Science Fiction   Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Omen Author: Christie Golden Published By: The Ballentine Publishing Company Reviewed by Melissa Minners               So, I finally made it to the second novel in the Fate of the Jedi series and I noticed that this novel is pretty thin - less than two hundred fifty pages by an author who has never before written anything in the Star Wars Expanded Universe book series.  And just who was that strange looking woman on the front cover?  I wasn’t sure what the powers that be had in store for us Star Wars fans, but I was determined to keep an open mind.             In Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Omen, we learn that yet another of the Jedi has gone rogue - Valin Horn’s sister Jysella.  Does the brother/sister relationship have anything to do with the strange illness these Jedi are suffering?  Cilghal and her fellow Jedi are determined to find out, in spite of Chief of State Daala’s interference.  One thing is for certain, each of the Jedi who have gone rogue have exhibited Force abilities that they had never been taught, abilities that Jacen Solo had mastered long before becoming a Sith.             Meanwhile, Luke and Ben Skywalker have continued their journey, following the path Jacen Solo’s five year trek through the universe just prior to the events that take place in the Dark Nest Trilogy.  This time, they are off to the Kathol Rift to visit the Aing-Tii, a mystical reptilian race who once taught Jacen Solo how to flow-walk through the Force.  It is Luke’s hope that by discovering the path Jacen took, he may somehow understand why he became a Sith and may be able to solve the mystery of the strange illness afflicting members of the Jedi Order.             Omen also introduces us to the Sith Order on Kesh, whose ancestors crashed on the planet during the Sith Wars (Lost Tribe of the Sith: Precipice).  We are introduced to Vestara Khai, a student of the Sith yearning to become an apprentice to a Master.  That apprenticeship comes with the appearance of Ship, a Sith learning vessel whose attachment to Vestara is immediately recognized.  Ship is from Ziost, a planet known to be the focal point of all things Dark Side.  Having found the presence of a Sith culture previously unknown to exist, Sith has taken it upon himself to teach these Sith to become mighty, leave their home of Keth and become world conquerors, starting with those pesky Jedi led by Luke Skywalker.             Despite the lack of length, Omen certainly divulges a plethora of information.  We learn that the Sith, once thought to be wiped out of existence, still exist.  We learn that there may be a link between all of the Jedi who have been coming down with this strange illness.  We learn more about the mysterious Aing-Tii, previously discussed in Vision of the Future but never truly expanded upon.  Omen also has quite a few surprises to reveal to us in the form of new characters, new troubles and new alliances, some of which signal a promise of some very interesting storylines to come.             Christie Golden, an accomplished science fiction writer, has adapted well to the Star Wars Universe.  Her portrayal of well-known and well-established characters such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Leia Organa Solo is spot on.  I’m not so certain about her portrayal of Jaina Solo, but I’m sure this will become easier to Golden in future novels.  Otherwise, I think she does an excellent job continuing the Star Wars saga.             Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi: Omen is a fast and entertaining read.  There isn’t much in the way of spaceflight or space fighting, so if you like that sort of thing, you may be disappointed.  However, there is quite enough action to satisfy your need for adrenaline.  In addition, quite a few questions are answered in regards to Jacen’s journey, the mysterious Aing-Tii and the illness affecting the Jedi.  All-in-all, Omen is an excellent read and a perfect second novel in a rather intriguing series.   For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.