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Star Wars: Darth Bane #2
Star Wars: Darth Bane - Rule of Two
In this essential Star Wars Legends novel, the second in the Darth Bane trilogy, the fearsome Sith lord takes on a deadly new apprentice. Darth Bane's twisted genius made him a natural leader among the Sith-until his radical embrace of an all-but-forgotten wisdom drove him to destroy his own order . . . and create it anew from the ashes. As the last surviving Sith, Darth Bane promulgated a harsh new the Rule of Two.Two there should be; no more, no less.One to embody the power, the other to crave it.Now Darth Bane is ready to put his policy into action and thinks he has found the key element that will make his triumph a student to train in the ways of the dark side. Though she is young, Zannah possesses an instinctive link to the dark side that rivals his own. With his guidance, she will become essential in his quest to destroy the Jedi and dominate the galaxy.
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 26, 2007
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9583 people want to read
About the author
Drew Karpyshyn
38 books2,058 followersDrew Karpyshyn is a Canadian author and game designer. After working at a credit union for some time, he eventually became a game developer. He joined BioWare towards the end of the Baldur's Gate series, and wrote the tie-in novel for Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal. He stayed with BioWare, where he worked on Neverwinter Nights, and became the Senior Writer on the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
This Star Wars connection gave him the opportunity to write Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, his first hardcover. Karpyshyn still works for BioWare where he is the lead writer for the Mass Effect series.
This Star Wars connection gave him the opportunity to write Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, his first hardcover. Karpyshyn still works for BioWare where he is the lead writer for the Mass Effect series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,161 reviews
January 27, 2025
This is a sequel to Path of Destruction: A Novel of the Old Republic (Star Wars: Darth Bane) it continues immediately after the first book and then jumps 10 years. The book follows Bane's apprentice from an innocent 10 year old to claim her own Darth title. Zannah can be even more cold blooded then her master. This book is enjoyable, and it is a credit to the author that he finished this book in 6 months. This book is the second step in the 1000 year plan that became Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars (Random House Hardcover)). In the first book, Bane showed some humanity when he felt remorse and even crippling guilt over his first force murders, but Zannah does not seem to have a conscience at all. As a reader, I was drawn into Zannah's point of view. During the book, Bane makes himself nie-indestructible, which presents an interesting problem to his apprentice, who is destined to kill her master.
May 17, 2016
"There must only be two, No more and no less."
- Darth Bane
Rule of Two is a wonderful continuation to this amazing saga. Ten years have passed since the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, and Zannah's apprenticeship under Bane has been blooming for years, hidden in the shadows. The Jedi believe the Sith extinct, but a state visit from the Supreme Chancellor has the potential to unshroud the mysteries of the Dark Side.
This second book of the Bane trilogy is probably the weakest one, but it does have what is hands down the best lightsaber duel in Star Wars history. And that is probably its biggest strength.
- Darth Bane
Rule of Two is a wonderful continuation to this amazing saga. Ten years have passed since the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, and Zannah's apprenticeship under Bane has been blooming for years, hidden in the shadows. The Jedi believe the Sith extinct, but a state visit from the Supreme Chancellor has the potential to unshroud the mysteries of the Dark Side.
This second book of the Bane trilogy is probably the weakest one, but it does have what is hands down the best lightsaber duel in Star Wars history. And that is probably its biggest strength.
July 23, 2010
"Darth Zannah, you are my apprentice. The heir to my legacy"
After greatly enjoying Star Wars. Darth Bane - Path of Destruction (PoD), I delved into part two.
Bane begins his training of his heir, Zannah, in the Dark Arts and continues to add confusion to the Republic and the Jedi Order. Can't really expand more on it than that, to be honest.
What I Liked:
One of the best things about this book is how it deals with such an under-explored area: the Sith. I enjoyed reading more about Bane, what happened immediately after the events in PoD, and seeing Zannah grow in the Dark Side.
Speaking of Zannah, she was one of those few female characters in the Star Wars universe (particularly recently) that I truly enjoyed without wanting to cry "MARY SUE!" after each scene she was in. I felt Karpyshyn did a superb job writing her as a child, balancing between her extreme skill for the Force and her naiveté. Also, I loved learning in flashbacks about her training and how they tied in to the current events (e.g. her first mission to draw the neek towards her was a great highlight and was perfectly placed with her mission to draw Kel into a confrontation with the Republic). She is a cunning woman, but yearning still for emotions, leading her to relationships with men, such as Kel. I enjoyed this view, showing that Sith cannot get all their fulfillment solely from the Dark Side.
Karpyshyn did, in my opinion, a good job moving from Bane's point of view to Zannah's. In PoD, Bane did most of the narrating; here, it is Zannah. We still see inside Bane's mind, which is great, but I do enjoy seeing the events from the apprentice who will carry on the legacy.
I also enjoyed the numerous Sith vs Jedi arguments in this book. I felt that they really brought both Orders to a new level of understanding, one that can't be shown in a movie or explained in most other books.
The pacing is quick. The characters don't spend much time sitting back, chattin' up the situation. They are out there, doing something. Yes, they have deep conversations, but they are perfectly blended into the surroundings so you don't feel like all they do is talk or they stop to talk about politics in a middle of a battle scene.
Karpyshyn also outdoes himself in the lightsaber duels. The latter one is particularly brilliant with five Jedi against two Sith. Won't tell you how that turns out, though I am sure you can guess.
What I Did Not Like:
I spent six years in college studying physics, chemistry, and engineering. I say this, because one of the biggest problems I have with this book is the following scene: Bane flies on a reptilian avian from the moon, Dxun to the planet, Onderon. Yes, you heard me, from a moon to a planet. Across the reaches of space. With only the Dark Side to encase him in a bubble of oxygen.
What the...??? Where do people come UP with these ideas? I like to think that I can turn my brain off and enjoy things, but this is too much!!
First off, does anyone know the density of the atmosphere in the Earth's upper layers? A cursory check will show that the ionosphere is not very dense...much less than the troposphere, where we live. For our daring duo, this means that FLIGHT would be nearly impossible for a reptilian bird! Flight for a bird is contingent on having a higher pressure on the underside of the wing than on the upperside. Since birds fly by flapping their wings and do not have an external fuel source (which is how rockets are able to fly), they would flap furiously and fall like dead flies. Not to mention, that this layer is "where many atoms are ionized (have gained or lost electrons so they have a net electrical charge)." If this is true on other Earth like planets (and at this point, we can't confirm or deny, but it seems to be more typical than not), then our riding duo are breathing IONS!!! This is crazy, you can't breathe ions!!! I don't care what weird Dark Side shield Bane puts around him (and note that it's only after they "leave the atmosphere" of Dxun that he does this!), that's gonna hurt!!
Okay, so the next point is: so let's say the planets are pretty darn close to each other (like they fudge in the book). Okay...if that's true, how do the gravitational powers inherent in both planets keep from ripping everything to shreds? Technically, no life should be on either planet, not if they get this close to each other, as the moon will pull at the planet and vice versa.
Tidal waves here on Earth show a very small idea of what gravitational forces can do. Now imagine that the moon is close to the size of the Earth (as it stands, it is approximately 1/4 of the diameter and 1/10 the surface area) and both are rotating about their combined center of gravity (the combined center of gravity of Earth and moon lies within the Earth's diameter, ensuring that the Moon orbits the Earth). We got some damn nasty tidal forces at work, that would have ensured that no flora and fauna would have made this their home. Not to mention, I have no clue how Dxun would get such a highly elliptical orbit to be INSIDE Onderon at its perigee and far away at its apogee. Add to that heap of incredibility the fact that the two planets are near the same size. They ought to be orbiting around their combined center of gravity (like Pluto and Charon), not around Onderon. Something is going wrong in this galaxy...
Okay, back to Rule of Two. Bane and avian went INTO vacuum (since there apparently was a wee bit of space--har har--between the two). So now we have the problem of traveling through space with absolutely NO external fuel drive in addition to NO oxygen and pressure (but we'll say that somehow Bane can accumulate enough of both to last him...well, don't want to spoil the surprise). So do Bane and avian spend the next 5 years floating to Onderon? Because it took the Apollo crafts THREE DAYS to reach the moon, traveling at about 3,000 meters per second and the distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,403 km. Even given that Dxun and Onderon are closer than this, it would take Bane days traveling at a modest 60 mph (based on Earth birds of course) and this DOESN'T include that Bane can't accelerate or decelerate. FURTHERMORE, he is pointed haphazardly at Onderon, which means he could, quite possibly, MISS the planet all together!
