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Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice #5
Star Wars: Ученик джедая. Планета войн
Обычно джедаев приглашали разрешить спор. На сей раз у Куай-Гона и его ученика другая миссия: им предстоит спасти хранительницу мира Таллу. Женщина-джедай попала в плен к одной из воюющих сторон планеты Мелида-Даан. Здесь уже много лет идет война между двумя враждующими народами. Только Молодые - союз мятежных подростков - хотят остановить кровопролитие и восстановить мир. Они увлекают своими идеями Оби-Вана. Выполнив миссию, мальчик горит желанием остаться и помочь новым друзьям. Но для этого придется... предать Учителя и дело джедаев. Как быть? Оби-Вану предстоит мучительный выбор...
192 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1999
26 people are currently reading
1587 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
October 7, 2018
This is part of a series but this can be read as a stand alone book. This series is geared for young children. In this one, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan visit a planet that has known war for a very long time. Their mission is to rescue a Jedi that is being held prisoner.
The books in this series are quick reads and likable. This book might be my least favorite so far though. The highlight of this book was the last page and the cliffhanger. It surprised me and I look forward to the next book. The problem with this was the journey to get to this point. It never felt like it was earned because the journey was way too quick. It seemed like the author just decided to put our two main characters in this conflict without building up to it. If there were hints along the way I would have felt totally different.
This is not the best offering from this series and the reason might be its target audience. A conflict of this nature needed to be fleshed out more and not rushed. That being said, it does set up for the next book which I am really looking forward to.
The books in this series are quick reads and likable. This book might be my least favorite so far though. The highlight of this book was the last page and the cliffhanger. It surprised me and I look forward to the next book. The problem with this was the journey to get to this point. It never felt like it was earned because the journey was way too quick. It seemed like the author just decided to put our two main characters in this conflict without building up to it. If there were hints along the way I would have felt totally different.
This is not the best offering from this series and the reason might be its target audience. A conflict of this nature needed to be fleshed out more and not rushed. That being said, it does set up for the next book which I am really looking forward to.
June 2, 2017
The Melinda/Daan arc is one of my all-time favorites. It shows how bad Qui-Gon is at being anyone's Master (at the time, he gets better) and how difficult Obi-Wan finds it to be his Padawan.
They are both struggling with trust and communication; I don't think they ever really learn how to communicate, they just use the Force as a stopgap to make up for the lack. Seriously, the Jedi need therapists to learn how to talk to each other and how to interact with the world at large. 🙄
Anyways, I'm definitely ready for the next book!
They are both struggling with trust and communication; I don't think they ever really learn how to communicate, they just use the Force as a stopgap to make up for the lack. Seriously, the Jedi need therapists to learn how to talk to each other and how to interact with the world at large. 🙄
Anyways, I'm definitely ready for the next book!
June 10, 2018
Many teens and adults find juvenile chapter books to be childish and not worth their time, but I think right many of my bibliophile friends would agree with me when I say that the former group of people is simply missing out. Jedi Apprentice, an eighteen-book Star Wars saga that takes place before The Phantom Menace, is a perfect example of why. The story is engaging, and it opens a window into the beloved character of Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as his Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn well before either of them met their tragic ends. If there is one problem, it's with Jude Watson's writing style; although it's tolerable, it doesn't have the crispness and flair of beloved children's authors such as Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, or Rick Riordian. If you can forgive that, this is definitely worth reading.
February 4, 2024
The Defenders of the Dead by Jude Watson. This is the fifth book in the Star Wars - Jedi Apprentice middle grade series.
As Jedi Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are not supposed to take sides in any war.
But when Obi-Wan meets two fellow teenagers, who lead a band of rebels, he feels he must join them even though Qui-Gon forbids him.
Now they are on opposing sides...
Several story lines made for a slower start, but still a solid installment in this series.
I gave it 4 stars.
As Jedi Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are not supposed to take sides in any war.
But when Obi-Wan meets two fellow teenagers, who lead a band of rebels, he feels he must join them even though Qui-Gon forbids him.
Now they are on opposing sides...
