'Labyrinth of Evil' discussion

[Singin Hobo]

I just finished Labyrinth of Evil (the ROTS prequel novel) this morning and it was pretty stinkin cool.

I haven't read many Star Wars books but I have read all three prequel novels that have been released and this one is by far my favorite of the three.

In comparison Labyrinth is far more involved in the beginning of Episode III (which you can learn about by reading The opening title crawl in the ROTS News thread (http://forums.gamewinners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3750223#post3750223)) whereas the others were slightly more subtle in their involvement with the start of the other two prequels.

The novel has many strengths as far as tie-ins to Episode II (and, apparently, Episode III) but my fear is that for every strength of Labyrinth there is a weakness in ROTS. For example: the whole matter with Sifo Dyas in Episode II and the mystery that surrounds him is all but resolved in this novel... that's something that I would have liked to have been explored in greater depth in Episode III. Also, if you read the opening crawl to Episode III (as linked above) you kind of already know the huge plot point that happens at the end of this novel that might have actually been something pretty spectacular to see in Episode III, instead... but considering the involvement that it has with Grievous it makes sense that they didn't want it at the start of the movie (assuming that Grievous is going to be introduced surprisedly).

You also get some very deep insights into the inner workings of the Republic and the direction that it's headed... as well as future Rebel leaders :)

Overall, the novel gives a lot to look forward to in Episode III... it opens up for a few fights that are definately going to take place--it gives an interesting insight to some of the characters, like Bail Organa (Leia's adopted father) and it includes a strange warning from a "seer" droid to C3PO.

I would highly reccomend it before seeing Episode III... although the movies have always done a good job of standing on their own, considering all that is already in place at the start of Episode III I think it'll do well to be able to go into with a little bit of foreknowledge.

[snapper]

Hey, I think this whole "start a new thread for each book" is going to be a good idea. I was just looking for books to read and started looking through the different things you posted and saw this and got thinking that it would be a really cool one to read. Thanks.

[Singin Hobo]

It is a cool one to read, although if you've got the time before ROTS I would reccomend reading all of the Clone Wars titles first... I read Labyrinth first and then loved it so much I turned around and hit the rest, but now I wish I'd have had a little more background.

[coheed]

I really enjoyed this book, but after seeing the trailer and reading Labyrinth of Evil, I wonder how Palpatine gets back to Coruscant in one piece. I suppose I'll have to watch the movie.

[Singin Hobo]

It was obviously something orchestrated by Palpatine. The way that he played Grievous at the end of the book was great. I'm sure it's probably a ploy to drag Anakin right into it... but we'll just have to see what end it's work towards.

Personally, I think it's a bold place to start a movie... it seems like that's the sort of action that you'd normally show on-screen... but to me that just says that there's bigger and better things to deal with in Episode III :D

[coheed]

Well, obviously it was a mock-up by Palpatine. But he must have REALLY thought it pretty far through to have it all work out the way he meant for it to. Kinda makes me wonder if, somehow, Sidious and Palpatine aren't the same person. Also, after seeing the trailer, where's Dooku? Where are the Neimodians? If I just read the ending too quickly and they all died or something, let me know. :tease:

[Singin Hobo]

Check two parts of the trailer... as Palpatine is saying, "Learn to know the dark side of the Force and you will achieve power greater than any Jedi." Anakin and Dooku fight with Palpatine cuffed to his big chair.
Then when Obi-wan asks "Who could have done this" and Yoda answers, watch the scenes that flash across... most of them are of Anakin cutting the Neimodians down.

[coheed]

Hmm . . . I didn't catch that part with Anakin fighting Dooku or the Neimodians. Thanks for pointing it out.

[Singin Hobo]

Oh, and about Palpatine and Sidious... although it would be a cool little twist for Episode III, I think as a character he's much more interesting if he's the same person--twisting events to work out absolutely perfectly for himself. He put the events into motion that placed him as Supreme Chancellor (that was the secondary purpose of Episode I) he started the Seperatists movement, ordered the clones to fight them, and now he is in charge of both sides. He conned Jar Jar into reccomending that he be given "emergency" powers, he sweet talks Anakin into believing he can achieve ultimate power in spite of what all the masters tell him.

Like I said... it would be an interesting twist... but not nearly as interesting as if he was the same person.

Aside from that the trailer has pretty much confirmed the fact... him attacking Mace Windu with a lightsaber... him twisting Anakin to the Dark Side.

[.Tempest]

yea, i just finished the book, and thought it was really good. It didn't bore me that much like some of the other SW books have.

[Shadowtraveler]

Well, obviously it was a mock-up by Palpatine. But he must have REALLY thought it pretty far through to have it all work out the way he meant for it to.Aside from his uncanny ability to make people do what he wants them to do (Thrawn, anyone?), he can also see into the future. As Dooku explains it, where Yoda says the future is always in motion, Palpatine sees it as 'streams of possibility', and he's very good at reading said streams, but he make mistakes. For example, he didn't expect Maul to kill Qui-Gon, he was hoping Qui-Gon would train Anakin, even if he had to do it against the Councils wishes. Luckily for him, the Council decided to obey his final request.

[Singin Hobo]

(Thrawn, anyone?)
No, I don't think so. Thrawn just had the gift of being able to predict enemy behavior, not control it like Palpatine.
For example, he didn't expect Maul to kill Qui-Gon, he was hoping Qui-Gon would train Anakin, even if he had to do it against the Councils wishes. Luckily for him, the Council decided to obey his final request.Personally, I don't really think this is how it went either. He's just playing it by ear all throughout... there will never be a shortage of Force-sensitives that he could manipulate. He didn't plan on Anakin being found, so I think that's where you're stretching it quite a bit.

And I'm not so sure that he was always certain how everything was going to turn out, that's why he created a conflict of which he was running things on both sides... to make room for any uncertainties and such.

[Shadowtraveler]

I'll give you the Thrawn bit, but Anakin was the entire basis for his plans if you think about it. Very few Force-sensitives, if any, could even dream of being strong enough to complete Palpatine's goal of destroying the Jedi like Anakin did. Also, convient enough, Anakin is born on Tatooine, not part of Republic space, but close (well, figuratively speaking) to Naboo. He's also a slave and fatherless, which lets the seeds of the dark side grow in him.

As for playing both sides to make room for uncertainties, do you realize how dangerous that would be to do that? Organizing a galatic war on both sides? Timing every course of action, every movement, to seem as real and unsupervised as possible? I'm supprised he didn't succumb to the stress, Force or no Force.