And FURTHERMORE, how can he keep enough oxygen and pressure in his bubble to sustain him and his ride all this way?? People use a lot of oxygen, particularly when working. A human takes in about 500 cm3 in one breath with anywhere between 10 and 20 breaths a minute if there is no movement! So in one minute, if Bane is completely at rest, he is using 5000 cm3! This is no small area! I would love to see how he keeps enough oxygen in his bubble for TWO beings, one that is (or was) flying, how he keeps from his body fluids flying out of every orifice as he hits vacuum (does his bubble also provide pressure?), and how they continue to MOVE after they leave the atmosphere! I mean, they will have leftover momentum/inertia, but if Bane thinks that by flapping, the reptilian bird will still fly, he has NO KNOWLEDGE of Newton's Laws of Physics, particularly the third.
I will admit, as soon as I read this scene, I simultaneously wanted to laugh my a$$ off and throw this book at the wall. I can suspend a lot of belief--I read Star Wars for God's sake!--but this is more than I can handle. There are a million other things seen in the movies that never happen in real life. Laser bolts being dodged, hyperspace, sounds in space...the list is endless. I can handle those. But this? Nuh uh. No way.
Nit Pick Section
1.The character of Johun. I understand why he is there: to contrast with the Sith. However, I found his character bland and really treads that Marty Stu line (i.e. sneaking onto the planet despite orders and being, in one sense, promoted for it). A far more interesting character to have seen would have been Farfalla.
2.Zannah is described as the prerequisite stunningly attractive woman (though this isn't too hard to stomach, as she would need to be in good physical shape anyway).
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Language is Star Wars typical.
Bane mentions that Githany was his lover. Zannah takes her own lover, Kel. They share a bed and a few kisses, but their relations are restricted to that.
Violence is the heavy portion. A reptilian avian rips out the throat of another. Bane goes on killing sprees, as does his young prodigy. One body is cut into pieces. And Karpyshyn doesn't hold back on the gory description.
Overall:
Minus a serious scientific faux pas that made me question all subsequent science related events in this book, this is an amazing novel. It beautifully expands on what began in Path of Destruction and carries it to the next level. Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the first.
After greatly enjoying Star Wars. Darth Bane - Path of Destruction (PoD), I delved into part two.
Bane begins his training of his heir, Zannah, in the Dark Arts and continues to add confusion to the Republic and the Jedi Order. Can't really expand more on it than that, to be honest.
What I Liked:
One of the best things about this book is how it deals with such an under-explored area: the Sith. I enjoyed reading more about Bane, what happened immediately after the events in PoD, and seeing Zannah grow in the Dark Side.
Speaking of Zannah, she was one of those few female characters in the Star Wars universe (particularly recently) that I truly enjoyed without wanting to cry "MARY SUE!" after each scene she was in. I felt Karpyshyn did a superb job writing her as a child, balancing between her extreme skill for the Force and her naiveté. Also, I loved learning in flashbacks about her training and how they tied in to the current events (e.g. her first mission to draw the neek towards her was a great highlight and was perfectly placed with her mission to draw Kel into a confrontation with the Republic). She is a cunning woman, but yearning still for emotions, leading her to relationships with men, such as Kel. I enjoyed this view, showing that Sith cannot get all their fulfillment solely from the Dark Side.
Karpyshyn did, in my opinion, a good job moving from Bane's point of view to Zannah's. In PoD, Bane did most of the narrating; here, it is Zannah. We still see inside Bane's mind, which is great, but I do enjoy seeing the events from the apprentice who will carry on the legacy.
I also enjoyed the numerous Sith vs Jedi arguments in this book. I felt that they really brought both Orders to a new level of understanding, one that can't be shown in a movie or explained in most other books.
The pacing is quick. The characters don't spend much time sitting back, chattin' up the situation. They are out there, doing something. Yes, they have deep conversations, but they are perfectly blended into the surroundings so you don't feel like all they do is talk or they stop to talk about politics in a middle of a battle scene.
Karpyshyn also outdoes himself in the lightsaber duels. The latter one is particularly brilliant with five Jedi against two Sith. Won't tell you how that turns out, though I am sure you can guess.
What I Did Not Like:
I spent six years in college studying physics, chemistry, and engineering. I say this, because one of the biggest problems I have with this book is the following scene: Bane flies on a reptilian avian from the moon, Dxun to the planet, Onderon. Yes, you heard me, from a moon to a planet. Across the reaches of space. With only the Dark Side to encase him in a bubble of oxygen.
What the...??? Where do people come UP with these ideas? I like to think that I can turn my brain off and enjoy things, but this is too much!!
First off, does anyone know the density of the atmosphere in the Earth's upper layers? A cursory check will show that the ionosphere is not very dense...much less than the troposphere, where we live. For our daring duo, this means that FLIGHT would be nearly impossible for a reptilian bird! Flight for a bird is contingent on having a higher pressure on the underside of the wing than on the upperside. Since birds fly by flapping their wings and do not have an external fuel source (which is how rockets are able to fly), they would flap furiously and fall like dead flies. Not to mention, that this layer is "where many atoms are ionized (have gained or lost electrons so they have a net electrical charge)." If this is true on other Earth like planets (and at this point, we can't confirm or deny, but it seems to be more typical than not), then our riding duo are breathing IONS!!! This is crazy, you can't breathe ions!!! I don't care what weird Dark Side shield Bane puts around him (and note that it's only after they "leave the atmosphere" of Dxun that he does this!), that's gonna hurt!!
Okay, so the next point is: so let's say the planets are pretty darn close to each other (like they fudge in the book). Okay...if that's true, how do the gravitational powers inherent in both planets keep from ripping everything to shreds? Technically, no life should be on either planet, not if they get this close to each other, as the moon will pull at the planet and vice versa.
Tidal waves here on Earth show a very small idea of what gravitational forces can do. Now imagine that the moon is close to the size of the Earth (as it stands, it is approximately 1/4 of the diameter and 1/10 the surface area) and both are rotating about their combined center of gravity (the combined center of gravity of Earth and moon lies within the Earth's diameter, ensuring that the Moon orbits the Earth). We got some damn nasty tidal forces at work, that would have ensured that no flora and fauna would have made this their home. Not to mention, I have no clue how Dxun would get such a highly elliptical orbit to be INSIDE Onderon at its perigee and far away at its apogee. Add to that heap of incredibility the fact that the two planets are near the same size. They ought to be orbiting around their combined center of gravity (like Pluto and Charon), not around Onderon. Something is going wrong in this galaxy...
Okay, back to Rule of Two. Bane and avian went INTO vacuum (since there apparently was a wee bit of space--har har--between the two). So now we have the problem of traveling through space with absolutely NO external fuel drive in addition to NO oxygen and pressure (but we'll say that somehow Bane can accumulate enough of both to last him...well, don't want to spoil the surprise). So do Bane and avian spend the next 5 years floating to Onderon? Because it took the Apollo crafts THREE DAYS to reach the moon, traveling at about 3,000 meters per second and the distance between the Earth and the Moon is 384,403 km. Even given that Dxun and Onderon are closer than this, it would take Bane days traveling at a modest 60 mph (based on Earth birds of course) and this DOESN'T include that Bane can't accelerate or decelerate. FURTHERMORE, he is pointed haphazardly at Onderon, which means he could, quite possibly, MISS the planet all together!
And FURTHERMORE, how can he keep enough oxygen and pressure in his bubble to sustain him and his ride all this way?? People use a lot of oxygen, particularly when working. A human takes in about 500 cm3 in one breath with anywhere between 10 and 20 breaths a minute if there is no movement! So in one minute, if Bane is completely at rest, he is using 5000 cm3! This is no small area! I would love to see how he keeps enough oxygen in his bubble for TWO beings, one that is (or was) flying, how he keeps from his body fluids flying out of every orifice as he hits vacuum (does his bubble also provide pressure?), and how they continue to MOVE after they leave the atmosphere! I mean, they will have leftover momentum/inertia, but if Bane thinks that by flapping, the reptilian bird will still fly, he has NO KNOWLEDGE of Newton's Laws of Physics, particularly the third.
