Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic

Simon Goinard's harsh, jagged depiction of Darth Bane for the 'Essential Legends' release of Drew Karpyshyn's classic Sith novel is truly beautiful to behold, the brutal lines of Dessel's face are what to me make this rendition of him my favorite to date. I can't wait to see what they have planned for the next two entries in the trilogy, I'm quite sure they will keep pace with the high level of quality established here, no doubt about it.Darth Bane: Path of Destruction was the first of Drew Karpyshyn's work I'd read. It serves as the first part of the trilogy telling the saga of the infamous Darth Bane, the progenitor of the 'Rule of Two' Sith mantra that functions as the predominant Dark Side ideology from the time of its inception, over 1000 years before the timeline of the prequel trilogy commences to when Sheev Palpatine is deposed & Anakin Skywalker is redeemed by saving his son's life before losing his own at the end of Episode VI, Return of the Jedi.The man who eventually becomes Darth Bane begins as a manual laborer, a disillusioned miner named Dessel with a troubled home life & an occupation providing him no satisfaction or fulfillment. He is very much a man dissatisfied with his lot in life. He decides to join the Sith in a war against the Jedi & does not look back.The writing in 'Path of Destruction' is wonderfully straightforward & direct. The book reads at a satisfying, brisk pace. The characters are very well-conceived in my opinion, some might be considered 'archetypical', particularly the Sith Lord Kaan & Jedi Master Hoth but if anything I found them to be endearing when juxtaposed against Bane's practically bottomless reservoir of hatred & anger. With the storyline of this trilogy being as dark as it is, it's nice to have some characters in the book that are more enjoyable & fun to read about. Some of the conversations between Hoth & his second-in-command, Valenthyne Farfalla, reminded me of older 80's-style television shows, where the heroes were honorable & chivalrous, the dialogue free of sarcasm or deceit. Their clear intentions & straightforward repartee came across to me as very endearing, almost comforting. I suppose it could be a preference I acquired only with age, & with experience living in the world.The villains like the Sith Dark Lord Kaan are pretty much what you would expect an arch-villain to be like, & the Twi'lek Sith Lords Kopecz & Kas'im were impressively conceived, in my estimation. The first time I open a book from an author who is new to me, it's always fun & interesting to see what kind of characters the author creates & integrates into his or her story. Will they be flawed antiheroes ? Or of a more traditional, idealistic vein ? Karpyshyn seems like he is comfortable with almost any style of character archetype.Dessel eventually gives in to his resentment & hate, resulting in behavior that entails turning on even his own Sith brethren, inflicting pain & killing indiscriminately. His moral compass seems like it still functions, but at times he totally sets it aside & makes extremely brutal & vicious actions that hurt & kill innocent people, but there's a good portion of the book where he continues to try resisting these urges before the good in him is eventually snuffed out for good. But it's a book about the Sith, I wasn't expecting people to be skipping down the street handing out bouquets of flowers to each other.It's real, & it's authentic to what the Sith represent in the Star Wars mythology & universe, as I would believe to the status quo for a man with Drew's credentials & personal accomplishments. Karpyshyn worked on Knights of the Old Republic, so it is only fitting for him to write a novel set within the Old Republic timeline. Path of Destruction most assuredly fits that set of criteria. Darth Revan is referenced, & one of the locations Bane must spend a considerable amount of time learning & training at is none other than the Sith World of Korriban, Sith Academy & burial ground of numerous, revered Sith Lords of legend.Without spoiling the plot for prospective readers the event at the end of the book brings to closure a situation that occupies much of the plot of 'Path of Destruction'. I believe it is brought about in an abrupt yet still impactful way that doesn't feel forced, or manufactured for the reader. Karpyshyn's writing is very unique, different from other Star Wars authors I've read in the past such as James Luceno, or Timothy Zahn. I think the character of Darth Bane most likely be one requiring the hand of an adept author for the end result to be a successful one. Karpyshyn absolutely is that kind of author.The Sith Lords have always very much intrigued me, particularly when contemplating tracing back the history of whom taught whom, i.e. seeing the chronology of Sith Masters & Sith Apprentices, starting from Sheev Palpatine receiving his tutelage from Hego Damask, who becomes Darth Plagueis, & culminating with his training being brought to fruition before receiving his new position as Darth Sidious. I would love to see more of these Dark Side relationships explored, if there exists desire from the authors in which to create them. Darth Plagueis & Darth Tenebrous is another relationship that would be very intriguing to read a story about, particularly because the two Sith Lords are both members of non-human races, and as such, a formative tale which explored the Sith Apprenticeship of a Muun learning under the tutelage of a Bith Master, would be both unique & interesting.Path of Destruction was a very satisfying read. The character of Darth Bane to me is very reminiscent of another Sith Lord whom first appeared in the second entry of the 'Knights Of The Old Republic' series, 'The Sith Lords', Darth Sion. I think if you enjoyed reading about Bane, you would love playing KOTOR II, which is a very dark title rife with that vein of Sith lore.In closing, I very much appreciate you taking your valuable time to read my review & I hope you learned a bit about Darth Bane, the Sith Order, & Star Wars ! Thank you so much for reading !

