Rating: 
Summary: Jeez, Reaves, what gives?
Review: I've been a fan of Reaves for a while now, after his work on Warner Bros. Animated Batman series and Batman: Mask of the Phantasm...hell, I've even talked to him on occasion via email, but this book does not live up to what it could've been. his writing style reminds me of Steve Perry (Author of Shadows of the Empire, prob the best SW book outside Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy) but without the whip-smart sequences and dialouge. Admittedly, I admire the downbeat ending, which makes this book a notch more interesting than, say, every "Kindly southern lawyer helps woman-in-need/homeless child/missonary on the Nile" book out there. Still, Reaves is partial to FAR superior novelization like his work on Aliens vs Predator: Prey...wait, that was Steve Perry again, sorry...
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad, but could've been better
Review: I will admit, I bought this book because of: #1 I think Darth Maul is way cooler than Vader, and #2 the snazzy cover caught my attention. Although the story reads like its an installment in a t.v. series rather than a prequel, this book has a lot to offer. The action was fast paced and the light saber battle scenes are well done. I like the way Michael Reeves gives a little more "flesh" to Darth Maul. I also thought that he gave dimension to his characters well. Unfortunately, his style of writing can be a little annoying at times. Throughout the book, a lot of scenes were repeated several times over through different points of view, making one feel the book was a little lengthier that it should have been. He also threw out a lot of alien races at you, and if you dont know your Star Wars lingo, then you will be at a loss for how most of the mixed population of this world looks like; the same goes for a lot of the weaponry used--not a lot of descriptions with those either. Those aside, I enjoyed this book all in all. Maybe 3 stars is a little harsh, but if he would have worked a little on painting better pictures for us to look at and understand, then 4 stars would have been given by me. I do recommend this book to all Darth Maul fans, and all who like a good sci-fi adventure yarn.
Rating: 
Summary: Hard Cover!?
Review: This book could only have been better if not written at all. Slow character devopement, stupid cat and mouse theme, too many cliche's, all in a no win scenerio. How this book made it to hard cover is beyond me. I'd rank it right down there with Barbara Hambly's dictionary trot "Planet of Twilight". Timothy Zahn where are you?!
Rating: 
Summary: A suprisingly great read
Review: When I first heard about this book, I thought it would be horrible. I thought it would be a cheap attempt to exploit the title character's popularity. Then I saw that Michael Reeves was attached, and I saw his credentials. Anyone who has written for Batman the Animated Series knows how to handle dark characters in sprawling nightmarish cityscapes. Reeves proves that here as writes about Darth Maul's pursuit of a Jedi Padawan and a information broker through the dark, sprawling lower levels of the city planet Coruscant.The book is a thrilling read and combines noir,and cyberpunk elements with the mysticism of the Jedi and the dark sorcery of The Sith The original character's Reeves introduces Lorn Pavan, and the Jedi Padawn Darsh Assant, are also nicely fleshed out with traits that make you root for them against odd that you the reader know are unbeatable. Even though anyone who has seen the Phantom Menace knows the outcome to the story, Darth Maul Shadow Hunter is still a very fun and exciting read. It's a nice treat to tie fans over till the release of Episode 2 next year.
Rating:
Summary: One Star too Many
Review: Reading for serious Star Wars fans only. The writing is predictable and almost childlike. Micheal Reaves seems to know nothing about the Star Wars universe, and at several points I wondered if he even saw the movie this book was suppose to precursor. His overuse of the words Bantha and Rancor, both found rarely outside their homeworlds, is just an example of his obsession with cliché phrases. His knowledge of existing characters, ie the Jedi Council, especially Yoda, is rivaled only by my three-year old niece. If you enjoy reading, don't waste your time with this drivel.
Rating:
Summary: Hmmm....
Review: This book was good, but very sad. Everyone exept Darth Maul dies. I like Darth Maul very much, but when you but him in this kind of atmosphere, he is really nasty. I don't like how he chops off everones head when he sees them. This is a good book for Darth Maul killer lovers. Personally, I think it should have a happy ending rather than in the last sentince it describes how the main charachter and jedi dies. This book haptens right before Episode I. Please vote YES for my review.
Rating: 
Summary: Fast and fun read!
