Fall of the Sith Empire (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi)

Book Description

The Sith Empire has rallied its forces for an all-out battle for control of the galaxy. Its goal: Crush the Republic. And with so many Sith Masters among them, the goal is not unachievable. As Naga Sadow readies his fleet to attack, one lone person threatens to undermine the entire campaign -- Jori Daragon. She isn`t a Jedi. She`s an explorer, a mapper of hyperspace who stumbled on the plans of the Sith. And she just may be the savior of the Republic.

Customer Reviews:

Predictable and boring.......2006-11-10

Welcome to what is at this writing still the earliest chapter in the history of the Star Wars universe, a tale set 5000 years before the adventures of the film series.

CAVEAT ONE
Before you consider buying this, be aware that this volume is but one half of the story and that the first half is available in The Golden Age of the Sith. This review covers both volumes.

CAVEAT TWO
If you're a pathological Star Wars collector, you'll buy this book regardless of its contents. If you're a Star Wars fan who wants to catch up on your history, save your money and read a summary of the events at Wookieepedia. If you're a discerning comics fan, then you must have found your way here by mistake. If so, don't stop. Keep moving. Everyone else, step right this way.

Despite a title that suggests something we never see, namely the glory days of the Sith Empire, author Kevin J Anderson came up with a promising premise. At opposite ends of the universe, the Sith Empire and the fledgling Republic seek to chart new futures, the Republic to end years of civil war and forge a new era of political and economic stability and growth, the Sith to revitalize their moribund Empire by throwing off their isolation and launching a new era of growth through conquest. In between are the innocents through which we view these events, a scholarly Jedi called to arms and a pair of young space navigators, brother and sister who through their explorations inadvertently open the hyperspace route across which the Sith reach to shake the foundations of the newly emergent Republic.

With a setting so far back in the past, Anderson has a wonderful opportunity to develop a good part of the Star Wars backstory. We find, for example, that the Sith were a separate species living on their own world in a relatively undeveloped culture that was then hijacked by a group of exiled Jedi who enslaved the Sith and built a new culture based on veneration of the Dark Force. Over the years these Jedi interbred with the Sith and a number of them left to conquer nearby worlds and create a system-wide Empire ruled by an all-powerful Dark Lord. The Jedi themselves are scholar-warriors closely aligned with political forces preserving civilization, pretty much the same as we have always known them, with one discernable difference - they don't carry lightsabers. And neither do the Sith.

They carry swords instead; swords made of steel. They also wear sandals, toga-like garments, and capes. They fly in spaceships that have sails, and the slavers have spaceships with oars. The Sith world of Korriban looks like it was cribbed from photos of Abu Simbel, with towering Pharaonic deities ensconced on thrones overlooking wide valleys and surrounded by sphinx-like guardians. In fact much of the costume and character design, from the scarab-like symbol of the Sith ruler to the elongated chins and goatees of the Sith, evokes Egypt in very obvious ways.

The artwork, provided across both volumes by Filipino Dario Carrasco, Jr., is not terribly remarkable. It's at best serviceable, in a style reminiscent of John Buscema, one of the iron men of the comic book industry who must have drawn tens of thousands of pages for Marvel for three decades beginning in the 60's. Carrasco, Jr.'s work benefits from a change in inkers and colorist in The Fall of the Sith Empire, where the lines become a little cleaner and the colors a bit more vibrant, but still it's not work that will ever be remembered or about which anyone has ever written more than a few sentences.

The same pedestrian touch is obvious in the writing. Kevin J Anderson wrote a few Star Wars novels in the 1990's and several of those books can regularly be found in "Worst SW Novels" lists. In this particular series Anderson has no protagonist, so he needs to develop his supporting players in order to give us more than just plot. Instead we get characters that are little more than props and literary devices. The Jedi scholar is the narrative frame, the brother-sister navigators the point-of-view characters and the vector of conflict, the Republic Queen and the Sith Lord wrestling opponents wearing good-guy / bad-guy personas. No one has any particular motivation except to get us to the next scene. There's nothing suspenseful or funny or touching or wondrous; it's storytelling about as developed and predictable as painting by numbers.

And with so many other comic books out there to read, you can surely find something more engaging, more worth you time and your money than this underdeveloped Star Wars adventure.

Happy hunting.

