Okay, so let me start off by saying that I love Denning's stuff. He's got a very articulate and interesting narrative style. This is why one of the last Expanded Universe novels that I bought for myself was my original copy of Tatooine Ghost. There's no arguing with the fact that LucasBooks made a wise choice in signing him on.

What I don't like, though, is this sort of fixation on sexual tendencies in Tempest. I mean, our first introduction to his characterization of Jaina is her having a dream about her, Jag and some lovely Kilik mating pheremones. Then Zekk, her Joiner king, gets all spurned lovery and gets over her and they start talking about him fantasizing about her in the shower and in his dreams and she encourages it.

Then, there's Nashta asking Leia if she has any way of controlling Han and Leia says, "I have a shock collar, but it just makes him drool." Do we really need to know about Han and Leia's S&M practices?

Probably the most tame and somewhat amusing thing was Luke and Mara playing "Who's Your Daddy" guessing game about Allana. It was the only family-friendly sexuality in the entire book.

What's going on here? I mean, sure, it was bad enough that Jacen had to sleep with the Queen Mother to get a fleet, thus making him the first official man-prostitute of the GFFA. Now his sister seems to be trying to beat his track record, his mother might as well wear a dominatrix outfit...

It's all a bit much for me. What ever happened to the PG-only rating on the Star Wars universe?