Alan Dean FosterStar Wars: The Approaching Storm

'The Approaching Storm' is Alan Dean Foster's contribution to the prequel era of novels. Like Greg Bear's 'Rogue Planet,' it takes place in the years between Episode One and Episode 2. Also like 'Rogue Planet' it suffers from being un-Star Wars like. By this, I mean that although the story takes place in the Star Wars universe and uses Star Wars characters, it just doesn't have the feel of a Star Wars novel.Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have been sent to Ansion to join another Jedi, named Luminar, and her Padawan, Barriss. Their mission is to negotiate a truce between the Unity Council that controls the city on Ansion and the Alwari, who are nomads that roam the plains. In doing so, they hope to keep Ansion from seceding from the Republic and taking countless other worlds with them in the Seperatist movement.Although I enjoyed Foster's descriptions of the Jedi characters, I felt this story lacked too many other Star Wars elements. Established races and vehicles were lacking. A few characters that were introduced to the public at large in Episode Two make an appearance in this novel, but not enough other 'friendly' faces are present.Overall, the novel has a style that is more akin to 'Allen Quartermain and the Lost City of Gold' than a Star Wars novel, as the Jedi roam the plains interacting with various Alwari tribes and taking on the dangerous life forms that inhabit Ansion. While the adventure was fun to read, it felt like was being accomplished.The worst aspect of the novel was the character Tooqui. Anyone who hated the Ewoks from 'Return of the Jedi' or Jar Jar Binks from the first two prequel movies is really going to despise this character. Although this character has a few heroic moments without complete bumbling, his mannerism and description is incredibly annoying.Despite all of this, this is still a decent novel. There are several good insights into Anakin and his impending turn to the Dark Side. The Jedi/Padawan relationship is fleshed out nicely between Anakin and Obi-Wan and Luminar and Barriss. It is a decent adventure story, it just lacked that special something that makes the Star Wars universe so unique and fun.

Alien-horse ridding through greenfields and vast prairies, on another planet. That was fun. The story is about two adult Jedi knights and two teenage Jedi apprendices, and their mission and journey on a planet Ansion. It is an adventure novel similar to 19 century novels, with explorers in foreign lands. The plot has the typical star-wars (SW) elements: negotiations, fighting (less than other SW books), and the good versus evil approach to everything (which make this book suitable to joung readers, more than adults). But unlike most SW books which deal with galaxy wars and politics, this one deals mostly with native people on a planet, their habits and (a more primitive) way of life, and conflicts among local tribes. To approach these people, the Jedi choose to travel ridding a kind of horses. That's a slow journey, so the reader has much time to see the landscape and life forms that live there, described with detail by the author. Their contact with the tribals is more personal, and this forces the Jedi to show a part of themselves not seen in other SW novels. One can watch a lightsaber dance, and Jedi as art performers. That was realy beautiful to see, the most beautiful scene i've read in a book in many years. I think someone can read this book, without detailed knowledge of SW universe. So it is a good adventure for sci-fi fans in general. Even persons who like to read traveling adventures, on Earth, might find that book interesting, as long they can stand the strange names and descriptions of alien animals. Personaly i enjoyed this book, and give it 5 stars as a book for young people (4 stars as book for adults).

Book takes a bit longer than other SW novels to move the story along. I think it's because it did not have the typical jumping back and forth between sub-plots. There is some of that, but I think by staying with a single sub-plot too long, it slows the read down significantly. I'm a fan of the SW universe of novels, and I really was looking forward to this book because of the story potential, given it was mentioned in Episode 2. Unfortunately, it came up a bit short. Still worth a read, just devote some time.

