I'm listening to the audio version of Fatal Alliance. This scene is just plain awesome...

In a vast and elaborate Hutt palace, a Jedi apprentice, Sith apprentice, and Mandalorian are locked in the antechamber of the Hutt's vault in an every-man-for-himself (or herself) fight. Lightsabers and lightning, missiles and flamethrowers all flying about. An unknown artifact locked behind the vault door. Outside the antechamber a whole motley crew are fighting to get in: a Republic bureaucrat (who is an Imperial spy) sent to bid on the artifact, plus his security detail, consisting of a half-dozen Republic soldiers, led by a self-exiled soldier who is working with the jedi apprentice; an Imperial bureaucrat also sent to bid on the item plus his own security team; Hutt security forces consisting of no less than 20 weequay, houk, and gamorreans, directed by a Twi'lek slave; and finally the smuggler/pirate who originally found the strange artifact locked inside the vault.

The huge group outside finally busts through into the antechamber but have to file in one at a time. About the same time, some strange beings (who turn out to be droids) melt the vault door from the inside and start attacking everyone in sight. Powerful enough to make everyone forget their other fights to focus on them.

I haven't even finished the scene yet, but I felt compelled to comment on its awesomeness. They've managed to fit SEVEN distinct sides into a battle in one room (or just outside it looking in):

- The Hutt's security
- The Jedi and the self-exiled soldier
- The Sith apprentice
- The Imperial envoy and security detail
- The Republic envoy and security detail
- The Mandalorian
- The strange droids

And then there's Jet Nebula, the smuggler-pirate who so far just seems to be an observer of the whole mess.

(Please refrain from spoiling anything else for me. Thanks.)

The book is good, I was just recommending it on Wed.

did that fight scene remind you of the huge battle in the Hobbit?