Absolutely TERRIBLE.......2006-08-03

As I stated in a previous Star Wars book review (`Yoda: Dark Rendezvous'), gems in the literary SW Universe are scarce, sparse, few, and far in-between - this graphic novel is no exception to that rule. In a nutshell, `The Fall of the Sith Empire' sucks. Hard. For some reason, the whole prehistoric, almost Egyptianesque, civilization of an ancient Republic and advanced technology (e.g. flying starships) just didn't mesh together in my opinion. I'm not saying the suspension of disbelief in such a setting is a futile effort for a reader, but the task becomes a lot harder to envision with the uninspired art and simpleton dialogue showcased throughout this graphic novel. Aside from all of that, the story is just, well, boring: twin hyperspace explorers cruise the galaxy, one of them gets kidnapped by a Sith, the Sith lord uses the other twin to infiltrate the Republic, and then the Jedi help defend the Republic against the Sith Empire. Same ole, same ole.

The pencils by Dario Carrasco are absolutely terrible, even for 1997, which is no excuse because there was some good art in `97. The mediocre artwork is one of the biggest blunders of this book (other than the writing). The characters in `The Fall' could have looked a lot better in the hands of another more capable artist. Carrasco's Naga Sadow looks like a tall, baldheaded, humanoid-simian that drank too much pink lemonade (in reference to the reddish-pink hue of Sadow's skin). I thought the Sith - the ancient Sith nonetheless - were supposed to be the ruthless, evil servants of the dark side? Dario Carrasco's rendition of Naga Sadow portrays a silly and cowardly villain who lacks any true substance. The flagships and starship fleets are appallingly dreadful: some of them look like giant flying insects, while the plain nature of others will make you sarcastically wonder, "Well, there was no reason for any detail now was there?"

The other major problem with `The Fall of the Sith Empire' is a problem that plagues much of the SW Universe, and that problem is insipid and unimaginative stories. Keeping in mind that, as far as the SW Universe is concerned, it's pretty much all been done before and the fact that there's very little left to explore in Lucas' cash cow franchise, every now and then someone can find a nugget of creativity to weave a story of some imaginative proportions in Star Wars Land. There were no nuggets for this team of creators, and besides, it's 2006 and we all know that SW is no longer just a movie, but a way for Lucas to make more and more money. The artwork sucks; the characters are bland; the story is literally the SAME OLD story told in Star Wars (Republic vs. Sith Empire) whether ancient or contemporary; and the dialogue of the story is paper-thin.

Imagine what characters like Empress Teta, Memit Nadill, or Naga Sadow would've looked like in the hands of Frank Quiteley, Sean Chen, Sam Keith, or Ladronn. I don't know if the alien Jedi Odan-Urr is a retarded excuse of a character period, or if he's that way in the incapable hands of Carassco. Either way, Odan-Urr looks like the world's first bucktoothed alien with a huge overbite...and no lower jaw. He's absolutely the worst, dumbest, and goofiest-looking Jedi I've ever seen. And Odan-Urr's master Ooroo (gotta love those SW names) is a Jedi Master that's a talking brain in a crystalline vat of fluid...???

Besides the pencil work and inks, the colors were putrid - they're basically off-color pastels. Think children's plastic Easter eggs pastels...or thrown-up taffies of different colors. Yeah. That coupled with the boring artwork makes for a simply illustrious visual joyride...

The entire story feels rushed in a sense, perhaps not in the original issue-by-issue format; but read in the linear context of a graphic novel with no ads to interrupt the adventure, the plot sometimes moves at a needless breakneck speed. Panels make enormous leaps in elapsed time from panel-to-panel, adding to the rushed sense one gets while reading `The Fall'. Not to mention, the bland characterizations and tired seen-it-before plot along with the rushed story double the hurried effect.

Literally, writer Kevin Anderson's writing is on par with George Lucas' screenwriting abilities. The characters are dense, flat, and uninspired. One of the things Mr. Anderson should've learned from the first SW movies is that having twins in a space opera sounds good, but making the idea 100% is another thing. You have Luke and Leia; Jacen and Jaina; and in this story, Gav and Jori (what "incredible" names) - the whole twin thing in Star Wars really needs to stop. As I said before, the dialogue in this novel is just atrocious. Lines like, "I am ruler of the Sith Empire and no one can stop me," make Naga Sadow sound like a complete wiener and a villain one sees on childish cartoons: not a Dark Lord of the Sith.

I don't know if anyone agrees with me out there, but there are certain things about the SW-EU (Expanded Universe) that shouldn't have been created, like `Jedi battle meditation': that's stupid and to save it from complete ridicule, sounds a lot dumber than what it is. I like the part in the graphic novel where one of the soldiers fighting for Empress Teta tells Odan-Urr, who's on the sideline doing battle meditation at the moment, to stop sitting around and get out there and fight with the rest of them. I agree.

