The Cestus Deception (Star Wars: Clone Wars Novel)

This book, as one can learn from interviews online, went from initial draft to published form with few changes. Steven Barnes' writing style is alternately moving and somewhat confusing. There are a lot of good ideas in this book, and Barnes includes many well-vetted references to the E.U. ( such as the Battle of Galidraan from Open Seasons #3 ); on the other hand, there is sometimes a sense of things being omitted. The Jedi do not seem to utilize major Force effects; Barnes only gives lip service to Force kinesis on one page. In a way that's good; remember, in the experience of, say, the Diamala, Jedi that use as much power as, say, Luke always end up slipping to the dark side. Barnes' use of the Force is markedly different from the brute-force approach, focusing more on sensitivity to one's surroundings. I appreciated it more by my second reading of the novel. However, there are times where the characters do not seem as though they are being creative enough with their mastery of the Force. On the other hand, at this point in the chronology "our ability to use the Force has diminished".Also, the only weapons used by the clone troopers are blaster rifles and the occasional adhesive mine...but they're going up against droids. This brings me to my other major complaint about the novel. The early scene with the JK on Coruscant works for me. The problem is that it almost seems to have been written at a different time than the rest of the book, because it's inconsistent. When the JKs appear on Cestus, their energy-absorbing force fields seem to have been forgotten ( perhaps this could be explained by the issue of the Gabonna crystals, or perhaps the shielding made the JKs seem too much like droidekas from the editorial POV ).Instead, we are shown that their outer casings are impervious to blaster fire ( which is referred to as being BLUE at one point ); even so, a JK goes out of its way to avoid blaster fire for some reason, to help show off that the biodroids are Force-sensitive and therefore precognitive in combat like Jedi. Maybe it was trying to protect its extruded tentacles? It stands to reason that Cestus Cybernetics, having been a Baktoid foundry world, would be able to produce a heavily armored shell, but the JK droids are rather small.Since the droids are supposed to be the reason for the whole book, the inconsistency of their usage is disconcerting. However, in my opinion Barnes deserves credit for realizing that any droid would have to be Force-sensitive in order to even hold its own against Jedi. (Then we have the problem of Grievous...but that's another discussion.) Even in light of the above, this book is saved by its good points. The development of Jangotat's character and of his personal identity are paramount here. Barnes tacks some of the samurai philosophy onto Obi-Wan, which is fine considering the origins of the plot for Episode IV. At first, I was unimpressed by Asajj Ventress' role in this book, but without spoiling it, I appreciate what it led up to. I feel like there was actually a point to her being in the book. I like the fact that the lightwhip ( originally from the comic "Duel With a Dark Lady" ) was used here, although Barnes does refer to it as a "toy". Some effective moments in this book are almost staggering in their simplicity ( see "Warships rose. Towers fell." in italics ). Finally, I respect the author's decision to deliberately leave Anakin out of the story due to not yet knowing the full story of his fall to the dark side in Ep.III. That's fine with me.

Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kit Fisto are dispatched to the planet Cestus in an attempt to gain the planet's allegiance to the Republic. Their mission is urgent because the a new line of droids, commonly referred to as Jedi Killers because of their JK designation and lethal abilities, threatens to fall to the seperatists. Their instructions are to use diplomacy, but if that fails, they are to sabotage the production line.As support for their mission, the two Jedi bring along a small squad of clone troopers, including an ARC trooper designated A-98, also known as 'Nate' to his clone brothers. The clones' primary responsibility is to prepare a resistance movement on Cestus. However, when a smuggler that has a past with Jango Fett, the clones' source of DNA, shows up, Nate's world turns upside down...Overall, this is a good story. Obi-wan is featured, and that alone helps this 'Clone Wars' novel stand above many others. He and Kit get a light saber duel with the dark force user/assassin Asajj Ventress, which was pleasant to see.The best part of the novel though is getting inside the minds of the clone troopers. This story does an excellent job describing what it must have been like to be a clone during the war a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. 'Programmed' to follow orders and fight battles, many don't consider clones much better than droids. Unalbe to find solace in much of the galaxy, the troopers take comfort in their own comraderie and in the knowledge that although they may die in battle, the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) is bigger than them all and will fight on. Nate's interaction with Sheeka Tull is truly the best exploration of what it meant to be a clone.As for the negatives, there were some definite lulls in the action. The diplomacy was often murky and uninteresting. This novel also suffers from the same problem that 'Shatterpoint' did, it lacked the war. With 'A Clone Wars Novel' stamped on the front of the jacket, it'd be nice to see larger battles in some of these novels. Also, the major villains (Nute Gunray and the Trade Federation, Count Dooku, General Greivous, and Darth Sidious) are noticeably absent. Essentially, the novel takes elements out of the Clone Wars and talks about them.I would recommend this book primarily to Star Wars fans. I really enjoyed it. Seeing, or reading, Kit Fisto in action was a plus to the novel. I'd like to see more of him in other novels. This novel doesn't require much knowledge of the other novels in the Star Wars extended universe, although a few events from other sources are mentioned in a few places. Its a decent read, but there are other Star Wars novels that are better out there.Overall: 3.75 stars.

Another decent outing for a Clone Wars Era novel. The book follows Obi-wan and Kit Fisto as ambassadors to Ord Cestus which is producing Battle Droids. Kenobi takes the usual more diplomatic approach while Fisto takes another.Reads well and keeps you entertained and I do recommend it if are a fan of the Era.[NOTE] This would be a 4 Star book but finding a brand new hardcover on Amazon proper after all these years of course bumped it up a star. I have been trying to collect as many EU hardcovers as I can (close to 50 as I write) now that new Star Wars fails to capture what I love about Star Wars to begin with. So thank you, Amazon!

'The Confederacy is trying to get its hands on some very special battle druids, and the Republic is determined to stop them, so Obi-Wan Kenobi is sent to the planet Ord Cestus, manufacturer of the druids. His mission: diplomacy. But if diplomacy doesn't work, he will use any means a Jedi can to help keep these potentially super-dangerous weapons out of enemy hands, And diplomacy can't work. Someone is pulling the manufacturing planet's strings - someone with an agenda all his or her own, which can't allow for either side to win control. As Obi-Wan and Jedi Master Kit Fisto uncover the secret plans layer by layer, Obi-Wan learns just how much he can trust a clone warrior- and just how reprehensible war can be, especially in the face of true honour.'

This book is so elaborate with its plot that it could be made into a magnificent star wars film showing characters we've never seen in love action before and some we've only seen brief glimpses of. (I've always had a fascination with Kit Fisto).There is so many things going on in this story that by the end you feel emotionally exhausted and completely enraptured by the characters and plot.

With the star wars name and a fanbase which devours any material of can get its hands on, this could have been a half hearted affair. Instead Steven Barnes pours a lot of effort into this story, with a unique alien race and interesting space politics. It can be a bit convoluted at times but worth a read.

i just like reading them ,i have read these kind of books since i was a teenager.my grand mother just to by me these kind of books ,i never liked any other books