Children of the Jedi is set several months after the events of the Jedi Academy Trilogy. A deranged smuggler confronts Han and Leia on Ithor, and rambles on about what turns out to be a sanctuary of Jedi on Belsavis.

Han, Leia and Chewie head directly to Belsavis to investigate, but Luke decides to act on a possible lead from Nichos Marr, one of his Jedi students. He also takes with him C-3PO and Cray Mingla, who is another student.

What follows is, in my opinion, a rather confusing adventure that eventually brings both investigative parties together on Belsavis. Luke falls victim to a super weapon called the Eye of Palpatine, a massive ship that looks like an asteroid. It’s controlled by its computer programming called the Will. Luke ends up being nearly powerless against this artificial intelligence, and I grew bored with how often he got injured and the constant reminder of the pitiful shape he was in.

Between the events on the Eye of Palpatine and of those on Belsavis, this book had me drained mentally, and not in a good way. Children of the Jedi has got to be one of the most convoluted books I have ever read. I am still confused at much of the plot, but I really don’t care to devote any more time to it.

Reading the entire book without putting it down for a week, or three, is an achievement.

Cover blurb:

The chronicle of the dazzling universe of George Lucas’s blockbuster Star Wars films soars to new heights as the Republic faces its greatest challenge yet in…

Children of the Jedi

Princess Leia, Han Solo, and Chewbacca set out on a mission vital to the survival of the fragile New Republic. They are searching for the long-lost children of the Jedi on the frozen world of Belsavis, from whose dark crypts no one has returned alive. Halfway across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker is on an equally dangerous mission. Taken aboard the enemy Dreadnaught Eye of Palpatine, Luke must find a way to destroy the automated ship before it completes the mission encoded into its super-sophisticated artificial intelligence system: the total annihilation of Belsavis. To succeed, Luke will need the help of the spirit of the Jedi Knight Callista, who gave her life to stop the ship once before. The mystery of the crypts, the invincible power of the Dreadnaught, the lost Jedi, and the burgeoning passion between Luke and Callista come together in a stunning climax worthy of the magnificent Star Wars saga.

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive

Here’s a fun video of Canadian actor Dave Walpole seeking an audition for the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII! Thanks Dave for sharing it with us!

Knights Archive

Spectacular news: The mystery upcoming Star Wars animated series is Star Wars Rebels! Link

Be sure to watch the video above for a fun look at what’s in store!

Here’s the press release:

Production has begun on Star Wars Rebels, an exciting, all-new animated television series based on one of the greatest entertainment franchises of all time. Scheduled to premiere in fall 2014 as a one-hour special telecast on Disney Channel, it will be followed by a series on Disney XD channels around the world.

Leading the development of the series is a creative team of exceptional talent. Screenwriter/producer Simon Kinberg (X-Men: First Class, Sherlock Holmes, Mr. & Mrs. Smith) is an executive producer on Star Wars Rebels and will write the premiere episode. He is joined by Dave Filoni as executive producer, who served as supervising director of the Emmy nominated Star Wars: The Clone Wars since 2008. Executive producer Greg Weisman brings with him a wealth of animation experience with credits such as Young Justice, The Spectacular Spider-Man and Gargoyles.

Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, said, “The entire team at Lucasfilm has provided extraordinary creativity and innovation for over three decades, and we’re thrilled to be bringing the expansive and imaginative world of Star Wars to Disney XD’s viewers.”

“I couldn’t be more excited to explore new corners of the Star Wars universe,” said Kathleen Kennedy, president, Lucasfilm. “I think Star Wars Rebels will capture the look, feel and fun that both kids and their parents love about Star Wars.”

The action-filled series is set between the events of Episode III and IV — an era spanning almost two decades never-before explored on-screen. Star Wars Rebels takes place in a time where the Empire is securing its grip on the galaxy and hunting down the last of the Jedi Knights as a fledgling rebellion against the Empire is taking shape. Details about the show are a closely guarded secret at this point.

Star Wars Rebels will be produced by Lucasfilm Animation, featuring many of the key talents that made Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Fans attending Star Wars Celebration Europe will be the first to get an exclusive look at the new series. Casting will be announced at a later date. More information about this developing project will be found on StarWars.com and on Facebook at facebook.com/starwarsrebels.