All in all, I think `The Fall of the Sith Empire' was a good idea that just wasn't executed correctly. No wonder `The Fall of the Sith Empire' is out of print: it needs to stay that way.

O.K. visuals, story a little lacking.......2005-08-23

This TBP is the second in the Tales of the Jedi story, if you are going chronologically in star wars time. It takes place a 1,000 years before the original Tales of the Jedi, and takes place a week or so after "Golden Age of the Sith". Out of the "TOTJ" series, it is one of the worst, but still better than most of the TBP's out there. I reccommend it for people trying to complete their TOTJ collection, not for a stand-alone read.

pitifully bad.......2005-05-18

don't waste your time. i just read through all the tales of the jedi books and this one is by far the worst, and is horribly bad. i know you might get it because you, like i did, want to read them all...but trust me you'll only be wasting time and money on this one it's that bad.

Great Read!.......2003-10-14

I do not agree with any of the negative past reviews given here. I thought Fall of the Sith Empire was a fitting conclusion to the setup in The Golden Age of the Sith. The information within and its events lead up to other comic and Star Wars storylines. It is told more like a story passed down for generations, a feeling I think the author wanted. In actuallity it is a story told from the events known to a young jedi who is now a master. He is later seen, much older, in the Dark lords of the Sith series (the story of Exar Kun).So there is not great detail in points that do not need more info. You are getting the basic story as to what happened and why, and that is great. No one else has tried to tackle this era in the Star Wars history. Also, i think the art work is justified in its rought style. The setting is in the SW past, and the story is not overly detailed; these characteristics lead to a rough look that was very satisfying. It would not be perfect like the Star Wars present and future time periods. People are entitled to their opinions, but I think some missed the point when actually figuring out why elements of the comic where done in certain ways.

The Tales of the Heike (Translations from the Asian Classics)

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The Tales of the Heike (Translations from the Asian Classics)
Burton Watson , and Haruo Shirane
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0231138024

Book Description

The Tales of the Heike is one of the most influential works in Japanese literature and culture, remaining even today a crucial source for fiction, drama, and popular media. Originally written in the mid-thirteenth century, it features a cast of vivid characters and chronicles the epic Genpei war, a civil conflict that marked the end of the power of the Heike and changed the course of Japanese history. The Tales of the Heike focuses on the lives of both the samurai warriors who fought for two powerful twelfth-century Japanese clans-the Heike (Taira) and the Genji (Minamoto)-and the women with whom they were intimately connected.

The Tales of the Heike provides a dramatic window onto the emerging world of the medieval samurai and recounts in absorbing detail the chaos of the battlefield, the intrigue of the imperial court, and the gradual loss of a courtly tradition. The book is also highly religious and Buddhist in its orientation, taking up such issues as impermanence, karmic retribution, attachment, and renunciation, which dominated the Japanese imagination in the medieval period.

In this new, abridged translation, Burton Watson offers a gripping rendering of the work's most memorable episodes. Particular to this translation are the introduction by Haruo Shirane, the woodblock illustrations, a glossary of characters, and an extended bibliography.

Average customer rating:

Almost what I expected
I am proud
Great translation of a venerable classic
Confused
Ready for the next step

The Tale of the Heike

Manufacturer: Stanford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0804718032

Book Description

The Tale of the Heike

is one of the masterworks of Japanese literature, ranking with The Tal of Genji

in quality and prestige. This new translation is not only far more readable than earlier ones, it is also much more faithful to the content and style of the original. Intended for the general audience as well as the specialist, this edition is highly annotated.

Customer Reviews:

Almost what I expected.......2003-09-09

But Helen McCullough left me feeling like not all the translations made it through with all their meanings intact. I realize such a minor point should not keep me from rating her a 5, but the poetry of Japan has so much expression (and double meaning; see Genji) that I felt left out of the story.

I am proud.......2003-07-02

i read the book and thought it was very very good sometimes it was hard to follow the plot.translating this book must have been very hard to do for i should now because Helen C. Mccullough was my wonderfull Grandmother.She taped herself and i used to watch her on tape as she translated the book to english. even if she was not my grandmother i still would have thought the book was good it gave me a new love for Japense lituire. did i spell that right? oh while i recommend this book to any one.

Great translation of a venerable classic.......2001-08-17

Translations of Japanese and Chinese classics are often hampered by the archaic language used in the originals. This was not the case here and the translator has achieved a balanced fusion of great story-telling and accurate presentation of the text. This is no small achievement since the Heike tale is populated by many diverse characters some of whom are only mentioned once whereas others have great influence on the plot despite their brief appearances.

