yea your right about the sith thing, and yea i should have expected that they were still crazy.

The Sith may be in numbers, but these guys have been out of touch for so long, they think they're way stonger than they actually are. And the GA does have a big military which would outnumber the Lost Tribe. As for Valin and Jysella still being barvy: I wouldn't be surprised if the authors pull a fast one on us and then next sentence we didn't read is about them coming to their senses. The authors have set us up like this before.

As for as Allana goes I think it's Barv knowing her secret that's the real danger here -- especially if the Barvy Jedi go barvy again. Which is really going to annoy me if that happens.

I'm dying to find out how Daala gets dumped as COS. I've been waiting for this, and I think Saba is exactly what the Jedi Order needs at this point in Luke's absence. Saba's practically a battle master and absolutely a warrior. Plus she's got that hunter instinct going. Plus Leia already helped Saba a lot in regards to Kenth. I really like Leia and Saba as a Jedi team.

While the GA certainly have a much larger military, I'm pretty sure they're still not in the loop about the Sith, and as such the Sith will have surprise on their side. However, Jag does know of the threat and will presumably have time to set up a defense, and that may mean the Jedi could hide in Imperial space for a while.

I don't know what instance you're referring to when you say 'the author have set us up like this before'. Could you remind me, please?
However, I do think this is for the long run this time. I'd also like to point out the Ramoan's behavior at the end of the book. Is he always that forgetful, or could it be he's going insane, too?

Oh, and I'm definitely with you about Daala and Saba!

K'Khruk joins the Order and becomes the temporary Jedi Grand Master!

I thought it was an excellent book and it's my favorite FotJ book since Outcast. I know a lot of people liked Allies, but I found Vortex much more compelling. Ok, here we go.

Plot: Looking at it from an unbiased standpoint, it did have a lot in common with Allies. Luke and Ben team up with the Sith to find Abeloth who ends up taking the form of one of Luke's ex-girlfriends. That's pretty weak to repeat themselves like that, but I found the book to be so well written that I didn't even notice it until a couple of days after I finished it. I found it to be compelling all the way though. And I don't actually mind the slaying of all the Bantam love interests. I have always wished that they'd die in a fire, so I'm quite pleased.

Luke and Ben: They are my official favorite characters of the series. They've finally figured out how to mature Luke without making him boring or all-powerful àla the Bantam days. I also think Ben is coming into his own as a character. I still don't love him that way I loved, say, Anakin Solo, but I can see him becoming a character I can love that way. Also, he had my favorite line of the book. "Don't worry, it's only a flesh wound. All right, a lot of flesh wounds," Loved it.

Vestara: I have never been and still am not a fan of Ben/Vestara. I'd prefer them to go another direction. But this doesn't mean that I don't like Vestara as a character or that I can't admit that they're playing out the relationship well. If they must do it, this is the right way.

Jaina and Jag: I am so relieved that they're relationship was sorta kinda resolved with a minimum of drama. I am not pleased with the complete shafting that Jaina has received lately. Do the authors not know what to do with her or something?

Han and Leia: To me, this was the best they've been written in quite some time. That is all.

Jedi Council/Kenth Hamner. Poor Kenth, At least by dying he actually contributed something to the plot. His death wasn't meaningless like other recent ones have been. *coughMaracoughIsoldercoughJacencough* I do have to say, though, that as needed as I think his death was, I was properly horrified that it's come to the Masters fighting to the death inside the Jedi Temple itself. Tsk tsk, everyone, how did it come to this kind of violence? And I don't even mind violence Ah well. Hopefully it will at least be the end of the Council bickering like younglings.

Allana and the Barabels: What. The. Heck?! This was the only part of the book I really didn't like. It was contrived and.....weird.

I think that's all I'll say for now. Still pondering a few other things.

Quote:

Allana and the Barabels: What. The. Heck?! This was the only part of the book I really didn't like. It was contrived and.....weird.

I totally agree with you there.