by James Luceno
This is kind of an adventure crossed with a political thriller and a mystery that, if you’ve seen the movies, you do know the answer to. But you don’t know how it got that way! It’s a solid story if you like intrigue, or if you want more Qui-Gon. Cloak of Deception is a fitting title as well, with a great deal of misdirection to keep one guessing until the end.
The stars of the show are Valorum and Palpatine, but there is some serious Jedi action involved as well, particularly involving Qui-Gon Jinn. New characters are introduced, notably the mercenary Captain Cohl, who hails of the homeworld of Luminara Unduli, who also has a cameo.
Qui Gon Jinn is on the hunt for the mercenary Cohl who in turn is preying on Trade Federation ships. He feels that in the long term, though the Trade Federation practices are odious, these actions have escalated into pure violent piracy and must be stopped. Obi-Wan, is of course along with him in Cloak of Deception. I would’ve enjoyed a bit more detail on why exactly he was so set on Cohl in particular. I also regret we didn’t get more of Cohl’s companion’s, Boiny and Rella as there was clearly history there.
Cloak of Deception gives insight into why the Council is so exasperated with him in this, for he repeatedly ignores their wishes. He is also involved in a Jedi operation to negotiate with and contain those hiring Cohl. A good bit of Jedi adventure and battle here, though I recall on first read I was disappointed there wasn’t more of Qui-Gon and less of politics.
This is where the taxation of Trade routes, in the opening scroll of The Phantom Menace comes in. Valorum with a certain nudge from Senator Palpatine, offers up that if they are allowed weapons they should pay a tax of those routes….there will be a summit on Eriadu. The tax fee would be used to improve the worlds paying it.
Dark forces are at play, and lives will be at stake, with only the Jedi to stand in their way. But they have no idea about the master of misdirection than needs to blunt Valorum’s power and integrity, and limit the Jedi and Judicial department’s ability to act.
Cloak of Deception was cleverly written in regard to Palpatine. While we see the dark unnamed shape of Sidous we never have any indication the two are connected.
I liked this story better on reread, the first time I just wanted more Jedi and less politics. But Cloak of Deception on reread is definitely better. It explains well why Valorum’s power was so limited, why Queen Amidala claimed he was their strongest supporter yet when he tried to help, he was clearly foiled.
Cloak of Deception Continuity
For a bit of history, the Ruusan Reformations set up the Old Republic as it is now, as differentiated from the Old Republic of the pre Bane era. Back then, as Jedi battled Sith, the relationship was different between Republic and Jedi. It wasn’t unheard of for a Jedi to be ruler of a world, or the Chancellor of the Republic. The Reformations moved the Jedi under the jurisdiction of the Judicial Department. The information on this is found in places like the Essential Chronologies and The Essential Guide to Warfare as well as Essential Guide to the Force, Jedi VS Sith.
You can read the timeline of the pre Ruusan Reformation here, up to it’s actual happening, approximately 1000 years before the Battle of Yavin. External link to the old wookieepedia web archive is here.
This ties directly into the Phantom Menace by setting up political events, with only Shadowhunter coming after it.
This story is set after the Jedi Apprentice YA series by Jude Watson. While those didn’t have Palpatine, the hints that corruption was rising in the Senate did exist. They also had hints of Qui-Gon’s determination to ignore the Council’s wishes in favor of following the living force.
The death of King Veruna and election of Queen Amidala are mentioned. Veruna is mentioned in various reference sources and a Tales story, A Summer’s Dream, which might be Infinities or might not.
The Stark Hyperspace War, brought up in Cloak of Deception, was later detailed in Star Wars ’90s comics (later labeled ‘Republic) starting at issue 36.
Wilhulff Tarkin, the future Grand Moff, is in this story, his family hails from Eriadu. Not surprising he’s a friend of Palpatine. It isn’t hard to find out what he is in: besides episode 4, he stars in ‘Death Star’ by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry, as well as Rogue Planet by Greg Bear, Dark Lord: Rise of Darth Vader also by James Luceno and Darth Vader and the Lost Command.
Also mentioned
Anoon Bondara and Darsha Assant, who will star in Darth Maul: Shadowhunter by Michael Reaves
Luminara Unduli, who will be in Attack of the Clones as well as the Approaching Storm by Alan Dean Foster.
Vergere, the Fosh Jedi also appears in Rogue Planet by Greg Bear and New Jedi Order. I note there is nothing in Cloak of Deception to suggest she is anything but what she appears to be, a dedicated Jedi knight.
