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Star Wars anthologies
Star Wars Dark Legends
Read on if you dare! This unique in-world collection hallows the spooky tales and ghost stories that would have kept young Luke and Leia up at night. Created by George Mann and Grant Griffin--the same team behind the stunning Star Myths & Fables--these seven frightful fables have been carefully woven from the expansive fabric that is the Star Wars galaxy (including the thrilling landscape from Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland and Disney World), and beautifully painted in a lush illustrative style that feels intergalactic yet innately archetypal and timeless.
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2020
106 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
George Mann
370 books675 followersGeorge Mann is an author and editor, primarily in genre fiction. He was born in Darlington, County Durham in 1978.
A former editor of Outland, Mann is the author of The Human Abstract, and more recently The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual in his Newbury and Hobbes detective series, set in an alternate Britain, and Ghosts of Manhattan, set in the same universe some decades later.
He wrote the Time Hunter novella "The Severed Man", and co-wrote the series finale, Child of Time.
He has also written numerous short stories, plus Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes audiobooks for Big Finish Productions. He has edited a number of anthologies including The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and a retrospective collection of Sexton Blake stories, Sexton Blake, Detective, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock.
A former editor of Outland, Mann is the author of The Human Abstract, and more recently The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual in his Newbury and Hobbes detective series, set in an alternate Britain, and Ghosts of Manhattan, set in the same universe some decades later.
He wrote the Time Hunter novella "The Severed Man", and co-wrote the series finale, Child of Time.
He has also written numerous short stories, plus Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes audiobooks for Big Finish Productions. He has edited a number of anthologies including The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and a retrospective collection of Sexton Blake stories, Sexton Blake, Detective, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
October 12, 2021
A good collection of short stories. George Mann and Grant Griffin team up again. This book is smaller and shorter, but on the format the rough cut paper make it look pretty cool.
It is difficult to rate the book as whole as it is 7 short stories. So I might enjoy one more than the other.
The Orphanage. 4 stars. Griffin sums up the nusfuratu feel of Mann's story with his art work at the begining of the chapter. I enjoyed this story the most as has battle the light and dark in it.
Buyer Beware. 3.5 stars. A good story but I guess where it was going quite early on. Shout out to a continuity between the books, a familiar trader from the Black Spire.
The Predecessor. 3 stars. Life on the Imperial military is tough, severing under Darth Vader is a daily challenge to survive. I understand the idea of trying to make this a but if a ghost story, but I don't thing it really worked for me.
Blood Moon. 3.5 stars. Looking for treasure you worry about all the external dangers, but what is the beast is unleashed from within. The art work at the begining sums up the story.
The Dark Mirror. 4 stars.a legacy of good corrupted. I enjoyed this despite knowing where the story was going.
The Gilded Cage. 5 stars. A good story. There is something familiar about this story I can't remember whether I read it in parts on the comics or in another book. Dark, twisting and twisted.
A Life Immortal. 4 stars. Many Sith have been looking for immortality, this one got an extra continuity point to link to the movie.
A good quick read of short stories, great intro artwork to each chapter. Let see if these guys are going to do a lightside offering next. I am looking forward to it.
It is difficult to rate the book as whole as it is 7 short stories. So I might enjoy one more than the other.
The Orphanage. 4 stars. Griffin sums up the nusfuratu feel of Mann's story with his art work at the begining of the chapter. I enjoyed this story the most as has battle the light and dark in it.
Buyer Beware. 3.5 stars. A good story but I guess where it was going quite early on. Shout out to a continuity between the books, a familiar trader from the Black Spire.
The Predecessor. 3 stars. Life on the Imperial military is tough, severing under Darth Vader is a daily challenge to survive. I understand the idea of trying to make this a but if a ghost story, but I don't thing it really worked for me.
Blood Moon. 3.5 stars. Looking for treasure you worry about all the external dangers, but what is the beast is unleashed from within. The art work at the begining sums up the story.
The Dark Mirror. 4 stars.a legacy of good corrupted. I enjoyed this despite knowing where the story was going.
The Gilded Cage. 5 stars. A good story. There is something familiar about this story I can't remember whether I read it in parts on the comics or in another book. Dark, twisting and twisted.
A Life Immortal. 4 stars. Many Sith have been looking for immortality, this one got an extra continuity point to link to the movie.
A good quick read of short stories, great intro artwork to each chapter. Let see if these guys are going to do a lightside offering next. I am looking forward to it.
October 31, 2023
Vampire Sith! Intergalactic werewolf smugglers! A Jedi Master with a Dark Side! Witches of Dathomir vs. a Sith Lord!
If you’re a Star Wars fan looking for a spooky good time within the Star Wars universe, George Mann’s “Star Wars: Dark Legends” is the perfect little Halloween treat.
These are seven short stories set within the familiar galaxy far, far away with some interesting little horror twists. While the book is clearly targeted to a middle school age young reader, fans of any age will enjoy these haunting and, in some cases, genuinely creepy tales of terror.
Happy Halloween, y’all!
If you’re a Star Wars fan looking for a spooky good time within the Star Wars universe, George Mann’s “Star Wars: Dark Legends” is the perfect little Halloween treat.
These are seven short stories set within the familiar galaxy far, far away with some interesting little horror twists. While the book is clearly targeted to a middle school age young reader, fans of any age will enjoy these haunting and, in some cases, genuinely creepy tales of terror.
Happy Halloween, y’all!
November 25, 2020
A fun collection of scary Star Wars short stories. It's under the "Legends" label so none of it is canon so all bets are off and Mann can have as much fun as he wants. I enjoyed Mann's Star Wars "Myths and Fables" from last year and this collection is very much in that vein.
While most of the stories are predictable and there is no doubt this is a YA title, it's still a very enjoyable read. These are more like camp fire stories: Cheesy, predictable, and wonderful. A few of them even had me chuckling in delight.
While most of the stories are predictable and there is no doubt this is a YA title, it's still a very enjoyable read. These are more like camp fire stories: Cheesy, predictable, and wonderful. A few of them even had me chuckling in delight.
January 4, 2021
Well I gotta say... Star Wars and horror mix fairly well!
What’s it about?
In this book we get a collection of short horror (or at least darker than usual) stories set in the galaxy of Star Wars.
What I thought of these stories:
The Orphanage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is the first story in the book and it is very interesting, intense and creepy! Predictable but overall very good.
Buyer Beware ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another predictable but nevertheless good story. It is very dark, intense and well written! Sorta Twilight Zone-esque.
The Predecessor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Started somewhat meh but ended up becoming a very cool, horror-esque take on a very iconic character (not gonna spoil stuff though) so I definitely liked it in the end.
Blood Moon ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fairy standard and predictable werewolf story. That being said it is still pretty intense and the ending, while predictable, is pretty sweet so not a bad short story by any means.
The Dark Mirror ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The story is okay but I think it only slightly fits this collection.
The Gilded Cage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing! I didn’t know that witchcraft, revenge and Star Wars would be such a great mix! It is interesting and well written with intriguing characters. Very suspenseful too. The ending is really twisted but I like some twisted shit, especially in horror so I loved the twisted ending!
A Life Immortal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In this story a character learns that immortality, which she has been chasing her her whole life, may not be as great as it sounds under certain circumstances. This story is very dark and pretty twisted (especially the ending). It is a pretty great way to finish this collection.
Bonus points:
There is a well written, tone setting introduction. It reads sorta like a warning that once these stories are heard they can’t be unheard, it was a pretty cool way to begin the book.
Each story has a little illustration at the beginning, they’re mostly pretty good!
Overall:
This is a really cool book. As a fan of Star Wars and BIG fan of the horror genre, this definitely worked for me.
Sure, some of it can be predictable and not every story in this set is a masterpiece (though the last 2 stories are!) but it is well written, dark and intense throughout which is ultimately what I wanted.
I think people who want to explore the dark (sometimes twisted and creepy) side of the Star Wars galaxy should definitely go give this a try!
4/5
What’s it about?
In this book we get a collection of short horror (or at least darker than usual) stories set in the galaxy of Star Wars.
What I thought of these stories:
The Orphanage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is the first story in the book and it is very interesting, intense and creepy! Predictable but overall very good.
Buyer Beware ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Another predictable but nevertheless good story. It is very dark, intense and well written! Sorta Twilight Zone-esque.
The Predecessor ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Started somewhat meh but ended up becoming a very cool, horror-esque take on a very iconic character (not gonna spoil stuff though) so I definitely liked it in the end.
Blood Moon ⭐️⭐️⭐️ A fairy standard and predictable werewolf story. That being said it is still pretty intense and the ending, while predictable, is pretty sweet so not a bad short story by any means.
