The Wrath of Darth Maul

The Wrath of Darth Maul by Ryder Windham is admittedly a book I had put on the backburner. I knew it was published by Scholastic and intended for younger readers. However, I heard from others that it was a good book, so I picked it up…and neglected it for about a year on my bookshelf. There was always some new book to read, and it just didn’t seem that important. That was until I read an advanced review copy of Joe Schreiber’s Maul: Lockdown. Reading that book gave me a sudden craving for more Maul. My attention turned back to that forgotten bookshelf, and that dusty hardcover copy of The Wrath of Darth Maul.

First off, this is actually a really nice binding from something aimed at a younger audience. The book comes with a slipcase, and the cover is a glossy, thick hardcover with nice artwork. The story itself is 214 pages in length, so you can finish it in a couple evenings. And while it might be marketed at a younger audience, the story is not dumbed down or any less violent. Best of all, it’s a great story.

I’m not super familiar with Maul’s background, so I’ve only read a couple books that have featured him and each of those only covered a moment of his life. This book, on the other hand, covers a very large chunk of his life. From his childhood on Mustafar to his discovery on Lotho Minor by his brother Savage Opress, the book covers a lot of territory. There’s the harsh training Darth Sidious put Maul through. His relationship with his master and glimpses of how his psyche was broken and molded into that of a Sith. Through the story, we see Maul the student. Then he passes his trials to become the apprentice, earning the honorific of Sith Lord. We catch moments of his training at the Orsis Academy which gets mentioned in Maul: Lockdown. The book includes his first encounter with Mother Talzin (at least from his perspective), and of course, his fateful encounter with Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. But it doesn’t end there.

For those who have watched Star Wars: The Clone Wars, you know Maul comes back to life after being cut in half in The Phantom Menace. The Wrath of Darth Maul touches on his existence as a shattered creature living on Lotho Minor. It shows his encounter with his brother, and leaves off with him remembering who he is and who hates. It’s a thoroughly entertaining account of Maul’s life.

I highly recommend this book to adult Star Wars fans, and younger fans as well. Don’t shun this one because it’s Scholastic. Ryder knocked out a good story all fans can enjoy. It’s also a great companion piece for Maul: Lockdown and Darth Plagueis, filling in the holes both of those books leave for the character. While Plagueis doesn’t show up in this novel at all, it does provide more insight into Sidious.

For giving a great overview of Maul’s life from childhood to seeming death, The Wrath of Darth Maul is uncontested. No other book gives such coverage to one of the most intriguing Sith in Star Wars. It sheds wonderful details on his life, and provides glimpses of his master, Sidious. If you like Darth Plagueis but wanted to know more about Maul, this is definitely the book you’re looking for. I give it a five out of five metal bikinis.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.