Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader (Star Wars)

I was enthralled with this book. It opened up thoughts about and questions that I had about Vader and why he would blindly follow the emperor and never fight back. I'm hoping they do more of these books because it bridges a gap in the story line that seems so interesting to me and I would assume so many other Star Wars fans.

In the immediate aftermath of Revenge of the Sith, this novel follows Darth Vader in his earliest days as a Sith as he is trying to shed any parts of Anakin that still reside within him. Meanwhile, a group of remaining Jedi led by Jedi Knight Roan Shryne try to regroup after most of their order was wiped out by the clone troopers. Vader is not the strong character that he will eventually become and the one most readers know him as. He’s full of self-loathing and not terribly likeable, although that begins to change by the end of the novel. Palpatine manipulates him as well as everyone around him in his evil schemes, which helps make up for Vader’s weakness.

Overall, I thought the plot was strong in this novel. After Revenge of the Sith, it was mostly left up to the imagination as to what exactly happened to all of those Jedi. This bridged the gap a bit, although I would have liked to have seen more interaction with the clones. Other than the first handful of chapters, this is absent from this novel, and I thought it would have enhanced it. The characterization of Vader was a bit weak, but the other characters worked well in this novel, and it was cool to see Chewbacca in action. I would recommend this novel to fans of the Star Wars universe.

Carl Alves - author of Reconquest: Mother Earth

Luceno does it again with a very solid addition to the EU. I've always wondered what happened in the first hours after the Clone Wars ended. I've also always wondered how some Jedi would react to meeting blood relatives since most of them are taken from their families very early in life. This book helped answer both.

Alternating between the newly-restored Darth Vader and a Jedi Master and Padawan, Dark Lord does a good job of fleshing out the hours after the initiation of Order 66. I came to really like Shryne and his dry sarcasm, although Starstone's naive optimism and blind hope of finding other surviving Jedi did start to grate on my nerves after a while (it worked out in the end, though). But what really stood out to me was Vader's part. The first big segment we see of him really drives home the point that he's really "more machine now than man" and it's not a pretty life. Luceno's description of what Anakin Skywalker has had replaced by mechanics and prosthesis (his eyes, eardrums, legs, arms) and the soul-crushing despair as he realizes he's now confined not to a suit but to a prison is heartbreaking. His relationship with Palpatine is also not as simple as one might think if only going by the movies. Vader is not just Palpatine's attack dog or servant; he has very clearly become disillusioned with the newly-appointed Emperor and his rage towards him is very plain. But he can't just kill Palpatine. It's a lot more complicated than that. And I loved it.

I would have given this book five stars if not for one thing: the pacing. There are some times it feels like it drags, and others (notably during the last third of the book) where it feels as if something's missing. If that had been cleaned up a bit more I would have rated it higher. (There was also the bizarre changing of one minor character's name. I would have thought the editors would have caught that before sending the manuscript to the printers.)

Finally, the cameos. Chewbacca gets a good amount of "screen time" and shows that he's more than just a "fuzz ball". Obi-Wan Kenobi even gets his own section in the epilogue. Given my love for Obi-Wan and my desire to know more about his time on Tatooine, that alone made me happy. Having him interact with Qui-Gon through the Force made it even better.

The novel is primarily made up of two sections: Vader accepting his new life as a Sith Lord and a few Jedi who survived Order 66. This group of Jedi, mostly made up of Knights and Padawans, believes that, rather than hide as the final message from the Jedi Temple said, they want to search for other Jedi who survived. Needless to say, they attract Vader's attention. The book starts hours before Order 66 and ends a few months later.

The only "complaint" I have about the novel is, there doesn't seem to be enough time between Order 66 and the changed message from the Jedi Temple. When reading the novel, it seemed like a few hours - maybe 8-12 hours - went by. Now, am I to believe that Yoda left Kashyyyk, met up with Bail Organa, met up with Obi Wan, arrived at Coruscant, fought past the Stormtroopers stationed at the Temple, AND changed the message in 8-12 hours?!? It doesn't seem like enough time - then again, that's the only problem I see with the novel.

With cameos from Luke and Leia, "Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" makes for an entertaining read.

Taking place largely in the aftermath of the events of Episode 3, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader lets the reader tag along and get inside the head of a very broken (physically, emotionally, psychologically) Anakin Skywalker sorting things out in the early days of what will be the rest of his life as Darth Vader.

It's surprising to see how one of the chief complaints many reviewers have about this book is that we are reading about an "emo" Vader. What many perceive to be a flaw of the book, I say is what makes it special. Anakin/Vader has been in the suit for a matter of weeks when the first POV chapter appears. After everything the guy has been through in the 6-8 weeks, I think one could forgive him for coming across as what folks are calling "emo". I guess these same reviewers think that returning soldiers with PTSD issues are "emo" too? Most people's first glimpse of Darth Vader (the opening scenes of ep 4) comes at a time when he's been in the suit & serving Palpatine for 19-20 years. He's had two decades to get used to his new "life" & grow callous about his circumstances. He's a very different person in Episode 4 than he is in this novel (taking place in the immediate aftermath of Episode 3).

Enough with my rant against the haters - I really enjoyed Dark Lord. It provided a nice followup to the closing of Episode 3. I also enjoyed the alternate POV from the Jedi who survived the extermination order, as well as the Bail Organa POV chapters.

I've read a lot of Star Wars fiction, and not all of it is good. THIS is good though. Luceno does a fine job of writing the "dark" side (pardon the pun) of Star Wars. After reading this I intend to eventually track down Luceno's DARTH PLAGUEIS for another dose of the lost chapters of the greater story.

This is honestly one of my favorite Star Wars books from the "Legends" novels. Mr. Luceno does a fantastic job of getting inside Vader's head and showing how he truly became a Dark Lord of the Sith. I always wondered how the Jedi, Anakin Skywalker, could change so drastically and never really felt that that question was answered in Episode III; well this book provided that answer, showing how Vader came to accept and embrace his new lot in life inside his infamous suit that keeps him alive. Highly recommended for fans of Star Wars.

In Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader James Luceno tells an excellent story that I very much enjoyed reading. He takes us from immediately after Revenge of the Sith through Darth Vader's formative stages in his new role as the enforcer for Darth Sidious. Along the way Vader deals with some Jedi who escaped Order 66, and he establishes himself as an extremely powerful force in the Empire.

All of that is well and good, but Mr. Luceno also delves into some extremely interesting questions, many of which had not occurred to me before reading this book. How much trouble does Anakin Skywalker have in adapting to his new role as Darth Vader? What does he need to do in order to make an impression in the various realms of the Empire and how will he be accepted? How difficult is it for Vader to function as an instrument of terror within the confines of the black suit and all of the artificial body parts? Can he overcome the death of Padme, especially after Sidious pins the blame for her death squarely on Vader? How long will it be before he becomes proficient in the Sith dark arts and use of the Force? Can he trust Sidious? Does he even want to trust Sidious or should he just bide his time, improve his skills, and then kill his master as Sidious once did to Darth Plagieus? Fascinating stuff.

We also are treated to a wonderful look at Bail Organa's moment of near-terror when Vader shows up on Alderaan and decides he wants to meet Bail's wife Breha. The main problem is that at that moment Breha is walking around the palace holding baby Leia. Would Vader sense that his child was nearby? R2-D2 has a great sequence in the palace at the same time. R2 is one of the very few entities that understand who all the players actually are and what has happened in the recent past. He is such a good character throughout the Star Wars saga, and this episode only enhances my opinion of him.

