Dark Lord: Star Wars Legends: The Rise of Darth Vader

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars | 1,965 ratings

Price: 22.5

Last update: 02-05-2025


About this item

Anakin Skywalker–the Chosen One—is dead. In his place rises Darth Vader, who now hunts what Jedi survived the destruction of their temple on Coruscant.

From the site of Anakin Skywalker’s last stand—on the molten surface of the planet Mustafar, where he sought to destroy his friend and former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi—a fearsome specter in black has risen. Once the most powerful Knight ever known to the Jedi Order, he is now a disciple of the dark side, a lord of the dreaded Sith, and the avenging right hand of the galaxy’s ruthless new Emperor. Seduced, deranged, and destroyed by the machinations of the Dark Lord Sidious, Anakin Skywalker is dead . . . and Darth Vader lives.

Word of the events that created him—the Jedi Council’s failed mutiny against Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the self-crowned Emperor’s retaliatory command to exterminate the Jedi Order, and Anakin’s massacre of his comrades and Masters in the Jedi Temple–has yet to reach all quarters. On the Outer Rim world of Murkhana, Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak and Padawan Olee Starstone are leading a charge on a Separatist stronghold, unaware that the tide, red with Jedi blood, has turned suddenly against them.

When the three narrowly elude execution—and become the desperate prey in a hunt across space—it’s neither clone soldiers, nor the newly deployed stormtroopers, nor even the wrath of the power-hungry Emperor himself they must fear most. The deadliest threat rests in the hideously swift and lethal crimson lightsaber of Darth Vader–behind whose brooding mask lies a shattered heart, a poisoned soul, and a cunning, twisted mind hell-bent on vengeance.

For the handful of scattered Jedi, survival is imperative if the light side of the Force is to be protected and the galaxy somehow, someday reclaimed. Yet more important still is the well-being of the twin infants, Leia and Luke Skywalker, the children of Anakin and his doomed bride, Padmé Amidala. Separated after Padmé’s death, they must be made safe at all costs, lest the hope they represent for the future be turned to horror by the new Sith regime—and the unspeakable power of the dark side.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Greggorio!
    5.0 out of 5 stars A STUNNING TOUR DE FORCE...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2013
    THE RISE OF DARTH VADER by James Lucerno.
    This novel is set immediately after the events of Episode III Revenge of the Sith and from the outset to me it is a pity that Matthew Stover did not write both books. I say this because reading the novelisation of REVENGE OF THE SITH was one of the literary highlights of 2012 and it would have enhanced this story by the length of the Kessel run if it was written in the same style. In one sense the story of Anakin Skywalker ends on Mustafar and yet George Lucas himself has said that episodes 1 through 6 complete the story of his rise fall and eventual redemption (if such a thing is possible). So what I am saying from the outset is that the novelisation of ROTS and this one is really a two part story which would have been a better read if written by the same author.

    (NOTE: I have come to realise that ROTS and this book are actually the final two thirds of THE DARK LORD TRILOGY so this criticism is clearly invalid. But I would like to leave this in my review as I refer to this paragraph later on. :-))

    That out of the way, I can say that there are moments of pure star wars magic to be found in this book. This first one left me breathless early on in the novel when we entered the tormented mind of Vader as he begins to comprehend what has happened, what he is and what he has become. Regrets begin to form in his soul and rise to the surface of his consciousness when he remembers what he was and what he could have been. Little facts are raised in the book which are fascinating to some readers (me!) but possibly pointless trivia to others.

    Part one of the book is compelling to say the least. We are on Murkhana when Order 66 is implemented and this is a well written but terrifying description of the mass murder of innocents under the guise of war. Part two - subtitled THE EMPEROR'S EMISSARY is when we are introduced to Vader for the first time in the book and this is where the heart of the reader really starts to pump. The story itself too jumps up a notch but in an attempt to humanise Vader it gets stuck in first gear for 50 pages or so. Anyway the heroes of this story become obvious given the context of what has gone before and it is easy to become attached emotionally to what is going on.