The Dark Mirror ⭐️⭐️⭐️ The story is okay but I think it only slightly fits this collection.
The Gilded Cage ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Amazing! I didn’t know that witchcraft, revenge and Star Wars would be such a great mix! It is interesting and well written with intriguing characters. Very suspenseful too. The ending is really twisted but I like some twisted shit, especially in horror so I loved the twisted ending!
A Life Immortal ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ In this story a character learns that immortality, which she has been chasing her her whole life, may not be as great as it sounds under certain circumstances. This story is very dark and pretty twisted (especially the ending). It is a pretty great way to finish this collection.
Bonus points:
There is a well written, tone setting introduction. It reads sorta like a warning that once these stories are heard they can’t be unheard, it was a pretty cool way to begin the book.
Each story has a little illustration at the beginning, they’re mostly pretty good!
Overall:
This is a really cool book. As a fan of Star Wars and BIG fan of the horror genre, this definitely worked for me.
Sure, some of it can be predictable and not every story in this set is a masterpiece (though the last 2 stories are!) but it is well written, dark and intense throughout which is ultimately what I wanted.
I think people who want to explore the dark (sometimes twisted and creepy) side of the Star Wars galaxy should definitely go give this a try!
4/5
July 25, 2020
Dark Legends had quite a bit to live up to after the success of its predecessor Myths and Fables, and it's safe to say that it exceeded expectations. Myths and Fables had a few darker stories, but every single story in this book is dark, creepy, and anxiety-inducing. These stories are written like they could be told around the campfire on any planet in the Star Wars galaxy. The overall scariness of every story in this book makes it an incredibly fun read.
We get to meet some new characters in this book, and we get to revisit some well-known characters as well, such as Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor. In terms of locations, we travel to new places along with planets we already know and love, like Coruscant, Batuu, and Exegol. This created a nice balance between new and familiar, making the reading experience even more enjoyable. Dark Legends is a fantastic book all around, with fun and terrifying stories that will keep you up at night.
We get to meet some new characters in this book, and we get to revisit some well-known characters as well, such as Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor. In terms of locations, we travel to new places along with planets we already know and love, like Coruscant, Batuu, and Exegol. This created a nice balance between new and familiar, making the reading experience even more enjoyable. Dark Legends is a fantastic book all around, with fun and terrifying stories that will keep you up at night.
October 6, 2022
Having gotten a bit more into horror recently, I was curious what this book would be like. Star Wars and horror is an interesting combination, and luckily this book does a very good job of bringing these two things together.
Dark Legends is made up of seven short stories—very short ones, in fact. It took me an hour and a half or less to read the whole thing. Some of them are more like typical Star Wars with a more horror-like feel, while others are more like our world’s traditional horror stories (think vampires, ghosts, and werewolves) in the Star Wars setting. While a couple of them didn’t really grab me, most of the stories were really interesting. One or two (particularly The Dark Mirror) could probably even make for a novel if the story and concepts were expanded.
Overall this is a really solid collection of stories. I can see some of them even being in-universe horror stories that one might tell. It’s a pretty easy read and there’s nothing too deep here, but it’s a lot of fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Individual Story Ratings:
The Orphanage 7/10
Buyer Beware 8/10
The Predecessor 10/10
Blood Moon 7/10
The Dark Mirror 10/10
The Gilded Cage 6/10
A Life Immortal 9/10
Rating: 8/10
Dark Legends is made up of seven short stories—very short ones, in fact. It took me an hour and a half or less to read the whole thing. Some of them are more like typical Star Wars with a more horror-like feel, while others are more like our world’s traditional horror stories (think vampires, ghosts, and werewolves) in the Star Wars setting. While a couple of them didn’t really grab me, most of the stories were really interesting. One or two (particularly The Dark Mirror) could probably even make for a novel if the story and concepts were expanded.
Overall this is a really solid collection of stories. I can see some of them even being in-universe horror stories that one might tell. It’s a pretty easy read and there’s nothing too deep here, but it’s a lot of fun and I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Individual Story Ratings:
The Orphanage 7/10
Buyer Beware 8/10
The Predecessor 10/10
Blood Moon 7/10
The Dark Mirror 10/10
The Gilded Cage 6/10
A Life Immortal 9/10
Rating: 8/10
January 4, 2021
If you enjoyed Star Wars Myths & Fables then you will certainly dig this one, entertaining "legendary" stories with a darker hue supported by beautiful design and art.
Title art for "Buyer Beware"
Title art for "Buyer Beware"
August 2, 2020
So I actually did not read last year’s release by George Mann, SW Myths & Fables. However, after starting this one, I immediately ordered the other and I am now excited for it.
Each story has a unique and beautiful watercolor painting at the beginning (much the same as, Tales From the Galaxy Far Far Away: Vol. 1: Aliens) and this hardcover does a great job with these giant, wonderfully saturated black title cards that don’t look cheesy or see-through. Another win for Disney Lucasfilm Press honestly.
The orphanage: 4*
I actually liked this story a lot. I liked that it mentioned several times that it was after the end of the clone wars and the purge. I also like this thing that Disney is doing where they’re rehashing old horrors and putting them into the SW universe like they did in Tales From a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Vol. 1: Aliens. This is obviously the phantom in the night, much the same as Dracula, stealing children from the orphanage. Kira, the fallen jedi, is the SW Van Helsing... trust me, it worked for me. This honestly could have been made to be so much scarier though.
Buyer Beware: 3*
Didn’t like this one as much, I feel like it shared less and also had less potential. Dude buys an evil mask, uses mask for evil, and then gets got...
(Dok-Ondar and his shop on Batuu once again get name-dropped. This dude is like the most mentioned rando in universe now)
The Predecessor: 5*
So Denholm is just us as kids whenever Vader would choke someone to death on screen...
This was an enjoyable, creepy, campfire-esque in-universe tale. It was nice to see an imperial losing their sh*t for once.
Blood Moon: 3*
This was a cool, horror-like werewolf hunting story. It would have been cooler though if it had more of an eerie mystery/thriller feel with a missing person a night or something like that. I did like the idea of a red kyber sun radiating hate/blood-thirst like the moon calls to the werewolf.
The Dark Mirror: 4*
Honestly, I feel like I’ve said this before about another short story somewhere, but this could have been so sick made into a novella or even novel. First of all, let me say this, “JEDI?!” yes please. Always. Not to mention jedi in a horror-y/murder mystery way? Even cooler. This could have been drawn out into almost a jedi investigative novel, and I don’t know about everyone else, but that is something I most definitely could have gotten behind.
However, the ending felt rushed and not true to a jedi so I didn’t like that part much.
The Gilded Cage: 4*
Sith? Yes please. Dathomirian Nightsisters? Hell yes! I mean what’s not to love?
But I will say it’s unfortunate that I feel like we get these great tales with the characters we really want to see and it’s always legends or fables. Regardless of in-universe or not. That’s why it’s so important for fans that they’re releasing the High Republic stuff.
I do feel like this is a pretty simple, if not a somewhat unoriginal tale, of a possessor thinking they have the upper hand when in reality, the stronger person, the would-be-possessed, is actually aware and in control the entire time. But whatever, more sith stories please.
A Life Immortal: 4*
Waitttttttt, Darth Noctyss, a female Sith Lord with a sickle shaped lightsaber? Why can’t we have nice things? Why is this just a fable? Why isn’t this full length, front and center???? An original story about one of the ancient Sith discovering Exegol? Come on can we get this made canon canon, like now?
I guess every story of immense evil needs it’s hunchbacked Igor, it’s Gollum. But even so, it was an enjoyable silly twist. And did we see similar creatures in The Rise of Skywalker? I think we kind of did...
Each story has a unique and beautiful watercolor painting at the beginning (much the same as, Tales From the Galaxy Far Far Away: Vol. 1: Aliens) and this hardcover does a great job with these giant, wonderfully saturated black title cards that don’t look cheesy or see-through. Another win for Disney Lucasfilm Press honestly.
The orphanage: 4*
I actually liked this story a lot. I liked that it mentioned several times that it was after the end of the clone wars and the purge. I also like this thing that Disney is doing where they’re rehashing old horrors and putting them into the SW universe like they did in Tales From a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Vol. 1: Aliens. This is obviously the phantom in the night, much the same as Dracula, stealing children from the orphanage. Kira, the fallen jedi, is the SW Van Helsing... trust me, it worked for me. This honestly could have been made to be so much scarier though.
Buyer Beware: 3*
Didn’t like this one as much, I feel like it shared less and also had less potential. Dude buys an evil mask, uses mask for evil, and then gets got...
