Book 55: Star Wars: Darth Bane 3: Dynasty of Evil

Star Wars: Darth Bane #3: Dynasty of Evil, by Drew Karpyshyn

“Dynasty of Evil” is, in my opinion, the best book in the Darth Bane series. This book picks up the story of Bane and his apprentice, Zannah, about a decade after the previous book. Bane is highly disappointed in Zannah because she has not yet followed his Rule of Two by challenging and beating him for the role of Sith Master. He believes that she is biding her time until he weakens from age, and this goes against his beliefs – if Zannah ousts him from his position by waiting, she will not be strong enough to continue the Sith order. And then everything Bane has worked for will fall.

But what is Bane to do? He is aging faster than normal due to his use of the Dark Side and his ordeal with orbalisk armor, and doesn’t have the time left in his life to train another apprentice. Then, in an ancient scroll, he finds mention of Darth Andeddu, a Sith who discovered a way to extend his life indefinitely. This is Bane’s answer – if he can find Andeddu’s Holocron, his Sith Order will survive.

However, Bane can’t set off to find the Holocron without sending Zannah away as well, to divert her attention from him. Although Zannah hasn’t yet challenged him, Bane isn’t sure who would survive in a fight between the two; he can’t risk dying before finding the secret of immortality. So he sends his apprentice to Doan, an insignificant mining planet, and also the site of a Jedi’s murder. On Doan Zannah finds the trail of a Dark Jedi, one who she believes could have the potential to be her own apprentice.

It’s best to read the other two Darth Bane novels before “Dynasty of Evil,” as Karpyshyn brings back characters from the first novel, “Path of Destruction,” and winds them into a twisting plot. His writing is the best it’s been yet, with the exception of a few passages that needed better proofreading. At first I couldn’t believe the coincidences of so many characters meeting again, but as the novel went on, I understood how it all worked in a bigger context, and I wasn’t in disbelief anymore.

I rushed through this book, eager to see how everything would end, and continued until I finished it (even though I had a pretty bad headache). “Dynasty of Evil” kept my attention from beginning to end, and as I said in the beginning, I think this is the best Darth Bane book. Karpyshyn keeps the plot just unpredictable enough that you’re unsure who will be victorious, and the ending is a surprise.

5/5.

Book 54: Star Wars: Darth Bane 2: Rule of Two

Star Wars: Darth Bane #2: Rule of Two, by Drew Karpyshyn

“Rule of Two” continues the story of Darth Bane and his apprentice, Zannah. Mentioned briefly at the end of the previous novel, Bane found Zannah on Ruusan after the detonation of the thought bomb that destroyed all Sith and Jedi left on the planet. Merely a child, Zannah had been recruited by the Jedi to fight in the war, but before she could even land on the planet her shuttle crashed. Zannah was saved by a bouncer, one of the native animal species on Ruusan. Bane came across her minutes after she killed two Jedi with the Force, and he was impressed by the strength of her connection to the Dark Side.

Fast forward a decade. Zannah is now an adult, and Bane’s eyes and ears for the outside world. He often sends her on missions such as the one described in “Rule of Two,” where she encourages an anti-Republic group to kidnap a prominent political figure. Bane knows that the key tools of the Sith are deception and secrecy, and he has spent the last decade putting plans into place for the day when the Sith can over throw the Republic and the Jedi.

“Rule of Two” is more Zannah’s story than Bane’s, as it follows her own awakening in the Dark Side. The beginning of the novel focuses on her first task as Bane’s apprentice – finding a way off Ruusan – and the rest follows her first attempt to overthrow Bane and then a journey to Coruscant to the home of their enemy – the Jedi Temple.

My chief complaint with this book is that it mainly sets the stage for the next Darth Bane novel, and it doesn’t feel like a lot happens. So it is best to read it just before “Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil” to get the full effect. Otherwise, it is another enjoyable Star Wars book, that fills in more history of the Sith and the Old Republic.

4/5.

Book 53: Star Wars: Darth Bane 1: Path of Destruction

Star Wars: Darth Bane #1: Path of Destruction, by Drew Karpyshyn

“Path of Destruction” novelizes the story of Darth Bane, which had previously been told in comic format. Bane is the creator of the modern Sith order, the one who created the Rule of Two; he believe that there should only be two Sith, one Master to embody the power and one apprentice to want the power.

The book is a solid start to a series about one of the most famous figures in the Star Wars Universe, and provides a good amount of information on the Sith, including their training methods and philosophy. Bane’s discontent with the Brotherhood of Darkness is what leads him to branch away, and come up with his own Sith order, which will survive for a thousand years.

There are some very over-used phrases in “Path of Destruction,” but overall the writing is decent. I found it a reasonably enjoyable Star Wars novel, and really liked that the story of Darth Bane was finally being told in novel format instead of just comic format (I personally prefer books over comics). Bane’s story is an entertaining read.

3/5.