Finally we get to the time when Obi-Wan on Tatooine learns from watching HoloNet that Darth Vader exists, that Anakin somehow survived the fight on Mustafar, and that Luke may not be as safe on the desert planet as he thought. He relies on the sudden voice of our old friend Qui-Gon for counseling and reassurance as the book ends. Also near the end of the book we have one of my very favorite pieces of advice in Star Wars. A stranger says to Obi-Wan:

"Take care of yourself. These desert wastes aren't as remote as you may think they are."

Good advice for the rest of the saga.

Several Jedi, including Roan Shryne and Olee Starstone, are fighting a fierce battle on Murkhana when Order 66 arrives. Commander Climber, the clone leader amongst the Jedi, defies orders and allows the Jedi to leave. The three Jedi must then leave the planet and flee to safety, avoiding Darth Vader and his wrath.
NOTE: Based on novel and audiobook.

I Liked:
I was surprised how much I actually enjoyed this novel. If you've read my review for Cloak of Deception, you learned how disappointed I was, how I didn't like all the info-dumping and over-describing, and how I just wasn't very engaged. This book is completely different.
The primary characters really stand out, namely Roan and Olee. Roan feels a little like Arwen Cohl from CoD, a little like Lorn Pavan, a little like Han, and a little of something else. He's a Jedi who has lost two apprentices during the war. He's not a super Jedi, but he's decent. Only problem is, he really struggles with what the Jedi should do next. I adored how he met his mother, how they imply Jedi stealing babies (Roan's mother did not want to give him up), and how awkward it was.
Olee Starstone is completely different. She's a strong-willed woman, who wants to find other Jedi and regroup. She used to be a librarian, under the tutelage of Jocasta Nu before the war. Now, she's lost her master and is the unofficial Padawan of Roan.
Darth Vader also appears quite prominently, though not as prominently as you would figure from a novel with his picture splashed on it. I really liked how Luceno tightened the gap from Anakin in the prequels to Vader in the sequels. Vader is lacking confidence, upset with his new body, and questioning everything. Also, his single-minded goal of exterminating the Jedi keeps interfering with his missions, making Palpatine wonder if Vader is such a good apprentice after all.
The story is unique, as (especially at this time, before the Coruscant Nights books) we don't know what has happened to the few Jedi who escape Order 66. What many hoped to see in Karen Traviss' eponymous novel, we actually get to see here: Clones defying orders and saving Jedi, and what happens to them afterwards. It's touching and very neglected.
And, being this is a Luceno novel, we get tons of EU references, from Garm Bel Iblis, to the outcome of Fang Zhar, to Tarkin, and more. If there is one thing Luceno can get, it's tying in EU and making it seem like it was meant to be that way.

I Didn't Like:
There are a billion other Jedi in this book and I couldn't keep their names straight or remember them for the life of me. There are six total on Murkhana, but I could only remember Olee, Roan, and the one Vader killed (and I can't even remember her name!). Then Olee and Roan meet a bunch more Jedi on a ship, and none of them are memorable. This may be in part because I am listening to an audiobook, but it's hard to be invested in characters when they pass through so transparently.
For a book about Vader, there is stunningly little Vader. This was disappointing, even if Vader's development overall was good.
I went directly from listening to Revenge of the Sith to reading this, and there is a distinct difference in writing style, one that comes as quite a shock. After the intimate, dark, and tortured writing style from RotS, Dark Lord comes off as bland, uninspired and emotionless.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Little to none.
One smuggler makes eyes at Olee.
Several Jedi die. Order 66 is enacted. Vader lightsaber duels several Jedi. There is a big, final battle on Kashyyyk that results in the Wookiees imprisonment.

Overall:
While not seeing more of Vader was a disappointment and the writing style a drastic change from RotS, this is a decent final novel to the unofficial trilogy (Labyrinth of Evil, Revenge of the Sith, and Dark Lord). We get to see the effects of Order 66 on two vastly different Jedi, Roan (pessimist) and Olee (optimist). We get to see Darth Vader overcome his confidence issues and get adjusted to his body. And we learn what happened to Fang Zhar, how the Wookiees are imprisoned, and if there are other Jedi. A more than decent novel, very enjoyable and recommended.

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is a tough act to follow, especially Matt Stover's excellent adaptation of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader delivers a mixed bag. It is interesting to observe Jedi adjusting to the aftermath of Order 66. I like how Master Roan Shryne is torn between the Jedi and trying to return to a civilian life. It's an interesting struggle, one not fully explo. There's a mix of reactions as the survivors find that they're alone in the universe, with surprising leadership from a young padawan.

The sections dealing with Vader seem demeaning at first, almost as if he were an awkward teenager in his new suit. Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader briefly shows us a Vader consumed by pity and lacking confidence. However, the story explores how he transformed from the devastated man after Mustafar to the fearsome dark lord. It's a fairly compressed but plausible character development (I suspect in real life Vader's transformation would have played out over years, not weeks). I particularly appreciated how the Imperial officers at this time aren't quite sure whether Vader is superior to the military officers or not (one officer calls him "Admiral Vader" by accident).

There were a few points I think were off. Luceno implies that the Emperor manipulated Vader so much that he even brought Padme and Anakin together, which seems like a stretch. If that is indeed what happened, it would completely eliminate any choice Anakin Skywalker had in turning to the dark side. There are also a few too many "close calls," such as Vader seeing Leia through a holoscreen but being too distracted to enquire further. It's hard to believe such a near miss occurred only a few weeks after Vader's conversion to the Dark Side.

Overall, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader is still a pretty good installment in the Darth Vader story, but feels like more of a denouement than a climax. However, rather than getting this book, I'd recommend just getting the Star Wars: The Dark Lord Trilogy, which includes Labyrinth of Evil and the novelization of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, since they're all meant to be read together anyways.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is a tough act to follow, especially Matt Stover's excellent adaptation of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader delivers a mixed bag. It is interesting to observe Jedi adjusting to the aftermath of Order 66. I like how Master Roan Shryne is torn between the Jedi and trying to return to a civilian life. It's an interesting struggle, one not fully explo. There's a mix of reactions as the survivors find that they're alone in the universe, with surprising leadership from a young padawan.

The sections dealing with Vader seem demeaning at first, almost as if he were an awkward teenager in his new suit. Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader briefly shows us a Vader consumed by pity and lacking confidence. However, the story explores how he transformed from the devastated man after Mustafar to the fearsome dark lord. It's a fairly compressed but plausible character development (I suspect in real life Vader's transformation would have played out over years, not weeks). I particularly appreciated how the Imperial officers at this time aren't quite sure whether Vader is superior to the military officers or not (one officer calls him "Admiral Vader" by accident).

There were a few points I think were off. Luceno implies that the Emperor manipulated Vader so much that he even brought Padme and Anakin together, which seems like a stretch. If that is indeed what happened, it would completely eliminate any choice Anakin Skywalker had in turning to the dark side. There are also a few too many "close calls," such as Vader seeing Leia through a holoscreen but being too distracted to enquire further. It's hard to believe such a near miss occurred only a few weeks after Vader's conversion to the Dark Side.

Overall, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader is still a pretty good installment in the Darth Vader story, but feels like more of a denouement than a climax. However, rather than getting this book, I'd recommend just getting the Star Wars: The Dark Lord Trilogy, which includes Labyrinth of Evil and the novelization of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, since they're all meant to be read together anyways.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is a tough act to follow, especially Matt Stover's excellent adaptation of Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader delivers a mixed bag. It is interesting to observe Jedi adjusting to the aftermath of Order 66. I like how Master Roan Shryne is torn between the Jedi and trying to return to a civilian life. It's an interesting struggle, one not fully explo. There's a mix of reactions as the survivors find that they're alone in the universe, with surprising leadership from a young padawan.

