Books STAR WARS: LORDS OF THE SITH by Paul S. Kemp

Still going to happen.

 

And that's an issue because....

 

I wasn't complaining about the author getting into Vader's head; I was complaining about the fact that it appears to be the same motivation we've seen in years past. Vader is tortured. He has memories of Ashoka. He's always amazed at the foresight and wisdom of the Emperor. Blah blah. Seen it.

A new continuity could give new motivation. What about thoughts reflecting on how he hates his master and only keeps him around to learn from him. What about thuoghts on what his Empire would be. Something bold. I dunno.

 

He's tortured? Dunno, at least to me he didn't come across as "more tortured" than your average protagonist in those 50 pages. It sounded to me like he was quite content with his current life.

I thought this portrayal was particularly not-whiny compared to others.

How is that new? The whole idea of Vader as slave of Palpatine was invented in the old EU. In many stories they hated each others guts. Often it was Palpatine berating Vader with spittle flying from his mouth, or Vader seeking "secret apprentices" to topple his master.

The old EU was a curious mix of stories in which the Sith hated each other and others in which they respected each other.

Now, we finally have a consistent timeline in which Vader and Palpatine get along well pre-ANH and badly post-ANH. That at least makes sense!

 

Besides the poor execution of the idea in Star Wood, and Palpatine giving the notion lip service in Dark Lord while showing an otherwise compliant Vader , I don't remember any pre ANH story in which Vader truly opposed his master in a major way. TFU had his secret apprentice turn out to be nothing but a plot of the Emperor.

I certainly don't think those stories happened enough to warrant the description "often".

We've definitely never seen him reflect on just how exactly he felt the Empire should be run in contrast to how his master runs it. I don't remember any novel in which Vader actually reflects on how much he hates Palpatine. Usurping Palpatine was always presented as a robotic obligation to do so because he was Sith. I would prefer a personal and political reason behind it.

As for other Sith, it doesn't matter. I'm talking about Vader and Palpatine and Vader's otherwise lack of ambition until the OT era.

It's "eh". I'm not saying it's a wrong interpretation or right interpretation. Just saying it's not my cup of tea. I'd prefer them to be at each other's necks for 19 years. It's more fun that way.

 

I would like to see this too! And Killen may give us some of it and there may be novels that explore Vader's disappointment with the Empire and his master after ANH. I too want to see the ideological rift growing.

But Lords of the Sith is just not the right place of it. This is still a very young Sith, right after his "birthing". Of course he still idolizes Palpatine, the man has given him everything, including a new life. Vader would be dead if not for him.

Wouldn't it be even more interesting to see a character arc, in which Vader's stance slowly shifts from adoration to realism and ultimately to disgust and disappointment?

I actually don't because I can't imagine Vader serving a dude he hates for 19 years. But yes, different tastes and all that.

 

We all know in the midnight hour he cries "Mors, Mors, Mors"

 

Hey, its great that star wars finally has a gay character. Hopefully the don't write her off as a butch, or a condescending character. Maybe they can include a scene with her girlfriend or something. I think that would be way cool. Much like that star trek novel that had 7 of 9 or something like that. Really good book. Anyway, there was a poster who said that he wasn't too thrilled with this book since he read some excerpts from amazon. Let me tell you something, you guys better get use to one thing........this new canon is going to resemble a lot of parts from the old, it is just going to be re-worked, tooled, mashed and cut up into new canon. The same goes with the Aftermath novel. Those that followed the EU will already be ahead of the curb in my opinion, because they are going to follow the same formula, just different characters, settings, and other tid bits, but in the end it will resemble what we have read before in the EU which is the Empire surviving and reforming and some despot that takes over and challenges the status quo. Seen that in Thrawn, Reborn Emperor, Admiral Zjing or something like that. Too what extent would be the million dollar question, but don't be surprised if the elements of Heir to the Empire and Dark Empire along with other works are cut and repasted together to form the three trilogy book that bridges ROTJ with TFA.. I'm just saying because after reading the last three books, in the new EU, it really feels underneath like the old EU, expect that now the information that is being brought out is considered canon and acts as a unity. Complete cohesive stories that are as important as the movies themselves. I'm just saying this so that you guys don't get surprised and become bored and say, Heh this is more of the same as that poster said. Palpatine is still the manipulator, Vader is still craving power and you can't change that even with new EU. If you read the ROTJ novelization its still there. Already, I've read some of you are expecting this super new thing for the new EU and that is not what is going not happen. Watch and you'll see.

 

Paragraphs Vong, paragraphs!

 

The OTP is strong with this one.

 

ooops sorry Jedi Ben, my bad

 

*raises hand*

Representation matters.

 

With an occasional "How do you like it? How do you like it?" thrown in.

 

Maybe, like with Gollum and the Ring, Vader both loves and hates the Emperor (and himself)?

 

I know there is the term love/hate relationship, but I am not sure it exists in reality. You can't really hate someone you love, as hate is a extremely strong emotion that tends to overshadow everything and it is coupled with deep disgust, I think some people never experience real hatred in their lives. So in reality a love/hate relationship just means a relationship in which you're sometimes pissed off at the other person or angry.

 

I won't say too much about the Vader/Palpatine relationship in this book, but it does establish an interesting dynamic between the two!

As for Mors, her character arc is a good one.

 

They had the book available early for purchase at celebration and I picked it up the moment I saw it! Can't wait to start it tonight.

 

There's a rather hilarious naming error in this book that I wonder if they'll be able to fix before release... otherwise we might be getting a retcon'd new character from The Clone Wars era

 

You can't just leave us hanging like that!

 

Sorry, review embargo.

 

That's just cold.