Several story lines made for a slower start, but still a solid installment in this series.
I gave it 4 stars.
October 13, 2022
Read aloud with 6 year old son. By myself, I would rate it a 4. But the whole experience of reading aloud and discussing with my son was definitely 5 stars. So I will meet in the middle with 4.5 stars.
This book really focused on a lot of moral dilemmas, trying to wrestle with the right thing to do, when different paths seem right but are in conflict with one another. All the disobedience and moral conflicts, my son gave such interesting reactions to. He often said, "this makes me confused" and "this makes me feel weird". It was hard reading about the conflict between characters and picturing yourself in their shoes. It is uncomfortable. Listen to your Master, who is experienced and wise and cares about you, or disobey and fight for a moral cause that's really close to your heart?
My son really struggled with these situations and he got emotional about it. He was always questioning why the story was making him feel a certain way. I love sharing these moments with him.
I do suggest to have the next book ready right after this. I regret not having it yet because we are both feeling like, we need the next one right away!!
This book really focused on a lot of moral dilemmas, trying to wrestle with the right thing to do, when different paths seem right but are in conflict with one another. All the disobedience and moral conflicts, my son gave such interesting reactions to. He often said, "this makes me confused" and "this makes me feel weird". It was hard reading about the conflict between characters and picturing yourself in their shoes. It is uncomfortable. Listen to your Master, who is experienced and wise and cares about you, or disobey and fight for a moral cause that's really close to your heart?
My son really struggled with these situations and he got emotional about it. He was always questioning why the story was making him feel a certain way. I love sharing these moments with him.
I do suggest to have the next book ready right after this. I regret not having it yet because we are both feeling like, we need the next one right away!!
July 2, 2020
Up to this point, Defenders is the best in the Jedi Apprentice series.
Unlike the previous 3 or 4 stories, this one finally gets the plot rolling, and in the right direction. Whether intentional or not, Watson has begun to set up something that, when held against the films, actually makes sense, especially by the time Anakin turns to the dark side...
Hopefully we are now on the right trajectory with this series
Unlike the previous 3 or 4 stories, this one finally gets the plot rolling, and in the right direction. Whether intentional or not, Watson has begun to set up something that, when held against the films, actually makes sense, especially by the time Anakin turns to the dark side...
Hopefully we are now on the right trajectory with this series
June 30, 2025
possibly my favourite of the series so far. I'm trying not to look too far ahead in this series so to avoid spoilers.
I know we know what happens with Qui-gon and Obi-wan, but I loved the stakes and tension of this book for the sake of the smaller conflict.
I'm really loving this series way more than I thought and am excited to see what happens next
I know we know what happens with Qui-gon and Obi-wan, but I loved the stakes and tension of this book for the sake of the smaller conflict.
I'm really loving this series way more than I thought and am excited to see what happens next
September 13, 2019
This book is definitely my favorite! AHH
February 2, 2021
This is my favorite one so far! It was so crazy! I was so mad at Obi-Wan for his decisions, but yet I understood it. This book was amazing!
March 13, 2014
"Our mission here hasn't even begun, and already I have seen enough suffering to last a lifetime." Qui-Gon's gaze was sad. "There are some worlds that manage to hold onto peace for centuries, Padawan. But I am afraid that many have seen terrible wars that scar the memories of each generation. It has always been."
Following the format of the previous books, this one begins right where the last one left off, after the Gala incident. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are now ordered to the planet of Melida/Daan, where they are to rescue the Jedi Knight Tahl, who is being held hostage by one of the warring factions of the planet. Peace is a non-existent concept to the people of Melida/Daan, who have been fighting each other for centuries. But now a third party has surfaced, the children of all the warriors, who want both sides to stop the fighting and to focus on peace. Despite the fact that the Jedi are not supposed to get involved in the actual conflict, Obi-Wan feels the overwhelming need to join the teenagers in their quest for peace.
