Dark Force Rising

(Star Wars - The Thrawn Trilogy 2)
by
Timothy Zahn

Bantam, June 1992, 439 pp.
ISBN: 0-553-56071-9

Genre: Science Fiction
Subgenre: Movie Tie-In
Reviewed: 11/9/2000

Reviewed by: Conan Tigard

Book Cover

Excerpt

Taking a deep breath, Luke walked over to him. “Master C’baoth,” he said, bowing his head slightly. “I’m Luke Skywalker.”

The other smiled faintly. “Yes,” he said. “I know. Welcome to Jomark.”

”Thank you,” Luke said, letting his breath out in a quiet sigh. At last. It had been a long and circuitous journey, what with the unscheduled stopovers at Myrkr and Sluis Van. But at last he’d made it.

C’baoth might have been reading his mind. Perhaps he was. “I expected you long before now,” he said reproachfully.

”Yes, sir,” Like said. “I’m sorry. Circumstances lately have been rather out of my control.”

”Why?” C’baoth countered.

The question took Luke by surprise. “I don’t understand.”

The other’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What do you mean, you don’t understand?” he demanded. “Are you or are you not a Jedi?”

”Well, yes—“

”Then you should be in control,” C’baoth said firmly. “In control of yourself; in control of the people and events around you. Always.”

Synopsis

There they discover a people in debt to the Empire for the Empire’s promise to rejuvenate their world after a terrible space battle devastated most of it years ago. Of course, Leia doesn’t know that Thrawn is on the planet. Meanwhile, after C’baoth contacted Luke in Heir to the Empire, he decided that is was time to find the Jedi Master. But after starting his training, Luke is confused because C’baoth’s ways are not the ways of “Obi-wan” Kenobi or Yoda. C’baoth’s ways seemed to border on the dark side of the Force.

Mara Jade is captured by Thrawn and reveals that she was the Emperior’s Hand. She informs Thrawn that her boss, Karrde, knows the location of the Dark Force, or the Katana Fleet, an armada of 200 hundred Dreadnaughts that disappeared before the Clone Wars when all of the crewmembers went crazy. Thrawn realizes that if he has this fleet, he could easily crush the New Republic.

Dark Force Rising is a Star Wars book. It is the second book in The Thrawn Trilogy. The book is well-written and Timothy Zahn has nailed the characters perfectly. This story seems to take place a couple of weeks after the first story ended. Once again Luke, Leia, Han, Lando and Chewie divide into three groups to go on their separate adventures. Mara Jade, who didn’t really amount to very much in the previous story, plays a larger role and could have a very big secret that she doesn’t even suspect.

Review

Having really enjoyed the first book in the series, I looked forward to reading Dark Force Rising. And I did enjoy the read. Don’t expect an action-packed story, but rather one that is evolving slowly towards the conclusion in the last book of the Trilogy, The Last Command.

I really didn’t miss the action because I became enthralled with the plot development. Would they ever find the Dark Force? I couldn’t wait to find out. Could Leia really help the Noghri break away from the crushing grip of the Empire? I didn’t see how. Would Luke figure out that C’baoth is not good? Gosh, I hoped so.

So, if you want the answers to these questions, pick up Dark Force Rising and enjoy it.

I rated this book an 8 out of 10.