Although very few Star Wars books are written in first person (one to my knowledge: I Jedi), it is undeniable that the authors tend to focus in on the perspective of one or several characters, often at the expense of other characters. Some notable examples of neglected characters include Thrawn, Palpatine, Mon Mothma, Vergere, Old Obi-wan, Yoda, Shimrra, (sp?) and Ysanne Isard. The motivation for this approach is clear: each of them is in some way removed or above everyone else, seperated from the main and most empathetic characters. Although I personally would like some of them to be explored (Palp interology ebook?), some of them are best left undiscovered. Which brings me to my next point.

Luke Skywalker is undergoing a transformation from an empathetic main character to an enigmatic sage, a Yoda-like presence, and the NJO gives a good impression of his character: a peaceful, calming personality, who, when necessary, can still open up a can of old school woopass (TUF, in the Citadel). However, in more private moments, authors continue to give us the old window into his thoughts: we see him talking to his wife, debate philosophy with his generation, etc.

This must change. In the Legacy of the Force series, the authors need to set Luke at one remove, let the next generation more fully assume his role. And while I am fully looking forward to the climactic showdown that will no doubt occur between Luke and the bad guy (my money is on Jacen, Lumiya, or a reappearing Ventress), I hope the series also manages to tell his story without being inside his head, much as Dark Rendezvouz is about Yoda, but we never see what he thinks.

Without this technique, the novels will never be able to fully establish Luke as the new Grand Master of the Jedi Order.