Going into this book, you don't really know what to expect as its premise revolves around the Jedi Order sending Quinlan Vos to recruit Asajj Ventress in order to assassinate Count Dooku. However, if you've seen Revenge of the Sith, you know that never happens. Even though that's the case, this book still really entertains you while keeping you wondering what might happen next. This is due to the fact that we don't know the fates of Vos and Ventress post-Revenge of the Sith since Disney wiped the Expanded Universe and made it Legends. I should add, however, that even though both Ventress and Vos are on the cover, this is mostly Vos's story with Ventress being a close second.
The mission just to even get Ventress on Vos's side makes it that much more entertaining. Knowing Vos's reputation as a reckless Jedi, the book shows just how much more than that he really is. I really enjoyed how the novel explores his frame of mind both as a Jedi and a human being in that it parallels the conflicting emotions Anakin Skywalker had in the lead-up to him joining the Dark Side. The raw feelings he developed genuinely made you feel for the character and his struggle with sticking to the Jedi Code.
His chemistry with Obi-Wan and Ventress is phenomenally portrayed whereby the interactions both characters have with Vos play out as an actual Clone Wars episode. With regards to Vos's friendship with Kenobi, the novel really explored their friendship as a brotherhood and explains it really well by showing how close they are even when the other may be lost, which the films unfortunately could not capture between Anakin and Ob-Wan. This brotherhood really, in my opinion, gives the reader a stronger appreciation for Obi-Wan as an overall character who never truly gives up on his friends as long as there is a glimmer of hope. With respect to Ventress, the novel grasps the difficulty it would naturally be for Vos to be on good terms with Ventress. She shuts herself out to the world and doesn't care, which makes her relationship with Vos all the more entertaining.
Speaking of Ventress, she's still working as a bounty hunter, and she is just as angry as ever. I loved how commanding of a presence she has in the novel even though it does revolve around Vos. You can tell how much Christie Golden understands the character of Ventress and her struggle after being tossed aside by Dooku. Her hatred for Dooku is apparent, but it's not as much as you would think in that she's mostly come to terms with it. By the time you meet her, you know she's doing fine as a bounty hunter even though she's built somewhat of a bad reputation among other bounty hunters. I really liked how this book explores her past and her emotions because it makes you have empathy for her character. You learn that under that hard exterior, she is just as prone to emotional damage and scarring as any other person. Because of this, Ventress really shines and dominates the pages she's in.
Given the praise I have for the main characters, there are some glaring negatives I have with it. First and foremost, the story does drag on. The book dwells too much on Vos's need to gain Ventress's trust as an ally and partner once (spoiler-not spoiler) she does team up with him to hunt for bounties. It mostly drags because you know what his real mission is, yet it takes a while for the Dooku plot to finally kick in. Another issue I had with the overall story was how the story also lags once something important occurs to Quinlan Vos, which was incredibly predictable in the lead-up to it. The way the book drags on twice throughout it, you can tell how the book was only meant to be a three to four episode arc in total. Unfortunately, it felt as if they crammed six to ten episodes into this one book along with the fillers of those episodes, as well as sometimes appearing as two different books due to the shifts in its tone.
Another issue I had with the story was how easily the Jedi Order would resort to assassination. Before anyone yells at me thinking that I spoiled this, you should know that this is basically decided in the first chapter. Most of the masters would automatically approve the use of it, with Obi-Wan the only one who ever really opposed it, and Yoda never once thought, "Hey, let's calm down and think this through. Maybe assassination makes us just as bad as the Sith, and there might be unintended consequences if we go down this path." But no, Yoda just okays everything without really objecting to it. Mace Windu is just as bad, if not worse, in that he's the one constantly calling for it. It's as if he's officially gone to the Dark Side or just practices it himself. This all just shows how truly lost the Jedi Order really was and how far they had lost their ways. The peace-loving warrior who seeks justice is nowhere to be seen except in Obi-Wan Kenobi. It boggles my mind how much that statement is true.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Do I think it's flawless? No. It has its issues, but I think it's easy to overlook them. Dark Disciple is a great addition to the new canon due to its engaging, sometimes though-provoking, and entertaining text about a Jedi who doesn't really know if he wants to continue being a Jedi, and a former Sith apprentice who only wants to escape the past and look towards a future on her own terms. I really liked how it gives some more details about the Jedi Order just before Revenge of the Sith, and how certain decisions they make can end up haunting them in the long run. Dark Disciple is emotional and fun, with great action sequences, and I really hope that people get a chance to read it. If I were to rate it, I'd give it a solid B. I think those who've seen the Clone Wars will really gravitate towards these characters and really enjoy the story it has to offer.
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