You knock Darth Maul down, he gets up again and again. You slice off his legs and toss him down a chasm, he acquires cybernetic legs. He’s one tough Sith. Joe Schreiber’s newly released novel “Star Wars: Lockdown: Maul” puts the focus on Maul as he searches for a weapon that will help the Sith rule the galaxy once and for all. Insert ominous music here.

From Random House’s official synopsis:

“It’s kill or be killed in the space penitentiary that houses the galaxy’s worst criminals, where convicts face off in gladiatorial combat while an underworld gambling empire reaps the profits of the illicit blood sport. But the newest contender in this savage arena, as demonic to behold as he is deadly to challenge, is fighting for more than just survival. His do-or-die mission, for the dark masters he serves, is to capture the ultimate weapon: an object that will enable the Sith to conquer the galaxy.”

The events take place before The Phantom Menace, and Maul is reporting to both Darth Sidious and Darth Plagueis. Yeah, and you thought your boss was bad. Maul can handle them, though. A brief excerpt from “Lockdown” over at Entertainment Weekly shows off Maul’s cunning and intimidating nature. Even cooler, Sam Witwer – the voice of Darth Maul on Star Wars: The Clone Wars – performs the excerpt in a chilling audio clip complete with sound effects and music by Jimmy Mac of RebelForce Radio. Witwer not only gets to play the part of Maul, he also has the opportunity to slip back into the Darth Sidious voice he used in The Force Unleashed .

Go listen to the clip and let us know whether you’ll be reading “Star Wars: Lockdown: Maul.”