Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA MUST for Darth Maul fans!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2014
Please bear in mind that I review this book as a Maul fan first, and Star Wars fan second. I may come off as a little biased because of that, but it is what it is. I'm a Darth Maul fan and I look for him to be presented to me in a believable way. I haven't read any Star Wars Canon before this one (and Shadow Hunter), so I can't begin to comment on continuity issues or other such aspects. That being said...
Just a bit of background, I was born in 81 and never knew of Star Wars existence. I only got into Star Wars when they were re-released as Special Editions in theaters, and even then, I wasn't floored over them. Admittedly, I gravitated towards the prequels, but only because they were newer and thus felt more "familiar" to me (as movies in that time-frame and that technology would). Years have passed and I eventually realized the error of my ways and I can now say I have developed a healthier appreciation for the Original Trilogy. The prequels have their place, of course, but I can finally see what the big fuss was over the Originals.
However!! The one character I desperately cling to as one of the BEST villains in the Star Wars Universe (that I personally have been exposed to) is DARTH MAUL. He was soaked with the Dark Side, causing mayhem for the Jedi. And then of course Vader came along and killed him after an epic battle of Sithly proportions, inevitably taking his place at the side of Darth Sidious, one of best battles in Star Wars history! Oh wait, that didn't happen? Of course not! Because he was reduced to the ranks of the blatantly stupid. Being on higher ground and still letting a Padawan fly up in front of him, land behind him, slice him in half, and all while still holding on to his ACTIVATED lightsaber!! And just to recap, Anakin performed the very same action and got himself dismembered for it two movies later! Needless to say, I was absolutely fumed, outraged, throwing a hissy fit, WHATEVER that he not only was robbed of the ample screen time he deserved, but also because he was killed off in such an insulting way to the type of character he was presented to be. I still can never forgive it. I plain and simply just love Darth Maul.
So you better believe I was ALL OVER what little options there were to experience more of him. First it was with his book Shadow Hunter, which was awesome when I first read it because, well, MORE DARTH MAUL. Fast forward many years later and I discover Lockdown, which was phenomenally and insanely amazing (I read it in 4-5 hours!). Because it left me salivating for more, I rushed back to my Shadow Hunter again for a second read after spending years on my shelf. And well, Lockdown for the win. There's a special place in my heart for Shadow Hunter, always, but Lockdown is my new favorite Maul book.
I won't delve into plot details, as plenty of reviewers have done a fine job of that already. But one detail I will mention--that may or may not be a very minor spoiler--is that throughout this book, Darth Maul is not permitted to use the Force, and thus must force (heh, just caught that pun) himself to resort to other means of getting his mission done. While I thought that would bother me at first, it actually SO WORKED. And here's why: tension. Suffocating, gut-wrenching tension. I gotta applaud this author because he really had me wondering just how in freaking world Maul was going to get through all his deadly situations without resorting to Force usage. Seriously, he'd be just smack dab in the middle of impending doom, and even though I know he'll survive of course, I STILL caught myself more than once thinking, "Omg, what are you going to do NOW? AHHH! *page flip!*" The tension was so THICK in so many places, it had me actually nervous for Maul. Overall, I simply loved how he's presented here; strict warrior with unmatched survivor instincts, killing quickly when he must, hesitating only when it suits his selfish needs. And the way he kills?? WOW. I even caught myself laughing going, "That's SO Maul." And I got so accustomed to him being forced into this situation when he's not using the Force, but only his brute, physical strength and cunning to get his way, that when the time comes for him to be more Sithly, I'm going AHHH THAT'S RIGHT! HECK YEAH! So for me to be so engrossed as to be surprised that, oh yeah, he IS a Sith and he DOES have some masterful abilities at the tips of his fingers, that says something about the writing. I should mention, though, that this isn't JUST a bunch of fighting. The beauty of this book is that there's so much more going on, INCLUDING fights. In fact, the fights/battles are almost a "nuisance" for Maul, who has more important things to be concerned over, but alas, he's gotta do what he's gotta do, and man, he does it so right. Super genius.
To be fair, there are plenty of other great aspects to this book...GREAT and believable characters, as well as all their interactions with not just each other, but Darth Maul as well. The writing style is wonderful; it had to be if it sucked me into the tension as I mentioned earlier. The pacing is spot-on to my liking. Short chapters, but so much goodness stuffed inside them made this a fluid read for me. I reiterate, I finished this thing in like 4 or 5 hours. This author certainly has a way of describing horrific scenes--which isn't surprising given that I'm reading that he's got a history in the horror type genre for Star Wars novels. Even a wound is described to such poignant detail; it actually made me writhe in my chair just thinking about them. Like ow, that sounds like it hurts! I love when writing does that to me, makes it seem so real. So I shall chime in with all the other reviewers that this book does have some gore, not for the young readers. Some people may not stomach it. I personally appreciated the gore, and found it just right for the tone of the atmosphere. It was enough to make me cringe, but not gag or anything. As far as this book's relevance to other Star Wars novels, I wouldn't know as I mentioned earlier. I've got some catching up to do!
So, in conclusion, if you're a Darth Maul fan as I am, and are looking to see him have some splendidly villainous moments as a warrior (without the need to have him force-choke everyone a'la Vader), then DO get this book. I am not minimizing the importance of the Force in the Star Wars Universe or anything, not at all. I'm merely highlighting the importance of what can be done WITHOUT the Force and who better to do it than Darth Maul? I highly, HIGHLY doubt Maul fans will regret purchasing this book. I know I sure didn't. In fact, I miss it. May even give it another read soon enough.
P.S. This would make a SPLENDID movie. Oh if only it were possible....