Visitors to the New York Comic Con last weekend got a sneak peek at two upcoming novel back covers slated for release early next year — Darth Plagueis and Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse. Now back covers may not get the kind of attention front covers do, but when a novel about one of the most powerful Sith Lords ever — Darth Plagueis — gives Darth Maul a stunning shout-out on the back cover by artist Torstein Nordstrand, it gets our attention.
Here’s the publisher’s synopsis of Darth Plagueis, by James Luceno, due out January 10, 2012:
Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires. Losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. And when the time is right, he destroys his Master—but vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death.
Darth Sidious: Plagueis’s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith, while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.
Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination—and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?
Read more about Darth Plagueis here.
The back cover for Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse features Jagged Fel and Jaina Solo with jacket art and design by Ian Keltie. By author Troy Denning, Apocalypse is due out April 3, 2012 — here’s the publisher’s synopsis:
In the stunning finale of the epic Fate of the Jedi series, Jedi and Sith face off—with Coruscant as their battlefield. For the Sith, it’s the chance to restore their dominance over the galaxy that forgot them for so long. For Abeloth, it’s a giant step in her quest to conquer all life everywhere. For Luke Skywalker, it’s a call to arms to eradicate the Sith and their monstrous new master once and for all.
In a planetwide strike, teams of Jedi Knights take the Sith infiltrators by swift and lethal surprise. But victory against the cunning and savage Abeloth, and the terrifying endgame she has planned, is anything but certain. And as Luke, Ben, Han, Leia, Jaina, Jag, and their allies close in, the devastating truth about the dark side incarnate will be exposed—and send shock waves through the Jedi Order, the galaxy, and the Force itself.
Read more about Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse here .
Tags: Books
OK, the back cover for the Plagueis book is cool, but why Darth Maul? An didn’t Palpatine kill Plagueis?
Of course Palpatine killed Plagueis. But this book is set before that. >.>
With Darth Maul being recycled back into the story in clone wars, who’s to say who is dead and who can make that “miraclous’ comeback?
Perhaps the star wars infinities story of Darth Maul’s comeback may have some truth to it yet. Hmm.
Darth Maul is on the back because he’s in the book. He was cut in half and is dead. And it says about Darth Plagueis, “could he be the only one who never died?” Plagueis was a master at manipulating midi-chlorians, not Palpatine nor Maul. So, it is possible that he appears dead when Palpatine examines him, but in reality he could be making his midi-chlorians affect his body in such a way that Palpatine is fooled. So it is possible Plagueis survived. And it says “the only one” like there were possibly more. And I believe that would probably be Darth Bane they’re refering. He could do the essence transfer and he certainly used it on Zannah so it’s pretty safe to say Bane never died. Well, as a Sith that is. In Plagueis it was mentioned that a dark lord turned to the light and took the secrets of the essence transfer with him among other secrets then died. Bane would’ve never told a soul about the essence transfer. Yes, his new apprentice knew what had happened, but there is not a chance in hell he would have taught her HOW to do it. Something major must’ve happened to turn Bane to the light though huh? If I’m right. Which I always am.
This book is prior to Maul’s death. He shows up as an infant (1 year old) in the book. He is a small part that is interwoven into Maul’s own book (”Shadow Hunter”) and then woven into the story of Episode one. This book takes place from about 50 years prior to Episode 1 – The middle of the Episode 1 story line.
In my opinion, having just finished, this is BY FAR the best story that has been built around direct events in the movies. In a perfect world, this story and it’s epilogue section at the end should have been the story for Episode 1.
Key players in the book that have a role or make a cameo:
Palpatine
Maul
Jedi Master Sifo Dias
Padawan and Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn
Nute Gunray
The Banking Clan
Jedi Master Dooku
The Tarkins
The Nabererie Family
The Kiminoans
And many more!
Planets that have a major role:
Tattooine, Naboo, Sulust, Malastre, and Corrusant, to name a few.
SORRY FOR ALL THE SPELLING ERRORS ABOVE.