THE CLONE WARS: TWISTED SISTER!

She was the Dark Side assassin with a thirst to destroy the Jedi, then, once abused and left for dead by her former master in Count Dooku, became the loner, the adept bounty hunter for hire, before finding an all-new purpose and love for one of the race she had once sworn to destroy. Asajj Ventress's arc across the span of THE CLONE WARS animated series and its spin-offs proved an extremely satisfying one for her creators and the worldwide fanbase, and now her final adventure, alongside the rogue Jedi Quinlan Vos, returns via UK paperback this month, courtesy of ARROW: Christie Golden's well received, fast paced tale of love, danger and redemption adapted from never-completed series episodes: Dark Disciple.

Check out our original review here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'DARK DISCIPLE'

Get hold of the book here: Star Wars: Dark Disciple: Amazon.co.uk: Christie Golden, Katie Lucas: 9781101884959: Books

AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'DARK DISCIPLE'

Two of a kind? Asajj Ventress and Quinlan Vos team-up for STAR WARS: DARK DISCIPLE- an unproduced THE CLONE WARS story now making an impact in novel form.

STAR WARS: DARK DISCIPLE

By Christie Golden

Based on unproduced episodes of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS

Foreword by Katie Lucas

Available now from CENTURY PUBLISHING


Reviewed by Scott Weller


Enough is enough.

Truly appalled by the latest murderous act specifically masterminded and wrought by their once friend, Count Dooku in a war against the Separatists that seemingly looks unending, Master Yoda and the Jedi Council take a momentous and far-reachingly dangerous decision to assassinate the corrupted Dark Lord of the Sith and end his reign of terror across the galaxy. But who to send on the mission? Only someone experienced or touched by the nature of evil and the Dark Dide of the Force will surely be accomplished enough to destroy his insidious power. One who knows Dooku, his methods, motivations and potential weaknesses. Someone who has faced him in combat and almost defeated him: his once Sith assassin now exiled bounty hunter Asajj Ventress!

A mission to kill! Asajj Ventress duels her old master, Count Dooku.

The enemy of my enemy is my friend is the old adage for this latest adventure from STAR WARS author Christie Golden, as she adapts eight ground-breaking unmade episodes from the axed way before its time THE CLONE WARS series- Dark Disciple, a tale which would effectively being back popular Expanded Universe hero and Outer Rim-based occasional rogue Jedi, Quinlan Vos, in a striking way far removed from his prior seen devil-may-care efforts with Obi-Wan Kenobi tracking down the fugitive Ziro the Hutt. Very much the maverick, beyond anything seen with Qui-Gon Jinn, and with more than the roguish dare and happy scoundrel Han Solo-ish touch about him, Vos is the perfect choice to recruit the beautiful but deadly Ventress into the Jedi's most daring and ultimately out of character by necessity plan. Undercover as a bounty hunter he soon becomes her sparky rival, her concerned and passionate lover, then her enemy, as the adaptation unfolds efficiently and speedily over its highly readable 336 pages. Developed behind the scenes by writer Katie Lucas- who saw her potential for character growth across the series run, and whom she shared a certain amount of creative kinswoman-ship to, Ventress has come a long way since those early bitter days taunting and fighting the Jedi she once swore to annihilate. Falling from grace with Dooku and abandoned to death, she has had to survive by any means necessary now that her beloved Witch Sisterhood of Dathomir have been annihilated, whilst her more recent, often irregular activities and life as a bounty hunter has seen her in a far more melancholy and reflective mood. But that doesn't mean her instincts and Force potential have dried up- far from it- especially when she recognises what her new friend and lover Vos is up to, and whom she strikes up the perfect, almost empathic partnership with. Over the course of the planned eight episodes split across Season Seven or Eight, it would have been interesting to see how this unique relationship of trust, anxiety and violence would have been realized in the animated episode medium, especially as the story moves into dark betrayal and shocking revelations. On the printed page it certainly works well, and not in the MILLS & BOON tradition when it comes to STAR WARS! Things here will surely not end well!

Early teaser artwork for DARK DISCIPLE showing the new-look Ventress.

