Intro
What happens when a ship full of Sith crash lands on an isolated planet with no communication with the rest of the galaxy? In Lost Tribe of the Sith, that question is answered across a collection of 9 short stories that track the development of Sith culture and their domination of the native populace. When they land, the Sith face massive obstacles, yet they control the entire planet and produce a large number of dark side users before they reemerge in the galaxy about 40 years after the destruction of the first Death Star. How do they manage to survive and thrive? How do the Sith conquer internal conflicts to maintain a stable society that keeps Sith traditions alive for 5,000 years?
This book is the second book I read in my quest to read through the entirety of the Star Wars Legends canon in the in-universe order. The first book, Dawn of the Jedi, occurred 25,000 years before the movies which means this book is the first story that happens in a galaxy that somewhat resembles the galaxy known from the films.
Lost Tribe of the Sith was written by John Jackson Miller (author’s website and Amazon page with his other books). Originally, the short stories (except for the ninth and final entry) were released as free ebooks between releases of the nine Fate of the Jedi books. Those stories were released to explain the origins of the Lost Tribe so they were not simply appearing ex nihilo in the Fate of the Jedi books. Those short stories were collected and released with the ninth short story on July 24, 2012. The paperback ends up being 432 pages long, about the same length as most Star Wars books.
Read on for a detailed breakdown, or click here to jump to the conclusion.
“A starship is a weapon, but it’s the crew that makes it deadly.”
Plot
As mentioned in the intro, Lost Tribe of the Sith is a collection of short stories. As such, summarizing the overall plot is difficult since it reads more like 5-9 individual stories. Included in those smaller stories are “first contact” plots, “forming order from political chaos” plots, “individual finding freedom” plots, and an invasion plot. If I had to connect them all into one overarching plot, I would say that it was a plotline of political refinement as the Sith discover how to live and thrive on Kesh, the planet on which they were stranded.
Only one of the stories really connected with me and kept me turning the pages. That plotline involved a young Sith discovering a Jedi who had crashed on Kesh. I think it was stronger than the rest because it showed some character growth and development throughout. Some of the others have minor amounts of character growth, but none of them are as complete and none feel as natural as in this particular story.
The remainder of the plots may vary a bit in their context, but they all ultimately boil down to some version of “moody, selfish Sith fights other moody, selfish Sith for dominance”. I first read these stories as they were released individually between releases of the Fate of the Jedi books. At that time, I remember enjoying the stories more than I did in this reading. Indeed, I think I would enjoy reading them in that style today if I could go back in time and experience them that way. However, pushing all the stories into this single collection highlights how the plots are largely variations on the same theme.
Though I may have only connected with one of the plot lines, you may have a better experience. None of the stories were particularly weak on their own; I simply struggled to be engaged since I had read them all before and because they all felt similar to me.
Worldbuilding/Series Connection
Kesh slowly becomes more fleshed out through the series, but I would not say that it is particularly good worldbuilding. The locations feel fairly generic throughout, and the local aliens are also pretty generic (basically, they have the physical abilities and characteristics of humans but with purple skin).
The worldbuilding does have a couple high points. I think the uvak (giant flying creatures) and the impact the uvak have on power struggles on Kesh were an excellent inclusion. Also, the lack of most metals in the geology of Kesh and the interference of the local stellar geography combine to prevent the technologically-advanced Sith from calling for assistance. That explanation seems natural for the universe–particularly considering the local stellar geography was part of what caused the Sith ship, the Omen, to crash in the first place.
Characters
The characters were a mixed bag. While a few stand out, most were a series of forgettable Sith with similar characteristics. They were selfish, prideful, and arrogant. They sought their own advancement without thinking of their broader culture. Being Sith, these characteristics were expected, but it would have been nice to see them more fleshed out or have more differentiated personalities.
The few characters who stood out were those who did reach beyond those basic Sith characteristics. Some characters kept the thriving of the Sith as a whole in mind when planning their actions. Others sought to leave behind the Sith ways. In both of these ways, they showed more volition than the other characters and were more fun to read.
I want to call out one side note here since I do not know where else to put it. In the ninth short story, the viewpoint character starts the story by traveling to meet a man for a tryst. This immoral behavior is given as a reason for some of her later actions, and its inclusion can, therefore, be justified in the story. However, I found it off-putting since I do not like hearing about marital unfaithfulness and because it was a little unanticipated in a Star Wars story. That aspect of her character was so jarring that I struggled to connect with her at all in that entire section of the book.
Prose
The prose is a little difficult to comment on. It is a generic Star Wars story that contains very little to remark on.
Conclusion
The Lost Tribe of the Sith is neither a particularly strong nor a particularly weak entry in the Star Wars Legends canon. It provides a backstory that should prove intriguing for readers of the Fate of the Jedi, and it gives a deeper look at Sith culture and interactions than you get in most other Star Wars books. However, the stories are plagued by unidimensional characters and generic plotlines. This short story collection works on a “let’s have some fun reading Star Wars stories” level, but it brings nothing new to the table and does not rise above that basic level.
You should read this if …
- You are reading the Fate of the Jedi books. This collection fleshes out the backstory of the Tribe so you have more background details
- You want some short stories that are easy to dive into for a quick evening read.
