Labyrinth of Evil (Star Wars, Episode III Prequel Novel)

I liked this book and would consider resting it again to absorb all of the detailed information it provides. To me, Labyrinth of Evil read more like a history than a novel, which is fine. It seems to me that the reader is being told more about what the characters in this book are doing and not much of what they are feeling. Labyrinth of Evil could have gone way beyond its final page count to explore emotional development of its myriad characters. It's still a good read, though the canon book "Ahsoka" tells us that Obi-Wan and Anakin were at Mandalore, not Tythe just before the battle of Coruscant. Labyrinth of Evil still gives a very good, interesting alternative narrative. I recommend it for any Star Wars reader looking for possibilities on events in the galaxy far, far away right before the opening scents of Revenge of the Sith.

Labyrinth of Evil is the story of the last days of the Clone Wars, unfolding the insidious plot by Darth Sidious to set the final stage in motion of his plan to end the Republic and destroy the Jedi. While Sidious moves his players around the galaxy like chess pieces, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker manage to upset his plans at varying points along the way.Filled with prophecy, discussions of the Force, a number of twists and turns, this book shows the mastery of James Luceno. No one writes Republic politics better. I'm sorry the audiobook for this was abridged. A thrilling page turner, I found this book an exciting read, many of the new canon books can't top. Lucero remains one of the finest Star Wars authors, perfectly capturing the characters and essence of the saga.

While Matthew Stover's novelization of Revenge of the Sith does outdo Labyrinth of Evil, this is an absolutely fantastic book. Even if you've already watched Episode 3, this will keep you on the edge of your seat as you beg characters to change their ways. Also, this provides the perfect backstory for Revenge of the Sith and sets up the movie/book quite nicely indeed. There were some slow parts, but for the most part I was hooked. Amazing job James Lucenco, you are one of Star Wars's best authors!

This novel is considered one of the greatest Star Wars novels of all time, and for good reason. It's essentially an immediate prequel to Episode III and tells the story of Anakin and Obi-Wan's hunt to discover Sidious' identity and end the war. The action is great, and so is the dialogue and humor. The only part I think is lacking is most of the first half, which is cool, just not too special. That being said, the last half is exceptional and exciting which definitely makes up for the novel's few flaws.

James Luceno wrote the first book in my chronological re-reading of the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Cloak of Deception, and it was a wonderful five-star kickoff. Happily, Labyrinth of Evil does not disappoint in any way. Revenge of the Sith is my second-favorite Star Wars movie behind The Empire Strikes Back, so getting an entire prequel devoted to setting up the thrilling action of the film itself is a real treat.Revenge of the Sith starts in the middle of a gigantic space battle over Coruscant. The opening crawl summarizes why we are there and what has gone before, but there was so much story the movie didn't have time to cover. That's where Labyrinth of Evil comes in, letting us spend time with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker at the height of their friendship and their powers, before it all goes bad. After spending very little time with this duo during the Clone Wars books, it's almost a relief to get back to focusing on them and the other main film characters. This focus also makes the book very accessible, even to a casual Star Wars fan.On the flip side, Luceno makes a grand effort to weave in tasty tidbits of the EU throughout the tale, so dedicated fans will not be disappointed. The comics, books, and cartoons all get their due at various points, and he reaches way back to before The Phantom Menace to pull together what feels like the last step before we pitch over the cliff and fall into the Dark Times.The book starts with a long chase/action sequence on Cato Neimoidia, a planet we glimpsed during the Order 66 montage in Sith. This is an excellent example of how this book expands the scope of Episode III and kicks off some of the major plot threads of the film. Why did Darth Sidious choose that particular time to set his final plans in motion with the Separatist invasion of Coruscant? That question is abundantly answered in Labyrinth of Evil, and in a chilling scene, Intelligence officer Dyne gets to learn the full truth of exactly how high in the government the Sith influence goes. Good stuff.This book also works to put to bed some lingering questions from Attack of the Clones. The tale of Sifo-Dyas and his friendship with Count Dooku is sketched out by Yoda, although I would have liked more substance here. The mystery of who erased Kamino from the Jedi Archives is also answered.There is another source to examine in discovering what happened right before Episode III, and that's the superb Clone Wars cartoon. It tells a very similar story of the Separatist kidnapping of Chancellor Palpatine, although it differs in some key details. On the other hand, the book gives us an adventure with Anakin and Obi-Wan totally distinct from their trip to Nelvaan in the cartoon. Rather than try to forcibly reconcile the differences between the two, my inclination is to celebrate having both available and choosing which to consider your personal canon. In mythology, stories generally have the same nugget of truth at their core but can differ sharply in the surrounding details. If we're to buy into George Lucas' explanation of Star Wars as a modern-day myth, perhaps this phenomenon of two similar yet distinct stories is a manifestation of that identity.The real strength of James Luceno in this galaxy far, far away is his ability to write a book that feels like a Star Wars film. Just like Cloak of Deception sets up The Phantom Menace so perfectly, exploring exactly the places that more insight was needed, Labyrinth of Evil fits hand-in-glove with Revenge of the Sith. I had more flat-out fun reading it than any book to date in my chronological journey through the Expanded Universe.

love how it sets up the seeds in anakin that will grow towards events of episode 3 and love grevius back story in this book. Great how they captured the humour bettween obi won and anikin so well in this story. There is only one issue |I have is the abduction of Palpertine the animated clone wars series has the events happen in such a different way only one can be considered correct and as during episode 3 grevious has breathing problems due to attack by Windu the clone wars series is the more correct one. Would have been good if he wrote it in a way that supported the show and happened at the same time. But besides that little flaw amazing book and so was Rise the sequel so get that to

Another brilliant novel from James Luceno, Labyrinth of Evil does a great job of setting the scene for Episode III or for the novelisation of the movie. It sheds light on new worlds, all of which are as unique as the other and made for very interesting reading in my eyes, and has an engaging plot. The hunt for Darth Sidious reaches a terrific crescendo in this book which was my highlight of the story.

This was for my son .. and he loved it .

Yes good

A solid read that explores the events leading up to episode 3. The only part I didn't enjoy that much was the last third of the book, an extended chase scene across coroscent that drags on too long.