The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader

Darth Vader's Rise and Fall is a novel for young adults penned by Ryder Windham. While its official release was planned for October 2007, it became available earlier in September of that same year. It presents the narrative of all six Star Wars movies, but told through the perspective of Darth Vader.

Publisher's summary

Behold the renowned tale of Anakin Skywalker as it has never before been presented – through his very own perspective…

From his ascent to his decline, from the embrace of light to the depths of darkness, and ultimately, his return.

Born into enslavement.

Raised as a Jedi Knight.

An individual feared throughout the Galaxy.

Plot summary

The story commences with Darth Vader experiencing a dream for the first time in many years while stationed aboard the Executor, not long before its departure for the second Death Star. Vader contemplates his son and his master, questioning whether he is receiving a vision of what is to come. He dreams about the events of his life as Anakin Skywalker, reflecting on his past.

He and Shmi Skywalker are passengers on a freighter, being transported as slaves to Gardulla Besadii the Elder. Watto observes Anakin diligently repairing a podracer, noting that he independently acquired the necessary skills. Intrigued, Watto accepts Anakin and Shmi as settlement for a wager he lost.

The narrative progresses, detailing Anakin's experiences on Tatooine, his involvement in the Battle of Naboo, his journey as a Padawan, and the motivations behind his descent into the dark side.

Ultimately, the story culminates in his demise during the Battle of Endor and his subsequent transition into the netherworld of the Force.

Several passages from the book that feature Obi-Wan were directly incorporated into The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a similar biographical work about the Jedi Master that was published the following year.

While the majority of the book references the six films, there are also allusions to other Star Wars literary works. These references include:

Continuity

In the initial print run of this book, the name Mos Espa is incorrectly spelled as "Mos Epsa" on page 19.

Release

In Japan, the book's title was translated to 「ダース・ヴェイダー 光と影」, meaning "Darth Vader: Light and Shadow".

Appearances

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