WARNING: This review contains minor spoilers (basic plot points) for Revelation, and more serious plot points for earlier novels in the Legacy of the Force series. Read at your own risk.

Revelation, by Karen Traviss, is the second to the last novel in the nine part Legacy of the Force series. Traviss has written two previous novels in this series, including the pivotal Sacrifice novel. As with the two previous novels, the Mandalorians feature prominently in Revelation. However, this time, the story of the Mandalorians directly intersects the galactic conflict between the Galactic Alliance and the Confederation.

Plot Synopsis

At the conclusion of Fury, Jaina Solo has concluded that it is up to her to stop her twin brother, Jacen. She had learned a powerful lesson: that relying on her abilities in the Force won't be enough. Jacen's experience and Force powers are unlike any other Jedi's. Therefore, she'll need to acquire some new tricks of her own. To that end, she decides to seek out the galaxy's most reknowned bounty hunter and killer of Jedi: Boba Fett.

Meanwhile, Fett has his own problems to deal with. In Fury, he learned that his ex-wife had not been killed, and instead had been encased in carbonite for several decades. This makes Fett's life very complicated. He is already trying to adjust to having a granddaughter that spends half her time hating him and half her time trying to admire him. Furthermore, Fett is the Mandalore. This is a role he has only recently embraced. Although his people are loyal, Fett is largely and outsider to this community.

Jacen Solo, the secret Sith Lord Darth Caedus, is planning to conquer Fondor, a world reknowned for its production of starships, and bring it back into the Galactic Alliance. To that end, he attempts to recruit the Imperial Remnant, lead by Admiral Paelleon, as any ally in exchange for a few strategic worlds. Sensing betrayal from within and without, Paelleon recruits an old ally. Meanwhile, Caedus contemplates a new apprentice while his old apprentice investigates his role in the death of Mara Jade Skywalker.

Discussion

One of the problems with Traviss's early novels is that they have excessively long periods of inaction. While I enjoyed following Boba Fett around in Bloodlines, I felt that the novel dragged for too long and the promise of a great, climatic action scene never came to bear. The climax was not a problem in Sacrifice. That novel suffered because the Mandalorian story line and the greater story line of the war taking place in the rest of the galaxy never really intersected.

Revelation does not suffer from those flaws. As mentioned in the synopsis, Jaina seeks out Fett for training, and the two storylines intersect. There is a lull in the action in the middle of the book, but it sets up a climatic battle between numerous forces where alliances shift with the tide of the battle.

One of the more outstanding aspects of the book is the comparison made between the Jedi and the Mandalorians. The comparison arises naturally during Jaina's training amongst the Mandalorians. It seems that Jaina could almost naturally fit into their civilization, and could almost be adopted by a number of characters. (As an aside, I wonder if that wouldn't be a good place for Jag after his exile from the Chiss Ascendency. That, however, is a topic for another blog.) The Jedi had traditionally avoided attachment and families. The New Jedi Order has promoted families, but they aren't always good at it.

The Mandalorians, however, encourage family. To the Mandalorians, family, and the loyalty that comes with it, is defined by those that raised you. They freely adopt, and they feel an obligation to do so in many instances. The Mandalorians are not a homogeneous people. They adopt across race and species. In a sense, they are very much like the Jedi who raise and train Padawans from whatever corner of the galaxy they are found.

I would have liked to have seen more of the Jedi in this novel. I also would like to have seen more of Han and Leia. I understand that when the authors try to write about everyone, none of the characters get what they are due, and everyone gets shafted. However, for a series that is entitled Legacy of the Force, I'd like to see them get a little more attention. I'd like to see Darth Caedus interact with them more. The Sith seem to get more treatment than the Jedi right now. Come to think of it, Luke could have benefitted from more exposure. Ben Skywalker is in the novel, but his role is largely that of an investigator. His role as a Jedi is a distant second. If it wasn't for Jaina, the Jedi presence in this novel would be very small.

I was glad to see many of the Fett plotlines finally resolved. The story of Boba Fett and the Mandalorians has been interesting. However, a large part of it has been repetitive. I would have liked to see more action from the Mandalorians and less discussion. While I appreciate the insight into their culture, the Mandalorians' reputation is that of a society of warriors. However, most of what we see them do is tend to a farm, hang out in a tavern, and talk about being a Mandalorian. They did get some action, but it should have been more.

Having said that, it is good to see Jaina get some attention. She had been neglected for far too long in this series. Her ultimate role in the series has seemed obvious from the second, if not the first novel. However, it was not until Fury really that she started to get the attention she deserved.

Overall, I found Revelation to be a good read. It sets up the final novel of Legacy of the Force, Invincible, nicely. I agree with a seemingly growing consensus that it was Traviss's best work in the series. There are a couple of major events in this novel that I have deliberately avoided talking about so as not to spoil them. After this novel is no longer a "recent" release, I hope to revisit some of those in a later blog.