History Literature / LukeSkywalkerAndTheShadowsOfMindor

* TakeThat: The book appears to take a rather amusing shot at the particularly gratuitous levels of HoldYourHippogriffs/ PardonMyKlingon in the early decades of the [[Franchise/StarWarsLegends EU]]
--> [Han had] preset the final leg in the ''Falcon'''s navicomputer, so they had been in and out of the jump point before those astonished Imps could so much as shout "Emperor's black bones!" or whatever stupid pretend curse they liked to shout when they got caught with their armored pants around their armored ankles.

* AsteroidThicket: Mindor is surrounded by one, and it's justified for once. The Empire was developing yet another of its myriad superweapons on the next planet out, which for once came to an end besides the Rebels blowing it up - it malfunctioned to the tune of an EarthShatteringKaboom. Some of the debris which fell sunward was caught in Mindor's orbit, resulting in a thicket that should last a century or two.

* CallForward: On the very last page of the book, Luke asserts that he [[spoiler:doesn't like abrasive redheads. He eventually marries the very abrasive, very redheaded Mara Jade.]]

* DramaticIrony: In the opening scene, Hobbie daydreams about the beautiful actress Wynssa Starflare. Wedge probably wouldn't be pleased, seeing as unknown to Hobbie, that's actually his sister.

* EldritchLocation: The mental realm in which [[spoiler:Leia is a supermassive star tide-locked in Cronal's black hole, so Luke [[MindRape forces Cronal to]] [[IncrediblyLamePun see the light]].]] It's mentioned that it's not at all like what Luke sees it all - he changes his perceptions so that it can make more sense.

* ForegoneConclusion: Because other EU materials had already summarized the events of the novel, it was well-known going in what was going to happen- Luke would defeat Shadowspawn, but become saddened and disgusted by the rampant loss of life and resign from the military to devote himself fully to being a Jedi. [[spoiler: Cronal's survival was established beforehand as well]].
* GambitRoulette: [[spoiler: Blackhole]] has a ''very'' elaborate one built up around Luke- basically, he's lured Luke to Mindor, [[spoiler: and created the over-the-top Shadowspawn as a fitting nemesis for him to kill, with the idea that he will do so, but be captured by Blackhole's men. Blackhole will then transfer his consciousness into Luke's body and return to the Rebellion as its greatest hero, from where he will be in a position to seize control of the galaxy with no one the wiser]]. And of all things, the only reason it failed was because [[spoiler:Blackhole couldn't resist giving his most visible pawn a PunnyName]].
* GenderBender: [[spoiler: After failing to pull a GrandTheftMe on Luke Blackhole attempts to take over Leia's body instead. Despite being definitely male Blackhole doesn't seem to have any issues becoming a "young and lovely girl" and even regards her as better potential 'host' than Luke.]]

* MeaningfulName: Shadowspawn - [[spoiler:literally "Shadow's ''pawn''."]]

* PunnyName: "Lord Shadowspawn" ''can'' mean ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin, but it can also be read as [[spoiler: "Lord Shadow's Pawn"- which is what he really is]]. This actually becomes a plot point; [[spoiler:if Luke hadn't figured out the pun in the middle of his duel with "Shadowspawn", Cronal probably would've achieved his goal]].

* ShownTheirWork: Stover has read other books in the EU - even primarily EU-based characters act like they should. [[Literature/XWingSeries Wedge]] makes complex decisions after a second's thought and will cheerfully defy orders to do what's right; Tycho is more solemn and follows his lead. [[ComicBook/StarWarsMarvel1977 Fenn Shysa]] is an idealist and doesn't have the standard degree of Mandalorian arrogance. The other Mandalorians all believe themselves to be the bees' knees, but other characters find this annoying rather than agreeing with them.

--> This cold, though [unlike nearly freezing to death on Hoth], froze him without the comfort of numbness. Tiny razor-edged crystals of ice - colder than ice, so cold they burned, cold as liquid air - grew inward from his skin at every pore, becoming hairlines of freeze that crept along his nerves.

--> And in their place was left ''nothing''. Not even absence. Only him.
--> Floating. Empty of everything. Without thought, without sensation. Forever.
--> Almost.

---> He'd (Han) preset the final leg in the ''Falcon'''s navicomputer, so they had been in and out of the jump point before those astonished Imps could so much as shout "Emperor's black bones!" or whatever stupid pretend curse they liked to shout when they got caught with their armored pants around their armored ankles.

* {{Foil}}: There are frequent, mostly understated call backs to Stover's novelization of ''Revenge of the Sith'' that create a very dramatic contrast between Luke and his father. Early in his book Anakin told himself that he was TheHero and would save people, that's what he was ''for''. Luke doesn't think that at all, but he just ''is'' what Anakin wished he could be. The intrusive thought about stars going out, a metaphor for the inevitability of death, hurts Luke but doesn't consume him as it did Anakin. A sleep-deprived Anakin becomes increasingly paranoid and resents even his friends on some level. Battered and in terrible condition, Luke doesn't struggle with anger but with ''despair'' and never loses his ability to reach out to people.

** The Mandalorian arrogance, as mentioned above, is a bit of a TakeThat to Traviss' fangirling

''[[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Luke_Skywalker_and_the_Shadows_of_Mindor Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor]]'' is a ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' novel by Creator/MattStover.

Has much in common with two of Stover's previous works in this setting, with multiple characters from ''{{Literature/Shatterpoint}}'' appearing and various themes from it and the ''Literature/RevengeOfTheSith'' {{novelization}} recurring.

* BitingTheHandHumor: When we first see Han and Leia, they're in the middle of negotiations with Mandolorians, whom Han snarkily thinks of as thinking they're better than everyone else, ever. The book is dedicated, in part, to Mando fangirl Karen Traviss.

%%* FieldPromotion: Clone Wars veteran Klick receives one from Emperor Skywalker. ItMakesSenseInContext.
%%* FieryRedhead: Aeona. They're not Luke's type, apparently.

%%* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Mandalorians

* FieldPromotion: Clone Wars veteran Klick receives one from Emperor Skywalker. ItMakesSenseInContext.
* FieryRedhead: Aeona. They're not Luke's type, apparently.

** To give you an idea, ''Luke Skywalker and the Jedi's Revenge'' is about a ''StarWars'' where [[DracoInLeatherPants Palpatine is actually good but Vader steers him wrong]], Anakin and Vader really ''are'' separate people, Anakin as Palpatine's loyal knight and Vader as his [[SixthRangerTraitor traitorous knight]]. Vader [[EvilPlan convinced the Jedi Council to assassinate Palpatine, and then executed Order 66 himself]]. Anakin rescued Palpatine, and then [[HeroicSacrifice died trying to save the Jedi younglings]]. Anakin did, however, have a son that even ''he'' didn't know of: Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader tried to convince Luke Skywalker [[WeCanRuleTogether to join him in overthrowing Palpatine]], but Luke refused. Palpatine was convinced by this that the son of his most loyal general would be the ideal Emperor, further confirmed when Luke went out of his way to rescue Han Solo, and when Vader captured Luke, Palpatine offered him the chance to be the new Emperor. Before Luke could [[JumpedAtTheCall agree to be Emperor]], Vader attacked Palpatine, but Luke [[HeroicBSOD was still trying to process all that had transpired]]. With Palpatine dead, Luke eventually snapped out of it to kill Vader. But, since he couldn't save his benefactor, he felt himself only worthy of living among Rebels and pirates.

* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: The Mandalorians