Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

Kindle
$12.99

Available instantly

Audiobook
$0.99
with membership

Paperback
$15.94

Mass Market Paperback
$14.50

$15.94 with 16 percent savings

List Price: $19.00

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Monday, May 12 to Nashville 37217 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Or Prime members get FREE delivery Tomorrow, May 8.

In Stock

$$15.94 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Enhancements you chose aren't available for this seller. Details

${cardName} not available for the seller you chose

${cardName} unavailable for quantities greater than ${maxQuantity}.

Ships from

Amazon.com

Sold by

Amazon.com

Returns

30-day refund/replacement

Payment

Secure transaction

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Other sellers on Amazon

New & Used (15) from $9.00 + $6.00 shipping

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the author

James Luceno

Follow

Darth Plagueis: Star Wars Legends Paperback – April 5, 2022

by James Luceno (Author)

10,360 ratings

Part of: Star Wars - Legends (44 books)

Goodreads Choice Award nominee

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$15.94","priceAmount":15.94,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"15","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"94","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"%2BZQqHx90xUHxmCGC3zRSLa5xrBBvggq8wyP49SXebH2VKjuuP8dLmYM2cBDDiPFdNaWgexq7YgkGzDAi6%2BOWONBIFJhBlIOPkAg%2FfwtteRaQOkTIAdgAjZiXWeTjcPvVz66s4u%2Bemtk8hWoq%2FmIzZg%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This essential Star Wars Legends novel chronicles the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise, and the origins of the saga’s most enduring evil—the malevolent Sith master Palpatine.

“The best Star Wars publication to date . . . [James] Luceno takes Darth Plagueis down the dark path and never looks back.”—Newsday

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. When the time is right, he destroys his Master—and 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?

“Luceno draws on his storytelling skill and prodigious knowledge of the [Star Wars] world . . . to craft a complex tale of ambition and desire.”—Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

James Luceno is the New York Times bestselling author of the Star Wars novels Millennium Falcon, Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader, Cloak of Deception, Labyrinth of Evil, as well as the New Jedi Order novels Agents of Chaos I: Hero’s Trial and Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse, The Unifying Force, and the eBook Darth Maul: Saboteur. He is also the author of the fantasy novel Hunt for the Mayan Looking-Glass, available as an eBook. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland, with his wife and youngest child.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

PART ONE

Enlistment

67–65 Years Before the Battle of Yavin

1: THE UNDERWORLD

Forty-seven standard years before the harrowing reign of Emperor Palpatine, Bal’demnic was nothing more than an embryonic world in the Outer Rim’s Auril sector, populated by reptilian sentients who expressed as little tolerance for outsiders as they did for one another. Decades later the planet would have a part to play in galactic events, its own wink of historical notoriety, but in those formative years that presaged the Republic’s ineluctable slide into decadence and turmoil, Bal’demnic was of interest only to xenobiologists and cartographers. It might even have escaped the notice of Darth Plagueis, for whom remote worlds held a special allure, had his Master, Tenebrous, not discovered something special about the planet.

“Darth Bane would appreciate our efforts,” the Sith Master was telling his apprentice as they stood side by side in the crystalline cave that had drawn them across the stars.

A Bith, Tenebrous was as tall as Plagueis and nearly as cadaverously thin. To human eyes, his bilious complexion might have made him appear as haggard as the pallid Muun, but in fact both beings were in robust health. Though they conversed in Basic, each was fluent in the other’s native language.

“Darth Bane’s early years,” Plagueis said through his transpirator mask. “Carrying on the ancestral business, as it were.”

Behind the faceplate of his own mask, Tenebrous’s puckered lips twitched in disapproval. The breathing device looked absurdly small on his outsized cleft head, and the convexity of the mask made the flat disks of his lidless eyes look like close-set holes in his pinched face.

“Bane’s seminal years,” he corrected.

