When compared with the other major Sith villains in the Star Wars movie timeline : Darth Vader, Sheev Palpatine, even Count Dooku, the character of Darth Maul seems to be on the more difficult side to effectively implement into a novel format, because he doesn't seem to get the lead roles in them very often. Were I to venture an educated guess it would be due to the fact that Maul's personality makes writing from his perspective somewhat difficult & because the functions Sidious employs him for & the nature of his work are extremely singular in nature. It's probably hard to create a compelling narrative around a character the way Maul's is structured.
'Darth Maul : Shadow Hunter' by Michael Reaves is among the very few Star Wars novels to my knowledge which dedicate themselves to Maul's character, specifically. The plot occurs exclusively on the planet Coruscant with its place in the Star Wars timeline being shortly before the events of The Phantom Menace. Information concerning the impending embargo by the Galactic Trade Federation on the planet Naboo falls into the hands of an information broker & Sidious tasks Maul to eliminate the threat of it becoming common knowledge prior to the Federation's forces being deployed to make their operation successful. The events in this book coincide with those of other Star Wars novels to provide a sense of cohesion for veteran readers of Star Wars fiction. 'Cloak of Deception' & 'Darth Plagueis', both authored by James Luceno feature events that tie in to those of 'Saboteur'.
I always thought that the movies don't really spend enough time going into details regarding the nature of not only the Galactic Trade Federation but why precisely the Neimoidians play such a prominent role in the organization's leadership. Novels like Luceno's & this one serve in scratching that itch. The Federation's informal & clandestine quasi-criminal structure render their powerbase residing more in economic monopoly & strongarm tactics executed by criminal organizations under their protection as opposed to overtly brute military force. And whatever the gangs & syndicates can't handle, the Sith most assuredly can. Maul's chapters in the book are well-written, his singular motives are executing his orders, completing his mission & pleasing Sidious. In combat, Maul is an uncaged beast, gorging himself on vanquishing his enemies in the most overwhelming fashion he can possibly achieve, which he does. It's a plotline that's fairly straightforward, which works for Maul's character in my opinion. He's unique among the Sith, because for what Sidious utilizes him for, Maul lives his life in ignorance of so many truths his Master withholds from him. He has no knowledge whatsoever of Plagueis even existing, & Maul's role as a Sith enforcer & assassin makes any civilian interaction with him almost impossible due to Maul terrifying anyone he comes into contact with. But nonetheless the story is very well-composed & immensely enjoyable.
Also included are two short stories by fellow Sith-author James Luceno, 'Darth Maul : Saboteur' & 'Darth Maul : Restraint' both feature Maul at different points in his life, 'Restraint' actually occurs when Maul is but fifteen years old, 'Saboteur' takes place on Dorvalla, involving the brutal strategy masterminded by Sidious & Plagueis to further the ends of the Trade Federation, they subvert & manipulate two rival mining organizations, InterGalactic & Lomite Limited, pitting them against a criminal enterprise ran by a clan of pirates. The plotline of 'Saboteur' is SO masterfully done, it's barely fifty pages in length but the way Luceno writes it is utterly superb. For such a short novella I just can't say how impressed I was by it. It also fleshes out various portions of 'Cloak of Deception' which only adds to 'Saboteur's overall luster. There are two corporations, InterGalactic & Lomite Limited, both in heavy competition to acquire a mining contract with up-and-coming planetary neighbor Eriadu. They both utilize a third party, a syndicate operating on Dorvalla for sabotage & eliminate of the other's assets as they transport ore to their respective business partners. Maul, without giving plot details away, engages in activity that is both chilling & disturbing to say the least. In any event, it's a wonderful read.
I'd absolutely recommend 'Darth Maul : Shadow Hunter' by Michael Reaves to anyone who enjoys Star Wars, the Sith, or Darth Maul's character. With the two short stories accompanying the main narrative, the overall value of your purchase make the question of buying this book the easiest decision you will ever make.
I hope you enjoyed the review, thanks for reading !
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Awesome!!!
Very cool book!!! Come in great condition and thank you note was also cool!!! And the coolest part is it’s a book about Darth Maul one of my favorite Sith Lords!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2022
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2024
Very cool book!!! Come in great condition and thank you note was also cool!!! And the coolest part is it’s a book about Darth Maul one of my favorite Sith Lords!!!
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Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2015