I will admit, as soon as I read this scene, I simultaneously wanted to laugh my a$$ off and throw this book at the wall. I can suspend a lot of belief--I read Star Wars for God's sake!--but this is more than I can handle. There are a million other things seen in the movies that never happen in real life. Laser bolts being dodged, hyperspace, sounds in space...the list is endless. I can handle those. But this? Nuh uh. No way.
Nit Pick Section
1.The character of Johun. I understand why he is there: to contrast with the Sith. However, I found his character bland and really treads that Marty Stu line (i.e. sneaking onto the planet despite orders and being, in one sense, promoted for it). A far more interesting character to have seen would have been Farfalla.
2.Zannah is described as the prerequisite stunningly attractive woman (though this isn't too hard to stomach, as she would need to be in good physical shape anyway).
Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
Language is Star Wars typical.
Bane mentions that Githany was his lover. Zannah takes her own lover, Kel. They share a bed and a few kisses, but their relations are restricted to that.
Violence is the heavy portion. A reptilian avian rips out the throat of another. Bane goes on killing sprees, as does his young prodigy. One body is cut into pieces. And Karpyshyn doesn't hold back on the gory description.
Overall:
Minus a serious scientific faux pas that made me question all subsequent science related events in this book, this is an amazing novel. It beautifully expands on what began in Path of Destruction and carries it to the next level. Highly recommended for those who enjoyed the first.
October 2, 2025
Solid sequel. This book definitely has one of the best final duels in all of Star Wars. I'm always sad to see Jouhan killed though, I thought he was a pretty solid Jedi. This book felt faster then I remember as well.
Reading the Bane books makes me sad for how awful his Revan book was. That one would've easily been on the same level as these. Ah well.
Reading the Bane books makes me sad for how awful his Revan book was. That one would've easily been on the same level as these. Ah well.
May 6, 2019
It seems that "Rule of Two" is book two. No worries I am familiar with Darth Bane and his early days. This takes place after Kaan's Dark Brotherhood was wiped out after the Thought Bomb on Russan. While the cover is off putting since Bane looks like a KISS groupie striking a pose and Zannah his apprentice, who looks like an angry gnome. Ignore the cover.
First off I'd like to point out the character of Zannah. Without a wiff of SJW tropes, she has truly fit my image of a "strong female character". She's ruthless, lethal and merciless. At the age of 10 she kills a family trying to save her, so that she could go to Bane to learn the Dark Side. She's ten. *sigh* If I ever had spawned and had a daughter..I'd want her.
This is the story of how Bane came up with the idea of the Rule of Two. A Master to embody the Force and an Apprentice to covet that power, only to be gotten by removing the master and then repeating the process again with their own apprentice. Freaking awesome! To Bane being a Sith Lord wasn't enough. Kaan's Brotherhood was full of Lords. But he wanted to be a "Darth". That's what the title means. DARK Lord of the Sith. This is a great primer on the ins and outs of the Dark Side without the mewling judgements of the hubristic Jedi. The orbalisk armor of Bane is an interesting concept (one only a Sith would utuilize) and we also learn how Bane created holocrons.
The best part if the epic duel where 5 Jedi (3 Masters and 2 Knights) go to assassinate Bane. Awesome fight! But since there is a book three..I think we know how the fight went. :) If you love Star Wars (real Star Wars, not Disney's SJW Wars) then you will love this book. I do like my Sith Lords.
First off I'd like to point out the character of Zannah. Without a wiff of SJW tropes, she has truly fit my image of a "strong female character". She's ruthless, lethal and merciless. At the age of 10 she kills a family trying to save her, so that she could go to Bane to learn the Dark Side. She's ten. *sigh* If I ever had spawned and had a daughter..I'd want her.
This is the story of how Bane came up with the idea of the Rule of Two. A Master to embody the Force and an Apprentice to covet that power, only to be gotten by removing the master and then repeating the process again with their own apprentice. Freaking awesome! To Bane being a Sith Lord wasn't enough. Kaan's Brotherhood was full of Lords. But he wanted to be a "Darth". That's what the title means. DARK Lord of the Sith. This is a great primer on the ins and outs of the Dark Side without the mewling judgements of the hubristic Jedi. The orbalisk armor of Bane is an interesting concept (one only a Sith would utuilize) and we also learn how Bane created holocrons.
The best part if the epic duel where 5 Jedi (3 Masters and 2 Knights) go to assassinate Bane. Awesome fight! But since there is a book three..I think we know how the fight went. :) If you love Star Wars (real Star Wars, not Disney's SJW Wars) then you will love this book. I do like my Sith Lords.
April 20, 2015
First, there should be more stars that have something to say about bad books, because out of the five-star system above, only one says that I "didn't like it." Well, just as there are degrees of "liking" there are degrees of "not liking" and this one would probably be at the bottom of the latter.
The first book, "Path of Destruction" was actually pretty good. The best part of that book was probably reading about Bane's training in Korriban, and how he went from a despised trainee to a cunning warrior. Plus, it's a unique opportunity to see how Bane comes up with the new vision for the Sith as opposed to the Brotherhood of Darkness. There can be no brotherhood in the Sith, it's a ludicrous thought, and Bane knows this. There can be only two.
This paves the way for "Rule of Two." So many things went wrong with this one that I don't know where to begin. Let me start by saying I don't mind bad guys. In fact, Thrawn is probably my all-time favorite bad guy up there with Palpi and Vader. That's perhaps my point, BAD GUYS CAN BE SMART TOO. There's no need to cheapen their actions by making the good guys seem even dumber. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens in Book 2: THE JEDI ARE MORONS. There's nothing to it, every one of their actions seal their fate, you can see it coming from light years away. A couple of tips:
1) If you're a Jedi about to undertake some sort of secret, and unsanctioned, mission, LEAVE A FAILSAFE to alert the Council to your actions in case you never get to see the light of day again.
2) If there's a battle going on in a room and you want to try your hand at battle meditation, FIND A DIFFERENT ROOM, preferably one far, far away from the main battle. I'm sure walls won't dampen your psychic powers. If they do, find a different line of work.
3) A person waving around a lightsaber like a raving lunatic is not likely to be, nor to have ever been, a Sith. Most probably, he or she is just deranged and you can most certainly force push him out of the way or any of the dozens of non-lethal actions a Jedi can undertake.
And I'm just mentioning a few. Bane is nowhere near the Sith I wanted him to be, but the Jedi are irrevocably, unabashedly, unbelievably, stupid. And don't give me any of that, "It's because they don't want to believe the Sith could have returned" crap, because even if I didn't want to believe an asteroid was about to hit my homeworld, chances are I would once I see it plummeting through the atmosphere.
Enough with the Jedi, let's talk about Zannah. I probably hate her character, there's nothing about her that screams, "I really am a Sith, you know?" I've seen stronger female characters in Mara Jade, Ysanne Isard, and Admiral Daala to mention a few. I hope somewhere along the way comes some sort of better disciple, I'll take anything at this point. Give me a Chiss, please!
In short, the plot behind this book, among others, was about hiding from the Jedi. The new Sith need to operate in secrecy if they're to survive and overthrow the Jedi. There's nothing wrong with that, Palpi's plot was nothing short of amazing, particularly that he could've pulled it off without a hitch, but, hey, it's Palpatine. Bane and Zannah blunder through the entire length of Book 2 and have no-one but the Force to thank for the dimwittedness of their pursuers.
As you can expect, I'm extremely reluctant to move on to "Dynasty of Evil." In my experience, books that get worse after the first one tend to follow that trend into new and uncharted territories. Unfortunately, I'll probably read it just to give Karpyshyn a chance to prove me wrong. Fat chance of that, I think.
PS: Just because you can kill with the Force doesn't make you a Sith. Sith who favour more subtle approaches are number one in my book.
The first book, "Path of Destruction" was actually pretty good. The best part of that book was probably reading about Bane's training in Korriban, and how he went from a despised trainee to a cunning warrior. Plus, it's a unique opportunity to see how Bane comes up with the new vision for the Sith as opposed to the Brotherhood of Darkness. There can be no brotherhood in the Sith, it's a ludicrous thought, and Bane knows this. There can be only two.
