In Force Heretic I: Remnant (see my review at http://blogs.starwars.com/jedivans-viewpoint/39), authors Sean Williams and Shane Dix sent the Solos and Skywalkers on two seperate missions. Luke and Mara were following clues attempting to trace the path of the mysterious planet Zonoma Sekot into the Unknown Regions. Han and Leia were traveling to reestablish connections with systems in the Galactic Alliance that had lost holonet communications with the rest of the galaxy. The duplicitous Nom Amnor had also joined a heretical religious movement amongst the Yuuzhan Vong.

In Force Heretic II, these plotlines continue. Among the Yuuzhan Vong, Nom Amnor has become the leader of the religious movement. In spite of attempts by Yuuzhan Vong authorities to supress this movement, under Nom Amnor's leadership, it continues to thrive underground, litterally in the underlevels of Coruscant. Meanwhile the Skywalker twins, their spouses, and their travel companions must deal with political intrigue on Csilla (the Chiss homeworld) and Bakura.

This second book in the Force Heretic Trilogy is as well written as the first. The authors do a wonderful job of developing Chiss culture from the few clues provided in Timothy Zahn's Star Wars books. (Survivor's Quest and Outbound Flight hadn't been published at the time Williams and Dix were writing the book, so they had to make do with the information in Vision of the Future as well as any notes that Lucasfilm publishing had.) Also, the authors do a fine job of devloping Ssi-Ruuk and Pweck culture based on the information provided in Kathy Tyers' book Truce at Bakura. (See my review of Outbound Flight at http://blogs.starwars.com/jedivans-viewpoint/13. My review of Survivor's Quest, Vision of the Future, and Truce at Bakura is forthcoming.) There isn't any new ground provided in the Jeedai religious movement, but the authors do a good job of slowly moving that subplot towards a resolution also. I finished Force Heretic II eagerly anticipating the next volume. Final score: **** (on a scale of 0-4 stars).