Book Review: Clone Wars Gambit - Stealth

So, the long-awaited next story from my favorite author has hit the shelves. And, stang...what a ride!

I thoroughly and completely enjoyed Ms. Miller's character development. It is obvious to me that she has a vested interest in the characters she portrays, as their personalities are believable, complex and spot-on. Just what I expected from her, after reading Wild Space (which I highly recommend, by the way). The interchanges between Obi-Wan and Anakin give a great deal more insight to their relationship than we have previously seen. We are privileged to partake in Obi-Wan's struggle to keep things focused and in line with Jedi philosophy and mission, while at the same time dealing with Anakin, who tends to be impulsive and emotional. Oh yes, he is extraordinary, alright! Excellent writing takes you right into the thoughts and feelings of these two characters as I have never seen in any other Star Wars book.

The situations that Obi-Wan and Anakin, as well as the other characters, find themselves were ever-so impossible and did demand a bit more suspending of my disbelief than I am used to; but, come on...it's Star Wars! The heroes manage to save the day, at least some of the time.

I loved the human-ness of this book. It's pacing was good for the most part (ramping up quite a bit as you move through the chapters), although it took a bit of trudging through details in the first couple of chapters. That's alright, though, for most Star Wars fans - they are used to details and situation set-up, I would imagine. And, if you are a fan who is into battles, this book will not disappoint. Somewhere during my reading, I made the comment that I've never read a battle sequence where I actually felt the blaster bolts sizzling past my head while looking around wide-eyed for the next battle droid - very good writing, indeed!

There is much more I could say about this engaging book featuring my favorite hero, but I wouldn't want to give too much away. I'll just leave you with a couple of my favorite quotes (there were so many good quotable moments, it's hard to choose just a couple!)...

"You seem to be suggesting that I take unnecessary risks. I can't agree. I only ever do what I feel is right." ~Gen. Kenobi

"As Obi-Wan approached the supervisor droid with his trademark swagger, Anakin had to grin. Filthy and dressed in cheap, dowdy clothing, no lightsaber in sight, still Obi-Wan looked like a Jedi."

The bottom line
You will enjoy this book if you are a fan of Obi-Wan and Anakin, live & breathe Jedi philosophy, enjoy witty banter and are thrilled about reading more exploits in The Clone Wars saga.