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive

Star Wars Weekends 2013 is underway, and pictures and videos are coming in from all over! Inside the Magic let us know that they have footage of the always-entertaining Dance-Off With the Star Wars Stars!

Click here to check out more Hyperspace Hoopla dance videos from Inside the Magic!

SEE ALSO:
Star Wars Weekends 2013 Celebrity Guest List
Star Wars Weekends 2013
Star Wars Weekends 2013 Dates Announced

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive

-Spoiler Review-

Before Knights of the Old Republic became Star Wars fans’ and non-fans’ favorite Star Wars game, there was Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. Developed by Raven Software (who are based out of my home state, Wisconsin) and released in 2002, Jedi Outcast follows two years after the events of Mysteries of the Sith, chronicling the further exploits of the bearded Kyle Katarn and his fight against the Reborn Empire. While it doesn’t inspire much faith from the slow to plodding opening, it’s once Katarn puts a lightsaber back in his hands where this game transforms into what I’d happily call the second best Star Wars game (for now).

But before I get to all the good things about the game, I want to point out my biggest disappointment: Kyle’s most pivotal moment up to this point, turning to the Dark Side and shutting himself off from the Force after he’s redeemed, was glossed over in the last game and largely forgotten in this one. If you played Mysteries of the Sith, you’ll know he’s currently Force-less in Jedi Outcast due to nearly killing Mara Jade after turning to the Dark Side. But MotS failed to show how or why he turned, making the whole Katarn without the Force just feel pointless and forced here in JO. Even worse, there’s not a single line of dialogue or a flashback sequence in this game explaining his reasoning for turning or why he’s currently Force-less, and so the ginormous Hutt in the room is ignored. While I know the decision for this was likely made to allow new players a jumping on point (the Prequel Trilogy was already two movies in after Jedi Outcast released and Star Wars was a hot commodity again) but playing this series all the way through makes this important point for the main character being glossed over saddening. However, this is largely a personal problem. And if that’s my biggest disappointment with this game, that’s saying something about the rest of it.

Minus the above issue, the rest of the story is pretty interesting. Set 12 ABY (around the same time as the novel Darksaber) Katarn and his long-time partner, and lover, Jan Ors are back to being mercenaries-for-hire. Mon Mothma gives them a call to check out an Imperial Remnant base on Kejim on the New Republic’s behalf. Uncovering crystals that were being used to conduct experiments trying to give people the power of the Force, Katarn and Jan follow the crystals to a mining planet. There, Jan is captured and murdered off-screen (gasp! has to be dead for sure!) by Tavion and the Dark Jedi Desann. Realizing if he had the Force he might’ve saved Jan’s life, Katarn journeys back to the Valley of the Jedi to reconnect with the mystical lifeforce and vows vengeance on Desann. Desann covertly follows Katarn to the Valley and is able to start empowering the Reborn with the Force.

After Katarn retrieves his lightsaber from the Academy on Yavin IV, Luke Skywalker points him in the direction of a gangster on Nar Shaddaa who may or may not have knowledge about Desann’s location. From there you’ll meet and fight alongside Lando Calrissian (voiced by Billy Dee Williams mind you!), visit Cloud City, and get help from Rogue Squadron…to name a few things. While it has heart, it’s not the greatest story: lots of information regarding main characters is relegated to the pamphlet that comes with a disc version of the game, the whereabouts of several main players during pivotal moments is never explained, and at least one big villain only appears long enough to be killed by Katarn.

These oversights are disappointing, but it’s easy to gloss over the plot holes due to the sheer amount of fun this game makes wielding a lightsaber. No game before or since (minus the sequel, Jedi Academy) has had lightsaber combat this enthralling and masterfully done. Each lightsaber battle is literally a ballet of and to the death, ranging from hectic slashing to calculated strikes in seconds. It shines so bright, it practically obscures any and all issues you could even have with Jedi Outcast. I kid you not. For example: Sporadically spotty AI companions? Gives you more enemies to slice up with the lightsaber. Floaty controls? Relive your favorite encounters when you accidentally slip off the edge of anywhere and listen to Katarn’s one and only death scream.

