When this book first came out in New Zealand, a lot of people on the jedihunks list were getting exicted about the 4th Jedi Apprentice book coming out in the US. Which is a little dispirting, considering how exicted I was to finally get the third book! (Things like that are one of the few bad things about living here in New Zealand :)
But I did like this book a *lot* more than the second book - The Dark Rival - dispite being written by the same aurthor. Part of the problem with the last book, could have been trying to tie up all the loose ends started in the first book. (I still think these books are been rushed out faster than normal, so they can try to ride the coat tails of the movie, for as long as possible).
As far as I can tell, they're planning a long series of inconnected stories for Jedi Apprentice. As the first two books loonked closely at how Obi-Wan managed to convince Qui-Gon to take him on as padawan. And, the third book, follows on straight after the second. (I'm having images of a certain number being repulished as a single book, they seem perfext as it is essentially the one story).
I think this one, is better planned than the last one. So it follows a little better, but in some parts Obi-Wan doesn't sound quite right. To me, he sounds more like the Obi-Wan from the movie - not what I'd imagine a 13-year old Obi-Wan to be. He's too condifent and seems too capabile for anyone that age. (It's almost as if they forget he is only supposed to be 13, and write as a more capablie 26 year old).
But, other than that I did like this book. I even managed to read it in one evening.
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