Yet as the novel progressed, I couldn’t help but find Marvid and Craitheus Qreph laughable and just out of place in the Star Wars universe. Denning is a master at working references from across the Star Wars universe into his works, and at first, the idea of Columi villains seemed like a welcomed break from the Vampirish menace of Aboloth cultivated throughout the Fate of the Jedi series. Those hopes were dashed, however, in what I can only describe as frustrating details as they related to the villains and the plot itself. Likewise, the slow building of the plotline to embrace the Mortis story arc that was left unresolved in Apocalypse gave me reason to continue reading, and kept me glued to each page as I eagerly soaked up hints to whether or not Luke was actually going to uncover the home of the Celestials. Having been left disappointed at the apparent lack of resolution from the Fate of the Jedi series, the reveal of Savara Raine as Vestara Khai was welcomed, and it was done in a manner I don’t think readers will initially suspect. What do I mean by that? Well, there’s an aura of mystery which builds throughout the early chapters, especially as it relates to who the ‘real’ villains are. ‘Human,’ she may not be, but there’s a sense that her struggle against deterministic forces mirrors that of the human condition.įinally, the book is not a bad read. On another, I couldn’t help but sympathize with her struggle for identity.

Omad Kaeg is hard not to like he may be cocky to a fault and incredibly naïve, but his heart is in the right place, and throughout the story I couldn’t help but picturing him as the son that Han would have always wanted (at least, the son without the force baggage who gets killed by his sister.) Then there’s Dena Yos, whose internal struggle to exert a sense of free will against the determinism programmed into her as a biot creation of the Qreph brothers can’t help but solicit mixed feelings from the reader. Secondly, in spite of being a book about Luke, Leia, and Han, Denning creates and gives voice to some fascinating characters. This book thankfully avoids the latter category. There are disappointing books, and then there are disappointing books in which one of the beloved figures from the Original Trilogy bites the dust. First, nobody fundamentally important to the Star Wars universe dies. It’s been more than a month since I turned the last page in Crucible, yet I still remain unconvinced that the novel-Denning’s 13th in the Galaxy Far, Far Away-really signals the retirement of Luke, Leia, and Han.

Crucible troy denning