Plagueis weathered the gentle rebuke. He had been apprenticed to Tenebrous for as many years as the average human might live, and still Tenebrous never failed to find fault when he could.

“What more appropriate way for us to close the circle than by mimicking the Sith’ari’s seminal efforts,” Tenebrous continued. “We weave ourselves into the warp and weft of the tapestry he created.”

Plagueis kept his thoughts to himself. The aptly named Darth Bane, who had redefined the Sith by limiting their number and operating from concealment, had mined cortosis as a youth on Apatros long before embracing the tenets of the dark side. In the thousand years since his death, Bane had become deified; the powers attributed to him, legendary. And indeed what more appropriate place for his disciples to complete the circle, Plagueis told himself, than in profound obscurity, deep within an escarpment that walled an azure expanse of Bal’demnic’s Northern Sea.

The two Sith were outfitted in environment suits that protected them from scorching heat and noxious atmosphere. The cave was crosshatched by scores of enormous crystals that resembled glowing lances thrust every which way into a trick chest by a stage magician. A recent seismic event had tipped the landmass, emptying the labyrinthine cave system of mineral-rich waters, but the magma chamber that had kept the waters simmering for millions of years still heated the humid air to temperatures in excess of what even Tenebrous and Plagueis could endure unaided. Close at hand sat a stubby treddroid tasked with monitoring the progress of a mining probe that was sampling a rich vein of cortosis ore at the bottom of a deep shaft. A fabled ore, some called it—owing to its scarcity, but even more for its intrinsic ability to diminish the effectiveness of the Jedi lightsaber. For that reason, the Jedi Order had gone to great lengths to restrict mining and refinement of the ore. If not the bane of the Order’s existence, cortosis was a kind of irritant, a challenge to their weapon’s reputation for fearsome invincibility.

It was to Tenebrous’s credit that the Sith had learned of Bal’demnic’s rich lodes before the Jedi, who by means of an agreement with the Republic Senate had first claim to all discoveries, as they had with Adegan crystals and Force-sensitive younglings of all species. But Tenebrous and the generations of Sith Masters who had preceded him were privy to covert data gleaned by vast networks of informants the Senate and the Jedi knew nothing about, including mining survey teams and weapons manufacturers.

“Based on the data I am receiving,” the treddroid intoned, “eighty-two percent of the ore is capable of being purified into weapons-grade cortosis shield.”

Plagueis looked at Tenebrous, who returned a nod of satisfaction. “The percentage is consistent with what I was told to expect.”

“By whom, Master?”

“Of no consequence,” Tenebrous said.

Strewn about the superheated tunnel were broken borer bits, expended gasifiers, and clogged filtration masks, all abandoned by the exploratory team that had sunk the shaft several standard months earlier. From the shaft’s broad mouth issued the repeated reports of the probe droid’s hydraulic jacks. Music to Tenebrous’s auditory organs, Plagueis was certain.

“Can you not share your plans for this discovery?”

“In due time, Darth Plagueis.” Tenebrous turned away from him to address the treddroid. “Instruct the probe to evaluate the properties of the secondary lode.”

Plagueis studied the screen affixed to the droid’s flat head. It displayed a map of the probe’s movements and a graphic analysis of its penetrating scans, which reached clear to the upper limits of the magma chamber.

“The probe is running an analysis,” the treddroid updated.

With the reciprocating sounds of the probe’s hydraulic jacks echoing in the crystal cave, Tenebrous began to circle the shaft, only to come to a sudden halt when the drilling ceased.

“Why has it stopped?” he asked before Plagueis could.

The droid’s reply was immediate. “The Em-Two unit informs me that it has discovered a pocket of gas directly beneath the new borehole.” The droid paused, then added: “I’m sorry to report, sirs, that the gas is a highly combustible variant of lethane. The Em-Two unit predicts that the heat generated by its hydraulic jacks will ignite an explosion of significant magnitude.”

Suspicion crept into Tenebrous’s voice. “The original report made no mention of lethane.”