I have found that the best way to read the book is to treat oneself to the episodic nature of the chapters. This reflects the original format of the story; that it was expressed in minstrel style story-telling by the "biwa-hoshi" in nightly recitals. As such each segment of the story can be treated like individual pearls in a string, each complete and entertaining by its own merit but strung together to form the whole epic saga of the Heike. Attempts to read the book in the style of a conventional Western novel with its continuous narrative will result in frustration since the story seem to take many didactic excursions and side plots. This may also have been the rootcause to the earlier frustration of another reviewer who encountered too many characters to comprehend at one single reading. A similar experience can be found if a first time reader tries to read the Bible continuously from Genesis to Revelation.

The other great challenge in this translation is in its reference to the characters of the story. The long titles accorded to each individual felt cumbersome and unnecessary at first but as I continued reading I began to appreciate that the original narrators of the tale were relating to the traditional Japanese audience, not the modern reader. As such the titles and honorifics were not only essential but required for reasons of protocol. Many listeners in feudal Japan were related or held similar positions to those described in the story. This realization helps the reader to savour the vintage of this work.

The book also helps to lift a veil over 12th Century interaction between Japan and China. The narrators often recited characters from ancient China as part of the shared heritage of Japanese perceptions of honor and duty. The exchange of ideas and cultural practices between the two empires comes across as very vital and alive at that period as expressed by the presence of a Chinese physician during Taira no Shigemori's death. My initial fascination about the extermination of the Taira (from reading the story of Earless Hoichi from Kwaidan by L. Hearns) have been greatly enriched by the full account of the Gempei Wars found here in the Tale of the Heike. The sense of karmic justice where the terrible fate that befell the Taira clan was a direct result of the evil deeds of Kiyomori was all but pervasive in this book. Great reading!

Confused.......2001-03-29

I had to read this book for a course I took in Japanese civilization and culture. I found it very hard to follow even with some background. There are so many differnt names in just one paragraph that it is impossible to keep track of them all, let alone try to figure out what is going on.

Ready for the next step.......2000-03-21

Translation is nasty work: long hours, little sleep, and just when you think you got it done you read it again and find the text completely unworthy of reading. I have little doubt that this was the process gone through to hammer out a translation of one of the "must-reads" of classical Japanese literature, and much credit is due for producing a work a person can actually read without going mad. Some of the rhythm has also been "translated" in, which gives those who cannot get at the original a little of the "feeling" of the text. The only problem that exists, save for an occasional error in interpretation (which even Japanese researchers make, it seems), is one common to tranlsations of classical Japanese texts: proper names and titles. The approach taken was to translate them as literally as possible, but I fear that this goes to knaw at the interest of the reader. As this is a major problem with tanslation itself, and not just with this book, it can hardly be counted against the tranlsator, but it shows a possible need for inovation in future translations.

The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War

Average customer rating:

Misconceptions on Japanese culture in translation
Another Classic Yoshikawa
GREAT story, bad translation
A great story with an out-of-date translation
Bringing history to life

The Heike Story: A Modern Translation of the Classic Tale of Love and War
Eiji Yoshikawa
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0804833184

Book Description

Kyoto in the twelfth century was a magnificent city, but crime, disorder, and lust were rampant. The people were abused by the nobility, while the armed Buddhist monks terrorized court and commoner alike. In despair, the Emperor called upon the Heike and Genji clans to quell civil disturbances. Although the clans succeeded, they quarreled over the spoils of war and plunged the country into a century of warfare.This novel describes the rise to power of Kiyomori of the Heike clan during this turbulent time. From a youth sunk in poverty, Kiyomori eventually rose to become the Emperor's Chief Councillor. Although he was a gentle, enlightened man, he left a trail of bloodshed and ruin in his wake. The strange twists of Kiyomori's fate are the core of this epic novel.The Heike Story is a modern translation of a Japanese classic. Its exotic atmosphere, narrative power, pageantry, and poetry will enthrall English readers and provide an entertaining introduction to an important source of Japanese culture.

Customer Reviews:

Misconceptions on Japanese culture in translation.......2005-02-19

Despite what some of the previous reviewers have said, this translation is not that bad.

For the record, a rice-ball is just that -- a ball of rice. In Japanese, it's an "onigiri." Basically historical Japanese fast food. Sushi did not exist in the 12th century. Why *not* call sake wine? Would these reviewers be upset that "lager" is usually called just "beer"?

And "general of the guards" has nothing to do with the shogunate. Since when is the shogun a palace GUARD?

