Taking place five years after the Dark Nest Crisis the latest series of books, Legacy of the Force, revolves around Jacen Solo’s vision of a dark future, his acceptance of the Sith philosophy, and his slow descent into the Dark Side of the Force.
The Jedi are united under Grand Mater Luke Skywalker’s leadership, but Luke himself is troubled by visions of a new Dark Lord who reminds him of his father Anakin Skywalker. Meanwhile the governments of many worlds, including Han Solo’s home planet of Corellia, are chaffing under control of the Galactic Alliance and diplomatic solutions seem to be failing. The situation creates a division in the Solo family as Jacen sides with Luke over Han and takes young Ben Skywalker on a mission to disable Centerpoint Station. All these events seem to have a common cause leading Jacen on a quest that results in the discovery of the Dark Jedi Lumiya who bring with her a revelation and history about the Sith and an offer for Jacen which will effect the lives of the entire galaxy for years to come.
Bloodlines by Karen Traviss
As the Galactic Alliance deals with terrorism and civil war, Jacen accepts a new prominent position as head of a new secret police force, taking along Ben as his protege, in his first step to bring order back to the galaxy. Both the Skywalkers and the Solos see their families slipping further and further apart, and Boba Fett has his own family issues to deal with which become entwined with the Solos after Jacen kills his daughter during an interrogation.
Tempest by Troy Denning
Han and Leia discover a plot by Corellia to overthrow Tenel Ka and make Hapes an ally against the Galactic Alliance. In attempting to prevent the assassination they become branded as traitors of the Alliance. Jacen’s power over the Dark Side grows stronger under Lumiya’s teachings and the threat against his former love and his secret daughter tears the rift of the Solo family open wide.
Exile by Aaron Allston
Due to their recent actions Han and Leia find themselves exiles to both Corellia and the Galactic Alliance. With each victory and crackdown against these new rebels Jacen Solo’s popularity grows. Luke’s uncertanties with Jacen lead to an even larger rift with his son, and he finally uncovers the truth of Lumiya’s prescence on Coruscant.
The evolution of Jacen’s character, the most contemplative Jedi character in the Expanded Universe, has been well handled and quite subtly pushed over many novels in the direction of the Sith philosophy. The series also makes a distinction between the true Sith philosophy and the actions of Emperor Palpatine. I only wish Lucas had handled Anakin Skywalker’s descent into the Dark Side in a similar manner. The series next novel Sacrifice is due out on the twenty-ninth of May.