    Part three begins on Imperial Centre and obviously is used to set the scene for what happens in the tumultuous and apocalyptic (for some) climax to this tale. Palpatine (Sidious) is still manipulating his new apprentice but at least we signs of development and independent thought processes begin to rise from Vader. Part four is based on KASHYYYK and is the highlight of the book in an emotional sense as well as from the storytelling perspective. A group of renegade Jedi and their support crew decide to use Kashyyyk as a temporary base and when Vader turns up with his support crew they refuse to surrender. A fantastic battle ensues with lots of action, fight scenes and truly moving events and dialogue to entertain and educate the reader. This part of the book is also significant in terms of Vader's development in the dark side and it is easy to close your eyes and see the book "happen" in front of you as you read each page.

    With a deeply satisfying and equally emotional ending this book turned out to be one of the all time great EU novels. As I stated at the start of my review, the writing style is definitely different from that used by Stover in REVENGE OF THE SITH but looking back, that was definitely a good thing. I am not criticising Stover by saying this but even though the two books form the bulk of the same trilogy, they have to be sufficiently different in order to entertain and to give each writer his due. What Lucerno has achieved here is a classic star wars novel for the "new" star wars if you know what i mean. So in summary I give this book four stars out of five. The ending was awesome as I have said but held back by a minor lull in proceedings in part two. But definitely worth reading. The hard part now is to decide which SW book to read next!

    Greggorio (LR)
  • Daniel
    5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Read! You will enjoy this book more than Episode III
    Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2005
    One of the first ways that I can tell if a book is well written is if I find myself comfortable in continue to read chapter after chapter, until I've covered over a hundred pages without knowing that I've read so much. I am capable of reading over 350 pages per sitting if the need arises, as it so often does when teachering or working on assignments in college. So when I find that a book invites me to continue to read at a pleasant pace for hours at a time, rather than forcing myself to speed disect for the next class, then it is definantly a good book.

    Whether you are a loyal true believer in Star Wars, or just a passer-by who is vaguely familiar with the movies, you can really sink your mind into this book. YOU WILL ENJOY IT, if you just want to sit back and enjoy a good story. Which, oddly, you don't often find in a transition novel.

    Dark Lord is a story that bridges the Star Wars Saga on two fronts. For readers of the Prequel/Clone War novels and New Republic novels there will be the wonderful experience of transitioning from one era to the next. At the start of the novel the Clone Wars are ragging, though about to come to an abrupt end. The text at this point feels just like the stories written since Lucas began his Episode I-III 'adventures.' However, before you even get through the first 1/3 of the book, the text begins to shift in tones and by the end the author has pulled off the miracle of sounding perfectly in tune with the novels based off the original trilogy. From a writer, and teachers point of view, that alone is a wonder to behold.

    For those of you who are not looking for "wonders to behold" and just want to enjoy a great story, you'll find it in this book. And guess what, THIS TIME YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT ANAKIN AND ALL THE OTHER CHARACTERS ARE DOING! Unlike in Episode III where the audience must strain to understand Anakin's emotions, choices, and the whole "seduction to the dark side" here in Dark Lord, you will get an excellent clarification on the film as well as a great exploration of the changing character of Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader. The paragraphs on how Anakin is dealing with his new "enslavement" to his black armor and life support system alone will make you shiver with the ripples of the dark side.

    No spoilers in my review. I will end this by saying, that if you are a Star Wars fan, you probably already have the book. If you don't, get it, you'll enjoy it. If you are not a Star Wars fan but just want to enjoy a well written story that deals with changing characters and transition material done correctly, then get this book. You will enjoy it more than Episode III.
  • TheDManCan
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good Vader Insights with Dull Sideshow
    Reviewed in the United States on October 24, 2023
    I’m echoing an enormous review below that contains spoilers to write a concise one that doesn’t. The chapters dedicated to Darth Vader reconciling what’s left of Anakin are fabulous. There has to be some kind of plot to accompany this great material but the author gets a little lost in the details and creates a pretty forgettable, generic cast of characters as a vehicle to move things along. Still, it’s not a bad book for fans of the expanded universe. Quick read as well. Also, just note that this was written before Clone Wars, so you’ll notice some cannon differences.
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2024
    Cool back story to Anakin and Darth Vader! Adds a lot to the struggle he went internally battling with the dark and light side.

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