Review: I picked up this book not quite knowing what to expect. Could this just be a story slopped together to cash in on one of the most popular villians in recent memory? A possibility. To me, Maul seemed in the Phantom Menace to be Darth Sidious' personal killing machine, and not a lot more. He didn't have the great characterization or presence of, say, Vader. But dang was he cool when he went about being that killing machine, and that fact, along with an uncontrollable urge to pick up every Star Wars novel that comes along, made me pick it up.Fortunatly, this book is chock full of characters and the adventures they go through made me forget that most of the action takes place on Coruscant. Usually SW books hop from planet to planet. We get to know Lorn Pavan, a character I grew to really like, even though his dislike of the Jedi was annoying at first. But, like it has been pointed out, he had his reasons, and he grew a bit by the end of the story. This book also introduces us to the coolest droid since R2 and 3PO, the sarcastic, quick witted I-Five. His scenes with Lorn are great, up there in SW lore with duos such as R2/3PO, Han/Chewie and Luke/Mara. Also, we find ourselves on a journey to Jedi Knighthood with Padawan Darsha Assant, who has her troubles, moments of doubts, and times when she really shines as a Jedi. As her path leads her to Lorn and co, the story really gets interesting, for this is where our friendly neighborhood Dark Lord of the Sith comes in. I've heard him compared to a Star Wars Terminator in this book, and that description ain't that far off. Like the movie, our anti-hero doesn't have a lot to say, but his actions always speaks louder than what he would say. He is truly a figure to be feared here, and anytime a character I began to care for in the story crossed his path, I feared for them. Some would say that knowing the events of The Phantom Menace takes away any suspense from this book, but I say nay. There's plenty of suspense here, you don't know exactly what's going to happen to these characters; what twists and turns may come into play, so don't let that deter you. The pages fly fast and the pacing is perfect. Never a dull moment, and I finished the book faster than anything in recent memory, but I give this book 5 stars for being a fast, vastly entertaining read with some laughs and tears. If that seems your cup of tea, it probably won't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: Shawow Hunter review
Review: Well If you are wondering if you should read this book let me tell you my opinion READ IT it's great lots of fun to read I'm not one who reads a lot of books because I get board but this one I couldnt put down If you liked SWE1 you will love it after this book because it expands on the story before SWE1 it takes you right to the beginning of the movie you can directly relate to whats going to happin and the book gives you an idea of how it happened Oh I almost forgot Darth Maul I'm sure you feel like me that there was not enough of him in SWE1 well there is plenty of him in this one I will end with this I like SWE1 so much more now you just dont know unless you read this book. 'Give yourself to the Dark Side' and read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Not bad, but not compelling
Review: I really enjoyed Greg Bear's Rogue Planet, and was hoping for more of the same from Mr. Reaves' Shadow Hunter. Sadly, although a valiant try that succeeds beyond expectation in one specific area, as a whole it was not to be. The problem here is that the character and background of Darth Maul remains almost competely mysterious. Perhaps that's as it should be, but the title of the book is "Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter". As far as his character is concerned, we basically get the equivient of about 3 photographs from his early life; nothing close to a compelling (or even at all interesting, really) characterization or drama. Not that we routinely expect gripping character studies from Star Wars, but other books have done OK; and where the characters in these novels are frequently weak to the point of anemic, at least the better ones make up for it in plot. Shadow Hunter is weak here too unfortunately: Maul is hunting down 3 individuals with potential foreknowledge of the Theed invasion, individuals who should be no match for a Sith - and yet they manage to elude him in an increasingly bizzare and improbable set of adventures in which their survival is more a matter of luck and circumstance than real skill - and so is rather less than compelling. The not-insignificant bright spot in all this is the character of Darsha, a young female padawan who intervenes to attempt to preserve the heros from Maul, and who is a very interesting, likeable character - probably the best all-new character in any of the Star Wars books I've read. She has to deal with her own failings, and eventually face Maul - with predictable results - but even though we know she is not exactly a master of her craft and is doomed from the get-go, it's hard not to be touched by her idealism and heroic stoicism. Something I wouldn't think to say about a Star Wars book - a really quite good, well-done tragic figure. Realistically, though, our sympathy with Darsha isn't quite enough to salvage the rest of the book from mere adequacy. Give the Maul character a little better treatment, and make the plot more adventure and less of a random-event with an improbable bail-out feel, and this is an excellent book, a best-in-the-genre type. Sadly, though, it's just not there, and in the end there isn't really enough content for the book's 305 pages.
Rating:
Summary: The immediate pre-history to the Phantom Menace
Review: I loved this book. Finally are we able to learn something of the life of Darth Maul. Taking place immediately before the beginning of The Phantom Menace, we follow the efforts of Darth Maul to prevent the premature exposure of the Sith. Reaves combines action, suspense, and often humor, into an effortless, fast read. As the story takes place in the bowels of Coruscant, we see some of the incongruities of the Republic government, and the Jedi. We also get a few tantalizing glimpses of Darth Sidious, as he directs the actions of Maul in his pursuit. The battles are very nicely written, without being overdone, and letting us into the mind of Maul, with his contempt for the Jedi, and basically all non-Sith. I had a few minor complaints about this book, but to discuss them would be to reveal essential events in the story. I do recommend this book to all Star Wars enthusiasts, assuming you haven't already got this one. If you're waiting for paperback, you still want to remember to get this one. It reads fast, like all the Star Wars books -- you just can't put it down!
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