The droid pivoted to face him. “I know nothing of that, sir. But the Em-Two unit is quite insistent. What’s more, my own programming corroborates the fact that it is not unusual to find pockets of lethane in close proximity to cortosis ore.”

“Query the probe about excavating around the lethane pocket,” Plagueis said.

“The Em-Two unit recommends employing that very strategy, sir. Shall I order it to proceed?”

Plagueis looked at Tenebrous, who nodded.

“Task the probe to proceed,” Plagueis said. When the hammering recommenced, he fixed his gaze on the display screen to monitor the probe’s progress. “Tell the probe to stop,” he said after only a moment had elapsed.

“Why are you interfering?” Tenebrous said, storming forward.

Plagueis gestured to the display. “The map indicates a more massive concentration of lethane in the area where it’s drilling.”

“You’re correct, sir,” the droid said in what amounted to dismay. “I will order the unit to halt all activity.”

And yet the hammering continued.

“Droid,” Plagueis snapped, “did the probe acknowledge your order?”

“No, sir. The Em-Two is not responding.”

Tenebrous stiffened, narrowly avoiding slamming his head into one of the cave’s massive crystals. “Is it still within range?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then run a communications diagnostic.”

“I have, sir, and all systems are nominal. The unit’s inability to respond—” It fell briefly silent and began again. “The unit’s refusal to respond appears to be deliberate.”

“Deactivate it,” Tenebrous said. “At once.”

The hammering slowed and eventually ceased, but not for long.

“The Em-Two unit has overridden my command.”

“Impossible,” Tenebrous said.

“Clearly not, sir. In fact, it is highly probable that the unit is executing a deep-seated subroutine that escaped earlier notice.”

Plagueis glanced at Tenebrous. “Who procured the probe?”

“This isn’t the time for questions. The probe is about to breach the pocket.”

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Worlds; 1st edition (April 5, 2022)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593358805
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593358801
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.95 x 8.25 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #7,379 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #24 in Space Operas
- #24 in Science Fiction Short Stories
- #49 in Science Fiction Adventures

Customer Reviews:
10,360 ratings

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

James Luceno

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

10,360 global ratings

5 star
75%
4 star
19%
3 star
6%
2 star
0%
1 star
0%

How customer reviews and ratings work

Review this product

Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this Star Wars book engaging and well-written, with excellent character development of Darth Plagueis and Palpatine. The book provides a detailed look at Palpatine's rise to power, with one customer noting how it sets up Episode I in great detail. While some customers describe it as a quick read, others find it slow-paced.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

Readability Story development Entertainment value Writing style Information content Look Detail Pacing

652 customers mention "Readability"632 positive20 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a labor of love and an amazing read for Star Wars fans, with well-executed storytelling.

"The new cover is so, so good. Love the composition and the color. The yellow really pops...." Read more

"...the eyes of Plagueis and involves a lot of introspective narration, plotting, and strategic political games...." Read more

"...It is a magnum opus, a labor of love, with superior writing and lasting artistic insight enough for it to merit a title of "classic" even so early..." Read more

"...upon itself to accomplish with regard to canon and storytelling is simply staggering, not to mention this is one of the handful of novels with..." Read more

450 customers mention "Story development"384 positive66 negative

Customers appreciate the book's story development, particularly its excellent backstory and insightful narrative, with one customer highlighting its detailed subterfuge and another noting how it expands understanding of the plot.

"...well it takes a fairly all-ages story world and maps very adult, grounded politics and philosophy onto it...." Read more

"...Not only do I feel like I understand the Sith better, but I feel like this is the first time the lure of the Sith felt more realistic and accessible..." Read more

"...: Its prose is cerebral, lyrical, and delves into philosophical discussions of morality and ethics that people -- for those who had the privilege to..." Read more

"...We do get some insight into Plagueis' powers and his quest for immortality, and we see just how ruthless Palpatine was, even when he was younger and..." Read more

173 customers mention "Entertainment value"141 positive32 negative

Customers find the book entertaining and engaging, describing it as absolutely fascinating and enlightening, with one customer noting it is completely engrossing from start to finish.

