SPOILER Lords Of The Sith - Paul S. Kemp - REVIEW

After the terrible "A New Dawn" and stopping half way through "Heir To The Jedi" I felt alarmed at where Disney is taking the expanded universe! If this was any indication of the quality for new SW series I would very quickly abandon it. However, after reading the LOTS I can sit back in relief and enjoy the prospect of what's in store for us!

This title is a solid entry into the SW canon with competent writing style, believable characters, solid action, and a heartfelt story! The novel doesn't offer anything particularly innovative but is build on a strong foundation with most of its elements working well together.

STORY: Paul Kemp tells an engaging "war time" story set before Ep. IV that fits the Star Wars lore. It touches on the themes integral to a SW experience: the fight against the oppressor, courage in face of insurmountable odds, friendship and betrayal. Unlike "Kenobi" (which I highly criticized in earlier reviews) its plot leaves a mark on the SW universe and shows us a glimpse into what the first acts of rebellion look like! The rebel characters and their motivations are well established and never felt "contrived" to steer the plot in the desired direction. Everything evolves naturally and follows established logic. (CLONE WARS fans prepare to see some familiar faces!)

Unfortunately I can't say the same about our Sith Lords. There's never a lot of Vader and Palpatine and when they show up, you perceive them through a third person. But it's not the main issue. The problem comes with characterization. On occasion Kemp does an admirable job presenting the villains but more often than not their dialogues and actions are out of tune with the films. The dynamic between the master and apprentice is not fleshed out and the verbal exchange is not convincing either. The writer resorts to "popular lines" the Emperor says in OT and Vader communicates with the grace of a 10yo. slave boy stuck in a menacing body armor.

I can say with all honesty the story shortcomings felt minor and didn't diminish the entertainment value of the book.

ACTION: It's been a while since I've read EU novel with a well paced, gritty, effectively narrated space combat and it's the highlight in this novel. I won't spoil it much but suffice to say I felt the impact of every detonation and the urgency of the mission. When it comes to ground combat there are a few interesting moments as well. One set piece at the very end made me say to myself: "That's what I'd like to see in ROGUE ONE."

The only issues I have, and it's arguably a matter of taste, is our Sith Lords in action. The things Vader and especially Palpatine are capable of are overly exaggerated. Vader is the "black knight" in armor with magic at his hand. He didn't need to blur past the troopers with super speed and jump two floors down to be menacing in my opinion. Palpatine is a serpent who's venom is masterful plotting and manipulation. His flying around with a saber is as ridiculous here as it was in ROTS. I'll leave that to your judgement, I suspect some will enjoy it way more than me.

Overall I enjoyed it. It won't blow minds with bold new ideas or extravagant prose but does everything it sets out to do, mostly. The story has a meaning and heart and I'm happy to say it's a worthy addition to any SW reader's collection!

 

Thanks for your response. Lot's of interesting points.

I agree with you on that the Sith didn't get enough screen time. The title of the book is misleading since it's really a rebellion novel but great characterisation of Cham and Isval made up for it. I also felt Vader's inner world in some parts of the book, his hate and a some good still in him (the little girl scene).

On other points I disagree. I've read so many SW novels and other sci-fi with insects (particularly Joiner Trilogy), the creatures here felt generic and I saw the "queen fight" pulled straight out of Aliens a mile away. They did feel threatening though. Each time Palpatine did butterfly twists off the wall with saber in hand a part of me died inside, lol. This is totally ridiculous. And so it felt in this book. I don't buy the argument that this is the "younger" Palpatine before he becomes the Emperor. He is OLD, and while the force does make him stronger, I dislike when force is used to ampllify one's physical abilities too much. (Jedi super jumps are as far as I'll go.) It took me out of the experience.

Same issue with the Tarkin novel. I didn't understand why the author had to resort to an "origin" story to flesh out a familiar character. Just throw him into a critical situation and all of his traits emerge. I disagree with the logic of his "hunter" past having an effect on present. Hunting a lion in a safari and deploying troops in space are two different apples. I saw Tarkin as a man who is raised into the privilege, and military career in the empire. Not a a kid from backwater planet who used advancement to get the Empire pay attention to him. Also, the author discussed in an interview how he prepared for the project by watching Peter Cushing's mannerism in earlier films to portray Tarkin. Unfortunately it felt forced, a deliberate effort to make us believe this is Cushing but familiar gestures and phrases don't convey character as much as actions.

 

I'm totally with you on "The Free Ryloth Movement" title. Haha, it did feel like an adult version of Clone Wars episode. It's interesting to see how we all respond differently to these books. I was totally taken aback with Vader and Palpatine's skills in ancient Sith tongue, that came out of the left field. I think my positive response is connected with dissatisfaction with other recent EU books, Kenobi in particular. None of these manage to come even close to some of the Legends material.

But then again, it took years to get a few true classic SW books, we just have to be patient and allow those more inspired novels come to fruition.