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Star Wars Legends: Novels
Labyrinth of Evil
Author James Luceno returns to the prequel biz with Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil, a novel sure to be required reading for die-hard fans of George Lucas's galaxy far, far away. Written with Lucas's blessing, Luceno's tale leads right to the opening sequence of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, setting the stage for the fiery conclusion of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire.
As the action begins, the Republic and Jedi have seemingly pushed the Separatists and Sith back into the outer reaches of the galaxy thanks to the clone army deployed in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. But as victory seems near, the ruthless General Grievous--think Darth Vader on steroids--emerges from the shadows. In the battle against Grievous, Anakin Skywalker--who is a little Vader-ish too these days--and Obi Wan Kenobi find themselves in a race to discover the identity of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious and unravel the web of duplicity surrounding the Separatist uprising.
While essential for obsessive fans, Labyrinth of Evil is a clunky novel and Luceno struggles with Lucas's ungainly and Byzantine plotting. Full of cumbersome, Star Wars technophillia, the novel merely serves its purpose by fleshing out the thin line between Episodes II and III. True believers will revel in the level of technical detail and tantalizing nuggets of trivia while the less zealous could satisfy their Star Wars cravings by checking out Timothy Zahn's masterful post-Episode VI works. --Jeremy Pugh
370 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
430 people are currently reading
5886 people want to read
About the author
James Luceno
118 books1,064 followersJames Luceno is a New York Times bestselling author, best known for his novels and reference books connected with the Star Wars franchise and the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and novelisations of the Robotech animated television series. He lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife and youngest child.
He has co-written many books with Brian Daley as Jack McKinney.
He has co-written many books with Brian Daley as Jack McKinney.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 504 reviews
July 15, 2014
While this book is most certainly not an easy read (typical James Luceno), it is none-the-less fun and informative. Many of the Clone Wars novels (most notably The Cestus Deception and Jedi Trial) have been lacking or not very cohesive. Attack of the Clones movie only shows the beginning of the Clone Wars. And Revenge of the Sith ends the Clone Wars, leaving us, the audience, yearning for answers as to how we get from AotC to RotS.
This is where Labyrinth of Evil comes in.
Plot:
Anakin and Obi-Wan are fighting in the Outer Rim worlds, thrown their by our favorite almost-Emperor, Palpatine. They discover the mechno-chair used by Nute Gunray and discover the location of the feared General Grievous, finally revealed in fine detail.
Meanwhile, Bail Organa watches the changes in government and begins to worry about the outcome. He and a few others (Mon Mothma from Return of the Jedi) start the outlines of what will become the Rebel Alliance.
Anakin and Obi-Wan race closer and closer to the true identity of Darth Sidious as the events tumble into what was made into the movie, Revenge of the Sith.
Good:
Little references from all the Clone Wars novels (well, mostly the good ones, Yoda, Shatterpoint, etc.) are integrated into one cohesive work. The end blends perfectly with the beginning of RotS. I just loved reading each little detail that blended with AotC, the previous Clone Wars novels, and even The Phantom Menace, making sense of all the wanderings that previous novelists have done.
Bad:
Probably the only reason this does not receive a full five stars is the apparent conflictions with the Clone Wars Animated Shorts (almost as good as the movies). In the shorts, the end is completely different than that in Labyrinth of Evil. Anakin and Obi-Wan are on completely different systems with completely different reasons for being there. I still wonder how this is reconciled in Star Wars canon.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
No coarse language. No sexual situations. This is Star Wars during the Clone Wars--expect Star Wars type of violence (lightsabers, blasters, war, etc.).
Overall:
If you wonder about what happens to Anakin and Obi-Wan just before RotS, this will answer your questions. It is way, way better than The Approaching Storm (which merely told an unimportant, filler story) in this regard. Definitely worthwhile and important to truly understanding the nuances of Revenge of the Sith.
This is where Labyrinth of Evil comes in.
Plot:
Anakin and Obi-Wan are fighting in the Outer Rim worlds, thrown their by our favorite almost-Emperor, Palpatine. They discover the mechno-chair used by Nute Gunray and discover the location of the feared General Grievous, finally revealed in fine detail.
Meanwhile, Bail Organa watches the changes in government and begins to worry about the outcome. He and a few others (Mon Mothma from Return of the Jedi) start the outlines of what will become the Rebel Alliance.
Anakin and Obi-Wan race closer and closer to the true identity of Darth Sidious as the events tumble into what was made into the movie, Revenge of the Sith.
Good:
Little references from all the Clone Wars novels (well, mostly the good ones, Yoda, Shatterpoint, etc.) are integrated into one cohesive work. The end blends perfectly with the beginning of RotS. I just loved reading each little detail that blended with AotC, the previous Clone Wars novels, and even The Phantom Menace, making sense of all the wanderings that previous novelists have done.
Bad:
Probably the only reason this does not receive a full five stars is the apparent conflictions with the Clone Wars Animated Shorts (almost as good as the movies). In the shorts, the end is completely different than that in Labyrinth of Evil. Anakin and Obi-Wan are on completely different systems with completely different reasons for being there. I still wonder how this is reconciled in Star Wars canon.
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
No coarse language. No sexual situations. This is Star Wars during the Clone Wars--expect Star Wars type of violence (lightsabers, blasters, war, etc.).
Overall:
If you wonder about what happens to Anakin and Obi-Wan just before RotS, this will answer your questions. It is way, way better than The Approaching Storm (which merely told an unimportant, filler story) in this regard. Definitely worthwhile and important to truly understanding the nuances of Revenge of the Sith.
September 13, 2007
As per usual, after I saw Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith for the first time, I wanted more. This novel is the prequel to the movie, occurring between episodes II and III. It fills in nicely a lot of plot-data, but it doesn't do much else. Luceno seemed afraid to explore the Obi-Wan/Anakin dynamics of this time period, something which, thankfully, did not hamper Matthew Stover when he wrote the novelization of Episode III. Obi-Wan and Anakin are the reason I love Star Wars, and I was a bit disappointed I only learned what they did, rather than how they felt.
October 13, 2022
A Quickie Review
The one thing I don't like about prequels is that knowing what will happen later ruins the story. I remember watching Attack of the Clones in IMAX, and, during a scene where Obi-Wan in danger, I knew he was going to make it, because he had to live to meet Luke and Han in A New Hope. Despite such feelings, I went ahead and read Labyrinth of Evil, even though I've seen Revenge of the Sith more than once, and knew the fate of the various characters. Though the story was moderately enjoyable, it didn't have the excitement of many of the post-Revenge of the Jedi stories. Star Wars fans will likely enjoy this, but, if you are a newbie to the entire franchise, I would suggest watching the entire film series before even opening this book.
Score: 3.25/5
The one thing I don't like about prequels is that knowing what will happen later ruins the story. I remember watching Attack of the Clones in IMAX, and, during a scene where Obi-Wan in danger, I knew he was going to make it, because he had to live to meet Luke and Han in A New Hope. Despite such feelings, I went ahead and read Labyrinth of Evil, even though I've seen Revenge of the Sith more than once, and knew the fate of the various characters. Though the story was moderately enjoyable, it didn't have the excitement of many of the post-Revenge of the Jedi stories. Star Wars fans will likely enjoy this, but, if you are a newbie to the entire franchise, I would suggest watching the entire film series before even opening this book.
Score: 3.25/5
July 15, 2020
A few months ago I finished reading the novelizations of all 6 Star Wars movies. When I read Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith I found out that there were 2 books that covered the events immediately preceding and immediately following Episode III. This book is the prequel to the Episode III novelization. The writing style was decent; better than some of the Star Wars books I've read. Unfortunately, I didn't really get into the story until the last quarter of the book; maybe the pace just wasn't right, or I didn't care enough about the plot.
The book fills in several gaps between Episodes II and III.
I'm a Star Wars fan, so I liked the book for the additional information it provided. However, I can't say I enjoyed reading it. I can't imagine anyone besides a Star Wars fan getting anything out of it.
The book fills in several gaps between Episodes II and III.
I'm a Star Wars fan, so I liked the book for the additional information it provided. However, I can't say I enjoyed reading it. I can't imagine anyone besides a Star Wars fan getting anything out of it.