As for Minister of the Left: The Great Council of State -- which governed Japan -- was headed by three ministers: Minister of the Left, M. of the Right, and M. of the Center. The Left was senior to the other two.

Could this have been a better translation? Definitely. And for many reasons. But not for any of the ones whinged about in previous reviews.

Another Classic Yoshikawa.......2004-01-12

This is another great book by Yoshikawa and would recommend to any readers interested in Japanese history and warfare.

Some readers may not like the translation. Many words have been translated into their actual meanings, e.g. "sushi" to "rice ball"; "sake" to "wine"; "geisha" to "dancing girls" etc., instead of throwing in well known Japanese terms. But I don't find this a problem, the translator was being consistent all the way.

The translation is, however, weak in the explanation of titles and posts, e.g. "General of the Imperial Guards" = "Shogun?"; "Minister of the Left"; "Councilor". If the tranlation had included an appendix for the titles and posts, it will surely make the book a more enjoyable read.

Notwithstanding, I don't think readers will require much knowledge regarding Japanese culture and history to enjoy this book.

Hope to see more books by Yoshikawa translated into English. Will be nice to have "Yoritomo of the Genji" translated into English too, it being a companion book for "The Heike Story" and continues the story to the creation of the Kamakura Shogunate.

GREAT story, bad translation.......2000-06-24

First, I'll say that this book is fantastic. The plot and storyline fascinating. Yoshikawa is a great storyteller. However, I deplore the translation. In the copy of the book that I found, entire chapters were taken out of the book to supposedly accomodate someone unfamiliar with japanese language, culture, history, and geography. I was disgusted by the fact that this classic novel was butchered so bad. As a previous review explains, sushi is renamed "rice balls" and sake is renamed "wine". I've never been to japan, but i can speak it a bit, and through reading alot of japanese novels I have come to have a very good understanding of its geography and history. Had they left everything in, an ignorant reader could have just not paid attention to geography, historical significance, etc. But instead, someone who loves and admires japan and wishes to receive the fullest experience like me feels robbed.

A great story with an out-of-date translation.......2000-03-10

Like others reviewing this novel, I've significant experience in Japan. And, like other Yoshikawa novels it is a wonderful mechanism for looking back on the Japan of legend. As with any good historical fiction, the historic details and culture are correct and well presented.

My argument is with the translation. If we are referring to the same translation (published by Kodansha many years ago, I believe) it is a problem of the translator glossing over matters which he feels may be beyond the comprehension or the interest of the reader. Sushi is referred to as 'rice balls', sake becomes 'wine', etc. One feels that many details are missing. Partially, I suspect, it was a product of its times, when interest in Japanese culture was not so great.

I'd love to read a modern translation, say by the translator of Yoshikwa's 'Musashi'.

Regardless, it is a good read and is a window back into a unique and compelling culture.

Bringing history to life.......2000-03-02

Like the previous two reviewers I too have lived in Japan and speak some Japanese (in fact I work as a Japanese/English translator), and I have to say that personally I quite enjoyed this book. Yoshikawa's novel is based on the Heike Monogatari (Tale of the Heike), which is a classic of Japanese literature and one of the best historical sources of the late Heian Period in Japan. "Heike Story" remains true to the history but fleshes it out in a way that brings the historical characters to life. The translation seemed fine to me, and I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in Japanese history and culture, and especially the late Heian and early Kamakura Periods.

The Sith War (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Volume Three)

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The Sith War
Highly recommended
just terrible
Jedi hero Ulic Qel-Droma is tempted by the dark side
Gripping tale of ancient Jedi lore

The Sith War (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Volume Three)
Kevin J. Anderson , Dario Carrasco Jr. , Various , and Mark G. Heike
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1569711739

Book Description

Ulic Qel-Droma has spent a lifetime learning to control the Force. He wanted to be on the side of the good, a member of the Jedi elite. But it is not the Force one must control to become a Jedi; rather, one must learn to control oneself. Ulic Qel-Droma has tasted power, and now he cannot fight the dark hunger inside him . . .

Customer Reviews:

The Sith War.......2007-01-10

I found this volume of the Tales of the Jedi to be fairly good. The other volumes of this series were imaginative and did a good job of introducing this storyline and the broader history of the Star Wars universe. This book is more of a closing to that story line than anything else. There are many exciting points, such as a climactic battle with the leader of the Mandalorians, the turning of many Jedi to the dark side, and what seems like an unbearable judgment carried out on the traitorous protagonist of the series, Ulic Qel-Droma. Overall, The Sith War nicely closes many story lines from the previous books while at the same time not closing the door to the next book in the series, Redemption.

