The Unifying Force
James Luceno, 529pp

Han has a penchant for volunteering for difficult missions, Leia resolutely at his side. They extricate a prison escapee from Selvaris, then return as part of the mission to rescue the remaining prisoners. A crippled Millenium Falcon provides the narrowest of escapes, and the Solos and their wards end up at Caluula.Out of the frying pan, into the fire…assistance can come in many guises, and survival at Caluula the first time around relies upon one such surprise. The importance of Caluula becomes more apparent as the plot progresses, and the Solos seem to end up in places they thought they’d left behind. 

Zonama Sekot, acknowledging it must intervene in some way, fires up its hyperdrive and relocates to the Coruscant system, inciting fear and dread in the Yuuzhan Vong elite and elation in the Shamed Ones and heretics. However, its arrival is a shock to the planet Coruscant, literally and figuratively; geologic upheavals further destabilize a tenuous situation. The Sekot sentience is instrumental as a ‘unifying force’ necessary for the resolution of Yuuzhan Vong existence, and its arrival into known space is essential for this role. 

Jaina, whose Twin Suns squadron assisted at Selvaris, finds herself in the thick of battle at Mon Calamari.However, even that is not the decisive engagement, for only the retaking of Coruscant itself will suffice as triumph for the Alliance.Jaina manages to return to the Coruscant system, ending up at Zonama Sekot for a reunion and some soul-searching. From there she accompanies Jacen and Luke to the heart of the Yuuzhan Vong realm and an appointment with the Supreme Overlord himself. 

On Coruscant, glib-tongued Nom Anor continues his balancing act, playing off both the heretics and the elite of Shimraa’s court. He is witness to the unveiling of Shimraa’s latest offensive strategy, super warriors (and enhanced coralskippers) whose resistance to injury is prodigious. He is also the inciter of already delirious heretics; his attempts to pacify are used against him and serve to whip up heretical passion. As usual, his only concern to the end is self-preservation. Meanwhile, also on Coruscant, the duryham, or world-brain, plays its small part and Jacen’s influence upon its early development has had predictable but no less gratifying repercussions. Their bond remains and becomes a means for assisting the Jedi, as we knew it would. 

Throughout the novel, a distinction is drawn between the ‘Unifying Force’ and the ‘Living Force’. The former is a multi-faceted interpretation with tendrils to the future; light and dark are not distinguishable within it. The latter is a more immediate manifestation, embodying physical manipulation of one’s environment and a sensory consciousness of one’s present surroundings. It is this distinction that broadens the definition of the Force so that the relationship between the Yuuzhan Vong and the Force may flow logically. Yet, the title works on several levels - the ‘Unifying Force’ can also refer to the disparate Alliance fleets - Hapan, New Republic, Imperial - gathering as a unified front for the final confrontation.Further, it may allude to Zonama Sekot, as noted above. 

The Unifying Force is chock-full of action and combat, multiple arenas of conflict intertwined with metaphysics and self-realization. To summarize all the events would take too many pages: it is a veritable curtain call for a multitude of characters, from the Expanded Universe as well as Lucas’ own creations; infrequently seen players report for duty for the final showdown. Many references are made to earlier events from all sources of Star Wars storytelling, and unfinished plot points from other novels are closed. There are twists and surprises, and personal affinities borne of wartime strife are resolved.The new Jedi Order and the new Yuuzhan Vong order are defined. All in all, Luceno has created an admirable conclusion to the ambitious and, in my opinion, highly successful 19-volume serial known as Star Wars:The New Jedi Order.

The Unifying Force will be available Tuesday, 11.04.03, at most booksellers.