October 11, 2021
3.5 Stars
This was an enjoyable read, but added very little to the prequel trilogy. I wanted more character development, but found it all quite surface level. I wish they had spent less time recapping the first movies and more time adding more details to link the films together.
This was an enjoyable read, but added very little to the prequel trilogy. I wanted more character development, but found it all quite surface level. I wish they had spent less time recapping the first movies and more time adding more details to link the films together.
July 14, 2020
this book is great if you like exact terms for each droid and ship but it's a bit boring if you're like me and refer to any star wars transport as 'ship' lmao
also! this infamous quote
thanks i hate it.
also! this infamous quote
“I never claimed to be the Chosen One. That was Qui-Gon. Even the Council doesn’t believe it anymore, so why should you?”
“Because I think you believe it,” Obi-Wan said calmly. “I think you know in your heart that you’re meant for something extraordinary.”
“And you, Master. What does your heart tell you you’re meant for?”
“Infinite sadness,” Obi-Wan said, even while smiling.
thanks i hate it.
May 30, 2018
As a run up to (movie) Episode Three, Labyrinth of Evil succeeds. As a standalone novel it was nearly unintelligible. All the usual suspects go through all the usual motions, but what about the hapless reader who wanders into the Star War universe at this book?
That said, Luceno also flunks astrophysics. On one page (326) he uses the phrases "closing rapidly on the rim of the gravity well" and "punching through Corusacant's sheath of gases." (outward bound) Similar statements throughout the book confirm only partial understanding of the physics behind the "well" or the thinning of planetary atmospheres.
Having Grevious clueless to the identity of Sidious is a welcome element.
Lucent also gives some needed growth to the relationship between Kenobi and Skywalker as well as Skywalker's seduction by Sidious. The movie's rapid treatment of both lacks depth.
A must read for Warriors perhaps, but of scant interest to anyone else.
That said, Luceno also flunks astrophysics. On one page (326) he uses the phrases "closing rapidly on the rim of the gravity well" and "punching through Corusacant's sheath of gases." (outward bound) Similar statements throughout the book confirm only partial understanding of the physics behind the "well" or the thinning of planetary atmospheres.
Having Grevious clueless to the identity of Sidious is a welcome element.
Lucent also gives some needed growth to the relationship between Kenobi and Skywalker as well as Skywalker's seduction by Sidious. The movie's rapid treatment of both lacks depth.
A must read for Warriors perhaps, but of scant interest to anyone else.
September 7, 2022
2.5 stars
For 2022, I decided to go back in time and reread all the Prequels Era novels published between 1999 and 2005, plus a smidgen of other novels (like Survivor's Quest and the Dark Nest trilogy) released during that time frame. This shakes out to 21 novels, four eBook novellas, and at least thirteen short stories.
This week’s focus: the direct prequel to Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno
SOME HISTORY:
Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno serves as a prequel to Episode III - Revenge of the Sith: it takes place in the month before the movie begins, and covers some things that George Lucas either didn't want to or didn't have time to cover in his film. Additionally, Luceno ties up some loose ends from Episode II--specifically what was going on with Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. Labyrinth of Evil made it to number nine on the New York Times bestseller list for two straight weeks—from the week of February 13 to the week of February 20, 2005--and was on the NYT list for three weeks.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
In rereading Labyrinth of Evil, I wasn’t sure if I ever read it back in 2005: the beginning with Obi-Wan and Anakin trying to capture Nute Gunray seemed familiar to me, but I'm not sure if that's because I did read it before or because I saw a “first chapter preview” in the back of another book.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
The Clone Wars is reaching its boiling point, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have been dispatched to Cato Neimoidia to capture Nute Gunray, the leader of the Trade Federation and a key Separatist official. Unfortunately Gunray escapes, but he leaves behind a mysterious mech chair. As Obi-Wan and Anakin pursue the origins of the mech chair, the Jedi Order becomes close to tracking down the elusive Darth Sidious—but the Separatists have one final scheme in play…
THE CHARACTERS:
From what I've read online, James Luceno worked closely with Matt Stover to make sure that Labyrinth of Evil led directly into Revenge of the Sith. He had access to an early version of the Episode III script, and he was able to make edits as the movie changed and went into post-production. An early outline or draft of Labyrinth of Evil was made available to the creative team behind the Clone Wars animated shorts from 2003, so both the book and the cartoon depict the Battle of Coruscant—albeit slightly differently in each format. Luceno reacquaints the reader with what’s happening with a wide range of characters: Padme Amidala of Naboo and Bail Organa of Alderaan, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin and Obi-Wan, Yoda and Mace Windu and all the other Jedi, as well as key Separatist leaders like Count Dooku and General Grievous.
Grievous first appeared in Chapter 20 of the Clone Wars cartoon, and he's been mentioned in the books. But we've never really seen him up to this point, and this was one thing I very much appreciated about Labyrinth of Evil. In Revenge of the Sith, we see Grievous but most viewers will have no idea who he is—a wheezy robot reptile guy? But in Luceno’s novel, we learn his backstory and his motivations, which helped to flesh out the character far more than his brief appearance in the film.
Side note: I think that the prequels have too many villains. Obviously Sidious is the Big Bad, but Maul and Dooku and Grievous all feel like Sailor Moon villains of the week, and that’s not even adding Asajj Ventress and Durge and others into the equation!
While I thought that Sean Stewart's depiction of Count Dooku in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous was the richest of all the Clone Wars novels, I also like what Luceno does with his character here. We get a little more about who he is and what drives him, and I especially appreciated getting to learn his backstory with Sifo-Dyas.
We learn that Obi-Wan has been made a member of the Jedi Council, which is an amazing accomplishment for a man not yet in his forties! Anakin has been Knighted after the events on Praesitlyn, he’s lost a lot of his boyish humor, and he’s very unhappy with some of the choices the Jedi have made (foreshadowing for Episode III).
Padme mostly wishes that Anakin would return from the Outer Rim, because she hasn’t seen him in months. We don’t get any outright confirmation of her pregnancy, but we do get hints that she’s concealing something related to her health—especially after she faints during the Battle of Coruscant.
Bail Organa is very unhappy with the progression of the war and the powers that Palpatine has been able to attain, isolating him further from the greater Senate. He’s part of a delegation that meets with Palpatine and gets him to agree to cede some of his power once the war is over. He also tells Padme that his wife and he will support her through any situation…
Palpatine appears old and weary, and when the Battle of Coruscant breaks out it takes considerable effort on the part of the Jedi, his guards, and his advisors to get him to agree to go to safety at all. Characters like Bail Organa view the Battle of Coruscant as a misstep on Palpatine’s part: that by sending more troops to the Outer Rim, he lieft Coruscant open to attack.
Luceno never outright says that Palpatine is Sidious, but there are many hints along the way. It’s so obvious to me in the films that Palpatine is Sidious (ignoring my knowledge of the Original Trilogy, they have the same voice!) that I sometimes get frustrated with the Prequels treating Sidious’s identity as a great mystery. It’s that guy! It’s the Chancellor! He’s been there all along!
But there was a great moment here with Sidious, that reminded me of the end of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter: during the search for Sidious, the Jedi have discovered a building where Sidious met with Dooku, and Sidious’s tracks lead to the uber wealthy 500 Republica. The Battle of Coruscant begins so the Jedi leave, but the clone trooper forces and Captain Dyne of Republic Intelligence continue the search. They discover a secret passageway, then they’re all killed by the individual concealed within, and as Captain Dyne is dying he thinks that the corruption really does go to the heart of the Senate… It’s such a good moment, because you as the reader know what he means, but it’s still left ambiguous for those who haven’t figured it out.
Nute Gunray continues to be a sniveling coward, but I enjoyed that Sidious’s plans began to unravel because of the stupidity of those he surrounded himself with. Sidious has the ability to foresee possible futures, and that helps him with his schemes, but he can’t foresee that the incompetent Neimodians will leave behind this very important mech chair, that it won’t self-destruct because of Anakin’s technical skills, and that the Jedi will start to home in on his true identity.
