The Darth Bane Series

by Drew Karpyshyn

Set a thousand years before the events of Star Wars: A New Hope, Drew Karpyshyn’s electrifying Darth Bane novels take us deep into the dark side. This action-packed series follows the transformation of a lost young man who becomes a legendary Sith Lord, able to wield the awesome power of the Force as never before. Packed with nonstop thrills, the entire Darth Bane trilogy is now available as an eBook bundle featuring
 
PATH OF DESTRUCTION
RULE OF TWO
DYNASTY OF EVIL
 
After a high-stakes card game ends violently, Dessel, a lowly miner, vanishes into the ranks of the Sith army and ships out to join the war against the Republic and its Jedi champions. There, Dessel’s brutality, cunning, and exceptional command of the Force swiftly win him renown as a warrior. But in the eyes of his watchful masters, a far greater destiny awaits him . . . if he can prove himself worthy. As an acolyte in the Sith Academy, studying at the feet of its greatest masters, Dessel embraces his new identity: Bane. However, in order to gain full acceptance into this chilling Brotherhood, he must surrender completely to the dark side. Only by defying the most sacred traditions of the Sith can Bane hope to triumph—and forge from the ashes a new era of absolute power.

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy, Space Opera, Audiobook

1104 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Drew Karpyshyn is a Canadian author and game designer. After working at a credit union for some time, he eventually became a game developer. He joined BioWare towards the end of the Baldur's Gate series, and wrote the tie-in novel for Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. He stayed with BioWare, where he worked on Neverwinter Nights, and became the Senior Writer on the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

This Star Wars connection gave him the opportunity to write Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, his first hardcover. Karpyshyn still works for BioWare where he is the lead writer for the Mass Effect series.

Reviews

[Shadowdenizen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wasn't that long ago that I read this book for the first time.
But after seeing "The Force Awakens", I was tempted to re-read this, and did so in record time.

And I was forced to upgrade my rating to 5 stars. I think this is arguably one of the best pieces of Star Wars fiction available. To take a character who should be irredeemable, and make him a living, breathing character that you can empathize with is a herculean task in writing.

And yet that is exactly what the author did, while still adhering to and respecting the existing canon availalable at the time. (NOt getting into the EU vs New Canon debate, but I'm enjoying each of them in their own right.)

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down my favorite of all the Star Wars novels. Drew Karpyshyn has quickly become one of my favorite authors as well.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much good. Such read. Many actions. So excited!

[Alex]

The very intriguing origin of the modern day Sith Society.

[Graham Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darth Bane was created by George Lucas for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace's backstory but the scene about him got cut. Bane's only Canon appearances are in the movie's novelization and an episode of The Clone Wars (where his ghost is voiced by Mark Hamill of all people). Despite never appearing in the films, Darth Bane captured fans' imaginations and they desired to learn more. Drew Karpyshyn's "The Darth Bane trilogy" takes Lucas' lore about the character and greatly expands it in very cool ways.

I was surprised but appreciated how fallible Bane is as a character. In the process of becoming a Sith Lord he makes plenty of mistakes, and continues to do so after he has "mastered" the Dark Side. It really helps humanize the character by demonstrating he isn't an invincible villain. Yet at the same time, I appreciate how Karpyshyn characterized Bane as someone who is not only physically intimidating but also extremely cunning. Palpatine, Maul, and Vader (and Revan technically) may still be my favorite Sith but Bane could overtake them one day should Lucasfilm/Karpyshyn ever revisit the character in another Star Wars project.

Most of the other characters in the trilogy are somewhat forgettable but Zannah (Bane's apprentice) is just as interesting as Bane. I appreciate her relationship with Bane that's underlined by the fact she'll need to kill him one day. It leads to a great cat-and-mouse dynamic between the two and underscores both the pettiness and villainy of the Sith. In conjunction with Bane's personal story, Bane and Zannah's relationship makes the Trilogy fairly thrilling. Other than these two, the Huntress/Darth Cognus was okay, a bit too much of a cartoon villain at times but still an amusing character to introduce at the end of the Trilogy.

