Fate of the Jedi: Ascension - Book Review

“To imagine, even for a moment, that anything human could even conceive the vastness that is Abeloth, let alone trap me for your own tiny purposes. Now you shall die, and your world shall become mine. I shall be unto them Protector and Destructor both, and there is nothing that you or any of your little friends can do to stop me.”

To call Ascension action packed would be an understatement. Christie Golden’s third addition to the Fate of the Jedi series goes beyond my expectations for a Star Wars novel—full of complexity, shocking revelations, and unbelievable plot twists—Del Rey clearly selected the perfect writing team to pull off this series.

Golden has proven yet again that she is highly adept at writing and conveying the voice of dark side characters. Sith do not display their emotions in a nuanced fashion, yet Golden is able to show us an aspect of dark siders that goes beyond a lust for power. The ability to write characters such as Gavar and Vestara Khai—true Sith, who exhibit an element of vulnerability and humanity is one of the reasons we have seen Golden write conflicted dark side characters in both Legends and Canon Star Wars novels.

Ascension places significantly more focus and story time on the Lost Tribe of the Sith, at least what remains of it, than we have previously seen. Our story opens on Kesh with the imminent arrival of Abeloth. But the question remains—will the Sith bow to her awesome power and join her quest for galactic domination or will they attempt to capture Abeloth and use her power for their own advancement?

One of my favourite parts of this series has been the level of mystery that surrounds two of the central antagonists: Abeloth and the Lost Tribe. As the series progresses we are slowly fed tantalizing bits of information regarding both. However, the vast majority of our interaction with the Sith has been through Vestara on her journey with the Skywalkers. Given both her youth and the romantic tensions between her and Ben, we have not always gotten the full scope of the cunning and malicious nature that defines Sith. Golden allows us to see a greater extent of the emotions including rage and hatred that stem from using the dark side of the Force. The poisonous nature of the dark side reaches new heights as Vestara and Gavar must face each other—not as father and daughter, but as warring soldiers on the battlefield.

Politics are also at the forefront of Golden’s tale. Just when readers thought corruption and unscrupulous politics could not get any worse on Coruscant, new players join the pandemonium that is the Galactic Senate. Are these beings really who they claim to be? Or is Coruscant in for another round of duplicitous, deceitful, and sinister leadership? It seems like the title Chief of State is being tossed around more than a bouquet at a wedding these days. With the collapse of the secret alliance—forged between Moff Lecersen and senators Bramsin and Treen—one might think that some semblance of stability would return to the senate, but a nefarious group of political schemers are on the rise. It certainly seems as though any central government in the galaxy is fated for doom.

I have to salute Christie Golden for writing my absolute favourite scene in the Fate of the Jedi series. Ever since his first appearance in the New Jedi Order series, Jagged Fel has been one of my most admired characters. Fel has really come into his own in Fate of the Jedi—showcasing his political strengths and unwavering loyalty to duty. Jagged was raised by the Chiss afterall. The face-off between Fel and former Chief of State Natasi Dalla was long in the making and it did not disappoint. The scene was filled with incredible dialogue, suspense, and a brilliant plan of attack, almost worthy of Thrawn. Golden also manages to present her prose in such a way that the entirety of the battle was followed with ease, even for readers who might not be familiar with the language of aerial battles.

Through Ascension Golden has firmly established herself as one of the best writers of dark side characters. Her ability to explore the Sith beyond being creatures of pure evil brings another dimension to this complex and fascinating series. Ascension is without a doubt one of best written additions to the Legends timeline. I can only hope that the final installment: Apocalypse, can live up to its predecessor.