Product Description

In the years since the events of "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace", the Republic has continued to crumble and, more and more, the Jedi are needed to help the galactic government maintain order. As "Star Wars: Episode II" opens, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have just returned from a mission on a world called Anison. Written by beloved "Star Wars" veteran Alan Dean Foster, and starring a new character from the Episode II, "The Approaching Storm" tells the story of that daring mission. The Republic is decaying, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was elected to save the galaxy from collapsing under the forces of discontent. On the tiny but strategic planet of Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the growing secessionist movement. The urban dwellers wish to expand into the prairies outside their cities - the ancestral territory of the fierce, independent Ansion nomads. If their demands are not met, they will secede an act that could jump start a chain reaction of withdrawl and rebellion by other worlds of the Republic. At the Chancellor's request, the Jedi Council sends two Jedi Knights, Obi Wan Kanobi and Luminara Unduli, to resolve the conflict and negotiate with the elusive nomads. Undaunted, Obi Wan and Lauminara, along with their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, set out across the wilderness. Many perils lie waiting to trap them. The Jedi will have to fulfil near impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies to complete their quest, stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the negotiations collapse and the mission fail.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #163989 in Books
• Published on: 2003-01-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 356 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
Alan Dean Foster is an old hand at media tie-in novels, and in Star Wars: The Approaching Storm he delivers the expected goods with his usual competence. Starring Obi-Wan Kenobi and the young Anakin Skywalker, the action takes place long after Episode I (The Phantom Menace) and just before Episode II.

The galactic Republic is in a bad way, suffocating in bureaucracy, and could topple altogether if one key planet--the unimportant-seeming Ansion--should secede. Only Jedi Knights can sort out the disaffection between this world's city-dwellers and nomads. Obi-Wan and the new, female knight Luminara Unduli take on the job, accompanied by their pupils Anakin and Barriss.

Naturally local bad guys, led by the singularly revolting Soergg the Hutt, plan to make them fail. Assassins, more assassins, kidnapping, treachery, political in-fighting, bombs, still more assassins... it's tough going even for Jedi.

Foster provides the usual spectacular set-piece battles of flashing light-sabres against armies of attackers--indeed, two full-scale armies at the climax. But the challenges of this mission also demand gentler uses of the Force: mental healing, performance art, winning unlikely friends among the strange, deadly native life of Ansion.

Amid the rousing adventures of our Jedi foursome and their allies, there are repeated bodings and foreshadowings about Anakin Skywalker's headstrong impatience, contrasting with Obi-Wan's near-perfect calm and control, almost as though Anakin might one day turn to the dark side of... but that would be telling.

The Approaching Storm is a slick and cheerful romp through another world of the Star Wars universe. Hardcore SW fans won't want to miss it.--David Langford

From the Publisher
A must-read for everyone who wishes to understand the events leading up to Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones!

About the Author
Alan Dean Foster has written in a variety of genres, including hard science fiction, fantasy, horror, detective, western, historical, and contemporary fiction. He is also the author of numerous non-fiction articles on film, science and scuba diving, as well as novel versions of several films including Star Wars and the first three Alien films. He and his wife, JoAnn Oxley, reside in Prescott, Arizona, in a house built of brick that was salvaged from a turn-of-the-century miners' brothel.

Customer Reviews

Not exactly what I was hoping for
Having thoroughly enjoyed the novel 'Shadows of the Empire' I was expecting a novel along similar lines, helping to blend the events of TPM into the much-anticipated Episode II.

The story begins several years after Episode I where we find a teenage Anakin Skywalker continuing in his Padawan training under the instruction of Obi Wan.
The seemingly insignificant planet Ansion is about to secede from the Republic due to pressure being applied from external malevolent forces. Due to a string of alliances which cascade out from Ansion, the secession could cause the downfall of the Republic.

Masters Kenobi and Unduli, along with their respective Padawans, are sent to Ansion by the Jedi Council to aid in creating a diplomatic accord between the city dwelling folk of Ansion and the Nomad race 'Alwari'. Their efforts are continually hampered by a group of characters from different factions (quietly overseen by a shady benefactor)who stand to benefit if Ansion continues with its intention to secede.

What follows is a brief insight into the relationship between Anakin and his Master and, to a lesser extent, his building arrogance and the acknowledgement of the power he is begining to posess.
The additional characters that the Jedi encounter on their quest are, at times, quite amusing. However, if Jar Jar Binks was annoying to you as he was to most, the character Tooqui will prove to be the final straw.
Although the skirmish scenes (you can not really call them battles in the traditional Star Wars sense) are well written and the plot interesting, it does not hold the readers interest as well as some of the more recent New Jedi Order novels.

Die hard fans of the saga will probably enjoy this and it does make a valuable addition to any Star Wars collection. However, as an interim novel, this does not compare to Shadows of the Empire.

entertaining story set in Star Wars universe
Early in "Attack of the Clones" there is a line stating that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker will be available to help protect Padme Amidala because they have just returned from a mission on Ansion? This seems to be just a throwaway line in the movie, a tiny bit of detail to provide coloring to the scene. In the larger Star Wars Universe, we now wonder what it was that Obi-Wan and Anakin were doing. What was this mission? "The Approaching Storm" is the story of this mission to Ansion.

Ansion is a small, unimportant planet. At least, that is how things appear to be on the surface. In reality, Ansion is a very important planet. It is tied with treaties and agreements to numerous other nearby planets and this makes the threats that Ansion might secede from the Republic to be very serious. If Ansion secedes, an entire star system will be pulled with it. To stop this secession, Chancellor Palpatine requests the Jedi Council send a couple of Jedi to Ansion to find a diplomatic solution to quietly find a way to keep Ansion in the Republic. The Jedi Council sends Obi-Wan Kenobi, Luminara Unduli, and their Padawan apprentices Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee.

"The Approaching Storm" is somewhat of an adventure story. It is well paced, has humor, some action and some politics. What I liked best about this novel was the characters of Luminara and Barriss. We got to see some of their perspective, but I would love to see a novel focus on these two characters. They provide a perfect counter balance to Anakin and Obi-Wan, and give a greater look at the variety of personalities in the Jedi Order.

Alan Dean Foster was the ghostwriter of the first Star Wars novelization, and he wrote the first Extended Universe novel "Splinter of the Mind's Eye". His latest Star Wars novel had a great feel to it, and it was so fast paced that I was able to easily finish it in two days. This isn't high literature, but it was certainly entertaining.

-Joe Sherry

By no means an epic.
THE STORY:
Ansion is on the verge of leaving the Republic. Jedi Masters Obi-Wan and Luminara, along with their Padawans Anakin and Barriss, are sent to pursuade the planet's government otherwise. Unfortunately, the Separatist movement has employed Soergg the Hutt to stop the Jedi.

WHAT'S GOOD:
The scene where the four Jedi are required to entertain a crowd is ingenious in the insight it gives into the characters; Luminara uses the Force to manipulate sand clouds into patterns, Barriss displays athletic skill, Obi-Wan tells a story and Anakin sings a song taught to him by his mother. The cameo by Count Dooku is good too.

WHAT'S BAD:
Most of the rest of the book, I'm afraid. It's dull and drags terribly. Plus, it has little bearing on Episode II, despite being advertised as the film's prequel. If you're looking for a book that has as much Star Wars webbing as say 'Cloak Of Deception', you'll be disappointed.

One for the die-hard fans (like myself) only.