Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic

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

I got into reading the Star Wars books last year and always wanted to read more about Darth Bane. Book is fantastic! Drew Karpyshyn is an excellent Star Wars writer and I’ve since read all of his other entries in the book series. Really sad that Disney declared these all legends and they’re no longer cannon, would have loved to have seen these books adapted to the screen. Highly recommend if you’re interested in reading more about the Sith and the galaxy before the events of the films!

This is one of the best Star Wars novels - mixing elements of the fictional universe created by George Lucas with an original plot, set during the distant past, and involving a new and highly fascinating character. This book introduces Darth Bane - who, although protagonist, is actually the villain of the story. "Path of Destruction" is the first volume in a three-part series of novels about the life of this incredibly powerful Dark Lord of the Sith, written by Drew Karpyshyn. Given the quality of the storytelling, alongside the expert handling of the Star Wars mythos, I fully recommend all three novels.This initial instalment in the trilogy takes place just over 1,000 years before the events of 'A New Hope'. The galaxy is divided and at war - with the Sith Order amassing its armies against the Jedi and the Republic they defend. On a remote mining world, a strong and muscular worker named Dessel - who, unbeknownst to others, is strong with the Force - must flee, as he becomes a wanted man. He enlists into the ranks of the Sith army - and quickly distinguishes himself as a warrior. It's then that the Sith realise the true potential within Dessel - and so they decide to teach him the ancient ways of their Order, and he is renamed Darth Bane.Bane quickly excels - but feels that his teachers lack the knowledge and powers to adequately instruct him in the ways of the Force. So he embarks upon a journey of discovery, seeking the ancient and long-forgotten wisdom of the early Sith. Eventually he finds the Temple of the Ancients, and Bane discovers Darth Revan's holocron. Using this knowledge, Bane crafts the Rule of Two - that the Sith ought to comprise of no more than a master and an apprentice ... all others are superfluous. And so he decides to destroy the other Sith - using a mythical weapon known as the thought bomb. The story culminates on a world in the midst of a battle between the Sith and Jedi - and it's there that Bane proves his mastery ...If you're a Star Wars fan, I cannot recommend this novel too highly. It's action-packed, fast paced, with an interesting story and a great main character. I especially enjoyed discovering events and worlds set so long before the films. More than anything, this book is a lot of fun.

Great start for the trilogy!

This book was bought as NEW for a present only for me to find out from the recipient that there is pen marks and the pages have clearly been folded . Very disappointed as I said it was a gift and I paid full price. Buyer beware.

Excellent detail in the battle scenes, definitely a page turner.

I'm happy to recommend to any star wars fan who, like me, see the use of the force and those who use it as what distinguishes star wars from other sf.What you get here is a real insight into the sith and jedi of old, how they were organised, how they fought and how they waged war. You also get some very interesting examples of how the force is used to influence other on a large scale, either to demoralise troops or persuade followers - all written consistently and from the points of view of both the sith and Jedi. That the story is written primarily from the pov of the sith makes it a very enjoyable and engaging read. The main protagonist (antagonist?) Bane, is a superbly written character as are all the other main players. Their motivations are consistent throughout, each have believable arcs and Bane's evolution from angry young miner to Darth is something which feels like a natural, if somewhat obsessive, progression.All in all, I couldnt put this down till it was done, so 5 out of 5 for me.

Darth Bane: Path of Destruction is a book that predates Star Wars Episode I by a thousand years. In the times of the Old Republic the Jedi fought the Sith almost to extinction. But in the shadows the Sith lived on...Des is a miner on Apatros whose vigorous work and appalling living conditions lead him to despise the Republic. A clash with soldiers of the Republic makes him a wanted man. He must decide to leave Apatros to join the massive Sith army. It soon becomes clear that Des is destined for great things. His ability to foresee the actions of opponents makes him formidable in combat, and his connection with the Force continues to develop.The struggles and challenges Des had to face made Path of Destruction an unpredictable, surprising, and rewarding read. Many times throughout it wasn’t clear if Des would overcome his challenges, and if he didn’t I was invigorated by his stout determination and stubborn motivation. The road to survival is indeed a twisted one, as was shown. The way it was written was truly exceptional and fulfilling, so congratulations to the author and editors.