What is this horseshit that I just read?!?! This book....*sighs* I can't lie, this book absolutely pissed me off to no end. The storyline was good, very emotional and intense, but the way the two main characters were depicted was really just awful. This may or not be biased on my part, because I happen to love Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and can sometimes be a bit sensitive regarding the way they are portrayed. :/ I don't want to divulge too much, because if you are interested in reading this book I would hate to spoil it. But to put it very vaguely, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vehemently disagree about an issue, and Obi-Wan basically breaks away from the Jedi Order. Seriously? I know this series is supposed to highlight Obi-Wan's character and illuminate how he was when he was younger compared to the Jedi we know him as from The Clone Wars and later, but this is such a huge difference in personalities that it doesn't even feel like the same character. The Obi-Wan I know and love would never act as if he didn't give a fig for the Jedi Order, or absolutely break Qui-Gon's heart the way he did. And watching Qui-Gon's pain and feelings of guilt over this change in his padawan made me want to throw things. It was just too sad for me to handle. Ridiculous. I understand that people change over time, espescially from when they are young, but come on. This is just too much for me to swallow and made the entire thing seem very unbelievable. If you know me, you know that I very rarely rate a book with one or two stars unless it was just horrendous. Yep. Horrendous. Sums this one up pretty well.
Following the format of the previous books, this one begins right where the last one left off, after the Gala incident. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are now ordered to the planet of Melida/Daan, where they are to rescue the Jedi Knight Tahl, who is being held hostage by one of the warring factions of the planet. Peace is a non-existent concept to the people of Melida/Daan, who have been fighting each other for centuries. But now a third party has surfaced, the children of all the warriors, who want both sides to stop the fighting and to focus on peace. Despite the fact that the Jedi are not supposed to get involved in the actual conflict, Obi-Wan feels the overwhelming need to join the teenagers in their quest for peace.
What is this horseshit that I just read?!?! This book....*sighs* I can't lie, this book absolutely pissed me off to no end. The storyline was good, very emotional and intense, but the way the two main characters were depicted was really just awful. This may or not be biased on my part, because I happen to love Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan and can sometimes be a bit sensitive regarding the way they are portrayed. :/ I don't want to divulge too much, because if you are interested in reading this book I would hate to spoil it. But to put it very vaguely, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon vehemently disagree about an issue, and Obi-Wan basically breaks away from the Jedi Order. Seriously? I know this series is supposed to highlight Obi-Wan's character and illuminate how he was when he was younger compared to the Jedi we know him as from The Clone Wars and later, but this is such a huge difference in personalities that it doesn't even feel like the same character. The Obi-Wan I know and love would never act as if he didn't give a fig for the Jedi Order, or absolutely break Qui-Gon's heart the way he did. And watching Qui-Gon's pain and feelings of guilt over this change in his padawan made me want to throw things. It was just too sad for me to handle. Ridiculous. I understand that people change over time, espescially from when they are young, but come on. This is just too much for me to swallow and made the entire thing seem very unbelievable. If you know me, you know that I very rarely rate a book with one or two stars unless it was just horrendous. Yep. Horrendous. Sums this one up pretty well.
August 17, 2020
I wish there were more Star Wars books like these that weren't so obviously for YA/middle grade readers. This is my favorite kind of Star Wars. Qui-Gon + Obi-Wan in Jedi missions, and I enjoy reading them quite a bit. I wish they weren't so short or so...simple? But I love the settings, the stories, the jedi, so I will keep on reading these.
March 7, 2016
Definitely one of my favorites, if rather grim and full of feels. I gotta say, though: Obi-wan is 13 and so has some excuse, but Qui-gon, you have some serious trust issues that need addressing. Somebody give this man a hug, seriously.
March 29, 2008
This book provided me with a bit of information about Obi-Wan that shocked me! I can't say or it would spoil it all, but I can say you should read it! You'll be amazed!
June 25, 2022
‘The Defenders of the Dead’ is the fifth book in the Jedi Apprentice series. This time we see Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan arriving on Melida/Daan, a planet that has been in civil war for centuries over something that no one remembers. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are here to retrieve a fellow Jedi who was to oversee possible peace talks between the Melida and the Daan. But naturally, the two immediately find themselves in the thick of things when they meet the Young, the children who wish to see an end to the fighting.
