TAZÍ

Details

• Writer: Drew Karpyshyn
• Format: Audio book
• Narrator: Jonathan Davis
• Year of publication: 2007
• Genre: Sci-Fi

After reading (or more accurately: listening to) the first one (Path of destruction) I was hooked and knew the darker side of the Star Wars media was something I could enjoy without it becoming too grim. The second book in the Darth Bane Trilogy, Darth Bane – Rule of Two continues his story where the former left of, while also introducing us to his apprentice, Zannah. Now that the Brotherhood of Darkness is gone, how would Darth Bane’s legacy of the Sith look like? I was curious and was certainly not disappointed.

Premise

Darth Bane finds an apprentice and trains her, while the Jedi think the Sith are extinct.

Analysis

The writing style of Drew Karpyshyn is kinetic and action oriented. He tells a grey morale that makes you almost (or even does) sympathise to some extend to the villain(s) – you really understand the philosophy behind Darth Bane’s Sith rule and why he thinks it’s right. Drew also isn’t afraid to kill of characters, like we saw in the last book – characters got a bit of character development before being disposed of (hopefully not necessarily a spoiler) – his trademark “butterfly effect” as seen by a pivotal side-character that I can say nothing about without spoiling it.

But then we got Zannah – or Rain. (yeah she got my name! Yay!) But no, Darth Zannah as she likes to call herself – and she is my favorite character in the book. You see the fear she exhibits at the beginning of the book, while then being found and being indoctrinated by Bane into becoming the force she is in current timeline, with her manipulative and cunning nature. Also her Sith sorcery is something I hadn’t seen before in Star Wars novels and comics alike and it plays a pivotal part in the last chapter.

Bane is definitely an INTJ in personality psychology. He is a mastermind and the architect of the downfall of the brotherhood of darkness and seeks in this book primarily knowledge (like sith artefacts) to gain more power.

Zannah, on the other hand is more of an INFJ.  Although often typed as an INTJ, her mastery of Sith sorcery and deep understanding of psychological warfare points into another direction. She is the subtle “hand” to Bane’s “Fist”.

Furthermore, the novel felt fast-paced and the fights are really in-depth – every minute detail is described. Moreover, Drew is the master in worldbuilding and I loved seeing some, for me, familiar places again.

Final verdict

Rule of Two is a great follow-up to Path of destruction and I really enjoyed reading it. There aren’t any notable downsides in my opinion, and the two final confrontations in the book where really well executed. I like to read more of Darth Zannah and can’t wait to read Dynasty of Evil – the conclusion to the trilogy.

I recommend this novel to Star Wars fans, especially to fans who enjoy dark and grittier narratives.

I give Rule of Two 4/5 ⭐️.

Have you read it? How would you rate it? I’d love to know!

Thanks for reading and see you next time!

Yours,

Rain (no, not Darth Zannah ;))