Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader is a novel written by James Luceno and published by Del Rey. Dark Lord takes place in the immediate aftermath of the events in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and focuses on Darth Vader and his rise to prominence in the newly-inaugurated Galactic Empire.

Author Luceno devotes much of Dark Lord to the internal conflict that Darth Vader undergoes as he tries to slough off his former identity of Anakin Skywalker. Palpatine intends for these early missions that he sends Vader on to be as much about learning what it means to be a Sith as they are about consolidating the rule of the nascent Empire.

Editions

 * ISBN 0345477324; November 22, 2005; Del Rey, 336-page hardcover
 * ISBN 0739323946; November 22, 2005; Random House Audio, Abridged CD (Jonathan Davis - Narrator)
 * ISBN 0345477332; June 27, 2006, Del Rey, 368-page paperback
 * ISBN 3442366097; 2006, Blanvalet, Dutch paperback (Dunkler Lord - Der Aufstieg des Darth Vader)
 * ISBN 8324125264; 2006, Kartonowa Foliowana, Polish hardcover and paperback (Czarny Lord: Narodziny Dartha Vadera)
 * ISBN 8495070928; June 2006, Alberto Santos Editor, Spanish paperback (Darth Vader: El Señor Oscuro)

Publisher's summary
'Throughout the galaxy, it was believed that Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker&mdash;the Chosen One&mdash;had died on Coruscant during the siege of the Jedi Temple. And, to some extent, that was true. Anakin was dead.'

''From the site of Anakin Skywalker's last stand&mdash;on the molten surface of the planet Mustafar, where he sought to destroy his friend and former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi&mdash;a fearsome specter in black has risen. Once the most powerful Knight ever known to the Jedi Order, he is now a disciple of the dark side, a lord of the dreaded Sith, and the avenging right hand of the galaxy’s ruthless new Emperor. Seduced, deranged, and destroyed by the machinations of the Dark Lord Sidious, Anakin Skywalker is dead&hellip; and Darth Vader lives.''

''Word of the events that created him&mdash;the Jedi Council's failed mutiny against Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, the self-crowned Emperor's retaliatory command to exterminate the Jedi Order, and Anakin's massacre of his comrades and Masters in the Jedi Temple&mdash;yet to reach all quarters. On the Outer Rim world of Murkhana, Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak and Padawan Olee Starstone are leading a charge on a Separatist stronghold, unaware that the tide, red with Jedi blood, has turned suddenly against them.''

''When the three narrowly elude execution&mdash;and become the desperate prey in a hunt across space&mdash;it's neither clone soldiers, nor the newly deployed stormtroopers, nor even the wrath of the power-hungry Emperor himself they must fear most. The deadliest threat rests in the hideously swift and lethal crimson lightsaber of Darth Vader&mdash;behind whose brooding mask lies a shattered heart, a poisoned soul, and a cunning, twisted mind hell-bent on vengeance.''

''For the handful of scattered Jedi, survival is imperative if the light side of the Force is to be protected and the galaxy somehow, someday reclaimed. Yet more important still is the well-being of the twin infants, Leia and Luke Skywalker, the children of Anakin and his doomed bride, Padmé Amidala. Separated after Padmé's death, they must be made safe at all costs, lest the hope they represent for the future be turned to horror by the new Sith regime&mdash;and the unspeakable power of the dark side.''

Synopsis
Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader begins in the final hours of the Clone Wars, just prior to the implementation of Order 66. When a contingent of Republic clone troopers on the planet Murkhana refuses to open fire on Jedi Masters Roan Shryne and Bol Chatak, along with Padawan Olee Starstone, the Jedi with whom it has fought alongside during the war, Emperor Palpatine orders Darth Vader to investigate the matter. Vader's query soon becomes a hunt for the fugitive Jedi, and takes him back to Coruscant, then on to Alderaan and Kashyyyk. During the course of Vader's search, we discover the whereabouts of several other characters from Revenge of the Sith, including Bail Organa, R2-D2 and C-3PO, Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan Kenobi. We also see the beginning of Vader's partnership with Moff Tarkin.

The final chapters of the novel depict the beginning of the Imperial enslavement of the Wookiees of Kashyyyk, an act that will eventually lead to the partnership that develops between Han Solo and Chewbacca.

The novel ends with Obi-Wan Kenobi watching the infant Luke Skywalker as Qui-Gon Jinn's spirit tells Kenobi why it is that Darth Vader will never return to Tatooine, thus ensuring Luke's safety.