(Dok-Ondar and his shop on Batuu once again get name-dropped. This dude is like the most mentioned rando in universe now)
The Predecessor: 5*
So Denholm is just us as kids whenever Vader would choke someone to death on screen...
This was an enjoyable, creepy, campfire-esque in-universe tale. It was nice to see an imperial losing their sh*t for once.
Blood Moon: 3*
This was a cool, horror-like werewolf hunting story. It would have been cooler though if it had more of an eerie mystery/thriller feel with a missing person a night or something like that. I did like the idea of a red kyber sun radiating hate/blood-thirst like the moon calls to the werewolf.
The Dark Mirror: 4*
Honestly, I feel like I’ve said this before about another short story somewhere, but this could have been so sick made into a novella or even novel. First of all, let me say this, “JEDI?!” yes please. Always. Not to mention jedi in a horror-y/murder mystery way? Even cooler. This could have been drawn out into almost a jedi investigative novel, and I don’t know about everyone else, but that is something I most definitely could have gotten behind.
However, the ending felt rushed and not true to a jedi so I didn’t like that part much.
The Gilded Cage: 4*
Sith? Yes please. Dathomirian Nightsisters? Hell yes! I mean what’s not to love?
But I will say it’s unfortunate that I feel like we get these great tales with the characters we really want to see and it’s always legends or fables. Regardless of in-universe or not. That’s why it’s so important for fans that they’re releasing the High Republic stuff.
I do feel like this is a pretty simple, if not a somewhat unoriginal tale, of a possessor thinking they have the upper hand when in reality, the stronger person, the would-be-possessed, is actually aware and in control the entire time. But whatever, more sith stories please.
A Life Immortal: 4*
Waitttttttt, Darth Noctyss, a female Sith Lord with a sickle shaped lightsaber? Why can’t we have nice things? Why is this just a fable? Why isn’t this full length, front and center???? An original story about one of the ancient Sith discovering Exegol? Come on can we get this made canon canon, like now?
I guess every story of immense evil needs it’s hunchbacked Igor, it’s Gollum. But even so, it was an enjoyable silly twist. And did we see similar creatures in The Rise of Skywalker? I think we kind of did...
August 11, 2020
Warning - Minor Spoilers Ahead...May the Force Guide your Choice to move forward.
******************************************************************
George Mann once more returns to the Star Wars Universe following on the heels of last years MYTHS & FABLES collection. In this collection he gives us a much darker take on all things in a "Universe Far Away".
THE ORPHANAGE - Children are disappearing. Those who run the orphanage say it's simply a case of runaways, but Elish believes differently...and she could be the next to 'disappear'.
BUYER BEWARE - Slokin collected unique and powerful artifacts. But sometimes the artifact collects you back.
THE PREDECESSOR - Asking too many questions can be the death of you...Literally!
BLOOD MOON - The misfortune of an entire civilization can be a waiting fortune for another. But, the red glow of its sun may have cast a different light on that.
THE DARK MIRROR - Sol Mogra was chosen to be a padawan to the greatest of Jedis, Nil Idyth. Sol wanted to, in every way, follow in the footsteps of his Master. To his lasting regret, that's exactly what he does.
THE GILDED CAGE - Sometimes the lesson you try to inflict on others, becomes the one that you are lost to.
A LIFE IMMORTAL - Utter conquest is one thing...but when you have it all death will eventually pull it from your grasp. They only thing left to conquer is death.
Mann once more spins wonderful tales of Jedi Knights and Sith Lords...worlds of amazing cities and forlorn ruins...love and betrayal. Each of the tales perfectly capture the fun and wonder of the Star Wars universe that has filled up so much of our lives. Mann can dig deep into the emotions and the makeup of his characters to bring the most to each story in just a few pages.
Hopefully, this sets the stage for another chapter next year.
******************************************************************
George Mann once more returns to the Star Wars Universe following on the heels of last years MYTHS & FABLES collection. In this collection he gives us a much darker take on all things in a "Universe Far Away".
THE ORPHANAGE - Children are disappearing. Those who run the orphanage say it's simply a case of runaways, but Elish believes differently...and she could be the next to 'disappear'.
BUYER BEWARE - Slokin collected unique and powerful artifacts. But sometimes the artifact collects you back.
THE PREDECESSOR - Asking too many questions can be the death of you...Literally!
BLOOD MOON - The misfortune of an entire civilization can be a waiting fortune for another. But, the red glow of its sun may have cast a different light on that.
THE DARK MIRROR - Sol Mogra was chosen to be a padawan to the greatest of Jedis, Nil Idyth. Sol wanted to, in every way, follow in the footsteps of his Master. To his lasting regret, that's exactly what he does.
THE GILDED CAGE - Sometimes the lesson you try to inflict on others, becomes the one that you are lost to.
A LIFE IMMORTAL - Utter conquest is one thing...but when you have it all death will eventually pull it from your grasp. They only thing left to conquer is death.
Mann once more spins wonderful tales of Jedi Knights and Sith Lords...worlds of amazing cities and forlorn ruins...love and betrayal. Each of the tales perfectly capture the fun and wonder of the Star Wars universe that has filled up so much of our lives. Mann can dig deep into the emotions and the makeup of his characters to bring the most to each story in just a few pages.
Hopefully, this sets the stage for another chapter next year.
October 30, 2025
This 2020 title, recently re-released as an audiobook, offers a fun concept, executed well: seven short stories in the Star Wars universe, all with some sort of spooky flair. I don't want to oversell the horror here -- these are PG scares, and not anything wildly out-of-place for the franchise. But they still represent an imaginative new spin on that familiar mythos, bending it just enough to incorporate the sci-fi equivalent of werewolves and vampires and such. The characters are all original too, save for a few cameo appearances from Darth Vader, the Grand Inquisitor, and Dok-Ondar and the return of Darth Caldoth and his apprentice Ry Nymbis from author George Mann's previous anthology Myths & Fables.
None of this is remotely essential to the canon, of course, but it's a quick read that delivers what it intends to and doesn't overstay its welcome. That's a win in my opinion.
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None of this is remotely essential to the canon, of course, but it's a quick read that delivers what it intends to and doesn't overstay its welcome. That's a win in my opinion.
Like this review?
--Throw me a quick one-time donation here!
https://ko-fi.com/lesserjoke
--Subscribe here to support my writing and weigh in on what I read next!
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--Follow along on Goodreads here!
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--Or click here to browse through all my reviews!
https://lesserjoke.home.blog
November 6, 2023
CHILLING LEGENDS IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY
rating: ★★★.5
✩‧₊˚ background✧.*
Star Wars: Dark Legends is a compilation of short stories designed to entice the reader into chilling tales that occurred within a far away galaxy. From encountering Darth Vader to slipping into the dark because of a horrific encounter, there's a lot of details a Star Wars fan would love to hear.
✩‧₊˚review✧.*
Each story in this book set a very good setting around what it was about and included a lot of fearsome details to hook the reader. Although, I felt like every story was kind of obvious to what the ending would be, as I would figure out what would happen and why a character was acting like this midway through each story. I will say the Nightsister story is my favorite one, I love how this one was set up and it adds on to the spooky mystical themes the Nightsisters always set for viewers in every Star Wars media.
✩‧₊˚recommend?✧.*
I recommend this book to all Star Wars fans who are looking to hear more stories within the galaxy's lore, and readers who want something on their list for next Halloween.
rating: ★★★.5
✩‧₊˚ background✧.*
Star Wars: Dark Legends is a compilation of short stories designed to entice the reader into chilling tales that occurred within a far away galaxy. From encountering Darth Vader to slipping into the dark because of a horrific encounter, there's a lot of details a Star Wars fan would love to hear.
✩‧₊˚review✧.*
Each story in this book set a very good setting around what it was about and included a lot of fearsome details to hook the reader. Although, I felt like every story was kind of obvious to what the ending would be, as I would figure out what would happen and why a character was acting like this midway through each story. I will say the Nightsister story is my favorite one, I love how this one was set up and it adds on to the spooky mystical themes the Nightsisters always set for viewers in every Star Wars media.
✩‧₊˚recommend?✧.*
I recommend this book to all Star Wars fans who are looking to hear more stories within the galaxy's lore, and readers who want something on their list for next Halloween.
November 27, 2020
All in all, a fun collection of spooky stories from the galaxy far, far away! I think this is ultimately more memorable than its predecessor Myths and Fables, but both are really interesting and valuable additions to Star Wars!
Favorite stories were Blood Moon and The Guilded Cage!
Favorite stories were Blood Moon and The Guilded Cage!
August 7, 2022
Pretty Good
Very good writing and well crafted for the 8-12 year age range. The stories are dark, but not obscene. Mann's concepts and writing stay true to Star Wars but expertly weaves in supernatural elements that just work.