Loved everything about this tale and I am eager to continue on to the second one in the series to see how it continues.

I’m not a diehard Star Wars fan, but I have read the Thrawn trilogy and watched all the movies. The Bane trilogy is by far my favorite story of them all. One fight scene is a little disappointing and some off the writing is lame, but the series gets better with each. 4 stars for Path of Destruction, 5 for Rule of Two and Dynasty of Evil.

Although not considered canon, the start of this trilogy is worth everyone's attention if you are a Star Wars fan. Set 1000 years before Episode 1 of the movies, the age old battle between the Dark side and that of the Light still rages. Lord Kaan, a Sith Lord, has united the other Sith into what he has coined the Brotherhood of Darkness where all Dark Lords are considered equals, the term "Darth" has been removed from the language, and united they stand as a front against the Jedi. Into this plot, Dessel a giant of a man works in the mines on a desolate planet, Apatros, to mine for cortosis. He was raised by an abusive father that died of a heart attack and left his debt to Dessel and little else. Consistently beleaguered by a hard life and harder coworkers, Dess seems trapped on this planet but has every intention to pay off his debt and leave. Strong in the Force, though unknowing of such, an opportunity arrives in the form of violence to escape the planet and join the Empire against the Republic and he does so, willingly, forever taking the name of Bane.And thus Bane's story begins. Tenacious, manipulative, strong, and talented, Bane trains under the Dark Lords for a time, but when he stumbles in using the Force he must fight off his own inner demons to fully give himself over to the passions, the emotions, and the inclinations the Dark Side demands. Struggling against his fellow students, he delves into other walks of life that teach about the way of the Force, and continues to become an unstoppable tidal wave. Rife with action, internal and external struggle, the novel is made for a quick read.Although many of the events are highly predictable in the way Bane's origins are developed, Karpyshyn does throw a few curve balls at us that keeps us on our toes, and more than once I was surprised by a choice of action he let Bane enact. Well written and concise, I was never distracted by the unfolding of the story by a poorly written set of words, and for that I am super thankful. I also took great pleasure in seeing how the author molded a sort of grayness into the way the Jedi and Sith raged against each other, both seemingly unknowing about what in the world they were sacrificing all their time, lives, and energy for. Bane, however, once he gets his footing has a singular purpose and tenaciously moves himself towards that purpose without fail.Even though the trilogy isn't considered canon at this point, it is too good of a story to ignore for a Star Wars junkie and ought to be considered for some pretty awesome reading.

Pathway of Destruction is an absolutely captivating read, as it’s one of those books you can’t put down, and will keep your eyes glued to the pages.I can’t write a synopsis of the book without giving away too many details, but just know that the writing on this novel is magnificent. The description of the atmosphere and events in the story truly makes it feel as if it is happening before you, and at some points I was audibly reacting to the twists and turns, along with the triumphs and failures.Overall, this is a book I cannot recommend enough. I haven’t read a novel in years that wasn’t for a school project, and I’m glad this is the one I started off with to get back into it.For any Star Wars fan with even the slightest interest in exploring the lore of the Sith, old republic or just in general, this is the book for you. I can say with full confidence that you will not regret this purchase.

