Genre: Science fiction
Subgenre: space opera, Star Wars
Format: hardcover
Source: I got it via Interlibrary Loan (ILL) at my work library. The book came from Rowan County Public Library in Morehead, Kentucky.
The novel presents Tarkin's life via a current events and flashbacks of his youth in his native world. The current time is about a decade before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope. Tarkin is in command of Sentinel Base, overseeing part of the project that will lead to the Death Star. When his personal warship is stolen, it leads to a complex game of cat and mouse as the ship then begins to attack Imperial targets. To solve this, the Emperor sends Darth Vader to work with Tarkin to get the ship back or destroy it. In between this, we get glimpses of Tarkin's youth in Eriadu, his harsh homeworld, and how learning to survive there, mentored by his uncle, shaped Tarkin into the ruthless and tactical genius he became.
The book provides a nice blend of action and intrigue. Initially, it seems this is just about a hijacked warship, but soon we learn the plot goes much deeper. If you wonder how Tarkin got Vader to do his bidding, you get that answer here. If you find the politics of the early Empire and its inner workings of interest, you will enjoy this book as well. And while we get intrigue and politics, you also get action and a well-paced novel. It is a good addition to novels about the early days of the Empire.
I really liked this one, so I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.
Works I have read with similar appeal (links go to my reviews):
- Luceno's other novels Darth Plagueis and Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader.
- I am adding Kenobi. This was not as good, but if you like Star Wars novels about a single character, then this may appeal to you.
This book qualifies for the following 2015 Reading Challenges:
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