The New Jedi Order: Balance Point

Balance Point, part of the New Jedi Order series, is a novel written by Kathy Tyers, It was published by Del Rey on October 31, 2000. Narration for the audio version was performed by Michael Cumpsty.

American

 * ISBN 0345428579; October 31, 2000, Del Rey, 333-page hardcover
 * ISBN 0375416242; October 31, 2000, Random House Audio, 2 cassettes (3 hrs.)
 * ISBN 0345428587; July 3, 2001, Del Rey, 384-page paperback

Foreign

 * ISBN 009941029X; August 3, 2001, Arrow Publishing, 384-page UK paperback
 * ISBN 0712684964; 2000, Century, 333-Page AU hardcover

Back cover
In the aftermath of one tragedy, will a young Jedi's search for redemption lead to yet another?

Inside flap
''There is no place to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong but the overcrowded planet Duro, poisoned by centuries of technological excess. Fortunately a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health, under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo.''

''While tempers flare between the Duros and the New Republic, Han Solo, his son, Jacen and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro…and that Luke, Mara and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.''

''Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy destiny toward the light or toward darkness&mdash;with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance…''

Plot Summary
Taking place directly after Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, Jaina Solo, who was on a mission with Rogue Squadron in a battle against the Yuuzhan Vong, goes EV and her vision is slightly impaired temporarily. Therefore, she is sent to the refugee planet of Duro to meet up with her family, consisiting of her father, Han, and her oldest brother, Jacen, along with the resident Hutt, Randa Besadii Diori, who was a survivor from Fondor, and Jaina is to have a vacation from Rogue Squadron. While residing on Coruscant, Anakin Solo is still in guilt after his responsibility in the destruction of the Hapan Fleet at the Battle of Fondor in the previous novel, and Jacen believes that by using the Force any further, he will ultimately tip the galaxy to the Yuuzhan Vong's favor; so he vows to suppress his Force abilities for the rest of his life. Meanwhile, it is revealed that thanks to the healing tears by Vergere and regular relations with her husband, Luke, Mara Jade Skywalker realizes that she is pregnant. After a capture of a Vong agent on Coruscant by Mara and Anakin, which ended with the agent killing herself, the two go to Duro to help with the refugee situation, and even Leia Organa Solo is involved. Eventually, Luke also comes along, and things become rough for Randa, who is believed to be a spy for the Vong among the residents at Duro. Later, Mara and Jaina figure out that a New Republic scientist is actually Executor Nom Anor of the Yuuzhan Vong, who survived the events of Vector Prime. In the end, the Vong immediately come in and attack Duro. During the battle, though, Leia is captured and meets up with the Vong's leader, Warmaster Tsavong Lah. Before she is executed, however, Jacen breaks his eternal vow of never using the Force anymore and saves his mother from the warmaster. Jacen and Tsavong Lah fight, and Jacen defeats him by using a Force wind to knock the Vong out of a window. When the battle comes to its conclusion, the Vong win again, as usual, and the New Republic saves what refugees it could, including Luke, Han, Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and the Solo kids. The remaining survivors are captured and killed by the Vong, and it is revealed Tsavong Lah survived his fall but permanently broke his foot, thus replacing it with a living prosthetic. After the Vong find a way to broadcast their living technology to all New Republic tech, Tsavong Lah announces throughout the galaxy that if they surrender all the Jedi, or kill them, especially bringing Jacen Solo, the one who crippled him, alive, the galaxy will be free from the Vong invasion and they will not attack Coruscant.

Audiobook
The epic, multi-part, New York Times bestselling Star Wars series, The New Jedi Order, continues with this second original hardcover adventure!

Vector Prime, the launch book of The New Jedi Order, was a New York Times hardcover bestseller for four weeks, with nearly 200,000 copies in print and 25,000 copies in audio.

''Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo work to help refugees flooding in to the planet Duro from the Rim worlds. However the dreaded Yuuzhan Vong have chosen Duro as their next target. Jacen Solo, working at his father's side, finds himself on the horns of a dilemma: how to reconcile using the Force as a tool for good, yet still fight the evil invaders. He must make the right choice, for the future of his family—and possibly of the New Republic itself—hangs in the balance…''

Paperback
In the aftermath of one tragedy, will a young Jedi's search for redemption lead to yet another?

''There is no place to channel the flood of refugees fleeing the murderous Yuuzhan Vong but the overcrowded planet Duro, poisoned by centuries of technological excess. Fortunately a deal is struck: In exchange for a new home, the refugees will work to restore the planet to health, under the watchful eye of Leia Organa Solo.''

''While tempers flare between the Duros and the New Republic, Han Solo, his son, Jacen and the Ryn called Droma arrive to keep the peace. They are unaware that Leia is on Duro…and that Luke, Mara and Anakin are on their way, searching for a missing Jedi apprentice. And none realize that the Yuuzhan Vong have chosen this embattled planet as the next target in their brutal coreward thrust.''

''Now, as the fragile stability on Duro threatens to collapse into violence, Jacen Solo must face his greatest dilemma: At what point does the use of power become aggression? Whatever he decides, his next step could tip the galaxy's destiny toward the light or toward darkness&mdash;with the life of someone he loves hanging in the balance…''

Dramatis personae

 * Nom Anor; executor (male Yuuzhan Vong)
 * C-3PO; protocol droid (masculine programming)
 * Randa Besadii Diori; refugee (male Hutt)
 * Droma; spacer (male Ryn)
 * Tsavong Lah; warmaster (male Yuuzhan Vong)
 * Mezza; refugee (female Ryn)
 * R2-D2; astromech droid (masculine programming)
 * Romany; refugee (male Ryn)
 * Viqi Shesh; senator (female Human)
 * Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (male Human)
 * Mara Jade Skywalker; Jedi Master (female Human)
 * Anakin Solo; Jedi apprentice (male Human)
 * Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (male Human)
 * Jacen Solo; Jedi apprentice (male Human)
 * Jaina Solo; Jedi apprentice (female Human)
 * Leia Organa Solo; ambassador, New Republic (female Human)
 * Darez Wuht; admiral (male Duros)

Other characters

 * Bad-eye
 * Basbakhan
 * Brand
 * Ducilla Brarun
 * Durgard Brarun
 * Camarata
 * Cawa
 * Cilghal
 * Clarani
 * Gavin Darklighter
 * Borga Besadii Diori
 * Chelch Dravvad
 * Joi Eicroth
 * Borsk Fey'lya
 * Fiver
 * Gnosos
 * Kenth Hamner
 * Harthis
 * Belindi Kalenda
 * Aj Koenes
 * Sidris Kolb
 * Ulaha Kore
 * Glie'oleg Kru
 * Lenya
 * Tresina Lobi
 * Mabettye
 * Navik
 * Ayddar Nylykerka
 * Abbela Oldsong
 * Olmahk
 * Cal Omas
 * Piani
 * Plee
 * Pwoe
 * Fyor Rodan
 * R'vanna
 * Hallis Saper
 * Seef
 * Sgauru
 * Anakin Skywalker
 * Ben Skywalker
 * Slump-shoulder
 * Sien Sovv
 * Sparky
 * Tekli
 * Triebakk
 * Tu-Scart
 * Vaecta
 * Alinn Varth
 * Williwalt

Droid models

 * ERD-LL

Locations

 * Coruscant
 * Duro
 * Hosk Station
 * Kalarba
 * Rodia

Organizations and titles

 * New Jedi Order
 * Jedi Master
 * Jedi Knight
 * Radical party

Vehicles and vessels

 * NM-KO 28

Weapons and technology

 * Grav-press bandage cuff
 * Stokhli spray stick

Miscellanea

 * Phraig
 * Soypro
 * Spiro grass

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Balance Point.