Review: Star Wars: Shatterpoint (2003)
'Nothing is more dangerous than a Jedi who is finally sane.'
★★★½
'Begun, the Clone War has.' Boy, what a time it has been! Between 2002 and 2005, George Lucas and Lucasfilm created the Clone Wars Multimedia Project, similar to the Shadows of the Empire Multimedia Project. These projects allowed writers to tell stories set during the Clone Wars through various media, including books, comics, video games, and TV shows. It was a wonderful time. The TV show, created by George Lucas and Genndy Tartakovsky, was amazing and probably the best part of that era, though some of the books, comics, and games were excellent as well.
Matthew Stover's "Shatterpoint," released in 2003, was the first Clone Wars novel and focused on the character of Mace Windu. This set a pattern for subsequent Clone Wars novels, most of which were underwhelming, though some were good. In my opinion, Shatterpoint is one of the best. Stover is known for writing dark, emotionally driven stories. While most Clone Wars novels involve a character being sent to a planet to accomplish something during the war, Shatterpoint does follow that premise but explores the war from a psychological angle.
Stover introduces a new side of Mace Windu. The films didn’t have time to fully develop his character, but we got enough of a sense of what kind of man he was. In this novel, we learn more about Mace Windu's homeworld, his species, his relationship with Depa Billaba, his strengths and weaknesses, and his personality—all aspects expanded upon from the films. Rather than explaining it, Stover has Windu record his thoughts in a journal, which also is sent to the Jedi Archives. Stover has Windu speaking in first-person, to allow the readers to understand how Windu is feeling during his time on the planet.
Depa Billaba, now a general in the Clone Wars, is sent by her master, Mace Windu, to his home planet, Haruun Kal, to recruit the Korunnai militia to aid her cause and topple any Separatist-friendly regimes. However, she loses contact with the Jedi Order, which worries everyone, especially Mace. Four months after Depa’s transfer to Haruun Kal, a voice chip message reveals that she has either succumbed to the dark side of the Force or lost her sanity. Since Windu trained her, he knows he is the only one who can intervene, and the Jedi Council sends him alone to his birth world.
Upon arrival, Mace endures a living hell trying to find Depa. It has been a long time since he's been to his home planet—he hasn’t returned since birth. As Mace navigates the war-torn world, he faces brutal guerrilla warfare, disturbing personal truths about Depa’s descent into madness, and his own internal struggles. The novel delves into Mace’s deep connection with Haruun Kal, balancing the chaos of war with the cost of maintaining Jedi principles.
Mace befriends a native named Nick Rostu, a young Korun, and his associates Besh, Lesh, and Liane Trevval, also known as Chalk. Rostu reveals that Tenk was a Separatist agent and that he and his cohorts saved Master Windu from detention. These side characters help move the story along, especially Nick, who is a fun character to read about. He’s kind, funny, relaxed, and a bit naive. Nick and Chalk get along well with Mace, and it’s refreshing to see new faces who aren’t Jedi or Clones, but who can still relate to Mace. Nick and Chalk plan to marry, but Chalk is killed toward the end of the novel.
Depa Billaba is shattered, wounded, and sane, with the novel stating that "nothing is more dangerous than a Jedi who is finally sane." The planet has corrupted her, even under Kar Vastor’s influence. Vastor is a fantastic villain, different from your typical Separatist or Sith warrior. Despite defeating Kar Vastor and arresting him, Depa’s condition doesn’t improve, and she remains in a coma. Unfortunately, in Legends, we never learn her ultimate fate—all we know is that she remains comatose.
This is a great novel. Matthew Stover is my third favorite author, and this book didn’t disappoint. I highly recommend it for those who love Matthew Stover, the Clone Wars, and Mace Windu. It’s a great character-driven, dark, and emotionally powerful story. This is when Star Wars gets real.