Review: Star Wars: Cloak of Deception (2001)

"Do you know why Valorum loves to attend the opera? Because it's the only place on Coruscant where an entire audience will applaud him." ―Orn Free Taa

★★★½

This was my first James Luceno novel. And going in, I enjoyed his writing style and his story telling. I'm a fan of The Phantom Menace, being my 2nd favorite prequel film.

This book serves as a precursor to The Phantom Menace and helps to contextualize its events, particularly its political subplot. Palpatine, Valorum, and Qui-Gon are three characters who appear frequently in this book and who, in my opinion, are its most vital figures.

Cloak of Deception is told in four parts: Dorvalla, Coruscant, The Outlying Systems, and The Inner Circle. It explores the intricate political landscape of the Galactic Republic just before "The Phantom Menace." Chancellor Valorum is beleaguered by corruption and a growing confidence crisis. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, investigate terrorist attacks orchestrated by the Nebula Front, revealing collusion with the Trade Federation. Manipulated by Darth Sidious, these events culminate in an assassination attempt at a trade summit on Eriadu, further destabilizing the Republic. The novel sets the stage for the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo and the rise of Sidious’s influence, leading directly into the events of "The Phantom Menace."

Luceno presents a compelling narrative that offers substantial character development for figures such as Qui-Gon Jinn, Palpatine, Valorum, Cohl, Obi-Wan, and Rella. The story is characterized by dynamic action, intriguing mystery, and a variety of unexpected events. It effectively addresses several key questions, particularly those concerning the senators' antipathy toward Valorum, the rationale behind the blockade of the planet Naboo, and how Palpatine strategically manipulated the Senate to advance his ambition of becoming Chancellor of the Galactic Republic.

The cover of the novel effectively presents the main characters. Qui-Gon serves as the protagonist, Finis Valorum is identified as the victim, and Palpatine fulfills the role of the antagonist. From the outset, it is apparent that Palpatine is the orchestrator of the unfolding events; however, the details of his actions are revealed gradually throughout the narrative. This aligns with his overarching "Grand Plan." Palpatine skillfully manipulates the situation, akin to a chess player maneuvering pieces on a board. Notably, Luceno's portrayal of Palpatine as a congenial and trustworthy advisor to Valorum is particularly astute, as it allows him to gain Valorum's confidence before ultimately executing his manipulation.

It's obviously not the best James Luceno Star Wars novel, but I find it to be one of the best, at least 2nd or 3rd best. I would've liked to have more character development for the side characters that play a role in this story, but I can forgive that cause basically everything else can cancel that out. James Luceno compared this to J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, and I agree with that! You can tell George Lucas had complete trust in James Luceno, even allowing him to see a completed script of Attack of the Clones. Mainly to include a character Lucas wanted in the novel.

Overall, a remarkable underrated book that deserves more attention and that I enjoyed reading. I re-read this just before I went into the cinema to watch The Phantom Menace for its 25th Anniversary. I had a good time coming back to this novel. Having re-read this and re-watching Phantom Menace, poor Valorum. He didn't deserve any of this. He was a good man but beleaguered.