Maul Lockdown

[colls]

Welcome to our last check-in and discussion posts for our Book of the Month.

This month’s book is Maul: Lockdown by Joe Schreiber
Part IV: Chapters 57-76

Maul Lockdown Part 4

1. What do you make of Jabba's involvement and what sort of intel might he have gained here?

2. How do you think the story arc of Star Wars would've changed if Maul had taken Vosa's advice and taken Eogan under his wing as an apprentice? Or if he'd joined Vosa?

3. The author mentions lightsaber fighting forms in the last section. Are you familiar with those from other canon? Did the style names give impact to the plot in any way?

4. What did you think of the novel?



FYI - There's no need to answer all (or any) of the questions above - they're just talking points to get us started. Informal chatter is more than welcome! In-person book clubs often veer off topic, it's okay if we do as well. :)

Comments

[colls]

1. Other than name-dropping and brandishing another known crime syndicate to cause mayhem, violence, and increase tension - I'm not entirely sure what Jabba is doing here. So I'm convincing myself he gained some sort of insight or intel from this event that he uses to protect himself when the Empire rises to power. I have nothing to back that up though. LOL

2. Maul's arc through TCW and Rebels makes me wonder what a different path could've done for him. Imagine if he broke free from Palpatine at this stage of the story - Qui-Gon might've lived to train Anakin, Vader might never have existed, etc. On a smaller scale, perhaps Maul would've simply had a friend. Yes, I realize that would de-fang him as a villain in a lot respects, but it could've been an interesting path for his character.

3. I've heard of lightsaber forms from other parts of canon, but honestly don't pay much attention to it. I think it only made an impact on me when Maul was using the 7th form and Voso was surprised - like she understood he had training, that he excelled to get to that level, or something of that nature.

4. I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed other Star Wars novels. I understand this author writes mostly in the horror genre, which isn't a genre I tend to gravitate towards and I don't know what's common there. I didn't dislike it -- I can see several interesting threads with the Warden and her brother, the gambling/gladiator angel, etc. -- but the amount of page space spent on the intricacies of violence and gore disengaged me at quite a few points in the tale.
I wanted more insight into Maul and don't feel like we ever got beyond the surface. Perhaps because Maul of this time period lacks agency.