In my opinion The Phantom Menace is a book, which Terry Brooks should never have written.
The movie (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace) was a bad movie and I didn't like it at all - it was a big disappointment. I honestly don't understand why they had to make a book of it. This book is a bit better than the movie, but not much.
I can't recommend this book. I can only say that you should read other books by Terry Brooks. They're much better and more interesting than this book.