by Michael Reaves
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter centers on Maul and what should have been, for him, a simple mission that Michael Reaves turns into a novel with potential but falls flat. Not only is the story predictable, the author’s writing is . . . not good.
The narrative is written mostly in the vernacular, that is, in plain language, which is fine. However, on many occasions he suddenly incorporates one word that, though perhaps accurate in usage, simply does not belong in the phrasing. Some examples: “Darsha felt the stairwell shift and shudder as if in the throes of a temblor” (153). “Temblor”? Is there something wrong with “earthquake”? Or: “It was a twisty path that Green Hair led them down, even for Coruscant — through dark alleys and back utility routes grown vermicularly complex over the centuries” (277). “Wormlike” would have worked just as well if not better than “vermicularly,” especially since one character here is called Green Hair. Reaves also uses weak similes such as, “a stab of pain like a blaster bolt through her skull” (199) to describe a headache.
Shifts in point of view are not smooth. A situation or action takes place in just a few paragraphs, then abruptly continues from a different character’s viewpoint. This happens often between Maul, the antagonist, and Darsha Assant, one of the protagonists. Indeed, what Reaves does best is draw parallels between the Sith apprentice and the Padawan by describing both characters’ interpretations and subsequent actions via the Sith and Jedi Codes, respectively. Still, disappointing all the way around.
The good news is, James Luceno’s short story, “Darth Maul: Saboteur,” previously available only in electronic format, is included in the paperback version of Shadow Hunter and is a real treat.