This paves the way for "Rule of Two." So many things went wrong with this one that I don't know where to begin. Let me start by saying I don't mind bad guys. In fact, Thrawn is probably my all-time favorite bad guy up there with Palpi and Vader. That's perhaps my point, BAD GUYS CAN BE SMART TOO. There's no need to cheapen their actions by making the good guys seem even dumber. Unfortunately, this is exactly what happens in Book 2: THE JEDI ARE MORONS. There's nothing to it, every one of their actions seal their fate, you can see it coming from light years away. A couple of tips:
1) If you're a Jedi about to undertake some sort of secret, and unsanctioned, mission, LEAVE A FAILSAFE to alert the Council to your actions in case you never get to see the light of day again.
2) If there's a battle going on in a room and you want to try your hand at battle meditation, FIND A DIFFERENT ROOM, preferably one far, far away from the main battle. I'm sure walls won't dampen your psychic powers. If they do, find a different line of work.
3) A person waving around a lightsaber like a raving lunatic is not likely to be, nor to have ever been, a Sith. Most probably, he or she is just deranged and you can most certainly force push him out of the way or any of the dozens of non-lethal actions a Jedi can undertake.
And I'm just mentioning a few. Bane is nowhere near the Sith I wanted him to be, but the Jedi are irrevocably, unabashedly, unbelievably, stupid. And don't give me any of that, "It's because they don't want to believe the Sith could have returned" crap, because even if I didn't want to believe an asteroid was about to hit my homeworld, chances are I would once I see it plummeting through the atmosphere.
Enough with the Jedi, let's talk about Zannah. I probably hate her character, there's nothing about her that screams, "I really am a Sith, you know?" I've seen stronger female characters in Mara Jade, Ysanne Isard, and Admiral Daala to mention a few. I hope somewhere along the way comes some sort of better disciple, I'll take anything at this point. Give me a Chiss, please!
In short, the plot behind this book, among others, was about hiding from the Jedi. The new Sith need to operate in secrecy if they're to survive and overthrow the Jedi. There's nothing wrong with that, Palpi's plot was nothing short of amazing, particularly that he could've pulled it off without a hitch, but, hey, it's Palpatine. Bane and Zannah blunder through the entire length of Book 2 and have no-one but the Force to thank for the dimwittedness of their pursuers.
As you can expect, I'm extremely reluctant to move on to "Dynasty of Evil." In my experience, books that get worse after the first one tend to follow that trend into new and uncharted territories. Unfortunately, I'll probably read it just to give Karpyshyn a chance to prove me wrong. Fat chance of that, I think.
PS: Just because you can kill with the Force doesn't make you a Sith. Sith who favour more subtle approaches are number one in my book.
March 1, 2023
If the Star Wars movies had been directed by Sam Peckinpah or Quentin Tarantino, the resulting films would resemble Drew Karpyshyn’s Darth Bane trilogy.
Book Two, “Rule of Two”, would be a hard “R” rating not only for graphic violence but also for tone and atmosphere. These are dark fucking novels, and children should definitely not read them.
Within the pages of this novel, an entire family is murdered (small children included), one by one, their bodies stuffed in a cargo hold. A gang of marauding bandits are slaughtered. An entire shipload of Jedi Knights are assassinated. A person is literally chopped into human sushi by a lightsaber, alive. Then there is the planet of flesh-eating human-droid cyborg zombies. I won’t even mention the Force-eating parasitic creatures that dig under the skin.
I note these strictly to warn potential readers: this is not your average Star Wars novel. This is a late-‘70s Grindhouse sci-fi-horror slasher that is not afraid to spill gallons of blood within a beloved familiar context.
I loved it.
It’s not often one reads a book where the momentum is completely sustained by an anti-hero as unlikable and vicious as Darth Bane. Indeed, Karpyshyn succeeds in not only maintaining my interest but actually making me want more.
Maybe it’s because it is so antithetical to what Star Wars stands for and what fans expect. It literally overturns every expectation on every page. The closest thing I can compare it to is the movie “Logan”, a brilliant film that flips the script of every “X-Men” movie before it—-hell, every superhero film—-by making the bad guys win. Nobody is safe in that movie, especially the heroes.
Darth Bane is an incredibly fascinating character, not necessarily because he is so evil. He fascinates because he has a fully-developed and logical rationale and philosophy for why he embraces the Dark Side. It is both exhilarating and horrifying to behold.
I look forward to—-but am also girding my loins for—-the third and final book in this series.
Book Two, “Rule of Two”, would be a hard “R” rating not only for graphic violence but also for tone and atmosphere. These are dark fucking novels, and children should definitely not read them.
Within the pages of this novel, an entire family is murdered (small children included), one by one, their bodies stuffed in a cargo hold. A gang of marauding bandits are slaughtered. An entire shipload of Jedi Knights are assassinated. A person is literally chopped into human sushi by a lightsaber, alive. Then there is the planet of flesh-eating human-droid cyborg zombies. I won’t even mention the Force-eating parasitic creatures that dig under the skin.
I note these strictly to warn potential readers: this is not your average Star Wars novel. This is a late-‘70s Grindhouse sci-fi-horror slasher that is not afraid to spill gallons of blood within a beloved familiar context.
I loved it.
It’s not often one reads a book where the momentum is completely sustained by an anti-hero as unlikable and vicious as Darth Bane. Indeed, Karpyshyn succeeds in not only maintaining my interest but actually making me want more.
Maybe it’s because it is so antithetical to what Star Wars stands for and what fans expect. It literally overturns every expectation on every page. The closest thing I can compare it to is the movie “Logan”, a brilliant film that flips the script of every “X-Men” movie before it—-hell, every superhero film—-by making the bad guys win. Nobody is safe in that movie, especially the heroes.
Darth Bane is an incredibly fascinating character, not necessarily because he is so evil. He fascinates because he has a fully-developed and logical rationale and philosophy for why he embraces the Dark Side. It is both exhilarating and horrifying to behold.
I look forward to—-but am also girding my loins for—-the third and final book in this series.
February 7, 2022
Another 4-star read.
This was certainly much darker than the first book but you would expect that with it being about the Dark side of the Force.
What I like most about this author's work is that he is one of the few who has perfected the art of giving you a good ending without leaving you hanging. What I mean by that is that you could read each of these books as a standalone; even though they are part of a trilogy you could stop reading at the end of this book and still feel content. Having said that I will go straight on to read the concluding part of the trilogy lol.
Thanks for reading.
This was certainly much darker than the first book but you would expect that with it being about the Dark side of the Force.
What I like most about this author's work is that he is one of the few who has perfected the art of giving you a good ending without leaving you hanging. What I mean by that is that you could read each of these books as a standalone; even though they are part of a trilogy you could stop reading at the end of this book and still feel content. Having said that I will go straight on to read the concluding part of the trilogy lol.
Thanks for reading.
November 6, 2018
This trilogy is still going strong in volume 2. One thing that I like about it is that every character is interesting (in fact, a few are almost more interesting than Bane himself). There is never a moment when the book moves on to another character's perspective that I am disappointed.
November 2, 2022
3.5 stars
This is a good follow up novel, but I didn't find the specifics of the plot as interesting as the first book in the trilogy.
This is a good follow up novel, but I didn't find the specifics of the plot as interesting as the first book in the trilogy.
December 3, 2019
Fun (and violent! ) Star Wars entertainment. Excellent light sabre duel at the end. Darth Bane is my new favourite Sith Lord !!
August 18, 2024
The second book in the story of Darth Bane.
After the events of the first book, Bane has destroyed the Brotherhood fo Darkness. Now there are only two-Darth Bane and his apprentice Zannah. In order to mislead the Jedi they disappear and leave a false trail of half-believed stories of surviving Sith. Buth the Jedi Knight Johun doesn't believe they are gone and will keep bothering Jedi Master Farfalla about it.
As Bane seeks ancient knowledge he finds the tomb of Freddon Naad and is infested with orbalisks. These creatures latch onto the body and feed off the dark side host but also provide a huge boost in power and they are impervious to lightsabers.
This book focuses on bane expanding his knowledge and teaching his apprentice her role as his eventual successor. All the while the Jedi Johun seeks them out. The ending is an epic battle between several Jedi Masters and Knights who are sent in to find and destroy the last Sith Lord.