Did I say AI companions? They make their first appearance in the Jedi Knight/Dark Forces series here in JO. With levels being larger, longer, and more complex than previous entries, exploring them alone can occasionally get boring (I’m looking at you Force-less opening levels). To save players from feeling lonely, companions come to the rescue featuring the likes of Jan, the aforementioned Lando, Luke Skywalker (!), and several unknown Jedi. Jan and Lando are the more noticeably hit or miss AI buddies, as they’ll either assist you greatly with mowing down bad guys, or they’ll kind of just run around and regurgitate a handful of lines. Luke and the unknown Jedi, on the other hand, are an absolute blast to fight alongside. The moment you face 4 Reborn with Luke against your back is as epic as you might imagine it. But unfortunately, Luke and Katarn only battle together once. I luckily saved just before the encounter and replayed the 2 on 4 battle several times. The results were usually the same: Luke kills 3 and I got 1. Before Disney buying Lucasfilm, this was likely to be the only chance to see Jedi Master Skywalker battle, and it’s still awe-inspiring even with the Sequels on the way.

Less awe-inspiring are the floaty controls. Katarn will generally float more than walk, which really isn’t an issue until you’re running across catwalks and totally forgot to save recently, and lose 20 minutes of progress by flying off the edge just because you took a corner too wide, breaking your controller in frustration. I never actually broke a controller, but I did come perilously close to doing so on many occasions. On the other hand, this float problem actually seems to come in handy when you’re platforming by jumping, giving you lots of mid-flight control.

Another thing not to worry about is choosing Force powers and which to upgrade. In JO, you now have a set few Force dark and light powers mixed together that upgrade as you progress in the game, reflecting the game’s difficultly without ever making you too overpowered. I understand that this is meant to parallel Katarn’s duality in the Force as he feels the intention of using the power is more important than its supposed alignment, but I only learned that from the pamphlet. While I miss the choice on how and what to have for Force powers, the ones in the game’s singleplayer are the ones I largely used in the past entries anyways.

Lightning, speed, grip, push, and pull return, joined by mind trick and lightsaber throw, while lightsaber defense/offense also receive upgrades. Returning powers have been modified significantly, with the visual, audible, and physical effects more prominent and rewarding. Speed is no longer just a weird sound accompanied by fast movement, now the world around you warps and movement leaves trails because eyes can’t comprehend just how fast you’re moving. Pull can grab several enemies, bringing them right into your sizzling lightsaber to make stormtrooper steak for dinner. In fact, once you get to tier 3 for each power, it’s almost as satisfying as The Force Unleashed’s bombastic show of power.

Jedi Outcast seems to balance its power rather well, always giving you enough of a challenge, but never enough to completely overwhelm you. It’s not a hard game, I played through normal, but the risk/reward system associated with lightsaber combat can make the difficulty matter not. Katarn has three speeds of lightsaber swings at his disposal, from normal, fast, to strong. Fast can get lots of hits, but not a lot of damage, while strong has slow swings that leave you vulnerable, dealing tons of damage when a blow is dealt. However, at any given moment, no matter the swing speed, you’ll be able to deliver an instant death blow if you don’t just mash the swing button. As great and satisfying as that can be, your enemies can deal a one-hit kill in return. It’s annoying, sure (especially if you don’t save frequently), but that’s what makes the lightsaber combat so good: enemy AI is nearly on your skill level, making risk so rewarding…when things go your way.

I’d be remiss to mention multiplayer. Unlike singleplayer, you can choose from a wide variety of Force powers and also assign points to level them up. In the GameCube version, the multiplayer is limited to two human players though bots can join the fray. Around this game’s initial release, I didn’t have a GameCube (nor played many games on PC) so I relied on my friend and his GC. While I never beat the single-player, I can’t accurately give even a guess on how many hours we spent playing the multiplayer. Versing another calculating human being with the awesome lightsaber combat is an experience not to be missed. As for PC, there might be some dedicated servers still out there for anyone interested enough to take the fight online (this forum seems to be running a few), but it’s worth a shot since up to 16 people can play.