The sections dealing with Vader seem demeaning at first, almost as if he were an awkward teenager in his new suit. Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader briefly shows us a Vader consumed by pity and lacking confidence. However, the story explores how he transformed from the devastated man after Mustafar to the fearsome dark lord. It's a fairly compressed but plausible character development (I suspect in real life Vader's transformation would have played out over years, not weeks). I particularly appreciated how the Imperial officers at this time aren't quite sure whether Vader is superior to the military officers or not (one officer calls him "Admiral Vader" by accident).

There were a few points I think were off. Luceno implies that the Emperor manipulated Vader so much that he even brought Padme and Anakin together, which seems like a stretch. If that is indeed what happened, it would completely eliminate any choice Anakin Skywalker had in turning to the dark side. There are also a few too many "close calls," such as Vader seeing Leia through a holoscreen but being too distracted to enquire further. It's hard to believe such a near miss occurred only a few weeks after Vader's conversion to the Dark Side.

Overall, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader is still a pretty good installment in the Darth Vader story, but feels like more of a denouement than a climax. However, rather than getting this book, I'd recommend just getting the Star Wars: The Dark Lord Trilogy, which includes Labyrinth of Evil and the novelization of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, since they're all meant to be read together anyways.

Still running on my Star Wars novel marathon, this has been the fourth book I've read from the series; following Shatterpoint (Star Wars: Clone Wars),Star Wars, Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, and Path of Destruction (Star Wars: Darth Bane, Book 1). I must also point out that REVENGE OF THE SITH still maintains the honor of being my favorite novel.

DARK LORD: THE RISE OF DARTH VADER had to fulfill many expectations. It had to continue the story of a newly mechanized Darth Vader, it had to bridge a gap between Episodes III and IV, and it had to somehow be a thrilling bookend conclusion following the amazing Matthew Stover's novelization of REVENGE OF THE SITH. Did James Luceno rise to the occasion and bring the "Dark Lord Trilogy" to a satisfying end?

For this I must employ the use of Mel Brooks' theory of Yes and No.

Let's get one thing out of the way: Darth Vader takes up most of the book's cover, and the title of the story also seems to allude to him, but this can hardly be called Darth Vader's story; in the same way A NEW HOPE can't be called Grand Moff Tarkin's story. Yes, our favorite Sith Lord has a large presence in the book, but the focus centers upon a group of Jedi that have survived Order 66. From what I understand, Mister Luceno never intended for the book to be Vader-centric in the first place, so I can forgive the rather cruel deception.

But getting past this fact, this story actually develops into a real treat for Star Wars fans. Like I said, this book had to live up to Stover's powerful novelization and I was sitting there for pages, waiting for it to disappoint, but it never did. The story of this ragtag group of Jedi survivors clips along rather nicely; taking us to some familiar locations and crosses paths with some familiar faces. While Luceno's writing does nothing for the action in this book (and I emphasize nothing, because there's just nil energy in those scenes) he certainly knows the Star Wars universe, and this is why the book worked for me.

We get to see that, in fact, not every clone trooper obeyed Order 66, which was very interesting. We see how the Jedi deal with being on their own, and the frustration and misadventures brought about by deciding how to preserve their very way of life. We get a glimpse of: how C-3P0 and R2 spend their time; how Bail Organa has kept Leia's heritage a secret; what's really going on within Darth Vader's mind, and how he feels about his current predicament; how the Death Star got its labor situation handled; and there was even a brief scene in which we catch up with good ol' Obi-Wan Kenobi, and how he's been handling isolation.

There is a lot packed within this book. I can't defend the writing and I can't defend how this story does not revolve around Darth Vader, but this was a solid book that I was happy to finish.

It wasn't able to make it up there with Stover's works, but it certainly beat out Darth Bane and his bumbling shenanigans (i.e. this book shows you how a real Dark Lord gets things done).

While Episode III of the movie versions of "Star Wars" allowed fans to witness Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader, it still left a lot unanswered, considering the starting point of Episode IV in the series. James Luceno has fleshed out some of the story immediately following the events in "Revenge of the Sith" with his novel "Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader". It is a fast-paced novel full of action, as several remaining Jedi try to grasp what has happened and what can be done in the wake of Lord Vader's rise to power.

The story begins as the war is winding down against the Separatists. Jedi Masters Roan Shyrne and Bol Chatak are taken by surprise when they find their clone troopers turning against them. Miraculously saved by some troopers who questioned Order 66, Shyrne and Chatak's padawan find themselves on the run from Darth Vader's clutches as they search for any remaining Jedi who may have survivied. Meanwhile, Darth Vader is coming to terms with what life is like inside his shell of a suit, eager to destroy the Jedi that remain, angry that he is not able to harness the full power of the Dark Side of the Force. When the Emperor allows Vader to call the shots in the climactic battle on Kashyyyk, he is finally able to prove to himself that Anakin Skywalker is dead, once and for all.

James Luceno does a somewhat deft job at handling the action that unfolds in the Star Wars' universe. At times his writing is pedestrian, and battle scenes are a little sluggish to read since they are easier to see than to read and Luceno struggles to make them come to life on the page. However, Luceno allows readers inside the mind (and suit) of Darth Vader, granting them a glance at his frustration and pain as he eeks out an existence that he isn't sure is worthwhile. Fans will rejoice to see some familiar faces enter into the plotline, which fleshes out their stories and the roles they are to play in the future of the saga. All in all, "Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader" is an enjoyable and satisfying read.

James Luceno's Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader concludes what I like to think of as an unofficial trilogy of books that began with Labyrinth of Evil and continued in Revenge of the Sith. In the first, we see Obi-Wan and Anakin heroically making their way through the Clone Wars and meet our key players; in the second, the war ends and Anakin falls from grace; and in this conclusion we see the aftermath while simultaneously kicking off a whole new era.

From my prior reviews, it's no secret that I'm a big fan of Luceno's Star Wars novels, so I wasn't surprised that I enjoyed this one just as much as his others. He is terrific at writing Star Wars action and always invests the feel of the galaxy far, far away into his storylines. His command of the Expanded Universe remains strong and he weaves in various elements of it as usual (for instance, his mentioning Quinlan Vos as a Jedi on Kashyyyk when Order 66 went down, but purposely keeping Quinlan's fate vague meshes seamlessly with Dark Horse's comics).

I was delighted with the perspective this book offered on Darth Vader. It is amazing to think how far Vader has moved from the cryptic, ominous figure we first saw storm onto the Tantive IV in 1977. Vader is an emotional mess in this novel, wracked with pain, fear, anger, and guilt over the death of Padme and his descent to the Dark Side. He is anxious to put Anakin Skywalker behind him, and indeed, considers Darth Vader to be newly-born. When he revisits key locations from his past, such as the Jedi Temple, his emotional torment threatens to overwhelm him, neatly tying up any questions of why he doesn't visit Naboo or Tatooine ever again.

Vader's tale is interwoven with that of several surviving Jedi on the run, primarily focused on Jedi Master Roan Shryne and Padawan Olee Starstone. Three Jedi are allowed to flee by their clone commandos when Order 66 arrives, a notion I wholeheartedly agree with. It's unrealistic to believe there would not have been any Jedi survivors of the galaxy-wide massacre besides Obi-Wan and Yoda. Leaving some Jedi around for the Dark Times era will certainly enliven the EU tales, so it's a good move. These Jedi try their best to figure out what happened and why the whole universe seems to have turned against them, but only meet with some success. Primarily success could be equated with simple survival at this point. Threads are left open for possible future stories, and I'd like to see where the remaining Jedi end up.

