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scotteabbott's review against another edition
5.0
Really fun, and basically a prequel to Episode I: The Phantom Menace, but told from the Sith point of view. If you enjoyed the tease of Darth Plagueis from a recent Disney+ TV show (ie, the Acolyte), this is an entertaining way to pull more on that thread.
betarayclay's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I felt that Palpatine's origin was the focus of most of the book, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Plagueis as a character doesn't do much for me, although I really enjoyed his back story of how he came into his inheritance.
mschadoux's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
ilnyarienici's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
4.0
adamrbrooks's review against another edition
3.0
If you're not a big Star Wars fan, don't read this. It's potentially an interesting political thriller, but just as the prequel movies were a potentially compelling back story, the execution really isn't that good.
Now, for me... well, Star Wars is really the first story I remember knowing. So I feel deeply tied to it. (Let's not talk about my reaction, as an adult, to seeing Luke seemingly killed.) Because of that, elements of this story were interesting to me, giving some depth to the later Skywalker Saga (though I admit I had to refresh myself on what exactly happened in the first prequel, since it overlaps the end of this novel).
And there were a few interesting thoughts about light v. dark, how the Sith (and other authoritarians) see themselves and how government policy created the lawless world we see in the original trilogy.
In fact, when reviewing the passages I marked, it almost seemed like this was a deep, thoughtful book. In actuality, it's got a lot of really boring detail that doesn't much matter, some fake words ("stamse"??), inexplicable errors (like spelling a character's name wrong), oddly direct stuff about our world (like a mention of public v. private school) and it moves really slowly for at least the first half.
That said, it comes together well at the end.
Stuff I highlighted:
"In the same way that the past was reconfigured by selective memory, future events, too, were moving targets."
"When he sensed that someone didn't like him, he would go out of his way to be generous, and when he sensed that someone liked him too much he would occasionally go out of his way to be difficult, as a means of testing the limits of the relationship ... other children became playthings rather than playmates."
"The appropriate message should have been that they relinquish their need to feel in control of their own destinies and accept the enlightened leadership of a select few."
"What made [humans] especially intriguing waws their seeming intent to spread themselves to the far reaches of the Galazy, without any sense of control or planning, and whatever cost, eating up world after world in their insatiable quest."
"Who gives more shape to hisotry: the good, who adhere to the tried and true, or those who seek to rouse beings from their stupor and lead them to glory? A storm you are, but a much-needed one, to wash away the old and complacent and prune the galaxy of deadweight."
"We stalk the Frce like hunters, rather than surrender like prey to its enigmatic whims."
"The lives of most beings are of small consequence. The Jedi have failed to realize this. They are so busy saving lives and striving to keep the powers of the Force in balance that they have lost sight of the fact that sentient life is meant to evolve, not simply languish in contented stasis."
"Glaciers and volcanoes both have the potential to transform landscapes, but one does so by burying what lies beneath, while the other spews forth new terrain. The Sith are not placid stars but singularities. Rather than burn with muted purpose, we warp space and time to twist the galaxy to our own design."
"the world that was nothing more than a by-product of the eternal struggle between the light and dark forces, both of which were beyond any concepts of good or evil. The greater goal of the Sith involved toppling the Force itself."
"We have allowed the outer systems to become lawless realms, with pirates, slavers, smugglers, and arms merchants operating with impunity." (Hey! This is the Star Wars universe we know.... and it got that way because of POLICY!)
"Deception begins with bureacracy."
Now, for me... well, Star Wars is really the first story I remember knowing. So I feel deeply tied to it. (Let's not talk about my reaction, as an adult, to seeing Luke seemingly killed.) Because of that, elements of this story were interesting to me, giving some depth to the later Skywalker Saga (though I admit I had to refresh myself on what exactly happened in the first prequel, since it overlaps the end of this novel).
And there were a few interesting thoughts about light v. dark, how the Sith (and other authoritarians) see themselves and how government policy created the lawless world we see in the original trilogy.
In fact, when reviewing the passages I marked, it almost seemed like this was a deep, thoughtful book. In actuality, it's got a lot of really boring detail that doesn't much matter, some fake words ("stamse"??), inexplicable errors (like spelling a character's name wrong), oddly direct stuff about our world (like a mention of public v. private school) and it moves really slowly for at least the first half.
That said, it comes together well at the end.
Stuff I highlighted:
"In the same way that the past was reconfigured by selective memory, future events, too, were moving targets."
"When he sensed that someone didn't like him, he would go out of his way to be generous, and when he sensed that someone liked him too much he would occasionally go out of his way to be difficult, as a means of testing the limits of the relationship ... other children became playthings rather than playmates."
"The appropriate message should have been that they relinquish their need to feel in control of their own destinies and accept the enlightened leadership of a select few."
"What made [humans] especially intriguing waws their seeming intent to spread themselves to the far reaches of the Galazy, without any sense of control or planning, and whatever cost, eating up world after world in their insatiable quest."
"Who gives more shape to hisotry: the good, who adhere to the tried and true, or those who seek to rouse beings from their stupor and lead them to glory? A storm you are, but a much-needed one, to wash away the old and complacent and prune the galaxy of deadweight."
"We stalk the Frce like hunters, rather than surrender like prey to its enigmatic whims."
"The lives of most beings are of small consequence. The Jedi have failed to realize this. They are so busy saving lives and striving to keep the powers of the Force in balance that they have lost sight of the fact that sentient life is meant to evolve, not simply languish in contented stasis."
"Glaciers and volcanoes both have the potential to transform landscapes, but one does so by burying what lies beneath, while the other spews forth new terrain. The Sith are not placid stars but singularities. Rather than burn with muted purpose, we warp space and time to twist the galaxy to our own design."
"the world that was nothing more than a by-product of the eternal struggle between the light and dark forces, both of which were beyond any concepts of good or evil. The greater goal of the Sith involved toppling the Force itself."
"We have allowed the outer systems to become lawless realms, with pirates, slavers, smugglers, and arms merchants operating with impunity." (Hey! This is the Star Wars universe we know.... and it got that way because of POLICY!)
"Deception begins with bureacracy."
daniel08's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
eamgibs's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
andrea_e_feeser's review against another edition
3.0
It's an interesting story that lays out the events leading-up to the election of Palpatine as chancellor. This dark book depicts the details of Darth Sidious' apprenticeship under Darth Plagueis, and gives a glimpse into the experiments Plagueis inflicts on beings in his quest for immortality.
kleinm486's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
xijjik's review against another edition
4.0
3.7 - great book and gives really nice background on the prequels. Political stuff dragged a bit