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graff_fuller's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
One of the best things about this story, is the parallel storylines about attachments to others (in love). The first was with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri, when they were both young, and Anakin and Padme (likewise while they were young).
As we know, Obi-Wan listened to Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda, while Anakin HID his relationship to Padme...and it is what lead him towards the Dark Side and away from the Light.
The things that I didn't like about this story, was the artificial combining of these two stories. If they were going to show the parallels, then I feel they should've drawn more similarities or obvious differences and how their respective Masters either succeeded/failed in correcting them (in time).
I just feel that it was done without a true structure and moral...to actually make the teach "stick" or add a counterpoint in how one prevailed in the Light, and while the other FELL to the Dark Side PRIMARILY because of his unhealthy attachment to Padme (and listening to Palpatine that HE (and ONLY he) could save Padme...and Anakin believed his lies.
BUT, this book was/is written for the Middle Grade age group, and I feel that they pulled too many punches in this story.
So, it was ineffective in the ONE thing that should've been taught in this important story.
Ugh. But, it was good to experience another adventure with Obi-Wan and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn...which I always am grateful for.
As we know, Obi-Wan listened to Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda, while Anakin HID his relationship to Padme...and it is what lead him towards the Dark Side and away from the Light.
The things that I didn't like about this story, was the artificial combining of these two stories. If they were going to show the parallels, then I feel they should've drawn more similarities or obvious differences and how their respective Masters either succeeded/failed in correcting them (in time).
I just feel that it was done without a true structure and moral...to actually make the teach "stick" or add a counterpoint in how one prevailed in the Light, and while the other FELL to the Dark Side PRIMARILY because of his unhealthy attachment to Padme (and listening to Palpatine that HE (and ONLY he) could save Padme...and Anakin believed his lies.
BUT, this book was/is written for the Middle Grade age group, and I feel that they pulled too many punches in this story.
So, it was ineffective in the ONE thing that should've been taught in this important story.
Ugh. But, it was good to experience another adventure with Obi-Wan and his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn...which I always am grateful for.
jaredkwheeler's review against another edition
4.0
Star Wars Legends Project #102
Background: Secrets of the Jedi was written by [a:Jude Watson|11912|Jude Watson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1403530689p2/11912.jpg] and published in March 2005. Much like the similar [b:Legacy of the Jedi|791780|Legacy of the Jedi|Jude Watson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328867482s/791780.jpg|15400311] (my review), it ties in heavily with Watson's "Jedi Apprentice" and "Jedi Quest" series, but isn't part of either.
Secrets of the Jedi takes place across multiple times. Part One begins 39 years before the Battle of Yavin, a year after the last book in the "Jedi Apprentice" series. Part Two takes place in 22 BBY, shortly after the Battle of Geonosis . . . more or less. The book specifies "20 years later," which would be 19 BBY, but other factors within the story necessitate an earlier placement. This is the first of several points where the timeline gets a bit squirrely. The sequence of events in the Clone Wars materials wasn't always set out very carefully, so there are various minor conflicts and contradictions that leave the reader to choose how best to arrange the chronology for themselves. In any case, the protagonists of this book are Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Siri, Padme, and various other recurring Jedi characters (including Siri's master Adi Gallia).
Summary: A brilliant young boy, a tech savant, has intercepted a conversation between several bounty hunters plotting to assassinate a group of planetary leaders. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Siri, and Adi Gallia are dispatched to whisk him to safety so he can testify before the Senate, but the mission goes awry, forcing masters and apprentices apart and solidifying a forbidden bond between Obi-Wan and Siri. Many years later, the boy from that mission, now a successful businessman, comes to the Jedi with an offer that may mean victory over the Separatists. The mission reminds Obi-Wan and Siri of something they have tried very hard to forget, even as Obi-Wan's apprentice wrestles with the path he has followed in his relationship to Padme Amidala.
Review: Finally, a story that deals head-on with the issue that Watson (and several others) have danced around so many times: The nonsensical and ultimately disastrous "Jedi can't love" clause in the Jedi Code. Qui-Gon got a multi-book arc built around this, but it was never really dealt with in an external way, and there was really no fallout because of how it ended. That missing scene finally ends up here, in the context of Obi-Wan's somewhat unexpected detour down that road.