Much like Labyrinth of Evil, we do considerable planet-hopping during the course of this novel. New planets such as Murkhana get in on the action along with welcome return visits from favorites such as Kashyyyk and some especially interesting sequences set on Alderaan, a planet that has not featured much in the EU to date (of course, since most of the books are set post-A New Hope, it'd be hard to get much Alderaan into them).

I thoroughly enjoyed the stories set during the Revenge of the Sith era. Luceno played a critical role in expanding upon the story told during the film. I hope the Dark Times will be equally interesting and that the stories will not immediately make everything into a carbon copy of the Empire we know and love from the original trilogy. There's eighteen years to be played with and Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader gets things off to an excellent start.

Set immediately after Revenge of the Sith, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader gives some interesting insight into how Anakin makes the physical and psychological transformation into Vader. Psychologically, he scorns the Jedi for their weakness and inability to see what Palpatine was doing, while at the same time biding his time until Palpatine has taught him everything there is to know about Sith lore before betraying him. Physically, there's a good explanation of how difficult it is to adjust to having a largely cybernetic body, and how it forces the formerly agile and somersaulting Anakin into the ponderous, but implacable, Darth Vader (or, in other words, why the fight between Anakin & Obi-Wan at the end of Revenge of the Sith is such a dramatic departure from the fight between Vader & Obi-Wan in A New Hope). We also see some early glimpses of (future) Grand Moff Tarkin, the enslavement of the Wookies (including the apparent death of Chewbacca's family, forcing him off-world), the construction of the first Death Star, and Obi-Wan's first realization, while on Tatooine, that his former Padawan is still alive.

Apart from Vader, there's a plot concerning Roan Shryne and other Jedi who managed to survive Order 66--although some of them survive the events of the book, they haven't yet made appearances in any other canon fiction (at least according to Wookiepedia).

This excellent addition to the Star Wars universe begins right where Revenge Of The Sith ended. The order to exterminate all Jedi is being carried out across the galaxy by the Empire's loyal Clone Troopers. Although most of the Jedi have been killed, a handful have escaped. Some concede to spend the rest of their lives in seclusion while others are more determined than ever to fight the newly formed Empire and to restore the Republic.

Meanwhile, former Jedi Knight Annakin Skywalker is learning his new role in the galaxy as the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Torn between the hatred he has for the way Emperor Palpatine betrayed him and the power that only Palpatine can offer him, Vader must learn to control his emotions in order become the most power Sith the galaxy has ever known. He also has to learn how to compensate for the the new "prison" he finds himself in; the suit and mask that will forever characterize his menacing persona. Not able to move as fast as he once once, he must adapt to new fighting styles and learn how to better control his force-abilitiies.

As Palpatine's right hand man, one of the first missions he acts upon is to track down a group of Jedi that have escaped the extermination order. A chase across the stars ends in a fierce battle on the Wookie planet Kashyyk between these rogue Jedi and the new dark lord of the Sith.

Now that Lucas has released the final films, the Star Wars universe will surely be expanded even further through new novels. If Dark Lord is any indication of what is to come, then fans will be well pleased. For it is a great chapter to this ever-growing story.

Revenge of the Sith was how Anakin fell, and Vader was born. This is the story of how Vader rose.

In the beginning Vader is appalled and exasperated by his Life Support Suit and Prosthetic limbs. Not seeing his existence as living. Unaccustomed to the suit Vader was slow, clumsy, and unsure of himself. He was consumed by claustrophobia and Isolation.

Vader changes by degrees throughout the book, as he terrorizes civilians while pursuing and fighting Jedi survivors. He goes from seeing the suit as a prison, to a macobre costume, to mastering his prosthetics, and finally little more than a set of cloths. He goes from confusion, self-doubt, and blaming others for his fate - to feeling invincible, having the the Dark Side surging through him.

By the end of this book, Vader sees the Jedi survivors as incidental. The only reason he lived was to topple Sidious from the thrown. Killing his master. and taking his place, was all Vader had left.

When you think about Darth Vader, many things come to mind. Dark Lord of the Sith. Bane of the Jedi. Throat-Crusher Supreme.

Emo?

No.

Of all my complaints about the new trilogy - and there are many - the biggest one has to do with how Anakin Skywalker was handled. I grew up loving Darth Vader. He was a vicious bastard, but by gods he was awesome about it. He was a hard-ass who inspired terror wherever he went, and he was a man who overcame insurmountable evils to ultimately redeem himself. From the moment we see him emerge from the smoke in A New Hope, we know that this is a man to be feared and reckoned with.

He never said, "Yippee," and he most certainly was never a mopey little emoboi. I despised the choice to make Anakin a whiny little brat who was turned to the Dark Side. And please note the passive voice there - "was turned." He was manipulated and pushed and pulled, and finally when Palpatine said, "Go murder children," Anakin just said, "Okay," and did it. I never got the feeling that Anakin was making his own choices in these movies, or doing terrible things because he truly thought they were the right thing to do.

The title of Darth Vader fit very, very poorly on this wet noodle of a Sith-wannabe, and that, more than anything else, made me very angry about the new trilogy.

So, in comes James Luceno to clean things up.

Set about a month after the events in Episode 3, this book starts Vader's transformation from mopey to malicious.

Despite the best efforts of the Clone Army, some Jedi survived the initial massacre of Order 66. One of those, a Jedi named Roan Shyne, is trying to lead his dead comrade's padawan to safety, wherever safety may be found. He's questioning his purpose now, in a world where evil has emerged victorious, and where the Jedi are no more. Should he make a stand and die defending the Idea, or should he obey Yoda's last orders and go to ground?

Sadly, he's a principle character in a Star Wars novel, so the Force takes the choice out of his hands. He finds himself drawn ever closer into the mystery of the Empire and the Emperor. And Vader.

Who, I might add, is having issues of his own. The first three pages of his first POV scene are about how uncomfortable the Suit is (Luceno talked to the folks at LucasArts to find out what it was like), and how miserable he is being a nubby lump of burned flesh inside a mobile life-support system. He can't see properly, can't hear normally, can't move like he used to - hell, he can barely walk steady, much less wield a lightsaber like he used to.

Palpatine, being the good mentor that he is, knows exactly how to cure Vader's blues: give him a project, something to keep his mind off things. Like hunting people down and killing them.

Luceno handles the transition from brat to demon very delicately and very smoothly. By the time the book is over, Vader still isn't the avatar of evil that he will one day become, but he's certainly over the hump. In addition, the advantage of writing a prequel story is that you can boost the power of events that happen later on, giving them much more significance. When Vader finally kills Palpatine at the end of Return of the Jedi, for example, the moment is a little richer and more powerful for having seen what Palpatine put Vader through in his early days.

In this book, we get a good look at the Master-Disciple relationship of the Sith, and the precarious balance that it requires. The Master works his hardest to break and subjugate his disciple in order to make him strong enough so that he will one day exceed his master. The problem is that, traditionally, the disciple usually kills the master at that point, finds a new disciple of his own, and the cycle begins anew. Palpatine is looking to avoid that, if at all possible, and Vader is just itching for a chance. The key is that power is an end unto itself, and the cycle of murder is just a part of that.

But at the end of Jedi, Vader kills his master for the benefit of another, something that is antithetical to the core philosophy of the Sith. Vader gained no power by killing Palpatine, at least not in the sense that he understood "power" up to that point.