Here’s a few other things:

• Force jump is now mapped to the dedicated jump button and this is quite the revelation. Switching from having Jump selected to another more important Force power in the middle of a lightsaber battle was a pain in DFII/MotS, and now a whole generation of gamers won’t ever worry about it.
• So, there’s this chick named Tavion in the game. You’ll verse her once. And that’s about all you’ll ever know about her.
• Speaking about underdeveloped characters: Galak Fyyar. There’s little to no mention of him throughout the game, but that changes once you get stuck on the Doomgiver, He’ll promptly show up, spill all his plans like a Bond villain, and be at your mercy seconds later.
• The Doomgiver is ginormous! The speed of which Rogue Squadron blows it up after the shields are taken down by Katarn is pretty unbelievable. I’ve been reading the X-Wing series of books and much smaller ships take a lot more damage before they combust and explode.
• They could make a book called ‘Where’s Luke?’ for his strange absence during Desann’s ambush of the temple on Yavin IV at the end of the game. If he flew himself to the Cairn station, couldn’t he have flow back and been there around the time of the ambush? The plot holes are strong with this one.
• I love the character design for Desann: it’s creepy and dinosaur-like. What I dislike is having to go onto Wookiepedia to get a better explanation of his role in the structure of the Reborn Empire. But I like that Waru’s involvement is only mentioned in Desann’s ‘pedia page and nowhere in the game. Darn you, Waru, getting into everything!
• The graphics aren’t much to write about (neither horrible nor great, just good) and make the cutscenes laughable from time to time. There’s a few CG cutscenes, but their just for ship flybys. Why CG wasn’t also used for strong moments like Jan and Kyle’s reunion (instead of the weird lifted hug they share) is beyond me.
• Not even two minutes after Kyle learns the love of his life is alive and well, they decide to split-up to get off the ship: “I spent the last 5 hours mourning you with vengeance, but it was nice seeing you again, goodbye.”
• A tricks and traps (fake walls, fire spewing totems, circus mirros) section before actually facing Desann is probably the neatest part of the entire game. I wish there had been more sections like it.
• On Katarn’s approach to the Temple on Yavin IV, he’ll have the option to take control of an AT-ST. It controls decently, but the whole section brings the momentum of the story to a complete halt. While a nice addition, it’s not necessary.
• The usual assortment of weapons from DFII/MotS appears, along with some new weapons like an electromagnetic pulse gun, but I barely used them. You’ll forget about them too once you feel the fun of lightsaber combat, though the sniper rifle does have an awesome disintegration effect if you hit someone at full power.
• Cool and completely random moment: As you near Desann’s location inside the Temple, you’ll only ever face Reborn. Jedi will help you, but they’re nowhere near Luke’s abilities. I got stuck on a battle against 4 Reborn, where my surviving Jedi buddy was usually no help. In frustration on one try, I took out the rocket launcher, shooting a couple times at a Reborn in the distance. The Reborn deflected the rockets back at me with his lightsaber, but my Jedi buddy jumped in front of me and deflected them back. They had an awesome tennis match with my rockets before they finally exploded on the Reborn, killing him, and I was able to get past the battle.

Though it might be as full of plot holes as Aayla Secura is blaster holes (too soon?), I didn’t write my longest review yet just because I like to word vomit. No, fellow Star Wars gaming fans, I truly enjoy this game no matter its quirks. As I keep saying, the lightsaber dueling is so well done here, it’s worth dumping your cargo at the first sign of Imperials and picking this up instead. If you’ve played it before, you know what I’m talking about. If you’ve never given Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast a try, just do. Do go out and play it.

There’s even a Dark Forces/Jedi Knight section in our forums!

Ryan is the video game reporter and game reviewer for Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @BrushYourTeeth.

SEE ALSO:
Video Game Review: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith
Video Game Review: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
Video Game Review: Dark Forces

Knights Archive

Here’s a look at spectacular cover art from the upcoming Star Wars: Science Fair Book, due out on August 27, 2013! Link

This book is sure to be a hit with kids of all ages!

