Dark Disciple by Christie Golden

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Star Wars Canon

Publisher: LucasBooks (July 7, 2015)

Author Information: Website

Length: 336 pages

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away . . . .

The Clone Wars rage across the galaxy.
Republic and Separatist forces continually clashing.
World after world destroyed in this brutal conflict.
Even the wisest of the Jedi seeing no end to the war.

On Coruscant, a desperate plan is formulated.
A plan that the Jedi Council hates,
but one they are desperate enough to try.
A plan to send a lone Jedi to assassinate Count Dooku.

Jedi Master Quinlan Vos is chosen for this task.
Before he faces the Count, he must seek out the aid
of an unusual ally who doesn’t have any love for Jedi.
For in this quest, Asajj Ventress’ help Master Vos must have!

This book is a welcomed return to the Clone Wars television show so many Star Wars fans adored. Based upon unproduced episodes, Dark Disciple is co-headlined by two show favorites, Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress, features many other Star Wars faces (both minor and major), and adds yet another layer to the ever expanding history of this Clone Wars era in Star Wars.

As the story gets started, the Jedi find themselves in a moral dilemma: should they attempt to end the war by assassinating Count Dooku? While it might seem like a simple decision, it isn’t for the Council, who find themselves split on the question. For those against, assassination goes against everything the Jedi stand for, and it reeks of the dark side of the Force. For those in favor, their moral obligation to end the war quickly and prevent the death of millions of innocent creatures across the galaxy trumps their personal distaste for such a mission.

In the end, Master Yoda weighs in on the question, and eventually, the Council decides to roll the dice on an assassination of Dooku. The lucky Jedi tasked with this deed none other than Quinlan Vos.

Quickly, Vos is briefed about his mission by Obi-wan Kenobi. While the assassination itself doesn’t phase Vos as much as it did the Council, the order to seek out and befriend Asajj Ventress startles him, causing him to question why he needs to do such a thing. Inevitably though, Obi-wan talks him into it, and Vos does as he is instructed, assuming the role of a bounty hunter, and hunts down Ventress, attempting to befriend her before she discovers that he is a Jedi.

The story that follows is really all about Quinlan Vos and Asajj Ventress’ friendship. Sure, there are lots of fights (regular blaster battles, lightsaber duels, and space battles), more than one encounter with dear old Count Dooku, and a descent into the depths of the dark side of the Force, but at its heart, this is a tale of two people and the journey they travel together. Naturally, they learn many things from one another, and Ventress, in particular, finally fully emerges from her Sith shadow to fully reveal herself to the Star Wars world.

Is this the best Star Wars novel I’ve ever read?

No, I have others that are higher on my personal list.

Are there any glaring issues with it?

Nope.  It is good Star Wars fun from cover to cover.  Sure, I have personal dislikes about certain things that occur in the novel, but I always suspend my disbelief when reading Star Wars and try to enjoy the pure sugar-coated fun of it all.

What is the best part of the story?

As a self-confessed Ventress lover, she was the highlight of the story for me.  From the tough-as-nails bounty hunter to the determined mentor to the loving woman, Asajj stole the show for me personally.  And while there were times when her gentleness and caring for Quinlan Vos startled me, I’m also old enough to know that even the most cynical, most bitter person has someone who can reach their heart no matter how hard they try to stop them from doing so.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed my return to The Clone Wars and these characters.  And while I’m not a Clone Wars fanboy (though I did spend A LOT of time watching the first few seasons over and over again with my now teenage son back when he was small), I have a feeling dedicated fans of the show will enjoy this one even more than I did.  So give it a try, and may the Force be with you when you do!

LucasBooks and Netgalley provided this book to me for free in return for an honest review. The review above was not paid for or influenced in any way by any person, entity or organization, but is my own personal opinions.

Buy the book at Amazon.