Star Wars: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

The Rise of Darth Vader

By: James Luceno

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Anakin Skywalker–the Chosen One–is dead. In his place rises Darth Vader, who now hunts what Jedi survived the desctruction of their temple on Coruscant.

From the site of Anakin Skywalker’s last stand–on the molten surface of the planet Mustafar, where he sought to destroy his friend and former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi–a fearsome specter in black has risen. Once the most powerful Knight ever known to the Jedi Order, he is now a disciple of the dark side, a lord of the dreaded Sith, and the avenging right hand of the galaxy’s ruthless new Emperor. Seduced, deranged, and destroyed by the machinations of the Dark Lord Sidious, Anakin Skywalker is dead . . . and Darth Vader lives.

Word of the events that created him–the Jedi Council’s failed mutiny against Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the self-crowned Emperor’s retaliatory command to exterminate the Jedi Order, and Anakin’s massacre of his comrades and Masters in the Jedi Temple–has yet to reach all quarters. On the Outer Rim world of Murkhana, Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak and Padawan Olee Starstone are leading a charge on a Separatist stronghold, unaware that the tide, red with Jedi blood, has turned suddenly against them.

When the three narrowly elude execution–and become the desperate prey in a hunt across space–it’s neither clone soldiers, nor the newly deployed stormtroopers, nor even the wrath of the power-hungry Emperor himself they must fear most. The deadliest threat rests in the hideously swift and lethal crimson lightsaber of Darth Vader–behind whose brooding mask lies a shattered heart, a poisoned soul, and a cunning, twisted mind hell-bent on vengeance.

For the handful of scattered Jedi, survival is imperative if the light side of the Force is to be protected and the galaxy somehow, someday reclaimed. Yet more important still is the well-being of the twin infants, Leia and Luke Skywalker, the children of Anakin and his doomed bride, Padmé Amidala. Separated after Padmé’s death, they must be made safe at all costs, lest the hope they represent for the future be turned to horror by the new Sith regime–and the unspeakable power of the dark side.© & (P)2005 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM; Random House Audio, a divsion of Random House, Inc.

The bridge between Anakin and Vader

I know some didn't like how whinny Vader was in this story and to be honest at first I didn't either, however, Vader has only existed a short time when this story starts and this story shows Vader going from the whinny Anakin Skywalker to the infamous Darth Vader many have come to fear and love over the years.

I do like the bridge stories because they fill in the gaps when cannon throws a wrench into everything many authors wrote and I am sure The Force Unleashed will throw even more wrenches into things we have all come to accept as fact within the star wars universe. Expect more bridges. To date my favorite bridge books are the Darth Bane trilogy.

The narrator was superb.

the narrator was awesome and really bought the characters to life. I enjoyed this a lot.

Fills the void

I am a sci fi reader who watched the original Star Wars when it came out but I am not a person who reads all these Star Wars universe books. However, one day, after seeing The Force Awakens,I needed a Star Wars fix and I found this one. I had always wanted to know how Anakin felt after becoming Darth, and this book gave satisfying insight into his psychological and emotional state. The rest of the story and action was as good as any of the movies. I just might try some more of these books!

Bit shorter then expected

Was shorter then I expected, and i thought it was going to be more focused on Vader but all characters shared equal parts. Good story.

this book is amazing.

I will highly recommend this book to anyone who likes star wars. truly a great story.