Highly recommended for parents and kids that want a healthy dose of spooky Star Wars.
Very good writing and well crafted for the 8-12 year age range. The stories are dark, but not obscene. Mann's concepts and writing stay true to Star Wars but expertly weaves in supernatural elements that just work.
Highly recommended for parents and kids that want a healthy dose of spooky Star Wars.
September 12, 2024
"Once read, these stories will escape into the ether, never to be imprisoned again - for their words are like the powers of the Sith themselves, spinning visions in the nooks and crannies of your mind."
August 25, 2020
Really enoyed this. Well conceived stories with a Dark Side twist.
March 2, 2023
the orphanage: 4/5. quizzy mention!!
buyer beware: 3.5/5.
the predecessor: 3/5.
blood moon: 5/5. WEREWOLVES HELL YEAH
the dark mirror: 4/5.
the gilded cage: 4/5.
a life immortal: 4.5/5.
buyer beware: 3.5/5.
the predecessor: 3/5.
blood moon: 5/5. WEREWOLVES HELL YEAH
the dark mirror: 4/5.
the gilded cage: 4/5.
a life immortal: 4.5/5.
August 2, 2020
As was the case with Myths and Fables, Dark Legends is more of dud than a success, however, I will be honest and say that I did like this collection at least a bit more that its predecessor.
Mann was able to at least give some form of horror to the Star Wars franchise. And though the majority of them are swings and misses, the attempt must be recognized for what it is. Even if the 2 out of the 3 stories Delving into more of the Old Republic era when the galaxy was a much darker, scarier place with the Sith empire rating against the Jedi Order weren’t great, they at least gave readers some much needed history that’s been awfully apparent in new canon. And yes, the “Mirror” story was far from original in plot, but seeing old school jedi, decades and even centuries before the prequel era, gave some hope that there is still a place for pre Phantom Menace storylines.
While none of the stories collected here really stands out as phenomenal or even great, “Bloodmoon”, is the best of the bunch, taking the werewolf horror trope and throwing the requisite Star Wars creatures into the fray. And it’s the only one in the book that could potentially be considered “horror”.
Mann was able to at least give some form of horror to the Star Wars franchise. And though the majority of them are swings and misses, the attempt must be recognized for what it is. Even if the 2 out of the 3 stories Delving into more of the Old Republic era when the galaxy was a much darker, scarier place with the Sith empire rating against the Jedi Order weren’t great, they at least gave readers some much needed history that’s been awfully apparent in new canon. And yes, the “Mirror” story was far from original in plot, but seeing old school jedi, decades and even centuries before the prequel era, gave some hope that there is still a place for pre Phantom Menace storylines.
While none of the stories collected here really stands out as phenomenal or even great, “Bloodmoon”, is the best of the bunch, taking the werewolf horror trope and throwing the requisite Star Wars creatures into the fray. And it’s the only one in the book that could potentially be considered “horror”.
August 7, 2020
George Mann and his collection of mythical tales return to the Star Wars universe in a very welcome outing that's just perfect for the impending Fall/Halloween Season in Star Wars: Dark Legends. A sibling to last year's Myths and Fables, Dark Legends does exactly what its title alludes to - explores tales of the stranger and darker variety in the Star Wars galaxy. Spoilers to follow for each story.
The Orphanage - A fun story written from the perspective of children in an orphanage set in the point between episodes III and IV. There's been a rash of sudden disappearances blamed on the fable of a Nosferatu like specter who swoops down in the middle of the night to pluck away bad children. As it turns out, this frightening specter is none other than the Grand Inquisitor of Rebels fame who's been taking children who are alluded to be force sensitive, which is an excellent way to capitalize on past lore. One day a special force sensitive child arrives and helps seek out a Jedi in hiding to help with the situation. They manage to fight off the Grand Inquisitor but just like in perfect horror movie fashion, it's strongly suggested he'll be back. The vampiric parallels are brilliant and make for an engaging opening tale.
Buyer Beware - Set in between episodes VI and VII, Buyer Beware follows a senator with a penchant for collecting who purchases an allegedly cursed mask from Dok-Ondar on Batuu. Despite being warned of misfortune befalling those who wear it, the senator simply cannot resist. It's a fairly straight forward tale as we see the senator become more corrupt and power hungry as he maims and murders his way to the top until his actions finally catch up with him.
The Predecessor - Taking place circa the Original Trilogy, The Predecessor follows an Imperial officer suddenly promoted in the wake of his commander's abrupt disappearance. Like the former tale, The Predecessor is also quite straight forward in which we see the officer's choking, rasping ghost haunt the lead character until he is driven quite insane. Ultimately he winds up snapping right as Darth Vader shows up and, of course, Vader ends his life in the exact manner the former officer was murdered - it turns out the ghost was trying to warn him! An interesting take of a fable from the eyes of a deep space, non-important nobody.
Blood Moon - Set in an unknown time, this story follows treasure hunters who go to plunder the city of an ancient, fallen civilization who'd fled from a self destructing sun. It's said that the broken, destructive sun - which bathes the planet in an eternal redness - has driven all previous explorers mad and that's exactly what happens here. We get to watch as one by one they're offed by a member of their own crew who becomes crazed in a story reminiscent of an old fashioned werewolf tale. Two members manage to make it off the moon the by the skin of their teeth and are presumably safe - until one of them begins to succumb as well.
The Dark Mirror - Set presumably during the height of the Republic pre-episode I, Dark Mirror follows a Jedi master who has become the top, most elite ultimate Jedi in mind and body; he has mastered his emotions and sees nothing but success. He even takes on a Padawan who follows in the same footsteps. One day while out on a mission, the Padawan returns to discover that his tutor had been unceremoniously killed and his prized amulet has been passed to the student. The student takes it upon himself to hunt down a mysterious Coruscant underworld specter who eluded his departed teacher but cannot seem to catch up to this murdering creature. Eventually the Padawan discovers that his master did not in fact master anything about himself and had been pouring all his anger and rage into this amulet which the Padawan has been wearing all this time. Driven mad by this revelation, the Padawan falls to the anger and horror of the discovery and slinks off into the darkness of the Coruscant Underworld as a corrupted creature alongside the master's tainted legacy. Dark Mirror is a good reflection on choices and repercussions.
The Gilded Cage - Taking place in the far past of the Star Wars galaxy, Gilded Cage sees Sith versus Nightsisters - a certain recipe for excellence. And that Sith? None other than Darth Caldoth who was the master from last year's Myths and Fables story Gaze of Stone that had turned his apprentice to stone and was more recently mentioned in Dooku: Jedi Lost. This connection was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. Desiring the secret of eternal life as all Sith typically do, Caldoth slinks into a Nightsister village and swipes one of their burial sacs (see the excellent zombie episode of TCW) to figure out how they are raised from the dead. Seeing this as an act of war, the Nightsisters choose their best and brightest to secretly infiltrate Caldoth's mind from afar and influence his choices to lead him to destruction in the most long form, painful form of revenge. This Nightsister accomplishes this by using their magicks to separate her soul from her body. We follow a little of Caldoth's strangely entertaining life - including a callback to Gaze of Stone - and it's revealed that Caldoth knew the Nightsisters were after him from the very beginning and has been flipping the script on them this entire time and secretly soaking up their power and teachings. Before she can withdraw from Caldoth's mind, he traps her in a mental cage, forever separating her soul from her body in a torment of madness, leaving the Nightsister to be forever wholly forsaken, her clan abandoning her from fear of reprisal from Caldoth. Why do I suddenly love this Sith lord who has had barely three outings? This one was definitely my favorite of the bunch, though they're all fairly decent.
A Life Immortal - Here we have the allotted Episode XI tie in but unlike the Batuu stories from last time, it's actually not at a detriment to the collection. Set even further into the ancient past than Gilded Cage, it follows a Sith lord who, as always, is seeking the secret of immortality just like her master. This leads her to locate Exegol, which by this time of the story's setting is already alluded to be incredibly old, which is very fascinating. The Sith lord is greeted by a creepy, hunched and malformed Gollum like being who appears to have been haunting the bowels of Exegol for who knows how long. She discovers what will eventually be Palpatine's laboratory and figures out her teacher's last stop was actually at that same spot and after locating his notes, sets to work deciphering them while the Gollum cleans the place up for her. Discovering that eternal life requires a willing sacrifice in this case, the Gollum all too willingly offers himself up and the Sith lord does the deed. She's then painfully transformed into a hideous Gollum creature herself and works out the creature is none other than her own former master who'd led her along to curse her just has he had been - only now he's free in death and she is not. Bowed by her own hubris, the Sith lord is left completely alone on Exegol as a terrifying, demented half-creature. In an ending perfectly crafted to make your skin crawl, it is suggested that she will indeed have an unnaturally long, lonely, horrific life in the planet's dark recesses. Given my feelings on Rise of Skywalker, I did not expect this story to be my second, nearly first favorite and had presumed it to be another token tie in - I was fairly wrong. There's a lot of good questions that come from this one: what happened to her next? Could perhaps something similar have happened to Rey had she gone through with the sacrifice in TRoS? Did Palpatine or perhaps someone else eventually encounter this forsaken being? It's a wonderful little story that actually makes me even more intrigued with Exegol, something I had also not expected to happen.
