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Star Wars Disney Canon Novel
Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian return in this essential novel set between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens .
The Empire is dead. Nearly two decades after the Battle of Endor, the tattered remnants of Palpatine’s forces have fled to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. But for the heroes of the New Republic, danger and loss are ever-present companions, even in this newly forged era of peace.
Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is haunted by visions of the dark side, foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol. The disturbance in the Force is undeniable . . . and Luke’s worst fears are confirmed when his old friend Lando Calrissian comes to him with reports of a new Sith menace.
After Lando’s daughter was stolen from his arms, he searched the stars for any trace of his lost child. But every new rumor leads only to dead ends and fading hopes—until he crosses paths with Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin tasked with kidnapping a young girl.
Ochi’s true motives remain shrouded to Luke and Lando. For on a junkyard moon, a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal has bequeathed a sacred blade to the assassin, promising that it will answer the questions that have haunted him since the Empire fell. In exchange, he must complete a final Return to Exegol with the key to the Sith’s glorious rebirth—Rey, the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself.
As Ochi hunts Rey and her parents to the edge of the galaxy, Luke and Lando race into the mystery of the Sith’s lingering shadow and aid a young family running for their lives.
The Empire is dead. Nearly two decades after the Battle of Endor, the tattered remnants of Palpatine’s forces have fled to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. But for the heroes of the New Republic, danger and loss are ever-present companions, even in this newly forged era of peace.
Jedi Master Luke Skywalker is haunted by visions of the dark side, foretelling an ominous secret growing somewhere in the depths of space, on a dead world called Exegol. The disturbance in the Force is undeniable . . . and Luke’s worst fears are confirmed when his old friend Lando Calrissian comes to him with reports of a new Sith menace.
After Lando’s daughter was stolen from his arms, he searched the stars for any trace of his lost child. But every new rumor leads only to dead ends and fading hopes—until he crosses paths with Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin tasked with kidnapping a young girl.
Ochi’s true motives remain shrouded to Luke and Lando. For on a junkyard moon, a mysterious envoy of the Sith Eternal has bequeathed a sacred blade to the assassin, promising that it will answer the questions that have haunted him since the Empire fell. In exchange, he must complete a final Return to Exegol with the key to the Sith’s glorious rebirth—Rey, the granddaughter of Darth Sidious himself.
As Ochi hunts Rey and her parents to the edge of the galaxy, Luke and Lando race into the mystery of the Sith’s lingering shadow and aid a young family running for their lives.
512 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2022
796 people are currently reading
5280 people want to read
About the author
Adam Christopher
48 books705 followersAdam Christopher is the New York Times bestselling author of Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith and Master of Evil, Stranger Things: Darkness on the Edge of Town. He has also written official tie-in novels for the hit CBS television show Elementary and the award-winning Dishonored video game franchise.
Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic.
Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.
Co-creator of the twenty-first-century incarnation of Archie Comics superhero The Shield, Adam has also written for the universes of Doctor Who and World of Warcraft, and is a contributor to the internationally bestselling Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View anniversary anthology series and the all-ages Star Wars Adventures comic.
Adam’s original novels include Made to Kill and The Burning Dark, among many others, and his debut novel Empire State was both a SciFi Now and Financial Times book of the year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 688 reviews
November 15, 2025
A great book. An excellent addition to the sequel trilogy. It acts very similarly to the other books in the sequels, which gives greater depth to the sequel movies.
This was one of the most anticipated books to come out in the Disney era, and for me, it really delivered. It was great to have Luke in action. I do like that it shows signs of him being the tired warrior for his role in the Last Jedi. Also, the hope he had for Ben and the new Jedi academy, it is easy to see why he becomes a hermit when it is destroyed.
I am not yet the biggest Lando fan, but I think his story is very important, his pain, healing, and then the guilt of his healing. It is a draining emotional cycle as it would be for any parent. I fully support him being more of the main character for this book.
Of course, there is also a family on the run that is extremely important. For me, they were my favourite parts of the book (except when Luke has a lightsaber).
The only reason I considered taking half a star off was that the book was a bit slow in places, but I do understand why that was necessary, but I would have rounded this up anyway. I have always loved the continuity of the Star Wars universe, Expanded/Legonds and now the Disney era, so it is awesome to see the writers working so closely together.
This was one of the most anticipated books to come out in the Disney era, and for me, it really delivered. It was great to have Luke in action. I do like that it shows signs of him being the tired warrior for his role in the Last Jedi. Also, the hope he had for Ben and the new Jedi academy, it is easy to see why he becomes a hermit when it is destroyed.
I am not yet the biggest Lando fan, but I think his story is very important, his pain, healing, and then the guilt of his healing. It is a draining emotional cycle as it would be for any parent. I fully support him being more of the main character for this book.
Of course, there is also a family on the run that is extremely important. For me, they were my favourite parts of the book (except when Luke has a lightsaber).
The only reason I considered taking half a star off was that the book was a bit slow in places, but I do understand why that was necessary, but I would have rounded this up anyway. I have always loved the continuity of the Star Wars universe, Expanded/Legonds and now the Disney era, so it is awesome to see the writers working so closely together.
August 5, 2022
4.5 Stars
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
March 20, 2023
This is a book that is set before the the new trilogy of sequels. In this one Lando comes across a a plot to kidnap a young girl. Lando sets out to help this girl even though he has no idea who she is. Meanwhile Luke senses a disturbance in the force and he investigates. These two different story lines will intersect with each other.
I liked this book. It took awhile to get into though as the beginning had a very slow pace. The author was setting up the stage and this took a long time. During the beginning I really had no desire to pick up this book. But after everything was set up I did become interested in it. I never knew I needed a Luke and Lando adventure but it really worked. I enjoyed the dynamic between these two. As for the adventure and the story I am somewhat split on that. Reading between the lines the purpose of this book is to answer the many, many questions fans have with the sequels and try to fix the mess that Disney created with them. I have to say I thought the author did a commendable job with what he was given. I won't exactly he answers all of them but he does give an explanation to some of them. The problem is and this is my own personal opinion is that the sequels are too much of a mess that really cannot be corrected. No matter how hard Disney tries. Because of that this really wasn't the most exciting novel set in this universe.
I really believe the author had a herculean task in writing this novel and he did a really good job at what he was given. It made sense of a mess of a situation. I really think this was a no win situation for the author. If I need a book several years later to explain a trilogy of movies there is something really wrong. It does provide background information to those movies but it might be a little too late. That is probably why I couldn't really enjoy it more than just liking it.
I liked this book. It took awhile to get into though as the beginning had a very slow pace. The author was setting up the stage and this took a long time. During the beginning I really had no desire to pick up this book. But after everything was set up I did become interested in it. I never knew I needed a Luke and Lando adventure but it really worked. I enjoyed the dynamic between these two. As for the adventure and the story I am somewhat split on that. Reading between the lines the purpose of this book is to answer the many, many questions fans have with the sequels and try to fix the mess that Disney created with them. I have to say I thought the author did a commendable job with what he was given. I won't exactly he answers all of them but he does give an explanation to some of them. The problem is and this is my own personal opinion is that the sequels are too much of a mess that really cannot be corrected. No matter how hard Disney tries. Because of that this really wasn't the most exciting novel set in this universe.
I really believe the author had a herculean task in writing this novel and he did a really good job at what he was given. It made sense of a mess of a situation. I really think this was a no win situation for the author. If I need a book several years later to explain a trilogy of movies there is something really wrong. It does provide background information to those movies but it might be a little too late. That is probably why I couldn't really enjoy it more than just liking it.
June 29, 2022
For many people this has been been a long time coming. Some of us have been waiting for a book filling in the gaps of The Rise of Skywalker. Some of us have been waiting for a good Luke Skywalker story, some of us have been waiting for another ROTJ-TFA story. Finally it is here.
I mention people waiting for this book, but I don't think anyone has been waiting as long as Adam Christopher. He was brought on board to write a Mandalorian novel that would have come out last year. Unfortunately, that book got shelved never to be seen again (I think we all know why...) and he instead had to write a whole new book, this time tying up the stray pieces of the Rise of Skywalker. I feel bad that Christopher was put in this position but I am impressed that he stuck with it and worked so hard on this book, as I think it really shows.
The first thing I'll say about the book itself is that it feels like an epic movie. I could definitely see this as a good movie script, albeit a long one. The cast seems managable, the plot is fairly straightforward, and the action is really exciting! There were moments throughout the book that really stuck out in my mind, which is exactly what you'd want an epic book to do.
This is actually a really long book. In fact, it is the second longest adult novel in the canon, narrowly beating out "Victory's Price", but coming nowhere near the monstrosity that is "Lesser Evil". Still, this has a huge page count, and it shows. Christopher was able to tell a really complete story without stretching the book out into a trilogy. All of the plotlines are either neatly tied up here or are tied up in The Rise of Skywalker.
One of the hurdles that this book tries to tackle is the character of Luke Skywalker. There have been a few canon books featuring Luke, and they've all done a poor job. "Heir to the Jedi" was too juvinille and "The Legends of Luke Skywalker" was just too wierd. His short story in "Stories of Jedi and Sith" was the only bad story and it has become so frustrating that they can't seem to get him right. If anything, Luke feels the best in this book that he's been in the canon literature, but that's not too high a bar. His character feels logically consistent with the character of Luke in the movies, but there is a certain flare missing that his character had in the EU characters. I think that the approach here was to write as little from Luke's mind as possible, and mostly try to stay limited third person. I think this mostly worked for this story, but if we're going to get a good Luke story they need someone who can really delve into the character. Nonetheless, Adam Christopher does an adequate job here.
This book also features Rey's parents, Dathan and Miramir. I'm shocked to say they were my favorite part of the book. I almost wish we had gotten the entire novel from their perspective. I really liked how ingenius they both were when they worked together (you can see where Rey gets her instincts), and they were a refreshing couple to read about. They had some excellent humor and some sweet moments with Rey. I think I'll feel more for them when I next watch The Rise of Skywalker.
Lando was interesting in this book, as he felt not quite his TROS version, but not his original trilogy/Solo verison either. It felt like Christopher was trying to mesh the two together, show a slow change in Lando, and I think he was successful. But it did feel a little weird.
There are two villains in this book. One of them is a surprise (or at least a suprise if you haven't been following the author's tweets), and the other is Ochi of Bestoon. I found both of them fascinating, and I was creeped out by both of them. Christopher was able to incorporate elements of horror into their stories that I thought was fascinating.
One thing right from the get-go that I noticed was that Adam Christopher has a very polished style. He already has experience writing for Media Tie-In Fiction with two books for "Elementary" and more recently, a "Stranger Things" novel. He has also written about a dozen original novels, and thus he feels very experienced and not a new author. His style seems to fit well with the styles of Delilah S. Dawson, Chuck Wendig, Alexander Freed, and Rebecca Roanhorse. I think this is good, because the Canon needs to continue to develop voices that mesh well and form a good story overall.
As aluded to earlier, this book had a lot of heavy lifting to do story wise. Christopher had to tell the story of Luke/Lando chasing Ochi, of Rey and her parents fleeing Ochi, explain the history of the Sith holocrons, the Wayfinders, Exegol, and even Ochi's backstory. Sufice it to say, this book was designed to answer questions, and it does a good job of it. If you detested The Rise of Skywalker (first of all, I'm sad because I think it's a fun movie), you probably won't like this book. If you had some problems with TROS but didn't hate it, you might really like this book, because it fixes so much. If you really liked the Rise of Skywalker, you probably will also really like this book.
If I can level a final criticism, this book lacks a special heart to it. While I absolutely loved the Miramir/Dathan storyline and enjoyed the others, it didn't have that special something that my favorite Canon books have had. It's a hard thing to put into words, but when I finish books like "Master and Apprentice", "A New Dawn", and "Catalyst", I feel like I want to instantly reread them. Here, I think I'm good for a while.
