Yoda Books

Bought this as a gift for my 9yr. old son.
This is a great book for the Star Wars fanatic.

I like this item very much. My husband is a Star Wars fan and I got this book for him. I ordered this book and within a week I received it.

Got it as birthday present for my 5 year old. We all love it. He pours through the photos by himself, we read it together. I am learning all sorts of details (and they are plenty) about all the star wars characters. Who knew! This book could be the movie prop person's notebook/bible it is so complete and thorough.

The only drawback is my son finds the picture of darth sith too scary and we have to rush past that page. Oh well. Get it, great price, worth every penny.

WOW!!! This is the perfect book for anyone interested in knowing their stuff in the Star Wars world. Every character is represented according to chapter so some characters are represented more than once. Anakin is shown as a child in Episode I but is shown older in the next episode, etc. The book is divided by Episodes. Information on star ships, Tie Fighters, Light Sabres and more are also included in this book along with photos for each and every reference. This book is not only for children but adults can learn a thing or two from its contents.

This is a beautifully put-together and remarkably detailed book for hard-core fans of the STAR WARS films. Purporting to be a dictionary, it is really more of a picture guide to the characters, monsters, gadgets and weaponry featured in all six episodes of the series. It also provides a small amount of character backstory not mentioned, or only hinted at, in the movies, but almost completely ignores developments in the "expanded universe", which was fine with me since I personally have little interest in it.

It is organized in chronological order, with one chapter each for each SW episode, beginning with EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE and ending with EPISODE VI: RETURN OF THE JEDI. Each chapter is a self-contained unit, so there are multiple entries and bios for recurring characters like Palpatine, Count Dooku and, Obi-Wan Kenobi and of course, Darth Vader, each one dealing with the character at that particular stage of his life. However, single-movie characters like General Grievous also get their just due. Accoutrements and weapons are explored in equal detail, for example, the lightsaber, the Jedi fighter, the AT-AT walker, etc. In adidtion, there is a great deal of information about stormtroopers (Republican and Imperial) and the battle droids of the Confederation of Independent Systems.

The DICTIONARY is gorgeous but not perfect. The book is of the coffee-table variety, meaning it is too large for the standard bookshelf, and fans of the original series will be annoyed by the fact that the chapters dealing with the original three movies are given short shrift compared to the prequels - the entries for MENACE, CLONES and SITH are twice the length of those for A NEW HOPE, EMPIRE and JEDI. Aside from that, however, the book is enjoyable and probably a must-have for fans.

This book traces one of the origins of modern racism. Its analysis of the intellectual history of the 19th century and their innocent creation of a theory which gives the inspiration of modern racism is an excellent piece of scholarship. The profound knowldge of the author on Indology and Indo-European studies made his argument authorative. This book should be read by all history students, instead of only the students in South Asian studies.

This calendar features pictures of Yoda's life on the swampy planet of Dagobah. It has pictures of the wise Jedi Master's life. May the Force be with him.

This book was presented to every kindergartener in Iowa as a gift from Iowa's first lady Christie Vilsack to encourage our newest students to enjoy reading. The relationship built between the US state of Iowa and the Japanese sister-state, prefecture of Yamanashi is the common bond for this story. People helping people get through tragedies provides the setting of the story which is written in both English and Japanese. In a time beset with international turmoil, it is comforting to see two groups with a history of setting an example of how we can overcome barriers and produce a better world through friendship and active support.

Then read this book. It is so in depth and fills many of the holes that left me wondering.

The only thing that I irked me about this book is it seems the author didnt use the information from the previous book Labrynth of Evil. In RotS the Republic is borderline collapse when in LoE which takes place righth before the Republic have pushed the Seperatist to the Outer Rim and victory is in reach.

Stop wasting time reading reviews and read this book.

This book is by far the best of all of the novelizations of the Star Wars movies. Mathew Stover is an exceptional writer and gives the reader just what is expected from a Star Wars book. Action, suspense, drama, and a great perspective of each of the major players in the George Lucas universe. I can say with great confidence that I was sucked right into this book and had a hard time putting it down. I really got a great feel for Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace, and all of the other characters. When Anakin falls to the dark side I really pitied him. There is also a particular scene in the end when Palpatine confronts Anakin who had been rebuilt as Darth Vader and you could feel exactly what Anakin felt. Very powerful! The whole book was just fantastic, and I'm even tempted to pick up a copy to own. The last few lines were so perfect and tied the whole saga together nicely! This is an author who knows how to show, not tell! If you like Star Wars, you should read this!