SEE ALSO:
Star Wars: Science Fair Book

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive

His latest work is Star Wars: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void, which is set some 25,000 years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope. We were pleased to have Tim answer a few questions for us regarding this exciting new novel.

—

KA: Hi Tim, thanks for talking with us! How does it feel to now be a part of the ever-expanding Star Wars universe?

TL: It’s a real honour. I was so excited when I was asked to write a Star Wars novel. Then, after I’d said yes, we started to discuss the time period and background, and I was even more thrilled. I love origin stories, and the idea of writing something so far back in the EU’s deep history was very appealing. And I had a great time writing the novel.

—

There’s been much talk and anticipation for Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void. Many fans have long wanted to read about the origins of the Jedi. It must have been thrilling for you to have this opportunity to plot a course in nearly uncharted waters.

Absolutely. A couple of times when I was planning the proposal and actually writing the book, it struck me just what a responsibility I had weighing on me. Just once or twice I got a bit nervous … but it was a real challenge, and I like challenges in my writing. To actually write about those earliest Je’daii training methods was a fascinating, interesting journey.

Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void features a character new to Star Wars fans: Je’daii Ranger Lanoree Brock. What can you tell our readers about her?

Lanoree is an accomplished Ranger, and in the novel some of her earlier exploits are alluded to. She’s a bit of a loner, preferring to spend long periods in space aboard her customised Peacemaker spacecraft. She’s tall, lithe, strong, quietly confident, yet she does have internal conflicts, and there are certain aspects to her history––and how she perceives that history––that might potentially throw her out of balance. She’s a good person, destined to be a great Je’daii … but there’s a confused side to her, too.

—

To the delight of many fans, Lanoree Brock is a female lead character, one of the few in the Star Wars Expanded Universe. What are your feelings with regards to taking on a female lead in a male-dominated franchise?

Well it was my choice, and it’s perhaps worth noting that I had a lot of freedom in coming up with story and characters, so long as they merged well with the ongoing comic series. To be honest I wasn’t aware that there weren’t that many female lead characters. In fact, the people doing the audio book made a point to email me to say how thrilled they were with this, and that it was the first time they were using a female narrator! When I was coming up with the proposal, I knew my main characters had to be brother and sister, and it immediately seemed to suit the story that Lanoree was the main character. I actually love writing strong female characters. I hope it works!

—

Even 25,000 years in the past, there are droids, and Lanoree’s droid Ironholgs seems to be a bit of a grump. Why are many droids so grouchy?

I wanted a bit of humour in there––humour is quite prevalent in the Star Wars movies, and I liked the opportunity to include some in the book, especially as the bulk of the book is so dark! And to have a grumpy droid makes me laugh! Here she is, a Je’daii Ranger, but that doesn’t mean anything to Ironholgs. She asks him to do menial tasks when he’d probably much rather be having an oil bath, or something.

—

Lastly, after reading Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void, I personally want to see more Star Wars books from you. What would be your preference: continue this story, or explore another region in the Expanded Universe?

Thanks! I’d love to continue the story and write a Lanoree Brock trilogy, I think she’s a fascinating character.

—

I want to thank Tim for this interview and Del Rey for arranging it! Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void is available now! To read our reviews, check out the links below.

SEE ALSO:
Novel Review: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void by Bry Dean
Megan’s Review: Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void
The Adventures of Lanoree Brock, Je’daii Ranger
Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void Audio Clip
27-Page Preview of Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void Now Online!
Read Chapter 1 of Dawn of the Jedi: Into The Void Now!
Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void Cover Art
Dawn Of The Jedi: Into The Void Synopsis
Dawn Of The Jedi: Into The Void Summary
Star Wars: Dawn Of The Jedi: Into The Void

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive

The cover for the highly anticipated Kenobi has been posted online! Link

Written by John Jackson Miller, Kenobi is currently due out on August 27, 2013. You can chat about Kenobi in our forums!

SEE ALSO:
Star Wars: Kenobi Blurb
Star Wars: KENOBI Synopsis
Star Wars: KENOBI

Bry Dean is the founder and administrator of Knights’ Archive. You can follow him on Twitter at @bry_dean.

Knights Archive