I say unexpected because, while it's not surprising that Obi-Wan and Siri had some feelings for each other, that's pretty much totally absent from everything Watson has written about their relationship later. And she tries to explain that, but I'm not really sure her explanation worked for me. It just feels like an obvious retcon. Also, while I appreciate how the relationship fits into the themes of the larger story she is telling and how she uses it to great dramatic effect and to highlight how different Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin are from one another, there were two things that I didn't care for: First, the situation felt conveniently crafted to throw Obi-Wan and Siri into eahc other's arms. She laid it on too thick.
Second, since Obi-Wan is the point-of-view character, we never get enough of Siri's side of it, how she is affected by all this, or that she gets to be active in choosing the fate of the relationship. She feels sidelined in a story that should be equally about her, and she's too good of a character for that. I never felt like Tahl existed just to be that foil for Qui-Gon, and I didn't feel that way about Siri until this book. It felt like she was just the obvious choice to fill that role, so she got molded to play the part, and I wasn't happy with how all of that went down. I kind of want to get into that more, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that.
Overall, this feels like a really good idea for a generation-hopping story that doesn't quite deliver because the groundwork wasn't laid effectively in other books. Also, ultimately, it comes down on the side of the Jedi Code, which is wrong, and that rings enough of a false note to be bothersome. Still, if you've followed the other Watson series, you particularly won't want to miss this one.
B+
Background: Secrets of the Jedi was written by [a:Jude Watson|11912|Jude Watson|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1403530689p2/11912.jpg] and published in March 2005. Much like the similar [b:Legacy of the Jedi|791780|Legacy of the Jedi|Jude Watson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328867482s/791780.jpg|15400311] (my review), it ties in heavily with Watson's "Jedi Apprentice" and "Jedi Quest" series, but isn't part of either.
Secrets of the Jedi takes place across multiple times. Part One begins 39 years before the Battle of Yavin, a year after the last book in the "Jedi Apprentice" series. Part Two takes place in 22 BBY, shortly after the Battle of Geonosis . . . more or less. The book specifies "20 years later," which would be 19 BBY, but other factors within the story necessitate an earlier placement. This is the first of several points where the timeline gets a bit squirrely. The sequence of events in the Clone Wars materials wasn't always set out very carefully, so there are various minor conflicts and contradictions that leave the reader to choose how best to arrange the chronology for themselves. In any case, the protagonists of this book are Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Siri, Padme, and various other recurring Jedi characters (including Siri's master Adi Gallia).
Summary: A brilliant young boy, a tech savant, has intercepted a conversation between several bounty hunters plotting to assassinate a group of planetary leaders. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Siri, and Adi Gallia are dispatched to whisk him to safety so he can testify before the Senate, but the mission goes awry, forcing masters and apprentices apart and solidifying a forbidden bond between Obi-Wan and Siri. Many years later, the boy from that mission, now a successful businessman, comes to the Jedi with an offer that may mean victory over the Separatists. The mission reminds Obi-Wan and Siri of something they have tried very hard to forget, even as Obi-Wan's apprentice wrestles with the path he has followed in his relationship to Padme Amidala.
Review: Finally, a story that deals head-on with the issue that Watson (and several others) have danced around so many times: The nonsensical and ultimately disastrous "Jedi can't love" clause in the Jedi Code. Qui-Gon got a multi-book arc built around this, but it was never really dealt with in an external way, and there was really no fallout because of how it ended. That missing scene finally ends up here, in the context of Obi-Wan's somewhat unexpected detour down that road.
I say unexpected because, while it's not surprising that Obi-Wan and Siri had some feelings for each other, that's pretty much totally absent from everything Watson has written about their relationship later. And she tries to explain that, but I'm not really sure her explanation worked for me. It just feels like an obvious retcon. Also, while I appreciate how the relationship fits into the themes of the larger story she is telling and how she uses it to great dramatic effect and to highlight how different Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Anakin are from one another, there were two things that I didn't care for: First, the situation felt conveniently crafted to throw Obi-Wan and Siri into eahc other's arms. She laid it on too thick.
Second, since Obi-Wan is the point-of-view character, we never get enough of Siri's side of it, how she is affected by all this, or that she gets to be active in choosing the fate of the relationship. She feels sidelined in a story that should be equally about her, and she's too good of a character for that. I never felt like Tahl existed just to be that foil for Qui-Gon, and I didn't feel that way about Siri until this book. It felt like she was just the obvious choice to fill that role, so she got molded to play the part, and I wasn't happy with how all of that went down. I kind of want to get into that more, but I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll leave it at that.
