Genres
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. Thriller. HTML: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER � This essential Star Wars Legends novel chronicles the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, and the origins of the saga�s most enduring evil�the malevolent Sith master Palpatine. �The best Star Wars publication to date . . . [James] Luceno takes Darth Plagueis down the dark path and never looks back.��Newsday Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires; losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. When the time is right, he destroys his Master�and vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death. Darth Sidious: Plagueis�s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor. Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination�and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction? �Luceno draws on his storytelling skill and prodigious knowledge of the [Star Wars] world . . . to craft a complex tale of ambition and desire.��Library Journal.… (more)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2012-01-10
Physical description
379 p.; 25 cm
Publication
New York : Del Rey/Ballantine Books, c2012.
Pages
379
ISBN
9780345511287
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User reviews
LibraryThing member stefferoo
Apparently this Star Wars novel had been highly anticipated since its announcement years ago, and I had no idea until after I finished it and decided to look it up. Now that I've read it, I guess I can see why. Darth Plagueis is probably worth reading simply if for no other reason other than how
But I don't want to make it sound like that's the only reason to pick up this book, because there's a lot more that makes it a worthwhile read. For one thing, I was surprised at the quality of the writing, especially for a Star Wars novel. I've read some of Luceno's other Star Wars titles in the past, and as you can see from those reviews in my book list, I wasn't very impressed. But I was quite happy with his efforts with Darth Plagueis, to the point I couldn't believe it was the same author. It's obvious he put his full heart and soul into writing this.
Darth Plaguis is also quite different from many of the Star Wars book I've read in the past. It's less action oriented, and instead focuses more on political intrigue. There are some fight sequences and light saber action of course, but the bulk of the story is about the Sith lords acting and pulling strings behind the scenes.
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"canon" it is, if you're a big Star Wars fan. I heard that the author worked really closely with LucasFilms to get it just right. And yes, I did find that it explained a lot about the events of the prequel movies, and I now have a better understanding of the backstory behind them.But I don't want to make it sound like that's the only reason to pick up this book, because there's a lot more that makes it a worthwhile read. For one thing, I was surprised at the quality of the writing, especially for a Star Wars novel. I've read some of Luceno's other Star Wars titles in the past, and as you can see from those reviews in my book list, I wasn't very impressed. But I was quite happy with his efforts with Darth Plagueis, to the point I couldn't believe it was the same author. It's obvious he put his full heart and soul into writing this.
Darth Plaguis is also quite different from many of the Star Wars book I've read in the past. It's less action oriented, and instead focuses more on political intrigue. There are some fight sequences and light saber action of course, but the bulk of the story is about the Sith lords acting and pulling strings behind the scenes.
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LibraryThing member damienfranco
My first Star Wars book. It was very enjoyable. I found the characters rather compelling and this book was really fun to read.
I will be looking into a few more Star Wars book because of this one. Nice.
I will be looking into a few more Star Wars book because of this one. Nice.
LibraryThing member Samuel_J_C
Fantastic lead-up to Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. When this book was first released I read it within a matter of days and have since been reading it again to re-live the intriguing story of Darth Plagueis the wise. I was really impressed with how well James Luceno incorporated material and cannon
The intelligent writing and knowledge that Luceno has on the galaxy as a whole helps this novel have a real Star Wars 'feel' about it, where others before and after it have failed to capture that atmosphere. At times the book can be a little slow, and you may find yourself thinking, if only slightly, "Where is this going?", but ultimately it is all relevant in some way. The details matter a lot for me in this book and it does a fantastic job of tying up loose ends here and there in the periods set before and around the first three movies.
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from previous books on the Sith (particularly the Darth Bane series) in order to give you a sense of continuity in the initial plan set in motion by Darth Bane himself.The intelligent writing and knowledge that Luceno has on the galaxy as a whole helps this novel have a real Star Wars 'feel' about it, where others before and after it have failed to capture that atmosphere. At times the book can be a little slow, and you may find yourself thinking, if only slightly, "Where is this going?", but ultimately it is all relevant in some way. The details matter a lot for me in this book and it does a fantastic job of tying up loose ends here and there in the periods set before and around the first three movies.
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LibraryThing member Kolchak
Darth Plagueis lived up to and actually exceeded my expectations.
