Star Wars Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno

"I think you know in your heart that you're meant for something extraordinary."  -- Obi-Wan Kenobi to Anakin SkywalkerWhile battles are unfolding throughout the Galactic Republic, Anakin Skywalker is struggling in a battle within himself.  James Luceno's Star Wars Labyrinth of Evil is much more than a series of detailed military battles; it is an exciting journey into the mind of the young man that will soon become Darth Vader.In his writing, Luceno seems to understand the unique position of Labyrinth of Evil in the Star Wars saga.  Since the release of The Phantom Menace in 1999, Star Wars fans have witnessed Anakin turn from a precocious, pod-racing 9-year-old to an acclaimed Jedi and beloved husband.  Unlike the characters themselves, fans have the advantage of knowing that Anakin will eventually turn to the Dark Side, and as a result, have spent the last six years speculating the circumstances of Anakin's "fall."  Labyrinth of Evil offers fans the remarkable opportunity to see Anakin as the man he was right before he succumbed to the Dark Side's temptation.  In this sense, it answers our own society's resounding question about the formation of evil:  What made history's most despised figures (Stalin, Hitler) become the tyrants and murderers that they were?Labyrinth of Evil artfully combines insights on Anakin's past with foreshadowing of Episode III.  In one thought-provoking chapter, Anakin wonders what his life would have been like if he had not been freed from slavery by Qui-Gon.  He concludes that he had always known that "he would become celebrated" and that he would have found freedom (and fame) with or without the Jedi, showing Anakin's self-confidence and belief that success is possible outside the Jedi Order.  At other times, Luceno hints at everything from Padme's pregnancy to Obi-Wan's uncertainty about his role in Anakin's future.Of all the literary supplements to the Star Wars films, James Luceno's Labyrinth of Evil is among the best.  Luceno successfully captures the exciting action that synonymous with Star Wars and combines it with rich, inner psychological details.  It is well worth a read.