EPISODE III: WOOKIEES AT WAR!

Their lush jungle homeworld of Kashyyyk critically threatened with Separatist droid invaders, the Wookiees will protect their lands and freedoms with unique heavy weaponry, as seen in this great conceptual art by Aaron McBride for Episode III.

EPISODE III: DEATH FROM ABOVE!

 

The intense conflict between Jedi brothers continues amongst the hot and dangerous volcanic landscape of the mysterious world of Mustafar, as seen in this great EPISODE III concept art, especially showcasing the agility of the formidable Darth Vader, from Aaron McBride.

UPDATE (14/1/24|) A wonderful idea to show the complete unabridged duel between Anakin/Vader and Obi-Wan in the style of The Clone Wars animated series, check out the superb fan-made Battle of the Heroes. This really should have been done by Filoni and company back in the day, and acts as a wonderful tribute to both EPISODE III and the enduring animated series.

AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'DOOKU - JEDI LOST'

Dark fates await Count Dooku and Asajj Ventress in the all-new Dooku - Jedi Lost. Cover art by Aaron McBride.

Though Anakin Skywalker's journey into darkness is the lynchpin to the Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, there were other Jedi from his era who'd also fall from grace and show great evil. Most notably, the nefarious, enigmatic and ruthlessly cruel figure of Count Dooku, as played in Episode's II and III by the stately presence with that classy veneer of evil that was silver-screen legend, Sir Christopher Lee. Now, in celebration of both the character and the man who played him, British author Cavan Scott gives us more on the origins of Dooku, born to nobility, becoming a once powerful Jedi, then a threat to the universe upon transferring his allegiances to the Sith, as Dooku - Jedi Lost's audio drama script gets a satisfying book release, available in the UK from Century Publishing.

Ever the imaginative storyteller, Scott uses Asajj Ventress, Dooku's own powerful Padawan for evil, as his key and unique framing device in launching the story, to peel back the dark layers of Dooku's past, his locked-away vulnerabilities, and soon future, whilst more facets of Ventress's own past, discovered and used by Dooku for twisted ends, are concurrently revealed.

Christopher Lee as the battle-scarred Count Dooku.

Removed from his linage of dynastic power on the Outer Rim world of Serenno by a Jedi seeker, an act of deliberate abandonment engineered by his powerful Father - a cruel leader despising of the Jedi (including his own son) and the Republic to whom they serve, Dooku's power is soon cultivated at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. But despite that potential goodness and the genuinely faithful service given to his Masters, as well as the benevolence and experience he gives as a role model teacher himself in his later years, Dooku's ego/arrogance, fused with driven ambition and greed to be the ultimate Jedi, alongside growing dark knowledge of secret Sith artefacts and prophecies at the Jedi Temple, assuredly launches his eventual steps towards the realms of darkness - true pride before a fall, bolstered by his frustration at his friends building inability to bring true peace and justice to the galaxy, of which even his closest confidants and later Padawan learners are not enough to keep him close to the side of light.

Dark times ahead for Dooku and Sifo-Dyas.

And Dooku's tragic family history already has ties to the Sith- the world of Serenno having been one of the sect's many empiric worlds from a thousand year before, whose now wary people are on the verge of rebellion against the Republic, egged on by his despot father. In Dooku - Jedi Lost, all these elements are well explored and used, as is the development of Dooku's problematic family ties (a weakness for his beloved sister being an important plot point) on a world he knows faces fiery oblivion, and which must be saved and shaped anew under his guidance, leading carefully to his eventual reign as Separatist Leader by the time of EPISODE II. In those final years before becoming one of 'The Lost Twenty', Dooku will further manipulate an old Jedi friend- the vulnerable Master Sifo-Dyas, a visionary on the brink of madness, who sees the dark future of the galaxy with building emotional intensity...

The many faces of Dooku. Art by Aaron McBride.

As the story reaches its darkest moments, Dooku- Jedi Lost proves a solid concoction from Cavan Scott that Prequel fans will enjoy. Most of the author's work in developing the Count feels right in the reading - a rare privilege to be able to bring so much more detail to such a popular Star Wars villain, including research that cleverly combines opinions and thoughts observed about the character from the late Mister Lee himself. Though I did have a problem in picturing Dooku as a pet person, as discovered here in moments that felt too Harry Potter-esque for my personal tastes, and not even during his prior positive status as a Jedi. (The choice of pet, however, soon proves key to the dark phoenix rising-esque idea perpetuated by the author.) 

AFICIONADO RATING: Sith happens! From these interesting script/book foundations, there's lots of potential for a sequel drama showing Dooku properly assuming the mantle of Darth Tyranus alongside Darth Sidious, so let's hope that happens... 3.5 out of 5

More on the book (plus excerpts):
https://starwarsaficionado.blogspot.com/2019/10/the-man-who-became-tyranus-dooku-jedi.html

Get the book here: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dooku-Jedi-Lost-Star-Wars/dp/0593157664/ref=sr_1_1?crid=23MO3R0G367Z3&keywords=dooku+jedi+lost+book&qid=1573210206&sprefix=DOOKU+JEDI+%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1

'SOLO': SPACE NIGHTMARE!

The Kessel Run is famous for its spacial travel/navigation problems and instabilities. but the rumours of creatures actually living inside the gaseous realms of the Maw? Well, 'that's something else', as our heroes in the Millennium Falcon soon discover, encountering this nasty space beastie. Great concept art by Aaron McBride for Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Discover more superb and evocative conceptual art, and the overall production timeline for the film, via Phil Szostak's marvellous companion piece: The Art of Solo: A Star Wars Story, out now online and in book stores, from ABRAMS.

Get it here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Solo-Star-Wars-Story/dp/1419727451/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1533485104&sr=8-1&keywords=the+art+of+solo