Highly recommended.......2005-12-30

This interesting book is the third book in the Knights of the Old Republic series. The series is a collection of graphic novels that takes the reader to the Old Republic, thousands of years before the events of The Phantom Menace.

Events are beginning to pick up speed - Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma are preparing to launch a war against the Republic and the Jedi Knights that protect it. Can they bring about a new golden age of the Sith? And, win or lose, what will the cost be?

My twelve-year-old son is a big Star Wars fan, and he picked up this series so that he could keep on learning about the Star Wars universe. Overall, we found this to be a pretty darn good book. I thought that the illustration work was very good, and found the story to be gripping. We both enjoyed the action and the many different creatures and races that are the hallmark of Star Wars.

Yep, we both enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to you. We highly recommend the entire Tales of the Jedi series!

just terrible.......2005-09-25

The artwork is wanting, the storyline appeared to be very thrown together and I did not get any real sense of why the Sith legends were so impressive. None of the characters in the graphic novel was particularly compelling nor were any of the battles (were the Mandalores necessary?)

Jedi hero Ulic Qel-Droma is tempted by the dark side.......2003-07-22

This Comic can be found listed 3 ways. I am reviewing the first of the 3 that is called: Tales of the Jedi - The Sith War written by Kevin J Anderson and published July, 1996 with ISBN 1569711739. This is a dark Horse TPB comic covering issues 1 through 6 of STAR WARS: TALES OF THE JEDI - THE SITH WAR.

Other editions with the same title and cover art are: Titan ISBN 1840231300 published April, 2000 and

TALES OF THE JEDI 3 - THE SITH WAR published by McMillan march, 1997 under ASIN: 075220369X.

I have assigned the timeline year of -3996 before NH to this comic. As did Exar Kun before him and Luke Skywalker 4,000 years later, Jedi hero Ulic Qel-Droma is tempted by the dark side following the murder of master Arca. Before there was Darth Vader, Dark lord of the Sith, there was Ulic Qel-Droma, Dark lord of the Sith.

This comic was written by KJA who has contributed much of the Old Republic Comics. He also did The JEDI ACADEMY trilogy, one of my favorites. Since Kevin also did the SW Essential Chronology we find few continuity problems here. The art and coloring is a in the old style, cartoon strip style, but some of the drawings and dramatic and inspired. Given what Dark horse is turning out now I grade the art a solid "C" grade, though some pages are stunningly awesome.

The action is tremendous. The story is a little hard to follow. Ulic is in the Empress Teta system (not on the galaxy maps produced in the NJO). Ulic is seduced by the Dark side and by Aleema. At about 150 pages long, the story twists and turns and is generally as unpredictable as an episode of LAW AND ORDER.

Made in Canada, the binding is holding up very well. Some of the new TPB's that are now made in China had awful bindings, where the comic can fall apart in your hands, even when you are being careful.

If you have started reading these Old Republic comic and liked them, you'll like this one.

Gripping tale of ancient Jedi lore.......2002-12-19

Lucas Books latched on to a brilliant concept for telling the stories from ancient Jedi lore. Instead of telling these stories in book form, which could be a bit much in terms of asking the fan base to learn and empathize with new characters, they contracted with Dark Horse Comics to tell these stories in graphic novel format. The series was called "Tales of the Jedi". "The Sith War" was the first of these graphic novels that I read and it is also one of most compelling, involved, and relevant tales of the old Jedi order. The time of the events in this story takes place some 4000 years before the original trilogy and the events and characters involved will have an impact in the modern Star Wars universe.

"The Sith War" focuses on the evil machinations of a corrupt Jedi named Exar Kun (who will play a major role in the "Jedi Academy Trilogy" books) who has become poisoned by the seductive dark side power of the Sith. Kun used his influence to corrupt a number of good Jedi with this power. One of these Jedi, named Ulic Qel-Droma, was so perverted by Kun's influence that he turned on his family, friends, and the entire Republic and was responsible for actions that thrust the galaxy into a devastating war. Qel-Droma is not an evil man, just a vulnerable man corrupted by the pure evil of Exar Kun. He comes to realize, to his horror, the consequences of his actions and tries to fight back at against Kun at great consequence to himself.

