Star Wars:
Labyrinth of Evil

Yoda: "A Labyrinth of Evil this war has become..."

This story occurred about thirteen years after the initial attack on Naboo and before the events of Revenge of the Sith.  This novel started like I wish most Star Wars novels would start...with action!  The story begins with Obi Wan and Anakin, joined by squad of Republic Commandos, making an attempt to capture Nute Gunray, who is held up in a palace on a Neimoidian purse world.  A mechno walking chair equipped with a hyper waive transceiver given to Nute Gunray, by Count Dooku, is mistakenly left at the palace in the Neimoidians rush to to escape.  A really good intro to the story thus far...

Archive Note:  General Grievous (supreme commander of the droid army) was a gift to Count Dooku by Poggle the Lesser and other members of the Banking Clan.  Grievous was once a primitive barbarian but now a killer android with a growing reputation for destruction.  Another interesting point which must be made involves a conversation between Yoda and Obi Wan Kenobi that makes it appear the Dooku didn't formally leave the Jedi Order until after the death of QuiGon Gin and the death of Darth Maul.  However, it also seems like Dooku was involved or at least susceptibility interested in the Sith long before that time.  This also seems to be one of the first novels that seems to call Dooku by his formal, Sith title...Darth Tyrannous.  That's all very interesting.

The story then switches to Coruscant and Senator Organa joined by like minded senators such as Padme Amidalla and Mon Mothma...seeking an audience with Palpatine.  The reader is then treated to a wonderfully intoxicating conversation between Obi Wan and Anakin regarding the fate of this chair (equipped with an apparent holographic image of Sidious) and who needs to knowabout it.  This early on in the story, one can see Anakin's inability to understand why the Jedi often behave the way they do.  You also follow Gunray and his cronies as they try to keep Grievous and the Sith from finding out that they've misplaced this valuable mechno chair, which is also Grevious and Dooku's alternate way of contacting the Neimoidians (you begin to see a good plot formation coming already).  Anakin and Obi Wan travel to the home planet of the individual (A Cheecharian) who has constructed the chair for the Neimoidians to see if this will help track down the Sith.  This leads them on a hunt for the person that built the transreceiver for the chair itself.

Grievous eventually learns that Gunray has let his mechno chair fall into enemy hands and neither Greivous nor Dooku is too happy about the situation.  The reader is also treated to a brief history of Dooku's introduction to the Sith and how Dooku was approached by Sidious (which seems to occur after the death of Darth Maul; however, Dooku believes Maul was nothing more than Sidious' own Asajj Ventress).  How Dooku's final betrayal of the Jedi order and his first act towards becoming a Sith was the murder of Master Siphodeus and the erasing of all information regarding Kamino from the Jedi library.  After the act Darth Sidious renames Dooku...Darth Lord Tyrannous. 

On Coruscant, a "labyrinth" of dark streets exists where even the bravest soul dare not go...this location is known as "the Works".  Once a booming manufacturing area but now an unofficial cemetary for assassins victims and other dark individuals.  "The Works" also is the location of a building, which served as the training center for both Darth Maul and Darth Tyrannous.  A location the Jedi are eventually being lead to.

Finally the reader comes to a point in the book where one realizes that this story is becoming a fitting sequel for "Revenge of the Sith".  You can truly see how the author has lead the reader through a series of twists and turns which lead the Jedi to nearly uncovering who Darth Sidious may be...all because Nute Gunray couldn't keep track of a simply mechno chair.  Amazing!  Darth Sidious and Darth Tyrranous actually discuss the coming duel that takes place at the beginning of Revenge of the Sith between Dooku, Kenobi, and Skywalker.  Sidious explains that Kenobi must die so that the full fury of Skywalker can be unleashed and if Skywalker loses to Dooku then he was never fully worthy to serve the Sith.  However, if Dooku loses, then Sidious promises he will intervene and spare Dooku any further embarassment (which we all know is a lie because he encourages Anakin to kill Dooku in Revenge of the Sith).  There is also a scene near the end of the book depicting a conversation between the captured Palpatine and General Grievous...This conversation seems a bit odd as it appears to the reader that Grievous doesn't seem to realize that Palpatine is in the fact Darth Sidious. (Interesting)

The story finally ends with Anakin Skywalker and Obi Wan Kenobi sharing a touching moment that leads you to believe that this pair can endure anything as long as they have each other...it truly seemed like a father-son moment.  The pair is going to save Palpatine and make everything right with the galaxy and yet we know that not to be true...

Character Importance: 9.6
Whereas some Star Wars novels detail the importance of but one or two characters, this story gives you a little taste of a large cast of individuals.  The reader can practically see Anakin losing control in virtually all aspects of his life...not only does he seem overly emotional, but there were times when Padme seemed the same; almost as if she already may sense what others don't.  Yet, whereas Padme still seems to have some inkling of faith in Palpatine (perhaps since he has come from Naboo), Bail Organa seems to have a better grasp on the war than virtually anyone (including the Jedi).  We must say Mace Windu strikes us as the one Jedi who has let tradition and his own apparent arrogance corrupt and cloud the judgment of virtually the whole entire Jedi Order.  Perhaps we're being too harsh but this seems to be the second or third novel we've read where Windu just comes across as both blind and ignorant to the possibility that the Jedi are not always right.  The reader can also see how truly remarkable Obi Wan's defeat of Grievous was in Revenge of the Sith after seeing how easily Grievous seems to dispose of very capable Jedi in this story.  The reader can also use their imagination when given the ever so brief glimpses of Mon Mothma and the role she is destined to play in the rebellion.

Excitement Level: 9.8
This book rarely if ever had very many down times which translates into a great read for us all!  We may be partial to scenes featuring the all out lightsaber madness but this book had a bit of it all.  There were space battles, fight scenes, plot twists, exciting revelations, and for those more sophisticated readers...drama.  And we must admit that some of that excitement may have come from the fact that you can just sense this inner Vader about to be let loose.  The reader also gets the sense that Dooku realizes (or perhaps tries not to realize) that he may be replaced by the young Skywalker.

Favorite Moments:
We have to admit to being completely enthralled by the conversations discussing Dooku's departure from the Jedi Order and the way the author so excellently closes out this book.  You really feel for Anakin Skywalker because you realize the turn he is about to make and yet at that moment, more than ever, you understand how much Obi Wan must have hurt when Anakin betrayed him.  As far as action scenes go, the initial attack on Coruscant by the Separatist forces was priceless because it truly seemed like no one saw it coming!  The scene with the Jedi in the train trying to protect Palpatine, while Grievous was on top of it, was also a very good read too!

Overall Rating: 9.7