Jedi Apprentice #7: The Captive Temple By Jude Watson 44 years before ANH

This is the seventh book in an on-going series that shows us the "hows and wherefores" of the early years of the relationship between Obi-Wan Kenobi and Qui-Gon Jinn.

At the very end of Jedi Apprentice #6, The Uncertain Path, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi are finishing up their business on the newly peaceful planet of Melida/Daan, when they receive word that there has been an attempt made on Yoda's life, and that their presence is required immediately at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. So as book #7, The Captive Temple, begins, that is just where our intrepid Jedi are: Qui-Gon returned to Coruscant to lead the investigation into the attack (and continue his investigation, started in book #6, into the other thefts and vandalisms occurring with increased frequency at the Jedi Temple), and Obi-Wan returned to face the repercussions of his temporary defection from his Jedi training.

As the investigation broadens, the Jedi Temple becomes a hotbed of suspicions and tensions, and Obi-Wan's and Qui-Gon's already strained relationship is put to the test. What is behind this rash of dark-side intrusions into the heart of the light-side? Is mere thievery at work, or is something more sinister brewing?

MY WORDS OF WISDOM

The Captive Temple is just a lot of fun. It packs emotional heft and rip-roaring action all in one, slim volume. In The Captive Temple, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon both come to major realizations about their relationship, and both take baby-steps toward dealing with each other better. Qui-Gon, in fact is simply a marvelous creation. Whether or not George Lucas has thought through the nuances of Qui-Gon's character to this degree, author Jude Watson does a bang-up job of remaining consistent with what we know of Qui-Gon from "The Phantom Menace", while showing us, more and more with each Jedi Apprentice novel, a powerful Jedi Master who is, at the same time, a very flawed human being. And having one of these books set at the Jedi Temple is a good idea; while the story develops apace, we also get a bit of interesting Jedi-training background info… including some nifty rationale for why Jedi candidates must sever family connections at such a young age.

And for those who are thinking The Captive Temple is only Jedi navel-lint contemplation, think again! The finale of this book has one of the most exciting duel/action sequences of any novel… young-adult, or otherwise… in the EU. There is a honest-to-goodness, quick-cut, lightsaber duel set piece, and it is very well written.

At the risk of being accused of repetition… don't sell these Jedi Apprentice novels short. The vocabulary is narrower, true, and the plots are fairly simple and quickly resolved, but the character insight is simply wonderful, and the action and dialogue are not "kiddie-lit" at all. These books fill an important niche in the timeline, and are immensely enjoyable, t' boot.