Star Wars: The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide I: Onslaught is a good book by author Michael A. Stackpole.
New York Times bestselling author of the X-Wing series Star Wars.
The alien Yuuzhan Vong launched an attack on the world of the Outer Belt. They are ruthless, have no regard for life – and they are completely out of the Force. Faced with this arch-enemy, the Jedi – once the greatest peacekeepers in the galaxy – have become powerless… and their unity begins to crack.
As Luke struggles to keep the Jedi together, Knights Jacen Solo and Corran Horn embark on a mission to spy on the planet Garqi, an occupied world. Finally, there they discover a secret that can be used to weaken the enemy – as long as they can live long enough to use it!
I miss Michael A. Stackpole’s X-Wing series and me, the Jedi. He’s probably the best writer when it comes to air battles and the Rogue Squad. I don’t think he’s as strong as in the New Jedi Order series. I think Dark Tide II: Ruin is better than Dark Tide I: Onslaught. However, both are plagued by similar problems.
Stackpole presents a world in which all politicians are fools and all military men are respectable and intelligent. I understand this is Star Wars and the prequels aren’t exactly a citizenship class, but sometimes Stackpole goes too far. Some of his characters’ remarks about politics are hard to believe. It seems that in every chapter at least one character makes a vulgar remark about how the military needs to get the job done before the politicians step in. For example, Fel, an Imperial Tie Fighter pilot, despises the politicians of the New Republic and only bows to their military officials. When asked why, he monologues about how politicians only argue and only military people solve problems. Meanwhile, the politicians seem almost betrayed because of their stupidity and unwillingness to confront the threat of Yuuzhan Vong. In the real world, if anything, politicians are almost too willing to exaggerate threats and gain more power than ignore them. Though I’ve found Bothan’s touch with an admiral to be a nice departure from the usual conventions.
Fortunately, unlike the first Dark Tide book, Stackpole presents some interesting plot twists, from the alliance between the New Republic and the Imperials to a potential bioweapon against Yuuzhan Vong. These developments create a more dynamic situation in which we face not only despair but also glimmers of hope and intrigue. Elegos, a senator from Caamasi, became particularly important as the New Republic’s envoy to Yuuzhan Vong. We see him grow and change in unexpected ways. However, even with these segments, I think Stackpole often takes the easy route. I know Admiral Pellaeon is noble, but it still seems completely impractical for the Imperials to agree to an alliance with the New Republic so easily.
