Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel) - Hardcover

Luceno, James

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0345475720 ISBN 13: 9780345475725

Publisher: LucasBooks, 2005

Synopsis

The war that erupted in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones is nearing its boiling point, as the dauntless Separatist forces continue their assault on the teetering Republic–and the diabolical triumvirate of Count Dooku, General Grievous, and their Master, Darth Sidious, fine-tune their strategy for conquest. In Episode III Revenge of the Sith the fates of key players on both sides of the conflict will be sealed. But first, crucial events that pave the way to that time of reckoning unfold in a labyrinth of evil. . . .

Capturing Trade Federation Viceroy–and Separatist Councilmember–Nute Gunray is the mission that brings Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, with a squad of clones in tow, to Neimoidia. But the treacherous ally of the Sith proves as slippery as ever, evading his Jedi pursuers even as they narrowly avoid deadly disaster. Still, their daring efforts yield an unexpected prize: a unique holotransceiver that bears intelligence capable of leading the Republic forces to their ultimate quarry, the ever-elusive Darth Sidious.

Swiftly taking up the chase, Anakin and Obi-Wan follow clues from the droid factories of Charros IV to the far-flung worlds of the Outer Rim . . . every step bringing them closer to pinpointing the location of the Sith Lord–whom they suspect has been manipulating every aspect of the Separatist rebellion. Yet somehow, in the escalating galaxy-wide chess game of strikes, counterstrikes, ambushes, sabotage, and retaliations, Sidious stays constantly one move ahead.

Then the trail takes a shocking turn. For Sidious and his minions have set in motion a ruthlessly orchestrated campaign to divide and overwhelm the Jedi forces–and bring the Republic to its knees.

About this title

Review

Author James Luceno returns to the prequel biz with Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil, a novel sure to be required reading for die-hard fans of George Lucas's galaxy far, far away. Written with Lucas's blessing, Luceno's tale leads right to the opening sequence of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, setting the stage for the fiery conclusion of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire.

As the action begins, the Republic and Jedi have seemingly pushed the Separatists and Sith back into the outer reaches of the galaxy thanks to the clone army deployed in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. But as victory seems near, the ruthless General Grievous--think Darth Vader on steroids--emerges from the shadows. In the battle against Grievous, Anakin Skywalker--who is a little Vader-ish too these days--and Obi Wan Kenobi find themselves in a race to discover the identity of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and unravel the web of duplicity surrounding the Separatist uprising.

While essential for obsessive fans, Labyrinth of Evil is a clunky novel and Luceno struggles with Lucas's ungainly and Byzantine plotting. Full of cumbersome, Star Wars technophillia, the novel merely serves its purpose by fleshing out the thin line between Episodes II and III. True believers will revel in the level of technical detail and tantalizing nuggets of trivia while the less zealous could satisfy their Star Wars cravings by checking out Timothy Zahn's masterful post-Episode VI works. --Jeremy Pugh

About the Author

JAMES LUCENO is The New York Times bestselling author of the Star Wars: The New Jedi Order novels Agents of Chaos: Hero’s Trial, Agents of Chaos: Jedi Eclipse, and The Unifying Force, as well as Star Wars: Cloak of Deception, and the eBook Darth Maul: Saboteur. He also co-authored the popular ROBOTECH series with his close friend the late Brian Daley. Luceno wrote the film adaptations for The Shadow and The Mask of Zorro. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with his wife and youngest child.

About this edition

• Publisher: LucasBooks
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0345475720
• ISBN 13: 9780345475725
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352