Expanded Universe Round-up #8

The Dangerous Rescue ​(Jedi Apprentice #13)

In many ways, this instalment is a satisfying conclusion to the three-book arc, but Jenna Zan Arbor (aka the Big Bad) is absent for much of it and while the bounty hunter's appearances result in fun fight scenes, she doesn't excuse the same menace or stir the same feelings of unease. I also found myself very tired of all the toing and froing of the investigation. It seemed to go on and on and on (and over all three books, mind). And now for the next arc... in which angst will be in overdrive.
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The Ties That Bind ​(Jedi Apprentice #14)

​Unfortunately, with this arc my 12-year-old self was once again at the mercy of the bookstores. So I had to read this AFTER the book following it. Ever since then, the impact of the ending has been lost on me - and obviously I've read it too many times to feel the shock and horror that I should. But that private scene between Qui-Gon and Tahl has endured in my memories for over two decades and probably inspired aspects of my own romantic writing.

The climax and its implications - perfect. The rest of the book? Not so much. It dragged and didn't go anywhere in a hurry, which is unusual given the pacing of other instalments.
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​The Death of Hope (Jedi Apprentice #15)

A surprisingly dark and intense instalment, considering that MG readers would have also picked this up at the bookstore. The story is essentially a race against time and the tension steadily rises when you realise that time may just run out. Damn, that ending is a gut punch. I really liked seeing this side of Qui-Gon, although I was constantly distracted by thoughts such as "hang on, are we not going to acknowledge that pledging oneself to another Jedi is, in fact, very unJedi-like?".
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The Call to Vengeance ​(Jedi Apprentice #16)

You know what? I'm just going to ignore the flagrant disregard for continuity (re: Jedi and attachments) within the pages I just read and tell you how much I love this book. In this series, we've seen how an apprentice can allow overwhelming emotions to lead to mistakes - and now we get to see the Master grapple with the very same lesson. Jedi are sentient beings too. It's how they handle their anger that sets them apart. That's the point Watson was so brilliantly displaying here.

Perhaps a part of me enjoys watching Qui-Gon Jinn go on a rampage a little too much. Confession time: whenever I played the video game of The Phantom Menace, I ALWAYS turned Qui-Gon into The Killer of Mos Espa. So much fun. What a great game. Ahem.
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The Only Witness (Jedi Apprentice #17)

Ehh... the series is now outstaying its welcome. A mediocre story that doesn't really hold one's interest, though it's nice to see Qui-Gon recovering from his great loss and starting down the path to healing. The only other notable thing about this instalment is the fact that it introduced the word "infatuated" to my 12-year-old self. I've no idea why THAT is what stuck with me over the years. Perhaps because the rest of the book is so blah.
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The Threat Within ​(Jedi Apprentice #18)

This book kind of felt like a classic clip show, but instead of clips we had many long references to events in previous instalments. I can't tell you how much I loathe clip shows. The plot itself is heavily reminiscent of the Melida/Daan arc. It had nothing new to add though, so I was bored for much of it.

A disappointing end to the series, but at least I have one special left to read (and two other books that I will count as existing beneath the JA umbrella).