Overall, this feels like a really good idea for a generation-hopping story that doesn't quite deliver because the groundwork wasn't laid effectively in other books. Also, ultimately, it comes down on the side of the Jedi Code, which is wrong, and that rings enough of a false note to be bothersome. Still, if you've followed the other Watson series, you particularly won't want to miss this one.
B+
hstapp's review against another edition
3.0
First off I would like to say that this cover is awful. If they wanted to do photos they should have either left Siri off, or hired a model.
The book itself was pretty good. We don't get to spend much time with Qui-Gon and his lost love, but I really enjoyed the story of Siri and Obi-Wan, as well as the plot that brings them together. Overall I think a well written and well constructed novel.
The book itself was pretty good. We don't get to spend much time with Qui-Gon and his lost love, but I really enjoyed the story of Siri and Obi-Wan, as well as the plot that brings them together. Overall I think a well written and well constructed novel.
rachel_abby_reads's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't realize this was a juvenile novel when I put it on hold at the library.
This story spans two generations of padawans, with Qui-Gon and Obi-wan in the first generation, and Obi-wan and Anakin in the second. The secret referred to is that although possession and atttachment are forbidden to a Jedi, it doesn't follow that they don't fall in love. Qui-Gon did, although the story is only referred to in the past tense, and apparently he and the Jedi woman he loved had made a pledge to one another. It was voided when she died, but the pain of it stayed with Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon and Obi-wan are sent on a mission with another Master and Padawan; the padawan is Siri, whom Obi has known since his youngling days. Over the course of their adventure, the two padawans fall in love, and decide (initially) that they are going to be together, and the Jedi can just make way for them. When the mission is completed, Qui-Gon and Yoda both advise Obi-Wan that he must choose: a life with the woman that he loves, or the Jedi. The Jedi will not bend, says Qui-Gon "Not unless the whole galaxy changes, the whole Order changes, not unless an upheaval happens that changes everything." Yoda tells Obi that losing the love will hurt, but losing the Jedi would shatter them both. Obi and Siri resolve never to refer to their feelings again, by look or by word.
Twenty years later, that mission from the past enters chapter two. The person they rescued needs help from the Jedi and a Republic senator, and the romantic attachment is the marriage between Anakin and Padme. Events happen, Obi and Siri recognize that that not having the relationship that they wanted in youth has had an effect on them, but that the Force helped them to deal with the loss. They decide it is better to be best friends than to allow the pain of not being together to maintain a barrier. Siri dies, and Anaking gets the idea that maybe Obi loved her. Obi's Jedi way of handling her death convinces him that either he was wrong or that Obi just doesn't feel as deeply as he does.
Padme says, "We chose this life, but it's so hard to live it. . .the secrecy is tearing me apart. I'm always afraid I'll betray us with a look or a word. . .Did we do the right thing? Not in loving each other, we couldn't help that, but in marrying? I've put a wedge between you and the Jedi. . .[Y]our first loyalty is to me. that makes your path confused. I know enough about the Jedi to know how wrong that is."
Even though it was a juvenile novel, it handled some of these difficult concepts extremely well, and I can see you resourceful parents could use them in a discussion about choices and consequences with their children.
I notice, as I read the review, that falling in love with a male Jedi is almost as fatal as sleeping with James Bond.
This story spans two generations of padawans, with Qui-Gon and Obi-wan in the first generation, and Obi-wan and Anakin in the second. The secret referred to is that although possession and atttachment are forbidden to a Jedi, it doesn't follow that they don't fall in love. Qui-Gon did, although the story is only referred to in the past tense, and apparently he and the Jedi woman he loved had made a pledge to one another. It was voided when she died, but the pain of it stayed with Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon and Obi-wan are sent on a mission with another Master and Padawan; the padawan is Siri, whom Obi has known since his youngling days. Over the course of their adventure, the two padawans fall in love, and decide (initially) that they are going to be together, and the Jedi can just make way for them. When the mission is completed, Qui-Gon and Yoda both advise Obi-Wan that he must choose: a life with the woman that he loves, or the Jedi. The Jedi will not bend, says Qui-Gon "Not unless the whole galaxy changes, the whole Order changes, not unless an upheaval happens that changes everything." Yoda tells Obi that losing the love will hurt, but losing the Jedi would shatter them both. Obi and Siri resolve never to refer to their feelings again, by look or by word.