While I had hoped to learn more about this fabled Sith Lord, I was really looking for back story on my favorite Star Wars character, Palpatine.
Well certainly this book delivers that in spades.
The title of the book is almost misleading
While this book makes reference to events in other Star Wars Expanded Universe books, by no means are they necessary pre-requisites to enjoying this.
James Luceno has written a couple of my other favorite EU novels and this book continues to cement his place as one of my favority Star Wars authors.
While I had hoped to learn more about this fabled Sith Lord, I was really looking for back story on my favorite Star Wars character, Palpatine.
Well certainly this book delivers that in spades.
The title of the book is almost misleading
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as both of this legendary Sith play enormous roles in the plot. The timeline alone is something that certainly allows you to watch "The Phantom Menace" under a new light.While this book makes reference to events in other Star Wars Expanded Universe books, by no means are they necessary pre-requisites to enjoying this.
James Luceno has written a couple of my other favorite EU novels and this book continues to cement his place as one of my favority Star Wars authors.
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LibraryThing member gilroy
This book disappointed me, I expected an extended story detailing the trials and tribulations of Darth Plagueis. Instead, I get the basic plotline that lead to the beginning of Episode 1 with some hints on what occured between 1 and 2. I wanted more about the actual character Plagueis. This book
Disappointed. Definitely. Though a true SW fan will love this book.
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didn't fill in the details. I got some hints as to why certain events happened leading up to Episode 1, but they didn't hold the sway as the thought of learning about Sidious's master did. Disappointed. Definitely. Though a true SW fan will love this book.
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LibraryThing member Revan97
From start to finish Star Wars Darth Plagueis is filled with action, but not a lot of the lightsaber/blater bolts kind of action that all Star Wars novels have at least some amount of. This story is filled with the brilliant scheming, plotting and political maneuvering of the evil mastermind who is
The origins of Darth Sidious are explored in this story and-despite the novel's title-I found myself even more engrossed in the development of young Sidious than Darth Plagueis.
There turned out to be WAY more story in this book than I ever dreamed. Several characters from Star Wars The Clone Wars such as Onaconda Farr and Mother Talzin made appearances or where mentioned, lots of references to Darth Bane where included throughout the book (and although you can easily follow the story without having read the Darth Bane trilogy I am glad that I had already done so before reading this novel), and I was surprised to see that not only did this story take place before the events of The Phantom Menace but some of the story actually at the time of those events. Also I enjoyed a little more in depth info on the origins of Padme' Amidala whom was named Queen of Naboo in this novel.
Among many surprises the one that shocked me most was discovering that Jabba the Hutt can speak basic. I never knew.
Over all I would suggest this book to a Star Wars fan, especially one who particularly enjoyed titles like The Phantom Menace and Cloak Of Deception which are greatly more involved in the political side of the Star Wars universe.
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said to be the most powerful Sith Lord who ever lived.The origins of Darth Sidious are explored in this story and-despite the novel's title-I found myself even more engrossed in the development of young Sidious than Darth Plagueis.
There turned out to be WAY more story in this book than I ever dreamed. Several characters from Star Wars The Clone Wars such as Onaconda Farr and Mother Talzin made appearances or where mentioned, lots of references to Darth Bane where included throughout the book (and although you can easily follow the story without having read the Darth Bane trilogy I am glad that I had already done so before reading this novel), and I was surprised to see that not only did this story take place before the events of The Phantom Menace but some of the story actually at the time of those events. Also I enjoyed a little more in depth info on the origins of Padme' Amidala whom was named Queen of Naboo in this novel.
Among many surprises the one that shocked me most was discovering that Jabba the Hutt can speak basic. I never knew.
Over all I would suggest this book to a Star Wars fan, especially one who particularly enjoyed titles like The Phantom Menace and Cloak Of Deception which are greatly more involved in the political side of the Star Wars universe.
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LibraryThing member Stevil2001
Darth Plagueis was mentioned in a parable in Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith told by Chancellor Palpatine. Though not directly stated, it was implied that Plagueis was actually Palpatine's own Sith master, killed by his apprentice. In the wake of Episode III, a Plagueis novel by Luceno
Well, it was uncancelled, and here it is. Darth Plagueis begins with the death of Plagueis's own Sith master, and covers the next several decades, as Plagueis recruits an apprentice and plots the downfall of the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine is recruited to be Darth Sidious fairly early in the book, and it moves between the perspectives of the two Sith as they both learn about being a Sith Lord and manipulate galactic affairs.
