Skip to main content
Customer Review
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2014
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is an alright book. There are times when it feels like it doesn't know where it is going, and just seems to be meandering along, but all in all it gets connected one way or the other. Unless of course you care about what is happing with those suckers on the Trade Federation ship. That just gets kind of left behind, and you just have to go with, "well, Episode 1 happened", even though we are not treated with any sort of resolution in the book.
But let's get one thing straight. Darth Maul is an egomaniac. A loyal (if only to his master and their cause), deadly, egomaniac. This book touches vaguely on that, but never really gets to the heart of it. If you are a die hard Maul fan as I am, that part of his personality is left almost completely out. There are hints to it, yes, but over all he seems to fall rather flat. And that is why I cannot give this book more than three stars.
Is it good? It held my attention to the end, but I would not go so far as to say it is good. I found myself shouting at it more often than not with lines that were always some variation of, "That is not how he would have handled this at all!" or, "He is far to smart for that!" For although Maul is an egomaniac his is far from stupid, Sidious would never have bothered training him if he was, we see as much from comics, and the amazing piece of work that is the Clone Wars animated series.
So is it worth a read? If you like Star Wars than sure, why not. The characters you hate at first will start to grow on you, and though you know how it all will end at the very beginning (of course assuming you have seen Episode 1), it is a rather enjoyable, though often frustrating ride. If you are a huge Maul fan, such as myself, *Spoilers?* just imagine Maul absolutely ruining Laun with the truth at the very end. We know he has done it before, one of his failings (at least from Sidious' stand point) is the fact that he often likes to boast (egomaniac much?). It will also make the final scene so much more enjoyable. Because honestly, if you are reading the book you are a Sith, or at least a Sith sympathizer, and there is nothing more Sith than ruining the day of a particularly annoying enemy as you simultaneously end his life.
But let's get one thing straight. Darth Maul is an egomaniac. A loyal (if only to his master and their cause), deadly, egomaniac. This book touches vaguely on that, but never really gets to the heart of it. If you are a die hard Maul fan as I am, that part of his personality is left almost completely out. There are hints to it, yes, but over all he seems to fall rather flat. And that is why I cannot give this book more than three stars.
Is it good? It held my attention to the end, but I would not go so far as to say it is good. I found myself shouting at it more often than not with lines that were always some variation of, "That is not how he would have handled this at all!" or, "He is far to smart for that!" For although Maul is an egomaniac his is far from stupid, Sidious would never have bothered training him if he was, we see as much from comics, and the amazing piece of work that is the Clone Wars animated series.
So is it worth a read? If you like Star Wars than sure, why not. The characters you hate at first will start to grow on you, and though you know how it all will end at the very beginning (of course assuming you have seen Episode 1), it is a rather enjoyable, though often frustrating ride. If you are a huge Maul fan, such as myself, *Spoilers?* just imagine Maul absolutely ruining Laun with the truth at the very end. We know he has done it before, one of his failings (at least from Sidious' stand point) is the fact that he often likes to boast (egomaniac much?). It will also make the final scene so much more enjoyable. Because honestly, if you are reading the book you are a Sith, or at least a Sith sympathizer, and there is nothing more Sith than ruining the day of a particularly annoying enemy as you simultaneously end his life.