As I said, this is a pretty good book that had some enormous hurdles to overcome. I am impressed with Adam Christopher's ability to both tell a fun adventure and do scutwork answering questions that the movies left open. However, the book lacked a certain spark for which I can't give it a perfect score. So I give the book a 7.5 out of 10. Excellent job Adam Christopher.
I mention people waiting for this book, but I don't think anyone has been waiting as long as Adam Christopher. He was brought on board to write a Mandalorian novel that would have come out last year. Unfortunately, that book got shelved never to be seen again (I think we all know why...) and he instead had to write a whole new book, this time tying up the stray pieces of the Rise of Skywalker. I feel bad that Christopher was put in this position but I am impressed that he stuck with it and worked so hard on this book, as I think it really shows.
The first thing I'll say about the book itself is that it feels like an epic movie. I could definitely see this as a good movie script, albeit a long one. The cast seems managable, the plot is fairly straightforward, and the action is really exciting! There were moments throughout the book that really stuck out in my mind, which is exactly what you'd want an epic book to do.
This is actually a really long book. In fact, it is the second longest adult novel in the canon, narrowly beating out "Victory's Price", but coming nowhere near the monstrosity that is "Lesser Evil". Still, this has a huge page count, and it shows. Christopher was able to tell a really complete story without stretching the book out into a trilogy. All of the plotlines are either neatly tied up here or are tied up in The Rise of Skywalker.
One of the hurdles that this book tries to tackle is the character of Luke Skywalker. There have been a few canon books featuring Luke, and they've all done a poor job. "Heir to the Jedi" was too juvinille and "The Legends of Luke Skywalker" was just too wierd. His short story in "Stories of Jedi and Sith" was the only bad story and it has become so frustrating that they can't seem to get him right. If anything, Luke feels the best in this book that he's been in the canon literature, but that's not too high a bar. His character feels logically consistent with the character of Luke in the movies, but there is a certain flare missing that his character had in the EU characters. I think that the approach here was to write as little from Luke's mind as possible, and mostly try to stay limited third person. I think this mostly worked for this story, but if we're going to get a good Luke story they need someone who can really delve into the character. Nonetheless, Adam Christopher does an adequate job here.
This book also features Rey's parents, Dathan and Miramir. I'm shocked to say they were my favorite part of the book. I almost wish we had gotten the entire novel from their perspective. I really liked how ingenius they both were when they worked together (you can see where Rey gets her instincts), and they were a refreshing couple to read about. They had some excellent humor and some sweet moments with Rey. I think I'll feel more for them when I next watch The Rise of Skywalker.
Lando was interesting in this book, as he felt not quite his TROS version, but not his original trilogy/Solo verison either. It felt like Christopher was trying to mesh the two together, show a slow change in Lando, and I think he was successful. But it did feel a little weird.
There are two villains in this book. One of them is a surprise (or at least a suprise if you haven't been following the author's tweets), and the other is Ochi of Bestoon. I found both of them fascinating, and I was creeped out by both of them. Christopher was able to incorporate elements of horror into their stories that I thought was fascinating.
One thing right from the get-go that I noticed was that Adam Christopher has a very polished style. He already has experience writing for Media Tie-In Fiction with two books for "Elementary" and more recently, a "Stranger Things" novel. He has also written about a dozen original novels, and thus he feels very experienced and not a new author. His style seems to fit well with the styles of Delilah S. Dawson, Chuck Wendig, Alexander Freed, and Rebecca Roanhorse. I think this is good, because the Canon needs to continue to develop voices that mesh well and form a good story overall.
As aluded to earlier, this book had a lot of heavy lifting to do story wise. Christopher had to tell the story of Luke/Lando chasing Ochi, of Rey and her parents fleeing Ochi, explain the history of the Sith holocrons, the Wayfinders, Exegol, and even Ochi's backstory. Sufice it to say, this book was designed to answer questions, and it does a good job of it. If you detested The Rise of Skywalker (first of all, I'm sad because I think it's a fun movie), you probably won't like this book. If you had some problems with TROS but didn't hate it, you might really like this book, because it fixes so much. If you really liked the Rise of Skywalker, you probably will also really like this book.
If I can level a final criticism, this book lacks a special heart to it. While I absolutely loved the Miramir/Dathan storyline and enjoyed the others, it didn't have that special something that my favorite Canon books have had. It's a hard thing to put into words, but when I finish books like "Master and Apprentice", "A New Dawn", and "Catalyst", I feel like I want to instantly reread them. Here, I think I'm good for a while.
As I said, this is a pretty good book that had some enormous hurdles to overcome. I am impressed with Adam Christopher's ability to both tell a fun adventure and do scutwork answering questions that the movies left open. However, the book lacked a certain spark for which I can't give it a perfect score. So I give the book a 7.5 out of 10. Excellent job Adam Christopher.
October 7, 2022
RE-READ AS AUDIO: On second experience some of the novel's flaws are a little more apparent so I'm knocking it down a star to 4, but still very enjoyable even though a few of the narrator's voice and accent choices were...interesting, to say the least!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Fantastic connective tissue novel that tells a thrilling space adventure of its own while at the same time filling in lots of the vexing blanks between the Episode VIII and IX films.
I particularly loved how Christopher managed to re-canonize the Corporate Sector Authority complete with Espos and a Viceprex. Fans of Brian Daley’s classic The Han Solo Adventures will especially appreciate this deep cut!
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Fantastic connective tissue novel that tells a thrilling space adventure of its own while at the same time filling in lots of the vexing blanks between the Episode VIII and IX films.
I particularly loved how Christopher managed to re-canonize the Corporate Sector Authority complete with Espos and a Viceprex. Fans of Brian Daley’s classic The Han Solo Adventures will especially appreciate this deep cut!
October 2, 2024
“No matter how the darkness grows, you are never alone.”
I enjoyed this book a lot, it had a lot of fun things going for it, and was pure EU. Of course it had to tie into the sequels which drags it down, but that can't be helped. It's one of the better canon books.
I wished we had more of Nathand Miramir, Reys parents. I feel like there was more story to tell there, but of course they had to die by the end. They were interesting, but underdeveloped.
Luke was great, as always. But it just bothers me knowing where he'll end up later on. Lando had a nice arc as well, being so strung up on finding Reys family because of his own guilt on not being able to save his daughter Kadara.
Also, this book made the Errant Venture canon again, so I really hope we see our favorite red Star Destroyer in a future book.
I enjoyed this book a lot, it had a lot of fun things going for it, and was pure EU. Of course it had to tie into the sequels which drags it down, but that can't be helped. It's one of the better canon books.
I wished we had more of Nathand Miramir, Reys parents. I feel like there was more story to tell there, but of course they had to die by the end. They were interesting, but underdeveloped.
Luke was great, as always. But it just bothers me knowing where he'll end up later on. Lando had a nice arc as well, being so strung up on finding Reys family because of his own guilt on not being able to save his daughter Kadara.
Also, this book made the Errant Venture canon again, so I really hope we see our favorite red Star Destroyer in a future book.
June 30, 2022
This book should be required reading. It definitely adds much to enjoyment of the sequel trilogy, especially TRoS. So many questions were answered, and yet there is room for more lore and backstory.
Let me interject briefly to say that if you’re stuck on hating TRoS, that is likely to color your enjoyment. I also had my qualms, but the more I read in-universe, the more I cool off about it. Rey is still one of my favorite Star Wars characters, but I’m not so stuck in my head about it that I let it turn into blind hate for the franchise and all they continue to do.
If you want more of Luke Skywalker in his prime, fun Lando Calrissian content, context behind Rey being on Jakku, teenage Ben Solo (yes, you read that right! it’s not a lot, but it is glorious), and Sith lore, this is for you!
A bit darker because of said Sith lore, think along the lines of Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older.
Great narration by William DeMeritt, too.
Let me interject briefly to say that if you’re stuck on hating TRoS, that is likely to color your enjoyment. I also had my qualms, but the more I read in-universe, the more I cool off about it. Rey is still one of my favorite Star Wars characters, but I’m not so stuck in my head about it that I let it turn into blind hate for the franchise and all they continue to do.
If you want more of Luke Skywalker in his prime, fun Lando Calrissian content, context behind Rey being on Jakku, teenage Ben Solo (yes, you read that right! it’s not a lot, but it is glorious), and Sith lore, this is for you!
A bit darker because of said Sith lore, think along the lines of Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older.
Great narration by William DeMeritt, too.
June 21, 2022
Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith was written by Adam Chrisopher. This novel was published by Del-Rey (thanks for the ARC for review). This story takes place seventeen years after the events of Return of the Jedi.
SUMMARY: A young family is on the run. Dathan, Miramir, and little Rey (Palpatine) are being hunted down by the Sith Eternal Cultists. The family is to be taken to Exegol. New Republic forces stumble upon Dathan and Miramir's ship while the family was under attack, the Republic rescues the family, and files a report with them before the family heads back out into space.
Lando Calrissian is having the Sabbac game of his life, when he overhears a guy called Ochi of Bastoon talking with some goons about the Sith and kidnapping a girl. This hits hard for Lando, as his own daughter was taken from him six years ago, when she was just two years old! Lando then reaches out to Luke Skywalker, knowing that he would absolutely want to hear of any Sith happenings in the galaxy.
Luke has been training new students of the force, including his nephew, Ben Solo. Luke senses something dark on the horizon, but can't pin down exactly what it is. When Lando reaches out to him about Sith shenanigans, the two hit the road to save a family from being kidnapped and to find out more about the Sith and their secrets.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I was pretty excited for this book, a new Luke story featuring Lando. The lesson I learned, once again, is to keep expectations low. What I thought was going to be a fun adventure, turned out to be a boring and depressing tale.
The author does a pretty good job with descriptions, however, sometimes it turns into a detail overload, describing the same thing in slightly different ways... it's very repetitive. The format of the shorter chapters is something I have really come to enjoy, it makes the story feel like it's moving along quickly.
The story heavily ties to the sequel trilogy, lightly touching on some of the questions that were raised by the films, but not fully answering anything. I get the feeling that the story group still doesn't really know how to handle characters or situations in this New Republic era. A lot of ancient Sith lore is mentioned, but never fully explored. While answering some questions from the sequels, it actually raises new questions... being vague and mysterious does not make a story good - the sequel films were vague and mysterious, and many fans were unsatisfied by the lack of depth with the story and characters.
Ochi, the Jedi Hunter that worked with Sidious and Vader, is now working for the Sith Eternal Cultists. He is in a public place, talking about working with the Sith, telling secrets, telling of his past, and how he's on a mission to kidnap a child. One, the word "kidnap" is a little too silly sounding in Star Wars. Two, Ochi is in PUBLIC, so EVERYONE can hear his plans.
At times, the story read like a YA or children's book. Some moments with the Sith Eternal Cultists that could have been creepy, come across cheesy. There is a planet that we visit, called Yoturba, I kept reading it as YouTuber, I can't be the only one that did this. That line from The Rise of Skywalker that goes something like "Somehow, Palptine has returned" is echoed in a way, "Somehow, the Sith blade knew it murdered and enjoyed it."
Do I recommend you read this novel? If you're a huge fan of the sequel trilogy, then you might enjoy this book. If you didn't like the sequels, this one may not be for you.
RATING: I have to give Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith 1/5 stars or a D. The story really lacked depth and good characterization of the characters we know and love.
SUMMARY: A young family is on the run. Dathan, Miramir, and little Rey (Palpatine) are being hunted down by the Sith Eternal Cultists. The family is to be taken to Exegol. New Republic forces stumble upon Dathan and Miramir's ship while the family was under attack, the Republic rescues the family, and files a report with them before the family heads back out into space.
