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Just finished the second installment of he the Coruscant Nights trilogy, Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows by Micheal Reaves, last night. And it was a fantastic read--better than the first book in the series, Jedi Twilight.

This book had that pulpy, noir style that I think most people were hoping for more of in the first book. It was a straight up murder mystery, with all the basic conventional ingredients of that particular genre--only it was set in the Star Wars Universe (I believe the first Star Wars murder mystery novel).

It also continued with and forwarded the adventures of post-Order 66 Jedi, Jax Pavan, along with other key plot lines from the first book at the same time. Very well crafted. Reaves knows his stuff.

And did I mention Vader? Reaves writes a particular good Vader.

There are, however, some pretty glaring continuity errors that contradicts Star Wars canon and contradicts continuity within the book itself. I usually don't comment on cannon continuity issues. I usually don't care. The Star Wars Expanded Universe has become so large and convoluted that continuity conflicts are inevitable. And I will trade good story for continuity any day. And this was a very good story.

I only bring up such issues now because they were so glaring, even possibly to casual Star Wars fans. And also to warn those who might read it. They are there--but don't let that get in your way of enjoying a fantastic story.

I am very much looking forward to the final book in the series, Patterns of the Force.

Other interesting tidbits, without spoiling things for others, include more interesting philosophical musings on the nature of the Force, questioning the servile role and sentience of droids, and a little unrequited romance. It's a sexy book in ways--but then again, that is another convention of the pulp murder mystery genre.

And just because it's worth mentioning again, Vader has a significant role. The scary, seemingly indestructible monster Vader that we had become accustomed to in the original trilogy.

Aurra Sing also plays an integral role in the book, as does Captain Typho (remember him?). And I have grown particular fond of the droid, I-5, and the Gray Paladin Jedi, Laranth Tarak. And of course It was hard not to like the new character, the crafty seductress, Deejah Duare (poor Laranth).

Below are links to discussion boards, both with spoilers and spoiler free, for those interested--as well as a link to a discussion board for the series as a whole (I even threw in the older Jedi Twilight discussion as well):

http://tinyurl.com/stymie-SWscholar-CN2

Updated October 16, 2009