Sunday, August 3, 2008

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed-Sean Williams

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Sean Williams
Del Rey, Aug 2008, $26.00
ISBN: 9780345499028

The chaos of war throughout the galaxy is no more as the Republic and its Jedi Knights are history and ironically so is their Separatist opponents who while destroying the Republic destroyed their movement too. However there is no power vacuum; as the diabolically brilliant Darth Sidious has played the sides against each other and has come through as the only central power left declaring himself the Emperor Palpatine. However this sly dictator knows others out there want to dethrone him either out of a thirst for freedom or the more dangerous group that want to replace him. He plans to rule with an iron fist forever so must eliminate the cancers that remain in revolt even those that are microscopic.

The Emperor assigns his top assistant, the equally vicious Darth Vader, who Palatine brought into the dark side with him, to destroy the remaining resistance. Vader has groomed a student for years for a deadly enforcer role. This Sith student knows one thing: to kill Vader’s foes, who are defined as those opposing the Emperor. This student of Vader must first kill the remaining Jedi who failed to turn dark. However, this Apprentice has one flaw of light in an otherwise totally dark existence. He must choose between his mentor father figure Vader or the flickering light of hope he feels when he thinks of Juno Eclipse who hopes to hear his long lost name from her lips.

THE FORCE UNLEASHED is an exciting novelization of the video game though at times falls into the trap of feeling like a game. The Apprentice is a fascinating prime player who knows only loyalty and death as everything else has been programmed out of him by his fatherly mentor. His trek to eliminate resistance takes the audience on journeys to fascinating worlds especially that of the Wookiee. Fans will relish his escapades as this seemingly emotionless killing machine suddenly has feelings for a woman, but will his training or his heart rule his mind?

Harriet Klausner

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