Qui-Gon believes that they can’t interfere in the planet’s affairs as they haven’t requested aid and are hurting no one but themselves. But Obi-Wan gets caught up in the fervor and passion of the Young and wants to help them out. I really liked the idea that Qui-Gon is having to say no to a situation because of the fact that they’re Jedi, but realizing why the plight affects Obi-Wan so much. And from the other side, it was great having Obi-Wan call out that Qui-Gon often breaks the rules or goes against what the Jedi Council says if he believes they’re in the wrong.
The Master and Padawan clearly struggle to communicate and trust between the two is stretched to the limit. I could just feel the tension and uncertainty and I was constantly wondering how things were going to end up. The ending was unbelievable with what happened between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. With a huge cliffhanger, I’m so ready to read the next book and see how this conflict plays out!!
Qui-Gon believes that they can’t interfere in the planet’s affairs as they haven’t requested aid and are hurting no one but themselves. But Obi-Wan gets caught up in the fervor and passion of the Young and wants to help them out. I really liked the idea that Qui-Gon is having to say no to a situation because of the fact that they’re Jedi, but realizing why the plight affects Obi-Wan so much. And from the other side, it was great having Obi-Wan call out that Qui-Gon often breaks the rules or goes against what the Jedi Council says if he believes they’re in the wrong.
The Master and Padawan clearly struggle to communicate and trust between the two is stretched to the limit. I could just feel the tension and uncertainty and I was constantly wondering how things were going to end up. The ending was unbelievable with what happened between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. With a huge cliffhanger, I’m so ready to read the next book and see how this conflict plays out!!
February 7, 2016
Star Wars Legends Project #45
Background: The Defenders of the Dead came out in December 1999. It was written by Jude Watson.
The Defenders of the Dead begins pretty shortly after the end of The Mark of the Crown (my review), 44 years before the Battle of Yavin and 12 years before The Phantom Menace. The only major recurring character (other than Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon) is the Jedi Knight Tahl, a close friend of Qui-Gon's who played a major role in Star Wars: Jedi, Volume 1: The Dark Side (my review).
Summary: For their latest mission, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hurry to the planet Melida/Daan, which has spent centuries locked in a civil war so acrimonious that the two sides can't even agree on their planet's name. Their goal is to rescue Tahl, a Jedi who was originally dispatched to mediate the conflict until she was taken hostage. But the situation becomes cloudy when they meet the Young, a third faction formed by the children of the warring sides whose only goal is to bring the conflict to an end. Despite Qui-Gon's reminders that the Jedi cannot take sides, Obi-Wan feels inexorably drawn to the Young, placing the two Jedi at odds with each other and threatening their still-fragile bond.
Review: I remembered how this story ended ("ended" I should say, since it stops on a major cliffhanger), but not a lot about how it reached that point. Basically, Watson's task in this story is drive Obi-Wan to make a decision that would have been completely unthinkable for him as the story opens, and really the ultimate success or failure of the story hinges on whether you believe that choice. And I was surprised to find that I did.
You can feel the target audience of these books in view on every page, with its central theme of "Don't trust anyone over 30" front and center. The appeal of that mantra doesn't mean quite as much to me now as it did, say, 15 years ago, when I was reading these in high school. It would have been a particularly neat trick if she could have written a story where the teenage me agreed completely with Obi-Wan's point-of-view while the adult me sided with Qui-Gon. But I still think Obi-Wan is basically right, even though it's not quite so simple as that. What surprised me, though, was that Watson didn't quite go so far as to turn Obi-Wan (and the readers) totally against Qui-Gon. I still see where he's coming from.