I like that Sidious isn’t omniscient; his scheme is intricately plotted, but it’s not foolproof. And thanks to mess ups like Nute Gunray, he has to rethink some things on the fly and readjust. I think that Sidious always planned to have the Separatists attack Coruscant, but he may have moved up his timetable due to the Jedi’s current investigation.
ISSUES:
As a book prequel to one of the films, I would rank Labyrinth of Evil up there with Cloak of Deception where I feel like it's not essential for your understanding of the film but it fleshes a lot of elements out. I enjoyed it more than The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster, because that one didn’t seem to add as much to my understanding of Episode II as Luceno's two novels did for Episodes I and III. On the downside, though, there’s a ton of political stuff in Cloak of Deception (your mileage may vary; mine certainly did), and in Labyrinth of Evil it felt at times like Anakin and Obi-Wan were on a wild goose chase. They uncover things at each new destination, but Sidious wants them away from Coruscant so that he can sneak Grievous in.
However, I was surprised how unmotivated I felt reading this book. I didn't remember the plot—I didn't know what was coming next—but for the most part, I felt like I wasn't enjoying and engaging with Labyrinth of Evil like some of the other prequel novels. I don't know if it's just Clone Wars fatigue (those six novels were of variable quality), or if the problem was that I knew the ending at the start. Since I know where everything leads, perhaps I wasn’t as wrapped up in the story as I might have been back in 2005? I think most people reading this novel before Revenge of the Sith was released wanted to uncover all the mysteries and were eager to find out what happens next. But in my case, I know what happens in Revenge of the Sith, and it’s sad! It might not have helped either that I had to read this one in snippets, chapter by chapter, instead of digging in during an uninterrupted period of reading time.
And this would not be a Luceno review without me complaining about his excessive use of big thesaurus words. The worst instance was this sentence, when Mace Windu and Shaak Ti first become aware of the Battle of Coruscant: “In their oblate pools of white skin, Shaak Ti’s eyes were wide when she looked at Mace.” Oblate means ”of spheroid, flattened or depressed at the poles”; and as a noun, it means someone living a monastic life. What the heck? The first half of that sentence doesn’t make any sense! Put down your thesaurus, James!
Finally, just a minor squibble, and I blame neither Luceno nor the creative team of the Clone Wars show, but the Battle of Coruscant is dramatically different in both the novel and the cartoon. The basic beats are there (Mace runs into Yoda’s chamber, Shaak Ti and other Jedi try to spirit the Chancellor to safety, General Grievous arrives on Coruscant) but the details don’t mesh. The action scenes in the cartoon are over the top compared to the book, but it looks cool so I’m fine with that. The cartoon gives us an explanation behind why Grievous is hacking and wheezing in Episode III (Mace Force crushes his chest, a rather Dark Side move!), but in the book, Mace’s last encounter with Grievous ends in the General falling unharmed off the maglev. It’s just a series of slight discontinuities like that, due to differences in media as well as time crunch issues.
IN CONCLUSION:
I liked how Labyrinth of Evil directly flowed into Episode III, and I appreciated getting to learn more about General Grievous's past and Count Dooku's descent to the Dark Side. But at the same time, I wasn't as engrossed in the story as I expected to be--perhaps because I already knew the outcome of everything. (I wish I could remember reading this 17 years ago!) Still, I think that it ranks up there as one of the better prequels/prologues to the film episodes, and if you're interested in learning about the backstory for Revenge of the Sith, you should definitely check it out.
Next up: Matthew Stover’s novelization of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/w0-eW0cvj1A
Full battle of Coruscant by JohnMrubenstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2GZ...
James Luceno: Navigating the Labyrinth of Evil (January 2005): https://web.archive.org/web/200502052...
For 2022, I decided to go back in time and reread all the Prequels Era novels published between 1999 and 2005, plus a smidgen of other novels (like Survivor's Quest and the Dark Nest trilogy) released during that time frame. This shakes out to 21 novels, four eBook novellas, and at least thirteen short stories.
This week’s focus: the direct prequel to Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno
SOME HISTORY:
Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno serves as a prequel to Episode III - Revenge of the Sith: it takes place in the month before the movie begins, and covers some things that George Lucas either didn't want to or didn't have time to cover in his film. Additionally, Luceno ties up some loose ends from Episode II--specifically what was going on with Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. Labyrinth of Evil made it to number nine on the New York Times bestseller list for two straight weeks—from the week of February 13 to the week of February 20, 2005--and was on the NYT list for three weeks.
MY RECOLLECTION OF THE BOOK:
In rereading Labyrinth of Evil, I wasn’t sure if I ever read it back in 2005: the beginning with Obi-Wan and Anakin trying to capture Nute Gunray seemed familiar to me, but I'm not sure if that's because I did read it before or because I saw a “first chapter preview” in the back of another book.
A BRIEF SUMMARY:
The Clone Wars is reaching its boiling point, and Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have been dispatched to Cato Neimoidia to capture Nute Gunray, the leader of the Trade Federation and a key Separatist official. Unfortunately Gunray escapes, but he leaves behind a mysterious mech chair. As Obi-Wan and Anakin pursue the origins of the mech chair, the Jedi Order becomes close to tracking down the elusive Darth Sidious—but the Separatists have one final scheme in play…
THE CHARACTERS:
From what I've read online, James Luceno worked closely with Matt Stover to make sure that Labyrinth of Evil led directly into Revenge of the Sith. He had access to an early version of the Episode III script, and he was able to make edits as the movie changed and went into post-production. An early outline or draft of Labyrinth of Evil was made available to the creative team behind the Clone Wars animated shorts from 2003, so both the book and the cartoon depict the Battle of Coruscant—albeit slightly differently in each format. Luceno reacquaints the reader with what’s happening with a wide range of characters: Padme Amidala of Naboo and Bail Organa of Alderaan, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin and Obi-Wan, Yoda and Mace Windu and all the other Jedi, as well as key Separatist leaders like Count Dooku and General Grievous.
Grievous first appeared in Chapter 20 of the Clone Wars cartoon, and he's been mentioned in the books. But we've never really seen him up to this point, and this was one thing I very much appreciated about Labyrinth of Evil. In Revenge of the Sith, we see Grievous but most viewers will have no idea who he is—a wheezy robot reptile guy? But in Luceno’s novel, we learn his backstory and his motivations, which helped to flesh out the character far more than his brief appearance in the film.
Side note: I think that the prequels have too many villains. Obviously Sidious is the Big Bad, but Maul and Dooku and Grievous all feel like Sailor Moon villains of the week, and that’s not even adding Asajj Ventress and Durge and others into the equation!
While I thought that Sean Stewart's depiction of Count Dooku in Yoda: Dark Rendezvous was the richest of all the Clone Wars novels, I also like what Luceno does with his character here. We get a little more about who he is and what drives him, and I especially appreciated getting to learn his backstory with Sifo-Dyas.
We learn that Obi-Wan has been made a member of the Jedi Council, which is an amazing accomplishment for a man not yet in his forties! Anakin has been Knighted after the events on Praesitlyn, he’s lost a lot of his boyish humor, and he’s very unhappy with some of the choices the Jedi have made (foreshadowing for Episode III).
Padme mostly wishes that Anakin would return from the Outer Rim, because she hasn’t seen him in months. We don’t get any outright confirmation of her pregnancy, but we do get hints that she’s concealing something related to her health—especially after she faints during the Battle of Coruscant.
Bail Organa is very unhappy with the progression of the war and the powers that Palpatine has been able to attain, isolating him further from the greater Senate. He’s part of a delegation that meets with Palpatine and gets him to agree to cede some of his power once the war is over. He also tells Padme that his wife and he will support her through any situation…
Palpatine appears old and weary, and when the Battle of Coruscant breaks out it takes considerable effort on the part of the Jedi, his guards, and his advisors to get him to agree to go to safety at all. Characters like Bail Organa view the Battle of Coruscant as a misstep on Palpatine’s part: that by sending more troops to the Outer Rim, he lieft Coruscant open to attack.
Luceno never outright says that Palpatine is Sidious, but there are many hints along the way. It’s so obvious to me in the films that Palpatine is Sidious (ignoring my knowledge of the Original Trilogy, they have the same voice!) that I sometimes get frustrated with the Prequels treating Sidious’s identity as a great mystery. It’s that guy! It’s the Chancellor! He’s been there all along!