Lando Calrissian is having the Sabbac game of his life, when he overhears a guy called Ochi of Bastoon talking with some goons about the Sith and kidnapping a girl. This hits hard for Lando, as his own daughter was taken from him six years ago, when she was just two years old! Lando then reaches out to Luke Skywalker, knowing that he would absolutely want to hear of any Sith happenings in the galaxy.
Luke has been training new students of the force, including his nephew, Ben Solo. Luke senses something dark on the horizon, but can't pin down exactly what it is. When Lando reaches out to him about Sith shenanigans, the two hit the road to save a family from being kidnapped and to find out more about the Sith and their secrets.
OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I was pretty excited for this book, a new Luke story featuring Lando. The lesson I learned, once again, is to keep expectations low. What I thought was going to be a fun adventure, turned out to be a boring and depressing tale.
The author does a pretty good job with descriptions, however, sometimes it turns into a detail overload, describing the same thing in slightly different ways... it's very repetitive. The format of the shorter chapters is something I have really come to enjoy, it makes the story feel like it's moving along quickly.
The story heavily ties to the sequel trilogy, lightly touching on some of the questions that were raised by the films, but not fully answering anything. I get the feeling that the story group still doesn't really know how to handle characters or situations in this New Republic era. A lot of ancient Sith lore is mentioned, but never fully explored. While answering some questions from the sequels, it actually raises new questions... being vague and mysterious does not make a story good - the sequel films were vague and mysterious, and many fans were unsatisfied by the lack of depth with the story and characters.
Ochi, the Jedi Hunter that worked with Sidious and Vader, is now working for the Sith Eternal Cultists. He is in a public place, talking about working with the Sith, telling secrets, telling of his past, and how he's on a mission to kidnap a child. One, the word "kidnap" is a little too silly sounding in Star Wars. Two, Ochi is in PUBLIC, so EVERYONE can hear his plans.
At times, the story read like a YA or children's book. Some moments with the Sith Eternal Cultists that could have been creepy, come across cheesy. There is a planet that we visit, called Yoturba, I kept reading it as YouTuber, I can't be the only one that did this. That line from The Rise of Skywalker that goes something like "Somehow, Palptine has returned" is echoed in a way, "Somehow, the Sith blade knew it murdered and enjoyed it."
Do I recommend you read this novel? If you're a huge fan of the sequel trilogy, then you might enjoy this book. If you didn't like the sequels, this one may not be for you.
RATING: I have to give Star Wars: Shadow of the Sith 1/5 stars or a D. The story really lacked depth and good characterization of the characters we know and love.
July 6, 2022
4.5!!
can’t believe this book made me (someone indifferent to the sequel era as whole) interested in the sequel era… the details and worldbuilding about the sith eternal, palpatine, and exegol was extremely interesting, and made the Big Reveal in tros feel more well earned. i loved rey’s parents and their storyline, especially that of her father, with his childhood on exegol and all. also luke and lando are two of my favorite characters in anything EVER and this book did do them justice (except for the luke anti attachment thing, but i think that’s a more general problem and not a This Book problem). anyway this was fantastic. the end
can’t believe this book made me (someone indifferent to the sequel era as whole) interested in the sequel era… the details and worldbuilding about the sith eternal, palpatine, and exegol was extremely interesting, and made the Big Reveal in tros feel more well earned. i loved rey’s parents and their storyline, especially that of her father, with his childhood on exegol and all. also luke and lando are two of my favorite characters in anything EVER and this book did do them justice (except for the luke anti attachment thing, but i think that’s a more general problem and not a This Book problem). anyway this was fantastic. the end
June 15, 2022
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC to review. I truly loved this novel so much! Shadow of the Sith takes readers on a fun and exhilarating story that is, in my opinion, needed to understand the trajectory of the sequel trilogy. As someone who adores those movies for what they are, this novel fills in many blanks for fans who didn’t understand why The Rise of Skywalker went in the direction it did. It’s fast-paced, enthralling, and overall really freaking fun! Full review on nerdsandbeyond.com!
July 7, 2022
Spoilers ahead
Shadow of the Sith has done something I didn’t think possible: made Luke Skywalker boring.
Force Awakens was great. The Last Jedi was better. But all the promise Last Jedi left us with- new, unpredictable stories- was destroyed by the absolute garbage Rise of Skywalker was. They clearly panicked at the reaction by the toxic section of fandom to Last Jedi and just went back to, “eh, just make it Palpatine all along. And make Rey a Palpatine heir.”
The stories I’ve been most interested in post Disney purchase are what was Luke up to in the 30 or so years between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens. So of course I wanted to read this book. My hope was that some of the new stories that took place in that time period would, if not make the Rise of Skywalker seem good, at least make the events leading up to it make sense and be interesting.
But it didn’t work. Shadow of the Sith didn’t make me look at Rise of Skywalker in a new light. It just reinforced the idea that nothing they’re going to do is going to be able to justify those horrible decisions. Palpatine’s son, as well as his wife, have zero personality and were completely uninteresting. Six year old Rey spends half of the book taking a nap in another room. Lando is just kinda there; he could have been anyone. R2-D2 is wasted, merely a plot device to solve this problem or that (“quick R2, plug in HERE!”).
Worst of all is Luke. I’ve read a lot of the old EU/Legends novels. The quality of those books is all over the place. But what I liked most was Luke’s journey. While they haven’t filled in much of the gap between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens, what I can conclude from this book is that current canon’s Luke’s story is far less interesting. The biggest problem I have is Luke’s commitment to holding on to the “shun attachment” rule of the old Jedi. In the legends stories he got married and had a kid and adventured with Leia and Han, etc. The argument was made that his attachments were what made him great. That that was a recognized flaw of the old Jedi order and one of the ways to make the new Jedi order work was to stop shutting Jedi off from the world and let them be people who love.
In this story, when he spots Lando coming up to him, he actually considers whether he should interact with him at all. Because he’s a Jedi and has shunned attachment. Which, to me, is boring. And really feels out of character. His relationships to his friends are a huge driving force in the original trilogy. It’s why he left Yoda and flew to Cloud City; to save his friends. It’s what set him off and allowed him to defeat Vader; the threat to his sister. And now he just chooses to stop interacting with them in any meaningful way? Just to stick to an outdated ideal of a failed group?
It’s not just that characterization of Luke that’s disappointing. The story itself is just boring. And very, very poorly written. The author’s over reliance with starting sentences with a variation of “That was when it happened” made it feel like I was reading below average fan fiction. I actually started highlighting each time he used it on page 239, chapter 26. Which means he had already used it so many times that I had become annoyed enough to start taking notes.
I counted 20 times.
Twenty. Times.
Which is not counting any of the times before page 239.
And then she heard it. That was when he heard it. That was when the rider began to struggle. And then he was on them. That was when there came a swooshing…. And then he saw them. And then Luke was with her. That was when a pair of Espos…. That was when Luke’s head was filled…. And then she appeared. Then it happened. And then. That was when there was an alert from…. And then the fuel tank exploded. That was when Ochi pulled the blaster…. And then she heard it. And then he saw it. That was when an alert sounded… And then he saw him. That was when the corner of Luke’s mouth rose….
On page 407 (kindle version) he started 3 paragraphs with “Then.” On page 301 he started two consecutive paragraphs with same phrase: “Work complete, …” He uses the word “There.” as a complete sentence over and over and over.
Writing is tough and a lot of writers, good and bad, end up falling back on crutch words or phrases. But that’s why you have an editor. To say, “hey, this turn of phrase is getting a little repetitive. Could you rework it a bit?” And then a good author is going to take that criticism and be like, “shoot, you’re right. Let me work on that.” Instead it’s just allowed, which, again, just makes it feel like fan fiction.
The worst thing in the whole novel, and the thing that set me off and almost made me stop reading but, instead, ensured this would be a 1 star review rather than a 2 star review, was when there’s an action scene with Luke where the author says something like “but Luke wouldn’t give up.” Then a new paragraph with just the sentence, “Luke Skywalker would NEVER give up.”
It felt like a meta comment by one of those previously mentioned toxic fanboys who hated the Last Jedi characterization of Luke. One of those guys that makes Youtube videos about “Ruin Johnson.” I really don’t need that shit inserted into the fiction. Leave it out. You’re trying to redeem Rise of Skywalker here. Don’t shit on Last Jedi on the way to doing that. Leave your little flat Earth agenda out of it.
Was about to wrap up when I remembered another complaint. Rey’s parent’s reasoning to leave her on Jakku? Stupid, absurd, and forced. Author did his best to come up with a justification on why they would do that and failed miserably. They’re terrible, awful parents. Rey would have been better off with filthy junk traders for parents.
Anyway, probably won’t be reading anymore of these. This interpretation of Luke Skywalker is so bad it even makes his appearances on the Mandalorian seem less interesting. He’s just a blah monk with no personality left.
Shadow of the Sith has done something I didn’t think possible: made Luke Skywalker boring.
Force Awakens was great. The Last Jedi was better. But all the promise Last Jedi left us with- new, unpredictable stories- was destroyed by the absolute garbage Rise of Skywalker was. They clearly panicked at the reaction by the toxic section of fandom to Last Jedi and just went back to, “eh, just make it Palpatine all along. And make Rey a Palpatine heir.”
The stories I’ve been most interested in post Disney purchase are what was Luke up to in the 30 or so years between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens. So of course I wanted to read this book. My hope was that some of the new stories that took place in that time period would, if not make the Rise of Skywalker seem good, at least make the events leading up to it make sense and be interesting.
But it didn’t work. Shadow of the Sith didn’t make me look at Rise of Skywalker in a new light. It just reinforced the idea that nothing they’re going to do is going to be able to justify those horrible decisions. Palpatine’s son, as well as his wife, have zero personality and were completely uninteresting. Six year old Rey spends half of the book taking a nap in another room. Lando is just kinda there; he could have been anyone. R2-D2 is wasted, merely a plot device to solve this problem or that (“quick R2, plug in HERE!”).
Worst of all is Luke. I’ve read a lot of the old EU/Legends novels. The quality of those books is all over the place. But what I liked most was Luke’s journey. While they haven’t filled in much of the gap between Return of the Jedi and Force Awakens, what I can conclude from this book is that current canon’s Luke’s story is far less interesting. The biggest problem I have is Luke’s commitment to holding on to the “shun attachment” rule of the old Jedi. In the legends stories he got married and had a kid and adventured with Leia and Han, etc. The argument was made that his attachments were what made him great. That that was a recognized flaw of the old Jedi order and one of the ways to make the new Jedi order work was to stop shutting Jedi off from the world and let them be people who love.
In this story, when he spots Lando coming up to him, he actually considers whether he should interact with him at all. Because he’s a Jedi and has shunned attachment. Which, to me, is boring. And really feels out of character. His relationships to his friends are a huge driving force in the original trilogy. It’s why he left Yoda and flew to Cloud City; to save his friends. It’s what set him off and allowed him to defeat Vader; the threat to his sister. And now he just chooses to stop interacting with them in any meaningful way? Just to stick to an outdated ideal of a failed group?
It’s not just that characterization of Luke that’s disappointing. The story itself is just boring. And very, very poorly written. The author’s over reliance with starting sentences with a variation of “That was when it happened” made it feel like I was reading below average fan fiction. I actually started highlighting each time he used it on page 239, chapter 26. Which means he had already used it so many times that I had become annoyed enough to start taking notes.
I counted 20 times.
Twenty. Times.
Which is not counting any of the times before page 239.
