Shatterpoint
Encyclopedia
Shatterpoint is a science fiction
novel by Matthew Stover
(read by Jonathan Davis
in the audiobook version) set in the Star Wars
universe
. Star Wars creator George Lucas
wrote the prologue to the novel. Its main character is Jedi Master
Mace Windu
. Stover based Shatterpoint on both Joseph Conrad
's novel Heart of Darkness
, and the film Apocalypse Now
. The book takes place six months after Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
, and 21.5 years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
.
or gone insane. Since Windu taught her the lightsaber combat form Vaapad, he knows he is the only one who can stop her, and so he is sent by the Jedi Council
alone to his homeworld.
While Haruun Kal is not much of a military target, the majority of the population had many Force
-sensitive beings, which the Republic
wants to keep away from the Separatists. Billaba had been sent to train the planet's population to fight against the Separatists. This was successful in itself, but after a hologram was discovered showing Billaba killing an innocent person, Windu was sent to extract
his former apprentice. Eventually, after a fight, he puts his former apprentice under arrest, and calls the Republic cruiser Halleck. At this time, tribes on the planet begin warring with each other.
Halleck arrives in-system, and is immediately attacked by Vulture droids. The ship starts deploying Gunships, which come under attack by the droid starfighters. Clone trooper
s start spilling out of the Halleck, and put themselves in front of the droid starfighters to destroy them. Some of the landing craft make it to the surface, but many are picked off. The cruiser eventually defeats the Separatist enemy, however.
On the surface, Windu uses the gunships to destroy the droid starfighters that followed them onto the surface, then orders the clones to take out a nearby droid control station. Lorz Geptun is forced to surrender to the Republic, and Billaba falls into a coma
. All clone troopers on the surface are killed. A Republic force stays on Haruun Kal to police the local tribes.
Upon his arrival on Haruun Kal, Windu meets such personages as Planetary Security Chief Lorz Geptun, soldier Nick Rostu, and untrained Force master Kar Vastor. The latter has trained several soldiers, known as the Akk guards, and Windu himself says that Vastor has power on the level of a Jedi
. During the course of the book, Windu ends the Summertime War, a conflict that has raged between the immigrant Balawai and the native Korunnai for centuries, in a matter of hours, and takes Vastor into custody. Windu nearly falls to the dark side himself in order to defeat Billaba, who is possibly vegetative at the end of the book.
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by Matthew Stover
Matthew Stover
Matthew Woodring Stover is an American fantasy and science fiction novelist. He is perhaps best known for his four Star Wars novels, including the novelization of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. He has also written several fantasy novels, including Iron Dawn and Jericho Moon...
(read by Jonathan Davis
Jonathan Davis (audiobook narrator)
Jonathan Davis is an audiobook narrator and voice actor. He has received critical acclaim for his narration in a variety of genres. He has garnered accolades from Publisher's Weekly, USA Today, and Audio File Magazine. He was a finalist for an Audie Award in the Thriller/Suspense category for his...
in the audiobook version) set in the Star Wars
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
. Star Wars creator George Lucas
George Lucas
George Walton Lucas, Jr. is an American film producer, screenwriter, and director, and entrepreneur. He is the founder, chairman and chief executive of Lucasfilm. He is best known as the creator of the space opera franchise Star Wars and the archaeologist-adventurer character Indiana Jones...
wrote the prologue to the novel. Its main character is Jedi Master
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
Mace Windu
Mace Windu
Mace Windu is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, most famously portrayed by actor Samuel L. Jackson in the prequel films. However, Windu has also been voiced by other actors in assorted video game and animated projects....
. Stover based Shatterpoint on both Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad
Joseph Conrad was a Polish-born English novelist.Conrad is regarded as one of the great novelists in English, although he did not speak the language fluently until he was in his twenties...
's novel Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness
Heart of Darkness is a novella written by Joseph Conrad. Before its 1903 publication, it appeared as a three-part series in Blackwood's Magazine. It was classified by the Modern Library website editors as one of the "100 best novels" and part of the Western canon.The story centres on Charles...
, and the film Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Now is a 1979 American war film set during the Vietnam War, produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The central character is US Army special operations officer Captain Benjamin L. Willard , of MACV-SOG, an assassin sent to kill the renegade and presumed insane Special Forces...
. The book takes place six months after Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
, and 21.5 years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
.
Summary
Mace Windu's former Padawan and fellow Jedi Master Depa Billaba has been sent to Haruun Kal (Windu's homeworld) to start a revolution against the Separatist-allied government; however, all contact has been lost with her. A message is found on a voice chip inside a dead woman's mouth that implies Billaba has fallen to the dark side of the ForceForce (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
or gone insane. Since Windu taught her the lightsaber combat form Vaapad, he knows he is the only one who can stop her, and so he is sent by the Jedi Council
Jedi Council
The Jedi High Council is a fictional institution from the Star Wars film series. The Jedi Council are the strongest members of the Jedi Order, and are elected to lead the Jedi.-History:...
alone to his homeworld.
While Haruun Kal is not much of a military target, the majority of the population had many Force
Force (Star Wars)
The Force is a binding, metaphysical and ubiquitous power in the fictional universe of the Star Wars galaxy created by George Lucas. Mentioned in the first film in the series, it is integral to all subsequent incarnations of Star Wars, including the expanded universe of comic books, novels, and...
-sensitive beings, which the Republic
Galactic Republic (Star Wars)
The Galactic Republic is the name of the interplanetary State used in the fictional Star Wars universe prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The form of this government, created by the Senate, was introduced in the Prequel Trilogy. By the time of the original Star Wars trilogy, it is...
wants to keep away from the Separatists. Billaba had been sent to train the planet's population to fight against the Separatists. This was successful in itself, but after a hologram was discovered showing Billaba killing an innocent person, Windu was sent to extract
Extraction (military)
Extraction , in tactical combat and special operations use, is the process of removing constituents from a targeted site when it is considered imperative that they be immediately relocated out of a hostile environment and taken to a secured area under friendly control...
his former apprentice. Eventually, after a fight, he puts his former apprentice under arrest, and calls the Republic cruiser Halleck. At this time, tribes on the planet begin warring with each other.
Halleck arrives in-system, and is immediately attacked by Vulture droids. The ship starts deploying Gunships, which come under attack by the droid starfighters. Clone trooper
Clone trooper
The clone troopers of the Army of the Republic are soldiers in the fictional Star Wars universe, cloned from Jango Fett, a Mandalorian bounty hunter. They first appeared in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and returned in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith where they were played...
s start spilling out of the Halleck, and put themselves in front of the droid starfighters to destroy them. Some of the landing craft make it to the surface, but many are picked off. The cruiser eventually defeats the Separatist enemy, however.
On the surface, Windu uses the gunships to destroy the droid starfighters that followed them onto the surface, then orders the clones to take out a nearby droid control station. Lorz Geptun is forced to surrender to the Republic, and Billaba falls into a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
. All clone troopers on the surface are killed. A Republic force stays on Haruun Kal to police the local tribes.
Upon his arrival on Haruun Kal, Windu meets such personages as Planetary Security Chief Lorz Geptun, soldier Nick Rostu, and untrained Force master Kar Vastor. The latter has trained several soldiers, known as the Akk guards, and Windu himself says that Vastor has power on the level of a Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
. During the course of the book, Windu ends the Summertime War, a conflict that has raged between the immigrant Balawai and the native Korunnai for centuries, in a matter of hours, and takes Vastor into custody. Windu nearly falls to the dark side himself in order to defeat Billaba, who is possibly vegetative at the end of the book.