Star Wars - Darth Plagueis

While it delves into the backstory of a key Star Wars figure, the novel is designed to be accessible to readers without prior knowledge of the broader Star Wars Expanded Universe novels. It provides a self-contained narrative about Plagueis's rise and influence.

The events and characters in this novel directly precede and set the stage for the prequel Star Wars films, particularly focusing on the origins and machinations that lead to Palpatine's ascent to power.

This novel was published before the 2014 restructuring of the Star Wars continuity and is part of what is now known as Star Wars Legends. It is not considered part of the current Disney canon, though elements of its story may have inspired later works.