And then she heard it. That was when he heard it. That was when the rider began to struggle. And then he was on them. That was when there came a swooshing…. And then he saw them. And then Luke was with her. That was when a pair of Espos…. That was when Luke’s head was filled…. And then she appeared. Then it happened. And then. That was when there was an alert from…. And then the fuel tank exploded. That was when Ochi pulled the blaster…. And then she heard it. And then he saw it. That was when an alert sounded… And then he saw him. That was when the corner of Luke’s mouth rose….
On page 407 (kindle version) he started 3 paragraphs with “Then.” On page 301 he started two consecutive paragraphs with same phrase: “Work complete, …” He uses the word “There.” as a complete sentence over and over and over.
Writing is tough and a lot of writers, good and bad, end up falling back on crutch words or phrases. But that’s why you have an editor. To say, “hey, this turn of phrase is getting a little repetitive. Could you rework it a bit?” And then a good author is going to take that criticism and be like, “shoot, you’re right. Let me work on that.” Instead it’s just allowed, which, again, just makes it feel like fan fiction.
The worst thing in the whole novel, and the thing that set me off and almost made me stop reading but, instead, ensured this would be a 1 star review rather than a 2 star review, was when there’s an action scene with Luke where the author says something like “but Luke wouldn’t give up.” Then a new paragraph with just the sentence, “Luke Skywalker would NEVER give up.”
It felt like a meta comment by one of those previously mentioned toxic fanboys who hated the Last Jedi characterization of Luke. One of those guys that makes Youtube videos about “Ruin Johnson.” I really don’t need that shit inserted into the fiction. Leave it out. You’re trying to redeem Rise of Skywalker here. Don’t shit on Last Jedi on the way to doing that. Leave your little flat Earth agenda out of it.
Was about to wrap up when I remembered another complaint. Rey’s parent’s reasoning to leave her on Jakku? Stupid, absurd, and forced. Author did his best to come up with a justification on why they would do that and failed miserably. They’re terrible, awful parents. Rey would have been better off with filthy junk traders for parents.
Anyway, probably won’t be reading anymore of these. This interpretation of Luke Skywalker is so bad it even makes his appearances on the Mandalorian seem less interesting. He’s just a blah monk with no personality left.
June 28, 2022
My review for Dork Side of the Force:
Shadow of the Sith, the newest adult Star Wars novel, achieves the rare feat of feeling like it belongs in both the epic, adventurous Legends era and the heart- and soul-infused new canon. It’s a Luke Skywalker story. It’s a Lando Calrissian adventure. It’s a deliciously dark piece of Sith lore. It’s essential reading set in the time period we’ve been waiting years for.
At 496 pages, the book by Adam Christopher is on the lengthier end of the Star Wars book spectrum. But Shadow of the Sith‘s story flies by, telling an edge-of-your-seat tale that seamlessly weaves every era of Star Wars together and builds a sturdy bridge between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
The overarching plotline of Christopher’s novel is the race to help Rey’s parents, Dathan and Miramir, escape the reach of the Sith and Ochi of Bestoon, who’s been tasked with hunting the family of three. Dathan is a Palpatine clone who escaped Exegol, met and married Miramir, and fathered little Rey, who’s about 6 years old in the novel.
At this time, it’s about 17 years after Return of the Jedi and 13 years before The Force Awakens. The galaxy is relatively at peace. The New Republic is in charge, and Luke Skywalker has created a new Jedi Order. His nephew Ben Solo is his first Padawan and helps run the fledgling Jedi temple and train a handful of Force-sensitive younglings.
Lando Calrissian, the swaggering and self-assured gambler-turned-general is now grappling with the grief of losing his daughter. He’s haunted by the loss of Kadara, who was kidnapped six years prior. He’s been scouring the galaxy for any sign of her, and this mission to help a family and their young daughter ignites a fire in him that he hasn’t felt since his days fighting for the Rebellion.
Each main character is haunted by something – though they have different reasons for their dedication to the novel’s mission.
Luke is haunted by visions of the Sith planet Exegol and a disturbance in the Force – all while trying to build the future of the Jedi. For Lando, it’s the hole left by his daughter.
Even Ochi is haunted by the decades of hunting and killing he’s done in dedication to the Sith and a lust for power.
For Dathan and Miramir, Rey is their entire world, their sun, their universe. Her safety is of the utmost priority, and they will do everything in their power to keep her safe.
These two know exactly who is hunting them and why. The book gives the perfect dose of backstory for both, exploring the origins of Miramir’s ingenious tech and engineering skills and how she met Dathan. It also shows that Miramir knew all about who Dathan is and where he came from – and she loves him unconditionally anyway.
Christopher also brilliantly explores the horrors of Dathan’s childhood as a surviving clone of Palpatine, but one who does not exhibit Force sensitivity. Growing up on Exegol with very little care and compassion, it’s astounding that Dathan is capable of the love he exhibits for his wife and daughter.
While Sith assassin and Jedi hunter Ochi of Bestoon is the primary antagonist, he’s not the only villain in this book. The titular and mysterious shadow of the Sith isn’t who you think it is. They’re a fascinating and tragic horror and one that left me craving more Sith legends.
Shadow of the Sith shines like a brilliant red lightsaber when it leans into dark, esoteric Sith lore. When Luke finally confronts this mysterious Sith worshipper, it gets real weird, real fast. The book dips a toe into tales of Star Wars horror I hope we’ll get to read and see more of very soon.
Christopher’s debut Star Wars novel is a high-stakes adventure that builds even more emotional dept into legacy characters like Luke and Lando while fusing them with newer ones like Rey, Dathan, and Miramir.
Though we know how this all ends – with both tragedy and hope – you can’t help but root for Rey’s brilliant and loveable parents as they race across the galaxy trying to keep their daughter safe from the clutches of the Sith.
The novel expands upon the heroic feats of the Luke Skywalker from the original trilogy and sets up the triumphs and tragedies experienced by the hermit Jedi Master of the sequel films. It also boosts the literary work of Chuck Wendig (the Aftermath trilogy) and George Mann, whose Dark Legends anthology is a perfectly creepy accompaniment to Shadow of the Sith.
The lengthy story fills in many of the gaps presented in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, providing must-needed history and context. But the novel is no filler episode.
Shadow of the Sith is its own unique story, expanding and strengthening beloved legacy characters and introducing fascinating new ones. It’s as much a tale of aging war heroes as it is about the emotional ties that bind or break people.
The book’s story will resonate with fans who’ve been in awe of Jedi Luke Skywalker for decades. And it will make newer fans crave even more New Republic-era stories.
Shadow of the Sith is essential, fundamental reading for every kind of Star Wars fan.
Shadow of the Sith, the newest adult Star Wars novel, achieves the rare feat of feeling like it belongs in both the epic, adventurous Legends era and the heart- and soul-infused new canon. It’s a Luke Skywalker story. It’s a Lando Calrissian adventure. It’s a deliciously dark piece of Sith lore. It’s essential reading set in the time period we’ve been waiting years for.
At 496 pages, the book by Adam Christopher is on the lengthier end of the Star Wars book spectrum. But Shadow of the Sith‘s story flies by, telling an edge-of-your-seat tale that seamlessly weaves every era of Star Wars together and builds a sturdy bridge between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
The overarching plotline of Christopher’s novel is the race to help Rey’s parents, Dathan and Miramir, escape the reach of the Sith and Ochi of Bestoon, who’s been tasked with hunting the family of three. Dathan is a Palpatine clone who escaped Exegol, met and married Miramir, and fathered little Rey, who’s about 6 years old in the novel.
At this time, it’s about 17 years after Return of the Jedi and 13 years before The Force Awakens. The galaxy is relatively at peace. The New Republic is in charge, and Luke Skywalker has created a new Jedi Order. His nephew Ben Solo is his first Padawan and helps run the fledgling Jedi temple and train a handful of Force-sensitive younglings.
Lando Calrissian, the swaggering and self-assured gambler-turned-general is now grappling with the grief of losing his daughter. He’s haunted by the loss of Kadara, who was kidnapped six years prior. He’s been scouring the galaxy for any sign of her, and this mission to help a family and their young daughter ignites a fire in him that he hasn’t felt since his days fighting for the Rebellion.
Each main character is haunted by something – though they have different reasons for their dedication to the novel’s mission.
Luke is haunted by visions of the Sith planet Exegol and a disturbance in the Force – all while trying to build the future of the Jedi. For Lando, it’s the hole left by his daughter.
Even Ochi is haunted by the decades of hunting and killing he’s done in dedication to the Sith and a lust for power.
For Dathan and Miramir, Rey is their entire world, their sun, their universe. Her safety is of the utmost priority, and they will do everything in their power to keep her safe.
These two know exactly who is hunting them and why. The book gives the perfect dose of backstory for both, exploring the origins of Miramir’s ingenious tech and engineering skills and how she met Dathan. It also shows that Miramir knew all about who Dathan is and where he came from – and she loves him unconditionally anyway.
Christopher also brilliantly explores the horrors of Dathan’s childhood as a surviving clone of Palpatine, but one who does not exhibit Force sensitivity. Growing up on Exegol with very little care and compassion, it’s astounding that Dathan is capable of the love he exhibits for his wife and daughter.
While Sith assassin and Jedi hunter Ochi of Bestoon is the primary antagonist, he’s not the only villain in this book. The titular and mysterious shadow of the Sith isn’t who you think it is. They’re a fascinating and tragic horror and one that left me craving more Sith legends.
Shadow of the Sith shines like a brilliant red lightsaber when it leans into dark, esoteric Sith lore. When Luke finally confronts this mysterious Sith worshipper, it gets real weird, real fast. The book dips a toe into tales of Star Wars horror I hope we’ll get to read and see more of very soon.
Christopher’s debut Star Wars novel is a high-stakes adventure that builds even more emotional dept into legacy characters like Luke and Lando while fusing them with newer ones like Rey, Dathan, and Miramir.
Though we know how this all ends – with both tragedy and hope – you can’t help but root for Rey’s brilliant and loveable parents as they race across the galaxy trying to keep their daughter safe from the clutches of the Sith.
The novel expands upon the heroic feats of the Luke Skywalker from the original trilogy and sets up the triumphs and tragedies experienced by the hermit Jedi Master of the sequel films. It also boosts the literary work of Chuck Wendig (the Aftermath trilogy) and George Mann, whose Dark Legends anthology is a perfectly creepy accompaniment to Shadow of the Sith.
The lengthy story fills in many of the gaps presented in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, providing must-needed history and context. But the novel is no filler episode.
Shadow of the Sith is its own unique story, expanding and strengthening beloved legacy characters and introducing fascinating new ones. It’s as much a tale of aging war heroes as it is about the emotional ties that bind or break people.
The book’s story will resonate with fans who’ve been in awe of Jedi Luke Skywalker for decades. And it will make newer fans crave even more New Republic-era stories.
Shadow of the Sith is essential, fundamental reading for every kind of Star Wars fan.
July 6, 2022
there were parts of this book where it was hard to be both a dathan and miramir stan and an ochi of bestoon stan if you know what i mean😣😣anyway catch me watching rise of skywalker and sobbinv uncontrollably
June 28, 2022
A core tenet of the “Star Wars” expanded universe is its ability to take underexplored ideas and characters from the films and expand them into something more satisfying. And it feels pretty safe to suggest that the sequel trilogy could greatly benefit from such expansion. Which is exactly what Adam Christopher's “Shadow of the Sith” tries to do. “Shadow of the Sith” dives headfirst into some of the sequel trilogy’s biggest questions. How did Palpatine orchestrate his resurrection? What happened to Rey’s parents before they died? Who killed them? And what were some of the characters from the Original Trilogy up to during all of this? On the surface, “Shadow of the Sith” bursts with captivating ideas and concepts. The problem is that it tries to tackle too many things at once, often completely losing its focus and failing to turn any of its ideas into a truly engaging narrative.