Still, without giving too much away, even though Qui-Gon has several layers of reasonable-sounding excuses built around his decision, it ultimately boils down to placing the well-being of his friend above the lives of defenseless children. He's right about a lot of things, but Obi-Wan is the one whose moral compass is pointing true-north here. Which is good, since he's the primary point-0f-view character in this series. Qui-Gon's ridiculous Jedi "Prime Directive" crap is nonsensical in this situation, and (as Obi-Wan rightly points out) he himself flouts it constantly when it suits him. In the end, he is as emotionally-compromised as Obi-Wan is, he just can't see it. And that's mostly because of the baggage his character has been carting around for the entire series, so we get it. The character work here is great, and continues to be the prime selling-point of these books.
Great characters aren't the only selling-point, mind you, but in case you didn't notice from the summary, this book returns once again to the well for a pretty boilerplate YA plot. There aren't a whole lot of surprises or innovations on that front. Obi-Wan's two new friends are so flat that I frequently had trouble remembering which was which (the boy character, Nield, is slightly more headstrong and embittered than the girl character, Cerasi, but they have very few scenes without one another). And practically none of the other characters get any personality at all.
There's some other weirdness that bothered me only slightly here and there . . . Like the "laserballs" that the Young use to simulate a fake attack. They fire them out of slingshots, and the balls make laserfire sounds as they bounce off of various surfaces. Is this supposed to be a common toy? It must be, since the Young seem to have several hundred of them sitting around to use, but if they're that common, shouldn't it be pretty easy to see through the diversion? The logistics just don't make any sense.
Also, I haven't mentioned this before, but it becomes more and more noticeable with every book: Lightsabers don't work right in this series. I assume that's because, if they were working right, the books would be a lot more violent, but it's still pretty distracting. They basically function like blunt electro-swords. They don't really cut through anything in combat, though they might leave a scorch mark or a minor burn. They don't play a huge role in any story so far, but when they do come out, they feel kind of useless. There's a fine line that writers have to walk in not making the Jedi characters feel overpowered, but Watson often errs too far in the other direction. At one point in this story, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon need to deal with 2 ordinary guards, but they have to stop and devise a plan and then wait for another character to distract the guards before rushing out to take them by surprise. ... Really? Qui-Gon should be able to take on 3 or 4 times that many single-handed (and has).
Anyway, these are fairly insignificant quibbles, and I'm anxious to move on to the next book and remember how the rest of this story plays out. On the whole, the series continues to improve. Onward!
C
Background: The Defenders of the Dead came out in December 1999. It was written by Jude Watson.
The Defenders of the Dead begins pretty shortly after the end of The Mark of the Crown (my review), 44 years before the Battle of Yavin and 12 years before The Phantom Menace. The only major recurring character (other than Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon) is the Jedi Knight Tahl, a close friend of Qui-Gon's who played a major role in Star Wars: Jedi, Volume 1: The Dark Side (my review).
Summary: For their latest mission, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hurry to the planet Melida/Daan, which has spent centuries locked in a civil war so acrimonious that the two sides can't even agree on their planet's name. Their goal is to rescue Tahl, a Jedi who was originally dispatched to mediate the conflict until she was taken hostage. But the situation becomes cloudy when they meet the Young, a third faction formed by the children of the warring sides whose only goal is to bring the conflict to an end. Despite Qui-Gon's reminders that the Jedi cannot take sides, Obi-Wan feels inexorably drawn to the Young, placing the two Jedi at odds with each other and threatening their still-fragile bond.
Review: I remembered how this story ended ("ended" I should say, since it stops on a major cliffhanger), but not a lot about how it reached that point. Basically, Watson's task in this story is drive Obi-Wan to make a decision that would have been completely unthinkable for him as the story opens, and really the ultimate success or failure of the story hinges on whether you believe that choice. And I was surprised to find that I did.
You can feel the target audience of these books in view on every page, with its central theme of "Don't trust anyone over 30" front and center. The appeal of that mantra doesn't mean quite as much to me now as it did, say, 15 years ago, when I was reading these in high school. It would have been a particularly neat trick if she could have written a story where the teenage me agreed completely with Obi-Wan's point-of-view while the adult me sided with Qui-Gon. But I still think Obi-Wan is basically right, even though it's not quite so simple as that. What surprised me, though, was that Watson didn't quite go so far as to turn Obi-Wan (and the readers) totally against Qui-Gon. I still see where he's coming from.