Great story. Great lore and a pleasure to read. In this sad "woke" age of Star Wars, those fans seeking quality stories written by people who understand, respect, and appreciate the lore, will love this series. Highly recommnded.
After the events of the first book, Bane has destroyed the Brotherhood fo Darkness. Now there are only two-Darth Bane and his apprentice Zannah. In order to mislead the Jedi they disappear and leave a false trail of half-believed stories of surviving Sith. Buth the Jedi Knight Johun doesn't believe they are gone and will keep bothering Jedi Master Farfalla about it.
As Bane seeks ancient knowledge he finds the tomb of Freddon Naad and is infested with orbalisks. These creatures latch onto the body and feed off the dark side host but also provide a huge boost in power and they are impervious to lightsabers.
This book focuses on bane expanding his knowledge and teaching his apprentice her role as his eventual successor. All the while the Jedi Johun seeks them out. The ending is an epic battle between several Jedi Masters and Knights who are sent in to find and destroy the last Sith Lord.
Great story. Great lore and a pleasure to read. In this sad "woke" age of Star Wars, those fans seeking quality stories written by people who understand, respect, and appreciate the lore, will love this series. Highly recommnded.
November 2, 2022
INTRODUCTION
Karpyshyn managed to pack so much into this book. Very fast paced but still manages to develop its characters through the various events and expand on the Sith lore. Excellent sequel to Path of Destruction.
After the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, the Army of the Light are convinced that the Sith have all been eliminated in the thought bomb unleashed by Kaan. But Padawan Johun never believed it and rightfully so, as Bane and Zannah were rebuilding the Sith by enacting the Rule of Two.
CHARACTERS
No time was wasted on Zannah's training. She did not get an in-depth origin story like Bane did in Path of Destruction, but she didn't need one like that. At the start, she is 10 years old and then we skip ahead a decade over her training. Then we learn about her training as she recalls parts of her training to help her fulfil certain tasks in the present day. We get to see her practice what Bane was preaching. She progressively becomes more competent, but she still makes mistakes. She faces various forms of adversity in her personal life, on her missions, and from her training. I love her character.
Meanwhile, aside from training his apprentice and sending her on missions, Bane is trying to map out a gameplan for Sith survival and the eventual takedown of the Jedi/Republic. He becomes obsessed with creating his own holocron to cement his legacy. In my review of Path of Destruction, I compared his performance issues to Tobey Maguire in Spiderman 2. Without spoiling anything, Rule of Two Bane is like Tobey Maguire in Spiderman 3 and I'll leave it at that.
Johun was our POV into the Jedi and the Republic. His relentless obsession with the Sith led to one of the greatest battles in Star Wars.
WORLDBUILDING
In terms of worldbuilding, we see the aftermath of the Thought Bomb. The Ruusan Reformation Act was set in place to demilitarize the Jedi. The Rule of Two and the Thought Bomb combined really changed galactic politics. We learn about former very powerful Sith lords as Bane tries to undo the damage done by Kaan's brotherhood by embodying all the power he can.
COVER ART
I don't know if I ever encountered such hideous cover art in my life (I am referring to the original art). Bane looks like a mime and all his facial features are gone. It makes my eyes burn. On the bright side, the Essential Legends Collection edition has a new cover.
VERDICT
Karpyshyn had 6 months to get this book on the shelf and he absolutely nailed it. It is an excellent sequel to Path of Destruction and Zannah, the one who is supposed to crave the power, really shined. An epic page-turner.
5 stars!!!
Karpyshyn managed to pack so much into this book. Very fast paced but still manages to develop its characters through the various events and expand on the Sith lore. Excellent sequel to Path of Destruction.
After the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, the Army of the Light are convinced that the Sith have all been eliminated in the thought bomb unleashed by Kaan. But Padawan Johun never believed it and rightfully so, as Bane and Zannah were rebuilding the Sith by enacting the Rule of Two.
CHARACTERS
No time was wasted on Zannah's training. She did not get an in-depth origin story like Bane did in Path of Destruction, but she didn't need one like that. At the start, she is 10 years old and then we skip ahead a decade over her training. Then we learn about her training as she recalls parts of her training to help her fulfil certain tasks in the present day. We get to see her practice what Bane was preaching. She progressively becomes more competent, but she still makes mistakes. She faces various forms of adversity in her personal life, on her missions, and from her training. I love her character.
Meanwhile, aside from training his apprentice and sending her on missions, Bane is trying to map out a gameplan for Sith survival and the eventual takedown of the Jedi/Republic. He becomes obsessed with creating his own holocron to cement his legacy. In my review of Path of Destruction, I compared his performance issues to Tobey Maguire in Spiderman 2. Without spoiling anything, Rule of Two Bane is like Tobey Maguire in Spiderman 3 and I'll leave it at that.
Johun was our POV into the Jedi and the Republic. His relentless obsession with the Sith led to one of the greatest battles in Star Wars.
WORLDBUILDING
In terms of worldbuilding, we see the aftermath of the Thought Bomb. The Ruusan Reformation Act was set in place to demilitarize the Jedi. The Rule of Two and the Thought Bomb combined really changed galactic politics. We learn about former very powerful Sith lords as Bane tries to undo the damage done by Kaan's brotherhood by embodying all the power he can.
COVER ART
I don't know if I ever encountered such hideous cover art in my life (I am referring to the original art). Bane looks like a mime and all his facial features are gone. It makes my eyes burn. On the bright side, the Essential Legends Collection edition has a new cover.
VERDICT
Karpyshyn had 6 months to get this book on the shelf and he absolutely nailed it. It is an excellent sequel to Path of Destruction and Zannah, the one who is supposed to crave the power, really shined. An epic page-turner.
5 stars!!!
September 13, 2015
3.5 stars, but I rounded up. A good read, though not as well told as the first book. I liked book one for Drew's impressive handling of Darth Bane's transition from a miner to a Sith lord. Rule of Two was more about the story of Zannah's own transition to become Darth Bane's apprentice, but I didn't find her journey nearly as dramatic, since we do skip ahead 10 years in the novel from the time Bane first takes her on.
The ending, however, was superb. It's one of those where you know that something awful's going to happen but you just can't wait to see how things play out, and when they do you think to yourself, "Wow, I totally saw that coming but dammit, it's still so awesome." Like most Star Wars books, the plot is completely predictable but Drew Karpyshyn always does such a good job of tying everything together nicely and making it all make sense, so I just learn to go with it. That said, you have to be willing to root for the "bad guys" to really enjoy the story, but then again, if you're picking up a Darth Bane book you probably already knew this well before you even cracked the cover.
Reading this, I also inevitably thought about combat in the upcoming MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, especially when reading about the different force and lightsaber abilities used by the characters when they fight independently or in groups. This novel takes place way after the setting of SWTOR, but considering Drew's background in video games and the influence of BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic RPG, I can't help but think many of the abilities I read about and their mechanics will make it into the MMO.
The ending, however, was superb. It's one of those where you know that something awful's going to happen but you just can't wait to see how things play out, and when they do you think to yourself, "Wow, I totally saw that coming but dammit, it's still so awesome." Like most Star Wars books, the plot is completely predictable but Drew Karpyshyn always does such a good job of tying everything together nicely and making it all make sense, so I just learn to go with it. That said, you have to be willing to root for the "bad guys" to really enjoy the story, but then again, if you're picking up a Darth Bane book you probably already knew this well before you even cracked the cover.
Reading this, I also inevitably thought about combat in the upcoming MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, especially when reading about the different force and lightsaber abilities used by the characters when they fight independently or in groups. This novel takes place way after the setting of SWTOR, but considering Drew's background in video games and the influence of BioWare's Knights of the Old Republic RPG, I can't help but think many of the abilities I read about and their mechanics will make it into the MMO.
October 16, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Darth Bane: Rule of Two is an incredible sequel to Path of Destruction. The world-building is fantastic — you really get a sense of the galaxy after the Brotherhood of Darkness, and it’s interesting to see the Jedi start to demilitarize. The story is dark at times, with plenty of intense violence that would easily make it an R-rated tale, which really gives it weight and stakes. I loved how the first half follows Bane and Zannah right after the first book, while the second half jumps ten years later to show Zannah growing into her power and Bane’s concern about her readiness.