Dark Legends stands as a superior outing in many ways to Myths and Fables, especially in the sense that it gives itself more real estate to explore the stranger, darker side of the Star Wars galaxy without being limited by the token Batuu tie ins that so lagged Myths and Fables; even the allotted Rise of Skywalker tie in is excellently done and feels like something stolen right out of the arcane Sith magics from the Old Republic of Legends territory. The stories feel less suggestive or skewed than Myths and Fables and feel more like tales of morality akin to Grimm's Fairy Tales. There's no direct instance where it falls apart but it would have definitely benefited from one or even two more tales but its concise presentation is still a pro.
As always the art that accompanies each story is simply delightful and smacks of classical horror visuals. It would be a genuine shame if George Mann never returned to the Star Wars galaxy with more outings like this. While it may not frighten older readers, all the stories are definitely engaging enough to keep them interested and include a host of intelligent lore relations to keep things fresh and interesting. I definitely hope we see another collection from Mann sooner than later. If you want a bite size mythical story set that capitalizes on lore and makes for a swift, easy to read scenario, this is the book you're looking for.
Four and a half spooky specters out of five.
The Orphanage - A fun story written from the perspective of children in an orphanage set in the point between episodes III and IV. There's been a rash of sudden disappearances blamed on the fable of a Nosferatu like specter who swoops down in the middle of the night to pluck away bad children. As it turns out, this frightening specter is none other than the Grand Inquisitor of Rebels fame who's been taking children who are alluded to be force sensitive, which is an excellent way to capitalize on past lore. One day a special force sensitive child arrives and helps seek out a Jedi in hiding to help with the situation. They manage to fight off the Grand Inquisitor but just like in perfect horror movie fashion, it's strongly suggested he'll be back. The vampiric parallels are brilliant and make for an engaging opening tale.
Buyer Beware - Set in between episodes VI and VII, Buyer Beware follows a senator with a penchant for collecting who purchases an allegedly cursed mask from Dok-Ondar on Batuu. Despite being warned of misfortune befalling those who wear it, the senator simply cannot resist. It's a fairly straight forward tale as we see the senator become more corrupt and power hungry as he maims and murders his way to the top until his actions finally catch up with him.
The Predecessor - Taking place circa the Original Trilogy, The Predecessor follows an Imperial officer suddenly promoted in the wake of his commander's abrupt disappearance. Like the former tale, The Predecessor is also quite straight forward in which we see the officer's choking, rasping ghost haunt the lead character until he is driven quite insane. Ultimately he winds up snapping right as Darth Vader shows up and, of course, Vader ends his life in the exact manner the former officer was murdered - it turns out the ghost was trying to warn him! An interesting take of a fable from the eyes of a deep space, non-important nobody.
Blood Moon - Set in an unknown time, this story follows treasure hunters who go to plunder the city of an ancient, fallen civilization who'd fled from a self destructing sun. It's said that the broken, destructive sun - which bathes the planet in an eternal redness - has driven all previous explorers mad and that's exactly what happens here. We get to watch as one by one they're offed by a member of their own crew who becomes crazed in a story reminiscent of an old fashioned werewolf tale. Two members manage to make it off the moon the by the skin of their teeth and are presumably safe - until one of them begins to succumb as well.
The Dark Mirror - Set presumably during the height of the Republic pre-episode I, Dark Mirror follows a Jedi master who has become the top, most elite ultimate Jedi in mind and body; he has mastered his emotions and sees nothing but success. He even takes on a Padawan who follows in the same footsteps. One day while out on a mission, the Padawan returns to discover that his tutor had been unceremoniously killed and his prized amulet has been passed to the student. The student takes it upon himself to hunt down a mysterious Coruscant underworld specter who eluded his departed teacher but cannot seem to catch up to this murdering creature. Eventually the Padawan discovers that his master did not in fact master anything about himself and had been pouring all his anger and rage into this amulet which the Padawan has been wearing all this time. Driven mad by this revelation, the Padawan falls to the anger and horror of the discovery and slinks off into the darkness of the Coruscant Underworld as a corrupted creature alongside the master's tainted legacy. Dark Mirror is a good reflection on choices and repercussions.
The Gilded Cage - Taking place in the far past of the Star Wars galaxy, Gilded Cage sees Sith versus Nightsisters - a certain recipe for excellence. And that Sith? None other than Darth Caldoth who was the master from last year's Myths and Fables story Gaze of Stone that had turned his apprentice to stone and was more recently mentioned in Dooku: Jedi Lost. This connection was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one. Desiring the secret of eternal life as all Sith typically do, Caldoth slinks into a Nightsister village and swipes one of their burial sacs (see the excellent zombie episode of TCW) to figure out how they are raised from the dead. Seeing this as an act of war, the Nightsisters choose their best and brightest to secretly infiltrate Caldoth's mind from afar and influence his choices to lead him to destruction in the most long form, painful form of revenge. This Nightsister accomplishes this by using their magicks to separate her soul from her body. We follow a little of Caldoth's strangely entertaining life - including a callback to Gaze of Stone - and it's revealed that Caldoth knew the Nightsisters were after him from the very beginning and has been flipping the script on them this entire time and secretly soaking up their power and teachings. Before she can withdraw from Caldoth's mind, he traps her in a mental cage, forever separating her soul from her body in a torment of madness, leaving the Nightsister to be forever wholly forsaken, her clan abandoning her from fear of reprisal from Caldoth. Why do I suddenly love this Sith lord who has had barely three outings? This one was definitely my favorite of the bunch, though they're all fairly decent.
A Life Immortal - Here we have the allotted Episode XI tie in but unlike the Batuu stories from last time, it's actually not at a detriment to the collection. Set even further into the ancient past than Gilded Cage, it follows a Sith lord who, as always, is seeking the secret of immortality just like her master. This leads her to locate Exegol, which by this time of the story's setting is already alluded to be incredibly old, which is very fascinating. The Sith lord is greeted by a creepy, hunched and malformed Gollum like being who appears to have been haunting the bowels of Exegol for who knows how long. She discovers what will eventually be Palpatine's laboratory and figures out her teacher's last stop was actually at that same spot and after locating his notes, sets to work deciphering them while the Gollum cleans the place up for her. Discovering that eternal life requires a willing sacrifice in this case, the Gollum all too willingly offers himself up and the Sith lord does the deed. She's then painfully transformed into a hideous Gollum creature herself and works out the creature is none other than her own former master who'd led her along to curse her just has he had been - only now he's free in death and she is not. Bowed by her own hubris, the Sith lord is left completely alone on Exegol as a terrifying, demented half-creature. In an ending perfectly crafted to make your skin crawl, it is suggested that she will indeed have an unnaturally long, lonely, horrific life in the planet's dark recesses. Given my feelings on Rise of Skywalker, I did not expect this story to be my second, nearly first favorite and had presumed it to be another token tie in - I was fairly wrong. There's a lot of good questions that come from this one: what happened to her next? Could perhaps something similar have happened to Rey had she gone through with the sacrifice in TRoS? Did Palpatine or perhaps someone else eventually encounter this forsaken being? It's a wonderful little story that actually makes me even more intrigued with Exegol, something I had also not expected to happen.
Dark Legends stands as a superior outing in many ways to Myths and Fables, especially in the sense that it gives itself more real estate to explore the stranger, darker side of the Star Wars galaxy without being limited by the token Batuu tie ins that so lagged Myths and Fables; even the allotted Rise of Skywalker tie in is excellently done and feels like something stolen right out of the arcane Sith magics from the Old Republic of Legends territory. The stories feel less suggestive or skewed than Myths and Fables and feel more like tales of morality akin to Grimm's Fairy Tales. There's no direct instance where it falls apart but it would have definitely benefited from one or even two more tales but its concise presentation is still a pro.