Still, without giving too much away, even though Qui-Gon has several layers of reasonable-sounding excuses built around his decision, it ultimately boils down to placing the well-being of his friend above the lives of defenseless children. He's right about a lot of things, but Obi-Wan is the one whose moral compass is pointing true-north here. Which is good, since he's the primary point-0f-view character in this series. Qui-Gon's ridiculous Jedi "Prime Directive" crap is nonsensical in this situation, and (as Obi-Wan rightly points out) he himself flouts it constantly when it suits him. In the end, he is as emotionally-compromised as Obi-Wan is, he just can't see it. And that's mostly because of the baggage his character has been carting around for the entire series, so we get it. The character work here is great, and continues to be the prime selling-point of these books.
Great characters aren't the only selling-point, mind you, but in case you didn't notice from the summary, this book returns once again to the well for a pretty boilerplate YA plot. There aren't a whole lot of surprises or innovations on that front. Obi-Wan's two new friends are so flat that I frequently had trouble remembering which was which (the boy character, Nield, is slightly more headstrong and embittered than the girl character, Cerasi, but they have very few scenes without one another). And practically none of the other characters get any personality at all.
There's some other weirdness that bothered me only slightly here and there . . . Like the "laserballs" that the Young use to simulate a fake attack. They fire them out of slingshots, and the balls make laserfire sounds as they bounce off of various surfaces. Is this supposed to be a common toy? It must be, since the Young seem to have several hundred of them sitting around to use, but if they're that common, shouldn't it be pretty easy to see through the diversion? The logistics just don't make any sense.
Also, I haven't mentioned this before, but it becomes more and more noticeable with every book: Lightsabers don't work right in this series. I assume that's because, if they were working right, the books would be a lot more violent, but it's still pretty distracting. They basically function like blunt electro-swords. They don't really cut through anything in combat, though they might leave a scorch mark or a minor burn. They don't play a huge role in any story so far, but when they do come out, they feel kind of useless. There's a fine line that writers have to walk in not making the Jedi characters feel overpowered, but Watson often errs too far in the other direction. At one point in this story, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon need to deal with 2 ordinary guards, but they have to stop and devise a plan and then wait for another character to distract the guards before rushing out to take them by surprise. ... Really? Qui-Gon should be able to take on 3 or 4 times that many single-handed (and has).
Anyway, these are fairly insignificant quibbles, and I'm anxious to move on to the next book and remember how the rest of this story plays out. On the whole, the series continues to improve. Onward!
C
May 5, 2024
Good little story about war and peace negotiations. Very one dimensional to have Master Yoda handling all Jedi assignments but I guess you could assert that he handles all of Qui-Gon's assignments. I think somewhere it implies that he handles it all as the de facto leader of the Jedi. That was my impression but also, this series was targeted for age 9 to 12 so I can understand that they wouldn't want to confuse young readers with too much detail outside of the story and it's characters. Cliffhanger ending and it's crazy to think that young readers had to wait a year for any new book for this series!
July 30, 2019
Normally I give these books a four or five star rating because they’re so good, however, because of what this particular book in the series did to my poor heart, I had to give it a three. For awhile, I was afraid to read it because I knew what heartache lay at the end. All in all, I was glad to get past this one and I can’t wait for the next one.
January 21, 2025
I like this series. They are wriiten for young Star Wars fans, but as an adult I appreciate them, too. It is a nice read to learn how Obi-Wan Kenobi has struggled as the Padawan of Qui-Gin to keep to the rules of the Jedi.
September 21, 2019
"I have found something here more important than the Jedi Code," Obi-Wan said slowly. [He] handed his lightsaber to Qui-Gon. "You may go, Qui-Gon Jinn. But I will stay."
I'M SCREAMING. WE'VE REACHED MELIDA/DAAN. IT'S GETTING REAL NOW FELLAS.
January 29, 2020
My heart. My feels. I have to read the next one. I have to know what happens next. 😭
November 22, 2020
First cliff hanger of the series! Great action sequences and moral choices for the budding jedi knight. Best one of the series so far!