But there was a great moment here with Sidious, that reminded me of the end of Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter: during the search for Sidious, the Jedi have discovered a building where Sidious met with Dooku, and Sidious’s tracks lead to the uber wealthy 500 Republica. The Battle of Coruscant begins so the Jedi leave, but the clone trooper forces and Captain Dyne of Republic Intelligence continue the search. They discover a secret passageway, then they’re all killed by the individual concealed within, and as Captain Dyne is dying he thinks that the corruption really does go to the heart of the Senate… It’s such a good moment, because you as the reader know what he means, but it’s still left ambiguous for those who haven’t figured it out.
Nute Gunray continues to be a sniveling coward, but I enjoyed that Sidious’s plans began to unravel because of the stupidity of those he surrounded himself with. Sidious has the ability to foresee possible futures, and that helps him with his schemes, but he can’t foresee that the incompetent Neimodians will leave behind this very important mech chair, that it won’t self-destruct because of Anakin’s technical skills, and that the Jedi will start to home in on his true identity.
I like that Sidious isn’t omniscient; his scheme is intricately plotted, but it’s not foolproof. And thanks to mess ups like Nute Gunray, he has to rethink some things on the fly and readjust. I think that Sidious always planned to have the Separatists attack Coruscant, but he may have moved up his timetable due to the Jedi’s current investigation.
ISSUES:
As a book prequel to one of the films, I would rank Labyrinth of Evil up there with Cloak of Deception where I feel like it's not essential for your understanding of the film but it fleshes a lot of elements out. I enjoyed it more than The Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster, because that one didn’t seem to add as much to my understanding of Episode II as Luceno's two novels did for Episodes I and III. On the downside, though, there’s a ton of political stuff in Cloak of Deception (your mileage may vary; mine certainly did), and in Labyrinth of Evil it felt at times like Anakin and Obi-Wan were on a wild goose chase. They uncover things at each new destination, but Sidious wants them away from Coruscant so that he can sneak Grievous in.
However, I was surprised how unmotivated I felt reading this book. I didn't remember the plot—I didn't know what was coming next—but for the most part, I felt like I wasn't enjoying and engaging with Labyrinth of Evil like some of the other prequel novels. I don't know if it's just Clone Wars fatigue (those six novels were of variable quality), or if the problem was that I knew the ending at the start. Since I know where everything leads, perhaps I wasn’t as wrapped up in the story as I might have been back in 2005? I think most people reading this novel before Revenge of the Sith was released wanted to uncover all the mysteries and were eager to find out what happens next. But in my case, I know what happens in Revenge of the Sith, and it’s sad! It might not have helped either that I had to read this one in snippets, chapter by chapter, instead of digging in during an uninterrupted period of reading time.
And this would not be a Luceno review without me complaining about his excessive use of big thesaurus words. The worst instance was this sentence, when Mace Windu and Shaak Ti first become aware of the Battle of Coruscant: “In their oblate pools of white skin, Shaak Ti’s eyes were wide when she looked at Mace.” Oblate means ”of spheroid, flattened or depressed at the poles”; and as a noun, it means someone living a monastic life. What the heck? The first half of that sentence doesn’t make any sense! Put down your thesaurus, James!
Finally, just a minor squibble, and I blame neither Luceno nor the creative team of the Clone Wars show, but the Battle of Coruscant is dramatically different in both the novel and the cartoon. The basic beats are there (Mace runs into Yoda’s chamber, Shaak Ti and other Jedi try to spirit the Chancellor to safety, General Grievous arrives on Coruscant) but the details don’t mesh. The action scenes in the cartoon are over the top compared to the book, but it looks cool so I’m fine with that. The cartoon gives us an explanation behind why Grievous is hacking and wheezing in Episode III (Mace Force crushes his chest, a rather Dark Side move!), but in the book, Mace’s last encounter with Grievous ends in the General falling unharmed off the maglev. It’s just a series of slight discontinuities like that, due to differences in media as well as time crunch issues.
IN CONCLUSION:
I liked how Labyrinth of Evil directly flowed into Episode III, and I appreciated getting to learn more about General Grievous's past and Count Dooku's descent to the Dark Side. But at the same time, I wasn't as engrossed in the story as I expected to be--perhaps because I already knew the outcome of everything. (I wish I could remember reading this 17 years ago!) Still, I think that it ranks up there as one of the better prequels/prologues to the film episodes, and if you're interested in learning about the backstory for Revenge of the Sith, you should definitely check it out.
Next up: Matthew Stover’s novelization of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/w0-eW0cvj1A
Full battle of Coruscant by JohnMrubenstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP2GZ...
James Luceno: Navigating the Labyrinth of Evil (January 2005): https://web.archive.org/web/200502052...
December 21, 2015
you know how episode iii is just a gaping 2.5 hour long plot hole to anyone with a brain? this should be required reading for anyone stepping into that swamp. it sets the stage, by which i mean, EXPLAINS the bloody conflict, grants the jedi council agency and doesn't set them up to just be inactive dupes, makes obi-wan at least 3% believable as a supposed mentor, and actually explains who and what grievous is and how he fits in the sith scheme of things. the only thing not saved by this is padme but i mean it's a book, not a miracle.
October 23, 2021
I was really disappointed in this Star wars book written between episode 2 and episode 3 it's sort of bridges the gap on how Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader. Upon reading the first 20 chapters, I found that there was no excitement in the story after a while it seems to centre mostly on Star wars politics, there are not many major fighting scenes in the story General Grievous only appears once in the 20 chapters that I've read, and aside from the politics there isn't much else happening, I am quite disappointed in this book.
October 13, 2024
This is a good set up as a prequel to Episode 3. I enjoyed the opening with Obi Wan and Anakin at the Battle to Cato Neimoidia (though Brotherhood did it better). The novel fleshed out a lot of things from the film that George Lucas didn’t have time to do, such as establishing the backstory for General Grievous and portraying the Battle of Coruscant and the capture of Chancellor Palpatine (with some nice tie-ins to the animated micro-series, though it also retcons some things). It’s not Luceno’s best work but I found it entertaining.
May 25, 2025
This book is so good it makes me want to bang my head against a wall repeatedly until I die.
Labyrinth of Evil shows almost better than any other SW material just how much of a horrible tragicomedy the prequels were. The Jedi came this close to averting the Republic's fall, this close to discovering the true identity of Sidious before it was too late, this close to actually taking a hard honest look at themselves and discovering they'd made a terrible mistake. You get to watch up close and personal as every character you love tries so hard and gets so far and in the end it doesn't even matter. It's excruciating.
Edit 05/25/2025: I love them... Back once again to scream at the inevitable doom of my favorite characters. I read it on kindle this time and had a serious "if you highlight everything, you highlight nothing" problem.
Some of the many highlights:
• Obi-Wan/Anakin banter always falls somewhere on the scale between fond and lowkey mean, but in this book a lot of it is closer to mean. It's a looming reminder of how close they are walking to the end, and they don't even realize it. Also, what is the meanest thing Obi-Wan has ever said in his life, and why is it, "Maybe Qui-Gon should have left you at Watto's junk shop."
• The book does a really good job of showing you the unspoken emotional pressure cooker Anakin was becoming. He's half distraught, half in a rage at all times even when it logically doesn't make sense for the circumstances. With the context here, the hairpin turn he makes into the Dark Side in ROTS seems a lot less apropos of nothing.
• The perspective here on Palpatine is interesting. Both the Jedi and the Delegation of 2000 have a deepening distrust in him, but at the same time when he's threatened everyone is CONVINCED that "without him, the Republic will fall!" He is also BRAZEN in this. If it weren't so close to the end of the war, he couldn't be out here straight up giving Grievous the secret bunker door codes.
• Yoda knows SO MUCH about the Sidious investigation and just didn't share it with anyone until the eleventh hour.
• Anakin's dual imagination of himself if he had never been found by the Jedi. He's first mired in the horror and hopelessness of such a fate, but then convinced himself that no! His innate talents are too superior for such a thing! He would have freed himself and his mom, and become a galaxy-famous racer!
