When Master of Evil was announced at the Star Wars Celebration 2025, my first reaction was skepticism. Did we really need another Vader story? The current canon feels oversaturated with Vader-centric content. Between numerous comic runs and Video Games that are retreading familiar ground of his rage, overthrowing Palpatine or quest for power. The premise of him, yet again, seeking a way to undo Padmé's fate, now slotted into a narrow gap in the 2017 comic run by Charles Soule, did little to ease my doubts. I went into this book with cautious optimism, trusting author Adam Christopher's proven knowledge of the Star Wars Universe (both Canon and Legends), and I was pleasantly surprised. While the core plot involves Vader's familiar obsession, Christopher masterfully shifts the focus. Vader almost becomes a side character. The true protagonist is Commander Halland Goth of the Emperor's Royal Guard. This book is a lot of Fun. Goth, with a fantastically written droid companion, is a captivating lens through which to view the Empire, especially in his very unique position so close to Emperor Palpatine. The plot itself, revolving around the hunt for a lost temple, gives the whole book a fantastic Indiana Jones / Adventure vibe. And it's not just Goth who shines, the entire supporting cast is amazing and fun to read. The worldbuilding here is exemplary, for example showing how the Empire absorbs former Separatist worlds and structures. However, I did have one notable critique: the Empire often feels too established and "old" for a story set so soon after Revenge of the Sith (a few weeks to months at max). The reference to the Clone Wars feel like they took place a long time ago, which clashes with the setting of this book, a similar issue I had with Mask of the Fear that was also published earlier in 2025. A special joy for me as a fan of the Legends novel Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader by James Luceno was seeing this book function, with a little bit of headcanon magic, as a fantastic companion piece. The appearance of Clone Commander Appo can be seen as the groundwork for Vader's noted respect for him in Lucenos Book. In short, Master of Evil succeeds precisely because it sidesteps the Vader fatigue. It’s a sharp, character-driven story with a touch of pulpy adventure, set within the Imperial machine and led by an outstanding new protagonist. It proves there are still fresh stories to tell in this era, just not necessarily through the Dark Lord's helmet. A strong recommendation, and I sincerely hope Adam Christopher writes more for Star Wars in the future.