Johun Othone as a POV character was a highlight for me. His doubts about whether the Sith were truly gone add real tension, and his perspective makes the final battles hit even harder. And wow, the ending fight on Tython — a ship full of Jedi versus Bane and Zannah — is absolutely thrilling. Johun’s death is heartbreaking but adds so much emotional weight.
While Path of Destruction was really Bane’s story, Rule of Two is definitely Zannah’s. The book perfectly shows her rise, her cunning, and the continuation of the Sith legacy. It’s dark, exciting, and full of strategy and character development, with one of the best duels in the Star Wars universe.
9 out of 10
Darth Bane: Rule of Two is an incredible sequel to Path of Destruction. The world-building is fantastic — you really get a sense of the galaxy after the Brotherhood of Darkness, and it’s interesting to see the Jedi start to demilitarize. The story is dark at times, with plenty of intense violence that would easily make it an R-rated tale, which really gives it weight and stakes. I loved how the first half follows Bane and Zannah right after the first book, while the second half jumps ten years later to show Zannah growing into her power and Bane’s concern about her readiness.
Johun Othone as a POV character was a highlight for me. His doubts about whether the Sith were truly gone add real tension, and his perspective makes the final battles hit even harder. And wow, the ending fight on Tython — a ship full of Jedi versus Bane and Zannah — is absolutely thrilling. Johun’s death is heartbreaking but adds so much emotional weight.
While Path of Destruction was really Bane’s story, Rule of Two is definitely Zannah’s. The book perfectly shows her rise, her cunning, and the continuation of the Sith legacy. It’s dark, exciting, and full of strategy and character development, with one of the best duels in the Star Wars universe.
9 out of 10
September 18, 2025
Drew Karpyshyn’s Rule of Two, the second book in the Darth Bane trilogy, continues the story of the Sith Lord who reshaped the Order after the events of Path of Destruction. While it never quite reaches the same heights as the first book, it’s still an enjoyable entry that offers some rewarding connections for fans of both the Expanded Universe and the Old Republic games.
The story picks up with Bane training his new apprentice, Zannah, while solidifying his philosophy of the “Rule of Two”: one master to embody power, and one apprentice to crave it. The philosophical tension between master and student is the heart of the book, and Karpyshyn does a solid job exploring how Bane’s ruthless pragmatism shapes Zannah’s rise. Unfortunately, the execution sometimes feels uneven. Where Path of Destruction thrived on Bane’s personal struggles and sharp pacing, Rule of Two occasionally drags with repetitive inner monologues or overly tidy resolutions.
That said, the book shines in moments of worldbuilding. Karpyshyn peppers the narrative with references to the Old Republic era—especially familiar locations and lore—that give the story an added layer of depth for longtime fans. These callbacks never dominate the plot, but they provide a satisfying sense of continuity, like hidden nods to the Knights of the Old Republic games.
The action scenes remain engaging, and Zannah’s unique approach to the Force sets her apart from other Sith apprentices we’ve seen. However, the supporting characters are thinly drawn, and some conflicts resolve in ways that feel more convenient than earned.
Overall, Rule of Two is weaker than Path of Destruction in pacing and narrative weight, but it remains a fun, lore-rich read for Star Wars fans interested in the darker side of the galaxy. 7/10
The story picks up with Bane training his new apprentice, Zannah, while solidifying his philosophy of the “Rule of Two”: one master to embody power, and one apprentice to crave it. The philosophical tension between master and student is the heart of the book, and Karpyshyn does a solid job exploring how Bane’s ruthless pragmatism shapes Zannah’s rise. Unfortunately, the execution sometimes feels uneven. Where Path of Destruction thrived on Bane’s personal struggles and sharp pacing, Rule of Two occasionally drags with repetitive inner monologues or overly tidy resolutions.
That said, the book shines in moments of worldbuilding. Karpyshyn peppers the narrative with references to the Old Republic era—especially familiar locations and lore—that give the story an added layer of depth for longtime fans. These callbacks never dominate the plot, but they provide a satisfying sense of continuity, like hidden nods to the Knights of the Old Republic games.
The action scenes remain engaging, and Zannah’s unique approach to the Force sets her apart from other Sith apprentices we’ve seen. However, the supporting characters are thinly drawn, and some conflicts resolve in ways that feel more convenient than earned.
Overall, Rule of Two is weaker than Path of Destruction in pacing and narrative weight, but it remains a fun, lore-rich read for Star Wars fans interested in the darker side of the galaxy. 7/10
January 2, 2017
The second entry in Karpyshyn’s Darth Bane trilogy kept me turning the pages, but like its predecessor, seemed like it didn’t live up to its potentially-awesome potential. Bane is a seriously neat character, but the novels themselves just never seem to rise to the challenge. I had really hoped that with the coming-of-age stuff completely out of the way we’d ditch the YA vibe the first one had and get into some deeper, darker territory. Well, these novels certainly are dark for Star Wars books, but the plot continued to be shallow and undercooked.
I don’t know if I’m spoiled by Timothy Zahn or what, but that same YA feel remained...it’s weird, because these books are pretty goddamn violent for Star Wars but they just seem aimed at impatient, angsty teenagers. Once the overarching plot of the novel was revealed it was utterly predictable. I’m gonna finish the trilogy ‘cause I already bought the third one but at this point I’m not expecting great things. One last thing, what the fuck is up with the total lack of technological progress in these books? Everything is the exact same as it is literally over a thousand years later when the movies start. It’s kind of bizarre.
I don’t know if I’m spoiled by Timothy Zahn or what, but that same YA feel remained...it’s weird, because these books are pretty goddamn violent for Star Wars but they just seem aimed at impatient, angsty teenagers. Once the overarching plot of the novel was revealed it was utterly predictable. I’m gonna finish the trilogy ‘cause I already bought the third one but at this point I’m not expecting great things. One last thing, what the fuck is up with the total lack of technological progress in these books? Everything is the exact same as it is literally over a thousand years later when the movies start. It’s kind of bizarre.
December 27, 2008
Good story, but predictable and juvenile. As I mentioned for the first book of this series, it's video game origins are readily apparent.
Avoids the usual fan fiction limitations by including none of "the usual [Star Wars] suspects" by being set longer ago than even "long,long ago."
Speaking of which . . . it's interesting how the technology of the Star Wars galaxy seems frozen. There's no appreciable improvement in anything--medicine, weapons, transportation--in the thousands of years spanned by the SW stories.
Avoids the usual fan fiction limitations by including none of "the usual [Star Wars] suspects" by being set longer ago than even "long,long ago."
Speaking of which . . . it's interesting how the technology of the Star Wars galaxy seems frozen. There's no appreciable improvement in anything--medicine, weapons, transportation--in the thousands of years spanned by the SW stories.
August 2, 2017
It's official: I liked "Rule of Two" considerably better than its predecessor, probably because (ironically) it features a lot less Darth Bane and a lot more action and development of secondary characters like Zannah, Johun Othone, and so forth.
For a Star Wars novel it goes to some pretty dark places, but I guess that's to be expected when dealing with a book primarily focussed on the dastardly Sith.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Bane and Zannah's relationship develops into the deadly cat-and-mouse we all know must be to come!
For a Star Wars novel it goes to some pretty dark places, but I guess that's to be expected when dealing with a book primarily focussed on the dastardly Sith.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Bane and Zannah's relationship develops into the deadly cat-and-mouse we all know must be to come!
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December 27, 2020
I didn't like Rule of Two. I didn't like the writing, I didn't like the plot, I didn't like the characters and I specially didn't like how Karpyshyn decided to write Zannah. I might give the third book a try just to see how the series ends, but this one was a major disappointment to me.
March 26, 2017
This book is actually an improvement on the first book in the series. The new main character, Zannah, is the apprentice that Darth Bane took at the end of the first book, and unlike Bane, she has some depth and complexity. While he is purely powered by white male rage and the angst of not being recognized as the alpha male he thinks he is, she experiences doubt, makes difficult choices, and outmaneuvers her opponents. Her character actually develops, and it's clear that there are more difficult choices ahead of her in the third and final book in this series.