Star Wars purists might stay away from the novels, and that's certainly their right. I think this one is worth reading, though. It's an excellent move away from the horrorshow that was the new trilogy, and does a very good job at helping us rediscover the Darth Vader that we all came to know and love.

-------------------------------
"The old system is dead, senator. You would be wise to subscribe to the new one."
- Darth Vader

James Luceno has authored multiple excellent Star Wars-universe novels. This one overlaps the tail end of Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith.

In Dark Lord, we see the completion of Anakin Skywalker's move to the Dark Side. Much of the book deals with a handful of Jedi who survived Order 66 and strive to rescue other survivors. Since the other core characters, Yoda and Obi-Wan are otherwise occupied, they play only minor roles if any in this part of the story. Vader discovers these survivors and determines to eliminate them. They eventually meet each other on the Wookies home world.

Aside from the action plot, we watch as Vader struggles to come to grips with his role as Sidious' apprentice, as a weapon in his hands. He transitions from seeing his black suit as a poorly designed cage to a symbol of who and what he is. He learns to enjoy the power of the Dark Side and the fear that he generates in those around him. He becomes Darth Vader.

The end of the book points the reader neatly in the direction of The New Hope.

Reading the first part of the book, you may wonder if you'll ever get to Vader and company but hang in there. Several characters are introduced that later appear in The New Hope. Although the opening drags a bit, I found this book enjoyable.

James Luceno has authored multiple excellent Star Wars-universe novels. This one overlaps the tail end of Star Wars III Revenge of the Sith.

In Dark Lord, we see the completion of Anakin Skywalker's move to the Dark Side. Much of the book deals with a handful of Jedi who survived Order 66 and strive to rescue other survivors. Since the other core characters, Yoda and Obi-Wan are otherwise occupied, they play only minor roles if any in this part of the story. Vader discovers these survivors and determines to eliminate them. They eventually meet each other on the Wookies home world.

Aside from the action plot, we watch as Vader struggles to come to grips with his role as Sidious' apprentice, as a weapon in his hands. He transitions from seeing his black suit as a poorly designed cage to a symbol of who and what he is. He learns to enjoy the power of the Dark Side and the fear that he generates in those around him. He becomes Darth Vader.

The end of the book points the reader neatly in the direction of The New Hope.

Reading the first part of the book, you may wonder if you'll ever get to Vader and company but hang in there. Several characters are introduced that later appear in The New Hope. Although the opening drags a bit, I found this book enjoyable.

I read all the Star Wars universe adult novels, and many of the young adult and children's novels, so they had my money regardless. I was very excited about this particular book being the first chronologically after Episode III, and the first to present Vader in his new persona. I was disappointed on that front, and also because Luceno's other Star Wars titles have been so much better.

It's not that Luceno makes any mistakes, it's just that he didn't capture my imagination this time. He wasn't able to make me care much about the minor characters whose stories form the framework of the book. Maybe he felt too hemmed in - the Star Wars universe is very "full" at this point in time. This book features many of our best-loved characters. The past is determined, the future determined, and much of the present has been discussed in other titles.

It was not bad, though. In fact, the appearance of the original trilogy characters is great. You will see plenty of Vader and Sidious, and appearances from Luke, Leia, and Obi-Wan. There is some background on the Organa family and pre-explosion planet Alderaan. And best of all, a significant portion of the action occurs on Kashyyyk and we learn more history about Chewbacca and his family.

Recommended to confirmed Star Wars fans. More casual SW fans, and other readers might be advised to one of Luceno's other SW titles first.

I have noticed that this book has produced mixed emotions in many reviews. While the book is themed the "Rise of Darth Vader", many are disheartened that the book does not focus more time on Vader. Clearly these reviewers have little literary insight. Spending 338 pages focusing entirely on Vader would grow tiresome quickly.

To develop the Darth Vader character, the author needed a vehicle to show the development. The device used by the author is the extermination of the few remaining Jedi that survived order 66. Since the two most prominent living Jedi are in hiding, the author needed to develop new Jedi characters. Without this, the book would fall flat. Roan Shryne and Olee Starstone are the Jedi which the book introduces. When the clones that are working with them during order 66, they become confused by the order and fail to carry it out. Lord Sidious and Darth Vader become aware of this failure which gives Vader a challenge. Vader seeks to destroy the remaining Jedi while solidifying his standing on the Dark Side. While we see Vader struggle with his new body and role, an internal evoluation is very noticable. Luceno does an excellent job portraying this development. Along the way, readers meet familiar faces Chewbacca and Bail Organa. The book also includes a brief appearance of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

This book gave genuine insight into the character of Darth Vader. It also gave tremendous insight into the lives of the remaining members of the fallen Jedi order. While it is certainly did not have the same action and drama as other editions of the Star Wars series, it built a bridge over a gap in the story. If you go into this book with that expectation, you will enjoy this book. If you are expecting "A New Hope", you are certain to be let down.

I won't give another extensive review of this title- Others have done a good job of outlining the book. I will say that this is a good read, and is going to be considered an important part of canon in the Star Wars galaxy forever more.

If the naysayers here would have actually read the book with an open mind, they might have gotten the answers they sought.

Why didn't Vader kill Palpatine? The book explains it: Vader is not anywhere near as powerful as Darth Sidious, and he has no illusions that he's powerful enough to face his new master. . . yet.

Why Tattooine for Luke? Aside from the fact that Vader won't go there (he'd be reminded of his former life as Anakin, including the tragedy of his mother's death, his first meeting of Padme, and numerous other things), there's the fact that Anakin left a major dark side "stain" in the Jundland Wastes, where he slaughtered the entire clan of Tusken Raiders out of anger and aggression. Powerful dark side "stains" like that can conceal the presence of the Force and Force users, just like the dark side cave on Dagobah conceals Yoda's being there.

How did the Wookiees become enslaved to the Empire? Read this book and find out. Who built the Death Star? Read the book and find out. How did Tarken and Vader start working together under the Emperor? Read this book!!!

Seriously, this is a great "fill in the holes" book for Star Wars fans. Pick it up. Avoid the abridged audio version and read how Vader got used to being a cyborg, and learned to tap into the Dark Side of the Force.

"Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader" by James Luceno follows the exploits of the legendary Sith Lord as he hunts down a band of Jedi escaping the fate of their brethren as a result of a regiment of clonetroopers that refuse to implement order 66.

Towards the end of "Return Of The Jedi", Darth Vader turns on the Emperor and hefts the villain to his fate at the bottom of some kind energy reactor. However, from "Dark Lord: The Rise Of Darth Vader", readers learn that this was not necessarily the result of a sudden change of heart upon seeing Palpatine hurl lightening from his fingertips at little Luke.

Rather, it slowly unfolds throughout the novel that the relationship Vader has with the Emperor is not that of a worshipful underling but instead that of a resentful sycophant wanting what his superior possesses.

"Star Wars" fans will enjoy seeing the unfolding development of familiar characters rising to prominence in the years between the two trilogies such as Chewbacca, Grand Moff Tarkin, R2D2 and C-3P0. Also of interest to devoted Star Wars fans will be the prominence given to Kashyyyk and the Wookies in the novel's climax.

Though "Star Wars" is known more for its faced paced action than its more cerebral counterpart "Star Trek", "Dark Lord" is not without profound reflective moments relevant to the chaotic times in which we live.

In an exchange with Bail Organa of Alderan, Vader muses, "Harmony is the ideal of the New Order, Senator, not dissension." And in another insightful passage, the text reads, "The ideals of democracy hadn't been stamped out by Palpatine ... the citizens of countless worlds and star systems, grown weary of the old system, had allowed democracy to die (319)."

