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I can’t help but wonder just exactly how much of this book is Jedi school.  It became increasingly weird to deal with a book about a missing wife, clearly in some form of mortal danger, where the answer was “Take a few college classes and then go look for her.”  Anyway here I am, looking at Kyp and Mara Jade stories just being retold from this puffed-up ex-cop’s overly pedantic perspective.

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I looked at how the book was and realized this first person gimmick was going to wear out its welcome sooner rather than later, even if the book makes it work a little.  I just don’t have that tendency to self-narrate, and also there aren’t any sexy people in my editing space for me to describe at length every time I see them.  For now, we’ll soldier on, as the Exar Kun investigation begins and a round of guests and new students begin to arrive.

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Over and over I’m exposed to characters I’ve heard of, stories I faintly remember, but at each turn I’m confronted with the nagging fact that someone has been inserted into each scene.  It’s Corran Horn, obviously, and as each story from Luke’s temple unfolds, he’s usually nearby, being slightly superior.  How do I go on?  How long til this book gets to the missing wife stuff?  This is a weird plan, I remind myself.

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After a little too much time noodling around on Coruscant, I found myself excited to finally get to the Jedi Factory.  Am I finally going to get connected to the few new recruits we met all the way back in Jedi Search?  Before that, I reminded myself, it’s time to watch Corran Horn just fail again and again to read the room.

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Intrigued, I perused further into the book.  “Nonsense!” I exclaimed!  It’s already chapter 7!  How is he still doodling around on Coruscant receiving praise from all his famous friends?  Surely he must eventually go do something, I reasoned, pressing ever onward.

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I looked to the opening lines of the novel and couldn’t believe my eyes.  A Star Wars novel written in first person?  Reviewing my long years of reading other EU novels, I came to the inevitable conclusion that at least for myself, this was a first.  Could I tolerate living directly between the lobes of this Corran Horn in this way?  I would have to persevere to find out.

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Time to take the long view of this game, also answer some questions AND announce the next book.  And let me tell you right here and now, it’s a doozy.

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The final four chapters!  How does it all end, what with the murder being solved already?   Well obviously by wrapping up the loose ends and setting up the next book.  Messing with the team makeup, setting minor hints, all that good stuff.  Is it good?  Well, here’s an hour on that.

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Well, this generally acceptable (and again, selected entirely off the title) book just succeeded in making us madder than every one of these Star Wars books since The Consent Gun Kidnapping of Princess Leia, and I bet you’re eager to find out why.  Oh also we find out who killed Ves Volette.  You’ll never guess who.

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Laranth vs. Aurra Sing!  In hindsight this is sorta depressingly predictable.  Anyway they have a noir-grade showdown in the midst of a very weird festival, then Jax heads off to Dejah’s to once again be sexually frustrated by a 2003-era clubwear shimmer dress.

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