#The 12 Best Star Wars Books Ever Written

“The Force Unleashed” quickly became one of the most popular “Star Wars” video games of all time, but the story of Darth Vader’s secret apprentice wasn’t limited to those with a gaming console. Sean Williams penned a novelization that fleshed out the story of Galen Marek, the orphaned child of a Jedi Knight who is trained in the dark side by the Dark Lord of the Sith, and who takes on the codename “Starkiller.”

Starkiller is tasked with assassinating the Jedi who survived Order 66, slaying such veterans as Shaak Ti and the ancient hermit Kazdan Paratus. As Starkiller grows closer to his master, Emperor Palpatine suspects the two are plotting his downfall and orders Vader to execute his apprentice. With nowhere else to run, Starkiller turns to his former adversary, Jedi Master Rahm Kota, who begins training him as a Jedi, hoping to make him a leader in the Rebellion.

“The Force Unleashed” retains all the excitement of the game while fleshing out Starkiller’s romance with Juno Eclipse, an Imperial pilot who similarly questions her loyalties. Starkiller’s shape-shifting droid PROXY provides comic relief, and prior to “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” the book gave an alternate explanation of how the Rebel Alliance obtained the Death Star plans. Williams also penned the novelization of the sequel “The Force Unleashed 2,” which follows Vader’s attempts to clone his former protégé.