Were Darth Vader an actual historical figure, few good people would care what reasons he might invoke to justify his atrocities. However, as a fictional character, the saga of Anakin Skywalker serves as sympathetic warning of how small bad choices have a way of accumulating in such a manner as to ruin the lives of not only those making them but the lives of those around such individuals as well.

by Frederick Meekins

first off ive been waiting for months for this book and when i got it home i was really impressed:) james luceno does it again a surefire hit..this book is not for the casual star wars fan though keep this in mind.. if you saw revenge of the sith(and who hasnt?) this book fills up some of the story gaps quite nicely way better than the expanded universe books can do...

ok first off ..this book im my views is darth vader year one..because we know how anakin fell to the dark side in rots..he did it out of love for padme...hence the tragic fallen hero story arc..beauty and love can make anybody weak.

this book shows how anakin is dealing with his choice in turning to the dark side and his dealing with life in the new armor..he has memories that go back to the epic duel on mustafar with obi wan kenobi..his thoughts of padme..his secret that he saw through palpatine's thoughts etc and had ideas to overthrow him but why he cant

we also learn how obi wan kenobi finds out about darth vader/anakin still being alive and his reactions of him in the new menacing armor..we also learn how the wookies are enslaved which was a good read as well..we learn more about the relationship between tarkin /palpatine/and vader...

but i find in this book the most interesting is the way it shows how vader becomes palpatines right hand man and how he becomes the ultimate enforcer of the new empire(there are some parts where does a number on some of his former jedi masters)..we see how he tracks down his fellow jedi..remember that order 66 has been given so this story also takes place near the end of the clone wars/rise of the empire..not everybody has heard about the birth of the empire..but they will..thanks to vader and his jedi purge which is one of vaders first assignments..

the book also shows how yoda and other characters are starting to deal with the new order..but not everybody is on the side of the empire(the birth of the rebellion is still growing in secret)

theres lots more to tell but im not giving it away !

if you are are a fan of star wars..or darth vader. you must pick this book up..its a great read..

Since James Luceno was given the opportunity to write the lead-in book to the last Star Wars movie, Labyrith of Evil, it seems only fitting that he writes the sequel to it. That sequel is Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, and it is much better than Luceno's first book, mainly because he leaves all the politics at the allegorical level. There are other problems with the book, but nothing that takes away from a fascinating look at the early days of one of the most recognizable villains of all time.

The Jedi are destroyed and Chancellor Palpatine has named himself Emperor. The Republic has become an empire, and the Senate is now useless. But Palpatine still has to consolidate his power, with outlying worlds still holding out and a few rogue Jedi on the run. He needs a right-hand man who can be his weapon, a man indebted to him for his life, and an apprentice who wants power for its own sake, enough to even consider eventually killing Palpatine and taking it for himself. This weapon is Darth Vader, the new incarnation of the horribly wounded Anakin Skywalker, a man who is still completely unsure of his place in the universe. Palpatine uses Vader's hunt for the elusive Jedi to bring him completely under the Emperor's deformed thumb. Will the Jedi realize that teaming up to try and bring down this dark force will be futile, and that they must bide their time? Or will the newly confident Vader be able to completely wipe them out?

It's fascinating to see Vader in Dark Lord, as he's completely different than what we're used to. He still has the imposing figure, the dark mask that will intimidate all but the most gutsy prisoner. But inside, he's a mess. Remnants of Anakin still exist, he's plagued with self-doubt, and he realizes that Palpatine is manipulating him even as he allows it to happen. Palpatine, for his part, needs an apprentice who is thirsty for all the power he can give, and he's irritated that Vader doesn't seem to want to take it. Thankfully for both of them, there are some Jedi that keep popping up that Vader is obsessed with, which will certainly help them both. I loved the characterization of both men. Even better, the George Bush overtones are a lot more subtle (and probably only recognizable if you either agree with them or if you know that Luceno feels that way from the previous book). While we see Vader's internal monologues, his discomfort with his new armour and his bionic appendages, outwardly he covers it well. The combination of the dark, imposing mask and his manner are the same as what we're used to. The contrast is very striking.

I can't leave the other Jedi out of the characterization question, but unfortunately they're not quite as well done. I really liked Roam Shryne and Olee Starstone (what is it with these names?), and Roam's internal conflict was quite good. He's torn between the life of a Jedi and returning to a normal life, especially when he meets a long-lost relative. Starstone is an idealistic apprentice, and she can't fathom what Shryne is going through. She's determined to seek out as many Jedi as possible, to see if something can be done about the Emperor. The other characters, however, aren't as well-drawn. It's not that they're two-dimensional, but Luceno doesn't generate enough interest in them to make us (or me, anyway) want to read about them. The smugglers are rather stereotypical (with the exception of Jula). Bail Organa and his wife are fine, but their storyline seems superfluous considering the rest of the book. Yes, it introduces Lord Vader to the broader galaxy, but the fake suspense involved in the "will Vader find Anakin's droids in Bail's house, and will he recognize his infant daughter" just lie there because we know none of that happened.

The book is more characterization than plot, which is strange for a Star Wars book. It does drag at times, but Vader is cool enough, and Shryne is interesting enough, that it doesn't become that much of an issue. The final confrontation is a wonderful set-piece that Luceno draws out to almost a perfect pitch on the Wookie homeworld. We see some familiar faces and even the starship action is riveting. Dark Lord truly benefits from having no known characters as its lead protagonists, as anything can happen to them, and does. You never know who's going to die, how they're going to die, or what will happen. This gives the finale an even more gripping feel.

Ultimately, the thing that makes Dark Lord great is the interplay between Vader and Palpatine, as well as Palpatine's machinations. I loved the details of what exactly the suit does, and how Vader is initially very conscious of how vulnerable his breathing unit is (he's constantly protecting it in a lightsaber duel). His bionic limbs make him clumsy, especially his legs, and he has to relearn his lightsaber technique. He's very strong in the Force, which helps him compensate in his initial duels, but he slowly grows more confident.

It will be interesting to see if there are more books planned between the two trilogies, showing even more the rise of the Empire and the initial stages of the Rebellion. We see some of the figures that will become prominent, and you have to wonder if some of the other rogue Jedi will become part of the whole thing. We know how it all has to end up, with Ben Kenobi and Yoda the last of the Jedi until Luke gets trained, but there is a lot of room for other stories. Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader makes a fitting beginning to that, giving us a Vader familiar yet different, and showing us exactly how he became the villain so many people have loved.

David Roy

Having miraculously survived his battle with Obi-Wan Kenobi on Mustafar, Darth Vader, the ex-Jedi, now fully embraces his title as apprentice to now-emperor Palpatine and begins his task of destroying the remaining Jedi knights. The story begins on the planet Murkhana, where the clone troopers are given order 66; the order to destroy the remaining Jedi. Jedi Master Roan Shryne and Padawan Olee Starstone manage to escape from the planet and they begin a desperate search across the galaxy for any more surviving Jedi.

However, before escaping, Shryne and Starstone get their first look at Vader; an imposing figure dressed entirely in black with a menacing looking helmet and a crimson lightsaber. At first, Shryne and Starstone aren't sure who Vader is, but after seeing him in action, they quickly deduce that he is somehow involved with Sidious. This first encounter is only the beginning for the fugitive Jedi, for Vader is fully intent on their total destruction.