Overall I would say I liked each of the three books in the Trilogy, they had interesting plots and standout scenes in each book. I'd say if I had issues with the Darth Bane Trilogy, it's a common one I have of the KOTOR series where the technology centuries/millennia before the films is just as advanced as what we see in the films. In terms of complaints about individual books in the series, "Path of Destruction" takes a while to get interesting and even then the sequences with the character Githany were very repetitive. In contrast "Rule of Two" is pretty fast paced and I wish it had slowed down a bit. But it is capped off by a thrilling lightsaber battle and its focus on Zannah makes up for any weaknesses. "Dynasty of Evil" is the best of the three books and acts as a fitting culmination to Bane's story. I liked how it brought back so many small elements from the previous books which made me appreciate them more in retrospect. Dynasty of Evil finally kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out whether Bane would cast Zannah aside for a better apprentice or if Zannah would become the Master (and if so, who would be her apprentice).

Until such time in which Darth Bane appears in a live action Star Wars movie or show, the character may rest on the periphery of the average fan's knowledge of the series (and forget about anyone who only has a casual awareness of the films). But for those that read "The Darth Bane Trilogy" they will understand and appreciate his importance to the franchise's mythology. The trilogy is thus a must read for any fan of Star Wars literature.

"Path of Destruction" - 3.5
"Rule of Two" - 4.0
"Dynasty of Evil" - 4.0

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

PATH OF DESTRUCTION: 3 stars
This book was going along really well, until Githany was introduced. I'm really tired of women being used as a tool to inject some sex into a story. Oh also Githany is evil and uses sex as a tool to twist men, specifically men to her will and betray them. She's the hottest thing since super hot sexualized toast. Even her force brain waves exude sex like hot butter. It's just awful and really bad. Enjoyed the rest of the book though.

RULE OF TWO: 3 stars
I'm quite enjoying these, though the sexual parts are pretty repulsive. Oh she's so hot! All the other women glare at her with envy. Not a queer person in sight in this version of star wars and all women see in a beautiful woman is jealousy, and fear that they'll steal their man. Since you know. Everyone's straight and all.

It's pretty gross. But the action's good and the story in general I'm enjoying.

DYNASTY OF EVIL: 3 stars

A good ending, a mysterious ending. Character descriptions in these books can be a bit offputting for me. Just in how they go into a descriptive block, and get all the character description out of the way in one go. I can't visualize so it's too much for me to grasp all at once.

I really like how the books continue to introduce interesting characters throughout, and it ties people back in. People you thought were minor characters or over and done with. A lot of books do this I suppose but I thought it was done well here. I also think that the number of women characters we get are great. And the characters are generally quite good as well. I just think some of the specific this character is a woman, let me tell you about women aspects are bad.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A huge Star Wars fan but haven't read many of the books. These were the best I read. Great story.

[Dave Wordsmith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the Darth Bane series via Audible. It's a professionally created graphic audiobook of the highest standards. The narrators voice / voice-overs are impressionable for the most part; however, some of the female voice-overs done by Johnathan Davis leave something to be desired - A+ for effort and for effectively conveying different characters - easily recognizable by the voice used.
I awarded this series 5/5 because it really contained so few errors that I didn't need to waste time in consideration over them. Perhaps, the few and rare instances where I believed there was an erroneous pronunciation of a word was only a mismatch to my own dialect of English. The sound effects weren't intrusive, and always welcome. And StarWars theme songs for both Sith, and Jedi were an excellent contribution.
I enjoyed the story line for its differences to Jedi-focused stories. I've always been a fan of the original StarWars series and didn't feel the dark-side focus was misleading or ill gotten or contrived. There is an authentic air to the series which draws you in, and leaves you wanting more. I have to say I was only partially disappointed on completing this series and much of my wanting left in its wake had me searching for other StarWars audiobooks - one of which I'm listening to now, 'The Old Republic' I'm getting the impression that it's focus is on the Jedi but there are long scenes, and much content on the Sith and their apprentices; whereas, in the Darth Bane series: I found Darth Bane to be the central focus with an emphasis on his shared philosophies of the nature of the universe, and thereby, the Dark-Side as he shares the wisdom of ancient Sith Lords via elusive "Holocrons" left behind by previous Dark Lords of the Sith. It really is worth a good read/hearing - I'd recommend the audiobook to anyone who hasn't experienced a graphic audiobook! It's really something akin to watching a movie!

[Carolinalotus · Rating 5 out of 5]

These series show us the other side, the Dark Side of the Force (once called Bogan). I've had to completely rethink my opinion on the Darths. The Jedi are shown here as (sometimes) too politically involved, and me made me wonder "maybe they are the ones worthy of the description the series usually uses to describe the dark side".