I have only read a few Star Wars books, but I'm building my collection up pretty fast, and so far, this is the best one I have read. I really love the way the author breaks away to describe a character while a scene is heating up or something big is about to happen. The book was so good, and the story ( the parts that aren't really described in detail or simply not covered in the movie), even tho I knew its outcome and how things were going to happen still drew me in. I loved the Jedi order and I found myself, while reading the book hoping that somehow things would go differently. But of course they didn't. But thats just how much it draws you in. The ONLY downside I found in this book was the death of my favorite Jedi, Mace Windu. The fight scene with Palpatine was awesome and in depth, but at the end of the fight, we all know what happens and the author only chose to describe the death of arguably the most powerful Jedi in the order in only a few words. I think that part could have been written alot better. Other than that, this author is such a good book, that I have already told everyone I know ( Star Wars fan or not ) that they should read it.

I expect that most readers of this book will have already seen the film and will be familiar with the plot, If not, I suggest you read the book first and then watch the movie to see the incredible cinematic interpretation by George Lucas. The plot picks up right where Labyrinth of Evil left off. Chancellor Palpatine has been captured by General Grievous, and our heroes Obi-Wan and Anakin are coming to the rescue. They succeed in finishing off Count Dooku and force Grievous to flee to Utapau. Obi-Wan goes to Utapau to deal with Grievous while Anakin stays in Coruscant trying to decide between a future with the Jedi or a future with Darth Sidious and the dark side. We all know how that comes out with the final result being the introduction of Darth Vader and the twins Luke and Leia.

In the book of Revenge of the Sith, Mr. Stover spends a lot of time with the internal struggle Anakin has with feeling underappreciated by the Jedi while at the same time trying to grasp the possibilities of the dark side. He is desperately attempting to learn enough about the Force to be able to keep his nightmare from coming true and to keep Padme alive. Darth Sidious is unbelievably smooth and persuasive as he continually massages Anakin's mind and ego and hastens the turn to the dark side. Rather than just telling the story of the film, the author gets us to understand the thought processes of the main characters. I think that will be invaluable as I prepare to watch the film yet again.

We are also privy to a number of conversations among the Jedi masters - Mace Windu, Yoda, and Obi-Wan. They are confused by the Clone Wars. They do not understand the Senate's agreements to give Chancellor Palpatine increasing powers. They don't know what to do with Anakin. He is the Chosen One, but he is also dangerous and unpredictable. The deterioration of the friendship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is heartbreaking, but Anakin's turn to the dark side is handled in such a way that it makes sense. All in all, Mr. Stover has done a remarkable job in helping us to understand more clearly the Clone Wars, the demise of the Jedi, and the takeover by the Sith.

Read the book and watch the movie.

Matthew Stover, author of the excellent Mace Windu novel Shatterpoint, does not disappoint with his novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Movie novelizations are often inconsequential by-products of a marketing push behind a big event picture, but in Stover's case, he strongly builds upon the film plot and adds meaningful substance to what was already a great story. Rather than give his readers a simple blow-by-blow recap of the screen action, he adds many sequences not in the film and cuts others entirely (fans of Yoda's visit to Kashyyyk will need to stick with the movie).

The novel spends significant time in the opening space battle, fleshing out the action sequences and delving into the participants' motivations. At first I found Stover's technique here slightly jarring. The story is clipping along and we are suddenly sidelined by a page or two that start something like this (for example): "This is how it feels to be Obi-Wan Kenobi." We then get a summary of who Obi-Wan is, what he's feeling, and what role he has played in the saga to date. However, as we read more of these entries, Stover's chance-taking really pays off: I found myself looking forward to the next one more and more, as the insights he provides illuminate certain story points brilliantly.