• The constant background mentions of Palpatine's creepy red decor and weird collection of unsettling statues. Nothing to see here. Just a guy who really likes red. The statue of "Wapoe, the mythical Sistros demigod of DISGUISE" like... it's so on the nose. This man is cackling into his sleeve at all times.
• The Neimoidian speciesism is INSANE in this book. Neimoidians never got a fair portrayal until Brotherhood, but it's almost over the top here.
• "Losing some of his better judgment, Obi-Wan is." "We both know why. He's become Anakin's partisan." LOL they're talking as if this were a recent development.
• Literally two chapters later, Obi-Wan is musing to himself that perhaps, since Anakin is the Chosen One, it is not only the Order's sacred duty but his own to defend Anakin from harm at all costs. Attachment? Absolutely not. How dare you. It's just that Anakin and my religion are one and the same thing, actually.
• The LiMerge building investigation KILLS me. They identified Palpatine's SHOE SIZE. They FOUND HIS SECRET LAIR UNDER 500 REPUBLICA. The In The End.mp3 by Linkin Park of it all...
• Jedi can see in the dark confirmed.
• THE LEGENDARY NAOS III PUB CRAWL
• The "infinite sadness" exchange is internationally famous for a REASON. What struck me this time is Anakin's hostility to the Chosen One mythos, claiming "even the Council doesn't believe it anymore" when both Obi-Wan and the Council have been discussing him as the Chosen One with near-certainty this entire time. I think it's his own desire to free himself from that double-sided burden.
• Dooku's problem is that he still sees himself as the hero of the story - the clear-sighted one who will sadly but with resolve destroy the Jedi like putting a sick animal out of its misery. You'll never be the boss Sith unless you just straight up love evil for its own sake. He's lying in wait for Obi-Wan and Anakin thinking "kinda cute ngl" as he listens to their banter. I'm so sorry, Dooku. You were never going to be the ultimate apprentice.
• Anakin bringing down the ceiling with the force of his rage, and Obi-Wan just being like "broooo nice."
• The moment when Obi-Wan and Anakin are FINALLY about to have an honest conversation when they are theatrically sniped by the plot. I hate this timeline...
Labyrinth of Evil shows almost better than any other SW material just how much of a horrible tragicomedy the prequels were. The Jedi came this close to averting the Republic's fall, this close to discovering the true identity of Sidious before it was too late, this close to actually taking a hard honest look at themselves and discovering they'd made a terrible mistake. You get to watch up close and personal as every character you love tries so hard and gets so far and in the end it doesn't even matter. It's excruciating.
Edit 05/25/2025: I love them... Back once again to scream at the inevitable doom of my favorite characters. I read it on kindle this time and had a serious "if you highlight everything, you highlight nothing" problem.
Some of the many highlights:
• Obi-Wan/Anakin banter always falls somewhere on the scale between fond and lowkey mean, but in this book a lot of it is closer to mean. It's a looming reminder of how close they are walking to the end, and they don't even realize it. Also, what is the meanest thing Obi-Wan has ever said in his life, and why is it, "Maybe Qui-Gon should have left you at Watto's junk shop."
• The book does a really good job of showing you the unspoken emotional pressure cooker Anakin was becoming. He's half distraught, half in a rage at all times even when it logically doesn't make sense for the circumstances. With the context here, the hairpin turn he makes into the Dark Side in ROTS seems a lot less apropos of nothing.
• The perspective here on Palpatine is interesting. Both the Jedi and the Delegation of 2000 have a deepening distrust in him, but at the same time when he's threatened everyone is CONVINCED that "without him, the Republic will fall!" He is also BRAZEN in this. If it weren't so close to the end of the war, he couldn't be out here straight up giving Grievous the secret bunker door codes.
• Yoda knows SO MUCH about the Sidious investigation and just didn't share it with anyone until the eleventh hour.
• Anakin's dual imagination of himself if he had never been found by the Jedi. He's first mired in the horror and hopelessness of such a fate, but then convinced himself that no! His innate talents are too superior for such a thing! He would have freed himself and his mom, and become a galaxy-famous racer!
• The constant background mentions of Palpatine's creepy red decor and weird collection of unsettling statues. Nothing to see here. Just a guy who really likes red. The statue of "Wapoe, the mythical Sistros demigod of DISGUISE" like... it's so on the nose. This man is cackling into his sleeve at all times.
• The Neimoidian speciesism is INSANE in this book. Neimoidians never got a fair portrayal until Brotherhood, but it's almost over the top here.
• "Losing some of his better judgment, Obi-Wan is." "We both know why. He's become Anakin's partisan." LOL they're talking as if this were a recent development.
• Literally two chapters later, Obi-Wan is musing to himself that perhaps, since Anakin is the Chosen One, it is not only the Order's sacred duty but his own to defend Anakin from harm at all costs. Attachment? Absolutely not. How dare you. It's just that Anakin and my religion are one and the same thing, actually.
• The LiMerge building investigation KILLS me. They identified Palpatine's SHOE SIZE. They FOUND HIS SECRET LAIR UNDER 500 REPUBLICA. The In The End.mp3 by Linkin Park of it all...
• Jedi can see in the dark confirmed.
• THE LEGENDARY NAOS III PUB CRAWL
• The "infinite sadness" exchange is internationally famous for a REASON. What struck me this time is Anakin's hostility to the Chosen One mythos, claiming "even the Council doesn't believe it anymore" when both Obi-Wan and the Council have been discussing him as the Chosen One with near-certainty this entire time. I think it's his own desire to free himself from that double-sided burden.
• Dooku's problem is that he still sees himself as the hero of the story - the clear-sighted one who will sadly but with resolve destroy the Jedi like putting a sick animal out of its misery. You'll never be the boss Sith unless you just straight up love evil for its own sake. He's lying in wait for Obi-Wan and Anakin thinking "kinda cute ngl" as he listens to their banter. I'm so sorry, Dooku. You were never going to be the ultimate apprentice.
• Anakin bringing down the ceiling with the force of his rage, and Obi-Wan just being like "broooo nice."
• The moment when Obi-Wan and Anakin are FINALLY about to have an honest conversation when they are theatrically sniped by the plot. I hate this timeline...
December 14, 2023
As usual, James Lucerno does a great job writing Star Wars!
This book has a lot of politics but if you’re a prequels fan, you already know that and expect it. If not, that sucks.
Grevious, Dooku and Palpatine all have good stories written in this book and I think this is a solid book for any prequel fan specifically!
This book has a lot of politics but if you’re a prequels fan, you already know that and expect it. If not, that sucks.
Grevious, Dooku and Palpatine all have good stories written in this book and I think this is a solid book for any prequel fan specifically!
December 6, 2023
Fantastic book and excellent tie in to Revenge
Of the Sith.
Of the Sith.
February 11, 2017
Abridged Audiobook
It's Star Wars, so you don't get a long review. The audiobooks by Random House come complete with sound effects and music. They're really well done. If you like audiobooks anyway, the Star Wars ones from Random House are worth your time.
The only thing you really need to know about this is that it takes place between the 2nd and 3rd movies (in canon order, not release order). It doesn't do much for background and assumes you've seen the first couple of movies so you know the names and general state of the galaxy. While it may say #1 in a trilogy, it's not a starting place.
But you already knew all of that and are just wondering if it is good. Yeah, it's pretty good. What we get is a lot more Anakin and Obi-Wan off trying to save the galaxy. We get to see some of Anakin's brashness and frustrations with the Order, and how well Palpatine plays everyone. I think there needs to be even more of how Anakin went from Jedi to Dark Lord, but there's a solid foundation of anger and frustration here that was never explored well in the movies. I assume there is more in the 2nd book (which I think is the 3rd movie in book form?), so between those two books we might have the story the movies failed to tell.
If you're the person who desperately wanted Revenge of the Sith to be good, but couldn't get past Anakin's jump from whiny brat to full Sith over an afternoon, try this book out.
It's Star Wars, so you don't get a long review. The audiobooks by Random House come complete with sound effects and music. They're really well done. If you like audiobooks anyway, the Star Wars ones from Random House are worth your time.
The only thing you really need to know about this is that it takes place between the 2nd and 3rd movies (in canon order, not release order). It doesn't do much for background and assumes you've seen the first couple of movies so you know the names and general state of the galaxy. While it may say #1 in a trilogy, it's not a starting place.