"The Sith War" provides a continuation of earlier "Tales of the Jedi" stories and answers many questions that readers may have from reading the current Star Wars novels. "The Sith War" is notable for showing the culmination of this bloody conflict, while also explaining what happened to Exar Kun. In addition, the warrior who was the inspiration for Boba Fett and the armor he wore is introduced here. A brilliant military strategist named Mandalore (the inspiration of Fett's Mandalorian Armor) allied himself with Kun and Qel-Droma in this war and fought valiantly. This graphic novel is one that the reader will go back to time and time again to read about the events of that war and to try and pick up on additional details they may have missed the first time around. It is definitely worth getting.

Eccentric Spaces, Hidden Histories: Narrative, Ritual, and Royal Authority from The Chronicles of Japan to The Tale of the Heike (Asian Religions and Cultures)

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Eccentric Spaces, Hidden Histories: Narrative, Ritual, and Royal Authority from The Chronicles of Japan to The Tale of the Heike (Asian Religions and Cultures)
David Bialock
Manufacturer: Stanford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0804751587
Release Date: 2007-02-01

Book Description

After The Tale of Genji (c. 1000), the greatest work of classical Japanese literature is the historical narrative The Tale of the Heike (13th-14th centuries). In addition to opening up fresh perspectives on the Heike narratives, this study also draws attention to a range of problems centered on the interrelationship between narrative, ritual space, and Japan's changing views of China as they bear on depictions of the emperor's authority, warriors, and marginal population going all the way back to the Nara period. By situating the Heike in this long temporal framework, the author sheds light on a hidden history of royal authority that was entangled in Daoist and yin-yang ideas in the Nara period, practices centered on defilement in the Heian period, and Buddhist doctrines pertaining to original enlightenment in the medieval period, all of which resurface and combine in Heike's narrative world. In introducing for the first time the full range of Heike narrative to students and scholars of Japanese literature, the author argues that we must also reexamine our understanding of the literature, ritual, and culture of the Heian and Nara periods.

Ten Foot Square Hut and Tales of the Heike: Being Two Thirteenth-Century Japanese Classics, the "Hojoki" and Selections from the "Heike Monogatari" (Tut Books. L)

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A Japanese 'Odyssey' or 'Iliad'

Ten Foot Square Hut and Tales of the Heike: Being Two Thirteenth-Century Japanese Classics, the "Hojoki" and Selections from the "Heike Monogatari" (Tut Books. L)
Chomei Kamo , and A. L. Sadler
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0804808791

Customer Reviews:

A Japanese 'Odyssey' or 'Iliad'.......2001-01-23

This is one of *the* classic books of Japanese folk-lore.

Ten Foot Square Hut is a short(ish) philosophical piece. Personally, I found it harder to read, but I can see the value in it, and admit that it is probably my understanding that is limited rather than the piece itself.

The Tales of the Heike, on the other hand, I have to rave about. Also known as the Heike Monogatori, this epic poem is basically just an account of the great war between the Heike and Genji clans occurring in approximately the 12th Century. These two opposing clans were locked in a major war for the control of Japan, which would culminate in the destruction of one of the clans and the national dominance of the other. However, this is an account written in the Homerian style, with lyric, flowing poetry which works to heighten the whole experience.

Tales of the Heike is one of the first military tales of Japan, which is not particualrly surprising, as the war between the Heike and Genji was formative in Japan's history: it was a time when the Samurai code, Bushido, was still developing and when the Samurai tradition was still in its infancy.

This is a great book and well worth reading, both in its own right, and also for the background it provides for other works on Japanese history and for understanding the evolution of Japanese culture in feudal times.

Book Description

The Tale of Genji

and The Tale of the Heike

are the two major works of classical Japanese prose. The complete versions of both works are too long to be taught in one term, and this abridgement answers the need for a one-volume edition of both works suitable for use in survey courses in classical Japanese literature or world literature in translation and by the general reader daunted by the complete works. The translator has selected representative portions of the two texts with a view to shaping the abridgments into coherent, aesthetically acceptable wholes.

Often called the world’s earliest novel, The Tale of Genji

, by Murasaki Shikibu, is a poetic evocation of aristocratic life in eleventh-century Japan, a period of brilliant cultural efflorescence. This new translation focuses on important events in the life of its main character, Genji. It traces the full length of Genji’s relationship with Murasaki, the deepest and most enduring of his emotional attachments, and contains all or parts of 10 of the 41 chapters in which Genji figures, including the “Broom Tree” chapter, which provides a reprise of the themes of the book.

