The Unifying Force

Having started Vector Prime one year ago, I finally finished The Unifying Force, the final novel in the epic saga, The New Jedi Order. What a ride. This dark, nineteen-book series truly rewards readers by uniting the continuity of all the previous Expanded Universe stories. All characters, previous events, races, and planets contribute their threads to the ingenious tapestry of The New Jedi Order, which transfigures the New Republic as well as the Jedi and their understanding of the Force.

Written by committee, the series witnesses exponential character development, as well as some of the most awe-inspiring cataclysmic events, jaw-dropping plot twists, and gloriously Corellian one-liners I’ve ever seen. Having accomplished the feat of reading The New Jedi Order, I elevate my Star Wars buffdom to Emperor status. I mean, there’s a lot of story to tell. And it took me about the past eight years to catch up.

Obviously, having read the entirety of this series during my second year of grad school, the Yuuzhan Vong invasion will forever be associated by parallel with my own personal war at BGSU. Now that I’m finished with the last of The New Jedi Order, I feel one last bit of relief from the conflict. I suppose that’s why I found this post to be blog-worthy.

Other than that, there’s no reason for me to post this. The few reading this who are into the Star Wars books don’t need my review to encourage them, and the people who aren’t into this… well, they will never comprehend how incredible The New Jedi Order really is. I’ll tell you this: it’s at least as emotionally engrossing and well-told as any other story ever made. Why? Because a veritable Rogue Squadron of writers got together and committed to George Lucas’ idea of a Hero with a Thousand Faces. And, of course, they got the green light from George on everything that happens therein. It’s just… well, you’d have to read it yourself. Heh heh… if you have the time and the inclination… if you have a few years to kill, start with Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter and work your way through the timeline from there.

As for me... on to other readings! Perhaps, before I continue in the Star Wars universe, I will take a sabbatical and read The Lord of the Rings. I could start with The Hobbitt and finish with The Silmarillion. Or, I could simply not read anything for a while, opting to devote more time to playing video games and watching DVDs. It’s only a matter of time before someone hooks me on Battlestar Galactica. I must be cautious.