But you already knew all of that and are just wondering if it is good. Yeah, it's pretty good. What we get is a lot more Anakin and Obi-Wan off trying to save the galaxy. We get to see some of Anakin's brashness and frustrations with the Order, and how well Palpatine plays everyone. I think there needs to be even more of how Anakin went from Jedi to Dark Lord, but there's a solid foundation of anger and frustration here that was never explored well in the movies. I assume there is more in the 2nd book (which I think is the 3rd movie in book form?), so between those two books we might have the story the movies failed to tell.
If you're the person who desperately wanted Revenge of the Sith to be good, but couldn't get past Anakin's jump from whiny brat to full Sith over an afternoon, try this book out.
February 10, 2018
Surprisingly enough, I found this pre-movie novel to be both well-written and quite engaging. I would have liked there to have been more character and motivational development, but unfortunately, it seems that Separatist and Sith characters are never flushed out, as they must be portrayed as evil and corrupt as possible (which I don't agree with at all, but it's canon and I cannot change that). However, Labyrinth of Evil is more audacious and intricate than most of the Star Wars prequel novels, and I believe it to be because of James Luceno's fluid writing, which is not difficult to read but still contains the subtlety you'd find in a good novel.
Even though this is considered heresy...I did find enjoyment in the Star Wars prequels and I loved the animated Clone Wars series from 2002-2003. Seeing a good (not great, but good) novel that explores the themes and political turmoil we didn't get to see in the films was a treat. I actually found the politics of the Star Wars prequels to be very interesting, but poorly portrayed in the films. I'd recommend James Luceno novels and a binge-watch of the Clone Wars Animates series to explore the true intricate. fascinating nature of the politics and turmoil that brewed beneath the shadows of the Republic and the Confederacy.
Even though this is considered heresy...I did find enjoyment in the Star Wars prequels and I loved the animated Clone Wars series from 2002-2003. Seeing a good (not great, but good) novel that explores the themes and political turmoil we didn't get to see in the films was a treat. I actually found the politics of the Star Wars prequels to be very interesting, but poorly portrayed in the films. I'd recommend James Luceno novels and a binge-watch of the Clone Wars Animates series to explore the true intricate. fascinating nature of the politics and turmoil that brewed beneath the shadows of the Republic and the Confederacy.
July 20, 2020
Initially I was looking forward to re-reading this book because I remembered how good it was, remembered it being evocatively dark, and scenes of Anakin grappling with an ‘inner dragon’. Now I’ve finished, I realise that what I remembered was actually from Matthew Stover’s novelisation of Revenge of the Sith. It makes sense in hindsight; Stover is well-known in the Expanded Universe for his hard-hitting, no-punches-pulled entries, including Shatterpoint and Traitor. Mea culpa – it has been a decade at least since I last did a Star Wars books marathon re-read. But I still remembered enjoying Labyrinth of Evil, and the book didn’t let me down on that front.
It may not be as stark as Stover’s immediate sequel, but Labyrinth assuredly has its chilling moments. It’s hard not to feel the icy knife of grim sobriety when confronted with the fate of the determined Intelligence agent on Darth Sidious’ tail, or discovering that Anakin, when left alone without Obi-Wan, behind his back bullies and tortures witnesses in hopes of getting the information he deems vital at any cost. This is fairly mature stuff, and, as an adult, I appreciate the exploration of such difficult situations and themes. That said, I wouldn’t call it replete with gore. It summons the moments of horror when needed, but much of Labyrinth is an adventure chase as our protagonists travel to strange alien worlds in hopes of unravelling the mystery. Your mileage may vary of course – I have a pretty strong stomach and this seems pretty light to me, but others may find a different experience.
It’s that heart that really makes and dominates this story. Our Sith are not shown to have everything sewn up and in the bag – one mistake brings the Jedi in this book breathing down Sidious’ neck and you feel the tension is real and the outcome still changeable and resting on a knife’s edge. That’s a very nice thing to have when most of us reading this book already know what happens and these stories could so easily have been lazy and predictable with nothing deviating from the master plan laid out by the Sith. The story actually has stakes. But it isn’t made easy for the good guys either. Obi-Wan and Anakin have to follow a lengthy trail of minor hints and clues, all in hopes that it will lead to some substantive information, and facing resistance at every step. This ends up with them going on what is mainly a rollicking adventure across five different worlds; with interludes on Coruscant with Bail Organa reminding us of the grave risks when the fate of a galaxy is on the line. I suppose I can say that I wish more time had been spent on those worlds – but then, I openly admit that I love the books that deep dive alien worlds and locations, considering this sort of stuff to be the guest stars of any sci fi novel. That’s a minor wishlist criticism from me though, and a very personal one, based on what I prefer and enjoy.
The story feels well-plotted out, certainly, and definitely dovetails very smoothly with the opening of Revenge of the Sith, where we’re thrown right into the middle of the action and perhaps left to wonder a little bit exactly how we ended up with a battle above Coruscant, when the Republic were supposedly winning the war, and how such a high profile and well-guarded figure as the Chancellor could have been captured. Labyrinth answers all those questions. It also draws from and makes references to plenty of the other Clone Wars novels, making this feel like a coherent, joined up world. The downside to this is that there are frequent mentions of some of the not-so-good entries that I’d rather forget and cut from my personal canon.
When it comes to the rating I give this book, a caveat is in order. Labyrinth is not among the best the Expanded Universe has to offer. It wouldn’t make my top ten. But I do think it is a decent entry, decent enough to keep not cut, and I feel reasonably well disposed towards it because it is one of the few Clone Wars era novels that I consider satisfactory. I’ve found, during this re-read, that I didn’t enjoy quite a lot of them. Some were completely out of step with the universe and characters they purported to portray, some were just utterly boring, some were just mediocre. Luceno here at least creates a world that is recognisable to Star Wars fans, giving Anakin and Obi-Wan a plausible relationship instead of one that is hopelessly out of character. Throw in a decently constructed plot on top of that and some good tension, and yes, this is good enough to make my cut, even if there are better books out there. It’s set it up well, and now I’m looking forward to Stover’s novelisation of Revenge of the Sith.
7 out of 10
December 31, 2025
Great prequel leading directly into RotS. Even though I enjoyed the Clone Wars series done by Filoni, my true time period between Attack and Revenge is the Clone Wars miniseries and any novel written pre-Disney.
Luceno understands how to write Obi-Wan and Anakin. It was nice to have a slight back story for Grievous and you can see glimpses of how ruthless Palpatine/Sidious is.
Luceno understands how to write Obi-Wan and Anakin. It was nice to have a slight back story for Grievous and you can see glimpses of how ruthless Palpatine/Sidious is.
February 11, 2025
"You nearly took my head off.” Anakin held his blade to one side. In the strobing light of battle his blue eyes shone with wry amusement. “Sorry, Master, but your head was where my lightsaber needed to go."
May 8, 2021
One of the best Star Wars books I've read! Awesome setup to Revenge of the Sith! 💫
April 3, 2014
I was pretty excited to get into this one, as it's a "prequel" for Revenge of the Sith.
Two main problems: 1) Confusing and 2) Almost no character development.
It took me a good long while to figure out what was happening and why. That went for the plot, individual scenes, etc. Every time I started a chapter, it took me until about halfway through before I kinda knew what was going on. At that point, I was asking, "Why? Why are we doing this? What's our goal? Why does this story need to be told?"
And there is very little character or emotion in this book. Just this happened, that happened, something exploded (though I'm not sure why because I'm still confused), etc. It's very mechanical. There are flashes of good stuff here and there, especially with Anakin and Obi-Wan's dialogue near the end, but that's about it.
The book did introduce a couple good ideas and interesting concepts, but overall fell flat. It lacked depth and emotion, and probably isn't worth your time.
Two main problems: 1) Confusing and 2) Almost no character development.
It took me a good long while to figure out what was happening and why. That went for the plot, individual scenes, etc. Every time I started a chapter, it took me until about halfway through before I kinda knew what was going on. At that point, I was asking, "Why? Why are we doing this? What's our goal? Why does this story need to be told?"