"...study that reads through the eyes of Plagueis and involves a lot of introspective narration, plotting, and strategic political games...." Read more

"...sound effects were used as needed and it was just enough to enhance the listening experience without detracting from it. Cons:..." Read more

"...The author goes so in depth with the force, what it is, what its capable of, that some chapters you'll read twice just to be sure you gathered all..." Read more

"...I say that because when the story does pick up it's very entertaining and quickly becomes a page turner, I just wish that it didn't continuously hit..." Read more

167 customers mention "Writing style"142 positive25 negative

Customers praise the writing style of the book, noting its clear and well-structured presentation.

"...the Essential Legends Collection covers really make the books feel more like literature as opposed to cheap tie-ins the way the old covers did...." Read more

"...This book easily revolutionizes writing for the EU: Its prose is cerebral, lyrical, and delves into philosophical discussions of morality and ethics..." Read more

"...Looking back, the plotting for this novel must have been a tremendous undertaking...." Read more

"...Overall, the book is very well-written and has a nice blend of action and the same kind of political intrigue, scheming, and backbiting we saw in..." Read more

34 customers mention "Information content"31 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the information content of the book, particularly how it provides a great perspective on Palpatine and offers many interesting points about his early life and rise to power.

"...Despite all of this, it's a pretty excellent read that exemplifies the cunning of Palpatine and his roots of being swayed into the dark side of the..." Read more

"I found this book to be full of many interesting points of information that tied into the prequels well...." Read more

"...More Political Thriller than Space Opera, the narrative is tight, relevant, and thought-provoking...." Read more

"This book was a lot of fun. It answers many of the questions that I had after watching Episodes 1,2 and 3...." Read more

34 customers mention "Look"30 positive4 negative

Customers appreciate the book's appearance, noting its depth and excellent fashion, with one customer highlighting how it provides insight into Palpatine's rise to power.

"The new cover is so, so good. Love the composition and the color. The yellow really pops...." Read more

"...is a magnum opus, a labor of love, with superior writing and lasting artistic insight enough for it to merit a title of "classic" even so early in..." Read more

"...Almost beautifully. As mentioned before, the Bane Trilogy is a good pre-book series to read, as those set up everything that this book continues...." Read more

"...As unique and compelling a character as Plagueis is (important too, if you know your Star Wars mythos), I actually found that the most interesting..." Read more

32 customers mention "Detail"32 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed explanations, particularly how it sets up Episode I and explains everything about Sidious, with one customer noting how it creates familiar yet novel settings.

"...Star Wars “author laureate” James Luceno has done an incredible job setting up the events and characters for the Prequel Trilogy (PT)...." Read more

"...James Luceno does a wonderful job fleshing out the settings and characters of the book, all while keeping the tone appropriately moody and dark...." Read more

"...or decades, especially in the beginning, it manages to avoid feeling disjointed or rushed...." Read more

"...In fact, it even goes into quite a lot of detail about what Darth Plagueis learns about the prolonging life through dark side which ironically, his..." Read more

84 customers mention "Pacing"35 positive49 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it an awesome and quick read, while others describe it as slow.

"...The book is not without flaws. The first third to half is rather slow and somewhat dry, and the entirety of the novel is difficult to resume between..." Read more

"...but managed to deliver, in my opinion, one of the finest additions to the Expanded Universe since Timothy Zahn's THRAWN TRILOGY...." Read more

"...One other thing that bothered me, aside from how slow the novel got at certain points, is the fact that after part one Plagueis' importance quickly..." Read more

"...For the rest of the title, the pacing and plotting is done quite well; not once was I left feeling it a chore to continue reading...." Read more

Reviews with images

See all photos

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

Greg Castro
One of the best Star Wars stories ever told
Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2023
Verified Purchase

The new cover is so, so good. Love the composition and the color. The yellow really pops. All of the Essential Legends Collection covers really make the books feel more like literature as opposed to cheap tie-ins the way the old covers did.

