Jacen and Jaina were born when the Empire fell and became the hope of the New Republic. Now the twins - the children of Han Solo and Princess Leia - are fourteen years old, and they are enrolled in Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy on Yavin 4. The future heroes of the legendary saga begin their training together with old and new friends.

The Dark Jedi Brakiss, whom Luke Skywalker expelled from his academy, has since learned a lot. He knows enough to master the dark side of the Force. And enough to found his own school for Jedi - the Shadow Academy.

But Brakiss was given a new, much more difficult task. He must not only create an ominous legion of Dark Jedi - he must cope with a task worthy of Darth Vader himself and even the Emperor: kidnap the heirs of the Skywalker line and turn them to the dark side of the Force...