Title: Dark Lord
Author: James Luceno
Pages: 336
Time: 19 BBY

Introduction
Finally! "Dark Lord" is available in paperback! I only buy paperbacks because it is cheaper, easier to carry around and easier to store. It does forcemake me to wait longer before I can read a novel though, which can be a little painfull. This time the wait was even worse, because it concerned a novel I was really looking forward to. It was a welcome jump in my timeline-driven quest through the EU novels and it is about the one and only Darth Vader. The story takes place right after ROTS and gives us a look in the mind of the early Darth Vader. Potentially very interesting, but did it work out the way I expected it to? You'll read below that it mostly did.

Novel quality
When you start to read this novel, you might be a bit surprised that it doesn't start with Dart Vader. In fact, Vader will not be coming around for quite a while. We are first introduced to the Jedi's side of order 66. We meet a Jedi Master called Roan Shryne, who will be an important character throughout the story. He is the one going up against Vader. He is "leading" a band of surviving Jedi who try to figure out what happened. Their problems and discussions are a nice read and very well written. However, I feel that there is too much of them and not enough of Vader. For a novel dedicated solely to Darth Vader, there is an awful lot of attention for supporting characters. It was the same with the novel about Darth Maul , but this time the main character is too important and too popular to spread the attention between him and the supporting characters. It may technically be the best choice, but this is Vader we are talking about.

If we step over the "problem" of not having enough Vader, we do see a great novel though. The scenes with Vader in them are quite simply great and the supporting story is actually quite interesting to read. We also get to read more about the first stages of the Empire and the way it starts to influence people. Great moments are when Bail Organa meets Vader and how he feels that this Vader is actually Anakin Skywalker. The interaction between Bail and Vader is very enjoyable and deepens the character of Bail considerably. All in all, this novel provides for quite an interesting package. The best part of the nove, is the last part. The climax of the looming battle between Shryne and Vader is very well written and the inclusion of Obi Wan, is a stroke of genius. It is here that Mr. Luceno once again shows to be a very strong Star Wars author.

Over the whole, this novel left me with a positive feeling. The lack of Vader in the beginning and his less than hoped for presence throughout the novel are washed away virtually completely by the great moments this novel provides. Anybody remotely interested in Vader (that would be all of you) should pick this novel up and give it a try. You may be a bit disappointed in the beginning, but I can guarantee you that the novel will leave you with a smile. It is simply a very good story, which has to deal with very high and perhaps unrealistic expectations. We should be happy that there are people who are brave enough to try and meet those expectations.
Rating: 87/100

Personal tilt
Although the novel left me with a good feeling, I do feel it could have been a bit better. Mr. Luceno just doesn't spend enough time telling us about Vader. It is a bit of a double feeling. The novel does some great things, but it also leaves something to be desired. It isn't the top-grade novel I expected, but somehow it is high on my re-read list. You should probably just read it and find out for yourself how much you like it. For some of you the disappointment of reading a lot of non-Vader stuff in a Vader novel, might just be the thing that stops you from really enjoying the novel. Others may say that it is one of the best novels they've ever read. I'll remain somewhere in the middle. It has it's faults, but I love in nonetheless
Rating: 82/100

Overall rating: 85.0100

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