Having read dozens of Star Wars books over the years I've come to realize that Star Wars is essentially a balance of ingredients: Epic history/world building, family emphasis relationship dramas, fast paced plot development, action, creatures, novel ideas, fun, humour, romance, the force, war, etc....AND MUST NEVER BE BORING. Some books nail this 'formula' others get it wrong. Hands down, the Darth Bane Triology is easily one of the best Star Wars books ever written. In my opinion, they surpass the often hyped Thrawn trilogy. The Bane books are rarely boring. The characters grow and change quickly and in interesting ways and the scenery and political/human landscape is constantly changing. These books are chalk-full of great ideas, reveals, horrifying moments, tender moments, adventures, and wonderful imagery. These books are Star Wars to the core. Fun, inventive, surprising, epic...and most importantly, nail the Star Wars formula ingredients perfectly and in the right combination. You can almost hear John Willams music while you read. Outstanding in every way (except for the often super cheesy, fan-fictiony romance scenes where rippled muscles and long golden hair befall quivering lips and.....barf lol.

The book was paced well and the characters were well written. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Evidentemente para fãs de Star Wars. Principalmente para aqueles que tem curiosidade em saber o motivo da existência de apenas dois Sith, em oposição à grande quantidade de Jedis - encontrada na trilogia mais recente. Nesse livro há a explicação.Relativamente indiferente em relação a guerra travada entre Jedis e Sith, Dessel sofre diariamente como minerador de cortosis em Apatros. Ao acidentalmente (?) matar um oficial, é obrigado a fugir e só lhe resta a opção de entrar para a linha de frente da Irmandade da Ecuridão (Brotherhood of Darness). Com talentos sobrenaturais e força física extrema, moldada em seu planeta natal, Des logo se destaca e, em um ato de desobediência e sucesso, é mandado para a academia de Korriban - onde os mais promissores praticantes da força são treinados para se tornarem lordes Sith.Ao aprender tanto de seus professores quanto de textos antigos, Dessel - agora chamado de Bane - passa a discordar da postura tomada por Kaan em relação aos Sith. Kaan, o líder da irmandade, na tentativa de unir os praticantes do lado negro, os declarou iguais. Indignado com essa postura, Bane traça um plano a ser posto em prática em uma importante batalha entre a Irmandade e o Exército da Luz, grupo de Jedis liderado pelo general Hoth.O texto é muito bom. O livro vem num formato de pocket americano, sendo, portanto, bastante frágil.Trilogia em inglês da Del Rey:Parte 2:  Rule of Two Parte 3:  Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil: A Novel of the Old Republic Trilogia em português da Universo dos Livros:Parte 1:  Star Wars. Darth Bane. Caminho de Destruição Parte 2:  Star Wars. Darth Bane. Regra de Dois - Volume 1Rule of TwoDarth Bane: Dynasty of Evil: A Novel of the Old RepublicStar Wars. Darth Bane. Caminho de DestruiçãoStar Wars. Darth Bane. Regra de Dois - Volume 1

