Star Wars: Legacy of the Force: Bloodlines
by Karen Traviss
Oh mannn.... life is NOT going to get any easier for the many heroes and families of the EU (extended universe) in Star Wars - at least if what is happening to poor Boba Fett is an guide (not to mention the Solo and Skywalker families!).
Traviss is making good work of becoming a top (if not THE top) hard SF Star Wars writer. Along with Zahn, she is very good at taking the "givens" of Star Wars (and trust me, there are a LOT of givens: see http://cuswe.org) and stepping up with good nuts and bolts serious SF work. This book, while not set in the era of her Clone Commando stories (and there are more to come there!) makes use of the background she has created in them. And don't worry, Mando'a language fans - the language is definitely in use here. I like the way she made Boba NOT be a Mando'a speaker - it gives a graceful reason for people to talk ABOUT, not just IN the language.
This is the second of a planned NINE volume series that takes our heroes and their families in the era AFTER the "New Jedi Era" series (aka, the Vong war books). This is not a light and happy escapist story. Lots of dark shades, and wrestling with an era filled with terrorist threats, and governments using an excess of paranoia to make very bad decisions (sounds a bit like a galaxy not-so-far-away).
I actually have the audio (abridged) version waiting for me at the library. Anyone who reads this blog knows that I am a fan of audio stuff, and the SW books make good use of sound an music - should make an interesting contrast.
