Dooku: Jedi Lost

Dooku: Jedi Lost was released as an audiobook exclusive on April 30, 2019 by Random House Audio. I listened to it, but the problem with me is that I’m more of a visual learner. I need to be looking at something, need to be able to go back and reread a sentence or paragraph to make sure I’ve fully absorbed the message. You can’t do that with an audiobook. Sure, you can rewind it; but the app I was using was a little clumsy with the rewind button. (I listened to it on my ASUS Chromebook using the Google files extension.) The other problem is that listening to it on my laptop left me tempted to open up the browser and mess around while listening; which I did; too much. Consequently, this may end up being the most nonsensical thing I’ve ever written, and I once had a job translating IKEA instructions from Swedish into Klingon; and I only know one of those languages.



As the title implies, the story tells us how Dooku goes from being a respected and exceptional Jedi to the Sith Lord of the PT/TCW era. The story involves a framing device in which Dooku orders Asajj Ventress (who, at this point, has only recently come into his service) to find his missing sister. Ventress is granted access to Dooku’s journals and his years long correspondence with his sister; through them, she (and we) follow Dooku from his years as an initiate up to his fateful decision to leave the Order. It’s quite a journey; from Dooku inadvertently meeting his family on a trip to Serenno, to exploring a forbidden area of the archives with his pal Sifo-Dyas, to becoming Yoda’s padawan, to taking Qui-Gon Jinn as his padawan, and finally the day he realizes that his home planet needs him in a way his role as a Jedi Master will not allow him to fulfill. Dooku isn’t shown leaving the Jedi in order to become Sith; that comes later, for now it really does seem to be a case of political idealism. There’s a lot going on in this story, maybe too much; but the story does what it is supposed to, it provides some very good, solid character development for Count Dooku. For me, Dooku was the most criminally underused element in the PT. He’s got some good scenes in AOTC, but he’s barely in ROTS. When you’ve got an actor of the caliber of Christopher Lee playing such a potentially fascinating character, there’s really no such thing as too much. Even in The Clone Wars, despite multiple appearances, I never felt like Dooku really got his due. This book goes a long way toward correcting that error. There’s also some good backstory for Sifo-Dyas and the introduction of an heretofore unknown Jedi Master named Lene Kostana. I found Lene to be a pretty interesting character; her assignment is finding and studying ancient Sith relics in preparation for their potential return. She’s a bit of an outcast since most of the other Jedi are confident the Sith are extinct. Of course, there are other people, places and things that happen over the course of the SIX HOUR AND TWENTY MINUTE audiobook; but, again, visual learner.



It’s a good story, my only real complaints come from the fact that the audiobook format just doesn’t seem to be my bag, baby. I don’t dedicate the same amount of attention to listening as I do reading. I prioritize reading; listening is something I can do while doing other things. It’s not just that, though; even if the audiobook sucked me in like it does some people, I really didn’t care for some of the voice performances. The actor reading Dooku was okay, but really didn’t evoke Christopher Lee for me. Qui-Gon’s voice was just way off...I mean it really bothered me; it kind of felt like the actor was trying too hard. Of course anybody can do a Yoda impression, and Asajj’s voice was okay. Finally, there was the voice of Rael Aveross. This is only Rael’s second appearance since his intro in Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray; so, theoretically he could sound like anyone...but he really shouldn’t sound like that. It’s like, I know I should be picturing a Jedi when he speaks, but all I saw was the Marlboro Man. Again though, aside from complaints relating to the format, I really liked this story. It was well told and it is a very important piece in the backstory of Count Dooku. Let me put it this way: if this is ever released in the traditional novel format, I will buy it and read it even though I already know the story.

Credit: Very special thanks to Bantha Skull reader and commenter “Mark” for providing us with a copy for review.

Score:

This will really appeal to fans of the PT and TCW, offers one our precious few glimpses into the Galaxy prior to The Phantom Menace. 3 Skulls.



Click HERE to order Dooku: Lost Jedi on Amazon. You can sign up to get a free 30 day trial of Amazon Audible, and then keep the Dooku title even if you cancel before the trial is over (Otherwise $14.95 per month)

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