Several years after the Darknest series. The Galactic Alliance is becoming unwieldy. Centerpoint becomes operational, and Jedi are sent in to take it out. Ben is now Jacen’s apprentice. Luke keeps sensing a “man who doesn’t exist yet”. Jacen makes the choice, seemingly anyway, to become the next Lord of the Sith. Betrayal indeed. Worthy sequel of the NJO series. Here’s hoping the rest are as good. ( )

I'll admit, I'm new to reading the Star Wars EU. I've read different books all across the spectrum of timelines from Old Republic to New Jedi Order, and this is the series that most people have wanted me to pick up (after [b:Heir to the Empire|216443|Heir to the Empire (Star Wars The Thrawn Trilogy, #1)|Timothy Zahn|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320405954s/216443.jpg|1133995]). Overall it was pretty enjoyable.

The plot was interesting and well paced in my opinion, and I was never lost or bored by any of the more politically based story lines. I like the idea of the characters we love being at odds with each other, even if it ultimately doesn't last, and there was a lot of fun to be had in the war on/with Corellia.

I know the basic plot of this series so I know what to expect, I've had most of the major plot arcs spoiled for me and I'm not sure if this will affect my enjoyment down the line. I speak mostly of Jacen and Ben's storyline of course, and I found the beginning of their arc to be pretty enjoyable. It had a relatively interesting mystery and an OK ending. their trip to the Dark Side planet (moon? asteroid?) was interesting and their fights were well done. The only thing that annoyed me was the quickness that Jacen shifted from sympathetic to "WHAT THE HELL, MAN!?" It didn't seem to take Lumiya very long to win him over to her side.

"hey man, the Sith are the cool ones....they can feel emotions and stuff. It's just a different way of doing the same thing, ect ect."

....

"Hmmm...Sounds good to me, I'm going to kill my friend Nelani now because she's HEARD TOO MUCH."

I just felt like the argument wasn't presented well and Jacen's sudden turn and flat-out murder of his random friend was really sudden and weird.

Overall I really liked the book and plan on continuing with the story.Some of the callbacks were horrifying and awkward, example: "Tycho asked, "Is Han-" "He's fine," Leia said. "Han shot first." OUCH, FAIL.

I was surprised however to reach the end of the book on my Kindle at only 60% done or something. Then, there are two or three random Darth Vader stories tacked on to the end. Was it always included at the end or is it a new thing? It just seemed weird is all. ( )

This book was probably not the best starting point for someone who has stayed mostly within the Republic Era novels. Thanks to Wookiepedia and various fansites and blogs, I went into “Betrayal” knowing full well what would happen, but still wanted to try venturing outside of my comfort zone. Maybe not the best choice. It wasn't so much all the technical stuff that threw me off, it was just how, well, boring it was. Just like with Anakin Skywalker, Jacen Solo didn't resonate with me at all, and the majority of the time I just wished he would fade into the background so other characters could be given the spotlight; I don't have much patience for characters who are so convinced that the ends justify the means and think themselves above reproach for their own shortcomings (which they never acknowledge either). They bother me.

A lot of the story just seemed unnecessarily dragged out that it took me nearly twice as long to finish this than any other SW book. There were some highlights, however: Mara not paying attention and literally walking into a wall, Han and Leia in general (especially the one chapter that opened with them “snuggling on the couch”), Lumiya lurking around in the shadows. But very little about Jacen interested me at all. And I don't know if this plotline went anywhere after this book (I went back to my comfort zone right after finishing), but the android/robot that thought it was Anakin Solo just seemed...weird. Artificial sentience is such a complex idea (and so was Ben's reaction and the lack of follow through with him about it) that in this case it just felt like a cop out, an easy way to try to traumatize Ben and explain how the station the robot was housed in came back online. Really could have done without that subplot at all.

I actually finished this book a few months ago but couldn't bring myself to review it immediately. It was just such a disappointment for me. But like I said, maybe it wasn't the best jumping-in point post-RotJ for someone like me who's more interested in the heyday of the Jedi and the Republic. Eh. ( )

My Review: 6 - Worth Reading, with Reservations

Reservation #1: if you haven't been keeping up with the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe novels, this is, by far, one of the worst places you can jump aboard. While there is some merit in believing that every story set in a franchise should be friendly to newbies, the thing with the Star Wars Expanded Universe is that it's grown so large, with so many important characters that have nothing to do with the movies, that if you pick up this book just wanting to get the further adventures of Han, Luke, and Leia, you are going to be sorely disappointed.

If you are caught up, like I was, you may still be disappointed. This book is… strange. I was accidentally, then on purpose, spoiled for the MAJOR EVENTS that happen in this Legacy of the Force series, so I read this book with a kind of dread, but also with a kind of expectation: I wanted to see just how on Earth the writers were going to pull this off. Betrayal reveals to the readers the FIRST MAJOR EVENT. Which, if you've been reading the books in publication order, shouldn't come as any surprise: it was pretty clear where a particular character was heading after the Dark Nest Trilogy, but still: it's tough, especially when you've been reading this series as long as I have.

