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June 23, 2006
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Woe to the straggling survivors of Order 66, as everyone?s favorite black-clad badass hunts them to the brink of extinction from the halls of Alderaan to the forests of Kashyyyk. An even greater woe to the long-time Star Wars fan who misses James Luceno?s stirring post-RotS novel 'Dark Lord: the Rise of Darth Vader,' a suitable bookend for the final Star Wars film and a showcase of everything that is good about the franchise?s foray into the pulp literary realm.
Mixing some tried and true franchise elements with an engaging cast of new faces, the veteran EU author has crafted a satisfying page turner that reads very much like a pleasant afternoon at the multiplex. Clocking in at a brisk 322 pages, 'Dark Lord' juggles a band of surviving Jedi Knights, a kindly smuggler and her crew, and of course the iconic main attraction in a fast and furious romp that succeeds on the strength of its author?s considerable plotting skills, as well as its distance from the seemingly endless stream of non-Classic Trilogy Lucas Licensing material.
Perhaps best known for his NJO-concluding volume 'The Unifying Force,' as well as the ebook 'Darth Maul: Saboteur,' Luceno is clearly in his element when writing about the political and military machinations of the prequel era. He continues the trend of accessible intrigue he began with 'Cloak of Deception,' and it is no accident that the editors at LucasBooks chose to entrust the novels immediately proceeding and immediately following 'Revenge of the Sith' ('Labyrinth of Evil' and 'Dark Lord,' respectively) to his care.
While Luceno?s prose is concise almost to the point of being simple, his ability to paint vivid wordscapes with a bare minimum of description, as well as a knack for developing memorable supporting characters, serve his audience well throughout 'Dark Lord.' While none of the rogue Jedi are sufficiently developed (owing in part to the brevity of the book and the fact that much of it is spent connecting plot threads between the trilogies), they are emotionally affecting to the point of prompting the reader to cheer for their survival, if only to learn more about them.
Particularly memorable is the maverick Master Roan Shryne, disaffected with the order prior to its extinction, and rudderless after the completion of Order 66. Shryne bears more than a passing resemblance to another Luceno creation, the Ryn known as Droma, who briefly served as Han Solo?s co-pilot aboard the Millenium Falcon following the death of Chewbacca at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. Shryne, like Droma, has the unenviable task of filling both a primary narrative role in the continuity, and acting as a foil to one of the most beloved characters in the history of the license. Both ultimately transcend these remedial roles to become memorable sympathetic characters in their own right.
Issues of characterization aside, 'Dark Lord' comes as close to replicating the spirit of the original films as any EU book to date, and, whether by design or pure personal taste, firmly links the two film trilogies in a convincing way that no other Star Wars property has managed. There were more than a few nostalgic moments during my trip through Luceno?s book, which, in addition to filling gaps in the mythology, also serves as a much-deserved valentine to die-hards lusting after a return to the Classic Trilogy era that they grew up loving.
Much of this is due to the legion of familiar faces, folks who will shortly be turning up in Episode IV: A New Hope. Though the events of 'Dark Lord' occur some sixteen years prior to the Battle of Yavin, favorites such as Wilhuff Tarkin, Mon Mothma, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 (the former with his memory freshly wiped), lend a decidedly Original Trilogy feel to the novel that is a welcome breath of fresh air after years of LucasBooks focusing relentlessly on the prequel and New Jedi Order eras.
Perhaps most important to the book?s success is Luceno?s portrayal of Vader, a character who, for all his screen time, remains sufficiently mysterious in terms of desire and motivation. The author takes us briefly inside the iconic suit of armor, revealing an early Vader/Anakin who, while powerful, has yet to fully grasp his new prosthetics, and the fundamental alterations in his fighting style that they dictate. Only after a knock-down drag-out battle with a fugitive Jedi Master does Vader accept his fate and fully succumb to the dark side of the Force, scratching the surface of his new potential and providing a fearsome glimpse of the all-powerful demon we remember from the original films. The book avoids delving too deep into the character, perhaps out of concern for upcoming bridge-era franchise entries, but offers enough of a glimpse to please fans while respecting the legend of pop culture?s most recognizable villain.
While far from perfect, 'Dark Lord' will certainly whet your appetite for further Luceno Star Wars adventures, as well as provide satisfaction as the larger pieces of the connective puzzle between the two film trilogies start to fall into place. As Lord Vader himself would say: impressive, most impressive.
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