However, Vader himself still harbors feelings of uncertainty and resent. He blames Sidious for the death of his beloved wife Padme, and he feels trapped inside his new exoskeleton. He is unable to funcation as he did when he was Jedi Anakin Skywalker, and he still has thoughts about his life as Anakin. It is apparent throughout the story that Vader's and Sidious' relationship is strained at best. Vader someday dreams of being Emperor himself, while Sidious is content to string Vader along, never allowing him to fully realize his tremendous potential as an agent of the dark side of the Force. The chapter dealing with Vader's feelings about being imprisoned within his new suit is one of the best in the book.

From Alderran to the Wookie planet of Kashyyyk, Vader tries to catch and destroy Shryne and Starstone, but they seem to always stay one step ahead of him. And on Tattooine, a former Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, keeps watch over Anakin's young son, Luke Skywalker.

This is a tremendous book. I read Luceno's previous book "Labyrinth of Evil", and "Dark Lord" continues in its fine tradition. This book does an excellent job of describing Vader's desperate hunt for the remaining Jedi while fighting his own personal conflicts. The beginnings of what was to become the Rebellion against the Empire are seeded, and it was touching to read about Obi-Wan and his vigil over Luke Skywalker. This book is a must-read for Star Wars fans. It does an excellent job of filling in the holes surrounding Vader's rise and the ultimite rise of the Rebellion.

The novel actually begins just before Order 66 has been given.

You get to read about the last vestages of Anakin being purged from Vader's psyche and his transformation to the Darth Vader we see in the Original Trilogy.

The storyline is plausible and interconnected to Revenge of the Sith. At the very end of the Novel, the Empire through the help of Tarkin invade Kashyyyk and enslave 200,000 wookiees to help build the Death Star. So, there is a good continuity in this Novel. I can't understate that point enough. If you've ever read 'Rogue Planet' or 'The Approaching Storm', you know what I mean.

The action sequences are well laid out. But, expectedly, Vader vanquishs 4 Jedi and maimes 2 others; if my memory serves.

Nice edition to the SW Universe. A solid 4 out of 5 stars.

I agree with the reviewer who said that this book was more about the fleeing of the remaining jedi rather than the title character himself.
Another shortcoming was his sudden transformation and resolve to follow this path. The beginning the book has him dithering and feeling resentful and regretful...but then all of a sudden he changes after the battle with wookies and jedi? It plainly states he's changed, but it doesn't really say why or how...that part was weak.

Other than that, I enjoyed the book and it's actually brought me here to link a recommendation to my brother and hunt down some more novels.

I have to say that the novels written around the prequel trilogy have been really good overall. Enjoyed them!

The other Reviews are right when saying that there is not much of a Story in the book, in the conventional sense of the word, and what story there is, it's more focused on the Jedi, the good guys, more then Vader like you would think. Don't get me wrong, it's still worth Reading if you're a Vader fan. The story is mainly for people to get a feel what's going on in the universe, the heads of surviving Jedi, and Vader himself after rise of the Empire and the fall of the Republic.

Now, in most Star Wars EU that I've read, the main focus is always on the good guy, little depth into the villains. But, even in keeping to the standard of "Lets focus on our Heroes" Luceno does put a focus on Vader that I haven't seen since Steve Perry's "Shadow of the Empire." When you do get your much to be desired Vader scenes, Luceno does get into Vader's state of mind and some feelings into what transpired in Ep III, his pain and disgust and well...what he Really thinks of Palpatine.

It also shows how Vader, in his own way, has a friendship of shorts with his stormtroopers. It also shows an obsession he gains to a point that it can displease the Emperor in some cases early on. So If you're a Vader fan, Roleplayers and or fanfiction writer of sorts, I recommend getting this because it's one of the very few books I've found in EU that will get into Vader's head at all. And In all honesty, I think some of the EU authors are just to scared to get too deep into Vader head.

This is an excellent book. It was weird at first reading a book that did not focus on Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Master Windu and Anakin Skywalker (in a non Darth Vader Role). I have read all of the major books that take place during the first three Star Wars movies, and this was a bit of a departure, it was not based on anything from the movies. This was a refreshing change in a way, as I am gathering that it allowed Mr. Luceno a lot of freedom when he wrote this book--he was not held back by the movies since this book takes place between Episode three and Episode four. The only thing is that it was a tiny bit difficult to identify with some of the characters because they did not appear in the movies, so there is nothing for the reader to base them off of; but this has its benefits as well as it allows the reader to let his/her imagination run more freely. This was a riveting read watching Vader transform from a confused, frustrated man who is still partially Anakin to the character that is portrayed in the original three movies. I also like the way that Mr. Luceno explores the problems Vader has adjusting to his new way of life, from being an able bodied Jedi to a man/machine living inside of an armoured suit. I would recommend this book to any Star Wars fan and a must have for any Vader fan.

Like Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, this novel pits the title Sith Lord against protagonists. Yes, this is the novel featuring the events immediately after Episode III, including Darth Vader's early missions for the Empire. Vader hunts down Jedi who escaped Order 66 and other enemies of the new Galactic Empire. We see how Vader adjusts to his new body and suit. We see how Tarkin and Vader work together to subjugate Kashyyyk and enslave the Wookiees, and how Chewbacca participates in the adventure of the protagonists. We see how Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi each discovers the true identity of Darth Vader. We see why "Ben" Kenobi begins to gain the reputation of a crazy old wizard, and how the ghost of Qui-Gon convinces him that Luke must remain on Tatooine.

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader is the third top-notch prequel-movie-related novel by James Luceno. I also highly recommend the following 5-star novels:

Cloak of Deception (Star Wars)
Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul)
Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)
Shadows of the Empire (Star Wars)

WARNING: Review contains spoilers! Read at your own risk!

The publishers of this book obviously know what Star Wars fans like -- Vader. He has become a symbol of awesome evil for our fandom. His armor, his mask, even his ominous breathing have become synonymous with our favorite space saga. So when a book appears with Vader's face on the cover (twice!) and his name in the title, we immediately bite. After all, this book claims to fill in that crucial time between "Revenge of the Sith" and "A New Hope," and also claims to show his final development from Anakin to Vader.

Sadly, this book is a classic case of false advertising. For this book is not about Darth Vader, despite the lofty claims of the cover and dust jacket. Rather, it's about a weakened, whining Jedi Knight and the collection of ragtag fugitives and criminals he gathers, a group so flatly characterized that I couldn't even find the energy to care about a single one of them despite their hardships and losses.

One of the flaws of many Star Wars novels is that the authors focus more on their original characters than on the established characters -- as was the case of Shadow Hunter (Star Wars: Darth Maul) (though I forgive that book because the original characters actually had some depth and dynamics). In this case, the main original character stole so much of Vader's thunder that I didn't care when Vader finally killed him.

If you want a good piece of writing about Darth Vader, I would recommend seeking out a good piece of fanfiction rather than reading this book, which comes across as a mediocre piece of fanfic itself. I would also recommend instead Star Wars® Darth Bane Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars), which isn't about Vader but is still a much better read.

Let me start with this: I hated the prequels. They were truly terrible. The internal logic was all messed up, on display were some of the worst examples in big-budget movie-making of effects taking precedence over acting and story.

This book is fantastic. Luceno does an admirable job considering the hand he's given.

For the first time in a long time, we finally get away from any of the characters in the prequels. No more Anakin or Obi Wan or even Mace. Roan Shryne is a Jedi who is having doubts which is a fantastic character to have because the Force is a religion and it should be limited, even in doubt. That's why people say, "may the force be with you"

Secondly, we see Palpatine getting annoyed at Vader's whininesss. The biggest weakness of the prequels were the awful characterization of motivations. Anakin kills a roomful of small children for the chance to save Padme? Made absolutely no sense and .... anyways, overall in this book you see Luceno doing an admirable job of patching up the mess that the prequels left. He cleared up the motivations of all of the actors and this was a damn good read.

