• Star Wars: Darth Plagueis

  • By: James Luceno
  • Narrated by: Daniel Davis
  • Length: 14 hrs and 45 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (27,440 ratings)

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Star Wars: Darth Plagueis  By  cover art

Star Wars: Darth Plagueis

By: James Luceno
Narrated by: Daniel Davis
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Publisher's summary

He was the most powerful Sith lord who ever lived... but could he be the only one who never died?

“Did you ever hear the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise? It’s a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise that he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the dark side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying." -Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith

Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires. Losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. And when the time is right, he destroys his Master - but vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power... over life and death.

Darth Sidious: Plagueis’s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith, while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.

Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination - and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?

©2012 James Luceno (P)2012 Random House Audio

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What listeners say about Star Wars: Darth Plagueis

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Couldn't stay awake

Would you try another book from James Luceno and/or Daniel Davis?

I have already listened to several books by James Luceno including some from the New Jedi Order Series and Millenium Falcon.

What was most disappointing about James Luceno’s story?

A lot of times it would be the over-telling of the most mundane and mindless details that I would often have to skip ahead 30 seconds at a time. And for the parts I didn't skip, I found myself falling asleep to.

Any additional comments?

While it does show us the rise of Palpatine/Sidious and gives a little more insight into the Phantom Menace, I found it incredibly boring. Most of it was due to Luceno's writing, while in some way it was Daniel Davis narrating Luceno's story.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Over and Over again.

Everything from the tone to the pacing to the narration, and the methodical language of both the inner and outer dialogues....


its a masterpiece and the most detailed glimpse into the rule of two sith order we have both on ornoff screen.

Dont know why the hell its not canon...even though Disney ripped off Plagueis anyway with "Snoke".

smh

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a must listen for star wars fans

Amazing production in tandem with an essential story;for those who want to better understand the core story arc of both the prequel and original moives.
with out spoiling or giving to much away ill just say it has great pacing, spending just enough time on details to make you feel part of the S.W universe with elements of a really good political thriller.

Its right up there with the thrawn trilogy in terms of Star wars entertainment and makes me want to get a black cowled robe and plot dark sided deeds.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it! My first Star Wars audiobook

What made the experience of listening to Star Wars: Darth Plagueis the most enjoyable?

The narrator Daniel Davis is a master of voices. Each character had his own distinctive voice. He portrayed characters from the movies perfectly. Dooku, Palpatine, Gunray were straight from the movie screen. The music and sound effects added significantly.

What did you like best about this story?

Seeing events play out over a long period of time thru the eyes of Plagueis.

Which character – as performed by Daniel Davis – was your favorite?

Plagueis, Sidious, medical droid, Dooku

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, but it was fun and I looked forward to listening to it each day.

Any additional comments?

I wish this narrator would do more Star Wars books.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Fantastic!

What made the experience of listening to Star Wars: Darth Plagueis the most enjoyable?

The story itself was fascinating as it offers a look at the lives and rise to power of both Plagueis and Palpatine, and is a great prequel to The Phantom Menace. The music, sound effects, and voice work made the story very immersive.

What other book might you compare Star Wars: Darth Plagueis to and why?

I don't know what book I could compare to it because it's the first Star Wars novel I've listened to.

Which character – as performed by Daniel Davis – was your favorite?

Daniel did a great job portraying all of the characters but my favorite would probably be Darth Plagueis. You learn to realize how important he is in the grand scheme of Star Wars.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

At points throughout the story I started fear Plagueis because you realize just how powerful he was.

Any additional comments?

This book sparked a huge interest to learn more about the different characters that were mentioned and others that exist in the lore. I hope it does the same for you too.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Overall good.

Narrator was absolutely fantastic, he made the characters real and the villains menacing. The story was a little too political for my taste. but overall it was still a very interesting read.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Actually makes the Prequels better

I saw the three Prequel films when they first came out and I enjoyed them all at the time. But there seems to be a lot, especially in The Phantom Menace, left assumed regarding Palpatine/Sidious's actions and how exactly he and the rest of the Sith operate. He makes one reference to Darth Plagueis the Wise in Revenge of the Sith and how he could manipulate the midi-chlorians in bodies of others, even to create life or stop others from dying. Knowing I could read a book about this guy was enough to start, but "Star Wars: Darth Plagueis" offered more.

By showing how the events of the galaxy were manipulated so severely by both Hego Damask and Palpatine, much of the backstory falls into place. We have a better idea how the Sith hid from the Jedi for a thousand years and all the work that went into creating the situation with the Trade Federation in The Phantom Menace -- what at first appeared to be a random event that was seized is now clearly the outcome of decades if not centuries of planning and hard work. Darth Maul, originally believed to be Sidious's apprentice under the Rule of Two, now makes more sense as a simple assassin outside of that rule. Similarly, Dooku's role is also expanded upon, now being merely a placeholder apprentice until Palpatine can acquire Anakin/Vader. The role of the Dark Side is improved greatly -- Plagueis in particular offers a better picture of the Sith, not simply evil, but fundamentally different from the Jedi.

In reading this book, multiple times I wanted to go back and re-watch The Phantom Menace (whose story and title are improved with this book) with these events in mind -- though I know there wasn't, I'd like to imagine a Muun in a breathing mask walking with Palpatine just before an important scene.

Daniel Davis did an excellent job with the characters. Though he doesn't have the range of some narrators like Marc Thompson, his characters were well-acted and had unique voices (even if the voices didn't always match their voices from the films). And as with all of the Star Wars productions, the music and sound effects add to the whole experience.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Another Great Star Wars Audiobook

The Star Wars audiobooks are such a guilty pleasure with their sound effects and very skilled narrators. This one is no exception. I enjoyed James Luceno's Dark Lord and once again have enjoyed his writing in Darth Plagueis.

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James Luceno + Daniel Davis = a Powerhouse

Would you consider the audio edition of Star Wars: Darth Plagueis to be better than the print version?

I don't know if one is necessarily better than the other but I'd definitely recommend the audio. Who wants to miss out on the Star Wars sound effects? Honestly, this did make me want to go out and purchase the paperback for later reading.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Darth Sidious. James Luceno and Daniel Davis gave him a lot of depth.

Have you listened to any of Daniel Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This was my first experience with Daniel Davis and I was impressed. I hope to find more Star Wars novels narrated by him.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not particularly but it certainly gave me a lot to think about.

Any additional comments?

I like how Luceno basically implies that Anakin's birth was like the force giving Darth Plagueis the middle finger. Under the events of Darth Plagueis, it's quite possible Anakin would have never been born if it hadn't been for the Sith Lord.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Good story but...

It was an amazing story overall but I felt that it was kind of boring getting from point a to point B

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