Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
By James Luceno

The Plot
From the site of Anakin Skywalker's last stand, where he sought to destroy his friend and former Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, a fearsome specter has risen. Once the most powerful Knight ever known to the Jedu Order, he is now a disciple of the dark side, a lord of the dreaded Sith, and the avenging right hand of the galaxy's ruthless new Emperor.

Meanwhile, on the Outer Rim world of Murkhana, Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak and Padawan Olee Starstone are leading a charge against a Seperatist stronghold, unaware that the tide has turned against them. Although the three narrowly elude execution, the deadliest threat still rests in the hideously swift and lethal crimson lightsaber of Darth Vader-behind whose brooding mask lies a shattered heart, a poisoned soul, and a cunning, twisted mind hell-bent on vengeance. For the handful of Jedi hunted across space, survival is imperative if the light side of the Force is to be protected and the galaxy reclaimed.

The Good
The scenes in which Luceno peers into Vader's mind are interesting, as are his descriptions of The Suit. His anguish at revisiting the Jedi temple shows why he had no desire to revisit Tatooine.

The Bad
The book wasn't originally intended to be about Darth Vader. It shows. Vader, except for a few good scenes, is notably absent for much of the book that bears his name. Also, I've always been ticked off by the fact that about a hundred Jedi seem to have escaped Order 66, so I disliked the idea of this book's three escaping-especially when they all were on the same planet. Roan Shryne seems like a pale imitation of Obi-Wan. Finally, I've never been much a of a Luceno fan because, except for Labyrinth of Evil, all of his books have been incredibly boring. This one is no exception.

The Ugly
Not anything to say here.

Final Score: 2 out of 5