Nearly two decades after the fall of the Empire, Luke Skywalker senses a growing darkness in the Force - visions of a dark, dead planet. Elsewhere, a family desperately searches for somewhere safe to hide from those who would do them harm. But little do they know, an ancient Sith cult has put a bounty on their heads. Or, more specifically, on their daughter, Rey's. A bounty that Ochi of Bestoon is eager to collect. And elsewhere, still, Lando Calrissian distracts himself from his fruitless search to find his missing daughter. But while playing a game of Sabbac, he overhears the mysterious Ochi explaining recruiting a crew of bounty hunters. Lando’s quest to help this family and, if he's lucky, find a hint of his missing daughter draws Luke away from his newly-founded Jedi temple, and into the fray. And soon, it's a race against time as Luke and Lando try to help this family escape the shadow of the Sith.
Overall, “Shadow of the Sith” is a mixed bag of a read. For everything about it that works well, there's something else that keeps it from being as good as it could've been. But first, the positives. “Shadow of the Sith” does a lot of work to help bridge the gap between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Those who've been longing for more of Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, will find a lot to like. This is a Luke who’s confident in his abilities in the Force and eager to share that knowledge with others while remaining dedicated to learning as much as he can. Lando fans will similarly enjoy this glimpse at his actions between trilogies, especially those who felt underwhelmed by his appearance in “The Rise of Skywalker.” But most impressive is the book’s exploration of Rey’s parents - Dathan and Miramir. For how crucial they are to Rey’s arc in the sequel trilogy, we know surprisingly little about them. And it's nice to finally get a glimpse behind that curtain here.
So, what's the problem with the book? Put simply, it tries to do too many different things all at the same time. It's a Luke and Lando team up, following them on a quest to both stop the Sith and help a family in need. But it's also a story about that family, Rey’s family, and it tries to delve deeper into who they are, and what makes them tick. But it's also a story about Ochi of Bestoon, a character briefly mentioned in “The Rise of Skywalker,” and how and why he’s hunting down Rey’s family. And it's a story about an ancient Sith force trying to regain a foothold in the galaxy through an old mask and a young woman named Kiza. Any one of those stories could've easily made for a compelling novel. Even the combination of a couple of them might've been enjoyable. But cramming all of them together in the same book? It's too much.
Despite the ways Christopher tries to connect these storylines, it rarely feels like they needed to be connected. And instead of expanding the “Star Wars” universe, it does the thing the Prequel Trilogy often did and contracts it. Was there any real reason for Luke and Lando to be involved at all with Rey’s past? Christopher tries to use Lando's attempts to save Rey and her family as a way for him to make up for being unable to find his daughter after her kidnapping. But surely a more compelling story for Lando would've been to explore the immediate aftermath of said kidnapping, an event that's hinted at throughout this story (and in “The Rise of Skywalker”) but continues to go without exploration. And the bulk of Luke’s storyline feels so disconnected from Lando and Dathan/Miramir’s that it makes you question why it's part of this book at all.
Additionally, there's constantly so much going on all at the same time that you're never able to stay with one storyline long enough to properly get invested in it. There's little time for any meaningful character development after the first third of the book - give or take. Instead, it often feels like you're just reading a bunch of information, a collection of checkboxes getting ticked off, instead of a compelling story. There's so much going on but very little happens. Because at its heart, “Shadow of the Sith” isn't really telling its own story, but rather acting as a prelude for another story. A necessary prelude, to be sure, but a prelude nonetheless. But because of that, the book primarily has to spin its wheels setting up other stories instead of truly telling its own.
And not only does “Shadow of the Sith” not stand on its own, but it frequently ends up being almost wholly inaccessible to a casual fan. Despite Christopher’s fairly solid exposition, several major characters in the book are completely unfamiliar to those who only watch the movies. And while Christopher gives you about as much as you need to know for the story to work, it always feels like something’s missing. And not in the fun way that prompts you into diving further into the expanded universe, but in the frustrating way that makes it harder to get invested in the story you're reading. Those who are familiar with those characters, like Ochi and Kiza, who've had tons of stories in other expanded universe media will be delighted by their appearances here. But for everyone else, it might be a bit less appealing.
I really wanted to enjoy “Shadow of the Sith.” I've enjoyed a lot of the other books in the current “Star Wars” EU. But “Shadow of the Sith” just didn't quite work for me. While there are some captivating ideas scattered throughout the novel, everything feels a bit too disjointed for any of those ideas to end up being satisfyingly explored. The book constantly jumps between nearly half a dozen POV characters, hindering both the novel's pacing and the reader's ability to truly connect with the novel's characters. And as for the plot, there's simultaneously too much going on and nowhere near enough to support the nearly 500-page length. So, while I enjoyed parts of the book, I can't say I enjoyed it as a whole. I'm sure some fans will absolutely adore this book, and more power to them. But it just wasn't quite my cup of tea.
Nearly two decades after the fall of the Empire, Luke Skywalker senses a growing darkness in the Force - visions of a dark, dead planet. Elsewhere, a family desperately searches for somewhere safe to hide from those who would do them harm. But little do they know, an ancient Sith cult has put a bounty on their heads. Or, more specifically, on their daughter, Rey's. A bounty that Ochi of Bestoon is eager to collect. And elsewhere, still, Lando Calrissian distracts himself from his fruitless search to find his missing daughter. But while playing a game of Sabbac, he overhears the mysterious Ochi explaining recruiting a crew of bounty hunters. Lando’s quest to help this family and, if he's lucky, find a hint of his missing daughter draws Luke away from his newly-founded Jedi temple, and into the fray. And soon, it's a race against time as Luke and Lando try to help this family escape the shadow of the Sith.
Overall, “Shadow of the Sith” is a mixed bag of a read. For everything about it that works well, there's something else that keeps it from being as good as it could've been. But first, the positives. “Shadow of the Sith” does a lot of work to help bridge the gap between the original trilogy and the sequel trilogy. Those who've been longing for more of Luke Skywalker, the Jedi Master, will find a lot to like. This is a Luke who’s confident in his abilities in the Force and eager to share that knowledge with others while remaining dedicated to learning as much as he can. Lando fans will similarly enjoy this glimpse at his actions between trilogies, especially those who felt underwhelmed by his appearance in “The Rise of Skywalker.” But most impressive is the book’s exploration of Rey’s parents - Dathan and Miramir. For how crucial they are to Rey’s arc in the sequel trilogy, we know surprisingly little about them. And it's nice to finally get a glimpse behind that curtain here.
So, what's the problem with the book? Put simply, it tries to do too many different things all at the same time. It's a Luke and Lando team up, following them on a quest to both stop the Sith and help a family in need. But it's also a story about that family, Rey’s family, and it tries to delve deeper into who they are, and what makes them tick. But it's also a story about Ochi of Bestoon, a character briefly mentioned in “The Rise of Skywalker,” and how and why he’s hunting down Rey’s family. And it's a story about an ancient Sith force trying to regain a foothold in the galaxy through an old mask and a young woman named Kiza. Any one of those stories could've easily made for a compelling novel. Even the combination of a couple of them might've been enjoyable. But cramming all of them together in the same book? It's too much.
Despite the ways Christopher tries to connect these storylines, it rarely feels like they needed to be connected. And instead of expanding the “Star Wars” universe, it does the thing the Prequel Trilogy often did and contracts it. Was there any real reason for Luke and Lando to be involved at all with Rey’s past? Christopher tries to use Lando's attempts to save Rey and her family as a way for him to make up for being unable to find his daughter after her kidnapping. But surely a more compelling story for Lando would've been to explore the immediate aftermath of said kidnapping, an event that's hinted at throughout this story (and in “The Rise of Skywalker”) but continues to go without exploration. And the bulk of Luke’s storyline feels so disconnected from Lando and Dathan/Miramir’s that it makes you question why it's part of this book at all.
Additionally, there's constantly so much going on all at the same time that you're never able to stay with one storyline long enough to properly get invested in it. There's little time for any meaningful character development after the first third of the book - give or take. Instead, it often feels like you're just reading a bunch of information, a collection of checkboxes getting ticked off, instead of a compelling story. There's so much going on but very little happens. Because at its heart, “Shadow of the Sith” isn't really telling its own story, but rather acting as a prelude for another story. A necessary prelude, to be sure, but a prelude nonetheless. But because of that, the book primarily has to spin its wheels setting up other stories instead of truly telling its own.
And not only does “Shadow of the Sith” not stand on its own, but it frequently ends up being almost wholly inaccessible to a casual fan. Despite Christopher’s fairly solid exposition, several major characters in the book are completely unfamiliar to those who only watch the movies. And while Christopher gives you about as much as you need to know for the story to work, it always feels like something’s missing. And not in the fun way that prompts you into diving further into the expanded universe, but in the frustrating way that makes it harder to get invested in the story you're reading. Those who are familiar with those characters, like Ochi and Kiza, who've had tons of stories in other expanded universe media will be delighted by their appearances here. But for everyone else, it might be a bit less appealing.
I really wanted to enjoy “Shadow of the Sith.” I've enjoyed a lot of the other books in the current “Star Wars” EU. But “Shadow of the Sith” just didn't quite work for me. While there are some captivating ideas scattered throughout the novel, everything feels a bit too disjointed for any of those ideas to end up being satisfyingly explored. The book constantly jumps between nearly half a dozen POV characters, hindering both the novel's pacing and the reader's ability to truly connect with the novel's characters. And as for the plot, there's simultaneously too much going on and nowhere near enough to support the nearly 500-page length. So, while I enjoyed parts of the book, I can't say I enjoyed it as a whole. I'm sure some fans will absolutely adore this book, and more power to them. But it just wasn't quite my cup of tea.
September 14, 2023
Introduction
Adam Christopher's first Star Wars novel and he did a good job, though I have mixed feelings about this book but I think they have more to do with Disney than the author. Let's dive in.
The Bad
The Star Wars Disney canon has been seriously lacking in Sith representation. My issues with Shadow of the Sith are similar to my thoughts on Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp... they slap a sexy cover on the book and make you think that it's going to really dive into the Sith like they did in Legends, but they really just scratch the surface. In addition, I was hoping that this book would fix some plot holes or at least provide some context for the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. While it did answer some questions with respect to Rey and her parents, Ochi, Lando, Luke, and Lor San Tekka... the book failed to answer the biggest question of all... what the heck was going on on Exegol? The mystery character was also a huge let down, as was Ochi. How he ended up on Pasaana was soooooo stupid. If the galaxy's greatest hunter is truly that dumb, he deserved to die.
The Good
Many of my complaints pertain to what we didn't get out of this book. What was delivered was mostly good, but like I said, I just wanted more questions answered. I liked learning about how Rey ended up on Jakku, how Ochi and Lando ended up on Pasaana, Luke and Lor San Tekka's relationship, Lando's daughter, Dathan and Miramir (Rey's parents) backstory, and the lore behind Ochi's dagger.
Conclusion
Overall, my gripes mainly come from my high expectations. Star Wars Disney canon is so scared to explore the Sith and I was really disappointed when this book failed to deliver on that front. Otherwise, it's a good book but with no real climax and it expands some of the lore surrounding the Sequel Trilogy, but leaves a lot to be desired.
3.5 stars rounded up
Adam Christopher's first Star Wars novel and he did a good job, though I have mixed feelings about this book but I think they have more to do with Disney than the author. Let's dive in.
