I thought being able to change the color made sense because Jaden actually changed the structure of the crystal. I'm not a geologist so I don't know what would make a crystal give off different light, but the method Jaden used seemed sound.

I always thoungt it was the "impurities" what gaves a crystal its color. For example, corundum can be blue (sapphire), red (ruby), yellow, green (emerald, I think, but I'm not sure about this one), white, orange, etc. depending of what they have appart from the aluminuim oxide which is its base.

So, Jaden changing the crystal color doesn't make a lot of sense to me...

Eh, changing the color of an existing crystal sounds kind of weird. I remember when ROTS came out they said Anakin's lightsaber didn't change red because it wasn't a mood ring. I guess if he changed the molecular structure of the crystal that kind of makes sense, and given the whole crystal aspect of lightsabers kind of not making sense to begin with, I'm not really going to complain. Out of curiosity, did he change the molecular structure of the crystal using the Force or some technological means?

He used the Force, but apparently the crystals were made shoddy to begin with. A process that would normally take days or weeks took him significantly less time, because the crystal was so poorly designed. It made sense when I read it, but I couldn't quote from the book right now, it's not really a major scene.

I've always thought that lightsabre crystals were completely different, and so such a change wouldn't be possible in most crystals, just in a few, like these, and artificially made, and the KOTOR one I previously mentioned.

As for the lightsabre as a whole, the only problem I had with it is that the lack of the Force connection made even Marr's lightsabre wink out of existence. I had always thought that the power came from an energy cell in the casing, not the connection to the Force - otherwise, how could Han use it? That's the only thing that really jarred me. But almost everything else, I loved.

It was of particular interest to me that, in the first, he was essentially fighting himself - metaphorically speaking - and in this one he was literally fighting himself. That show scene at the end wasn't exactly significant in itself, but it was so very intriguing.

It's also funny that the first was billed as a standalone, yet was written, quite cheekily, in such a way as to almost demand a sequel be written. This was written in just a way, too, though slightly more subtle. I'm curious, since I feel that a sequel would be more than likely, where they would place it? Would it be a direct sequel, or several years down the line? I'm hoping for the latter, since it would seem likely that the One Sith would have far reaching plans.

As for the zombies, well, I've never really been bowled over by zombies. Have never found them scary - though ask me that after I've met a real zombie, and I'm sure I would change my mind - and I was okay with them being not a great threat. How could they be, when, if you so much as glanced in their direction, they crumpled into dust?

I felt the zombies was more of a nod than anything really important. It added a bit to the atmosphere.

As for the lightsaber stuff. Marr's blade winked out because the knives were made out of cortosis which is typically lightsaber resistant and can short lightsabers out. I always thought the shorting out aspect was probably an alchemical ability, but in Riptide it seemed to disrupt the flow of the Force in the crystal. Kemp clarified a little on Twitter that it's not the Force connection between user and crystal, but the connection of the crystal to the Force. This is something that is done during the construction of a lightsaber. At least that's Kemp's way of looking at it.

Seems like a sound idea to me. In this way, the Vong lambents have a unique connection to the Force that allows Anakin to see the Vong. That sort of innate connection between crstal and the Force works pretty well.

Not sure I like what I'm reading about lightsabers here but I'll withhold judgment until I read the novel. In general though I'm opposed toward attaching some sort of mystical requirement to wielding lightsabers when people like Han and General Grievous do so, and the use of the Force in their construction -- per the EU -- was limited toward the requirement of absolutely precise alignment of the focusing crystal. That didn't prevent non-Force users from creating their own lightsabers, however.

I can understand the idea of a user being attuned to a crystal during the alignment, hence allowing for Anakin to use the lambent to strengthen his connection to the Unifying Force aka "Vongsense," but I don't see how the crystal being connected to the Force is necessary for it to function in a lightsaber. Especially considering that lightsabers function fine within the effect of a Ysalamiri bubble. I'd also think that the lambent crystal's absence in the Living Force would go against this interpretation rather than support it.

I do agree that there are a lot of questions left unanswered in the book, but I had an inkling that there was going to be a sequel to this anyway, going in, so I wasn't overly disappointed that they weren't answered in this book.

So how do you all feel about the new Jaden? Do you think of him as the 'real' Jaden, since his essence was essentially deposited into the new body, or just a facsimile, since it is a new body?

I think as far as him being the same person, that he is indeed the same. What he was to begin with, I'm not sure. There was that line about Nyss using a command word that didn't work. Does that imply the One Sith thought Jaden was a clone of some sort? Or maybe a sleeper agent back from the Isard days?

And as for unanswered questions, I think there are good ways and bad ways. The way Riptide was done struck me as a good way. It got me thinking deeper about the book, about the subject matter. When everything is all neatly wrapped up with no lingering questions, it kills the story. But to each his own.

Quoting a Spanish philospher, I'm me and my circumstances. In that sense, since he remembers all his experiences, yes, he is still Jaden.

What really worry me is that part about Nyss using a key code to try to control Jaden, because he used a code to control the Iteration. Does it means Jaden was an iteration, too? If so, who is the "original" person? Soldier? Was he the control subject in the project, and being a "original" person, he didn't develope the clones' illness?