Outbound Flight

Outbound Flight

Book Details
Title Outbound Flight
Era Old Republic
Series Single
Type Novel
Hardback 02-Feb-06
Paperback 30-Jan-07
Author(s) Timothy Zahn
Avg. Rating
   

Synopsis
Before the start of the Clone Wars, the future Emperor was already maneuvering to destroy the Jedi. This is the tale of the doomed Outbound Flight Project, which began as a new hope for the galaxy...and ended in despair. A grand Jedi adventure by one of the most popular Star Wars authors. Before the Clone Wars began, a group of Jedi led by Master Jorus C'baoth lobbied the Republic Senate to fund a project to search for and contact intelligent life outside the known galaxy. Six Jedi Masters, 12 Jedi Knights, and 50,000 additional support personnel boarded an incredible starship and left on their adventure...only to disappear without a trace. This was the Jedi's first encounter with the aliens called the Chiss, and the New Republic's future archenemy, Thrawn. But until Luke Skywalker and his wife Mara headed out for the Unknown Regions in Survivor's Quest, the fate of the Outbound Flight Project remained an enigma. This is the story of those Jedi Masters and Knights, their heroic quest, and their mysterious end.
 

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What People Think
Could have been better - 15-Feb-07
Jedi Apprentice
In 1977, “The Clone Wars” were mentioned in one line by Luke Skywalker. Fans had to wait 25 years to find out what that was about. When the prequals were finally released, some of the older – possibly more nostalgic – fans were not impressed!

In 1991, “The Outbound Flight” was briefly mentioned by Admiral Thrawn in “Heir to the Empire”. Like the Clone Wars, fans had to wait 15 years to find out what this was about…

I have to say that I always find “fans” who criticize the prequels to be rather pathetic. Having said that, I can now almost understand their frustration. This book really didn’t do it for me. After so many years of anticipation (OK well I have only been reading these books since 2002 but still…) I really could have come up with something better.

The overall story was weak and rather flat and the main plot was almost unnoticeable when it came (I actually had to go back and re-read the page when outbound flight was attacked because I wasn’t sure whether or not it was happening).

I think Zahn made C’baoth just a little bit too arrogant and evil. It just didn’t feel right to me.

Other little things that niggle me are the speed at which Thrawn and Car’Das learned each other’s languages. I think it takes longer than a couple of weeks to become fluent in another tongue! Also the usual Zahn "coincidences" that appear in all his books (you know what I mean!).

It was nice seeing Ob-Wan and Anakin make an appearance and I did like the way that Zahn tied the story in with Rogue Planet as well.

Another good point is that it has made me want to go back and re-read Survivor’s Quest again just so that I can remember what the hell happened next (well 50 years later!) so it is good from that perspective!