Expanded Universe Round-Up #6

The Dark Rival ​(Jedi Apprentice #2)

This is the first Jedi Apprentice novel I ever read, so it has a special place in my heart. But the pacing suffers somewhat from it essentially being a part 2 of an unfinished story, rather than a self-contained book 2. I will assume this was due to the change in authors. Other books in this series flow into each other more naturally. I still find Xanatos to be an intriguing villain and have always enjoyed the fact that he stuck around for a bit, instead of being a one-off guest character.
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The Hidden Past (Jedi Apprentice #3)

My undisputed favourite of the series when I was a kid. I think I can see why. The story managed to evoke so many different emotions within me and was at times incredibly tense. It also dropped a few hints for the next book, which I like. And who doesn't love a good old insurgency? Liberating a planet always makes for a thrilling read (ahem, perhaps I've gone that route myself as a writer...). The dubious mention of Obi-Wan having a brother called Owen is of note.

Lastly, I was amused to find the T-shirt transfer paper still in the middle of my copy, though I know I spent years trying to decide if I should use it. I'm glad I didn't!
​(PS: my ancient JA bookmark was once again used - it features the cover of this very book)

The Mark of the Crown (Jedi Apprentice #4)

Palace intrigue, legacies, a poisoned queen, a secret heir and democracy on the horizon - what's not to love about this 4th book in the JA series? Certainly one of the strongest instalments. Obi-Wan gets to wield a sword and that's pretty cool.

Perhaps I'm also biased in that my favourite bookmark was taken from the middle of these very pages (one bookmark disappeared but I still have one, reinforced by sticky tape and extra cardboard). And perhaps I bought a second copy off eBay - to ensure that I always have spare bookmarks!
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The Defenders of the Dead (Jedi Apprentice #5)

Back in the year 2000, it was quite difficult for a kid to find sequential books in a series at the shops. So for a long, unbearable year, I could not read books #5 or #6 of the Jedi Apprentice series. I had enjoyed the conclusion in the two books after them, but the Melida/Daan mission was a mystery to me. How could Obi-Wan possibly leave the Jedi and join some other cause? It made no sense!

Well, it still makes no sense. Don't get me wrong - this is a good book and it explores both physical and emotional conflicts. But Obi-Wan's decision feels completely out of character, even though Watson did her best to build up to it.

​Interestingly, Melida/Daan was mentioned in a recent High Republic novel, returning the planet to canon status once more.

The Uncertain Path ​(Jedi Apprentice #6)

While I don't agree with the method used to divide Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon in the previous book, it's great to see how they tackle challenges without each other - even if it's only for a little while. Tahl... oh Tahl. I loved her so much and still do. She didn't get much to do in the previous book, but here she really shines and instantly becomes a favourite.

The mystery of what's going on in the Temple is intriguing - and then the book ends on a startling cliffhanger, which definitely WON'T tempt me to keep reading the JA series past my bedtime. Nope! I will resist the Dark Side of the Force!