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 Hello, my name is Elaine, and I'm a Maulaholic. When I heard Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter was out, I grabbed it as soon as I could. I wasn't disappointed, either. Maul's very first scene should send shivers of glee up any good Sithly spine! Now, there are those who want to know more about Maul and his past, but I say, keep him enigmatic: his mystery is part of his allure. Happily, not much of his past is revealed here, though we do get a flashback of the creation of his signature weapon. What is revealed is how he thinks, what makes him tick, his motivation. The story is a constant race of action. The characters aren't shorted in personality, though, being well thought out and as fully fleshed as their tatooed nemesis. Darth Maul isn't the only danger, of course: a few critters from the darkest underbelly of the capitol world make their appearances, creatures thought by most to be either legendary or extinct. There's not much to say on the negative side. The only detractors were a few turns of phrase that didn't really belong in the Star Wars universe. (The book starts out 'An even longer time ago in a galaxy far, far away...' but the story makes up for that silliness.) And for a novice in Lucas' universe, Reaves is up on his in-jokes. Look for a tweak at Indiana Jones, too! One of the intriguing subplots of the book involves the character Lorn Pavan's intense animosity toward the Jedi order. Be assured that it's not just an idle dislike: he has quite a good reason for his hatred. I'd wondered about this facet of Jedi life for a bit; now I'm not sure I'll ever see the order in the same untarnished light again... All in all, this is one that Star Wars lovers in general, and Darth Maul lovers in particular, should not pass up. I read it cover to cover in about three hours!
Reaves did a phenomenal job with dialogue and with his style, which was reverent when describing Jedi action and gritty when dealing with the Star Wars galaxy's underbelly. The character of I5YQ is probably his biggest coup. The only downfall I could find was a lack of physical description of the characters that we don't already know. Otherwise, this blows the others I have read to smithereens! Way to go Mike Reaves!
Shadow Hunter is full of heart-pounding action, daring pursuits and escapes, and vividly stunning lightsaber duels. Follow the characters as they travel through such varied settings as the darkness of Coruscant's seedy alleyways and the breathtaking magnificance of the Jedi Temple on a mission to thwart the evil intentions of a Sith apprentice skilled in the darker arts of the Force. Although Darth Sidious calls the shots, Darth Maul is a formidable foe with lightning fast reflexes aided by the Force with a penchant for pleasing his master. Will the Jedi be successful in their effort? Star Wars fans will be begging for more dark revelations!
I highly recommend this book and other Micheal Reaves titles. |
It doesn't come close to Cloak Of Deception in terms of writing, pacing, et cetera. But it does add interesting insight into the ways of the Sith and the Jedi.
