Wow. This book was awesome!!! It's hard even to give it a full review because it has rendered me speechless. The character of Bane himself is absolutely troubling. Karpyshyn must have read up on some basic abnormal psychology, because Bane's character arc seems to follow the one from how a normal child turns into a serial killer in adulthood. Karpyshyn's ending also reflects some of the core characteristics at work in Darth Sidious's (aka Emperor Palpatine's) plan to eliminate the Jedi and rule the galaxy. The story arc also provides a unique contrast to the training of a Jedi. After reading this book, it's interesting to think about the differences in training between Darth Bane and Luke Skywalker. Except for philosophy, there is almost no difference between the training of a Jedi and a Sith. This is an absolutely phenomenal addition to the Star Wars canon. Makes me wish they would turn this into a movie or T.V. show. I would definitely pay to go see this!