Wednesday 25 May 2011

SCIENCE FICTION REVIEW: Star Wars: Clone Wars Gambit: Siege - Karen Miller

Release Date: 26/05/11

SYNOPSIS:

This is the second installment of a two-book Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker adventure, set against the backdrop of the Clone Wars! Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are trapped on the Separatist controlled planet Lanteeb, on the run from General Lok Durd and his droid army. After being forced to abandon their jerry-rigged groundcar they continue on foot, hunted, as they try to find a safe place to hide and regroup before escaping the planet altogether. Eventually they seek shelter in a remote Lanteeban village, but the Separatists track them down. Now they're under siege...and the little time they've bought themselves is running out.


REVIEW:

Part of the problem with the whole Star Wars Universe is that we know that certain linear things have to happen and that certain characters are never going to be in any serious danger as otherwise it would a parallel Universe. What does occur within this book is a more routine type of mission for the Jedi with the majority of the book being devoted to character dialogue over a huge amount of plot. It does have some interesting aspects, the Durd Bioweapon for example and it also has some character growth though the interaction. But what it really lacks is a seriously deep plot to keep the reader going.

Yes it’s good to get a more emotionally charged tale but by the end it felt that the author had just come up with something basic and decided to fluff up character development at the expense of action (although there is some.) Personally I read the series for a no hold barred action blaster/sabre fest but hey, you can’t have that all the time. All in, a this book is well written, the authors understanding of pace gets it through a few sticky patches but compared to a number of other titles out there its merely mediocre.

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