I especially enjoyed the time he spent taking us into Count Dooku's head. Dooku doesn't get much screen time in the saga; some choice moments at the end of Attack of the Clones and his duel at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith are about it. Why would this respected and powerful Jedi have any interest in sublimating himself to a Dark Lord of the Sith? Stover paints a realistic portrait of what Dooku hoped to get out of their twisted relationship and muses about what Dooku believed would be his role after the end of the Clone Wars. Of course, Dooku is sorely mistaken with his perception of his relationship with Darth Sidious.

Another place Stover excels is in subtly tinkering with some of the storylines to deepen both the motivations and the payoff. For instance, in the film, Anakin's lust to be elevated to Jedi Master and granted a seat on the Council is driven by his ego and inner demons. Stover adds an ingredient to the mix: Anakin also wants access to the Jedi Archives, which is only granted to Masters. He believes the Archives will contain Sith Holocrons with the forbidden knowledge Palpatine alluded to, including how to stop a person from dying. This small change greatly aids the believability of how furious Anakin is at being denied the Master rank when he claims his seat on the Council.

Near the end of the book there is a noticeable shift toward more economic storytelling, and the final duel on Mustafar is very similar to what we see in the film. This didn't bother me, as by this point events are rushing to their bitter climax and interjecting long character analyses wouldn't really work like it did early in the novel. The pacing of the book taken as a whole is spot-on and well considered.

Revenge of the Sith is a sweeping, dark, epic conclusion to the prequel trilogy, and Matthew Stover's novelization is more than worthy of the film. Kudos to him for not just cashing in a paycheck and writing a blow-by-blow account of the screenplay. He chose to take some chances and the results are quite rewarding.

Given the Star Wars name, don't let the title fool you. Reading this novel was a chore, and though the ideas behind the story were stronger than The Phantom Menace, aka the screenplay and film were much better, the writing of this book was downright terrible! How R. A. Salvatore is considered a good author is beyond me. I know that he is the author of many books, and perhaps I am being a bit harsh in my judgment, having not read any of his other work, but if this is what any of those others is like then I'll be sure to skip those too. To his defense I will say that the love story aspect of Anakin and Padme was poorly fleshed out. But as a writer he should have been able to make this work much more believably.

Taking no cues from what had been established before by the other authors of the novelizations, Salvatore's work seems like it was a chore to write only to collect a paycheck. Given many fan's dislike of him for killing off Chewbacca in the Expanded Universe, though to his defense he was approached by Lucasfilm to write that novel, he is not a very good writer. (Lucasfilm's attempt to sell more books by killing off a main character is a whole other topic of debate, and is partly what led myself and many fans to stop reading the Expanded Universe material.)

My biggest argument against this book is Salvatore's consistent use of every writer's mortal sin, telling and not showing. It is better to show your readers rather than tell them what is happening. By telling, you insult your readers intelligence by running on the assumption that they aren't smart enough to figure it out themselves. If you are a Star Wars fan and must read all the adaptations, then by all means read it. If you don't feel like wasting your time and forcing yourself to finish it, then don't be bothered.

Having read R.A. Salvatore's fantasy work, I came to the novelization of the familiar tale (thanks to the epic movie) of Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones with some higher expectations. Mr. Salvatore does an excellent job bringing the story to life and giving it greater emotional depth than the movie, adding cohesiveness even that was not there. We even come to feel for Boba Fett, and regret the ultimate demise he meets in Return of the Jedi. Anakin Skywalker's decent to the dark side is given greater weight in Salvatore's words, and we come to see Anakin for what he truly was, a remarkably gifted warrior, turned to darkness due to fear and anger. Perhaps there's a lesson for us all in that. At any rate, 5 stars for Salvatore's excellent work.

The novel opens with a prelude that features a nightmare of Anakin's on the way to mediate a border dispute with Obi-wan on Ansion. In Chapters 1, 2 and 3, we are introduced to the Lars homestead, so we get to see the interactions of Cliegg, Shmi, Owen, Beru and Threepio. We learn that Cliegg met and freed Shmi five years ago. Now Shmi silently honors Anakin's 20th birthday and it is cool to get inside her head. She misses Anakin and wonders about him, yet she feels comfort in knowing that he is much better adventuring around the galaxy than stuck on a desolate world where he wouldn't be content. Since Shmi's appearance in the movie is so brief, it's great to be able to see her as a fuller character of the story, as well as the whole extended Lars family. (This is exactly the type of thing a movie novelization is supposed to do.) We see mounting tension between the Tusken Raiders and the farming community leading up to the abduction of Shmi, and we see the rescue attempt in which most died and Cliegg lost his leg. He ironically refuses an artificial limb, thus the hover chair.