Darth Bane born out of nothing destroys the entire Kaan Brotherhood and establishes the Rule of Two. He becomes the sole Dark Lord, however he's been practically hiding in the shadows his entire life, using an ingenious network of informants and tactics. It is the only way the Dark side could be reborn.

This series made me realize that not everything is black and white, and that the movies often just showed the "good" of the Jedi, even if they reminded me more of Christian missionaries than anything else...

Of the entire series, then, #2 stands out because of the strongest Zannah-Bane duo, who do a great job of showing us the new rules of the dark side and its strengths as well as its weaknesses. I personally consider #3 to be the weakest of the series, where we get more characters entangled in the story and because of that it took me a while to read the book. There were sometimes flashbacks that weren't clearly separated so I was sometimes hesitant about who was actually talking and when.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Une trilogie équilibrée qui ne déçoit vraiment pas les amateurs du côté obscur et de Star Wars en général. Ici il n'est pas question d'êtres surpuissants qui réalisent l'impensable par simple caprice de l'auteur. Il est plutôt question de cohérence et de justesse avec près de 1000 pages de parcours et d'enseignement du côté obscur qui permettent un développement ultra poussé des personnages de Dark Bane et Dark Zannah. Ils en voient de toutes les couleurs, ils en bavent et c'est juste génial !
J'apprécie tout particulièrement la chronologie des livres et donc le temps qui passe avec ses effets sur la puissance, la psychologie et la vieillesse des personnages. (sans parler de leur relation)
Bien que l'histoire se focalise sur ces deux personnages, on ne peut pas dire qu'elle manque de personnages secondaires marquants, utilisateurs de la force ou non. Avis aux adhérents à l'ordre Jedi, vous ne serez pas déçu non plus en lisant ces pages magnifiquement écrites. Drew Karpyshyn démontre totalement son talent et bien qu'il n'ait pas le contrôle sur la publication des livres SW, je rêve qu'il puisse continuer son oeuvre !

[Random Dude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Drew Karpyshyn's "Darth Bane" series, encompassing "Path of Destruction," "Rule of Two," and "Dynasty of Evil," delivers a masterful exploration into the dark side of the Force, providing a compelling narrative that draws readers into rooting for the ostensibly evil protagonists.

Karpyshyn’s genius lies in his ability to humanize the dark side. From the very beginning, we are introduced to Dessel, a downtrodden miner with a tragic past, who eventually transforms into the formidable Darth Bane. The author skillfully delves into Bane's psyche, illustrating his motivations, struggles, and evolution. Despite his ruthless and often brutal actions, readers find themselves empathizing with Bane, understanding his desire for power, control, and ultimately, the betterment of the Sith Order.

The series stands out because Karpyshyn doesn’t shy away from the moral ambiguity that defines Bane and his journey. He paints a nuanced picture of the Sith, portraying them not as mindless villains, but as complex characters with their own codes, philosophies, and justifications. This depth makes it easy for readers to cheer for Bane, even as he commits acts that would typically be deemed unforgivable. The internal logic and consistency in Bane's actions make his journey not just believable but also gripping.

Moreover, the pacing of the series keeps readers hooked from start to finish. Each book seamlessly transitions into the next, with cliffhangers and plot twists that make it difficult to put the book down. Karpyshyn’s detailed descriptions of the dark side rituals, the intense lightsaber battles, and the strategic machinations within the Sith Order add layers of excitement and suspense.

The supporting characters, including Bane's apprentice Darth Zannah, are equally well-crafted, each bringing their own perspectives and conflicts to the story. Zannah's growth and the dynamic between master and apprentice add further depth to the narrative, highlighting the themes of power, legacy, and survival.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should really count as 3 books on my Goodreads annual Reading Challenge. :)

I've always wondered whether Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil ought to be required reading for a Sith Lord. After all, the Sith espouse the same ideals: the strong govern the weak and morality is just a cloak to cover weakness. In the first book, Bane has to destroy the old Sith Brotherhood to create a new Sith order using the Rule of Two.

In the second and third books, the focus shifts from Bane's own journey from an abused son of a miner to a Sith Lord to Zannah's own journey from an apprentice to a worthy second. Even as Bane seeks to extend his life, Zannah is seeking to destroy him - waiting for the right moment to strike. She is playing the long game. Perhaps because she is playing the long game, the books (plural) drag on before the final confrontation.

