Dooku: Jedi Lost – Review

I need to say this up front, I have never been much of an audio book guy unless I am on a very long car ride. But, I did grow up listening to audio dramas, so I was excited when they announced that Del Rey was going to release its first audio exclusive, Star Wars story with a full cast. This excitement was enhanced when it was announced it was a backstory for Dooku and Asajj, written by Cavan Scott. His work on Adventures in Wild Space, as well as his short story in From a Certain Point of View, gave me confidence that this could be something special. Thankfully I was not mistaken, Dooku: Jedi Lost is something special indeed.

Scott’s story efficiently and expertly expands our knowledge of Asajj and Dooku’s past. We finally learn what led to Dooku becoming one of the Lost Twenty. The book not only expands our view of characters, it increases our understanding of the Jedi and the Republic at a time we previously knew little about. This book, along with Master & Apprentice, has done much to show that the Jedi were far from the monolithic group they are sometimes thought to be. Characters like Lene Kostnana and Yula Braylon help show the variety in the Jedi Order, in their jobs, their passions and the way in which they teach their padawans. It’s something I hope we get much more of in the years to come.

The story is also able to portray how the Republic is already beginning to collapse. The lack of cooperation in the senate is palpable. It’s become a place increasingly overrun with corporations and self interest, forces which consistently undermine the symbiotic relationship of the Republic and encourage planets to retreat to a more tribal, protectionist mentality, with the Jedi caught in the middle. Many times the Jedi find themselves unable to take any actions because of their mandate to the Republic, instead of the Will of the Force.

As important as the story is for Dooku, this book is even more so for Asajj. The entire story is a fight for her soul. Will she choose to follow Dooku completely, giving herself over to the dark side fully, or can she escape her latest enslavement for freedom? The way Scott is able to do this is brilliant, but best left discovered in the listen!

Dooku: Jedi Lost is a story rich in details about this time period. It immediately left me wanting to re-listen so I could soak up more of the milieu. The time before the Prequels is a perfect playground for Star Wars stories, so I hope they will continue to mine it as often as they can. There is still so much that can be gleaned. On the heels of Master & Apprentice, this is the perfect companion piece, but it also completely stands on its own as a story. Dooku: Jedi Lost is rated 5 out of 5 stars.

Author: Matt Rushing

Matthew Rushing is the host of Trek.fm‘s The 602 Club and co-host of TheNerdParty.com‘s AggressiveNegotiations: A Star Wars Podcast. He can be found on Twitter @mattrushing02.