Planned as major arc episodes of the series that would also bring specific closure to events and characters introduced way back from Season One, the story also features what would have been memorable appearances from the likes of the always loathsome General Grievous, once more in multi-lightsaber duelling action, and a now approaching the sequels attired Boba Fett and his small bounty hunter posse. Meanwhile, Count Dooku's evil-dom reaches new heights of depravity and viciousness once he is aware of Vos and Ventress's plans against him-his interactions with this unique duo of assassins proving particularly noteworthy during the book's concluding chapters. Thought by many Prequel haters as boring characters within the actual live-action films, our Jedi heroes of the animated series have been given far more thought-provoking and challenging material to explore, with added shades of grey layerings particularly given to Mace Windu (the main initiator of the assassination plan) and Obi-Wan Kenobi, the latter soon worried about the potential of Vos going astray to the Dark Side in Ventress company, as their time grows together in locating Dooku. Later in the book, seeing the influential likes of Yoda and Windu interact with their once enemy in Ventress proves an additional highlight and history-making moment for the STAR WARS saga- destinies crossed in a situation now making our noble warrior monks more vulnerable that ever, of which, despite their best intentions, they are now truly committed to travelling the road to their own self-destruction, soon enough cemented by the vengeance of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and the manipulations of Darth Sidious.

AFICIONADO RATING. A very creditable adaptation from the well-selected for the task Miss Golden, further developing Ventress and her complex relationship with Vos, whose dark romance is a strong showcase for the author's talents but those of the series original writers (Katle Lucas, Matt Michnovetz and Dave Filoni ). With the success and overall acclaim for this novel endeavour, let's hope that we get more adaptations of unseen episodes of THE CLONE WARS Seasons Sevens and Eight for the future. We deserve them. 4 out of 5.

Get hold of STAR WARS: DARK DISCIPLE here: Star Wars: Dark Disciple: Amazon.co.uk: Katie Lucas, Christie Golden: 9780345511539: Books

Telling the Untold in Dark Disciple | StarWars.com

OUT THIS MONTH: 'DARK DISCIPLE'

In war, there's an old saying: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend". Just how true that is will soon be discovered by one-of-a-kind Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos when he's paired up with the lone wolf and former Sith Padawan, Asajj Ventress, in a mission to assassinate the dreaded Count Dooku, as the duo's unproduced eight-episode arc for THE CLONE WARS animated series comes to printed realisation via author Christie Golden: Dark Disciple, out next week in UK hardback from CENTURY PUBLISHING.

Here's the cover blurb:

Based on unproduced episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this new novel features Asajj Ventress, former Sith apprentice turned bounty hunter and one of the great antiheroes in the Star Wars galaxy. 


The only way to bring down the Sith’s most dangerous warrior may be to join forces with the dark side.

In the war for control of the galaxy between the armies of the dark side and the Republic, former Jedi Master turned ruthless Sith Lord Count Dooku has grown ever more brutal in his tactics. Despite the powers of the Jedi and the military prowess of their clone army, the sheer number of fatalities is taking a terrible toll. And when Dooku orders the massacre of a flotilla of helpless refugees, the Jedi Council feels it has no choice but to take drastic action: targeting the man responsible for so many war atrocities, Count Dooku himself.
 
But the ever-elusive Dooku is dangerous prey for even the most skilled hunter. So the Council makes the bold decision to bring both sides of the Force’s power to bear—pairing brash Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos with infamous one-time Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress. Though Jedi distrust for the cunning killer who once served at Dooku’s side still runs deep, Ventress’s hatred for her former master runs deeper. She’s more than willing to lend her copious talents as a bounty hunter—and assassin—to Vos’s quest.
 
Together, Ventress and Vos are the best hope for eliminating Dooku—as long as the emerging feelings between them don’t compromise their mission. But Ventress is determined to have her retribution and at last let go of her dark Sith past. Balancing the complicated emotions she feels for Vos with the fury of her warrior’s spirit, she resolves to claim victory on all fronts—a vow that will be mercilessly tested by her deadly enemy . . . and her own doubt.

Read the first sixty pages here: Dark Disciple%3A Star Wars

Look out for a review on AFICIONADO in the not too distant future.

Get the book here: Star Wars: Dark Disciple: Amazon.co.uk: Katie Lucas, Christie Golden: 9780345511539: Books

COMING TO THE 'STAR WARS' UNIVERSE IN 2015...