And there is very little character or emotion in this book. Just this happened, that happened, something exploded (though I'm not sure why because I'm still confused), etc. It's very mechanical. There are flashes of good stuff here and there, especially with Anakin and Obi-Wan's dialogue near the end, but that's about it.
The book did introduce a couple good ideas and interesting concepts, but overall fell flat. It lacked depth and emotion, and probably isn't worth your time.
October 23, 2008
I finally got this read after looking at it in the library for awhile and it is a great book the does some good story line before the Revenge of the Sith. It shows Anakin starting to change a little bit, but it really helps to show how things started to come about with the rise of The Empiror. It also does a nice job of feeling in some of the story from the Attack of the Clones.
I would probably see Attack of the Clones and/or Revenge of the Sith to get a better feel for the book. I remembered most of it, but other parts I had to think of the movie.
Another quick read and well written.
I would probably see Attack of the Clones and/or Revenge of the Sith to get a better feel for the book. I remembered most of it, but other parts I had to think of the movie.
Another quick read and well written.
October 24, 2025
4.5 stars
Loved this!
It shows Anakin and Obi-Wan fighting nonstop in the Outer Rim until Palpatine becomes “captured” forcing them back to Coruscant to rescue him.
I don’t even care that this is Legends it’s such interesting insight into how the Battle of Coruscant happened. I would genuinely LOVE a show or movie focused on this time frame bc SO MUCH happens. It could even be in the Clone Wars animation idc I just want good Star Wars back and this would be it!
Loved this!
It shows Anakin and Obi-Wan fighting nonstop in the Outer Rim until Palpatine becomes “captured” forcing them back to Coruscant to rescue him.
I don’t even care that this is Legends it’s such interesting insight into how the Battle of Coruscant happened. I would genuinely LOVE a show or movie focused on this time frame bc SO MUCH happens. It could even be in the Clone Wars animation idc I just want good Star Wars back and this would be it!
May 2, 2020
Absolutely loved the action scenes, they was fast paced, and it was nice seeing Padme' in action during her pregnancy.
But nevertheless this book is the prequel to the last prequel in the prequel trilogy!
But nevertheless this book is the prequel to the last prequel in the prequel trilogy!
May 31, 2025
I basically went into this knowing I’d love it. James Luceno is easily one of the best Star Wars authors, and while I’ve not read his highly praised immediate sequel to Revenge Of The Sith yet, his overlooked prequel Labyrinth Of Evil lived up to expectations.
Labyrinth Of Evil is incredible in its final laying of the plans that would lead up to Order 66, and its deeper look into pivotal characters. I’ll first address the narrative, as it really shows the height of the Republic’s full-on descent into the final stages of realizing an empire. Hyper-Militarization, constant polarity in the politics, the vast dispersion of clone troopers into deeper and deeper territory shows the slow grip on power Palpatine is unraveling. Many obviously are aware of this, as several Jedi and different senators confront him on this personally in the book. Moreover, this book leads right up to the very beginning of Revenge Of The Sith, ending with Palpatine’s kidnapping by General Grievous, as Count Dooku created a diversion to keep Anakin and Obi Wan away until the plan called for them to rescue the chancellor. While the second half of the book mostly deals in the battle of Coruscant snd the assault leading up to the capture, the first half focuses on striking evidence that confirms the existence of Darth Sidious, as the Jedi get closer and closer to realizing who is behind everything; the chase and of being just out of reach adds a lot of thrill. These parts were fun to read, even if they’re ultimately a throwaway segment to the larger plot.
As the front cover suggests, Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous are the stars of the show, and their inner feelings are also what make this great. We get a lot of Anakin’s in these books, it being not abnormal to flesh out his frustrations, passions, and ultimate flirtations with evil. However, it’s rare to get this of General Grievous. At several points, we get segments on his backstory from Kalee, and how he wound up as a brutal assassin and general for the separatists. His hatred for Jedi played nicely into the hands of the Sith, as his personal strife made him the strong ally he is. We get to see his training in Jedi arts from Count Dooku, we hear of a small role he played on Geonosis, and his ultimate drive as a character is realized here more than any other. Of course, I also love the dramatic irony of Palpatine and Sidious being the same person, a feature I always look forward to in the books that come before Episode III. There’s a lot of that, and Luceno also knows how to sneak in humor at just the right times from the memeable parts of the prequels; be it Anakin making a remark about sand, or Gunray calling someone “brain dead.” I even giggle at the mention of Darth Sidious wearing slippers amidst a serious scene.
More than anything, it’s striking how realistic Star Wars is in its reflection of real life geopolitics. Setting up a capture to gain sympathy, and plunging the galaxy into panic to win out support for more militarization right before an open siege of power is eerily similar to things we’ve seen in the past hundred years on Earth. This simply adds the the thrill of what was an incredible story, as Labyrinth Of Evil is simply a descriptor of how everything that unfolds in the clone wars is the most fertile breeding ground of evil.
Labyrinth Of Evil is incredible in its final laying of the plans that would lead up to Order 66, and its deeper look into pivotal characters. I’ll first address the narrative, as it really shows the height of the Republic’s full-on descent into the final stages of realizing an empire. Hyper-Militarization, constant polarity in the politics, the vast dispersion of clone troopers into deeper and deeper territory shows the slow grip on power Palpatine is unraveling. Many obviously are aware of this, as several Jedi and different senators confront him on this personally in the book. Moreover, this book leads right up to the very beginning of Revenge Of The Sith, ending with Palpatine’s kidnapping by General Grievous, as Count Dooku created a diversion to keep Anakin and Obi Wan away until the plan called for them to rescue the chancellor. While the second half of the book mostly deals in the battle of Coruscant snd the assault leading up to the capture, the first half focuses on striking evidence that confirms the existence of Darth Sidious, as the Jedi get closer and closer to realizing who is behind everything; the chase and of being just out of reach adds a lot of thrill. These parts were fun to read, even if they’re ultimately a throwaway segment to the larger plot.
As the front cover suggests, Anakin Skywalker and General Grievous are the stars of the show, and their inner feelings are also what make this great. We get a lot of Anakin’s in these books, it being not abnormal to flesh out his frustrations, passions, and ultimate flirtations with evil. However, it’s rare to get this of General Grievous. At several points, we get segments on his backstory from Kalee, and how he wound up as a brutal assassin and general for the separatists. His hatred for Jedi played nicely into the hands of the Sith, as his personal strife made him the strong ally he is. We get to see his training in Jedi arts from Count Dooku, we hear of a small role he played on Geonosis, and his ultimate drive as a character is realized here more than any other. Of course, I also love the dramatic irony of Palpatine and Sidious being the same person, a feature I always look forward to in the books that come before Episode III. There’s a lot of that, and Luceno also knows how to sneak in humor at just the right times from the memeable parts of the prequels; be it Anakin making a remark about sand, or Gunray calling someone “brain dead.” I even giggle at the mention of Darth Sidious wearing slippers amidst a serious scene.
More than anything, it’s striking how realistic Star Wars is in its reflection of real life geopolitics. Setting up a capture to gain sympathy, and plunging the galaxy into panic to win out support for more militarization right before an open siege of power is eerily similar to things we’ve seen in the past hundred years on Earth. This simply adds the the thrill of what was an incredible story, as Labyrinth Of Evil is simply a descriptor of how everything that unfolds in the clone wars is the most fertile breeding ground of evil.
December 5, 2024
While I think this is actually one of Luceno's better books, his style is just one that does not mesh with me, and as such I can't really recommend it despite its triumphs. In broad description, this is some sort of war novel meets espionage thriller, all about the investigation into the real underpinnings of the Clone Wars, leading right up into the beginning of Revenge of the Sith - it fleshes out and evolves a number of the characters in great ways, binding a lot of the other lore together and creating something stronger.
It's just that to do this, Luceno employs, as usual, his impossibly dry style, turning nearly everything - description, conversation, the heat of battle - into exposition. The characters will do something, and it will immediately be framed in this descriptive past tense set apart. Everything is by the book, everything is technical. There's very little heart and character here except what you can find between the lines - no wonder some of the more plotting characters (Grievous, Dooku) come off very well, and the more human, heart-felt (Obi-Wan in particular) are very bland. The one exception thankfully is Anakin - a different characterization than in modern canon, but his more blatant Achilles-like rage is a very good take on the character.