The Bad
The Star Wars Disney canon has been seriously lacking in Sith representation. My issues with Shadow of the Sith are similar to my thoughts on Lords of the Sith by Paul S. Kemp... they slap a sexy cover on the book and make you think that it's going to really dive into the Sith like they did in Legends, but they really just scratch the surface. In addition, I was hoping that this book would fix some plot holes or at least provide some context for the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. While it did answer some questions with respect to Rey and her parents, Ochi, Lando, Luke, and Lor San Tekka... the book failed to answer the biggest question of all... what the heck was going on on Exegol? The mystery character was also a huge let down, as was Ochi. How he ended up on Pasaana was soooooo stupid. If the galaxy's greatest hunter is truly that dumb, he deserved to die.
The Good
Many of my complaints pertain to what we didn't get out of this book. What was delivered was mostly good, but like I said, I just wanted more questions answered. I liked learning about how Rey ended up on Jakku, how Ochi and Lando ended up on Pasaana, Luke and Lor San Tekka's relationship, Lando's daughter, Dathan and Miramir (Rey's parents) backstory, and the lore behind Ochi's dagger.
Conclusion
Overall, my gripes mainly come from my high expectations. Star Wars Disney canon is so scared to explore the Sith and I was really disappointed when this book failed to deliver on that front. Otherwise, it's a good book but with no real climax and it expands some of the lore surrounding the Sequel Trilogy, but leaves a lot to be desired.
3.5 stars rounded up
January 1, 2024
OMG! This was only book I read in 2023! 😅
I’d read a few chapters one day and then I’d wait a month to read more. 2024 will be a much better year for reading, I swear!
The book itself really wasn’t that great. It was purely written to fill in some gaps from The Rise of Skywalker. The new characters were stupid and the existing characters stories were just plain boring.
I’d read a few chapters one day and then I’d wait a month to read more. 2024 will be a much better year for reading, I swear!
The book itself really wasn’t that great. It was purely written to fill in some gaps from The Rise of Skywalker. The new characters were stupid and the existing characters stories were just plain boring.
July 24, 2022
Just finished it! What an utterly amazing and well-written book. I love al the Dark Side lore we got, the character development they all went through, the time we spent with Rey and her parents (damn, their goodbye and the death of those two were some REALLY sad moments...). Ochi didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Only healing. Also, the Sith dagger and what it did to Ochi was BRUTAL, up to him gulping coolant straight out of his ship. Fantastic. Man I loved this so much! I can't say it enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2022
As Adam Christopher’s first Star Wars novel —he has written two short stories collected in FACPOV and FACPOV:ESB—, Shadows of the Sith takes us right back to the sequels, and more specifically, sets a whole backstory to a lot of the events and characters appearing in The Rise Of Skywalker movie.
Shadow of the Sith follows Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian —two characters that we know and love— as they each have to face their own challenges. On one hand, Luke is dealing with strange visions of the dark side, brought to him by the Force. On the other hand, Lando is trying to cope with the fact that his daughter was abducted, as he finds fewer and fewer leads to where she could be and appears more disheartened than ever. Following the report of a new Sith menace, our heroes find themselves on a hunt for Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin and devotee, while trying to protect the family Ochi has been tracking down.
From the very first chapter, I knew this novel would be one of my favourite Star Wars books. Having finished it now, I can say it was absolutely true! Christopher’s skills at making characters both true to themselves and very compelling has a lot to do with it. I went into this book completely blind —as I do most of the times—, and having seen only the cover art, I knew nothing more than the characters that were on it. Coincidently, on the same week end I got this book in the mail, I was in the middle of a long overdue sequel rewatch: best timing ever!
The story told in Shadows of the Sith was designed to answer questions, and does so in a meaningful and compelling way. It does a great job at giving depth to things that, otherwise, would have remained succinct lines of dialogue, unaddressed. The first part of this book is a real page turner. And I mean it! I couldn’t put the book down. The chapters alternate different points of view: the family’s, Luke’s and Lando’s, as well as Ochi’s.. And some mysterious interludes. Let me tell you, with the significant stack of Star Wars books that I’ve read so far, never have I ever found one that did so well when it comes to finding a character’s voice. Every point of view is so unique, and it shows in how different the author’s writing is with each character. I was completely amazed at how Christopher wrote Ochi, especially in his introduction (chapter 5).
Both of the antagonists are absolutely fascinating, in their own way. Ochi is pretty straight-forward, he wants one thing and he’s determined to get it, by any means possible; the second one (that I will not name) is enigmatic and powerful, a luring menace, inevitably leaving us with an unquenchable thirst for more. Who is this strange being, hidden in the shadows and secrets of a mysterious mask? What do they want, and how far are they willing to go for it? These chapters really teased my curiosity.
As much as I love this novel and the whole crafting of the story, I have to admit that it took me a lot longer to go through the middle of the book. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is. Maybe the pacing that can be a bit off sometimes, in my opinion? Maybe the chapters that center a lot more and Lando and Luke and a lot less on Ochi? I know, it’s probably just me, because I always want to read more about Ochi, and I’m not the most passionate person about Luke. Also, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad with the middle of the book, it’s just my impression: that it took me a while to get to the point I was looking for in this story. Everything is a matter of perspective, right? Still, it gives off the feeling that it needs to: when the characters are forced to slow down because they’re facing dead ends.
It’s my first time ever reading a work of Christopher’s. I’m probably not the best person to talk about someone’s writing, but I had a feeling that the uses of certain words or expressions seemed redundant. Quite often, the characters are described “smiling” or “grinning”, it felt both repetitive and slightly too cheesy for me I guess; I would’ve appreciated to see a bit more diversity in the vocabulary choices. But it’s fine, everyone needs a bit of happiness in their daily galactic adventures!
That said, Shadows of the Sith also takes on the challenging task of telling a story that builds a lot of ties with other Star Wars media, referencing events and names that the curious reader will be glad to hunt for. To quote only a few of them, the seeing stone on Tython is mentioned and was previously seen in The Mandalorian (season 2); one of the characters pilots a TIE Defender that was part of a project originally led by Grand Admiral Thrawn; and some of the Sith relics that were mentioned also appear in the Lando comic series.
To talk about the physical side of the book, the context clues introducing each chapter (coordinates and timeline) are a nice addition and help keep up with the multiple point of views and the back and forth between then and now. Overall, the graphic style is a welcome detail to draw attention to certain things. I liked the use of a different font in some of the dialogue, as well as the chapters’ headers. Needless to say that the cover art also does a great job at drawing your attention! It’s gorgeous!
This book gives sequel fans a lot of new pieces of the puzzle that we were missing. As the plot unfolds, we get to discover some secrets that were hinted at but never truly revealed in the movies. Rey’s parents are given names, and a super interesting backstory. Not only are these characters’ storylines very compelling, but their presence also gives us the agonising sensation that a clock is ticking, louder and louder, until Dathan and Miramir meet the tragic fate that we all know awaits them. We’re also given a better insight as to why Rey ends up as a scavenger in Niima Outpost on Jakku, “working” to pay back her parents’ debt to Unkar Plutt.
As one of my favourite Star Wars novels so far, Shadow of the Sith has definitely given the sequel fan in me a lot to feast on. In my opinion, the highlight of this book is the backstory and exposure given to characters that were not granted enough screen time in The Rise Of Skywalker, and Christopher’s talent at finding the right voices for the varying points of view of every chapter. If you’ve been waiting for something to bridge the gaps of the sequels, if you’re just dying to get another Luke & Lando adventure, or if you’re always the first to ask for an epic adventure in space, then this is a must-read for you!
What to read if you want more:
The Rise Of Skywalker (novelisation) by Rae Carson
Last Shot (adult novel) by Daniel Jose Older
Lando (comic series) by Charles Soule
Darth Vader (2020) (comic series) by Greg Pak
Shadow of the Sith follows Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian —two characters that we know and love— as they each have to face their own challenges. On one hand, Luke is dealing with strange visions of the dark side, brought to him by the Force. On the other hand, Lando is trying to cope with the fact that his daughter was abducted, as he finds fewer and fewer leads to where she could be and appears more disheartened than ever. Following the report of a new Sith menace, our heroes find themselves on a hunt for Ochi of Bestoon, a Sith assassin and devotee, while trying to protect the family Ochi has been tracking down.
From the very first chapter, I knew this novel would be one of my favourite Star Wars books. Having finished it now, I can say it was absolutely true! Christopher’s skills at making characters both true to themselves and very compelling has a lot to do with it. I went into this book completely blind —as I do most of the times—, and having seen only the cover art, I knew nothing more than the characters that were on it. Coincidently, on the same week end I got this book in the mail, I was in the middle of a long overdue sequel rewatch: best timing ever!
The story told in Shadows of the Sith was designed to answer questions, and does so in a meaningful and compelling way. It does a great job at giving depth to things that, otherwise, would have remained succinct lines of dialogue, unaddressed. The first part of this book is a real page turner. And I mean it! I couldn’t put the book down. The chapters alternate different points of view: the family’s, Luke’s and Lando’s, as well as Ochi’s.. And some mysterious interludes. Let me tell you, with the significant stack of Star Wars books that I’ve read so far, never have I ever found one that did so well when it comes to finding a character’s voice. Every point of view is so unique, and it shows in how different the author’s writing is with each character. I was completely amazed at how Christopher wrote Ochi, especially in his introduction (chapter 5).
Both of the antagonists are absolutely fascinating, in their own way. Ochi is pretty straight-forward, he wants one thing and he’s determined to get it, by any means possible; the second one (that I will not name) is enigmatic and powerful, a luring menace, inevitably leaving us with an unquenchable thirst for more. Who is this strange being, hidden in the shadows and secrets of a mysterious mask? What do they want, and how far are they willing to go for it? These chapters really teased my curiosity.
As much as I love this novel and the whole crafting of the story, I have to admit that it took me a lot longer to go through the middle of the book. I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is. Maybe the pacing that can be a bit off sometimes, in my opinion? Maybe the chapters that center a lot more and Lando and Luke and a lot less on Ochi? I know, it’s probably just me, because I always want to read more about Ochi, and I’m not the most passionate person about Luke. Also, don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing bad with the middle of the book, it’s just my impression: that it took me a while to get to the point I was looking for in this story. Everything is a matter of perspective, right? Still, it gives off the feeling that it needs to: when the characters are forced to slow down because they’re facing dead ends.
It’s my first time ever reading a work of Christopher’s. I’m probably not the best person to talk about someone’s writing, but I had a feeling that the uses of certain words or expressions seemed redundant. Quite often, the characters are described “smiling” or “grinning”, it felt both repetitive and slightly too cheesy for me I guess; I would’ve appreciated to see a bit more diversity in the vocabulary choices. But it’s fine, everyone needs a bit of happiness in their daily galactic adventures!
That said, Shadows of the Sith also takes on the challenging task of telling a story that builds a lot of ties with other Star Wars media, referencing events and names that the curious reader will be glad to hunt for. To quote only a few of them, the seeing stone on Tython is mentioned and was previously seen in The Mandalorian (season 2); one of the characters pilots a TIE Defender that was part of a project originally led by Grand Admiral Thrawn; and some of the Sith relics that were mentioned also appear in the Lando comic series.
To talk about the physical side of the book, the context clues introducing each chapter (coordinates and timeline) are a nice addition and help keep up with the multiple point of views and the back and forth between then and now. Overall, the graphic style is a welcome detail to draw attention to certain things. I liked the use of a different font in some of the dialogue, as well as the chapters’ headers. Needless to say that the cover art also does a great job at drawing your attention! It’s gorgeous!
This book gives sequel fans a lot of new pieces of the puzzle that we were missing. As the plot unfolds, we get to discover some secrets that were hinted at but never truly revealed in the movies. Rey’s parents are given names, and a super interesting backstory. Not only are these characters’ storylines very compelling, but their presence also gives us the agonising sensation that a clock is ticking, louder and louder, until Dathan and Miramir meet the tragic fate that we all know awaits them. We’re also given a better insight as to why Rey ends up as a scavenger in Niima Outpost on Jakku, “working” to pay back her parents’ debt to Unkar Plutt.
