mass market paperback, 416 pages
English language
Published June 26, 2007 by Del Rey.
Once the Sith order teemed with followers. But their rivalries divided them in endless battles for supremacy - until one dark lord at last united the Sith in the quest to enslave the galaxy and exterminate the Jedi. Yet it would fall to another, far more powerful than the entire Brotherhood of Darkness, to ultimately realize the full potential of the Sith and wield the awesome power of the dark side as never before.
Since childhood, Dessel has known only the abuse of his hateful father and the dangerous, soul-crushing labor of a cortosis miner. Deep in the tunnels of the desolate planet Apatros, endlessly excavating the rare mineral valued throughout the galaxy, Dessel dreams of the day he can escape - a day he fears may never come. But when a high-stakes card game ends in deadly violence, Dessel suddenly finds himself a wanted man.
On the run from …
Once the Sith order teemed with followers. But their rivalries divided them in endless battles for supremacy - until one dark lord at last united the Sith in the quest to enslave the galaxy and exterminate the Jedi. Yet it would fall to another, far more powerful than the entire Brotherhood of Darkness, to ultimately realize the full potential of the Sith and wield the awesome power of the dark side as never before.
Since childhood, Dessel has known only the abuse of his hateful father and the dangerous, soul-crushing labor of a cortosis miner. Deep in the tunnels of the desolate planet Apatros, endlessly excavating the rare mineral valued throughout the galaxy, Dessel dreams of the day he can escape - a day he fears may never come. But when a high-stakes card game ends in deadly violence, Dessel suddenly finds himself a wanted man.
On the run from vengeful Republic forces, Dessel vanishes into the ranks of the Sith army and ships out to join the bloody war against the Republic and its Jedi champions. There, Dessel’s brutality, cunning, and exceptional command of the Force swiftly win him renown as a warrior. But in the eyes of his watchful masters, he is destined for a far greater role in the ultimate Sith plan for the galaxy - if he can prove himself truly worthy.
As an acolyte in the Sith academy, studying the secrets and skills of the dark side at the feet of its greatest masters, Dessel embraces his new Sith identity: Bane. However the true test is yet to come. In order to gain acceptance into the Brotherhood of Darkness, one must fully surrender to the dark side through a trial by fire that Bane, for all his unquenchable fury and lust for power, may not be strong enough to endure... especially since deception, treachery, and murder run rampant among the Sith disciples, and utter ruthlessness alone is the key to survival.
Only by defying the most sacred traditions, rejecting all he has been taught, and drawing upon the long-forgotten wisdom of the very first Sith can Bane hope to triumph - and forge from the ashes of that which he must destroy a new era of absolute dark power.
I hadn't listened to this since the first time last year, but was curious if I would pick anything up differently since I listened to the Revan book. Still really liked this one.
This was fun for what it was but also pretty terrible.
I may have mentioned before that I don't read a lot of Star Wars novels. I consider myself a casual fan. Like many fiction series, the SW books are very "hit or miss." I have enjoyed some, but I have also found others were not very good. This is one I highly recommend. I think the more "hardcore" fans will definitely appreciate it. I also think more casual readers like me will like it. The book gives the origins of the Sith, explaining why it is that we only see two Sith, a master and an apprentice in the movies and in the later books. Darth Bane, the protagonist, is definitely a bad guy, yet at times a reader cannot help but root for the guy. If you are one of those people who like rooting for the bad guy, then this is your book. The book has good detail …
I may have mentioned before that I don't read a lot of Star Wars novels. I consider myself a casual fan. Like many fiction series, the SW books are very "hit or miss." I have enjoyed some, but I have also found others were not very good. This is one I highly recommend. I think the more "hardcore" fans will definitely appreciate it. I also think more casual readers like me will like it. The book gives the origins of the Sith, explaining why it is that we only see two Sith, a master and an apprentice in the movies and in the later books. Darth Bane, the protagonist, is definitely a bad guy, yet at times a reader cannot help but root for the guy. If you are one of those people who like rooting for the bad guy, then this is your book. The book has good detail in exploring the legend of the Sith, but it also has good action and story to move things along. I read some reviewer here who was not as satisfied with the ending. I think the ending may be quite fitting; it worked for me, but I will let readers decide. Overall, of the many SW books out there, this one is definitely worth picking up.