But beyond that, I'm also happy to report that Plagueis holds up. Years later, and I'm still in awe of how well it takes a fairly all-ages story world and maps very adult, grounded politics and philosophy onto it. It also completely recontextualizes the Clone Wars as a conflict stoked entirely by the Sith, as opposed to just sort of set off by them. Like, we knew from the movies that the clones were created by Jedi master Syfo-Dyas and that Dooku was leading the Separatists, and that the Sith were playing the two factions against each other. But James Luceno depicts Plagueis and Sidious as taking decades to stoke the conflicts that create the Separatists in the first place, and putting the idea for the clones in Syfo-Dyas's head. And of course, their experimenting with the force leads to the creation of a certain Chosen One.

I will say that aspect of the story is probably the most ill-defined. Obviously the ways in which one might use a mystical Force to influence fictional microscopic organisms to create life is a hard thing to describe, so Luceno kind of just doesn't bother, but even so it feels like he needed to do something to really add some climactic punch to the Sith's force-meddling. Like, this is the action that sets off the whole franchise and ultimately seals the Sith's fate. As it is, it gets mentioned in the book's final act as something they did years ago.

Ultimately the first three-fourths of the novel work better then, because they're more about concrete machinations and the endearing relationship between Plagueis and Sidious. Despite the evil dynamic of the Sith you kind of like their "friendship" if you can call it that, and feel bad about the inevitable end-result of the Rule of Two. The last fourth feels rushed as it encapsulates the events of The Phantom Menace, and then concludes Plagueis's story.

Still, you'll be hard-pressed to find a Star Wars story that feels more adult, or that does as good a job of keeping you in suspense until the end. There are no good guys here, so the typical Star Wars framework of the heroes triumphing against all odds at the climax just doesn't apply. As a result, you can't put Plagueis down.

Read more

8 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
Rosslyn
If you only read one Legends book, let it be this one
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2023
Verified Purchase
This book is SO good. My current focus in reading Star Wars novels has been to gain a deeper understanding of Anakin’s fall to Darth Vader, because I feel like there’s a lot of questions left when watching only the films/Clone Wars show. This has lead me to realizing that I really wanted to see the bigger picture, because Anakin’s story is a small snapshot in a series of carefully planned disasters. I have since taken a deep dive into a few character studies centered around their journies in the Force (Mace, Maul, Kenobi, Vos, Qui-Gon, Dooku, Ventress). Ultimately, I was left wanting to know more about the Sith and, in particular, about Sidious.

This lead me to Darth Plagueis and MAN was I not disappointed because it was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Not only do I feel like I understand the Sith better, but I feel like this is the first time the lure of the Sith felt more realistic and accessible, not just about villainous selfishness and power.

As a heads up, unlike most Star Wars novels out there, this is not an action-packed space thriller, so if that’s what you’re looking for, this may not be for you. This is much more a character study that reads through the eyes of Plagueis and involves a lot of introspective narration, plotting, and strategic political games. Although the true introspective voice is only Plagueis’, we still get to learn a lot about the way Sidious feels/thinks as well as more about where he came from. As a bonus, we also get to learn a bit more about Maul in the meantime and see a lot of crossover with other Legends canon.

All in all, walking away from this book, I feel like I have a better understanding of the Sith, Sidious, and the “grand plan”. A very rewarding read.

Read more

17 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report
SpeckledBand
Sophisticated writing for those who like it darker and smarter...
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2012
Verified Purchase
I've read plenty of books in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, including recent offerings. "Darth Plagueis" was not only heavily anticipated, but worth the wait. It is a magnum opus, a labor of love, with superior writing and lasting artistic insight enough for it to merit a title of "classic" even so early in its run.