The Star Wars Creative Team have plenty of room for Zannah and her new apprentice. Certainly, there is plenty of room for cosplay at conventions.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading the entire trilogy and was blown away by the story. One thing is clear, if you’re a big fan of lightsaber duels and battles, then Karpyshyn definitely has a talent for writing scenes like those. The characters are well rounded and developed, and I especially loved any chapter starring Bane or Zannah. The first book, Path of Destruction, is my favourite out of the three and focuses on Darth Bane’s origins. We also get the Brotherhood of Darkness, the Army of Light and Bane studying in the Sith Academy to become a Dark Lord. Definitely pick up these books if you’re interested in Old Republic era stuff. They’re classics that give an overarching plot to the beginnings of the Rule of Two and the nature of the new Sith Order as redefined by Bane (which persists down the line until Darth Sidious). Although, please keep in mind that with the new canon, this stuff is strictly Legends and doesn’t have any bearing on the shows or the movies. I still highly recommend these books as they are engaging and masterful pieces of Star Wars literature!

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first foray into the Star Wars universe in book form, and I have to say the prospect of reading about the Sith's origins was very intriguing so I went into this trilogy pretty excited.

I was not disappointed. The Sith are ruthless, some prominent characters are disposed of (ie: killed) ruthlessly to serve the protagonists (Bane and his apprentice) in whichever way they needed at the moment, and it jolted me every time it happened because the characters they killed had substantial roles in the story, and the protagonists do not even blink afterwards.

I'm definitely going to read other popular Star Wars novels now, I was hestitant at first but it proved to be an easy and satisfying read. I actually wished there was a continuation (another trilogy) with Darth Bane's apprentice specifically since I became invested in her story.

[Chroniques Invisibles · Rating 4 out of 5]

La trilogie Dark Bane est d'excellent qualité. Des origines de Bane au seigneur Dark Bane, on suit la vie de ce Sith qui va revoir intégralement l'ordre Sith pour devenir un des plus grands seigneurs noirs. Comment et pourquoi il fait ce choix ? Comment il se forme et pourquoi il se détourne de ses maîtres ? Comment il trouve une apprentie ? Comment il acquiert tous ses pouvoirs ?
Les livres se déroulent sur plusieurs décennies et c'est riche. A la fois dans les personnages, qui sont travaillés et qui évoluent avec le temps, les relations entre les personnages sont aussi bien développées. Mais aussi dans l'histoire en elle meme, riche en rebondissements, actions et trahisons, secrets et mystères sur d'anciennes connaissances perdues des anciens Siths.
L'écriture est fluide et agréable à lire. Pas d'implicite ni d'écriture métaphorique / symbolique. Tout est décrit clairement avec des mots, de manière très cinématographique, et ça je peux dire que ça fait du bien.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate that the author illustrated Bane's approach to mentorship and raising his apprentice, I found it a fascinating aspect of the story. While his methods are undeniably ruthless and often cruel, they are also undeniably effective. He pushes Zannah, to her limits, forcing her to confront her fears and weaknesses. This harsh training, while brutal, ultimately leads to her to become a powerful and formidable Sith Lord.
This approach to mentorship is a complex and controversial, While his methods are effective, they also raise serious ethical questions about the nature of power, loyalty, and the human cost of ambition.

[Asviloka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Late to the Sith Lord party, what with these books no longer canon and all, but enjoying it nonetheless. All the little mentions to the rest of the Old Republic era, the hints at what's being built, the transformation of the Sith Order.

As a side note, I love the fact that so many major Sith lords can easily fit the Sith'ari prophecy; Revan, Bane, Plagueis, Vader... the extra layers of lore built up in the Legends continuity is something I'm very sorry to have lost in the scuffle. Make whatever movies you please, by all means, but do you have to take our books too?

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Darth Bane needs to be the next big baddy in the Star Wars Universe. The pre-republic days are ripe with stories, and this would be the perfect place to start with. I am currently reading book 3 and almost complete with the series. While Darth Bane is one of the ultimate Sith of the time, there is good reason there is pages of inaction. He is setting up for the Rise of the Sith through the new "Rule of 2." Read and you will know why he would be able to take on Darth Vader with no problem at all.