Maybe I was set up for it by my own biases, but I was disappointed. Some of it is definitely Luceno making choices that I wouldn't make. According to this take on events, Plagueis is active well beyond the point where I would have thought, meaning that Palpatine is but an apprentice during the vast majority of the time the groundwork for the prequel films is being laid. As someone who considers Palpatine (at least as depicted in Episodes I, II, and VI and Dark Empire) one of the coolest villains of all time, this is completely lame! Palpatine should be the top man, not some guy's lackey.
Furthermore, the book weaves in and out of established Star Wars events too much. We see Jedi Council: Acts of War, Darth Maul, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Cloak of Deception, and much more told from the Sith point-of-view, but without seeing the actual events, meaning far too much of the action happens out-of-sight. Having the Sith say that cool things are happening somewhere else is not terribly interesting in and of itself. Also, Lucenopedia overload! Also, they're usually fighting mooks, which stops you from being impressed; outmanipulating Nute Gunray is not exactly the act of a genius, and even potentially intelligent characters like Chancellor Valroum come across as a bit thick.
Worst of all, though, is that the book doesn't really communicate what it is to be Darth Plagueis or Palpatine, at least not in a way that's really satisfying. Luceno has ever exactly had a gift for character, and though we see a lot of what the two Sith Lords think, we never get to experience what they feel for the most part... and when we do, it's kinda lame. "Oh, I just hate the Jedi so much!" We see them make decisions, but I don't feel like I understand why they do what they do, or how it is for them to do it. Even manipulating Dooku's fall, which should be completely fascinating (I love Dooku), turns out to be deadly dull. Going by this book, being a Sith Lord is actually fairly blasé.
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was announced-- and then cancelled. I was thankful for this, because I had my doubts that any novel about young Palpatine and his master could be as cool as my imagination.Well, it was uncancelled, and here it is. Darth Plagueis begins with the death of Plagueis's own Sith master, and covers the next several decades, as Plagueis recruits an apprentice and plots the downfall of the Republic and the Jedi. Palpatine is recruited to be Darth Sidious fairly early in the book, and it moves between the perspectives of the two Sith as they both learn about being a Sith Lord and manipulate galactic affairs.
Maybe I was set up for it by my own biases, but I was disappointed. Some of it is definitely Luceno making choices that I wouldn't make. According to this take on events, Plagueis is active well beyond the point where I would have thought, meaning that Palpatine is but an apprentice during the vast majority of the time the groundwork for the prequel films is being laid. As someone who considers Palpatine (at least as depicted in Episodes I, II, and VI and Dark Empire) one of the coolest villains of all time, this is completely lame! Palpatine should be the top man, not some guy's lackey.
Furthermore, the book weaves in and out of established Star Wars events too much. We see Jedi Council: Acts of War, Darth Maul, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Cloak of Deception, and much more told from the Sith point-of-view, but without seeing the actual events, meaning far too much of the action happens out-of-sight. Having the Sith say that cool things are happening somewhere else is not terribly interesting in and of itself. Also, Lucenopedia overload! Also, they're usually fighting mooks, which stops you from being impressed; outmanipulating Nute Gunray is not exactly the act of a genius, and even potentially intelligent characters like Chancellor Valroum come across as a bit thick.
Worst of all, though, is that the book doesn't really communicate what it is to be Darth Plagueis or Palpatine, at least not in a way that's really satisfying. Luceno has ever exactly had a gift for character, and though we see a lot of what the two Sith Lords think, we never get to experience what they feel for the most part... and when we do, it's kinda lame. "Oh, I just hate the Jedi so much!" We see them make decisions, but I don't feel like I understand why they do what they do, or how it is for them to do it. Even manipulating Dooku's fall, which should be completely fascinating (I love Dooku), turns out to be deadly dull. Going by this book, being a Sith Lord is actually fairly blasé.
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LibraryThing member LivedeviL
The book, in principal, deals with Darth Plagueis' Sith carrer from removing his previous master until his own eventual death.