As one of my favourite Star Wars novels so far, Shadow of the Sith has definitely given the sequel fan in me a lot to feast on. In my opinion, the highlight of this book is the backstory and exposure given to characters that were not granted enough screen time in The Rise Of Skywalker, and Christopher’s talent at finding the right voices for the varying points of view of every chapter. If you’ve been waiting for something to bridge the gaps of the sequels, if you’re just dying to get another Luke & Lando adventure, or if you’re always the first to ask for an epic adventure in space, then this is a must-read for you!
What to read if you want more:
The Rise Of Skywalker (novelisation) by Rae Carson
Last Shot (adult novel) by Daniel Jose Older
Lando (comic series) by Charles Soule
Darth Vader (2020) (comic series) by Greg Pak
November 8, 2022
4.5 stars.
Adam Christopher has written an engaging and entertaining Star Wars story, set between "Return of the Jedi and "The Force Awakens", and provides some background to the situations we encounter in the third trilogy.
We have the following in this book:
-Dathan, Miramir and young Rey are on the run, terrified of who’s after them, and desperate to keep Rey safe.
-Luke is having inexplicable dark visions, and travels with Lor San Tekka, hoping to determine the visions' meaning. He leaves a teen Ben in charge at the Jedi Academy.
-Ochi of Bestoon, former Jedi killer, is forced by a member of the Sith Eternal, Kiza, to locate and bring Rey to Exegol. He's hoping he'll get a Sith Wayfinder for his troubles.
-Lando is losing hope, but continues to search everywhere for a clue, however tiny, that might lead him to his kidnapped daughter, Kadara Calrissian. He overhears a drunken Ochi talking about the bounty hunter's current job. Ochi mentions the word “Sith”, and Lando knows there’s only one person who can help him with that kind of problem.
-Kiza wears a mask inhabited by a dead Sith Lord, and wants to find the broken shards of kyber crystal for some nefarious purpose. She has no will of her own, being in thrall to the entity in the mask.
All these people end up converging in this fascinating and terrific story by Adam Christopher. It provides some small fleshing out of Lor San Tekka's relationship with Luke, shows us Rey’s devoted parents, and brings home how different Dathan is, though a Palpy clone, from his evil originating model. We see this in his love for his partner Miramar and daughter Rey, and how determined he is to escape the Sith's clutches.
I loved seeing a much older Lando, still a super sharp dresser, but somewhat worn down from six years of grief and fear for his missing daughter. And Luke (though never a favourite of mine) comes off well in this story. He’s got a number of students, and he’s still got a reasonably good relationship with Ben, his powerful-in-the-Force adolescent nephew. This only makes the oncoming Skywalker family tragedy and Ben's move to the First Order that much worse.
Adam Christopher has also created a few interesting new characters in this book: Kiza, Komak and her droid companion, KB-68. Though not a new character, D-O is adorable, though badly served by his abusive current owner, Ochi.
This book had great Lando moments, who was working through his own guilt at not yet finding his daughter by helping out Rey's desperate parents. I also appreciated getting a sense of the Sith Eternal. Overall, this book was fun, tense with lots of action, and really liked what Adam Christopher did connecting up different parts of the Star Wars timeline.
Adam Christopher has written an engaging and entertaining Star Wars story, set between "Return of the Jedi and "The Force Awakens", and provides some background to the situations we encounter in the third trilogy.
We have the following in this book:
-Dathan, Miramir and young Rey are on the run, terrified of who’s after them, and desperate to keep Rey safe.
-Luke is having inexplicable dark visions, and travels with Lor San Tekka, hoping to determine the visions' meaning. He leaves a teen Ben in charge at the Jedi Academy.
-Ochi of Bestoon, former Jedi killer, is forced by a member of the Sith Eternal, Kiza, to locate and bring Rey to Exegol. He's hoping he'll get a Sith Wayfinder for his troubles.
-Lando is losing hope, but continues to search everywhere for a clue, however tiny, that might lead him to his kidnapped daughter, Kadara Calrissian. He overhears a drunken Ochi talking about the bounty hunter's current job. Ochi mentions the word “Sith”, and Lando knows there’s only one person who can help him with that kind of problem.
-Kiza wears a mask inhabited by a dead Sith Lord, and wants to find the broken shards of kyber crystal for some nefarious purpose. She has no will of her own, being in thrall to the entity in the mask.
All these people end up converging in this fascinating and terrific story by Adam Christopher. It provides some small fleshing out of Lor San Tekka's relationship with Luke, shows us Rey’s devoted parents, and brings home how different Dathan is, though a Palpy clone, from his evil originating model. We see this in his love for his partner Miramar and daughter Rey, and how determined he is to escape the Sith's clutches.
I loved seeing a much older Lando, still a super sharp dresser, but somewhat worn down from six years of grief and fear for his missing daughter. And Luke (though never a favourite of mine) comes off well in this story. He’s got a number of students, and he’s still got a reasonably good relationship with Ben, his powerful-in-the-Force adolescent nephew. This only makes the oncoming Skywalker family tragedy and Ben's move to the First Order that much worse.
Adam Christopher has also created a few interesting new characters in this book: Kiza, Komak and her droid companion, KB-68. Though not a new character, D-O is adorable, though badly served by his abusive current owner, Ochi.
This book had great Lando moments, who was working through his own guilt at not yet finding his daughter by helping out Rey's desperate parents. I also appreciated getting a sense of the Sith Eternal. Overall, this book was fun, tense with lots of action, and really liked what Adam Christopher did connecting up different parts of the Star Wars timeline.
July 7, 2022
My thoughts on this book could probably be wrapped up in one statement: There were plenty of great moments and characters, but the writing was a sloppy mess. I honestly feel this describes my feelings about Star Wars in general lately, except for the Mandalorian and The High Republic. The plots of many recent Star Wars projects, especially the sequels, have been plagued by poor writing with vague mystery boxes and unsatisfying resolutions. This book was no exception to that trend.
Even though I think the story of the sequel trilogy is a mess, I still have a lot of fun watching it and love so many of the characters. So, I was excited to get a new book that could potentially have a positive impact on my sequel re-watch experience by explaining some of the more annoying plot holes. Unfortunately, I think this book did the opposite. It tied heavily into the Rey Palpatine storyline from The Rise of Skywalker, which shouldn't come as a surprise given the blurb. However, it didn't answer that many questions, and the ones it did answer felt incredibly unsatisfying. To make matters worse, now I have even more questions than before. I think it is safe to say that you probably shouldn't waste your time on this book if you don't like The Rise of Skywalker, but even if you do, prepare to potentially come away underwhelmed.
The plot and pacing were all over the place. It took 16 chapters to get back to the characters from the first chapter. There was so much set up in the first 150 pages that it felt like the story took forever to go anywhere. To make matters worse, a lot of the setup felt unnecessary to this story because its only purpose was to fill holes in The Rise of Skywalker. For example, there was quite a bit of stuff during the first part of the book involving the Sith Eternal, but then they were absent for the rest of the book. There were so many different story threads mashed in here that it felt like they were competing with one another rather than telling a cohesive story. That being said, many of those individual story threads were extremely cool and would have made great books on their own. The way they were forced together just didn't work for me at all.
The characters were definitely the bright spot of this book. It was so much fun to read about Luke during this time period. The snapshots of his temple and his relationship with Ben were worth the price of the book. Lando was definitely the heart of the novel, though, and his turmoil over losing his daughter injected a great deal of raw emotion into the story. It was also interesting to see them, especially Lando, coming to terms with being middle-aged since I'm rapidly approaching that phase of life myself. The rest of the characters were fascinating, as well, but there were so many POVs they just sort of got lost in the shuffle. Of note, Rey's parents were a huge part of the story, but I didn't find their inclusion added much to this story (other than being an unnecessary secondary impetus to action for Luke to investigate the Sith) or Rey's overall journey. It didn't help that their fateful decision to abandon Rey was incredibly illogical due to the need to conform to the ridiculous constraints created by The Rise of Skywalker.
The other thing I really liked about this book was all of the Sith content. There was a lot of information about Sith relics and history that was super fascinating to read. I honestly wish the book had leaned into this aspect of the story even harder. I would have loved a tight story about Luke chasing down the ghost of a renegade Sith lord while struggling to balance his role as Master of his temple. It is one of the many story threads in this book that I enjoyed a lot but couldn't really get into because of all the jumping around. So, despite a lot of cool stuff about the Sith being included, the plot involving them didn't make a whole lot of sense.
Overall, this book was a pretty big disappointment despite having some really great moments with Luke and Lando. It also included some pretty cool Sith artifacts and abilities even though I didn't particularly care for how they were used in this story. Ultimately, it was just too many different stories forced into one that was also heavily constrained by the nonsensical plot of The Rise of Skywalker. Therefore, I rate this one 3 out of 5 stars.
Even though I think the story of the sequel trilogy is a mess, I still have a lot of fun watching it and love so many of the characters. So, I was excited to get a new book that could potentially have a positive impact on my sequel re-watch experience by explaining some of the more annoying plot holes. Unfortunately, I think this book did the opposite. It tied heavily into the Rey Palpatine storyline from The Rise of Skywalker, which shouldn't come as a surprise given the blurb. However, it didn't answer that many questions, and the ones it did answer felt incredibly unsatisfying. To make matters worse, now I have even more questions than before. I think it is safe to say that you probably shouldn't waste your time on this book if you don't like The Rise of Skywalker, but even if you do, prepare to potentially come away underwhelmed.
The plot and pacing were all over the place. It took 16 chapters to get back to the characters from the first chapter. There was so much set up in the first 150 pages that it felt like the story took forever to go anywhere. To make matters worse, a lot of the setup felt unnecessary to this story because its only purpose was to fill holes in The Rise of Skywalker. For example, there was quite a bit of stuff during the first part of the book involving the Sith Eternal, but then they were absent for the rest of the book. There were so many different story threads mashed in here that it felt like they were competing with one another rather than telling a cohesive story. That being said, many of those individual story threads were extremely cool and would have made great books on their own. The way they were forced together just didn't work for me at all.
The characters were definitely the bright spot of this book. It was so much fun to read about Luke during this time period. The snapshots of his temple and his relationship with Ben were worth the price of the book. Lando was definitely the heart of the novel, though, and his turmoil over losing his daughter injected a great deal of raw emotion into the story. It was also interesting to see them, especially Lando, coming to terms with being middle-aged since I'm rapidly approaching that phase of life myself. The rest of the characters were fascinating, as well, but there were so many POVs they just sort of got lost in the shuffle. Of note, Rey's parents were a huge part of the story, but I didn't find their inclusion added much to this story (other than being an unnecessary secondary impetus to action for Luke to investigate the Sith) or Rey's overall journey. It didn't help that their fateful decision to abandon Rey was incredibly illogical due to the need to conform to the ridiculous constraints created by The Rise of Skywalker.
The other thing I really liked about this book was all of the Sith content. There was a lot of information about Sith relics and history that was super fascinating to read. I honestly wish the book had leaned into this aspect of the story even harder. I would have loved a tight story about Luke chasing down the ghost of a renegade Sith lord while struggling to balance his role as Master of his temple. It is one of the many story threads in this book that I enjoyed a lot but couldn't really get into because of all the jumping around. So, despite a lot of cool stuff about the Sith being included, the plot involving them didn't make a whole lot of sense.
Overall, this book was a pretty big disappointment despite having some really great moments with Luke and Lando. It also included some pretty cool Sith artifacts and abilities even though I didn't particularly care for how they were used in this story. Ultimately, it was just too many different stories forced into one that was also heavily constrained by the nonsensical plot of The Rise of Skywalker. Therefore, I rate this one 3 out of 5 stars.