We also see an earlier introduction of Padme into the story, along with her sister Sola, her nieces and R2-D2. Sola scolds Padme for her selfless career of serving the Republic, and we begin to feel a hint of Padme's deeply hidden desire for love and children of her own. And in a nice stroke of continuity, Captain Panaka, still with Naboo security, introduces his nephew Captain Typho, who lost his eye as a teenager in the Battle of Naboo and will now serve as the Senator's security chief.

Chapter 4 features the opening of the movie. In addition to the above events that set-up the movie's story, the rest of the novel has several other elements not seen movie, some of which include and expand upon the deleted scenes. One other interesting thing I think worth mentioning here is when Anakin and Yoda hear Qui-Gon's voice, Yoda is truly puzzled at what seems like the departed Jedi Master's existence beyond death. Did Qui-Gon once discover a Jedi ability that his spirit will later teach or empower Obi-Wan, Yoda and Anakin to possess? Hmm. I felt this was better than the four previous movie novelizations. Read this book if you really loved Episode II and feel a strong desire to know a little more about the story.

After this book, I recommend the following 5-star novel for more of the mystery that began in Episode II:

Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)

Better than the movie? Yes! Then again most books are! But if your a big Star wars fan and espically an Anakin fan then this is a must read. This book will take you deeper into the story of the man/machine Anakin providing you a glimpse into the shadows of his soul. Be prepared to feel intense sorrow and sense of victory throughout this novel. So scary what someone can become...well told Salvatore.
*This review has been moved from my old to my new account.

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

Ten years after we left Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi, we meet up with them again. Anakin is fast proving his abilities as a Jedi Apprentice, surpassing Obi Wan even. Now they have a new mission. Senator Padmé Amidala is in danger with attacks on her life. She is crucial to a coming vote to form an Army of the Republic and someone will do anything to prevent her decision.

Anakin discovers upon once again meeting up with Padmé that his feelings for her have not faded, but only grown more intense over the years, putting him in a relationship forbidden to Jedi. The more time they spend together, the more dangerous to the Force his position becomes, causing him to cross the line into the unacceptable range.

Meanwhile, Obi Wan is sent on a mission to a distant planet to investigate rumors of a huge army being formed at the request of the Jedi. As he looks deeper in to the matter, he finds many mysteries that defy explanation. Who commissioned a clone army and why? Who is so desperate to stop Padmé's vote at any cost? What will become of the forbidden love between Anakin and Padmé?

Having watched the movie immediately upon its release, I just this year finally found the time to sit down and read the novelization of the story. Having done so, I found the novel to be quite enjoyable, going in to even greater depth on various plot threads in the movie. Of course nothing can compare to the visualization of the creative genius of George Lucas, but the book adds to the sometimes sketchy elements of the movie's storyline.

In the book, we get a deeper understanding of what exactly drives Padmé. We get to meet her family, characters never even mentioned in the movie. Seeing this side of her personality, she comes even more alive with warmth and compassion. We also get to spend far more time with Shmi Skywalker, Anakin's mother, and what has happened to her in the years since Anakin left her to train as a Jedi. We see her happy and comfortable in her life, to which only glimpses are granted in the movie itself. We also experience her terror and agony at the hands of the Tusken raiders who stole her away, eventually causing her death. This is of grave importance as Anakin's reaction to her kidnapping is the first huge step pushing him on his way to the Dark Side of the Force.

Much of George Lucas' brilliance is lost in a novelization however, since he is known for the stunning visual effects in his movies. For example, Obi Wan's journey to the distant planet where the army is being grown and the events that follow pale significantly in the novel without the scenery. This is to be expected however when movies are put into words in a book. We are however, privy to the wonderful sound effects throughout the story. We get to experience the light saber battles through sound and R2D2 and C3PO would not be given justice without hearing them. Jonathan Davis is an absolutely brilliant performer, perfect for the Attack of the Clones. He does such an incredible job of bringing the characters to life through his voice. The Star Wars saga has a huge cast of characters to keep straight. I don't know how he did it, but Davis's abilities to transform himself through the mouths of all the players. Every single one of them is very distinct. That in itself is a testament to Davis' ability.