April 18, 2022
This is where the plot really picks up! The first four books were more of an introduction to the world and dynamic between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, but this one brings everything that has been hinted at before and delivers a great action-packed story, yet mixed with deep reflections.
November 30, 2016
Book four in the Jedi Apprentice series isn't playing around. The stakes here are high, and the events are unexpected. Qui-Gon and Obi Wan are on a new planet, Melida/Daan, so named because two factions have been at war with one another for centuries, and can't agree on the planet's name. The two Jedi are there to rescue another Jedi who has been captured by one of the factions, but while there, Obi Wan falls under the spell of the Young, a third faction made up of the children of the other two factions who want to bring about the end of the eternal war.
Like the previous books in the series, The Defenders of the Dead takes on a hefty theme for a juvenile novel, this time the effects of war on a culture. Watson doesn't glamorize war, but instead shows us the tragedy that befalls family, and how holding on to a grudge can cause so much pain. The Young are depicted as the heroes of the story, but even then, their methods are questionable, enough so as to drive a wedge between Obi Wan and Qui-Gon. By the end of the book, we see how severe that wedge is and how much it divides the two Jedi.
Also like previous books in the series, this novel sets us up for another book which will follow immediately after these events. The story arcs aren't necessarily complex, but they rely enough on earlier events and future stories that they're reminiscent of how Gravity Falls accomplishes the same thing. With The Defenders of the Dead, though, this is the first incident where the two books (or more?) serve as a single story broken down over multiple volumes.
So far, this has been the best book of the bunch for me. The emotion in the story is sincere, and the tension palpable. Some of the motivations of the characters (specifically Qui-Gon and Obi Wan) are questionable, but only once you've finished reading the story. Chances are, you'll be too caught up in the events to think too much on whether or not the characters are acting as you would expect them to.
Like the previous books in the series, The Defenders of the Dead takes on a hefty theme for a juvenile novel, this time the effects of war on a culture. Watson doesn't glamorize war, but instead shows us the tragedy that befalls family, and how holding on to a grudge can cause so much pain. The Young are depicted as the heroes of the story, but even then, their methods are questionable, enough so as to drive a wedge between Obi Wan and Qui-Gon. By the end of the book, we see how severe that wedge is and how much it divides the two Jedi.
Also like previous books in the series, this novel sets us up for another book which will follow immediately after these events. The story arcs aren't necessarily complex, but they rely enough on earlier events and future stories that they're reminiscent of how Gravity Falls accomplishes the same thing. With The Defenders of the Dead, though, this is the first incident where the two books (or more?) serve as a single story broken down over multiple volumes.
So far, this has been the best book of the bunch for me. The emotion in the story is sincere, and the tension palpable. Some of the motivations of the characters (specifically Qui-Gon and Obi Wan) are questionable, but only once you've finished reading the story. Chances are, you'll be too caught up in the events to think too much on whether or not the characters are acting as you would expect them to.
April 2, 2019
Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are sent to retrieve a kidnapped Jedi knight on Melida/Daan, which has been embroiled in civil war for so long that neither side knows what the original offense was. More care and attention is given to creating memorials for the dead than to ensuring the living a decent standard of living. The Young are the youth of the planet who want to stop fighting and work together to actually create a life worth living.
As I get farther in this series, the things that strike me most is that this simply isn't the best form for these stories. The core of this book is fascinating, a good story worth telling. But the books seem to be under length constraints that mean the story doesn't get told particularly well. It's too superficial. Too much action-packed nonsense, not enough deeply considered reflection on the situation. Obi-Wan's defection to the Young lacks emotional resonance because the author didn't put any real effort into making it a believable defection. Honestly, the events of this book had more emotional resonance for me when retold in fanfiction, when the fanfic authors actually delved into what Obi-Wan's decision meant for him and for Qui-Gon, the long-term effects on how they approached arbitration and their role with the Jedi. I'm just not feeling any of that in this source material. Which is very disappointing, honestly.
