Of course it’s a Darth Maul novel.
Just announced over at io9: Joe Schreiber (Death Troopers) returns with Maul: Lockdown, a new novel featuring Darth Maul. They’re pegging it as a “follow-up to last year’s Darth Plagueis.” Here’s the blurb:
In a tale of retribution and survival set before the events of The Phantom Menace, Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious dispatch Sith apprentice Darth Maul on a secret mission to infiltrate a criminal empire operating from inside Cog Hive Seven-a hidden prison teeming with the galaxy’s most savage criminals. There, he must contend against the scummiest and most villainous in gladiatorial death matches while carrying out his masters’ clandestine commands. Failure is not an option; success will ignite the revenge of the Sith against the Jedi Order.
io9 says it’ll be out “at the end of 2013,” which I suspect means a post-holiday spot similar to Plagueis and Scoundrels.
James interviewed Schreiber back in 2011, after the release of his second Star Wars book, Red Harvest.
This must be our mystery novel, and while I can’t say it’s something that appeals to me, it takes all kinds. While he’s been all over The Clone Wars lately, Maul hasn’t headlined a novel for adults since Michael Reaves’ Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter back in 2001.
Maul is not my fave. It’s interesting, my (9-year-old) brother-in-law is OBSESSED with Darth Maul. Maul is his favorite character. But I don’t think 9-year-olds should probably be reading this prison break tale. :P
I dunno, there are prequel-era novels I would be interested in reading, but this isn’t really one of them.
I’ll probably read this. I’m just happy that we’re done with all of the post-ROTJ never ending series junk now. That stuff bored me to tears. I like that we’re seeing one-shots in different eras again.
Not being a PT fan, the only books in that era that I could really recommend (of the small number that I’ve read) are Stover’s Revenge of the Sith novelization and Sean Stewart’s Yoda: Dark Rendezvous. Dark Rendezvous surprised me – and it might even be okay for a 9-year-old? (But, no Maul.) It’s been years though, so don’t go on my word there.
I suspect there are some TCW readers featuring Maul, but I don’t really cover any of that, so no idea.
The only prequel-era novels I’ve been really enthused with so far are Stover’s ROTS novel and the Coruscant Nights trilogy. I don’t know if that’s even technically prequel since it’s immediately post-ROTS, but in my mind I group it as prequel.
I couldn’t even get into Outbound Flight – I never finished it. Maybe someday I’ll give it another go.
“Of course it’s a Darth Maul novel.”
Maybe I’m just tired but that made for a great LOL moment right there. Nice one! ;-)
Well, Maul… and Schreiber. Two of my “favorites” combined, so nope: Won’t read it. Unless I find some time off to play Arkam Asylum/City for a while first to get into the whole spooky prison thing.
I’m excited. The question is: Will Maul fever have reached its peak before this book comes out?
I’m sure when TCW announced that Maul was returning, and not just for a one-off, that the various licensees got on board quickly with more Maul mania. We’ve had some regular comics (Darth Maul: Death Sentence), a digest comic (TCW: Sith Hunters), Jason Fry’s Scholastic novelization of the TCW arc (Shadow Conspiracy), Ryder Windham’s YA bio (Wrath of Darth Maul), all in the past year or so.
while novels have a longer lead time to write, edit, and publish, i hope they are striking while the iron is still hot. makes me wonder what other Maul works might be on the way.
but i’m excited. i’m always a fan of going into dens of scum and villainy in SW, and seeing some of the personality we see in TCW Maul in a more formative stage sounds like fun.
You lost me at “Joe Schreiber”. Nothing personal, mind you, but I hated Death Troopers. Probably the second worst Star Wars book in recent memory.
On the other hand… might be interesting…
Michael Reaves wrote Shadow Hunter, not Luceno. I was pleasantly surprised by that book though – much more character depth than I’d expected for a Maul novel. Hopefully this new Maul novel takes a similar approach.
Dunc, I agree – Dark Rendezvous was surprisingly good. I think it was the only time we got any real character development for Dooku in the EU.
D’oh. Fixed author. And I linked the Wook page right there. Stupid: It’s not like I’m not aware that I can’t keep half the PT EU straight.
LOL, I hear you there james. Luceno does have 2 short stories in Shadow Hunter, so I actually sometimes think of Shadow Hunter as a Luceno book as well.
Let me add Maul to the list of things I’m over in the Star Wars galaxy. (The list includes Boba Fett and anything to do with “the underworld.”)
But I know this exciting news for a good chunk of fans, so good on them!