Andrew's Review of Darth Plagueis

5/5 Rancors - I was lucky enough to read this via an advance copy a month before its public release date. James Luceno has long been one of my favorite Star Wars Expanded Universe authors and my anticipation for this particular story was rather high, especially in light of its multi-year path to publication. Mr. Luceno has always excelled at weaving obscure aspects of the Star Wars galaxy into his tales and with that attention to detail combined with the opportunity to explore the origins of Darth Sidious via his master Darth Plagueis, it’s safe to say my expectations could not have been much higher.

Happily, Darth Plagueis does not disappoint. By telling the story of Plagueis’ rise to power, Mr. Luceno unlocks secrets of the corresponding rise of Palpatine and his eventual ascension to Sith ruler of the galaxy. After a prologue, notable for being a scene that we already know about from Revenge of the Sith’s opera discussion but one that we don’t know the WHEN of, the story jumps back to over sixty years before the Battle of Yavin. Several politically-oriented story hooks are embedded here, ones that may try the patience of a reader looking for a more battle-oriented tale, but they do pay off as a complex Sith plot is put into place throughout the novel. It is certainly helpful to have some working knowledge of Star Wars species and locales, as references to both are varied and numerous. If not, have the Star Wars Encyclopedia handy.

Two of the more intriguing topics introduced by the prequels that this novel touches upon are the nature of the controversial midichlorians and whether the Sith played a role in the creation of Anakin Skywalker. It’s difficult to broach these topics without spoiling specifics of the book. On the first, Mr. Luceno posits theories on the nature of the midichlorians which permit them to have a role in the Force without completely demystifying the beloved Yoda dialogue from The Empire Strikes Back. On the second I’ll only say I prefer there to be some mystery around Anakin’s origins and that I was content with how it was treated here.

I found Darth Plagueis a reasonably intriguing main character to follow but the book shines brightest when giving Palpatine the stage. His story follows a logical progression from his Naboo origin to his years as a political novice followed by his movement into the Senate. Scenes from Palpatine’s POV have been rare in the Expanded Universe and there are a wealth of them here. Some moments are downright fascinating to picture, such as the first time Palpatine tests his ability to conceal his Sith nature from a Jedi at a social event. The book depicts Palpatine’s plans as being more fluid than they appear in the films, as he navigates ever-changing situations and strives to balance his public and private personas, along with handling both a Master and an apprentice.

Darth Plagueis ends strongly and with a treatment of events from The Phantom Menace which adds layers of complexity and interest to what is already so familiar from the film. After the years of anticipation for this book, Mr. Luceno does not disappoint, and while I think more casual fans of Star Wars may find sections of it dry (due to the numerous EU references and plot points), readers who are versed in a cross-section of the books and comics and who want to know more about Palpatine will be richly rewarded.