Review of "Star Wars: Honor and Duty," by Luke Ross and Jason Keith

Review of

Star Wars: Honor and Duty, by Luke Ross and Jason Keith ISBN 1845763343

Five out of five stars

 There are two stories in this book, one longer than the other. The first and longer takes place approximately three “years” before the events of “Revenge of the Sith.” The power of Palpatine grows as the Republic continues to fracture as the lure of corruption overtakes many of the Senators. Anakin is now an adult, still impulsive, but very capable in the ways of the force.

 Although all of the usual characters are present, the primary focus of the main story is on Autem, a loyal Senate guard. When a Senator is assassinated and another is threatened, Autem and his partner conduct an investigation and Obi-Wan and Anakin are assigned to guard the threatened Senator. While Autem’s loyalty to the Senate and the Republic are unshakable, members of his family are not. This creates a serious familial conflict with the fate of the Republic in question.

 The second, shorter tale takes place after the events in “Revenge of the Sith” and continues the first. Imperial officers are gathered and essentially told that theirs lives belong to the Emperor and no dissent will be tolerated. The Emperor’s new assistant, Darth Vader, is introduced to the assembled officer corps.

 Both of these stories are very entertaining and informative. The reader learns more about the slow rot of the Republic from within, the decline is clear and it seems inevitable that a dictator would emerge amid the growing chaos. While there may be a little disagreement, most fans of the “Star Wars” saga will enjoy this book.