Lords of the Sith

Star Wars is on the brain... of everyone. After the supreme disappointment of the prequels (okay, they weren't that bad, and we probably all had our hopes set too high, anyway), the hype and the excitement and the energy and the shear cultural force of Star Wars + JJ Abrams + the biggest fandom in the Universe is leading to anticipation unmatched in this generation.

So, naturally, I picked up a random piece of Star Wars universe fiction--Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp--and blew through it on a weekend.

And I do mean that I "blew through it." By way of comparison, I started reading Lords of the Sith directly after finishing David Copperfield by Charles Dickens. One does not read Dickens without a serious commitment of time (and that thousand page tomb took me a good month to consume). The dip into Star Wars was a slightly, shall we say, quicker read.

Lords of the Sith is focused on the two Sith we know best: Darth Vader and the Emperor (aka Lord Sidious, but I think we know him better as the Emperor) as seen during an uprising on Ryloth, home of the Twi'leck. Led by Cham Syndulah, the Twi'leck Resistence and the Free Ryloth movement are looking for a way to up the ante against the Empire, to break its hold on Ryloth, and finally be free. When information reaches them that Darth Vader and the Emperor will both be visiting, it's an opportunity too big to pass up.

I didn't expect much going in to the story, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kemp manages to take a story about two villains and insert other more naturally sympathetic characters, as well as to add depth, competence, and sympathy to the villains, as well. Although dubious at first, it didn't take long to draw me in.

To be clear, Lords of the Sith fits better in the context of the entire Star Wars saga, especially as it relates to the Skywalkers and the Rebels versus the Empire piece. While there are some novels and stories that could stand alone, Lords is entirely dependent on the greater context to make sense.

If you're a Star Wars fan and looking for a fun piece of the history between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, pick up Lords of the Sith for an interesting and well paced diversion into the relationship between Vader and Sidious.