As always the art that accompanies each story is simply delightful and smacks of classical horror visuals. It would be a genuine shame if George Mann never returned to the Star Wars galaxy with more outings like this. While it may not frighten older readers, all the stories are definitely engaging enough to keep them interested and include a host of intelligent lore relations to keep things fresh and interesting. I definitely hope we see another collection from Mann sooner than later. If you want a bite size mythical story set that capitalizes on lore and makes for a swift, easy to read scenario, this is the book you're looking for.
Four and a half spooky specters out of five.
December 4, 2020
It was cute. Kinda upset they didn't tell the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise tho.
October 9, 2022
Gruselkabinett
Fazit: Ein durchwachsenes Sammelsurium an Horror-Star-Wars-Stories, welches einige Perlen bietet, aber insgesamt weit hinter dem Potenzial zurückbleibt. Gesamt: 3/5
Inhalt: Mit "Dunkle Legenden" liefert Autor George Mann zehn gruselige Kurzgeschichten aus einer weit, weit entfernten Galaxis. Auf 192 Seiten entfaltet sich der Schrecken zwischen Jedi, Sith und anderen Bewohnern der Weiten des Alls. Dem folgenden Abschnitt kann die Bewertung der einzelnen Abschnitte entnommen werden.
Bewertung:
Das Waisenhaus: Der Großinquisitor als Phantom der Nacht...optisch definitiv passend und für mich direkt verständlich. Geschrieben ist die Handlung aus der Sicht eines machtsensitiven Kindes und das passt hier perfekt. Mit der Entführung dieser Lebewesen nimmt die Geschichte Bezug auf einen "realen" Aspekt der Star-Wars-Lore und wird durch den Filter des kindlichen Bewusstseins erst zu einer Spukerzählung. Das schafft eine hervorragende Atmosphäre, die diese erste Story auch zu einer der besten macht. Gesamt: 5/5
Ein echtes Schnäppchen: Was sollte man mit einer vorgeblich verfluchten Maske anderes anstellen, als sie direkt auszuprobieren? Eine Geschichte, die versucht lehrreich über Gier zu sein, was grundsätzlich auch funktioniert. das bekannte Motiv, des sich wiederholenden Zirkels, ist jedoch mehr als vorhersehbar und lässt die Spannung daher auf der Strecke. Die Verbindung zum Black-Spire-Außenposten hat mir wiederum gut gefallen (siehe auch "Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Das Sith-Relikt". Insgesamt jedoch mittelmäßig. Gesamt: 2/5
Der Vorgänger: Wenn man vorher eine Handlung über einen ständig wiederkehrenden Zirkel hatte, kann man dieses Motiv sicherlich gleich wiederverwenden. Hier funktioniert es sehr gut. Ein von Heimsuchungen geplagter Offizier des Imperiums erlebt zunächst einen phänomenalen Aufstieg, bevor der große Absturz folgt. Im Gegensatz zur Vorgängerstory herausragend geschrieben, wird wieder etwas "Reales" (Furcht vor Vader) in eine klassische Horror-Story umgewandelt. Die bildhafte Sprache tut ihr Übriges zur wundervollen Atmosphäre. Gesamt: 5/5
Blutmond: Werwölfe dürfen im Grusel-Kanon von "Dunkle Legenden" natürlich nicht fehlen und die Umgebung ist in "Blutmond" besonders ausgestaltet. In einer sterbenden Welt herrscht ein unnatürliches Licht, welches animalische Instinkte weckt. Insgesamt bleibt der Horrorfaktor etwas im Hintergrund und die spannende Wendung baut sich vor allem im letzten Abschnitt auf. Solides Mittelfeld. Gesamt: 3/5
Der dunkle Spiegel: Auch die großen Jedi sind vor schlechten Emotionen nicht gefeit. Das muss ein Jedi-Padawan auf eine übernatürliche Art und Weise lernen, als sein glänzendes Vorbild, sein stets tugendhafter Meister verstirbt. "Der dunkle Spiegel" ist eine starke Geschichte, die Bezug auf eine uralte Frage in Star Wars nimmt: Wie kommen die Jedi mit Versuchungen und Belastungen der Dunklen Seite klar? Der Ansatz hier ist neu und vermittelt eher einen unterschwelligen Schrecken, der dadurch aber regulierter und ansprechender wirkt. Mit den unteren Ebenen Coruscants zieht George Mann eine bekannte und gleichzeitig zu weiten Teilen unerforschte Gegend heran, die perfekt für die Handlung funktioniert. Gesamt: 5/5
Der goldene Käfig: Auf die Jedi folgen die Sith oder besser gesagt ein besonders mächtiger Sith, der bewusst eine Fehde mit den Nachtschwestern eingeht. Deren verquerer Rachefeldzug erweist sich jedoch bald als hoffnungsloses Unterfangen. Mit den Nachtschwestern verwendet der Autor eine höchst interessante Gruppe der Dunklen Seite, die sicherlich noch einige Geheimnisse verborgen hält. Gedankenkontrolle und Projektion sind das Thema von "Der goldene Käfig", welches trotz der hervorragenden Ausgangsbedingungen, jedoch vorhersehbar und flach bleibt. Die wenige Tiefe macht auch das spannende Thema nicht wett. Nicht schlecht, aber aufregend und erschreckend ist etwas anderes. Gesamt: 2/5
Ein Leben ohne Tod: Das Geheimnis der Unsterblichkeit scheint ein altbekanntes Sith-Thema zu sein. Während der Ansatz bei "Star Wars Darth Plagueis" gut funktioniert hat, ist die Handlung in "Ein Leben ohne Tod" ziemlich langatmig und uninteressant. Weder die Gastauftritte von Exegol, noch von Gollum gleichen dies aus. Die Handlung ist von Seite 3 an vorausschaubar - eine Überraschung erwartet hier niemanden. Der Weg zum Abschluss ist extrem langweilig. Gesamt: 1/5
Der Schlaf der Ewigkeit: Dornröschen gone bad ist eine treffende Beschreibung für diese Geschichte. Das Konzept ist mal wieder eine gute Grundlage und wird auch anschaulich ausgenutzt. Der bloße Gedanke an die Idee, der diese Geschichte gewidmet ist, zeugt von Kreativität. Der Höhepunkt fällt bildhaft und schauderlich aus. Tolle Arbeit! Gesamt: 4/5
Bakurat: Space-Tarot hört sich langweilig an und ist es auch. Mich haben weder die Charaktere noch die Handlung überzeugt. Die Vorhersehbarkeit wird gegenüber den anderen Geschichten nochmal nach oben geschraubt, indem dem Leser von vorneherein einfach direkt gesagt wird, was passieren wird. Das mag in einem 400-Seiten-Buch gut funktionieren, wo man einzelne Handlungspunkte großzügig ausschmücken kann, um den Leser miträtseln zu lassen. Bei einer 20-Seiten-Erzählung hingegen ist es, als habe man eine Karte, um auch ja jeden einzelnen Gedanken schon fünf Wendungen vorher erkennen zu können. Einziger Pluspunkt: Die Wahrsagerin und ihr geheimnisvoller Droidenkopf - da könnte echt was draus werden, sollte sich ein Autor dafür Zeit nehmen. Gesamt: 1/5
Bittere Ernte: Geschichten mit Moral gefallen mir allgemein besser als bloße Handlungen um der Handlung willen. So auch hier. Das Schicksal nimmt seinen Lauf, als der Protagonist einen Pflanzensamenhändler grundlos und brutal seiner Hütte verweist. Die Verbindung zu "Die Hohe Republik" dürft Fans von Anfang an auffallen und das ist ein wunderbarer Aspekt hier. Insgesamt bleibt die Handlung mysteriös und schleierhaft. Es herrscht eine Stimmung des Ungewissen. Das weiß zu überzeugen und bildet einen gelungenen Abschluss der Sammlung. Gesamt: 4/5
Fazit: Ein durchwachsenes Sammelsurium an Horror-Star-Wars-Stories, welches einige Perlen bietet, aber insgesamt weit hinter dem Potenzial zurückbleibt. Gesamt: 3/5
August 27, 2020
“Welcome, brave reader…”
If you’re ready to delve deep into the dark side then SITHSPAWN do I have a book for you. Following the footsteps of the amazing George Mann and Grant Griffin’s previous collaboration (Star Wars: Myths & Fables) is another collection of fairy tale style stories (WHICH I LOVED!) This anthology is dripping with dark side horror and plenty of wonderful unsettling stories to tell in the dark…
Like… Umbara maybe?
Or perhaps the perpetual shadows of Malachor?
Or even the blood-red horizons of Dathomir.
Take the spooky wonder from a Guillermo Del Toro movie and bring it into the Star Wars universe and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the tone.
So… are you ready then?