This book easily revolutionizes writing for the EU: Its prose is cerebral, lyrical, and delves into philosophical discussions of morality and ethics that people -- for those who had the privilege to take a few philosophy or political science courses in college -- are familiar with, though they are obviously cast in a new light (see: Nietzsche, Hume, Hobbes, and Schopenhauer, not to mention Freud and Plato.) *This book is not for Star Wars fans who like action/adventure or like to see things go boom.

The book is extremely clever, using an omnipresent third-person narrator but multiple protagonists, a non-linear timeline, and nudge-nudge chapter titles that remain grounded in our world (I recall a chapter named "The Discreet Charm of the Bureaucracy" -- ha) and keeping us with one foot in the Star Wars Universe and one in Earth's. The stories of lobbies, bureaucrats, political machinations with corporations may be dull to some, but why not learn that strings are pulled by the rich, powerful and violent in EVERY GALAXY? Take an ethics lesson with Hego Demask and Palpatine, Star Wars fans; "Darth Plagueis" is, to some extent, a micro textbook on modern international politics and sentient moral philosophy, and for that I love it. Another major plus is that, while fleshing out the backstory of Palpatine, the man is not made sympathetic. He was always petulant, always manipulative, always superficially charming, always violent, and always destined for this future -- no mere Anakin Skywalker he. Palpatine is not a classic fallen hero trope, and his malevolent anti-social personality disorder is on gorgeous display in writing here.

"Darth Plagueis" is for fans who have always wanted their Star Wars a little darker and a lot smarter than the average.

My only qualm is that the species of Darth Plagueis, the Muun species, is an obvious (and so obvious it was not unintentional) amalgam of various stereotypes of the Jewish people: Isolationist, obsessed with money, nearly only bankers and lawyers, not fighters but rather people who use money to win, and, of course, the famous stereotype that Jews are the puppetmasters behind all kinds of political lobbies and massive global schemes. As much as I adored the character of Darth Plagueis, I felt, as a Jewish woman, a little bothered that James Luceno would exploit common and harmful stereotypes of a real-life community of people to make his point about the nature of the Grand Plan of the Sith. It showed a lack of creativity on Luceno's part, just as George Lucas' casting of the Neimoidian Trade Federation leaders as East Asian peoples was crass and brought down his brand. Luceno might as well have said he thinks George Soros is a Sith Lord and taken it from there.

The puzzling pseudo-antisemitism notwithstanding, this book is fantastic and the only must-read EU novel since, I don't know, anything that had Thrawn in it (exception: "Choices of One".) It's for the fans of the Empire and/or Sith who want to know the nitty-gritty without it all being romanticized or flashy. It is also removed enough from the heavy canon discussion that happens in the NJO/Legacy series for it to be acceptable to non-Star Wars fans. All you need to have seen are the movies, really. It can be a standalone fantasy novel, and it may prove to be a good rival EU introductory novel to "Heir to the Empire" or "Shadow of the Empire".

This was the Expanded Universe book I was looking for.

Read more

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Carlos Henrique Nakashima
Muito bom.
Reviewed in Brazil on December 4, 2015
Verified Purchase

Como fica subentendido - até meio claro - no terceiro episódio da nova trilogia (Prelúdios, 1999-2005), Darth Plagueis é mestre de Darth Sidious. A mesma cena cria a curiosidade sobre quem é o poderoso ser que foi capaz de controlar a vida e a morte. Esse livro faz um ótimo trabalho satisfazendo parte dessa curiosidade.
A história é bastante fluida e contempla a trajetória do lorde Sith desde sua libertação por seu próprio mestre, até seu fim pelas mãos de seu aprendiz. Em um período anterior ao episódio I - A Ameaça Fantasma, toda a trama é bem entrelaçada com os eventos apresentados nos filmes. Há bastante conspiração política, mostrando a manipulação que Plagueis - que assume a identidade de Hego Damask para o restante da galáxia - implementa para alcançar seu objetivos sombrios. Também há muitas passagens sobre a cultura do lado negro e os experimentos que o lorde Sith realizava para o entendimento da Força e para alimentar sua obsessão em viver eternamente.
O segundo - talvez primeiro, não fosse pelo título - personagem principal é Palpatine, que é mostrado desde um jovem participante de educação política de Naboo até sua ascensão como lorde Sith e supremo chanceler.
Outros personagens dos filmes que tem suas histórias completadas no livro são Darth Maul, Conde Dooku, Padmé e Sifo-Dyas.

