‘Shadow of the Sith’ Ties Together Loose Threads From ‘Star Wars’ Expanding Galaxy of Lore
Written by Adam Christopher, Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith reveals the secret of Rey's parents and sends Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian on an adventure in the time between The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens.
It is a truth, universally acknowledged, that I have a lot of issues with The Rise of Skywalker. Initially, I was hesitant when Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith was announced because the book builds on a lot of the ideas and themes that are presented in the final act of the Sequel Trilogy that didn’t necessarily sit well with me. But I sat aside my preconceived ideas about the novel, and I let Adam Christopher’s story transport me back to the era of the Original Trilogy, where I was pleasantly surprised to discover a novel that felt like it could’ve been pulled from my carefully curated collection of Expanded Universe novels.
Before diving into Shadow of the Sith, I would strongly suggest that readers revisit George Mann’s Dark Legends, or at the very least brush up on their Sith knowledge. There are characters that Christopher includes, both in pivotal roles and carefully doled out references, that will make many Star Wars fans exceptionally happy. Shadow of the Sith not only taps into the material introduced in The Rise of Skywalker, but it pulls from the Prequels, Chuck Wendig’s Aftermath series, and even loosely tugs at some threads that were first introduced in Michael Stackpole’s novels. It is a true delight to see an author like Christopher take hold of these story components drawn from other corners of the Star Wars universe and create something that is perfectly in line with his own keen ability to conjure up his stories from a galaxy far, far away.
While Shadow of the Sith is a story largely focused on a mission that Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian embark on together, it also serves as our first true introduction to Rey’s parents. While we see flashbacks of them in The Rise of Skywalker, Christopher got the honor of finally giving a name to the pair: Dathan and Miramir. I couldn’t help but find beautiful irony in the fact that Dathan’s name was born out of a predicament not dissimilar from the one that Han Solo finds himself in during Solo: A Star Wars Story when he adopts the surname Solo. Whether intentional or not, I took it as another subtle way of linking Rey and Ben together. As George Lucas’s oft-quoted remark says: “It's like poetry, [it] rhyme[s].” I was actually impressed by how invested I ended up becoming in their story.
Which brings me to one of my favorite scenes in the Shadow of the Sith. Within the first dozen chapters, Christopher delivers us to the new Jedi temple where Luke Skywalker shares a brief scene with his teenage apprentice, and nephew, Ben Solo. Though Charles Soule’s The Rise of Kylo Ren comic book series gave us a great look at the dynamic between the Master and apprentice, this short scene provides new context about their relationship—revealing to us how Luke perceives his nephew. Not only does it give us this new context, but it also Illuminates the fundamental missteps that Luke makes early on, which eventually leads to Ben Solo’s fall. He’s following the Jedi texts too closely, favoring the ideas that forbid attachment, and repeating the same mistakes that toppled the Jedi Order before. It’s a small moment within an expansive novel, but one that will stick with me for a long time.
Set seventeen years after the events of Return of the Jedi, and a mere thirteen years before The Force Awakens, Shadow of the Sith is an expansive adventure that sends Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian down a dangerous path to uncover what the Sith are really doing on Exegol. It may seem unexpected to see Luke and Lando teaming up to investigate a SIth resurgence, but Lando gets thrown into the mystery when he runs into Ochi of Bestoon in a cantina, bragging about being hired by the Sith to kidnap a girl. In the time since Return of the Jedi, Lando has suffered the devastating loss of his own daughter—something only loosely explored in The Rise of Skywalker—and this passing mention of a kidnapped girl is enough to motivate him to resume searching for his own lost child. Christopher’s depiction of Lando is heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time, delivering desperation that is consistently palpable whenever his thoughts wander to his daughter.
With a book that is as impressively long as Shadow of the Sith, it should come as no surprise that Christopher opts to move between points of view, providing readers with a broad picture of the events of the novel. Some of the most enthralling aspects are drawn from the chapters focusing on the Sith Acolyte who adorns the exclusive Barnes & Noble cover. Yes, it is indeed that character from Wendig’s Aftermath series. Her chapters are often creepy, tinged with vibrant depictions of Dark Side horrors and a cautionary tale in the making.
Following Christopher’s short stories in the Star Wars: From A Certain Point of View anthologies, I see why Del Rey tapped him for Shadow of the Sith. He has a knack for imbuing even the most mundane locations with intriguing and unexpected details, making note of minor details that make spaces and the characters that inhabit them feel almost real. While I certainly didn’t expect him to fix all of the issues I personally have with The Rise of Skywalker, I commend him for making me be able to set aside my issues and enjoy this stylish adventure into the world of Sith, stolen children, and missteps in the Jedi way.
Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith hits bookstands on June 28th.
FINAL VERDICT: B