That said, Zannah's character design suffers from two major failings. The first is that she, like apparently everyone else in this series, is a very attractive human. Somehow the casting directors for the CW decided to make a Star Wars fanfiction. This isn't the biggest deal, but it just made me roll my eyes several times throughout the book. The second and larger problem I have with this author's version of the Sith, which is further detailed in her powers. Zannah is apparently a Sith sorcerer. She can apparently use dark energies to fuck with her opponent's heads. I'M NOT HERE TO READ A LOW GRADE FANTASY NOVEL LIGHTLY DISGUISED AS STAR WARS FANFICTION. ENOUGH WITH "ARMY OF THE LIGHT" AND "SITH SORCERERS". IT'S LAZY, UNINTERESTING, AND HAS BEEN DONE BETTER BY OTHERS.
Also, Darth Bane being infested with a colony of crabs that eat his flesh and give him an impenetrable armor and increased strength in the force? Are you fucking kidding me? That's the best you can do?
I'm still going to read the third book in this series, 1. because apparently I hate myself and 2. I want to see Darth Bane die and make way for more interesting Sith characters.
That said, Zannah's character design suffers from two major failings. The first is that she, like apparently everyone else in this series, is a very attractive human. Somehow the casting directors for the CW decided to make a Star Wars fanfiction. This isn't the biggest deal, but it just made me roll my eyes several times throughout the book. The second and larger problem I have with this author's version of the Sith, which is further detailed in her powers. Zannah is apparently a Sith sorcerer. She can apparently use dark energies to fuck with her opponent's heads. I'M NOT HERE TO READ A LOW GRADE FANTASY NOVEL LIGHTLY DISGUISED AS STAR WARS FANFICTION. ENOUGH WITH "ARMY OF THE LIGHT" AND "SITH SORCERERS". IT'S LAZY, UNINTERESTING, AND HAS BEEN DONE BETTER BY OTHERS.
Also, Darth Bane being infested with a colony of crabs that eat his flesh and give him an impenetrable armor and increased strength in the force? Are you fucking kidding me? That's the best you can do?
I'm still going to read the third book in this series, 1. because apparently I hate myself and 2. I want to see Darth Bane die and make way for more interesting Sith characters.
June 20, 2024
At first it seems like more of the same, but it's a clear step down. You thought space blackjack and lightsaber forms were pointless? How about Sith money laundering, Separatist politics, and holocron matrices (literally what?) You found Bane's journey to the dark side implausible because it lacked pathos? How about the 0-to-60 vilification of a 10-year old girl?
The prequel movies are a mess in part because the Jedi are horrible at their jobs, but it isn't clear if you're supposed to realize that or root against them - likely because Yoda is in charge, and who would root against Yoda. This book makes the Jedi so much dumber: imagine insisting the world had been purged of all French people because you dropped a nuclear weapon on Paris. Is the book trying to lend credibility to the prequels, or retroactively trying to clean up a George Lucas mess? (a tactic that hasn't worked since Obi Wan told Luke that Darth Vader "murdered" his father, and in Disney's hands always makes the situation laughably worse). It doesn't matter either way, it's a flop.
Credit where it's due - Darth Bane's armor is some Bond-villain-level stuff that would work perfectly in a story that wasn't otherwise hot garbage. Everything else is a huge miss.
The prequel movies are a mess in part because the Jedi are horrible at their jobs, but it isn't clear if you're supposed to realize that or root against them - likely because Yoda is in charge, and who would root against Yoda. This book makes the Jedi so much dumber: imagine insisting the world had been purged of all French people because you dropped a nuclear weapon on Paris. Is the book trying to lend credibility to the prequels, or retroactively trying to clean up a George Lucas mess? (a tactic that hasn't worked since Obi Wan told Luke that Darth Vader "murdered" his father, and in Disney's hands always makes the situation laughably worse). It doesn't matter either way, it's a flop.
Credit where it's due - Darth Bane's armor is some Bond-villain-level stuff that would work perfectly in a story that wasn't otherwise hot garbage. Everything else is a huge miss.
July 17, 2024
This book has a lot of entertaining scenes, particularly the Sereno scene with Chancellor Valorum and the Jedi Archives sequences. However, as a whole, it doesn't quite live up to the heights of its predecessor.
Rule of Two spends about the first half of the book with Darth Bane and Zannah immediately after the events of the last book, and we see just how dark Karpyshyn is able to write with what he does with Zannah here. The second half of the book focuses on them 10 years later, as there is a threat that might expose their exsistence to the Jedi.
The worldbuilding of the republic after the events of the Battle of Rusaan and the worldbuilding about the Jedi and how they have to change post-war was fascinating. I loved the character of Johun who is tasked with protecting Valorum.
The long action sequence near the end of the book was just not entertaining for me, and I had trouble following the action as it all started to blend together.
Overall, while the book is enjoyable, it isn't as well crafted or as enjoyable as the predecessor. I'll give it a 7 out of 10.
Rule of Two spends about the first half of the book with Darth Bane and Zannah immediately after the events of the last book, and we see just how dark Karpyshyn is able to write with what he does with Zannah here. The second half of the book focuses on them 10 years later, as there is a threat that might expose their exsistence to the Jedi.
The worldbuilding of the republic after the events of the Battle of Rusaan and the worldbuilding about the Jedi and how they have to change post-war was fascinating. I loved the character of Johun who is tasked with protecting Valorum.
The long action sequence near the end of the book was just not entertaining for me, and I had trouble following the action as it all started to blend together.
Overall, while the book is enjoyable, it isn't as well crafted or as enjoyable as the predecessor. I'll give it a 7 out of 10.
December 6, 2010
3.0 stars. A good, if predicable, follow up to Path of Destruction that continues the story of Darth Bane and his creation of the current "Rule of Two" among the Sith. A fun, fast read that was perfect for when I was in the mood for something light to read.
November 16, 2015
This book contains the best light saber battle I have read.
September 21, 2024
"Peace is a lie . . ."
The second book in the Darth Bane trilogy that continues the Sith order.
The relationship between master and apprentice is explored with its minor setbacks. This story sets the premises of the prequel trilogy, which is a thousand years after this.
I love the small tidbits of planning that make you think about how something can have a catalyst effect on the whole galaxy.
Zannah is an amazing character. In some way, her cunning surpasses that of Darth Bane.
In this novel, it steered Darth Bane into a character in the pit of madness.
That is why there should always be two. One who embodies the power and one to crave it.
It's such a shame that Disney dismissed this as non-cannon.
The second book in the Darth Bane trilogy that continues the Sith order.
The relationship between master and apprentice is explored with its minor setbacks. This story sets the premises of the prequel trilogy, which is a thousand years after this.
I love the small tidbits of planning that make you think about how something can have a catalyst effect on the whole galaxy.
Zannah is an amazing character. In some way, her cunning surpasses that of Darth Bane.
In this novel, it steered Darth Bane into a character in the pit of madness.
That is why there should always be two. One who embodies the power and one to crave it.
It's such a shame that Disney dismissed this as non-cannon.
April 27, 2020
Definitely the middle book of this trilogy. Enjoyable for some sections when talking about how different creations happened, completely creepy in others when talking about the Orbalisks.
December 14, 2016
Drew did an excellent job at overlapping character arcs - a solid mix of perspective and emotion. He also mixed in a good deal of lore, which immerses you in the story.
I gave it three stars because while I thought it was a strong EU novel, I just didn't love it. The middle book of a trilogy is, in my opinion, is the most difficult to write. The balance of keeping the reader interested and advancing the overall plot is a tricky dance.
I'm onto the third book now and hope it ends on a strong note.
I gave it three stars because while I thought it was a strong EU novel, I just didn't love it. The middle book of a trilogy is, in my opinion, is the most difficult to write. The balance of keeping the reader interested and advancing the overall plot is a tricky dance.
I'm onto the third book now and hope it ends on a strong note.
May 25, 2022
While I enjoyed this book, and particularly its audiobook version, I think it falls a bit short of the first book in the series. I liked seeing a bit more of the almost willful blindness of the Jedi and how their complacency gets started, something we see in full force in the Skywalker time period much more, but this book didn't do as much to explore the Master/Apprentice relationship of the Sith as I'd hoped, so I'm hopeful the third book will really dig into that and show more of one of the most well known Sith Lords in Star Wars history.
January 17, 2016
Star Wars Legends Project #38
Background: Darth Bane: Rule of Two was written by Drew Karpyshyn and released in December of 2007, about a year after the first book in the trilogy Path of Destruction (my review).