Though Attack of the Clones in novel form will not give a full vision into the Star Wars story, between the novel and the movie itself, fans will get a better concept of George Lucas' dreams than should they limit themselves to one or the other, book or movie.

© Kelley A. Hartsell, November 2006. All rights reserved.

Attention all batinis - this book is a must-read!

Where do I begin? This book, although old (and, some would argue - perhaps fairly - a bit dated), is an incredible scholarly work on how various mystics within Islam have understood Islam's central claim: "There is no God but God, and Muhammad is His Prophet". According to Schimmel, all of Islamic mysticism can be summed up as trying to understand this core doctrine.

Unlike some scholars today who pay more attention to differences than continuity, Schimmel's book outlines the many, many currents of Islamic thought without coming to conclusions such as "Well, it is really impossible to say what is or is not Islamic mysticism". Instead, she looks at the historical development of mystical Islamic thought, noting both consistencies and deviations, orthodoxy and heterodoxy, the noble and the shameful. The ability to walk the fine line between excessive praise and excessive criticism of a given religious tradition - in this case Islam - is walked with great care and balance by Schimmel. She recognizes that the basic goal of the mystics of Islam was to be true witnesses to Islam's central claim but that this was not always achieved.

One of the most fascinating streams of mystical Islamic thought is the understanding of the soul. This topic is discussed many times as Schimmel notes the views of different mystics; for those looking for a way out of the dead end that much of secular psychotherapy has given us, the understanding of people as containing both higher and lower natures - as well as a fundamental need for God - is something that is worth chewing on. That this view is the same as that held by classical Christianity is worth noting (and Schimmel regularly notes similarities to other religious traditions throughout her work).

This book is a thick read - in fact, it is highly detailed and can become a bit confusing at points, especially when Schimmel begins to discuss yet another person by the same name; it will take time to get through. Nonetheless, it is a highly rewarding read and, for those that seek to understand the religion of Islam better, this book will help to paint *some* of that picture in a more detailed manner.

No idea who Willard is as Schimmel was the author of this book. As I understand it her primary knowledge is in the sub-Continent and Turkey (where she spent a number of years teaching) and as a result, much of this book is regarding Sufism in those primary areas. A large part of this book is dedicated to Rumi (not a bad thing) and also to Persian and Urdu poets and mystics.

The downside to this is African Sufism is almost non-existent in this book. The Sufi saints of the Niger delta, Senegal and Gambia are missing. Shehu Usuamn, Nana Asma'u, Umar Tal etc... To read a serious study of that you will need to refer to specialised books on the subject (Boyd for example the 'One woman's jihad') Much of the Sufism of the Balkans is also lacking (another seriously overlooked part of the Islamic world the only books on the subject are the out of date 'The Bektashi order of dervishes' and a handful of others full of numerous errors suggesting Sufism in the Balkans is nothing more than pseudo Christianity)

This book however, is little more than Sufism of the SubContinent. If you are buying it for this you wont be disappointed if not, then I am sure you will be.

Concerning what Schimmel writes about Rumi, I would say only Chittick is better in having such a serious insight on the subject. I would also recommend 'I am wind and you are fire' by Schimmel.

I am not sure why everyone and their grand parents are writing books on Islamic Mysticism/suffism, but no doubt this too shall pass since it is, like many other things, a seasonal phenomena. I guess some western "scholars" who have been telling everyone for a couple of centuries that Islam is an unsophisticated religion for desert dwellers , now have "discovered" that they have been full of it and in fact Islam does have a spirituality aspect to it too, (duh! Is there a religion which doesn't), of course ordinary people like us knew that all along but it took scholars a couple of hundred years to catch up. But even now, there are those who wouldn't give a "D" about a few books written here and there, and they are not going to change their mind about anything. It took a few hundred years of solid observation to get them agree that earth isn't the center of the universe. Of course we appreciate books such as these which attempt to show a more gentle side of Islam, but as they say one religion's misery is another's fortune. Religions, or rather followers of religions are like wild animals, waiting for one to get wounded so the others can move in and finish him off, more territory and less competition for donations I guess.