Mit Darth Bane - Path of Destruction wird nun eine Periode des erweiterten Star-Wars-Universums beleuchtet, welche kurz vor den Ereignissen des Comicsonderbands Jedi vs. Sith angesiedelt ist. Das Buch, wie es schon der Titel verkündet, handelt vom Aufstieg Darth Banes zum Begründer des neuen Sith-Ordens und der Regel der Zwei (ein Meister der die Macht verkörpert und ein Schüler der nach ihr verlangt).Inhalt:Etwa 1000 Jahre vor der Zerstörung des ersten Todessterns, befindet sich die Republik in einem verlustreichen Krieg mit einem wiedergeborenen Sith-Orden. Die Bruderschaft der Finsternis unter ihrem Anführer Lord Kaan wagt es nicht sich in internen Streitigkeiten und Rivalitäten seitens der Sith-Lords aufzureiben, denn nur eine geeinte Armee der Sith kann die Jedi ein für allemal besiegen. Auf Korriban errichtet die Bruderschaft schließlich eine neue Sith-Akademie, welche die zukünftigen Sith-Lords hervorbringen soll. Kurz bevor der Krieg die Bruderschaft der Finsternis und die Armee des Lichts der Jedi auf Ruusan zu einer finalen Konfrontation zwingt, schließt sich ein junger Mann namens Dessel den Sith an. Dessel, ein ehemaliger Bergbauarbeiter, hat ein hartes Leben hinter sich und verweigert der Republik jegliche Anerkennung. Als gewöhnlicher Soldat verschafft er den Sith einige Siege, bis er einen direkten Befehl verweigert. Anstatt ihn zu bestrafen bringt ihn Lord Kopecz stattdessen zur Akademie auf Korriban, denn Dessel scheint ein viel versprechender Machtbenutzer zu sein. Um seine Vergangenheit in einem symbolischen Akt abzuschließen, nimmt Dessel den Namen Bane (auf deutsch Fluch) an.Während die Armee des Lichts unter dem Jedi-Meister Lord Hoth Ruusan von den Sith zurückerobert, wächst Bane zu einem der besten Anwärter heran. Nach einer vernichtenden Niederlage gegen seinen Rivalen Sirak, geht Bane eine Allianz mit der gefallenen Jedi Githany ein. Als ihm die Meister der Akademie jegliche Ausbildung verweigern, beginnt Bane ihm geheimen die Wege der dunklen Seite und vor allem das Wissen der alten Sith-Lords zu studieren. In einem dritten und letzten Duell gelingt es ihm schließlich sich gegen Sirak durchzusetzen. Daraufhin verlässt er die Akademie um sein Studium der Vergangenheit des Ordens fortzusetzen, doch der Rest der Bruderschaft macht sich auf ,den Jedi in einer letzten Schlacht um Ruusan eine vernichtende Niederlage zuzufügen. Doch Darth Bane hat seine eigenen Pläne für den Ausgang der Schlacht um Ruusan...Zum Buch:Dem weniger bekannten Autor Drew Karpyshyn ist es zu verdanken, dass Darth Bane auch mit deutlichen Bezügen zur Knights of the Old Republic-Reihe aufwartet, immerhin war Karpyshyn auch maßgeblich an der Kreation der Hintergrundgeschichte zu den Rollenspielen beteiligt. So reiht er den verheißungsvollen Darth Revan ein, in die Riege der großen Sith-Lords (Naga Sadow, Freedon Nadd, Exar Kun) und lässt ihn in einem Holocron selbst zu Wort kommen. Mit Revan als Beispiel für den wahren Weg der dunklen Seite (Zerstörung als notwendiges Mittel zur Neuordnung) verrät er jedoch nicht zu viel über eine womögliche Fortsetzung der erfolgreichen Knights of the Old Republic-Reihe.Im letzten und dritten Kapitel des Buchs wird schließlich der Comic Jedi vs. Sith umgesetzt, wobei die erste Schülerin des Sith-Ordens, Darth Rain alias Zannah, erst in den letzten Absätzen ihren Auftritt feiern darf. Leider bleiben aufgrund der Kürze des Buchs viele Charaktere einfach auf der Strecke, so verfügt außer Darth Bane kein Charakter wirklich über einen Hintergrund. Dieses Fehlen von Hintergrundinformationen lässt wichtige Charaktere wie Lord Hoth oder Lord Kaan einfach nur ziemlich plump aussehen und gibt keinerlei Hinweise auf ihre Beweggründe, weshalb vor allem in der Schlacht um Ruusan viele scheinbar irrationale Entscheidungen getroffen werden. Auch bleibt unklar, warum diverse Jedi-Meister ebenfalls den Titel Lord führen und sich derart bedenkenlos in einen Kampf stürzen, ob der Jedi-Rat da nichts mehr mitzureden hatte? Trotz dem Versuch den Weg der dunklen Seite anschaulich darzustellen, fehlt dem Buch so etwas wie der Zugang zur hellen Seite (im Gegensatz zu zahllosen Generationen der Jedi die mit der dunklen Seite ringen muss sich Bane nie mit der hellen Seite auseinandersetzen), weshalb der Eindruck schlussendlich ziemlich einseitig bleibt. Selbst Banes Wandel vom hart arbeitenden Bergarbeiter zum Begründer eines neuen Sith-Ordens bleibt relativ unvollständig, wenn auch er in der letzten Szene seine Schülerin annimmt.Fazit:Eine großartige Geschichte, aber leider mit mangelnder Tiefe umgesetzt.