In romanticized but essentially truthful fashion, The Tale of the Heike

describes the late twelfth-century political intrigues and battlefield clashes that led to the eclipse of the Kyoto court and the establishment of a military government by the rival Minamotho (Genji) clan. Its underlying theme, the evanescence of worldly things, echoes some of the concerns of the Genji

, but its language preserves many traces of oral composition, and its vigor and expansivelness contrast sharply with the pensive, elegant tone of the Genji

. The selections of the Heike

, about 40 percent of the owrk, are taken from the translator’s complete edition, which received great acclaim: “this verison of the Heike

is superb and indeed reveals to English-language readers for the first time the full scope, grandeur, and literary richness of the work.”—Journal of Asian Studies

For both the Genji

and the Heike

abridgments, the translator has provided introductions, headnote summaries, adn other supplementary maerials designed to help readers follow the sometimes confused story lines and keep the characters straight. The book also includes an appendix, a glossary, a bibliography, and two maps.

Customer Reviews:

almost obsolete now.......2007-05-29

Recent publications have rendered Helen McCullough's volume almost obsolete.
We now have three complete English translations of The Tale of Genji: those by Waley, Seidensticker, and Royall Tyler. (Considering accuracy and readability, I prefer the Seidensticker translation.) For those who want an abridged Genji, both the Seidensticker and Tyler translations are readily available in abridged form, and both are superior to McCullough's abridgement in the volume under review.
Burton Watson's new translation of the most important parts of The Tales of the Heike completely eclipses the three complete English translations (by Sadler, Kitagawa/Tsuchida, and McCullough) in readability and in incorporating a valuable bibliography, and renders McCullough's abridgement, in the volume under review, obsolete.
In short, my recommendations are Seidensticker's Tale of Genji, either complete or abridged (but by all means read the complete Genji if you can), and Watson's The Tales of the Heike.

Most Readable Genji!.......1998-11-16

I disagree with the reviewer who thought Dr. McCullough's translation is unwieldy. I have read Waley, Seindesticker and McCullough and I only wish McCullough had printed a full version. It is difficult to present tenth century ideas in a form comprehensible to late 20th century Westerners. I think Dr. McCullough does a fantastic job, and I encourage readers to read her abridged version of the Tale before attempting the full version by any other translator. To suggest that Dr. McCullough take "slightly more poetic licence [sic] in order to make it easyer [sic] to read" is missing the point of translation. If you want to read the results of "taking more poetic license", read Waley. But know that he messed up the chronology and threw out an entire chapter because it "didn't fit." Murasaki Shikibu wrote that chapter for a reason. We should not disregard the work of this paragon and progenitor of Japanese fiction simply because it "doesn't fit" with our idea of how a story should read. It is a masterpiece, and Helen Craig McCullough's translation is accurate AND readble.

not for amatures.......1997-11-03

I am not a historian or a scholar of ancient lituriture, I simply have a passion for Japan and it's history. So as a reader for fun i found it very difficult to understand, I read the version published by Stanford University Press which did have some apendixes and foot notes but I found them very wieldy and not very useful. I tink it might be useful to have reverse pager notes or a short summery of each page at the top of the page, like i had seen in some Shakespear and the Odyssey. I have read brief portions of Heike Monogatari in modernized japanese and I understand the difficulties of translating into English and I think the translator did a magnificent job in keeping very close tho the original meaning. But i would also probably forgive slightlymore poetic licence in order to make it easyer to read. But as for the content of the tale itself I think it reviels alot about 12th century Japan. The Strong charictors often weeping, making extreem oaths such as promising to die in cirtan circomstances that are protrayed in the Monogatari tells about what the japanease found entertaining in that time, it reminded me some what of the charictors in Lord of the Rings by Tolken. The main theame of the comming of the latter days of the law I found very ineresting and to see the story of Japan falling from a noble society and beurocracy centered arowned the Empiror to a Warior society ruled by the Shogun was quite intesting.

Ten Foot Square Hut And Tales of the Heike

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Ten Foot Square Hut And Tales of the Heike
A. L. Sadler
Manufacturer: Tuttle Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0804836760

Book Description

Readers of medieval Japanese literature have long been captivated by its romance and philosophy. In this volume, two acclaimed thirteenth century classics, The Ten Foot Square Hut and Tales of the Heike, are presented in translation.
The Ten Foot Square Hut offers the memorable reflections of a recluse who retired from a world filled with violent contrasts and cataclysms. Tales of the Heike describes the rise and fall of the Heike clan. Though written 700 years ago, both classics offer a timeless message.

The Rabbit Who Overcame Fear (Jataka Tale Coloring Books)

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The Rabbit Who Overcame Fear (Jataka Tale Coloring Books)

Manufacturer: Dharma Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Precious Life/The Magic of Patience (Jataka Tale Coloring Books)

ASIN: 0898003555

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