Force Heretic III: Reunion
Sean Williams and Shane Dix, 390pp.

Rounding out the last triple-header of the New Jedi Order, Reunion is the final installment of the Force Heretic trilogy.It has redeemed some of the promise of Force Heretic I:Remnant...to an extent, at least. Still frustrating is the now-standard Star Wars practice of jumping too often (and too quickly) from venue to venue and back again; the reader always has to stop and think, which group is this again and where are they now?Furthermore, Reunion seems to wander from the focus a bit, albeit not as much as the middle of the three, Refugee.

Nom Anor’s exploits on Yuuzhan’tar are coming along splendidly, or so he thinks; he forgets that what seems too good to be true, usually is.The Priestess Ngaaluh plays her part impeccably; so well, in fact, that sometimes I wondered if she wasn’t a triple agent. But, Supreme Overlord Shimrra shows yet again why he is the leader of his people. One has to hope that Nom Anor’s comeuppance is imminent.

Han and Leia, on a mission to re-establish lost communications throughout the galaxy, venture to the world of Esfandia, one of two bases instrumental in relaying communication between the Unknown Regions and the Core. They and the rest of the Core Worlds have been cut off from the Chiss and from Luke’s group searching for Zonama Sekot. Esfandia’s inhospitable atmosphere makes for a unique setting in which Leia et al work to uncover its natural as well as offworld secrets. It is during this time that Tahiri's internal battle reaches its apex. Jaina is there to help her become what Luke most likely envisioned when he declared her a Jedi, while Jag leads Twin Suns Squadron in defense of Esfandia, the Imperials, and the mission. Droma hangs around for a while also, and has a few surprises in store for our protagonists.

Luke, Mara, Jacen, Danni, and Saba finally find and visit Zonama Sekot; however, its mystery and beauty are at odds with the conflicting and mostly unfriendly attitudes of the native Ferroans. Sekot, the ‘spirit’ of the planet, is a life-form far more advanced than humans, yet still must work through its questions about the Jedi, the purpose of their visit, and its place in the universe and how it might play a role in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong. Similar to Refugee, the plot slows down as the group is attacked and subsequently divided, the purpose of which is only known by Sekot until revealed at the end, and once again we are left wondering why the authors stretched it out so long. At issue is whether or not Sekot will assist the Jedi in the war; not addressed is the how. The means by which Zonama Sekot holds the key to ending the war remains a mystery.

The space battles do not lack for excitement, especially Jag’s ‘surprise’ for Pellaeon. It is gratifying to read how the Imperials and the Galactic Alliance work together. Pelleaon and his counterpart, Captain Mayn, are able to put aside lifetimes of mistrust to get the job done.This results in each earning the respect of the other, and bodes well for the rest of the war ~ certainly it is better to have Pellaeon’s wisdom and fortitude fighting on the same side as the good guys. The battle on Esfandia was similarly creative.

For character development, this was Tahiri’s show. There really was only one direction for her to take, and the individual she is will most likely have a pivotal role to play in the resolution of the war. The relationship between Jacen and Danni is once again stifled by the authors (is this a good thing or a bad thing? I still can’t decide). Although Pellaeon has become a fascinating and likeable character, it’s still a bit disconcerting that he has been able to totally bury his prejudices of the past. Jag has made strides of his own ~ he is the personification of ‘love conquers all’, and a breath of fresh air. He retains the best of Chiss traits while his human side shines through at last.

The events at Esfandia are most engaging even though Nom Anor’s heresy movement has gotten a little stale. The Zonama Sekot plotline slogs down a bit, and by the end we still aren’t privy as to how Zonama Sekot fits into the grand scheme of the Yuuzhan Vong war. By the end, all the main characters are heading back to home base to prepare for the final battle. Resolution to the conflict must come soon but the Force Heretic trilogy still leaves a few unanswered questions. All in all, Reunion is a pretty good read.