Plaguies was the Master of Sideous who plays a pivitol roll in the films.
The story has it's ups and downs but overall is very good, if you, like me, want an insight into
Plaguies was the Master of Sideous who plays a pivitol roll in the films.
The story has it's ups and downs but overall is very good, if you, like me, want an insight into
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dealings before, and leading up to, the Phantom Menace you will be extremely pleased as it answers questions you may have had because of that film. Show Less
LibraryThing member ConalO
A decent read in very familiar territory. Interesting to read the back story on the Emperor.
LibraryThing member Ed_Gosney
When it comes to Media Tie-Ins, I'm typically not much of a fan. I had read the Revenge of the Sith novel before the movie came out, and actually enjoyed it more than the movie. In the 70's, I read a number of Planet of the Apes novels, and a few of the Alan Dean Foster Star Trek logs, which were
In the 90's I tried to read a few different Star Wars books, but had a lot of trouble enjoying them much. So it was with some hesitation that I selected to read James Luceno's Darth Plagueis book. And if I had trouble getting into adventures with Luke and Han, how would my mind react to an overflow of the Dark Side? Well, I must admit that I have succumbed. Luceno did a magnificent job tying together history that was hinted at in the movies, political trappings that we saw only a small portion of, and dastardly deeds that we never imagined. The background of Darth Plagueis, and how he groomed Palpatine and subtly seduced him to the dark side, was done in an exemplary manner. At first I was put off by the amount of political intrigue included, then came to realize how important all of this information is to the plot of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis.
If you are a Star Wars fan, the book is a must. I'm just a casual fan, and I enjoyed it enough to order several other Star Wars books by James Luceno.
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basically episodes. Since then, I've probably read more Star Trek novels than any other kind of tie-in. While not a huge Star Trek fan, I do enjoy it, and many of the novels I read were very good. In the 90's I tried to read a few different Star Wars books, but had a lot of trouble enjoying them much. So it was with some hesitation that I selected to read James Luceno's Darth Plagueis book. And if I had trouble getting into adventures with Luke and Han, how would my mind react to an overflow of the Dark Side? Well, I must admit that I have succumbed. Luceno did a magnificent job tying together history that was hinted at in the movies, political trappings that we saw only a small portion of, and dastardly deeds that we never imagined. The background of Darth Plagueis, and how he groomed Palpatine and subtly seduced him to the dark side, was done in an exemplary manner. At first I was put off by the amount of political intrigue included, then came to realize how important all of this information is to the plot of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis.
If you are a Star Wars fan, the book is a must. I'm just a casual fan, and I enjoyed it enough to order several other Star Wars books by James Luceno.
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LibraryThing member sailorfigment
I was greatly looking forward to this book after learning it was being written. With Plagueis' brief mention in Episode III, I was curious whether Anakin really had any hope of saving Padame'.
The story starts with Plagueis killing his master (almost as an afterthought), then takes the reader
Anything with Palpatine as a main character is bound to be full of political intrigue and this book doesn’t disappoint. Eventually all the names, places, and faces get a bit confusing. He seems to be going through an elaborate set-up for Episode I. (Which is what this is meant to be.)
I wish Luceno had gone more into depth about Plagueis’ experiments with midi-chlorians. The few scenes on the topic are almost afterthoughts, “Oh yeah, Plagueis was trying to cheat death.” The author mentions during one experiment that Plagueis heals himself, but later in the book his is still injured. And Palpatine’s blow-up at the end seemed to come out of nowhere, like Luceno realized he needed to end the book.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about Plagueis, Palpatine, the Sith, and the fall of the Republic.
The story starts with Plagueis killing his master (almost as an afterthought), then takes the reader
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through his manipulations as part of the Intergalactic Banking Clan. He finally meets and ‘befriends’ Palpatine and then spends many pages spouting Sith doctrine. I know Luceno is doing this so the reader learns as well, but after a while he just needed to get on with it.Anything with Palpatine as a main character is bound to be full of political intrigue and this book doesn’t disappoint. Eventually all the names, places, and faces get a bit confusing. He seems to be going through an elaborate set-up for Episode I. (Which is what this is meant to be.)