Sobre o produto, é um pocket americano, então a qualidade é inferior a maioria dos livros publicados nacionalmente. Sem orelhas e com folhas finas, requer cuidado durante o manuseio para manter em bom estado.

Edição em português da Aleph: Star Wars. Darth Plagueis

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Amazon Customer
Disney authors learn from this book
Reviewed in India on December 26, 2020
Verified Purchase
I'll divide this review in two parts. The second part may contain some vague spoilers. The author James Luceno is a fan favourite, he and Timothy Zahn are some of the best Star Wars authors out their. James has certainly done his research on the sith. The book is divided in three or four parts. The first part contains information on Plagueis and his master. The second part explains how Plagueis along with the IBC[Intergalactic Banking Clan] exploit Outer Rim worlds and one of these worlds is Naboo in which a election for the planet is happening. It explains how he and the trade federation exploit Naboo for it's plasma, you also meet Palpatine in this part, we also get to meet dooku and sifo dyas in this part. This part ends with Palpatine's apprenticeship to Plagueis . The third part is certainly the most interesting in the book, it explains Palpatine's training, his political career, this part also explains how the republic is crumbling and the jedi just running doing errands for the chancellor. This part also explains the corruption of the senate and sets up the background of the Seperatist Crisis. The fourth part is in the background of the phantom menace and explains how Sidious manipulated the senate into voting him as the chancellor. Ultimately the book ends with plagueis death at the hands of sidious . It's a pretty awesome book and a must read. We meet dooku, sifo dyas, plagueis, maul and know about some new characters like komari vosa, what are you waiting for buy this book.

