Outcast (Star Wars novel)

Outcast
Author Aaron Allston
Country United States
Language English
Subject Star Wars
Genre Science fiction
Publisher Del Rey
Publication date
 March 24, 2009
Pages 256
ISBN 0345509064
Preceded by Millennium Falcon
Followed by Omen

Outcast is a novel by Aaron Allston that was released on March 24, 2009. It is the first novel in the Fate of the Jedi series and published as a hardcover.[1]

Synopsis

Following the events of the Legacy of the Force novels, Outcast picks up two years after the aforementioned series' finale, Invincible. Two young Jedi Knights, Seff Hellin and Valin Horn, fall victim to a Force psychosis that makes them believe that everyone they know is an imposter. The infection of this illness sparks the beginning of a growing schism between the New Jedi Order and the Galactic Alliance's concurrent Chief of State, Natasi Daala. Combined with this tension, Daala exiles the Jedi's Grand Master Luke Skywalker from Coruscant; she accuses him of failure to keep the late Jacen Solo from falling to the dark side of the Force, which resulted in him taking over the Galactic Alliance as the Sith Lord Darth Caedus during the Second Galactic Civil War. Luke makes a deal with Daala; during his ten-year exile from Coruscant and any other established Jedi base, he will set out on retracing the path of Jacen's spiritual sojourn, which took place after the Yuuzhan Vong War. On this quest, Luke will look into the Force sects that Jacen was taught under to see where his ultimate fall to the dark side began. With Luke is his son, Ben, who wants to go with his father on this quest so that he can at least seek closure regarding what Jacen did to him during the previous war. Jedi Master Kenth Hamner becomes acting Grand Master of the Order until Luke's return to Coruscant.

While the Skywalkers begin their search, Jaina Solo forms an underground organization called the Darkmeld, whose intentions are to save all Jedi targeted by the Galactic Alliance who have the Force psychosis. The first insane Jedi Knight they save from captivity is Seff Hellin.

On Kessel, Han and Leia Organa Solo are called there by their good friend, Lando Calrissian, who wants their help in discovering the source of the seismic disturbances that the planet is undergoing. Han and Leia take their granddaughter Allana and their droids C-3PO and R2-D2 on the journey. As the elder Solos travel in the underground caverns of Kessel, they encounter deadly energy beings that render technology useless at close range. Despite the dangers these beings pose, Han and Leia make it past them and find out that the source of Kessel's seismic disturbances are several machines that have just been activated thanks to the destruction of Centerpoint Station two years earlier during the Second Galactic Civil War. At the continued rate of the machines' ravaging effects on Kessel, they will destroy the planet within a week. So the Solos and Lando call in Rogue Squadron to help the Millennium Falcon in destroying each of the machines. The operation succeeds. However, prior to the operation's execution, Allana has sensed a strange and dark presence making contact with her through the Force, something that disturbs Allana and her grandparents.

The first stop on the Skywalkers' journey in retracing the path of Jacen's sojourn is the planet Dorin, home of the Baran Do Sages. There, the Skywalkers learn that the master of the Sages who administered the sect, Koro Ziil, when Jacen was here had died. After Luke easily masters what Jacen mastered during his stay with the Baran Do Sages, the Skywalkers soon uncover an underground cult led by Koro Ziil himself, who hasn't died but is leading this cult under the moniker of the Hidden One. The Hidden One and his followers' intentions are to pretend that they've died on the surface of Dorin, and then go underground so that they can preserve their teachings and traditions. This is in case the galaxy should ever undergo a Force sect purge that had brought down the previous Jedi Order thanks to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine enacting Order 66. Because they know the Hidden One's secrets, the Skywalkers are forced to join the cult, and Luke takes advantage of the situation by asking the Hidden One what Jacen's next destination in his sojourn was. The Hidden One tells the Skywalkers that it was somewhere within the Kathol Rift. They Skywalkers proceed to bring the Hidden One's plans down around his ears by pointing out to all of his followers how flawed his actions are. Among his faults; by keeping them all down in Dorin's underground caverns without learning anything new or broadening their horizons, they're limiting themselves in their potential and powers, and this ultimately weakens them as a result. Ben manages to prove that when he manages to defeat who was once a master of the Baran Do Sages in single hand-to-hand combat. Desperate, the Hidden One's attempts in aggressively asserting his position as leader of the cult fails when Luke defeats him in combat. Luke then gives the followers a choice between returning to the Baran Do Sages up top or continue to follow under the Hidden One's laws. The Skywalkers then take their leave for the Kathol Rift.

Characters

Reception

Outcast reached 3 on the New York Times bestseller list on April 12, 2009.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Del Rey Star Wars Books Continue Through 2013".
  2. ↑ "Best Sellers: Fiction: Sunday, April 12th 2009". New York Times. April 12, 2009. Retrieved April 1, 2015.
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