Star Wars, Vector, Volume 1 by Miller, Pimentel, Parsons, Harrison, Wheatley and Ross

Zayne Carrick is a Padawan on the run. Accused of killing his fellow Padawans, he's hooked up with a shady con artist named Gryph, determined to clear his name from the machinations of a group known as the Covenant. They believe Zane Carrick is a danger to the Jedi order.

Meanwhile, a Jedi known as Celeste Morne is dispatched to a War Zone to find and retrieve a Sith artifact known as the Muur Talisman and prevent it from falling into the hands of the Mandalorians. But as Celeste seeks to help the innocent leave the conflict, the Rakghoul plague is taking its toll. As friends and allies slowly turn into Rakghouls, Zayne tries desperately to warn the Mandalorian Commander of the danger, and to prevent the rest of the Galaxy from being infected.

The Murr Talisman can control the Rakhghouls, but how and why? And worse, it seems to want a Jedi in control of it- or will it control the Jedi? Celeste offers herself to the Talisman to protect Zane, and finds herself suddenly sharing mental space with the Sith Lord inside the Talisman. Before he and it can take her over, she allows herself to be sealed into the stasis pod of Dreypas.

And, in the future, Lord Vader seeks an apprentice to help him overthrow his master. Can the woman and the Muur Talisman aid Vader, or will they be his downfall? And once again, the Rakghoul plague is free after 4000 years of absence. But will Vader kill Celeste for the Talisman, or will she find some way to battle him and his forces to a standstill?

There can be no safety for the Galaxy until the Talisman and the Plague have been brought under control or destroyed. But who will be able to do it? And can it be done?

This was a dark, disturbing tale for the Star Wars universe, sort of akin to the Stargate SG-1 story where they found the world with the insects that turned you into more of them, and Teal'c was infected. This kind of thing speaks to a very dark fear in the human psyche, the fear of bodily integrity, of losing who you are and becoming something else- something monstrous. You are no longer yourself. And make no mistake about it, it's scary.

Here, we see many characters lost to the Rakghoul plague, but when the Murr Amulet comes into it, the threat is ramped up several notches. The holder of the amulet is immune to the plague, and can command the rakghouls, but the holder of the amulet has to deal with the personalty of the amulet's maker, who is still inside. I was wondering what the true threat is, the plague of the amulet- but since the title is Vector, it seems that the plague will make itself known further.

The Art in the two books is adequate, but I preferred the art from the second story more, as the art from the first can be extremely ugly at times. Yes, at times it was nice, and it fit the story, but I really preferred the art from the more "modern day" story, if you can say art set in the times between the two trilogies of movies is "Modern". I felt it was the better-looking art.

And yet, the story isn't over. With disturbing themes, I can only wait to see where the story will take us, and when. How and when will the story of the Rakghoul plague end and who will deal with it. I guess we readers will have to wait and see.