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A mediocore novel
Okay, I didn't see the film and I picked this book up because I thought it would be a quick, but interesting read. It was quick, but I didn't find it all that interesting. It reminded me WAY too much of the bad movies back in the 50's. It just was flat-out borefest to me. I like Anderson's other writings but this one didn't cut it for me.

I suggest this for fans of bad 50's movies or some one looking for an easy read.

PARTY ON, DUDES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sky Captain is fun, 30's style film
I saw the film at a screening in Plano, TX about 3 or 4 weeks ago.For the first 10-15 minutes I thought that it might fall apart as it just seemed a little too "corny". However, once you realize, and accept, that the characters take things seriously, there's no irony and treat it like a old-style comic adventure it really takes of and was a fun Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon/Wizard of Oz type film from there on out. My favorite "fun" film of the year by a longshot. I heard Roper on Ebert & Roper complain about Angelina Jolie's "bad British accent".When I was watching I thought she sounded just like all the old English soldiers in films like "The Four Feathers" or "The Charge of the Light Brigade".She sounded over the top becuase that's how she was SUPPOSED to sound Richard!Anyway her role isn't much more than a cameo. A great looking film that also is very entertaining.

EL MUNDO DEL MAÃ`ANAFUE AYER
Algo es cierto: Si la pelicula es tan buena como el libro, vale la pena ir a verla.
Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow, (por ahora solo en ingles) es un buen libro, sin más pretención que divertir. Tiene todo el estilo de los Pulps de los 30's y 40's y las imagenes que trasmite nos remontan a las portadas de estas mismas. Desde la metropolis de Neva York, hasta las profundidades del oceano, pasando por los Himalayas y una isla olvidada por el tiempo, Sky Captain cumple con lo que promete.

El libro, aunque de encargo, esta bien escrito y es bastante recomendable... eso si. Sugiero que lean el libro antes de ver la película. No te arriesges a no encontrar el mismo nivel de calidad. Además, siempre son buenos los pre-estrenos, más cuando tu los produces en tu imaginacion.

A good, fun read
A novelization version of the upcoming film, "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" is set in 1939 New York City. The story follows Lois Lane-like reporter Polly Perkins, who's always looking for the latest scoop, as she covers the disappearances of many famed German scientists. After an interesting meeting with a stranger, who claims he's "the only one left" and leaves Polly with just a name (Totenkopf- German for "Death's Head") and a blueprint, the city falls under attack by giant trampling robots, but the day is saved when Sky Captain and the Flying Legion enter the scene and ward them off. Polly, naturally determined to find out what's going on, teams up with Sky Captain as they both fly around the world to search for Totenkopf, aided along the way by Sky Captain's right-hand man Dex and old-time friend Captain Francesca "Franky" Cook.

As I'm anticipating this film very much, my thoughts on the book may be a bit biased, but I found it very entertaining and simply fun to read. It probably could have been written a bit better, though we're not asking for the next Lord of the Rings, here.

To appreciate it fully, you need to read this in the right state of mind. As a homage to the old and slightly cheesy "LOOK! UP IN THE SKY!" types of sci-fi serials of the 1930s and 40s, the storyline is obviously going to be full of cliches and missing backstory, and might even seem a bit ridiculous at times. It's these kinds of thing that you just have to accept and move along with and let your imagination do the rest.

If you like pulp, camp, sci-fi, or just a good (and predictable) classic mystery, (or even if the film just interests you), you may want to try this book out.

As for the film, see you in September!

Can't wait for the movie!
Kevin Anderson is a fantastic writer (Dune series), and he makes this a book that's a lot of fun to read. Can't wait for the movie! ... Read more

Product Description
As the New Republic continues its struggle for survival, a scattered but powerful remnant of the shattered Empire seeks to destroy three precious children - among them Han and Leia's Jedi twins - who represent the next generation of Jedi Knights. ... Read more

Product Description
A fascination with science and paleontology can lead to a sense of wonder . . . or something else entirely. ... Read more