As the title and design suggest, this book focuses on the dark side of the Star Wars galaxy. It’s definitely refreshing to see the familiar galaxy from the lesser-explored shadows. Stories of Sith lords, Nightsisters, cursed artifacts, haunted corridors, and even fractured stars of Kyber.
There are a few familiar faces in a couple of stories. It’s eerily captivating to see them through fresh eyes and I’m curious as to the future stories that could come of any of the characters in this book.
I mean… who’s to say we don’t revisit some of them very soon during the High Republic?
It could happen.
The best thing about fables is each one has a moral. While these stories are overflowing with dark side machinations they definitely all have a purpose and a moral. Even on the dark side, there are lessons to be learned!
Also…
Shout out to a super cool sickle-bladed saber…
This book is definitely a must-read for anyone who feels the dark side pulling at them. The stories are all wonderful, unique, and captivating. In a Star Wars universe surrounded by stories of hope, love, and redemption, this book stands alone as a collection of stories of greed, wrath, hunger, and consequences. Each story has a beautiful illustration from Griffin and Mann’s prose style does an amazing job of setting the tone of these legends.
– Sal P.
“And do not dare to claim you were not warned.”
If you’re ready to delve deep into the dark side then SITHSPAWN do I have a book for you. Following the footsteps of the amazing George Mann and Grant Griffin’s previous collaboration (Star Wars: Myths & Fables) is another collection of fairy tale style stories (WHICH I LOVED!) This anthology is dripping with dark side horror and plenty of wonderful unsettling stories to tell in the dark…
Like… Umbara maybe?
Or perhaps the perpetual shadows of Malachor?
Or even the blood-red horizons of Dathomir.
Take the spooky wonder from a Guillermo Del Toro movie and bring it into the Star Wars universe and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the tone.
So… are you ready then?
As the title and design suggest, this book focuses on the dark side of the Star Wars galaxy. It’s definitely refreshing to see the familiar galaxy from the lesser-explored shadows. Stories of Sith lords, Nightsisters, cursed artifacts, haunted corridors, and even fractured stars of Kyber.
There are a few familiar faces in a couple of stories. It’s eerily captivating to see them through fresh eyes and I’m curious as to the future stories that could come of any of the characters in this book.
I mean… who’s to say we don’t revisit some of them very soon during the High Republic?
It could happen.
The best thing about fables is each one has a moral. While these stories are overflowing with dark side machinations they definitely all have a purpose and a moral. Even on the dark side, there are lessons to be learned!
Also…
Shout out to a super cool sickle-bladed saber…
This book is definitely a must-read for anyone who feels the dark side pulling at them. The stories are all wonderful, unique, and captivating. In a Star Wars universe surrounded by stories of hope, love, and redemption, this book stands alone as a collection of stories of greed, wrath, hunger, and consequences. Each story has a beautiful illustration from Griffin and Mann’s prose style does an amazing job of setting the tone of these legends.
– Sal P.
“And do not dare to claim you were not warned.”
February 3, 2021
”For Elish, evil was embodied not in the form of monsters but of men, for she understood that all the terrors that had so recently blighted the galaxy were enacted at the behest of individuals and not creatures of the night.”
Dark Legends is a collection of in-universe spooky legends and horror stories that include everything from Sith lords to Nightsisters to cursed objects. The book also includes some familiar characters, most notably the dude from the book's cover, Darth Vader himself, but also some smaller, lesser known characters, such as a sith we were introduced to in Mann's previous book Myths and Labels. When reading books like these that are all about myths, legends and bedtime stories told in the galaxy far far away, it is fun to spot connections and easter eggs and to think whether the story truly happened or if it's just a legend. But even then, all legends have their roots in reality, so all that is fun to think about too.
I love how George Mann took very classic horror elements (werewolves, ghosts etc.) and settings (orphanage, deserted spaces) and wrote a Star Wars version of them that feels both very familiar from our own world and completely, uniquely Star Wars. The stories were all fun, but some of them were quite forgettable, except a few. My favourites were "The Orphanage" where a mysterious monster is stealing children at night, "The Dark Mirror" about the padawan of a seemingly perfect Jedi Master and "The Gilded Cage" which follows the Nightsisters as they attempt to get their revenge on a sith lord that wronged them.
This is not a new favorite or a book that I will or think about for weeks after finishing it, but it is a nice book to read and think about while reading it. While these kinds of books aren't necessarily my favorite canon books to read, I will continue picking them up because even though they don't blow my mind, they are fun to read!
Dark Legends is a collection of in-universe spooky legends and horror stories that include everything from Sith lords to Nightsisters to cursed objects. The book also includes some familiar characters, most notably the dude from the book's cover, Darth Vader himself, but also some smaller, lesser known characters, such as a sith we were introduced to in Mann's previous book Myths and Labels. When reading books like these that are all about myths, legends and bedtime stories told in the galaxy far far away, it is fun to spot connections and easter eggs and to think whether the story truly happened or if it's just a legend. But even then, all legends have their roots in reality, so all that is fun to think about too.
I love how George Mann took very classic horror elements (werewolves, ghosts etc.) and settings (orphanage, deserted spaces) and wrote a Star Wars version of them that feels both very familiar from our own world and completely, uniquely Star Wars. The stories were all fun, but some of them were quite forgettable, except a few. My favourites were "The Orphanage" where a mysterious monster is stealing children at night, "The Dark Mirror" about the padawan of a seemingly perfect Jedi Master and "The Gilded Cage" which follows the Nightsisters as they attempt to get their revenge on a sith lord that wronged them.
This is not a new favorite or a book that I will or think about for weeks after finishing it, but it is a nice book to read and think about while reading it. While these kinds of books aren't necessarily my favorite canon books to read, I will continue picking them up because even though they don't blow my mind, they are fun to read!
June 17, 2021
Summary: Dark Legends is a collection of in-universe fables and spooky stories. The Orphanage is about force-sensitive children being kidnapped in the night. Buyer Beware is about a cursed mask corrupting a politician. The Predecessor is about an Imperial officer losing his sanity. Blood Moon is about an adventurous crew on a cursed planet. The Dark Mirror is about a model Jedi Knight that has a dark side. The Gilded Cage is about the Nightsisters seeking revenge on a Sith Lord. A Life Immortal is about a Sith Lord who seeks immortality on Exegol.
Overall thoughts: This wasn’t the longest book but all of the stories were great. It’s a great read for any horror fans that love a heart-pounding story. Not all of them are scary but they all have a horror-esque feel, dealing about magic or the dark side most of the time. While the stories all stay away from the main storyline, they all have details that connect and give moments of realization, like seeing Exegol, the Nightsisters, and an Inquisitor. Each story is a mystery that keeps you reading and wanting to learn more.
Favorite Story: These were all great stories, but my favorite is definitely The Orphanage. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in, and this one captured my attention instantly. It’s a tense and mysterious story, and while it never specifically reveals anything, there are details that please hardcore fans.
Final Grade: Dark Legends contains seven mysterious and spooky stories that keep you wanting more, while also teaching valuable lessons about darkness and finding strength within.
9/10
Overall thoughts: This wasn’t the longest book but all of the stories were great. It’s a great read for any horror fans that love a heart-pounding story. Not all of them are scary but they all have a horror-esque feel, dealing about magic or the dark side most of the time. While the stories all stay away from the main storyline, they all have details that connect and give moments of realization, like seeing Exegol, the Nightsisters, and an Inquisitor. Each story is a mystery that keeps you reading and wanting to learn more.
Favorite Story: These were all great stories, but my favorite is definitely The Orphanage. I wasn’t sure what to expect coming in, and this one captured my attention instantly. It’s a tense and mysterious story, and while it never specifically reveals anything, there are details that please hardcore fans.
Final Grade: Dark Legends contains seven mysterious and spooky stories that keep you wanting more, while also teaching valuable lessons about darkness and finding strength within.
9/10
October 11, 2021
This anthology of short stories is most likely NOT canon, but a fun ride nonetheless. A good blend of Star Wars and horror (though it could have been way scarier, but this is a book marketed to juveniles).
Highlights:
The Orphanage - A young Force-sensitive child living at an orphanage deals with a Sith who comes stealing children in the night. Her developing powers allow her to call out to a Jedi Master for help, also getting her accepted as a Padawan.
Buyer Beware - A man buys a cursed mask at Doc-Andar's. At first, he is able to use it to gain wealth and power for himself, but ultimately, the curse rears its ugly head and it kills him.
The Predecessor - An Imperial Officer gets promoted, but has haunting nightmares about why his predecessor vanished. His paranoia becomes so severe that it becomes reality when Vader visits.
Blood Moon - A blood moon causes a planet to become unstable and uninhabitable, drawing treasure hunters to visit. (You've read enough horror to know what happens when a moon is involved. HOWL!!)
