Darksaber (Star Wars)

Was it as bad as the first of the Callista novels, "Children of the Jedi", no. Is it good? Also no. Thankfully the publisher took the reigns from Hambly for this book (though why they gave them back for book three is beyond my understanding), though I'm not sure Anderson was the best go to try to fix what was wrong here. Some of the fault lies with still having to use material Hambly introduced. But some of it is Anderson falling into some of his own patterns for this franchise work that could use improvement. Don't get me wrong, the Jedi Academy trilogy was fun, but he leans back into several issues with characterization and plot that existed there. Framed in the trainwreck of the Callista trilogy they become a bit more glaring.
Like most Star Wars stories, we've got two or three plots running concurrently, and trying to bring them all to a meeting place near the end. One involves the Hutt's, which are nice to see fleshed out here as I think the closest there was previous to this in publication order may have been bits and pieces in Tales from Jaba's Palace. Unfortunately, this sub-plot involves Anderson leaning into yet another super-weapon. Though it is entertaining to see the comically sub-par Hutt overseen weapons project. I think this material may have been better as a separate shorter work involving a few recognized names (like Madine), but staying entirely away from our 'main' Star Wars trio and companions. We get a little more Qwi Xux with Wedge in this plot too, which feels really extraneous and shoe-horned in. Again, probably better as its own shorter work.
The Callista/Luke plot feels absolutely ridiculous, though I'm sure was required to be here by the publisher. Why are the Wampas suddenly smart enough too recognize and disable critical starship systems? Why are they strong enough to claw through ship hulls? Callista is written just as badly and one-dimensionally here as anywhere, and we get lots of just silly fighting between her and Luke. This sort of culminates in Anderson making even the Jedi apprentices and trainees almost unbelievably over-powered (moving/destroying 17 star destroyers? smashing star fighters in the sky?). I feel as though the novelists could have benefited from consultation with some of the authors that worked on the early Dark Horse comic story lines (Dark Empire, Tales of the Jedi), who seemed to always have a better grasp on the scope, limits, and nature of the Jedi powers.
Brighter points, saving this from one star...the peek into Hutt society and the darkly comedic tone you get with a lot of Hutt stories. We get to see a number of earlier characters brought back and fleshed out a little bit (Daala is more interesting here than previously, Pelleon as well). The sub-plot involving the Imperials warring internally....though it does feel artificially rushed/wrapped up in one book. Even chronologically, it feels like Daala is able to unite the the Imperial factions in a matter of days/weeks, and totally change their practices to the point of accepting women and alien troops? This feels like it could and should have been spread out over multiple books and been an 'A' plot, not something more like a 'C' or 'D' plot.
All in all, unless you're trying to be a completionist and hit most of these books in publication order, skip this as well.