The authors of the book reviews the role of Catholic Church in two prominent Latin American countries: Brian Smith wrote about the church in Chile and Michael Fleet wrote about the church in Peru. They outlined the roles that the Church have played in these countries in their history and argued that over the past 30 years the Catholic church have shifted its focus from siding with the country's power elite to the poor and the disadvantaged inside the country, although this shifts came with strong opposition both from Rome and often from the leaders of the church inside the country. Smith and Fleet also reviewed future challenges for the church in these contries, ranging from future relationship of the local church with Rome, challenges from the political elite and the growing Protestant movements inside the two countries, and conflicts on social issues such as birth control, abortion, and ordination of women as priests. I think the authors have done excellent jobs in arguing their case in this book. The issues they discussed in this book is relevant not only in Chile and Peru, but also anywhere in the world in which the Catholic Church has to deal with many difficult factors such as proper relations with the state and with Rome, and challenges to its authority from other faiths. My praise go especially to Dr. Smith, Ripon College's professor of religion and one of the best professor I ever had in Ripon College. He does not afraid to speak his mind and his thoughts in the book are always provocative but interesting, just like what he always does in his lectures. Dr Smith really does his own way in interpreting the Church's teachings, although he remains totally committed to the basic ideas of Catholic faith.

This is a very comprehensive book and is a must for anyone with an interest in the Second Fleet. My interest is genealogy and a convict relative sailed with the Second Fleet. However very little information was available on this man with no record of his arrival in Australia being available. This book has been the first to fill in at least some of the gaps and gave me an indication why this relative had been transported in the first place. It even came complete with references. This is the kind of book you pray that you will find when you are searching for distant convict relatives. I can thoroughly recommend this book.

The one word that characterizes all the books of the Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy? BORING!!!!!!!!!! The book moves too slowly and is simply too inconsistant. Luke Skywalker runs off to become a hermit at Darth Vader's old retreat rejecting his Academy, his family and pretty everything else. Only a mysterious woman who is able to enter his stronghold induces Luke to leave with promises about his lost mother. Leia is shown much more as the Chief of State, an idea that did have merit, while Han Solo is shown more as the family man. The problem is, is that the story moves so slowly. The characterizations are weak: Princess Leia, the people's leader refuses to learn the names of her bodyguards preferring to ignore their existance. That is totally contrary to Princess Leia, Han Solo is done all right but that is because he really has nothing to do. Luke is done terribly. The Black Fleet crisis marks the epitome of stupid Jedi power Luke. It took Zahn coming back into the fold to save the expanded universe after the Black Fleet Debacle. The Lando adventure has possibilities but it too drops by the wayside due to just too much non-sensical writing. Perhaps this story should have been a one or two book set not a trilogy, at time it feels like the auther was just trying to fill space. In any event, this book needed some major editing and marked a dark period of Star Wars literature that not even the Jedi Academy Trilogy (horrible as it was)reached.

While looking at the story outside of what would be considered Star Wars cannon, it is not that bad. However, any serious Star Wars fan will be so distracted by the utter lack of knowledge McDowell displays in regards to the Star Wars universe.

Examples: Coruscant is portrayed as a Garden planet? Lucas Arts clearly indicated that Coruscant was one big city, long, long ago in it's X-Wing series. This book was written recently enough to have gotten this right. This is one minor example of lack of continuity in this book.

The other aspect of this book that killed it for me was how the main cast was mischaracterized. I thought Leia's portrayal was especially bad. A very strong female character was completely weakened.

To close, I was so disappointed with this book I am seriously considering not reading the rest of the trilogy. What really surprises me is that Lucas Film let this book be written with all of the cannon errors.

Luke going to Vader's castle, Luke doing research on his mother, the Jedi's frying that Star destroyer at the expense of their fellow Jedi-all that was friggin tyte!
It's been about 5 yrs since I read this book but those were the parts that I do remember about this trilogy.

I started the Black Fleet Crisis books interested. As the trilogy progressed, however, the book got more turgid, the characters acted less and less like their movie counterparts, and the plot got more and more ridiculous. I might have given this book two stars if the first book hadn't given me such high hopes for the series.

The best of the Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy, Tyrant's Test takes us back to the convoluted lives of our heroes. The characterizations of Luke and Leia remain poor, Lando's mission is still annoying but there is a bright spot. Chewie's rescue of Han Solo is one of the few bright points in this trilogy. The daring and insane rescue of a battered and tortured Han Solo by his best friend is truly a memorable scene in an otherwise forgettable book. Chewie becomes much more than just a hairy sidekick, but rather he is more of a brother to Han than Luke is. Luke and the strange woman continue to search for her people and his mother. They finally track down this secretive people, but unknown to Luke (but known to everyone else), his traveling companion lied to him and she was really not a part of the secret society. A slave revolt against the evil Yevetha helps to end the threat to the New Republic and Leia sits triumphant atop the backstabbing political world. The end has Luke and Leia reconciling (froma separation that was totally unnecessary) and Luke returns to his real living family. As for Lando, Luke also took time out of his busy schedule to hop halfway across the galaxy to save his old friend trapped aboard a living ship/seedpod. Sounds kind of Vongish to me. Anyway the Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy is one of the worst in the Star Wars universe. All three books filled with annoying convoluted plot and terrible depictions of the main characters. It simply the worst trilogy of the Star Wars universe, which is saying something considering how bad the Jedi Academy Trilogy is. Kube-McDowell should have spent more time writing and editing his book to be much more streamlines than the clunky and poorly written result that Star Wars fans received.

I found it a bit difficult to get into the story at the begining, as it was a bit boring, but once I got about a quarter of the way through the first book, I couldnt stop reading. I honestly dont know why people are talking trash about these books ... I liked them. This trilogy is definitely worth reading, especially if you're a fan. They may not be as good as the original Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, but what really is?

Anyway, the Black Fleet Crisis, and more specifically this final, climatic chapter of the trilogy, are one of the better Star Wars books I've read so far.

Like its predecessor, Shield of Lies continues bad characterizations, poor plot and long drawn out writing. The Luke out with a strange woman to learn about his mother story line to just annoying. This female character is simply annoying and Luke does not act all that much like a Jedi Master. Jedi Masters can tell when someone is lying to them! As for Leia the drudgery of political life is draining on her. Eventually stories about the running of a government can get boring and after the first book the Leia and political back-stabbing storyline is old and slow and boring. Han finally gets something to do, but due to the ineptness of the New Republic military (can't imagine how they beat the Empire at all) by the evil, is captured by bigoted Yevetha nazi beings introduced in the first book. Chewie has a subplot involving his son's journey into manhood, while Lando's adventure on the ghost ship is really painful to read. This series could have been so much better but a convoluted plot, poor editing and really awful writing make it among te worst set of books in the Star Wars universe.

This is an interesting story. I hope someday Luke learns who his mother really is.

I don't know what the other reviewers are thinking, this is one of the best trilogies in the entire series. A major complaint seems to be that these books are "all talk and no action," well my little friends, I am sorry that your limited intellect cannot stand plot development and intricate story lines. Unlike a LOT of sci-fi books out there, the Star Wars books actually try to have a story, and a MEANINGFUL, LASTING story at that. Not just blazing light saber/death star/dog fight battles. If you don't have the intellectual capacity to enjoy a good story with good plot lines, that is well written and that explores more than just shooting at people, then I recommend something along the lines of "Pokémon" that would seem to fit with your age group. CHEERS!