Path of Destruction picks up immediately after the conclusion of Path of Destruction, in the aftermath of the pivotal Battle of Ruusan, then flashes forward ten years for the remainder of the novel, placing it 990 years before the Battle of Yavin. Many key points in the book continue to play off of the events depicted in Jedi vs. Sith (my review). The Sith Lord Freedon Nadd and the planet Onderon and its moon Dxun (from Tales of the Jedi: The Collection (my review) and The Freedon Nadd Uprising (my review)) play a key role in the story. The story's climax takes place on Tython, birthplace of the Jedi, which has played a significant role in several stories before. From what I can tell, this will be its final chronological appearance in the EU . . . Though oddly enough, in terms of publication order, this was actually its first appearance.
Summary: Having successfully manipulated every other living Sith Lord into perishing when they unleashed the thought bomb, and simultaneously tricked the Jedi into believing that all of the Sith are now dead, Darth Bane is ready to implement the next phase in his plan to restore the Sith Order. As he trains his apprentice, Darth Zannah, and sets about laying long-term plans for galactic domination, he continues his search for the ancient Sith knowledge he'll need if his designs are really to succeed. But the most important element of his schemes may also prove the most difficult: If the Jedi so much as suspect that a Sith Master has survived, everything he has worked for may yet turn to nothing.
Review: Let's get this out of the way first: Is that cover the worst Star Wars cover ever, or just the most terrible? It is just unspeakably wretched, isn't it? I mean, the cover of Path of Destruction is lousy, and Dynasty of Evil is mediocre at best, but this . . . Well, this is just proof that you can't judge a book by its cover.
Rule of Two isn't perfect, but it's a great middle-chapter that builds on the story begun in the first novel of the trilogy and leaves me curious and excited to see how it concludes. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, unfortunately, and I was a bit annoyed that Karpyshyn was still plodding his way along ticking boxes from events in the wretched Jedi vs. Sith comic. The novel spends too long hanging around on Ruusan when that part of the story ought to have ended with the last book.
I was initially annoyed, as well, by the sudden introduction of Darovit (aka Tomcat), the main character from Jedi vs. Sith, as a major character in this, but he was used to such good effect that I withdraw my objection. Once again, Karpyshyn takes something I hate and makes it work brilliantly inside his own story. I can't say the same for the Jedi characters in this, however. In particular, Johun Othone, the main Jedi, is about as bland and generic a Jedi hero as any I've seen. Every part where the novel switches back to his point of view is a dead spot that made me feel fine with putting it down. There's nothing special or memorable about him at all, which is a real missed opportunity to give the reader conflicting emotions in rooting for characters that want to kill each other. His name isn't great, either . . . Though still not quite the affront that is "Valenthyne Farfalla" (still a significant presence here).
And while I'm complaining about names, here's a confusing and bizarre choice: The leader of the Republic is Chancellor Valorum. No, not that Chancellor Valorum, obviously . . . his great-great-great-great-great-great-great . . . Well, you get the idea. Is it really so hard to come up with names for different characters that you have to imagine that the Valorum of The Phantom Menace is the last of a 1000-year political dynasty? That's like if Mongolia were still ruled by a guy named Khan. The galaxy is not that small, and too many people treat it like it is. Oh, well . . .
In addition to the dead spots with Johune, Rule of Two also feels like it's treading water a bit in the middle section when Zannah is out fooling around with local politics as part of some grand scheme of Bane's that is really only vaguely hinted at. It is at it's strongest when Bane and/or Zannah are directly pursuing ancient Sith knowledge and powers, as with Bane's adventures on Dxun and Zannah's intense infiltration mission late in the story. And, happily, there's plenty of this.
Best of all is a climactic lightsaber battle that may be among the best I've ever read. It was explosive, tense, and consequential, and just really, really exciting. And it leads directly into a great pay-off with events and characters established long before that I never imagined would play a significant role again in this series. Masterful. The last quarter of this book is particularly hard to put down. And I only put it down then because I ran out of pages to read. I can't imagine not picking up Dynasty of Evil immediately and reading on, which is what I'm going to do right now.
A-
Background: Darth Bane: Rule of Two was written by Drew Karpyshyn and released in December of 2007, about a year after the first book in the trilogy Path of Destruction (my review).
Path of Destruction picks up immediately after the conclusion of Path of Destruction, in the aftermath of the pivotal Battle of Ruusan, then flashes forward ten years for the remainder of the novel, placing it 990 years before the Battle of Yavin. Many key points in the book continue to play off of the events depicted in Jedi vs. Sith (my review). The Sith Lord Freedon Nadd and the planet Onderon and its moon Dxun (from Tales of the Jedi: The Collection (my review) and The Freedon Nadd Uprising (my review)) play a key role in the story. The story's climax takes place on Tython, birthplace of the Jedi, which has played a significant role in several stories before. From what I can tell, this will be its final chronological appearance in the EU . . . Though oddly enough, in terms of publication order, this was actually its first appearance.
Summary: Having successfully manipulated every other living Sith Lord into perishing when they unleashed the thought bomb, and simultaneously tricked the Jedi into believing that all of the Sith are now dead, Darth Bane is ready to implement the next phase in his plan to restore the Sith Order. As he trains his apprentice, Darth Zannah, and sets about laying long-term plans for galactic domination, he continues his search for the ancient Sith knowledge he'll need if his designs are really to succeed. But the most important element of his schemes may also prove the most difficult: If the Jedi so much as suspect that a Sith Master has survived, everything he has worked for may yet turn to nothing.
Review: Let's get this out of the way first: Is that cover the worst Star Wars cover ever, or just the most terrible? It is just unspeakably wretched, isn't it? I mean, the cover of Path of Destruction is lousy, and Dynasty of Evil is mediocre at best, but this . . . Well, this is just proof that you can't judge a book by its cover.
Rule of Two isn't perfect, but it's a great middle-chapter that builds on the story begun in the first novel of the trilogy and leaves me curious and excited to see how it concludes. It gets off to a bit of a slow start, unfortunately, and I was a bit annoyed that Karpyshyn was still plodding his way along ticking boxes from events in the wretched Jedi vs. Sith comic. The novel spends too long hanging around on Ruusan when that part of the story ought to have ended with the last book.
I was initially annoyed, as well, by the sudden introduction of Darovit (aka Tomcat), the main character from Jedi vs. Sith, as a major character in this, but he was used to such good effect that I withdraw my objection. Once again, Karpyshyn takes something I hate and makes it work brilliantly inside his own story. I can't say the same for the Jedi characters in this, however. In particular, Johun Othone, the main Jedi, is about as bland and generic a Jedi hero as any I've seen. Every part where the novel switches back to his point of view is a dead spot that made me feel fine with putting it down. There's nothing special or memorable about him at all, which is a real missed opportunity to give the reader conflicting emotions in rooting for characters that want to kill each other. His name isn't great, either . . . Though still not quite the affront that is "Valenthyne Farfalla" (still a significant presence here).
And while I'm complaining about names, here's a confusing and bizarre choice: The leader of the Republic is Chancellor Valorum. No, not that Chancellor Valorum, obviously . . . his great-great-great-great-great-great-great . . . Well, you get the idea. Is it really so hard to come up with names for different characters that you have to imagine that the Valorum of The Phantom Menace is the last of a 1000-year political dynasty? That's like if Mongolia were still ruled by a guy named Khan. The galaxy is not that small, and too many people treat it like it is. Oh, well . . .
In addition to the dead spots with Johune, Rule of Two also feels like it's treading water a bit in the middle section when Zannah is out fooling around with local politics as part of some grand scheme of Bane's that is really only vaguely hinted at. It is at it's strongest when Bane and/or Zannah are directly pursuing ancient Sith knowledge and powers, as with Bane's adventures on Dxun and Zannah's intense infiltration mission late in the story. And, happily, there's plenty of this.
Best of all is a climactic lightsaber battle that may be among the best I've ever read. It was explosive, tense, and consequential, and just really, really exciting. And it leads directly into a great pay-off with events and characters established long before that I never imagined would play a significant role again in this series. Masterful. The last quarter of this book is particularly hard to put down. And I only put it down then because I ran out of pages to read. I can't imagine not picking up Dynasty of Evil immediately and reading on, which is what I'm going to do right now.
A-
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