Review of "Star Wars Jedi Quest," by Jude Watson

 Review of

Star Wars Jedi Quest, by Jude Watson ISBN 0439367174

Four out of five stars

 Anakin and Obi-Wan between episode 1 and 2

  Anakin is in his early teen years and rapidly becoming a true Jedi knight. However, he is still a boy, so he is lacking in the superb mental discipline that is characteristic of a Jedi. Obi-Wan does his best to keep his occasionally rebellious Padawan under control, but he is not always listened to. In this case a slaver named Krayn has been raiding planets for some time in order to have labor for his spice works. Obi-Wan and Anakin are given the task of infiltrating Krayn’s operation in order to learn the specifics so that it can be shut down.

 Getting inside Krayn’s ship is fairly easily done, but when they encounter some slaves, Anakin remembers his youth where his mother and he were slaves. Therefore, he picks an inappropriate time to disobey Obi-Wan and Anakin is enslaved in the spice works. It is a brutal place where slaves are often severely punished, poorly fed and frequently worked to death. Anakin seems to have no hope until he receives aid from an unusual source. Since Obi-Wan knows where Anakin is held, he poses as a consultant in order to infiltrate the planet.

 Written at the YA level, this book is a solid element of the print thread of the Star Wars story. It portrays Anakin as he most certainly would be at the age of twelve. Extremely talented and capable in the Jedi arts, yet impulsive and emotional as he grows into the role of a Jedi knight. The action moves well and there are hints regarding his dark and twisted future.