Twenty years later, that mission from the past enters chapter two. The person they rescued needs help from the Jedi and a Republic senator, and the romantic attachment is the marriage between Anakin and Padme. Events happen, Obi and Siri recognize that that not having the relationship that they wanted in youth has had an effect on them, but that the Force helped them to deal with the loss. They decide it is better to be best friends than to allow the pain of not being together to maintain a barrier. Siri dies, and Anaking gets the idea that maybe Obi loved her. Obi's Jedi way of handling her death convinces him that either he was wrong or that Obi just doesn't feel as deeply as he does.
Padme says, "We chose this life, but it's so hard to live it. . .the secrecy is tearing me apart. I'm always afraid I'll betray us with a look or a word. . .Did we do the right thing? Not in loving each other, we couldn't help that, but in marrying? I've put a wedge between you and the Jedi. . .[Y]our first loyalty is to me. that makes your path confused. I know enough about the Jedi to know how wrong that is."
Even though it was a juvenile novel, it handled some of these difficult concepts extremely well, and I can see you resourceful parents could use them in a discussion about choices and consequences with their children.
I notice, as I read the review, that falling in love with a male Jedi is almost as fatal as sleeping with James Bond.
ifthebook's review against another edition
5.0
The ways in which this changed my perceptions of Obi-Wan as a character are hard to put into words. Looking at the saga after reading this, though, he's a completely different person. And I like that person, a lot. Plus, I really liked the juxtaposition of the Anakin/Padme relationship to the Obi-Wan/Siri relationship.
verkisto's review against another edition
2.0
Watson returns to the setting of her Jedi Apprentice series to give us one more adventure involving Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, before flipping the adventure to involve Obi-Wan and Anakin. It's very much like what she did with the "Special Edition" books from that series, and I guess the reason she didn't include it as part of that series is because it focuses on events after Episode II, and the Jedi Quest books take place before then.
By the time our story begins, Obi-Wan is eighteen, nearly a Jedi Knight himself, when he and Qui-Gon are sent to protect a young boy from bounty hunters after he intercepts plans of an assassination. Another Master and her Padawan, Siri, accompany them, and while on the mission, Obi-Wan and Siri are cut off from their Masters. They realize their love for each other during that time, but of course, Jedi are discouraged from forming attachments. Qui-Gon's brief relationship with Tahl resurfaces, but doesn't make a difference in how Obi-Wan's relationship plays out.
Ten years later, when Obi-Wan and Anakin are generals in the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan and Siri are both Masters themselves, and thrust into another mission that ties in with the original one. Running parallel to this storyline, where the two of them are forced to revisit their feelings for one another, is that of Anakin and Padmé, who have already married.
The story is nothing special, save for people who have already read the Jedi Apprentice series. Siri made an appearance in that series, so we get to see her in a different light after she's matured. Otherwise it's a standard chase-and-evade story that's so common in the Star Wars universe, only broken down to highlight the two different eras. Obi-Wan and Siri are the only two characters who get developed, but to be fair, the overarching story for the book is that of their relationship.
The book feels like an addendum that didn't need to be written. It's true that my favorite EU books have been those that narrow the focus of the conflicts to personal relationships over galactic politics, but here it was hard to care too much for it. It might be better suited for younger readers, but as an adult reader, I was disappointed.
By the time our story begins, Obi-Wan is eighteen, nearly a Jedi Knight himself, when he and Qui-Gon are sent to protect a young boy from bounty hunters after he intercepts plans of an assassination. Another Master and her Padawan, Siri, accompany them, and while on the mission, Obi-Wan and Siri are cut off from their Masters. They realize their love for each other during that time, but of course, Jedi are discouraged from forming attachments. Qui-Gon's brief relationship with Tahl resurfaces, but doesn't make a difference in how Obi-Wan's relationship plays out.
Ten years later, when Obi-Wan and Anakin are generals in the Clone Wars, Obi-Wan and Siri are both Masters themselves, and thrust into another mission that ties in with the original one. Running parallel to this storyline, where the two of them are forced to revisit their feelings for one another, is that of Anakin and Padmé, who have already married.
The story is nothing special, save for people who have already read the Jedi Apprentice series. Siri made an appearance in that series, so we get to see her in a different light after she's matured. Otherwise it's a standard chase-and-evade story that's so common in the Star Wars universe, only broken down to highlight the two different eras. Obi-Wan and Siri are the only two characters who get developed, but to be fair, the overarching story for the book is that of their relationship.
The book feels like an addendum that didn't need to be written. It's true that my favorite EU books have been those that narrow the focus of the conflicts to personal relationships over galactic politics, but here it was hard to care too much for it. It might be better suited for younger readers, but as an adult reader, I was disappointed.
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