Andrew's Review of Balance Point

3/5 Rancors - Kathy Tyers returns to the Star Wars Expanded Universe with Balance Point, the second hardcover and sixth novel overall in the New Jedi Order. I call out that it was published as a hardcover first for this reason: Del Rey indicated at the time that the key events of the New Jedi Order would take place in the hardcovers, and that if one only wanted to read them, they would be sufficiently knowledgeable to enjoy the overall story. On one level, I agree with that: I see no major issues in picking this up after reading Vector Prime. Of course, much of the color and detail would be lost, but the core of the story would be intact. On another level, I find it interesting, because Balance Point doesn't stand out to me as any more meaningful than the four paperbacks before it. The war grinds on. We learn a little more about the Vong. Jacen debates. There is one major development for Luke and Mara but that alone doesn't seem to warrant a hardcover.

Balance Point is primarily set on the devastated factory world of Duros. There are multiple refugee camps on the surface in sheltered domes. The Duros themselves live in space facilities surrounding the planet. The setting is evocative enough but I was as happy as the characters were to put it behind me at the end of the book. Like various species before them, the Duros attempt to make a deal with the Vong, a deal we know the whole time will go horribly awry. The payoff at the end to this storyline is sufficient but unsurprising.

Spoiling one detail, Mara Jade is surprised to realize she is pregnant. Ms. Tyers nicely depicts Mara and Luke's feelings over this development: their joy at the prospect of a child but their fears of bringing a new life into such a troubled galaxy. Mara being who she is, her mother-to-be status does not stop her from actively continuing in her role as a Jedi and in fact deepens her commitment, as she has even more worth fighting for. I found Luke and Mara's story to be the most rewarding part of the book.

The Solo family has a needed reunion as all three children along with Han and Leia are placed together on Duros. Han and Leia finally reconcile after all the bitterness of the prior four novels and it is good to see. Anakin is growing rapidly into his persona and beliefs, while Jaina struggles to recover from an injury and a blow to her self-confidence. Jacen debates his relationship to the Force at length. His meditations are interesting yet wearisome all at once.

Balance Point is an adequate continuation of the New Jedi Order but at this point the storyline needs to advance in more unexpected ways. There's a feeling of dots being connected as the various authors offer their entries and then step aside.