I think James Luceno is a decent Star Wars writter but I wouldn't say he's my favorite by any means. I thought this book did an adequate job showing you what happened after Revenge of the Sith and does a decent job showing you the struggles Darth Vadar has with his new body and his new responsibilities as the Emperor's new "enforcer". The remaining jedi that he encounters in this book are mostly forgetable. I didn't even feel bad when some of them were killed off.

I really like reading about the Clone Wars books with a young Anakin, ObiWon, Mace, Yoda and the gang must more than I do about Luke, Han etc and this book has a good story, a good plot and it's written well enough. It isn't however a page turner and it will be easily forgotten with some of the other books out there.

It's what a call a good library book. It's definitely not a go out and buy and read over and over again book.

Overall entertaining read, although I think any book written about a between film hallmark Lucas character has a Very Very restricted story line. I'm sure Luceno did what he could with the character, but ultimately I feel like something is missing. I was expecting to see why the galaxy feared Vader, but mostly just saw his increasing limitations. Anakin/Darth Vader a Sith creation supposedly has the most Force potential, but all he really does is throw stuff and choke? I guess I was hoping for a bit more than Vader angst. It is ingenious how Luceno tries to work with Vader's limitations, especially describing in a justifying way the limited movie props of the 70's i.e. Vader's suit and empire space craft. Worth a read.

I very much enjoyed this book. I was enormously disappointed by both the movies and books for the first two Episodes (Phantom Menace and Attack Of The Clones). Both books seemed to be nothing more than the movie put to paper. I thought the Episode III book was outstanding, even better than the movie.

One of the things I loved most about this book was its lack of focus on the traditional action-book features, such as huge explosions and battles involving hundreds of characters. There is certainly a large explosion in the story but it is not central to the story and the author does not spend a great deal of time with a countdown to the explosion, nor does he spend much time on the details of the damage it caused. Many other books follow a formula of stating that an explosion is imminent and then chapter after chapter revolves around "building the suspense" which ends with the formulaic last-minute rescue. Instead, here the author simply makes it plain that an explosion is on the way, and it happens almost "off-screen", really to just be noticed by characters physically-removed from the explosion.

Also, several other things happen "off-screen", between the pages. They are described in passing but are not dwelled on. I enjoy it when an author leaves a scene up the imagination of the reader. Instead of describing unimportant things in nauseating detail, the author leaves part of the story up to the reader's imagination.

I was a little surprised that so many bits and pieces of the Star Wars lore were touched on by this single story. Be warned, a few spoilers follow. Turn back now lest ye be exposed to story elements you would rather be surprised by:

1) We learn how Obi-Wan finds out about Darth Vader still being alive and what he looks like now in his armor.

2) We learn how the Wookies were enslaved. This was a part of the Expanded-Universe story, but I was surprised that they covered that in this book. I did not know beforehand that Wookies would be involved at all.

3) We learn of the relationship b/t Vader/Palpatine/Tarkin. Again, I did not realize Tarkin would be involved.

I was just surprised in general that they covered so many things. I am not complaining, I enjoyed it. It simply surprised me. I thought they might take all of the unexplored pieces of the Star Wars mythos and drag them out over dozens of books.

I do hope Luceno writes more books following this sort of story. I very much enjoyed it and would like to read more like it.

I just finished reading this and enjoyed it for the most part. Like many other Star Wars books this might not satisfy casual fans. However, it does go into detail about what happened four weeks after Episode III and Vader's experiences. The author did a good job showing him to be awkward at first but developing over time to at the end of the book showing the first hints of the classic cinematic villain he is in the original trilogy. The writing does lose its "Star Wars" feel in some places but not too many. This book also shows what is happening politically in the galaxy with most characters from Episode III shown. The relationship between Palpatine and Vader is explored and I found that too be very interesting as it shows both of their thoughts towards each other. I do hope that Luceno writes another book continuing the events in this one.

Luceno knows how to deliver a well-rounded Star Wars novel. This is a compelling follow-up to Revenge of the Sith¬−even after being relegated to “Legends” status. In fact, this novel’s fall from canon is a good thing, from a certain point of view. Now it’s simply an interesting “what if” story. What if a few Jedi didn’t quite get taken out with Order 66? What if Vader isn’t real happy about his bulky black armor? Through this story frame-work, Luceno crafts a well-written but far from perfect chunk of Star Wars storytelling.

Dark Lord: the Rise of Darth Vader is a good conclusion to the Darth Vader trilogy, a good insight into the defeat of the Jedi Order, and a little more meat to the conclusion to Revenge of the Sith. It feels like a significant step-down as opposed to Labyrinth of Evil and the ROTS novelization, but holds its own within the larger corpus of Star Wars literature.

The parts of this work that actually deal with the rise and conflicted emotions of Anakin Skywalker as he transitions wholly to Darth Vader are interesting and fun to read, and make a great connection to the Episode III movie.

By far the Vader scenes are the most interesting, especially his internal conflict and hatred/respect for the Emperor.

The story of the last Jedi deciding what to do now with their lives after the collaspe of their order is the weakest part of the book. It is necessary I believe to describe how the straggling Jedi managed to survive, but the characters are weak and the dialogue is at times unconvincing.

I read this book over just a couple of days as pure summer entertainment. If that is all you expect out of this book, you will be happy with it.

The book was interesting but unremarkable.

It's interesting to see Anakin's further personal development (his progression further into the dark side), although since his disfigurement at the end of the revenge of the Sith he has been significantly neutered (as evidenced by his being repeatedly wounded by average Jedi).

That being said the further revelations concerning the pathological relationship between Sith Master and Apprentice was interesting, as well as the introduction of the Moff's but the rest of the book was relatively dull.

If you really must know what happened between revenge of the Sith and A new hope, go ahead and read this book, but I wouldn't buy it.

I felt a little disappointed reading this book after Outbound Flight, however Timothy Zahn could scribble non-sense and I would think its Sci-Fi Gold. Dark Lord is definitely a good book, and goes deeper into the more human side of the turned and mangled Darth Vader as he copes with his new mechanical body. This is, once again, one of those books where the Jedi seemed less important, and Darth Vader was definitely the center of attention in this story line. I had to admit not really caring what happened to the Jedi as they go throughout their story, and wanted to read more about the Dark Lord himself. I think I hold all Star Wars books up to the caliber of the Thrawn trilogy, and I think I will always let myself down in that respect, but overall, the story is good and I did enjoy this book.

After reading Labyrinth of Evil, I knew that this new sequel to Episode III by James Luceno would be worth reading.

From start to finish this book is very engaging and keeps the reader enthralled in the story. I was unable to put this book down and read it in 6 hours. James Luceno does an excellent job of showing how Darth Vader comes full circle into embracing the powers of the dark side of the force.

At the conclusion of Episode III, I was left to wonder if Darth Vader truly had accepted his conversion over to the dark side. At the beginning of this book he doesn't, and still has some lingering doubt over his decision. However, his journey to the dark side is completed in this novel. The novel also shows how his relationship with Moff Tarkin is developed, and shows how the Wookies are brought into slavery. An excellent edition to the Star Wars saga and a must read for all Star Wars fans everywhere.

There are also some ties to the Thrawn trilogy in this as well. Fans of those novels will undoubtably be able to pick out the connections in this book.