Foster, the writer of the first Star Wars books ever written rejoins the expanded universe with The Approaching Storm. Set on a backwater planet, The Approaching Storm is supposed to prepare the way for Episode II. It does to a certain extent although it downplays dark side of Anakins personality and relies on some predictable characters to move the story along. The setting was unique. In a universe filled with seedy space ports, seeing our Jedi ride herd animals and waltz over a savannah was a nice change of pace. The interation between the 4 Jedi was very well done. The original points of the story helped to make The Approaching Storm a very readable book. As for the bad, the villain is a hut of course with a tie in to Episode II villain Darth Tyrannus. The worst part of the story, is that Foster invents his own Gungan type characater in the person of Tooqui ( I know I spelled that wrong). This character generally causes mischief but by the end of the day, saves our heroes. He is not really needed. Overall, though I applud Foster's return to a galaxy far far away and hope that he consents to write another story for lucasbooks

So I've just finished reading this book, a good prequel towards Star Wars Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones, but in a way the book is just like Star Wars Episode 2 for the main point of the film, the Republic is losing star systems due to a vote to stay in the Republic or not, so in this book, the vote goes in two ways. This book takes place in 22 BBY and Anakin Skywalker is 19 years old and then you have Shu Mai's part who is a senator who is in head for the Commerce Guild, though she is yet to learn that Ansion is having a vote to stay in the Republic or not, along with four Jedi, Ob-Wan Kenobi. Who is now a Jedi Knight his Padawan Anakin Skywalker, Luminara Unduli a Jedi Master who has taken on her Padawan Barriss Offee, they have come to negotiate with the Ansionian's though much to their delight, they will not stay in the Republic if the Alwari agree, there are many clans but mostly Soergg the Hutt is on Ansion and has sent his one slave. Though Ogomoor thinks of the Hutt as his master and the only line of work that is the best to be done on Ansion, along the way the four Jedi will pick up allies and enemies, new creatures and situations that they have to get through together, one part has Luminara using the force to spin around in mid-air, Barriss shows her ability to strike with her lightsaber in many different ways. Obi-Wan uses his ability to use wise words and Anakin uses a song that his mother used to sing to him, a good book in one, who is being used and who is being deceived read through this and your reach towards Star Wars Episode 2: Attack Of The Clones which will be the next book that I will review, so I hope everyone enjoys this book.The only negatives are say is:Soergg the Hutt isn't in most parts as much as Ogomorr is, it's more different parts of Ogomorr than his Hutt masterLuminara Unduli speaks a lot more than any other characters in this book, so heads up to not expect much out of Obi-Wan and Anakin for once, though Anakin is still arrogant and recklessThere will be a secret part with Count Dooku in it, I just wish that there was more of Count Dooku than I hoped for when I read other reviews

This was a slog to read. I'm a prequel era fan and have read around 10 ish novels set in prequel/rise of the empire era, both from New Disney Canon and Legends/EU. This novel is by far the worst I read. I was hoping for some exploration of the relationship between Obi-wan and Anakin, but there was very little of that. We learn more about Barris Ofee and her relationship with and perception of Anakin. But as this book is Legends, the relationship between Anakin and Barris doesn't quite fit with the Clone Wars series, as there it seems like they first work together when Anakin is a Jedi knight and Barris a padawan, although I suppose Barris could have been several years behind in her Jedi training which would account for that. The whole book is about travelling across the planet Ansion to find some nomadic tribe to get them to sign a treaty with urban inhabitants of Ansion and get them all to vote against secession from the republic. So there are perhaps 2 or so chapters worth of prequel era politics and the build up to the Clone wars, while the rest is a slow paced lame 'road trip' adventure filler. The entire book was developed of the single sentence in episode 2 AotC that the only Jedi the order could spare to protect senator Amidala are Kenobi and Anakin as they are just returning from a border dispute on Ansion. In interesting error is that Luminara is in Palpatine's office during this scene in ep2, while in this book she's with Kenobi and Skywalker on Ansion.

Couldn't wait to finish it because I just could not follow it and just seemed to get more and more boring as you read it.

This book is simply well written and shows why anakin is anakin in episode 2 and so on. Its awesome to read and very accessible even when english isnt your mother language.

Veteran Expanded Universe writer Alan Dean Foster returns to Star Wars in this decent story based on events before Episode II. (The mission Mace Windu mentions in the film: "They have just returned from a board dispute on Ansion) Others have written far more in depth reviews as this book has been around for a long time, so I will just say that it was a very good read, slow to get into but flowing. And was happy to be able to purchase a brand new Hardcover copy to add to my EU collection, so thank you Amazon!If you are a Star Wars fan wanting to know more on Obi-wan and Anakin before we see them in Episode II this and Rouge Planet will be good reads for you!