4/5 Rancors - Shield of Lies is the second book in The Black Fleet Crisis, a trilogy by Michael P. Kube-McDowell. It picks up where Before the Storm left off. The leadership of the New Republic is gradually accepting the fact that the Yevethan are engaged in a campaign of genocide against anyone who is different from them. The campaign is one of no mercy and utter destruction. The question Leia is faced with as the leader of the New Republic is how to deal with the situation. Decide that it is not their problem and ignore the morality of the issue? Try to arrive at a diplomatic solution? Force the Yevethan to stop through engaging them in open warfare? The decision is one that may very well cost Leia her job as Chief of State.
The book is divided into three different sections. The first is Lando and his continuing search for the Teljkon vagabond, the mysterious craft that drifts through space and refuses to be investigated or even approached. Lobot, R2, Threepio, and a crew supplied by the military are all along with Lando to help learn about the vagabond. This section of the book is interesting. The concept of a large ship apparently just drifting through space with no identification and with powerful weapons systems is intriguing. However, as Lando and company succeed in actually getting aboard the ship, the entire concept of what the ship is and how it operates gets vastly complicated. The explanations may be more than you want to know.
The second section is Luke as he continues his mystical journey with Akanah to find the Fallanassi and possibly his mother. This entire section drags significantly as not a whole lot happens and we are subjected to endless philosophical discussions of the powers of the Fallanassi and how Luke should be using his powers purely for peace and not for any violent purposes. This continues a string of books in which Luke spends much more time thinking about what he should be doing rather than actually performing any useful functions. I’m tired of it. The Republic and Luke’s friends are in serious trouble, and he is trying to figure out what to do with his life.
The third section is Leia’s and is by far the most interesting. She is beset by problems on all sides, not the least of which is whether or not she can stay in office. She feels a moral obligation to confront the Yevethan, but many of the Republic’s other leaders do not agree. The situation becomes very personal for her when Han is captured by the opposing forces. The book ends as a cliffhanger with perilous situations all over the place. I look forward to the third book, and I fervently hope that Luke will see his way to actually helping out his friends.
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