A review by fandom4ever
Star Wars: Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows by Tim Siedell

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Darth Vader and the Cry of Shadows was a fast-paced read that I was able to get into right away. I read nearly half of it in my first sitting! It’s a story of a clone trooper who was abandoned and forgotten by the Jedi, leading to his hate of them. He now looks for a powerful warrior to serve; he was bred for combat after all, and believes he’s found it in Darth Vader. I really enjoyed this story, particularly as it was from the point of view of a clone (who names himself Hock), briefly during the Clone Wars but mostly after the Empire has come to be. I also liked his memories from Kamino and the stories of the clone anomaly. 

The beginning feels a bit disjointed compared to the rest of the story, like we were moving too fast from one thought to the next. However, I think it’s meant to be like that because it’s during a time where Hock was barely surviving, going in and out of consciousness, and having fever thoughts. We’re supposed to feel that with him. It’s also told as the clone’s journal of some events that happened in his life which most likely would have been written as just significant thoughts and events, hence that feel. 

Hock’s transformation is definitely earned. The pivotal point reached during the reveal of a certain character near the end was perfect. I was completely thrown, taken off guard after all the stories and rumors that I had begun to take as fact. And with the subsequent destruction of the Separatist city, everything begins to hit Hock fast and hard. His attempts to reach Vader, a mirror of Vader reaching out to him, were beautiful; something that came off perfectly because it was a comic and you could see that in the art. 

This was a great story and I loved coming to realize what the title ‘Cry of Shadows’ meant. If you’re looking for the story of a clone in the Imperial Army, this is exactly what you need.