I’m not going to review every single Jedi Apprentice book, but I do recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s. I’m a sucker for backstories, so of course I was sucked in.
The series begins when Obi-Wan’s 13, the age at which most young Jedi have already been chosen to be a Padawan. Although the Jedi Apprentice series is for young readers (ages 9 – 12), Jude Watson well conveys young Obi-Wan’s insecurities: about whether or not he’ll become an apprentice; if Qui-Gon Jinn, who we all know chooses him, approves of him; if he’s doing well enough — emotions most teenagers feel, including teenage crushes(!), which is something all adults can relate to and makes this series worth reading.
This last volume ends with a 17-year-old Obi-Wan about to graduate from “Jedi high school” and to embark on his journey, still with Qui-Gon, to “Jedi college,” where he’ll go through his trials and if successful, become a Jedi Knight.
I haven’t read any of them yet, but I just wanted to mention that Cliff Nielsen did the cover art for the books, and I love his work.
I didn’t know who did the artwork, but it is really good. Too bad Jude Watson doesn’t write for the rest of the EU.
Anyhow, I collect SW books & comics, even the young readers’ books (well, the backstoryies, like Anakin’s and Boba Fett’s). It’s fun! However, the Jedi Apprentice series is no longer in print, and I was lucky to find them fairly cheap and in really good condition through Amazon. Of course, I’m sure you could check them out from the library.
Someone else who’s reading JA. Whoot! I haven’t looked at them for some time and I actually haven’t got all of them, but they’re definitely on my list
OMG — I am a complete SW nut! The only young readers SW books I’m not interested in are like, the book versions of the movies, especially since the comics and novel versions are so much better. Can’t wait to get to Jedi Quest!