July 3, 2022
So…I have issues. Let’s get the good stuff out of the way: it reads like a “Legends” novel, with all the complexity and depth of an earlier time. The writing style is excellent, and everyone is characterized to the hilt. Ochi of Bestoon is the most successfully realized annoying creature ever committed to print. The author is also a Doctor Who fan…and a considerably geeky one, considering the references I noted.
BUT…this entire novel seems to exist to try and turn the sow’s ear that is the Episode 9 retcon of Rey’s parents into a silk purse worthy of Prada…and I’m not sure that it does. Adam Christopher moves mountains (hell, he moves planets) to make it work…and I don’t see anyone else coming close to what he achieves here. That said, this novel makes me feel even worse about the retcon…proving that JJ Abrams simply didn’t understand the beauty of Episode 8’s revelation about Rey’s parents. They DID NOT have to be someone…the fact that they could be nothing meant that Rey’s destiny was even more clearly her own. In fact, the more I think about this, the angrier I become.
So, I’d list the premise as 3 stars at best…and I’d list the execution as 5 stars. Giving it four stars splits the difference. So much glorious effort over such a retrograde premise. I hope Adam Christopher gets another shot at a Lucasverse novel with a background that doesn’t make me feel so…belligerent.
BUT…this entire novel seems to exist to try and turn the sow’s ear that is the Episode 9 retcon of Rey’s parents into a silk purse worthy of Prada…and I’m not sure that it does. Adam Christopher moves mountains (hell, he moves planets) to make it work…and I don’t see anyone else coming close to what he achieves here. That said, this novel makes me feel even worse about the retcon…proving that JJ Abrams simply didn’t understand the beauty of Episode 8’s revelation about Rey’s parents. They DID NOT have to be someone…the fact that they could be nothing meant that Rey’s destiny was even more clearly her own. In fact, the more I think about this, the angrier I become.
So, I’d list the premise as 3 stars at best…and I’d list the execution as 5 stars. Giving it four stars splits the difference. So much glorious effort over such a retrograde premise. I hope Adam Christopher gets another shot at a Lucasverse novel with a background that doesn’t make me feel so…belligerent.
July 27, 2022
Reading canon material in the sequel era is always difficult because of my disagreements with some of the overall plot and character choices made, and because previous novels and comics were published while the sequel films were being made, and couldn’t touch certain things. Even now as the Mandalorian and other live action shows explore the post-ROTJ era, it can be frustrating for certain characters to be off limits or conspicuously absent. That being said, this was such a refreshing read. I might be biased because this was written and published after the sequels were finished, and because Lando is one of my favorite characters, but this novel did an absolutely outstanding job threading the needle of some of the weird and nonsensical things proposed in the Rise of Skywalker and connecting it with everything else. I genuinely cried at certain moments. I wish the sequels themselves had had this care for the characters, both new and legacy.
As a Lando fan, this novel and Last Shot are so deeply wonderful for me, and gave him the respect and depth he deserves. Exploring his friendship with Luke made them both such real and lived characters, and it felt like when I read the perfect fan fiction where the author just gets it.
Also I cannot recommend the audiobook more. While I love Marc Thompson dearly, William DeMeritt had such a TREMENDOUS performance and the production was stellar. Please bring him back for both Del Rey and Disney Star Wars audiobooks!
As a Lando fan, this novel and Last Shot are so deeply wonderful for me, and gave him the respect and depth he deserves. Exploring his friendship with Luke made them both such real and lived characters, and it felt like when I read the perfect fan fiction where the author just gets it.
Also I cannot recommend the audiobook more. While I love Marc Thompson dearly, William DeMeritt had such a TREMENDOUS performance and the production was stellar. Please bring him back for both Del Rey and Disney Star Wars audiobooks!
July 12, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Shadow of the Sith addresses key missing pieces from the sequel era, featuring Luke Skywalker at his strongest and most nuanced portrayal in current canon, along with important backstory about Exegol and Rey’s origins. However, the novel’s slow pacing and dense detail might not appeal to all readers.
8 out of 10
Shadow of the Sith addresses key missing pieces from the sequel era, featuring Luke Skywalker at his strongest and most nuanced portrayal in current canon, along with important backstory about Exegol and Rey’s origins. However, the novel’s slow pacing and dense detail might not appeal to all readers.
8 out of 10
Want to read
July 24, 2022In love with this color scheme...
This is SO THICK for a Star Wars book, especially for one that's a tie-in as opposed to, like, High Republic or something.
This is SO THICK for a Star Wars book, especially for one that's a tie-in as opposed to, like, High Republic or something.
July 14, 2022
Bleh. A boring story told badly.
June 18, 2022
When Star Wars told the stories of Rey, her parents, and her mentors in the sequel trilogy, it hinted at the mysterious terrors of the past. Who was Ochi of Bestoon, really? What happened to Lando Calrissian's daughter? What set Luke Skywalker on a path that eventually prompted him to turn away from the Force?
Adam Christopher's SHADOW OF THE SITH gives backstory to many of these events, serving as the beginning of a well-constructed bridge between the original and sequel trilogies. It introduces readers to Rey's parents, it sends Luke Skywalker on a dangerous quest to learn more about the Sith, and shows just how long Sidious's shadow really was.
It was great to finally read Christopher's Star Wars novel debut and to get a story set seemingly midway between ROTJ and TFA (teenage Ben Solo does appear briefly). We haven't gotten many stories from that era, and here's hoping this one will pave the way for more.
Adam Christopher's SHADOW OF THE SITH gives backstory to many of these events, serving as the beginning of a well-constructed bridge between the original and sequel trilogies. It introduces readers to Rey's parents, it sends Luke Skywalker on a dangerous quest to learn more about the Sith, and shows just how long Sidious's shadow really was.
It was great to finally read Christopher's Star Wars novel debut and to get a story set seemingly midway between ROTJ and TFA (teenage Ben Solo does appear briefly). We haven't gotten many stories from that era, and here's hoping this one will pave the way for more.
June 9, 2023
Wow! The book is super fun and very engaging!! It Fixes a lot of script holes and also has Rey parents (incredible) 100% recommended
July 6, 2022
Well, this was quite a pleasant surprise. I was only mildly interested in Shadow of the Sith prior to its release, but after recommendations from several people I decided to pick it up and give it a read. I have to say I’m very glad I did!
Many Star Wars novels have been written over the years to fill in gaps left by the films, this being one of those. However, it rarely felt that way. Yes, it’s very much a product of some loose threads and questions raised by The Rise of Skywalker, but it simultaneously is an interesting story on its own that helps to enhance the aforementioned film. I sort of look at this in a similar way as the Legends novel Darth Plagueis: both Shadow of the Sith and Darth Plagueis fill in some gaps left by the films (The Rise of Skywalker and the prequels as a whole, respectively) while also enhancing those films. I personally didn’t feel that a lot of things in The Rise of Skywalker desperately required explanations (and, funnily enough, the few things that did aren’t really touched on here), but Shadow of the Sith still does a good job of expanding that story and giving some extra context and background for it.
As for the book itself, it’s a very solid story. The main driving force is Rey’s parents, Dathan and Miramir. I honestly didn’t expect to be as invested in them as I was, which was a pleasant surprise. Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian also play a big role here, trying to track down and protect the family. And then there’s Ochi of Bestoon, a character I didn’t care about at all prior to reading but did find fairly interesting, and a Dark Side character who was one of the most intriguing aspects of the book for a good while. I think all these characters and their plotlines were handled quite well. They all intertwine in some interesting ways and are all fun to read.
I do have a couple of gripes with this book, unfortunately, the biggest of which have to do with the aforementioned Dark Side character. I won’t go into details because the things going on with her would probably be considered spoilers. But even though that was fairly interesting, I have to say the revelations about the character felt somewhat anticlimactic to me. It felt like there was this big mystery built up, only for it to not quite land. But that’s just me. The only other big issue I had here is, like I mentioned earlier, there were some questions raised in The Rise of Skywalker that I hoped to have answered, which really weren’t. Most of those have to do with Palpatine and Exegol, which could very well have been explained in other material I haven’t read. I suppose I shouldn’t let my own hopes and expectations have such an effect on my enjoyment of the book, but it’s something I feel I should mention.
Overall, though, I did really enjoy this one a lot. It’s a real page turner—I kept reading and reading and didn’t want to put it down. Shadow of the Sith is a great book that I’d highly recommend, especially if you’re either a fan of The Rise of Skywalker or just want a bit more backstory to some of the things in that movie.
Many Star Wars novels have been written over the years to fill in gaps left by the films, this being one of those. However, it rarely felt that way. Yes, it’s very much a product of some loose threads and questions raised by The Rise of Skywalker, but it simultaneously is an interesting story on its own that helps to enhance the aforementioned film. I sort of look at this in a similar way as the Legends novel Darth Plagueis: both Shadow of the Sith and Darth Plagueis fill in some gaps left by the films (The Rise of Skywalker and the prequels as a whole, respectively) while also enhancing those films. I personally didn’t feel that a lot of things in The Rise of Skywalker desperately required explanations (and, funnily enough, the few things that did aren’t really touched on here), but Shadow of the Sith still does a good job of expanding that story and giving some extra context and background for it.
As for the book itself, it’s a very solid story. The main driving force is Rey’s parents, Dathan and Miramir. I honestly didn’t expect to be as invested in them as I was, which was a pleasant surprise. Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian also play a big role here, trying to track down and protect the family. And then there’s Ochi of Bestoon, a character I didn’t care about at all prior to reading but did find fairly interesting, and a Dark Side character who was one of the most intriguing aspects of the book for a good while. I think all these characters and their plotlines were handled quite well. They all intertwine in some interesting ways and are all fun to read.
I do have a couple of gripes with this book, unfortunately, the biggest of which have to do with the aforementioned Dark Side character. I won’t go into details because the things going on with her would probably be considered spoilers. But even though that was fairly interesting, I have to say the revelations about the character felt somewhat anticlimactic to me. It felt like there was this big mystery built up, only for it to not quite land. But that’s just me. The only other big issue I had here is, like I mentioned earlier, there were some questions raised in The Rise of Skywalker that I hoped to have answered, which really weren’t. Most of those have to do with Palpatine and Exegol, which could very well have been explained in other material I haven’t read. I suppose I shouldn’t let my own hopes and expectations have such an effect on my enjoyment of the book, but it’s something I feel I should mention.
Overall, though, I did really enjoy this one a lot. It’s a real page turner—I kept reading and reading and didn’t want to put it down. Shadow of the Sith is a great book that I’d highly recommend, especially if you’re either a fan of The Rise of Skywalker or just want a bit more backstory to some of the things in that movie.
July 1, 2022
This is an excellent Star Wars story. I personally really enjoyed the depth this added to The Rise of Skywalker. It was great to get some background and added details to various happenings in TRoS that I have been wondering about.
This book has a nice, quick pace, so reading it is a really easy and enjoyable experience. Christopher does excellent work with his characters.
I really enjoyed getting to read about Rey's parents. I have always had so many questions, and this book was able to answer so many of them. Additionally, I loved getting more post-ROTJ Luke content.
This book has a nice, quick pace, so reading it is a really easy and enjoyable experience. Christopher does excellent work with his characters.
I really enjoyed getting to read about Rey's parents. I have always had so many questions, and this book was able to answer so many of them. Additionally, I loved getting more post-ROTJ Luke content.
September 9, 2022
This book felt reminiscent of an old Legends book. I loved the sith lore, seeing Luke back as a focal point in written word, and Lando shined. The book enhances a lot about the sequels, and now I am due for a rewatch. Took me a little longer to get through than expected, but ultimately an enjoyable read.
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