Read more
Report
sp004
Quasi die Hintergrundgeschichte zu der "Dark Lord Trilogy"
Reviewed in Germany on May 15, 2014
Verified Purchase
Es hat lange gedauert, bevor James Luceno endlich die Freigabe bekommen hat, mit diesem Buch gewissermaßen die Vorgeschichte zu der "Dark Lord Trilogy" (der literarischen Verarbeitung der Zeit direkt vor, während und nach den ersten drei Episoden) zu veröffentlichen. Leider geschah das gefühlt "zu spät", denn inzwischen ist beinahe das komplette Extended Universe von Disney als "nicht kanonisch" eingeordnet worden. Schade, wirklich schade. Obwohl dieses Buch dazu zu einer "Star Wars Legend" wird und man nicht mehr davon ausgehen kann, dass der Plagueis aus der Doppel-Trilogie auch der Plagueis aus dem Buch ist (von Palpatine ganz zu schweigen), so ist dieses Buch von James Luceno dennoch das Lesen wert. Warum? Weil Luceno so virtuos und schlüssig das Leben von Plagueis und Palpatine aufarbeitet, dass man wirklich das Gefühl hat "ja, so könnte es gewesen sein". Sehr großes Kino, wirklich. :-)
"Darth Plagueis" übrigens taucht in den Filmen ja nur als Randfigur auf - so randwärtig, dass man sich manchmal fragt, wer oder was diese Gestalt überhaupt gewesen ist. Plagueis ist dabei nur ein Name von vielen. Er teilt dabei das Schicksal solcher Figuren wie Darth Bane, Mace Windu, Boba Fett und Mara Jade, die im Extended Universe eine wichtigere Rolle gespielt haben als (wenn überhaupt) in der Doppel-Trilogie: Sie alle machen Star Wars erst zu dem, was wir heute kennen und sehr viel von dem was z.B. in "The Clone Wars" gezeigt wird, stammt von Autoren wie James Luceno, die sich um ein konsistentes, intelligentes Universum bemüht haben, das erklär- und erfühlbar wird.
"Darth Plagueis" selbst ist ein hervorragend geschriebenes, sehr ins Detail politischer Intrigen einsteigendes Buch, das sogar mich als absoluten Star Wars Nerd immer wieder mit neuen Einsichten überrascht hat und gekonnt an der einen oder anderen Stelle Handlungsstränge aufgreift und "Aha"-Erlebnisse provoziert, wo man sie überhaupt nicht erwartet hätte. So wird endlich klar, was der Bankenklan mit Palpatine am Hut hat, wie Anakin gezeugt worden sein könnte ... und und und ... - ich will nicht spoilern -- obwohl es nicht-kanonisch geworden ist, deckt "Darth Plagueis" wie eine große "finale" Offenbarung all das auf, was Leuten wie mir sogar nach der exzellenten "Dark Lord" Trilogie immer noch an offenen Fragen geblieben war. Umso trauriger bin ich, dass Disney auch diesen Teil des Extended Universe geopfert hat -- wenngleich man sagen muss, dass George Lucas selber einmal gesagt hat, dass er sich mit dem Extended Universe nicht beschäftigt und das das "Geschichten anderer Leute" seien. Für Fans von Star Wars und vor allem für Fans dessen, was das Extended Universe daraus gemacht hat, ist "Darth Plagueis" jedenfalls definitiv ein Must-Read; immer noch.

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Darth Vader
謎に包まれたダース・プレイガスの意外な一面が分かります‼
Reviewed in Japan on June 19, 2016
Verified Purchase
ダースプレイガスはエピソードIIIで言及される限りではかなり以前に死亡していたように描かれていましたが、本書を読むと、パルパティーンが議長になるためにヌートガンレイの通商連合によるナブー封鎖やダースモールの訓練、ティラナス卿(Duke伯爵)のジェダイ・オーダー離脱などエピソードI,IIに直結する出来事に対してかなり関与していることが分かります！
そうするとダースプレイガスがエピソードVIIの最高指導者スノーくであるという噂は本当なのかも！？

Read more
Report
Translate review to English
Spence
Great read for Star Wars fans
Reviewed in Canada on November 10, 2024
Verified Purchase
Great book! Plageuis is a great villain, and seeing how he indoctrinated Palpatine, and his eventual fall, is interesting. Adds context to the prequels that makes them more compelling.

Read more
Report

See more reviews

Amazon Prime includes:

Follow the author

Darth Plagueis: Star Wars Legends Paperback – April 5, 2022

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

More items to explore

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Product details

Videos

About the author

James Luceno

Customer reviews

Review this product

Customers say

Select to learn more

Images in this review

Reviews with images

The book is without doubt athe very best dark side story

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Star Wars stories ever told

5.0 out of 5 stars If you only read one Legends book, let it be this one

4.0 out of 5 stars Sophisticated writing for those who like it darker and smarter...

Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars Muito bom.

5.0 out of 5 stars Disney authors learn from this book

5.0 out of 5 stars Quasi die Hintergrundgeschichte zu der "Dark Lord Trilogy"

5.0 out of 5 stars 謎に包まれたダース・プレイガスの意外な一面が分かります‼

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for Star Wars fans

One of the best Star Wars stories ever told

If you only read one Legends book, let it be this one

Sophisticated writing for those who like it darker and smarter...

Muito bom.

Disney authors learn from this book

Quasi die Hintergrundgeschichte zu der "Dark Lord Trilogy"

謎に包まれたダース・プレイガスの意外な一面が分かります‼

Great read for Star Wars fans