As I get farther in this series, the things that strike me most is that this simply isn't the best form for these stories. The core of this book is fascinating, a good story worth telling. But the books seem to be under length constraints that mean the story doesn't get told particularly well. It's too superficial. Too much action-packed nonsense, not enough deeply considered reflection on the situation. Obi-Wan's defection to the Young lacks emotional resonance because the author didn't put any real effort into making it a believable defection. Honestly, the events of this book had more emotional resonance for me when retold in fanfiction, when the fanfic authors actually delved into what Obi-Wan's decision meant for him and for Qui-Gon, the long-term effects on how they approached arbitration and their role with the Jedi. I'm just not feeling any of that in this source material. Which is very disappointing, honestly.
June 1, 2022
The premise of this book is good, two factions warring against each other for years. Generations of people were wiped out due to this hatred. I like the decisions that Obi-Wan has to face in this book, I just think the way that the story gets to the point is a little boring. This is unfortunate because the book before this one was great! I'm going to chalk it up to the fact that this is a middle-school book and we can't spend as much time getting to the meat of the story.
June 3, 2015
On the planet Melida/Daan, so named because the people there are stuck in perpetual civil war between the two factions. Obi Wan and Qui Gon are called in to mediate a peace treaty, and to find fellow Jedi Tahl. While there Obi Wan meets a third faction made up from the youth on both sides tired of the decades-long bloodshed between the two. The Young are using sabotage and subversion to end the war peacefully which causes Obi Wan to feel drawn to their cause.
September 6, 2024
The way I see it, Obi-Wan latches on to the Young the same way Luke became part of the Rebellion. When they see people—children—in distress, they have to help no matter what. If Qui-Gon had given Luke that same ultimatum, I’m certain he would have made the same choice as Obi-Wan…plus kick Qui-Gon’s ass if he tried to take his lightsaber away.
December 6, 2019
obi wan zrób fikołka, qui gon ok boomer
June 11, 2017
Oh Obi-wan, so youthfull and full of passion...
July 18, 2017
WHY DID I NOT GRAB THE NEXT FIVE BOOKS OUT OF STORAGE I NEED THEM NOW this series is really too good at the cliffhangers.
So, having successfully bonded and learned and done all sorts of good work on Gala, the dynamic duo heads off to rescue another Jedi on Melida/Daan, a planet that felt eerily like the Israeli-Palestinian mess to me. There a new split has occurred: no longer is it only Melida vs. Daan, now it is also young vs. old in who decides the future of the war-torn planet.
This gets into some great spaces by really effing with Obi-Wan's sense of what the universe is for the first time--we've been getting hints and pieces as he discovers there's systemic injustice (what?!) and gray moral areas (oh no!) and untidy solutions to ongoing issues (no, it can't be!). But here Obi-Wan is confronted with a choice of who he claims to be and on what foundation he makes those claims. This is a great way to look at how teenagedom flips your world over as 13-year-old Obi-Wan realizes that he has to start owning his decisions and self-definitions rather than accepting them from somebody else, so three cheers to that back door into having constructive conversations with tweens/early teens. BUT THAT ENDING.
So, having successfully bonded and learned and done all sorts of good work on Gala, the dynamic duo heads off to rescue another Jedi on Melida/Daan, a planet that felt eerily like the Israeli-Palestinian mess to me. There a new split has occurred: no longer is it only Melida vs. Daan, now it is also young vs. old in who decides the future of the war-torn planet.
This gets into some great spaces by really effing with Obi-Wan's sense of what the universe is for the first time--we've been getting hints and pieces as he discovers there's systemic injustice (what?!) and gray moral areas (oh no!) and untidy solutions to ongoing issues (no, it can't be!). But here Obi-Wan is confronted with a choice of who he claims to be and on what foundation he makes those claims. This is a great way to look at how teenagedom flips your world over as 13-year-old Obi-Wan realizes that he has to start owning his decisions and self-definitions rather than accepting them from somebody else, so three cheers to that back door into having constructive conversations with tweens/early teens. BUT THAT ENDING.
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