In 2015, Star Wars publishing released Lords of the Sith- the first canon novel to prominently feature Darth Vader (and Palpatine) in the early days of the rebellion against the Empire. A decade later, we're getting another Vader story in novel form - and its author? None other than the man responsible for writing the widely beloved Star Wars novel Shadow of the Sith.
Star Wars: Master of Evil- out this November from Random House Worlds- tells the story of Vader's quest to cheat death. (If only he knew there was a much easier way, according to the Jedi- he'll figure that out eventually.) It's unclear at this time when in the timeline the book takes place, but with Christopher as the storyteller, exact timing matters not. He'll take any story set in any era and handle it flawlessly.
Adam Christopher, who has been contributing to Star Wars stories for years, reacted to yesterday's publishing news with excitement and, let's be honest, likely plenty of relief that he no longer had to keep the secret. "MASTER OF EVIL is a big book for me," he wrote on Bluesky, "and I'm glad people are excited to read it. Heck, I'M excited for YOU to read it."
Now you might be asking: Haven't we had enough Vader for one decade? The comics, his various appearances in shows and video games ... what more could there be to say about him? But that's the beauty of Star Wars books. They have the power to reveal things and shift perspectives in ways that change how we view a galaxy far, far away. We don't often get inside Vader's head. Books can do things that shows, games, and even comic books can't.
And Christopher has more than proven he's the perfect writer to expand Vader's story beyond what we've previously seen. His portrayal of characters across the universe -- both heroes and villains -- is enough to tell you he's a Star Wars fan here to build upon the brilliant foundations previous storytellers have created. Not just by honoring what has come before, but also -- simultaneously -- adding fresh layers of depth to characters we thought we couldn't possibly know better.
Star Wars: Master of Evil by Adam Christopher releases on November 11, 2025, and is available for pre-order now.