I wish Luceno had gone more into depth about Plagueis’ experiments with midi-chlorians. The few scenes on the topic are almost afterthoughts, “Oh yeah, Plagueis was trying to cheat death.” The author mentions during one experiment that Plagueis heals himself, but later in the book his is still injured. And Palpatine’s blow-up at the end seemed to come out of nowhere, like Luceno realized he needed to end the book.
Overall I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone wanting to know more about Plagueis, Palpatine, the Sith, and the fall of the Republic.
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LibraryThing member speljamr
I find myself rather fond of the Star Wars books that focus on the Sith side of the story; maybe I'm just a dark kind of person.
This one lays out the Sith plans for toppling the Republic and the return of the Sith to power. Darth Plagueis is the master of Darth Sidious, which is not something that
On the critical side, I was a bit disappointed that there was not a good deal more exploration of Darth Plagueis' work on using the Force to create/sustain life. The scenes that were in the book only scratched the surface of where that could have been taken.
This book does do a great job filling in many of the missing pieces from the first prequel movie and should be a must read for Star Wars fans.
This one lays out the Sith plans for toppling the Republic and the return of the Sith to power. Darth Plagueis is the master of Darth Sidious, which is not something that
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is explained in the movies; only the brief mention of Darth Plagueis the Wise to Anakin. In this book you will find the answer to the connection between Darth Plagueis, Darth Sidious, Darth Maul, Count Dooku and many others from the prequel movies. The story itself spends most of the time centered on the politics and plots that interweave the story we know from the movies. There are only two action sequences, but I did not find that taking away from the book at all.On the critical side, I was a bit disappointed that there was not a good deal more exploration of Darth Plagueis' work on using the Force to create/sustain life. The scenes that were in the book only scratched the surface of where that could have been taken.
This book does do a great job filling in many of the missing pieces from the first prequel movie and should be a must read for Star Wars fans.
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LibraryThing member Hedgepeth
Most readers will either love or hate his novel. If you crave the action of lightsaber duels and space battles this book is not for you. If you seek the background lore that set the events of the original trilogy and the prequels in play you should enjoy this one. It focuses on the Sith Lord who
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recruits Palpatine for his role as Darth Sidious and a significant portion of the book shows the development of Sidious. Again, excellent background lore but little action. Show Less
LibraryThing member mattdocmartin
Difficult book for me to judge. It definitely falls under Star Wars condition of quality, but is much more about Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine than it is Plagueis. Unfortunately, they also discuss everyone's least favorite aspect since the prequels: midichlorians. That being said, it is, as
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others have mentioned, much less action oriented and more politically driven. I am 3-starring it, as I will not read it again, but don't mind that I read it once. Unlike Twilight, which I still kick myself over. Show Less
LibraryThing member Imrahil2001
I haven't read all of the Star Wars EU--far from it--but of those that I have read, this ranks near the top. Luceno has before him the task of making the Sith the protagonists of this novel--the necessity accompanying that being that he has to flesh them out and make them more than merely
The book is as much about Palpatine and his acquisition of the mantle of Sith Lord as it is about Plagueis, and Luceno here again does a marvelous job of making Palpatine seem real; if not exactly a sympathetic character, the reader does certainly at times root for him.
But the novel's greatest accomplishment, in my mind, is that it makes sense of the chaotic and half-expressed politics and machinations behind the Prequel trilogy, explaining exactly what the "taxation of the trade routes" mentioned in Episode 1's opening crawl is about, and how we got there; it explores Naboo's political past, the role of the Banking Clan in galactic politics, and the decadence at the heart of Coruscant which allows for (necessitates, even) the change in government personified by Palpatine. This creates a coherent backstory which makes sense and doesn't contradict anything in the prequels--no mean feat.
I'm not a huge prequel fan, but I really enjoyed the book--for those who are, it's probably an even bigger treat.
Recommended for any Star Wars fan.
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one-dimensional characters. To his credit, he does this extremely well. Plagueis himself does not come off as "evil," per se, more coldly logical--he is a researcher in the arcane aspects of the Force. The book is as much about Palpatine and his acquisition of the mantle of Sith Lord as it is about Plagueis, and Luceno here again does a marvelous job of making Palpatine seem real; if not exactly a sympathetic character, the reader does certainly at times root for him.
