(Synopsis from the back cover):
«The Sith Empire is in flux. The Emperor is missing, presumed dead, and an ambitious Sith Lord's attempt to seize the throne has ended fatally. Still, Darth Karrid, commander of the fearsome Imperial battle cruiser Ascendant Spear, continues her relentless efforts to achieve total Sith domination of the galaxy.
But Karrid's ruthless determination is more than matched in the steely resolve of Theron Shan, whose unfinished business with the Empire could change the course of the war for good. Though the son of a Jedi Master, Theron does not wield the Force—but like his renowned mother, the spirit of rebellion is in his blood. As a top covert agent for the Republic, he struck a crucial blow against the Empire by exposing and destroying a Sith superweapon arsenal—which makes him the ideal operative for a daring and dangerous mission to end Ascendant Spear's reign of terror.
Joined by hot-headed smuggler Teff'ith, with whom he has an inexplicable bond, and wise Jedi warrior Gnost-Dural, Darth Karrid's former master, Theron must match wits and weapons with a battle-tested crew of the most cold-blooded dark side disciples. But time is brutally short. And if they don't seize their one chance to succeed, they will surely have countless opportunities to die...»
It is the fourth and final book in an anthology of novels titled "The Old Republic." They are set between 4,000 and 3,500 years before the Battle of Yavin (that is, before "Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope").
The series comprises: "Revan," "Deceived," "Fatal Alliance," and "Annihilation."
In this case, "Annihilation" is set in the year 3,640 before the Battle of Yavin.
The work is narratively linked to the video game "Star Wars: The Old Republic", but it functions independently enough to be understood without having played the game. The novel is well-written. It's recommended for Star Wars fans, especially those interested in the prequels and the Old Republic era. The setting is war-torn, with abundant violence, space battles, lightsaber duels, etc. However, the descriptions aren't morbid. The protagonist has values; he often breaks the rules and acts independently, but ultimately he's good. There's a romantic subplot that, because it involves a Jedi, is kept secret and treated as forbidden or frowned upon. But there's no explicit sexual content. It's a small, unassuming thriller within the Star Wars universe, featuring espionage, weapons of mass destruction, and so on.