StarDestroyer.Net BBS

-Darth Zannah defeats Darth Bane in combat using Sith Sorcery to overwhelm Bane. Her attacks are very interesting.
-Bane learns the life transfer technique from Darth Andeddu's Holocron, and attempts to use it on Zannah in a last ditch effort to survive their duel. Zannah's willpower proves too strong for Bane to overcome.
-The physical effects of prolonged usage of the Dark Side are examined. Bane is not as powerful as he once was, due to this and lasting damage from his time covered in the orbalisks. At the end of the book Zannah is beginning to show the signs of this as well, although the possibility exists that it is a side effect of Bane's failed life transfer attempt.
-Darth Cognus becomes the next Sith Apprentice, chosen by Bane she sits idly by as Zannah and Bane duel sworn to serve whomever survives. She is an Iktochi (Same as Saesee Tiin for those unfamiliar) with proficiency in that species' innate force talents. Before becoming Darth Cognus she was simply known as "Huntress" and served as an assassin for hire.
-Caleb's daughter (a child in the first book of the trilogy) has married into the monarchy of the planet Doan, learns Bane still lives, and vows to take revenge.
-A Dark Jedi named Set Harth is initially chosen by Zannah to become her apprentice, but flees during the climactic events of the book and ends up stealing Andeddu's holocron. The end of the novel shows him on the run from Zannah eager to go into hiding and learn Andeddu's secrets of immortality.

bane possessing zannah was stupid.

I'm not a big fan of how life transfer was done in Dark Empire, but in the context of this book I thought it was fantastic. Bane seeking it out to prolong his life over his concerns that Zannah was unfit to succeed him was an interesting way to start that particular angle, but him having to use it in a last-ditch effort to simply survive and failing was great. It made me think about Palpatine's line in Episode III about those with power fearing to lose that power.