Annemarie Schimmel is probably the foremost scholar on the Sufi poet Jelalluddin Rumi, whose poetry is suffused with love and awe of the Divine. In much of her book Prof. Schimmel projects the same love, love of Islam and its people, most especially its mystics, the Sufis. It is also extremely informative about the history of Sufism and the different branches of its mystical path. If you are interested in the history of Sufism, and want to understand mystical Islam, this is the book for you. If you are looking for a quick study, or a popular way to practice Sufism, this is not for you. ... Mystical Islam and orthodox Islam (as with most religions) are very different in practice and outlook, although there are conservative Sufis and out-there Sufis, as Prof. Schimmel aptly demonstrates. I loved this book and want to read more of her work.

The immediate and obvious appeal of this book is seeing so many of these mascot characters "in the wild," but more importantly, the book provides context, explaining how Japanese aesthetics and traditions have affected the widespread adoption of these characters throughout the years. I really recommend this to anyone who is interested in Japanese culture and/or cartooning.

... a little bit poor in my opinion. I imagine something more sophisticated but it is ok

Okay, I admit this isn't the most eloquent review, but I'm giving this book a shout-out because it is so amusing, adorable, funny. The authors classify these cartoony characters into five sections with an intro for each and an overall introduction prefacing it all. The intros were somewhat informative, not terribly deep in explanation but deep enough. I liked the variety and quantity of images they included and how their captions were set in a solid-color version of the character they are describing on that page. Great gift idea for anyone who likes Japanese pop art and cute, bubbly cartoons in general.

This is a great coffee table or gift book. Awesome photographs, beautiful design and insightful text. Totally captures the quirkiness of this aspect of Japanese pop culture...

Don't bother to read this tome. James Luceno has transformed one of the most darkest and villainous bad-guy into a whimpering, whining cry-baby. I read the book praying that the story-line would get better; it doesn't. Not even worth while reading for diehard fan-atics.

Pretty good book. I was suprised that I enjoyed it to be honest. It picks up after revenge of the sith and shows anakin becoming vader in mind body and soul. The book would have been better if the characters he was fighting against were in any way interesting. They are just shallow characters to get pimped slaped by vader.

Tis book was like the very next movie in my head. The only complaint that I have is the way it ended as if the story will continue in the next book. The problem is that it is now 2008 and still no continuation of this dark lord the rise of darth vader. It is sad that they start you up and leave you feeling like you only learned a few minor details within the entire 360 pages.

Write another book to continue......what should I turn to now? I want to read on and I am not sure where to go...

The other Reviews are right when saying that there is not much of a Story in the book, in the conventional sense of the word, and what story there is, it's more focused on the Jedi, the good guys, more then Vader like you would think. Don't get me wrong, it's still worth Reading if you're a Vader fan. The story is mainly for people to get a feel what's going on in the universe, the heads of surviving Jedi, and Vader himself after rise of the Empire and the fall of the Republic.

Now, in most Star Wars EU that I've read, the main focus is always on the good guy, little depth into the villains. But, even in keeping to the standard of "Lets focus on our Heroes" Luceno does put a focus on Vader that I haven't seen since Steve Perry's "Shadow of the Empire." When you do get your much to be desired Vader scenes, Luceno does get into Vader's state of mind and some feelings into what transpired in Ep III, his pain and disgust and well...what he Really thinks of Palpatine.

It also shows how Vader, in his own way, has a friendship of shorts with his stormtroopers. It also shows an obsession he gains to a point that it can displease the Emperor in some cases early on. So If you're a Vader fan, Roleplayers and or fanfiction writer of sorts, I recommend getting this because it's one of the very few books I've found in EU that will get into Vader's head at all. And In all honesty, I think some of the EU authors are just to scared to get too deep into Vader head.

Dark Lord is a good solid Star Wars novel, better than many. It also fills in many vital elements of what happen to Darth Vader after Revenge of the Sith and before A New Hope. There are reasons why he developed the way he did and helps to develop the man in the suit. That being said the novel can be very slow and plodding in parts. If you are willing to grit your teeth and keep reading there is a great story in there. But not everyone will be willing to drive on, and shouldn't have to. It could be better, but it isn't a waste of time either.

