Dark Nest I: The Joiner King

Dark Nest I: The Joiner King is the first novel of the Dark Nest Trilogy by Troy Denning. It was published by Del Rey on July 26, 2005. It takes place after the New Jedi Order novel The Unifying Force, which saw the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong. The short story Ylesia by Walter Jon Williams, previously only available in eBook format, is included as a special bonus in the paperback version of The Joiner King. Narration for the audio version was performed by Jonathan Davis.

Editions

 * ISBN 0345463048; July 26, 2005, Del Rey, 443-page paperback
 * ISBN 0739320343; July 26, 2005, Random House Audio, Abridged CD

Publisher's summary
After triumphing in Star Wars: The Unifying Force, the heroes of the New Jedi Order return in a dazzling new adventure!

''Luke Skywalker is worried: A handful of Jedi Knights, including his nephew and niece, Jaina and Jacen Solo, have disappeared into the Unknown Regions in response to a strange cry for help that only they could hear. Now the alien Chiss have angrily lodged a formal complaint, accusing the missing Jedi of meddling in a border dispute between the Chiss and an unidentified aggressor.''

''Luke has no choice but to head to the Unknown Regions for serious damage control. Han and Leia follow, intent on protecting their children from what could be grave danger. But none of them are prepared for what they find when they reach their destination.''

''A colony of mysterious aliens is expanding toward the edge of Chiss space. The leader of the alien nest is resolute. Adept in the Force, he is drawing old friends to his side, compelling them to join the colony and meld their Force-abilities with his, even if it leads to all-out war&hellip;''

Synopsis
Luke Skywalker is worried because a group of Jedi Knights, including his niece and nephew, Jaina and Jacen Solo, have disappeared into the Unknown Regions in response to a strange cry for help that only they could hear. The Chiss Ascendancy has angrily lodged complaint, accusing the missing Jedi of interfering in a border dispute between them and an unknown aggressor. Luke Skywalker has no choice but to head to the Unknown Regions along with Han Solo and his wife Leia in an attempt to stop the growing tensions before they spill out of control. But not one of them is prepared for what they discover when they reach their destination. They discover that a colony of mysterious aliens is expanding toward the edge of Chiss space. The leader of the alien nest is resolute and adept in the Force. He is drawing old friends to his camp, making them join the colony and combine their Force-abilities with his, even if it leads to war. Luke discovers a recording that R2-D2 had started 54 years ago which is of Anakin Skywalker and Padm&eacute; Amidala, in which Anakin says he had a dream that Padmé died from childbirth (a scene from Revenge of the Sith).

Dramatis personae

 * Alema Rar; Jedi Knight (female Twi'lek)
 * Ben Skywalker; child (male Human)
 * C-3PO; protocol droid
 * Cal Omas; Galactic Alliance Chief of State (male Human)
 * Cilghal; Jedi Master (female Mon Calamari)
 * Gorog; mastermind (Killik)
 * Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (male Human)
 * Jacen Solo; Jedi Knight (male Human)
 * Jae Juun; captain, XR808g (male Sullustan)
 * Jagged Fel; commander, Chiss task force (male Human)
 * Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (female Human)
 * Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Knight, copilot, Millennium Falcon (female Human)
 * Lowbacca; Jedi Knight (male Wookiee)
 * Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (male Human)
 * Mara Jade Skywalker; Jedi Master (female Human)
 * R2-D2: astromech droid
 * Raynar Thul; crash survivor; (male Human)
 * Saba Sebatyne; Jedi Master (female Barabel)
 * Tahiri Veila; Jedi Knight (female Human)
 * Tarfang; copilot, XR808g (male Ewok)
 * Tekli; Jedi Knight (female Chadra-Fan)
 * Tenel Ka; Queen Mother (female Human)
 * Tesar Sebatyne; Jedi Knight (male Barabel)
 * Welk; crash survivor (male Human)
 * Zekk; Jedi Knight (male Human)

Locations

 * Coruscant
 * Gyuel system
 * Qoribu
 * Kr
 * Hapes
 * Ossus
 * Yoggoy
 * Zonama Sekot

Behind the scenes

 * During chapter fifteen, Tahiri is described as having bare feet, despite the fact that she started wearing shoes after the integration of her two personalities, Tahiri Veila and Riina Kwaad, during the Yuuzhan Vong War. However, it is likely that Tahiri simply regressed into her original personality.


 * Early in the novel, as the Falcon enters a Killik colony, Han Solo muses over why he has to deal with bugs. This is probably an allusion to the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, in which the protagonist Indiana Jones (portrayed by Harrison Ford, who also plays Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy) makes a similar exclamation over snakes upon entering a snake-filled tomb.

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Dark Nest I: The Joiner King.