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"After
the ending of The Deadly Hunter, I
anticipated much from The Evil Experiment. Some of it I
received, and some I didn’t. The book sees two parallel sets of
experiences, as often happens when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are
separated. It is the Qui-Gon half that is the most interesting in
this particular offering. His treatment at the hands of the
scientist is unpleasant, and the scientist herself is developed into
quite a satisfyingly demented little villain. And unlike previously,
when I felt very little in the way of literary tension, here there
is much more owing to the fact that Qui-Gon in danger is more
exciting than a bland bit character in danger.
"The Obi-Wan half of the book is slightly less absorbing, due
to the rather formulaic nature of its development. As with The
Deadly Hunter, there are sets of clues to be followed and
unravelled in order to find the naughty people. Obi-Wan is credibly
written as a Padawan who has grown significantly under Qui-Gon’s
tutelage and now must go it alone, but is accompanied by Astri, who
is still mildly irritating. But more than anything it is the
repetitive nature that causes it to fall a little flat. Fortunately,
we are treated to another cliff-hanger at the end (albeit a similar
one to previously) which could bode very well for the next
instalment.
"Some enjoyable character explorations, but there is a little
too much “been there, done that” going on in parts for this to
be anything other than average."
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