The Threat Within (Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

First of all, I really enjoyed this book. Sure, at times the writing style was a little bland and the supporting characters a bit formulaic, but for me, the amount of emotional development in the main characters of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and the quickly moving, descriptive plot completely made up for it. Many found this book in particular too reminiscent of earlier ones, particularly the whole Melida/Daan disaster. But I thought that having Obi-Wan reflect back on the horrors he saw there, and the huge rift between himself and Qui-Gon back then, made the similarities haunting rather than tedious, and added a heightened sense of drama to the overall story. It also showed how much Obi-Wan's matured over the past few years, in his willingness to never let anything like that happen again. Anyway, in this book Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are sent on a mission to Vorzyd 4, a planet on the edge of war with it's neighbor, Vorzyd 5, whom they are certain are the culprits of the resent terrorist attacks on their cities. As soon as they get there however, it's clear that everything is not as it seems... At the same time, Qui-Gon is beginning to become aware of the fact that Obi-Wan is growing up, and that the time they have left together is short, and this pains him terribly. Anyway, this is definitely a must for those of you who've been following the series. There is one more book after this, another split "special edition" adventure that features first Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and then later Obi-Wan and a young Anakin. Here's to that one being even better!

It is hard to really say something specific about the book, because it presented me with many conflicting feelings.
At the start it had almost the feeling of a return to the earlier books, where Obi Wan would face an unknown quest on an unfamiliar world, but then it turns into a stop-and-go, where the earlier books were just crammed full of story, and moved forwards at all times.
I had the feeling that the book wanted to say much more than it could in the end. The series is coming to an end, while the padawan-master relationship isn't, not yet for several years.
There is much reflection on earlier experiences, and at times I had the same feeling as I had during the Melida/Daan books. Towards the end it felt like the hopelessness and the pointlessness of an act of violence like running a plane through an officebuilding, was repeated here to make a point, which I believe is already well-taken. It felt like an addition, that forced other scenes to be left out. Many things are unexplained in the end, many threads left fluttering.
What was the reason behind the retirees dying within weeks of their retirement? It felt like some sort of conspiracy, some dark secret at the start of the book, but it is left unexplained. There is a further remark made by the grandmother: "We are not allowed to show such silliness. Especially not now." Not now? Why? What changed? Pranks? Threats of war? Did not the fact that acts of silliness were not to be shown start the pranks in the first place? And did these not lead to threats of war?
Bryn's unhappiness is remarked upon, but never really explained.
Flip's turn to violence is explained, but what made Tray decide to nudge him into violence? She's the one with a true affection for her kin from first moment.
Many things are left unsaid, which is probably the weakest point in the whole story.
Were the young activists aware that their pranks were causing a threat of war with the other planet? They merely treated it as fun to distress their old and upset the rule of the day. Why were they never made to see the implications of their actions, especially in the light of their motto, that everything had to remain without violence.
As a consequence of one of their pranks, a children's hospital computer system is nearly shut down, and young life is nearly lost. Why did Obi Wan did not pass on that bit of information, and let them proceed with a prank that had much more potential for disaster, and indeed did cost life.
Why did Qui-Gon, who never spoke up, because he wished to put trust into his Padawan's plans, try to diffuse the situation between the two planets by presenting himself as an impartial party? He remains with the chairman of Vorzyd 4, and never once tries to talk in private with the Lady Felana, not even when she turns up at Vorzyd 4 and he could easily have taken her aside, to tell her, that he knew who was behind the attacks, and that she need not worry about the accusations of the chairman, since everything would solve itself out soon.

Like the cover (though much much praise for mr Nielsen's continuing art) the title doesn't effectively speak for the book. I could not decide whether the threat within came from the young pranksters, or the establishment that did not want the change, or if there was an even deeper threat within either Qui-Gon or Obi Wan, as we see them sparring, apparently fighting eachother on the cover.

At the end of the book we see them re-establishing their bond, while they were never really at odds in this particular book. But we know already that their personalities will keep complimenting eachother and clashing as well, until the very painful end, and as such this scene seems a bit out of place as well.

I have often said, that the biggest problem with this, my favourite, series, is that the books are too short. It is the first time that I've finished one of its books with a feeling that I've only read half of it.

First of all, I really enjoyed this book. Sure, at times the writing style was a little bland and the supporting characters a bit formulaic, but for me, the amount of emotional development in the main characters of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, and the quickly moving, discriptive plot completely made up for it. Many found this book in particuler too reminiscent of earlier ones, particulerly the whole Melida/Daan disaster. But I thought that having Obi-Wan reflect back on the horrers he saw there, and the huge rift between himself and Qui-Gon back then, made the similarities haunting rather than tedious, and added a hightened sense of drama to the overall story. It also showed how much Obi-Wan's matured over the past few years, in his willingness to never let anything like that happen again. Anyway, in this book Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are sent on a mission to Vorzyd 4, a planet on the edge of war with it's neighbor, Vorzyd 5, whom they are certain are the culprits of the resent terrorist attacks on their cities. As soon as they get there however, it's clear that everything is not as it seems... At the same time, Qui-Gon is beginning to become aware of the fact that Obi-Wan is growing up, and that the time they have left together is short, and this pains him terribly. Anyway, this is definitely a must for those of you who've been following the series. There is one more book after this, another split "special edition" adventure that features first Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and then later Obi-Wan and a young Anakin. Here's to that one being even better!