The Shadow Academy

Infobox SW Books
name = Shadow Academy
orig title =
translator =


author = Kevin J. Anderson & Rebecca Moesta
cover_artist = Dave Dorman
editor =
country = USA
language = English
era = New Republic
series = Young Jedi Knights
galactic_year = 23 ABY - 24 ABY
canon = C
subject = Star Wars
genre = Science Fiction
publisher = Berkley Publishing
release_date = 1 September 1995
media_type = Paperback
pages = 225
size_weight = 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.6 inches
4.2 ounces
isbn = ISBN 1-57297-025-1
preceded_by = Heirs of the Force
followed_by = The Lost Ones

"Shadow Academy" is the second book in the 1995 series,

Plot

Jacen and Jaina are kidnapped by Imperial commandos and whisked off to a hidden planet where they are imprisoned in the "Shadow Academy" by a Dark Jedi.

The book begins with Lando Calrissian, Han's old buddy, inviting the young Jedi Knights to visit his GemDiver station, a mining facility orbiting the gas planet Yavin. All the Jedi agree to go to GemDiver station, except for Tenel Ka, who stays at the academy because her grandmother is coming to visit, and she does not want her friends to know that she is a princess on her homeworld of Hapes.

Meanwhile at GemDiver, the twins go fishing for Corusca gems, indestructible jewels that can cut through the toughest armor. All are unsuccessful except for Jacen, who snags a small Corusca gem which he hides in his shoe. Suddenly, the GemDiver station is attacked by an unknown assailant, and Lowie and the twins are kidnapped. When they wake up, they learn they are on the cloaked space station called the Shadow Academy, a place for training Dark Jedi. They are soon introduced to the Dark Master Brakiss and his second in command, the beautiful Nightsister Tamith Kai of Dathomir. For the next few weeks they put the young Jedi through vigorous and sometimes deadly training exercises, breaking their spirits, morale, and bodies. They try and turn the Jedi to the dark side and serve the resurrected Emperor, but the young Jedi Knights resist the temptation.

Meanwhile, Lando informs Luke of the twins' kidnapping, so Luke and Tenel Ka begin to track down the whereabouts of their friends. Their search leads them to Tenel Ka's home planet of Dathomir, where the Nightsisters and the Singing Mountain clan, old enemies and friends of Luke and Han, reside. There they learn that the Empire is recruiting the Force-talented inhabitants of Dathomir and sending them to the Shadow Academy. Luke and Tenel Ka cleverly get themselves recruited, and then wait as they head towards the secret location of the Shadow Academy.

As Luke and Tenel Ka approach the now uncloaked space station, they take over the ship and fly it into the academy to rescue their friends. To escape, Jacen uses the Corusca gem that was hidden in his shoe to cut through his cell to the door controls, and then frees his twin sister and Lowie shortly afterwards. As they run towards the docking bay to leave, they are confronted by Tamith Kai and Brakiss. Luke and Brakiss exchange a few unpleasant words, while Tamith Kai and Tenel Ka thicken their rivalry with talk of doing battle. But in the end, the Jedi somehow escape without a fight, leaving Brakiss and Tamith Kai to explain their failure to the Emperor. As it turns out, they would not have escaped if it weren't for the help of their old nemesis, the imperial pilot Qorl...

External links

* [http://www.angelfire.com/scifi2/starwarsisu Star Wars: Young Jedi Knights ISU] — Includes a summary, review, and an analysis of Shadow Academy
* [http://cargobay.starwars.com/webapps/cargobay/item-detail/205 Official CargoBay Listing]