But the novel's greatest accomplishment, in my mind, is that it makes sense of the chaotic and half-expressed politics and machinations behind the Prequel trilogy, explaining exactly what the "taxation of the trade routes" mentioned in Episode 1's opening crawl is about, and how we got there; it explores Naboo's political past, the role of the Banking Clan in galactic politics, and the decadence at the heart of Coruscant which allows for (necessitates, even) the change in government personified by Palpatine. This creates a coherent backstory which makes sense and doesn't contradict anything in the prequels--no mean feat.
I'm not a huge prequel fan, but I really enjoyed the book--for those who are, it's probably an even bigger treat.
Recommended for any Star Wars fan.
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LibraryThing member gofergrl84
I generally liked this book, but it does have some issues. It deals more with political intrigue than space battles, which I actually didn't mind, but it might not be to everyone's taste. The title is also somewhat misleading, as the book deals more with Darth Sidious and his actions preceding and
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during Phantom Menace. The book is well-written and interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member yoyogod
I haven't really read a whole lot of the Star Wars novels. I have seen the movies though, and I do like science fiction, so this wasn't totally out of my usual area of reading. Really, it was a pretty good book.
For one thing, after reading this, I found that the prequel movie trilogy made a lot
This book explains a lot. We see why the Trade Federation attacked Naboo. We see why there is an army of clones conveniently waiting for the Jedi. We see where Darth Maul came from and why Dooku went over to the dark side. We see how a young girl got elected queen of a planet. We even find the probable reason for why the Force caused Anakin Skywalker to be born with no father.
This was a good book, and it even made me want to go back and read some of the Star Wars novels set even farther in the past so I can get a better grasp of the bigger back story.
For one thing, after reading this, I found that the prequel movie trilogy made a lot
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more sense to me. The novel is basically a prequel to the prequels. It is mostly the story of the rise to power of Darth Sidious, aka Palpatine aka the Emperor in the original movie trilogy.This book explains a lot. We see why the Trade Federation attacked Naboo. We see why there is an army of clones conveniently waiting for the Jedi. We see where Darth Maul came from and why Dooku went over to the dark side. We see how a young girl got elected queen of a planet. We even find the probable reason for why the Force caused Anakin Skywalker to be born with no father.
This was a good book, and it even made me want to go back and read some of the Star Wars novels set even farther in the past so I can get a better grasp of the bigger back story.
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LibraryThing member saltmanz
Though it picks up near the end, Darth Plagueis was pretty disappointing. On the plus side, Luceno's weaving in of movie and Expanded Universe events is second to none. On the other hand: boooooring.
LibraryThing member travelinlibrarian
I sat down and read this one in an afternoon and enjoyed it thoroughly. It successfully fills in yet another small piece of the puzzle that is the history of the Star Wars universe.
LibraryThing member The_Literary_Jedi
I really loved this book.
This book starts off nearly 70 years BBY [Before the Battle of Yavin] on the Legends Timeline. And even though it's called "Darth Plageuis" it's actually about Palpatine and his rise to power more than it is about his master.
I know other readers have been very disappointed
There are many things about Darth Plageuis throughout the book and how he played behind the scenes, especially in his civilian role as Hego Damask of Damask Holdings on Muun. The experiments Plageuis conducted are discussed and I was pleased to read/hear when a favorite villain was introduced too.
The story goes right up through Episode One: The Phantom Menace and the parts Palpatine played in that story.
**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
This book starts off nearly 70 years BBY [Before the Battle of Yavin] on the Legends Timeline. And even though it's called "Darth Plageuis" it's actually about Palpatine and his rise to power more than it is about his master.
I know other readers have been very disappointed
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about this and it's quite understandable; at first, I was a bit miffed too but then I really started to pay attention to the story and it hooked me.There are many things about Darth Plageuis throughout the book and how he played behind the scenes, especially in his civilian role as Hego Damask of Damask Holdings on Muun. The experiments Plageuis conducted are discussed and I was pleased to read/hear when a favorite villain was introduced too.
The story goes right up through Episode One: The Phantom Menace and the parts Palpatine played in that story.
**All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
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LibraryThing member ReaderOfAll
Kept my interest to the end, fairly well written. Nice behind the scenes look.