Aaron Allston, for his part, does the best he can: there are great moments in this book: fantastic characterizations of fan-favorites like Wedge Antilles, and introductions to promising new characters like his daughter. Allston's trademark humor, while not in full-force, does permeate the book and provide some much needed levity. And the action of the story starts up quick and doesn't let up until halfway through the book, wherein Allston allows the readers and the characters to stop and catch their breath before plunging headfirst into the rest of the action. There's a lot to digest in this book, and I'm torn between thinking that this was the right approach, that we needed to get through this stuff and quickly as possible, and thinking that perhaps the EU powers-that-be could've taken a little more time with it and given the readers a chance to really swallow the Civil War that's brewing. Because it is a tough book to swallow: both the events that are rattling characters' lives and the changes those events wrought in them. If there's anything to walk away from in this book, it's that theme of change, of transformation. It's a fascinating theme, but it's also a very, very painful one.

There's some good stuff in this novel. There's some stuff that I'm not wholly convinced about, so the rest of the series will have to do its best to convince me. However, I don't recommend reading this if you aren't already through the New Jedi Order and the Dark Nest Trilogy, and even that's the bare minimum for you fully appreciate the events of this book. If you've already read this, though, I'd love to hear your thoughts (just don't spoil me, because even though I know the MAJOR EVENTS, I'd like the little things to be a surprise). ( )

I loved the star wars films. From the first time I saw them they were my three favourite films. Then they made three more! Six fantastic movies (let's pretend Episode III was as good as the others). But then I discovered the Expanded Universe, and that's what really makes star wars. I know that there are many people, some in my own family, who reject the expanded universe as not being "proper Star Wars". This isn't true. According to Aaron Allston's website, not just anyone can write a star wars novel. They are approached and asked if they would write a novel, and their ideas are closely scrutinised by LucasBooks to ensure they work with the star wars universe. The people who MADE "Proper Star Wars" approve them. Not sure if George Lucas reads them, he's probably too busy with the expanded universe TV series he's reportedly planning. I wonder if they'll be considered "proper star wars"?

Either way, whether you like the idea of the expanded universe or not, it exists, and utilises many famous and/or well-talented authors. Aaron Allston is one of them. This first book in the Legacy of the Force series is a fantastic introduction to a series, and a highly addictive novel. I won't call it a page-turner as I listened to the audiobook (more on that later), but whatever the equivalent is, this book has it.

The story has a basic premise of one government (Corellia - Han Solo's home planet) causing problems for a joint-government by not following the rules. The Jedi, as a peace-keeping force, get involved (Yes! Lightsabers!) and inevitably the dark side is discovered to be involved. The story is mainly about Jacen Solo and his investigations into the dark side presence, but Han and Leia allow Allston to add political intrigue into the book, and Luke and Jaina Solo get some X-Wing action as well. It's Han and Leia's involvement that I really enjoyed in the book though. As good as the dark side and space battles are, the politics is written expertly.

Han Solo, caught between supporting his homeworld and the Galactic Alliance, is written beautifully, as is Leia, as they weave through the plotting and intrigue of beauracracy between the warring opponents. The political situation is a s realistic as if it were being broadcast on television in reality, but on a larger scale. I find that the best books, Sci-fi or fantasy are those that have well written politics, which is something that even the original six stories lack (It IS kind of the backdrop of episodes II and III, but they're mainly about killing the bad guys).

I am reviewing this from an Audiobook version of the novel. I'm not sure that this makes it a fair review in comparison to my others or not. But I don't intend to do it again. That's not to say the audiobook was bad! In fact, there were some very distinct advantages to the audiobook. The Star Wars theme at the beginning is obvious, and gets you into the right mood. The woman who says where the chapter is set is amazing (I will forever read "Coronet, Corellia" in her voice), and the hum of lightsabers is fantastic. There are so many elements that the audiobook has that the book doesn't. Including music. It's not always there, but hearing the expertly chosen music as Jacen encounters the Sith, for example, throws the experience of the expanded universe into a completely new dimension.

But there is one disadvantage to this format. I read at a rate of roughly 130 pages per hour, if I enjoy what I'm reading. That would be between two and three hours to read the book. The Audiobook was 6 and a half hours long. And it was a shortened version. The latter is why I won't use audiobooks much in future. They miss things out. Probably unimportant things, but the principle is still there.

This is a fantastic story. Some knowledge of the Expanded Universe would be useful, but not necessary (If you don't know who Jacen and Jaina are for example, it soon becomes apparent). Knowledge, however small, of the original star wars trilogy is essential (If you don't know who Han Solo is, Watch the films! - and this is the one occasion I would recommend the films over the books).

But I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed the films, It's one of the best Expanded Universe books that I've read, and while I wouldn't suggest it as an introduction to the expanded universe (A few stand-alone novels would be better), it wouldn't be out of place on any Sci-fi/fantasy lovers bookshelf. I don't know whether to recommend the audiobook or the written novel as the sound-effects add a lot to the story, but takes more time. For a slower reader, get the audio book. It's incredible. For the fast reader, get the book. Medium reader? Get both! In any case - get this book!

Wishful Thinking: Maybe the e-book format will soon allow the woman to say "Coronet, Corellia" when you start that chapter... ( )