Is a prison enough to hold the likes of the powerful Sith known as Darth Maul? Joe Schreiber attempts to answer that question in Star Wars: Lockdown!
From the back: It’s kill or be killed in the space penitentiary that houses the galaxy’s worst criminals, where convicts face off in gladiatorial combat while an underworld gambling empire reaps the profits of the illicit blood sport. But the newest contender in this savage arena, as demonic to behold as he is deadly to challenge, is fighting for more than just survival. His do-or-die mission, for the dark masters he serves, is to capture the ultimate weapon: an object that will enable the Sith to conquer the galaxy.
Sith lords Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious are determined to possess the prize. And one of the power-hungry duo has his own treacherous plans for it. But first, their fearsome apprentice must take on a bloodthirsty prison warden, a cannibal gang, cutthroat crime lord Jabba the Hutt, and an unspeakable alien horror. No one else could brave such a gauntlet of death and live. But no one else is the dreaded dark-side disciple known as Darth Maul.
Darth Maul is a character that has captivated audiences, but however didn’t get the screen time nor the necessary attention in the movies to really build up who he is, and how dangerous he can be. Thankfully the extended universe has attempted to answer these questions in novel form.
In Lockdown, Darth Maul gets sent into a prison that has been deemed inescapable in order to find and acquire an item that someone, deemed almost a myth, holds in his possession.
The entire story takes place in one location. Star Wars readers hoping to find planet hopping, epic space battles, and fantastic lightsaber duels, and use of the force may be shocked to find out that there really isn’t anything of the sort here. It’s quite a stark contrast to most of the Star Wars novels with the exception of a handful of books. That’s not to say there isn’t any use of the above, but it doesn’t play as much into the story.
What you do have here, is a well written, tight, locked room mystery type of story, with a Star Wars twist on it. Joe Schreiber does well here. As in all of his thriller and suspense and horror, he pulls you along with quick action, and fast, frantic pacing. You really get the sense that time is of the essence.
The use of the prison as a corrupt entity to make money off the fighting of the inmates creates a good catalyst to really figure out a bit more about Darth Maul. He has to overcome obstacle after obstacle, all without letting on that he is a force user and a Sith. You almost see him break, which is kind of nice. Visiting inside the mind of this force user, and viewing his feelings of failure, and his thoughts in the face of certain death, creates a bit of sympathy for this Zabrak, whom you know is actually evil at heart.
The characters are painted well, and the emphasis on each is pressed upon you at exactly right right moment.
The Bottom Line: No force, no lightsabers, no planet hopping, no star battles, and yet, this as the name Star Wars on it. That’s the beauty of this universe, and the beauty of Joe Schreiber’s writing. It’s a great book, and you could easily take the Star Wars out of it and make it something else. People that don’t have a lot of Star Wars knowledge, or would pass it up because it’s a Star Wars book in general, should stop and give this one a look. Yes, it has fantastical aliens, and you’ll find names like Darth Sidious, and Darth Maul, but those are all secondary elements. The winner here is the story. Star Wars or not, it’s just a great piece of fiction.