LibraryThing member abatishko
This book does a nice job of filling in the events leading up to The Phantom Menace. Unfortunately the story feels a bit like just timeline filler. There's a sense that the point of the story is only to get to the events at the start of the movie. Now, it still does a good job at giving improved
Aside from that issue, I enjoyed the book. The writing seems solid, and by the end of the book I was well engaged and interested in what was happening.
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context to the movie, but don't expect a strong stand-alone plot line. It reads more like a journal of events.Aside from that issue, I enjoyed the book. The writing seems solid, and by the end of the book I was well engaged and interested in what was happening.
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LibraryThing member lloannna
I hate to say this, but I really did not enjoy this book. The language was just too flowery and... I felt like it was trying too hard, in so many ways. Linguistically, scene setup/description, plot complications, back story, etc.
It just annoyed me a lot, and kept pulling me out of the experience
It just annoyed me a lot, and kept pulling me out of the experience
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itself. Kind of like Episode I (the film) - I kept wanting to know why the author made this or that choice, instead of wondering why the CHARACTERS made this or that choice. Does that even make sense? Anyway, I found it frustrating and disappointing. Show Less
LibraryThing member koalamom
Plagueis in time found his apprentice, a young Nabooan by the one name of Palpatine, who would become Sidious. A Sith who would then find his own apprentice whose progeny would change the history of the galaxy.
LibraryThing member ViragoReads
*Possible Spoilers*
This is part of a "project" to read the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels in some sort of chronological order. I've read some books in the series and doing it this way will involve re-reads, which is good because I could use the refresher. I'm starting at the Rise of the Empire
This was a fascinating listen. First off, the narrator did such a wonderful job! It was so easy listening; it felt as though I was in the middle of an actual Star Wars movie. I didn't know if I would like this as it doesn't focus on the "good guys" but rather Darth Plagueis, his master, and his (future) apprentice. I was unsure if I would enjoy a story focused on characters I wasn't familiar with. I was pleasantly surprised. The story starts with Darth Palgueis and his master, Darth Tenebrous. Right at the start, Plagueis betrays his master and murders him, almost killing himself in the process. After getting himself home, Plagueis immerses himself in his studies of the force and midichlorians. His desire is to learn bend the force and midichlorians to his will to stop death. It is so different hearing things from the Sith's point of view. In their view they are the "good guys". When you see how complacent and indoctrinated the Jedi order has become, you can kind almost agree with the Sith.
Plagueis lives a double life, as a Sith Lord in the shadows and a powerful member of the banking conglomerate (?) in public. He uses his power, money and contacts to attack the Jedi on a front they will least expect it. His goal is the infiltrate the senate and destroy the republic from within, and thus destroying the Jedi and all they are working for. While conducting his experiments on beings with high midichlorian counts or the force adept--including the second apprentice that his master had been training in secret--Plagueis then finds himself a potential apprentice in Palpatine. Palpatine, who only gose by the family surname, is the degenerate son of a wealthy, powerful, ruling-class politician from Naboo. Plagueis courts friendship with Palatine for a long while, eventually steering him to murder his family, and freeing him to become his apprentice as well as his ally within the senate.
Getting the story of Palatine from the early years is key to knowing his motivations in later years. At first it seems like he was afterso much more, but in the end, the only thing he truly sought was power. He maneuvers his was through politics, working his way up the senate with the help of his master.B and by some will of the force, he is presented with an infant apprentice of his own, Maul. Much to my surprise, he told Plagueis about his acquisition, and is instructed to train him alone and in secret. Maul never knows that his master is also an apprentice himself.
I spent most of the book wondering if Palpatine had some type affection, or respect for his master, or if he was just biding his time waiting to betray him (as all Sith apprentices do.) It was surprising to learn that Darth Sidious (Palpatine) was actually still an apprentice when the Trade Embargo of Naboo took place. Plagueis was still behind the scenes setting things into motion. I found seeing things from each of their points of view very interesting. All three had different agendas. Plagueis wanted immortality--he wanted to tear down the Jedi and the republic and build it in his image, yes, but his main focus was immortality. Palpatine only wanted absolute power. Maul, it seems as though he was born to hate, and when that hate was pointed somewhere, it was singular and focused. He was so hell bent on defeating the Jedi, on defeating a Jedi Master by himself that it was his ultimate downfall.
This story truly set the stage for the rise of the empire and gave a lot of insight into the Sith and their ultimate agenda. Plagueis and Palpatine were right, the senate was corrupt and the Jedi Order was lax in their duty to uphold justice and help the downtrodden by aligning themselves with the Republic. They basically became the attack dogs of the Republic. They should have been their own entity, and they definite should have evolved with time, instead of clinging to ancient beliefs. I believe it is why the Sith were able to survive without the Jedi realizing it. It is why they were able to destroy the Jedi. In reality, the Jedi were the makers of their own demise.
I loved this and cannot wait to read more in the Rise of the Empire era of Star Wars.
This is part of a "project" to read the Star Wars Expanded Universe novels in some sort of chronological order. I've read some books in the series and doing it this way will involve re-reads, which is good because I could use the refresher. I'm starting at the Rise of the Empire
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Era, maybe at a later date I'll backtrack and read the Old Galactic Republic and such. But I digress...This was a fascinating listen. First off, the narrator did such a wonderful job! It was so easy listening; it felt as though I was in the middle of an actual Star Wars movie. I didn't know if I would like this as it doesn't focus on the "good guys" but rather Darth Plagueis, his master, and his (future) apprentice. I was unsure if I would enjoy a story focused on characters I wasn't familiar with. I was pleasantly surprised. The story starts with Darth Palgueis and his master, Darth Tenebrous. Right at the start, Plagueis betrays his master and murders him, almost killing himself in the process. After getting himself home, Plagueis immerses himself in his studies of the force and midichlorians. His desire is to learn bend the force and midichlorians to his will to stop death. It is so different hearing things from the Sith's point of view. In their view they are the "good guys". When you see how complacent and indoctrinated the Jedi order has become, you can kind almost agree with the Sith.
Plagueis lives a double life, as a Sith Lord in the shadows and a powerful member of the banking conglomerate (?) in public. He uses his power, money and contacts to attack the Jedi on a front they will least expect it. His goal is the infiltrate the senate and destroy the republic from within, and thus destroying the Jedi and all they are working for. While conducting his experiments on beings with high midichlorian counts or the force adept--including the second apprentice that his master had been training in secret--Plagueis then finds himself a potential apprentice in Palpatine. Palpatine, who only gose by the family surname, is the degenerate son of a wealthy, powerful, ruling-class politician from Naboo. Plagueis courts friendship with Palatine for a long while, eventually steering him to murder his family, and freeing him to become his apprentice as well as his ally within the senate.
Getting the story of Palatine from the early years is key to knowing his motivations in later years. At first it seems like he was afterso much more, but in the end, the only thing he truly sought was power. He maneuvers his was through politics, working his way up the senate with the help of his master.B and by some will of the force, he is presented with an infant apprentice of his own, Maul. Much to my surprise, he told Plagueis about his acquisition, and is instructed to train him alone and in secret. Maul never knows that his master is also an apprentice himself.
I spent most of the book wondering if Palpatine had some type affection, or respect for his master, or if he was just biding his time waiting to betray him (as all Sith apprentices do.) It was surprising to learn that Darth Sidious (Palpatine) was actually still an apprentice when the Trade Embargo of Naboo took place. Plagueis was still behind the scenes setting things into motion. I found seeing things from each of their points of view very interesting. All three had different agendas. Plagueis wanted immortality--he wanted to tear down the Jedi and the republic and build it in his image, yes, but his main focus was immortality. Palpatine only wanted absolute power. Maul, it seems as though he was born to hate, and when that hate was pointed somewhere, it was singular and focused. He was so hell bent on defeating the Jedi, on defeating a Jedi Master by himself that it was his ultimate downfall.
This story truly set the stage for the rise of the empire and gave a lot of insight into the Sith and their ultimate agenda. Plagueis and Palpatine were right, the senate was corrupt and the Jedi Order was lax in their duty to uphold justice and help the downtrodden by aligning themselves with the Republic. They basically became the attack dogs of the Republic. They should have been their own entity, and they definite should have evolved with time, instead of clinging to ancient beliefs. I believe it is why the Sith were able to survive without the Jedi realizing it. It is why they were able to destroy the Jedi. In reality, the Jedi were the makers of their own demise.
I loved this and cannot wait to read more in the Rise of the Empire era of Star Wars.
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