This article was originally published on TatooineTimes.com
Written by Drew Karpyshyn (the Darth Bane trilogy) and published in 2012, Annihilation takes place in 3640 BBY, when the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic engage in a relentless conflict during the tumultuous Old Republic era. The story follows Theron Shan, a skilled Republic spy, as he embarks on a perilous mission to uncover a mysterious Sith superweapon capable of annihilating entire planets. Along the way, Theron must navigate a web of political intrigue, betrayals, and ancient Sith secrets, all while facing formidable adversaries. As the war reaches a critical juncture, Theron Shan’s journey becomes a pivotal chapter in the struggle for dominance between the forces of light and darkness, revealing the high stakes and personal sacrifices that define the novel.
Objectively, Annihilation is a fast paced battle between good and bad with a healthy dose of humanity thrown in. There are horrible bad guys to root against and good guys to root for, plus who doesn’t love a good space battle? Having now read a number of The Old Republic novels, however, leaves me wondering how much a casual Star Wars fan would connect with a book like Annihilation. Karpyshyn’s Darth Bane series easily can stand on its own; it’s a tight, specific story which requires little to no prior knowledge for it to be outrageously enjoyable. With Annihilation, this is the first Old Republic novel that I imagine would be so much better having previous experience and knowledge of The Old Republic in its entirety. Having the visual cues from comic books, hours upon hours of time with the characters and settings in the video game, keeping up with trailers and short stories, truly being engulfed in and loving The Old Republic as a whole would make Annihilation extremely satisfying.
Having said that, Annihilation brings together a cast of characters whose motivations are complex and emotions run the gamut. Theron is thrust into dealing with the issues of his parentage, Jedi Master Gnost-Dural must face the reality of his former apprentice being seduced by the dark side. There are some truly fascinating moral and ethical questions being posed in this book and set against an epic adventure story only makes Annihilation more unique. Additionally, Annihilation includes a plot point which shows how hyper connected (literally) Sith Darth Karrid is to her ship the Ascendant Spear, something that I’ve yet to experience in a Star Wars novel. Jedi Master Gnost-Dural is one of the most compelling and interesting characters of Annihilation. As a Kel Dor, his species is one whose visuals are never hard to imagine, but even apart from that, his dedication, wisdom and full out badassery was a real delight.
Annihilation has joined the The Essential Legends Collection with new cover art by Dominik Mayer featuring a showdown between Darth Karrid and Theron Shan.
Buy Annihilation The Essential Legends Collection
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