Decent book that has a lot of Yoda in it.. something that other Star Wars books lack. Yet the story is told from the 3rd person perspective and it feels like Yoda is just a character. The author never goes into details about how Yoda thinks and evaluates situations. Maybe next time we can get something more personal, maybe Yoda when he was young and becoming a jedi... that would be cool! Ultimately I want a book that focuses exclusively on just Yoda against the bad guy/guys. Unfortunately this book diverted too much attention on other characters.
It did give us some information on Dooku when he was growing up in the jedi temple. There are some interesting revelations about droids and how they think that is missing in other Star Wars books as well. For example assassin droids were new to me. I think I will try the Episode 3 book next as that will have a lot of Yoda in it as well.

I really enjoyed the story line. It fleshed out a lot of Yoda history that we've never encountered before. It also made Count Dokue (sp??) more human by providing an interesting back story.

This book is a good quick read. One of the better of the recent Star Wars books. It's not spectacular or overly deep but it is entertaining.

Yes, Yoda is featured heavily, both in his training role in the Jedi Temple and also as he takes action in leading some padawans without masters through the adventure. And a fairly strong attempt was made to portray Yoda as both the wise master saddened by the harsh realities of war and also as the mischevious little green elf who tests Luke's patience in The Empire Strikes Back.

But like a lot of Star Wars novel, author pride doesn't allow them to just create new supporting characters, they have to feature their own creations as main protagonists, in this case a couple of padawans. Obi-Wan and Anakin are barely present at the end of this book.

And even though this novel shows Yoda's only confrontation with Count Dooku since Attack of the Clones, I still came away disapointed that it was over so briefly. Another Yoda/Dooku fight cut short.

Overall this novel wasn't a bad book. I guess I can accept this as canon, but it is simple not an exciting part of canon. But this is yet another author's entry into the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and not extremely relevant to the film saga.

Instead of this book, I highly recommend the following 5-star novel to fans of the movies:

Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)

Hands down, the best Star Wars novel from the Clone Wars era. The added information about Dooku and his relationship with Yoda is crucial to understand his turn into the darkness. And, unlike most Star Wars novel, there is actually an elegance to the writing in this novel that simply isn't present in most others. The bad part---or, shall I say, the dark side?---is that, after reading this one, my standards have been much higher for other Star Wars novels ... and most of them, while enjoyable, simply haven't delivered.

A great Clone Wars book. We got to learn more about Yoda which is always interesting. Count Dooku has requested a meeting with Yoda. Although Yoda knows its most likely a trap he decides to meet Dooku anyways because Yoda thinks it might put an end to the war. Its was very interesting as Yoda reflected on his former padawan which is very interesting. You have to wonder what a master would think and reflect on a padawan who ends up taking the wrong path despite all of the training. Dooku also takes the time to reflect on moments from his Jedi pasted which gives us an insight into Dooku and perhaps what lead him to the Dark Side of the Force. We also get more of a veiw inside the Jedi Temple which I enjoyed and a sense of how overwelhemed the Jedi are with Jedi masters fighting in the war or dying this is leaving a void for the padawans for their are far too many padawans and not enough masters. We got to meet Scout a Jedi who has a limited amount of the Force in her. This was an interesting twist as most of the Jedi we read about are very strong in the Force. Scout's worried that her limited connection in the Force will leave her to be a Jedi washout. I enjoyed reading about her. The same with Whie a padawan who's been having dreams of being killed by a Jedi. We of course know this is Anakin's future raid of the Jedi Temple when he turns to the dark side. I found it very interesting that a padawan was actually having a premontion of Anakin's future Sith deeds as we see in Revenge of the Sith Whie will be seen being killed on the security hologram. But to Whie this must mean he his evil because he can't think of any other reason why a Jedi would be trying to kill him. It also raises the question that if Whie had told someone else could anything had been changed? Could the Jedi Purge had been prevented? We'll probably never know the answers.
Scout and Whie go with Yoda and their masters in order to sneak Yoda out of the Temple and off Courscant without anyone finding out. The meeting between Yoda and Dooku was predictable after all Dooku can't be saved but it was still very good.