But it still works? And this is where it's one of my favorite Lucenos. Often his style just leads to a long dry read and you're done and then... yay you're done. Here, the finale, and the building of tension in how Sidious is playing all sides is honestly very well set up. And with the knowledge of what's to come it all has this excellent sense of irony that enshrouds the story. It's a book that's just stylistically never going to be my favorite, but it's probably the best version of that? and that's pretty cool in itself.
It's just that to do this, Luceno employs, as usual, his impossibly dry style, turning nearly everything - description, conversation, the heat of battle - into exposition. The characters will do something, and it will immediately be framed in this descriptive past tense set apart. Everything is by the book, everything is technical. There's very little heart and character here except what you can find between the lines - no wonder some of the more plotting characters (Grievous, Dooku) come off very well, and the more human, heart-felt (Obi-Wan in particular) are very bland. The one exception thankfully is Anakin - a different characterization than in modern canon, but his more blatant Achilles-like rage is a very good take on the character.
But it still works? And this is where it's one of my favorite Lucenos. Often his style just leads to a long dry read and you're done and then... yay you're done. Here, the finale, and the building of tension in how Sidious is playing all sides is honestly very well set up. And with the knowledge of what's to come it all has this excellent sense of irony that enshrouds the story. It's a book that's just stylistically never going to be my favorite, but it's probably the best version of that? and that's pretty cool in itself.
June 10, 2025
The Plot
In Labyrinth of Evil, a novel set during the Clone Wars, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker pursue the elusive Viceroy Gunray, hoping to uncover the identity of Darth Sidious. Their chase leads them to intelligence that could expose Sidious, but the Sith Lord expertly manipulates events, dividing the Jedi and pushing the Republic towards war. Count Dooku and General Grievous also play a crucial role, working to advance Sidious's plans. Ultimately, the novel foreshadows Anakin's fall to the dark side and highlights the Jedi's struggle to maintain order as the galaxy descends into chaos.
My review
This is the first Star wars novel I've read and I don't consider myself the most knowledgeable star wars fan, I've only seen the live action films, watched a bit of the clone wars tv series, watched the rebels tv series, watched the first season of the Mandalorian tv series and watched a bit of the Ashoka tv series so I don't know everything about the Star wars universe.
Having said that I very much enjoyed this book it was nice learning some stuff that I never knew in the star wars universe and this was a nice way to tie it into ep 3, I also enjoyed how it showed different characters and what they were up to like Anakin and Obi wan, Mace windu, Yoda, Padma and even count Doku and General Grevious, one final thing this book is not hard to read sometimes I feel lost reading it but that didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
My Conclusion
overall this was an enjoyable read while I did get lost a few times in this book,I did enjoy learning some stuff from the star wars universe in this book, I enjoyed seeing different characters and what their involvement was in this book plus the action was very good in this book and I look forward to reading more of the star wars novels and learning about the star wars universe.
In Labyrinth of Evil, a novel set during the Clone Wars, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker pursue the elusive Viceroy Gunray, hoping to uncover the identity of Darth Sidious. Their chase leads them to intelligence that could expose Sidious, but the Sith Lord expertly manipulates events, dividing the Jedi and pushing the Republic towards war. Count Dooku and General Grievous also play a crucial role, working to advance Sidious's plans. Ultimately, the novel foreshadows Anakin's fall to the dark side and highlights the Jedi's struggle to maintain order as the galaxy descends into chaos.
My review
This is the first Star wars novel I've read and I don't consider myself the most knowledgeable star wars fan, I've only seen the live action films, watched a bit of the clone wars tv series, watched the rebels tv series, watched the first season of the Mandalorian tv series and watched a bit of the Ashoka tv series so I don't know everything about the Star wars universe.
Having said that I very much enjoyed this book it was nice learning some stuff that I never knew in the star wars universe and this was a nice way to tie it into ep 3, I also enjoyed how it showed different characters and what they were up to like Anakin and Obi wan, Mace windu, Yoda, Padma and even count Doku and General Grevious, one final thing this book is not hard to read sometimes I feel lost reading it but that didn't ruin my enjoyment of the book.
My Conclusion
overall this was an enjoyable read while I did get lost a few times in this book,I did enjoy learning some stuff from the star wars universe in this book, I enjoyed seeing different characters and what their involvement was in this book plus the action was very good in this book and I look forward to reading more of the star wars novels and learning about the star wars universe.
March 29, 2024
I appreciate James Luceno's novels. The few I have read: I enjoyed.
This is a prequel to the Revenge of the Sith in the legend timeline. It was full of action and plot with well planned senate politics.
I appreciate Palpatine's character. He is one smart, bloody cookie. Everything he planned came to fruition and oh boy . . . What a ride it is.
The jedi was occupied in the war, and with the obsession on finding the Sith Lord, they failed to see the bigger picture.
His character was captured beautifully. The way he manipulates without giving anything away.
Can I just mention the relic, Mace saw? Damn that makes so much sense.
I loved Obi and Anakin in this one. The banter feels real and not forced. I could hear them as if I were watching the movies.
The battles were well written. The fact that the author encorporated other novels that I haven't read yet was a nice touch.
One of the things I loved was how this ends, and you can pick up the movie novelization of The Revenge of the Sith as it continues from where this left off is amazing.
I am sorry, Disney, but this novel is my canon now.
This is a prequel to the Revenge of the Sith in the legend timeline. It was full of action and plot with well planned senate politics.
I appreciate Palpatine's character. He is one smart, bloody cookie. Everything he planned came to fruition and oh boy . . . What a ride it is.
The jedi was occupied in the war, and with the obsession on finding the Sith Lord, they failed to see the bigger picture.
His character was captured beautifully. The way he manipulates without giving anything away.
Can I just mention the relic, Mace saw? Damn that makes so much sense.
I loved Obi and Anakin in this one. The banter feels real and not forced. I could hear them as if I were watching the movies.
The battles were well written. The fact that the author encorporated other novels that I haven't read yet was a nice touch.
One of the things I loved was how this ends, and you can pick up the movie novelization of The Revenge of the Sith as it continues from where this left off is amazing.
I am sorry, Disney, but this novel is my canon now.
December 22, 2024
Star Wars: A Dark Lord Trilogy 01 Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno
challenging funny reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
3.5 Stars
When I got this trilogy (as a gift from my wife), I had not known of it. I had heard the novelization of th Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith was the best novelization of a Star Wars story, so it gave me a LOT of excitement to pick this book up, too.
Sadly, it wasn't as good as I hoped. There were good sequences, but the focus wasn't has strong (for me) in the overall story. Good pieces, but the execution was lacking. I hope others enjoyed it more than I did.
I am excited about finally being able to read Revenge of the Sith. Authors that I trust, LOVE this book...so that's the next Star Wars book...to read.
challenging funny reflective sad tense
Medium-paced
Plot or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
3.5 Stars
When I got this trilogy (as a gift from my wife), I had not known of it. I had heard the novelization of th Episode III - The Revenge of the Sith was the best novelization of a Star Wars story, so it gave me a LOT of excitement to pick this book up, too.
Sadly, it wasn't as good as I hoped. There were good sequences, but the focus wasn't has strong (for me) in the overall story. Good pieces, but the execution was lacking. I hope others enjoyed it more than I did.
I am excited about finally being able to read Revenge of the Sith. Authors that I trust, LOVE this book...so that's the next Star Wars book...to read.
January 13, 2026
it was so intense with how everything is playing out in battle. focusing more on the political side and how it's effecting the troops and jedi. also seeing how lord sidious is planning everything just so that they can get to anakin and also destroy the republic. Sidious being a true mastermind in this story and how everything has to be according to plan for this war to ‘end’ in a way. How everything is not what it seems since the start of war and how the republic is handling the war and just all the influence coming from palpatine. the jedi being the most level headed in the story on how things are progressing with finding darth sidious and general grevious. anakin also seeing how he sort of feels at a lost and wants to do his own thing if finding dooku and grievous but still wanting to follow the jedi code with obi wan. overall i loved this story with the in between with the clones wars and revenge of the sith.
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