The Dark Mirror - A Jedi Padawan is unable to combat his own darkness growing as he tries to live up to his Master's legendary career as a Jedi.
The Gilded Cage - A Sith Lord tries to learn the secrets of the Nightsisters, and succeeds, despite all odds.
A Life Immortal - A Sith Lord takes advantage of a wretched servant in her quest for power on Exegol.... becoming the servant herself in her carelessness.
Highlights:
The Orphanage - A young Force-sensitive child living at an orphanage deals with a Sith who comes stealing children in the night. Her developing powers allow her to call out to a Jedi Master for help, also getting her accepted as a Padawan.
Buyer Beware - A man buys a cursed mask at Doc-Andar's. At first, he is able to use it to gain wealth and power for himself, but ultimately, the curse rears its ugly head and it kills him.
The Predecessor - An Imperial Officer gets promoted, but has haunting nightmares about why his predecessor vanished. His paranoia becomes so severe that it becomes reality when Vader visits.
Blood Moon - A blood moon causes a planet to become unstable and uninhabitable, drawing treasure hunters to visit. (You've read enough horror to know what happens when a moon is involved. HOWL!!)
The Dark Mirror - A Jedi Padawan is unable to combat his own darkness growing as he tries to live up to his Master's legendary career as a Jedi.
The Gilded Cage - A Sith Lord tries to learn the secrets of the Nightsisters, and succeeds, despite all odds.
A Life Immortal - A Sith Lord takes advantage of a wretched servant in her quest for power on Exegol.... becoming the servant herself in her carelessness.
February 21, 2022
It's a dark night. You and your fellow space travelers are camped on a far out moon. How do you pass the time? You tell each other spooky legends of the galaxy you live in. That is what these stories feel suited to, telling friends and family to pass a cold, dark evening.
Unlike Mann's other book, Myths and Legends, this collection had no well known characters in it, apart from Darth Vader. This book was distinctly darker, and sometimes a bit gruesome, but spooky in all the best ways.
Two of my favorite stories were Buyer Beware, and The Dark Mirror. Buyer Beware centered on an antique collector who acquires an ancient mask that, the seller tells him, is cursed. The collector does not believe this, and when he tries on the mask, he sees he is able to live the life of the previous owner. All to soon though, that past life, and his collide in terrible ways, proving greed can be your undoing.
The Dark Mirror centers on a Jedi Padawan, who looses his master who, for all intents and purposes, was a legend within the Order. Doing heroic, amazing feats. After his Master's death, the Padawan inherits a necklace that belonged to his Master, as well as the problem of trying to stop a rampaging monster killing people in Coruscant's lower levels. What the Padawan discovers about his Master, and himself, is blood curdling.
Just as enjoyable as Mann's earlier book, and perfect for those who like a spookier side of Star Wars.
Unlike Mann's other book, Myths and Legends, this collection had no well known characters in it, apart from Darth Vader. This book was distinctly darker, and sometimes a bit gruesome, but spooky in all the best ways.
Two of my favorite stories were Buyer Beware, and The Dark Mirror. Buyer Beware centered on an antique collector who acquires an ancient mask that, the seller tells him, is cursed. The collector does not believe this, and when he tries on the mask, he sees he is able to live the life of the previous owner. All to soon though, that past life, and his collide in terrible ways, proving greed can be your undoing.
The Dark Mirror centers on a Jedi Padawan, who looses his master who, for all intents and purposes, was a legend within the Order. Doing heroic, amazing feats. After his Master's death, the Padawan inherits a necklace that belonged to his Master, as well as the problem of trying to stop a rampaging monster killing people in Coruscant's lower levels. What the Padawan discovers about his Master, and himself, is blood curdling.
Just as enjoyable as Mann's earlier book, and perfect for those who like a spookier side of Star Wars.
December 5, 2020
Dark Legends is the followup to Myths and Fables, telling stories that are told in the Star Wars universe, which may or may not be true 'in canon.' It's a bit meta, but once you wrap your head around the concept it's a lot of fun and gives the author some unique freedom to play in the galaxy far, far away.
As the title suggests, this collection focuses on the darker side of the universe, and features Sith Lords and evil rulers and generally bad people, or good people that get stuck in bad situations. Be prepared for the skin on the back of your neck to tingle, and don't read it too close to bedtime if you have a tendency to have nightmares! George Mann does a great job telling varied stories that all fit a common theme, have few if any connections between them, but nonetheless feel like they belong together.
While there are certainly some classic Star Wars evil themes like dark lords and evil witches, I appreciated some of the more unusual tales - how often do we get to see werewolves in our science fiction? All the stories are great, but I really like it when creators get to push the boundaries of what we've come to expect.
If you like horror stories, tales that teach you a lesson, or don't like sleeping through the night, give Dark Legends a read! It's a great set of myths that happen to be set in the Star Wars universe but don't rely on that to be enjoyable.
As the title suggests, this collection focuses on the darker side of the universe, and features Sith Lords and evil rulers and generally bad people, or good people that get stuck in bad situations. Be prepared for the skin on the back of your neck to tingle, and don't read it too close to bedtime if you have a tendency to have nightmares! George Mann does a great job telling varied stories that all fit a common theme, have few if any connections between them, but nonetheless feel like they belong together.
While there are certainly some classic Star Wars evil themes like dark lords and evil witches, I appreciated some of the more unusual tales - how often do we get to see werewolves in our science fiction? All the stories are great, but I really like it when creators get to push the boundaries of what we've come to expect.
If you like horror stories, tales that teach you a lesson, or don't like sleeping through the night, give Dark Legends a read! It's a great set of myths that happen to be set in the Star Wars universe but don't rely on that to be enjoyable.
January 31, 2021
It is a continuation of sorts of Star Wars Myths & Fables that tells us stories but instead of fables, this are darker and usually end badly for the characters.
The text itself would be just 3 stars, but again comparing to the first book, the art is amazing, and for that alone I give it 4 stars.
The stories are as follow:
The Orphanage: I really liked this one, I liked the main character and the ending was good. And it brings a character from Rebels TV show.
Buyer Beware: At first I thought it would be Lord Momin's mask, seen in the Vader comics, but it wasn't. A story about not letting your greed take over your life.
The Predecessor: What to say about this one. VADER. That's it. The ghost sightings didn't work much for me, though.
Blood Moon: werewolf attack. Just that.
The Dark Mirror: I figured the ending of this one pretty soon, but I enjoyed it very much.
The Gilded Cage: Continuation of the story about Darth Caldoth. Surprise ending.
A Life Immortal: Nice to explore a bit more of Exegol, and a good story too.
September 17, 2020
This book is exactly as promised - a collection of dark fables set in the Star Wars universe. They are cautionary tales with a variety of settings and characters (a couple who are familiar) and there is a lovely art piece to set the tone for each story. The writing nails the tone of fables and fairy tales perfectly, and there is a sense of dread knowing that, in this collection, not many will make it out unscathed. The predictability of most of the stories is no different than in regular fables.
The art is really beautiful and perfectly suited to each story. Perhaps my favorite is the one for the orphanage story, which translates a familiar character practically into Nosferatu.
I will mention that the Dark Mirror story has probably been told many times in different forms, most significantly (in relation to this book) in a Tales story in the EU comics. It's so well-done here that it doesn't matter, though.
I'm not sure what my age level recommendation would be, because kids are so individual. I have an almost-9-year-old who would either love this or have nightmares, possibly both.
The art is really beautiful and perfectly suited to each story. Perhaps my favorite is the one for the orphanage story, which translates a familiar character practically into Nosferatu.
I will mention that the Dark Mirror story has probably been told many times in different forms, most significantly (in relation to this book) in a Tales story in the EU comics. It's so well-done here that it doesn't matter, though.
I'm not sure what my age level recommendation would be, because kids are so individual. I have an almost-9-year-old who would either love this or have nightmares, possibly both.
September 25, 2021
Star Wars goes scary! This little tome is a great way to kick off the Halloween season which in my opinion begins in September. I had a fun time with this book and there was not one weak story included in this collection. Many of the tales are familiar such as werewolves, ominous fortune tellers, apparitions slinking into an orphanage and stealing children, and vampires sucking out the essence of their victims. All of them, though, have been given a Star Wars spin, meaning there are space ships, aliens, Sith lords, the New Order, the Old Republic, the Rebellion, and well known planets and creatures. I also like that this book ties into Star Wars' Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland and the new series of High Republic books.
While this book is geared towards younger readers, adults will highly enjoy this book. I know I did.
While this book is geared towards younger readers, adults will highly enjoy this book. I know I did.
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