[Jennifer Madsen Flores · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a trilogy! I really enjoyed this book series and the inner look that we were given into the dark side. For me, my favorite was the first book, and the transformation of Des into Bane. I had a hard time connecting with Zannah so it took me a long time to really get into the 2nd. And the third… it was great. I had no idea what was going to happen next, we get introduced to these characters and you just don’t know what they will do next. Very unpredictable and it kept me glued to the pages long after I should have gone to bed.

[Cailin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have re-read this series many times. I didn't go through critically analyzing these books it is just a series that I enjoy revisiting because I appreciate the characters and story. I really like Bane as a character and in some ways, Karpyshyn crafted one of my favorite Star Wars characters. I feel that his story across these three books was handled well and I never felt that things were forced or that he was acting out of character. These are a guilty pleasure of sorts and they stand out as some of the best-written Star Wars books available (for Legends that is).

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not expect to enjoy reading these books, they were much faster paced than I expected.
Des is a miner, the son of a miner. And if he pays off his late father’s bills and his own, he has a chance to get off their distant system.
But that’s not the way things work. And when Des defends himself and kills a man, he finds himself with two options—a prison colony or smuggling himself off planet to work for the Sith.
He obviously takes the latter, despite his age and begins to throw himself into training.

Zannah was really awesome and I can’t wait to read more of this era.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a FANTASTIC Star Wars series. It is dark, and gives the origins of the Sith that we currently know. It's mystical and exciting, and I would absolutely love it if the new trilogy of movies that they are planning was this. The movies would be outstanding. It would be great to see the destruction of the Sith as they were, and the rise of the rule of 2. Darth Bane is a powerful, dark and intelligent series well worth reading. The best Star Wars novels I've read by far to this point.

[Ezra Peace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic character building by Drew Karpyshyn. I really connected with all of them in one way or another. He finds a way to make even the most evil understandable. And, he's not afraid to let us follow a tertiary character if it serves the greater purpose of illustrating a new dimension of the dark side. I actually came out understanding it a little better as a result. This trilogy rivals Timothy Zahn's first Thrawn trilogy in quality and enjoyment, possibly surpassing it (hot take).

[Chris Clarke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this trilogy.Read it about 7 times and will probably read it another 7.
Bane is one of the most polarizing characters in the Star Wars universe.
His journey from abused son of a miner ,through his first realization of his Force powers during military service,to becoming a pariah by design and on into legend is an amazing read.
Truthfully,the 3rd book starts a little.slow but warms up fast and is an amazing end to a fantastic rollercoaster of imagination.

[Rissa (rissasreading) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first two novels of this trilogy but I wasn't a fan of the last one. The first two felt really well put together and cohesive to each other whereas the last one just didn't feel like it fit. The ending given for Darth Bane didn't feel right for him and almost felt like it was just wrapped up in some sort of bow. However I didn't want that I wanted more from the ending.
I still enjoyed these books for Darth Bane and Zannah, they were brutal!

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true Star Wars classic!

I originally read this trilogy as it was released, but I am in the process of rereading my collection as I update it to digital format. The Bane trilogy is currently enjoying a revival due to the new series The Acolyte and it’s obviously a MAJOR influence on the series storyline. I highly recommend reading this trilogy regardless of whether you are watching The Acolyte or not,simple because it’s one of the best SW stories ever published.

[Nate Mccoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series especially from the sith aspect. Haven't read much on them before the fall of the sith, so enjoyed the insight into their world and those that followed them. And I enjoyed reading Darth Bane's transition of starting as a miner on a world of expendable workers to the power he gain transforming himself to a mighty sith.

[Deb Suchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm between 3 and 4 stars for this. An avid fan of Star Wars in the 80's with all the collectibles this trilogy was actually the first time I read stories about Star Wars 3oish years later - and I loved reading them. It's great to read at night but I've rated other books equally that may have the same stars but think stack up better in comparison.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Path to power

This book was great. It was interesting to learn the story of one of the most famous with in the history of the republic. A boy that no one knew became one of the most powerful with lords in history. Yet the destiny of the Sith would begin after the destruction of organization and the begining of the downfall of the republic and jedi.

[Jennifer Yaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written and exciting look into the dark side

It almost make me want to explore my dark side ... at least my grey side ... I no longer live in the disillusionment that I live in th light side. Great writing that kept me reading the next installment and then the next and wanting more.