Stunning preview art for EPISODE VII, for Entertainment Weekly magazine, by Martin Ansin.

To say 2015 is going to be an exciting time for STAR WARS fans of all ages is surely an understatement! Here's just a small sneak peak of what will be catching AFICIONADO's specific attentions, as The Force Awakens...

EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS (in cinemas worldwide from December 18th, 2015)

* Hopefully some new footage for February's US SUPERBOWL half-time entertainment/movie promos period, as well as selected behind the scenes footage at CELEBRATION in Los Angeles in April, plus footage and cast and crew attendance at SAN DIEGO COMIC CON in July; a second teaser trailer for May's STAR WARS DAY, and a final extended trailer and new character TV introduction spots by at least October/November.

* New EPISODE VII sneak peaks in all the UK film and sci-fi magazines. EMPIRE film magazine, which has a strong relationship with Abrams/Bad Robot and Disney/Lucasfilm, are bound to have special previews by summer-time and October. Continuing the tradition, the US VANITY FAIR and ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY will likely do something special as well! Expect Daisy Ridley to be on the cover of VOGUE or ELLE by at least December.

* Expect several tie-in MARVEL comics featuring lead-ins to specific events and characters of EPISODE VII, plus the later adaptation of the film.

* John Williams surely stunning soundtrack, available by at least mid-December.

* Disney Theme Parks ride/material linked to the film, with new contributions (either voice work or specially shot footage) from its new younger heroes, notably John Boyega and Daisy Ridley.

* Official novelisation- rumoured to be penned by Alan Dean Foster.

* Massive three-wave set of trading cards rumoured from TOPPS, separate or alongside its new Masterwork series.

Rian Johnson will be directing EPISODE VIII.

EPISODE VIII: TITLE TBA

* Pre-production work, animatics and early special effects sequences will gather apace in the US and London from Summer onwards, with Rian Johnson on board for writing/directing duties. Luke and Leia will apparently continue to make vital contributions to VII and IX.

STAR WARS UNTITLED SPIN-OFF

* Commences shooting at Pinewood Studios around May, written by Gary Whitta, directed by Gareth Edwards. May involve a pre-EPISODE IV story about how the Rebels, using help from bounty hunters and other shady associates, win their first major victory against the Empire and capture the original Death Star plans.

OTHER CINEMATIC EVENTS

* EPISODE III gets a limited 3D release later in the year (US TBA), possibly followed by IV to VI in the format (US). The Classic Trilogy may get an additional non-3D theatrical release in the weeks of anticipation to EPISODE VII.

* Classic Trilogy to finally arrive unaltered, but restored in sound and picture quality, by November on manila Blu-ray, via DISNEY in special arrangement with LUCASFILM and FOX.

STAR WARS REBELS

* The continuation of Season One, beginning in the US on DISNEY XD and online from early January, featuring the vocal return of Frank Oz as Yoda, Billy Dee Williams, and a possible second Vader cameo. Complete Season DVD release expected by October.

* Season Two, beginning next September/October, with possible guest voices (for a flashback sequence?) from Matt Lanter as Anakin Skywalker and Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka Tano. Plus some kind of linkages in and out of that year to EPISODE VII.

* A possible Obi-Wan TV special of some kind may be in the works- TBA.

OTHER BOOKS

* A mountain of EPISODE VII related books for readers young and old by November/December, including a novel tie-in (arriving after the film's release in cinemas), a storybook, several visual guides from DORLING KINDERSLEY (with a spread peek at new ships in next summer's Definitive Guidebook), plus a Making of, likely by J.W. Rinzler.

* At least two lavish new archive-related SW books from J.W. Rinzler/ LUCAS BOOKS spread through the year, with separate publicity features via STAR WARS INSIDER.

* Original novels: Luke Skywalker stars in Heir to the Jedi, Vader and Palpatine in Lords of the Sith, and Asajj Ventress and Quinlan Vos in Dark Disciple, all in the UK from Winter to Summer via CENTURY PUBLISHING.

OTHER COMICS

* MARVEL unleashes its new series of Classic Trilogy adventures in January, including separate Darth Vader and Princess Leia mini-series in February and March. It also continues its digitially recoloured reprints of classic past comic stories and film adaptations in physical and online form.