Excerpt

 * StarWars.com excerpt

Dramatis personae

 * Emperor Palpatine
 * Darth Vader
 * Celana Aldrete
 * Mas Amedda
 * Padmé Amidala
 * Klossi Anno
 * Raymus Antilles
 * Commander Appo
 * Passel Argente
 * Darth Bane
 * Archyr Beil
 * Bioto
 * Filli Bitters
 * C-3PO
 * Bol Chatak
 * Chewbacca
 * Climber
 * Cudgel
 * Eyl Dix
 * Count Dooku
 * Skeck Draggle
 * Jango Fett
 * Kit Fisto
 * Siadem Forte
 * Cash Garrulan
 * Brudi Gayn
 * General Grievous
 * Garm Bel Iblis
 * Nute Gunray
 * Idis
 * Armand Isard
 * Jally
 * Qui-Gon Jinn
 * Obi-Wan Kenobi
 * Ki-Adi-Mundi
 * Agen Kolar
 * Plo Koon
 * Iwo Kulka
 * Beru Lars
 * Owen Lars
 * Saras Loorne
 * Jambe Lu
 * Darth Maul
 * Sly Moore
 * Mon Mothma
 * Deran Nalual
 * Nat-Sem
 * Jocasta Nu
 * Bail Organa
 * Breha Organa
 * Leia Organa
 * Sate Pestage
 * Nam Poorf
 * R2-D2
 * Sheltray Retrac
 * Salvo
 * Jula Shryne
 * Roan Shryne
 * Sifo-Dyas
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Olee Starstone
 * Tarfful
 * Saesee Tiin
 * Asajj Ventress
 * Mace Windu
 * Yoda
 * Fang Zar

Droids

 * 2-1B
 * B1 battle droids
 * Droidekas
 * Seeker Droid

Locations

 * Agon Nine
 * Alderaan
 * Aldera
 * Aldera Royal Palace
 * Chandrila
 * Commenor
 * Coruscant
 * Emperor Palpatine Surgical Reconstruction Center
 * Private Meditation Chamber
 * Deko Neimoidia
 * Dellalt
 * Enisca
 * Eriadu
 * Felucia
 * Geonosis
 * Jaguada
 * Jaguada's moon
 * Kamino
 * Kashyyyk
 * Korriban
 * Mossak
 * Murkhana
 * Argente Tower
 * Murkhana City
 * Mustafar
 * Muunilinst
 * Mygeeto
 * Naboo
 * Neimoidia
 * Ord Mantell
 * Paarin Minor
 * Polis Massa
 * Rodia
 * Saleucami
 * Sern Prime
 * Weytta
 * Ziost

Organizations

 * 501st Legion
 * Baktoid Armor Workshop
 * Black Sun
 * Emperor's Royal Guard
 * Galactic Empire
 * Jedi
 * Lost Twenty
 * Stormtrooper
 * Vibroblade Brigade

Species

 * Chagrian
 * Ho'Din
 * Human
 * Hutt
 * Koorivar
 * Rodian
 * Togruta
 * Twi'lek
 * Wookiee
 * Zabrak

Starships and vehicles

 * Alpha-3 Nimbus-class V-wing starfighter
 * ARC-170 starfighter
 * CloakShape fighter
 * Corellian Corvette
 * Tantive IV
 * Dead Ringer
 * Droid tri-fighter
 * Drunk Dancer
 * Eta-2 Actis-class light interceptor
 * Executrix
 * IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tank
 * Imperator-class Star Destroyer
 * Exactor
 * Lucrehulk-class core ship
 * Mankvim-814 light interceptor
 * Republic SX Troop Transport
 * SoroSuub Skiff
 * Theta-class T-2c shuttle
 * Vulture droid starfighter
 * Victory-class Star Destroyer
 * Gallant

Weapons

 * DC-17m Interchangeable Weapon System
 * Droid buster
 * ECD grenade
 * Thermal detonator

Other items

 * Emergency Code Nine Thirteen
 * Order 66
 * Petition of 2000

Behind the scenes

 * Luceno told the magazine Star Wars Insider about a discussion he had with Ryan Kaufman, formerly of LucasArts, who had worn a Darth Vader costume during the production of a number of LucasArts Star Wars video games. Kaufman's description of what it was like to wear the suit led Luceno to dedicate a substantial amount of the novel toward Vader's struggling with the discomfort of his new prosthetics and armor.

Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader.