The
Book of Sith is a leather-bound collection of lore, stories, teachings and philosophies of all things Sith. The writings span from the Old Republic to the new, from the demise of Sith academies to the rise of the Galactic Empire, from one Sith to the next.
The
Book of Sith is prefaced with Darth Sidious' victory over the Jedi and his successful cataloging of Sith remnants. He recalls quarantines outlawing Sith artifacts, the power of a skilled liar and advancing the cause of the Sith. But above all reasons to assemble a written lineage of the Dark Side, it is Sidious' lust for power that lies at the crux of the anthology.
Enter the
Book of Sith.
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| "The errors made by my predecessors will not be my own. Their triumphs will be nothing compared to my omnipotence" |
Presentation is fantastic in the
Book; Sith-like hieroglyphics outline the trim of the leather cover, the serrated edges of different sections inscribe a unique identity to each Sith author and the art portrays an elementally Dark Side style. The characteristics of different handwriting between each section and characters add an extremely strong flavor, befitting the
Star Wars mythos. Also, footnotes from Sidious, Vader and even Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda and Luke Skywalker are scattered throughout. These annotations, written at different moments in the
Star Wars narrative, often contrast with one another, debating whether the potential of dark side techniques are superior to Jedi teachings. The footnotes create fantastic moments that reverberate the final duel between Luke, Vader and the Emperor in
Episode VI.
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| A note from Sidious... |
Unlike a novel, however,
Book of Sith functions like a collection of essays. Each segment and each Sith approaches the Force differently: Darth Malgus, a Sith featured in
Star Wars: The Old Republic, discusses the Force as the pinnacle of rage and battle, while Jedi Exile Sorzus Syn explains Sith alchemy, Sith purebloods and even the schism between Jedi and Sith. The latter Dark Side entities are but two of the Sith featured in the collection. The
Book also includes the writings of Nightmother Talzin from
Star Wars: The Clone Wars series, Darth Bane, the creator of the Rule of Two, and even Darth Plaguies, former Master of Darth Sidious. Each Sith author broadens the scope of the Dark Side of the Force and the
Book of Sith is the perfect medium for it.
Again,
Book of Sith encapsulates a large frame within the Star Wars
universe, tying in fantastically with the extended lore. Unfortunately, that is where some readers and
Star Wars fans may find a fault with the literature. The
Book of Sith incorporates information from many of the
Star Wars mediums, including video games, movies, cartoons as well as other books. An avid fan of the
Star Wars movies may not necessarily feel compelled to read about a sect of Sith practitioners featured only in the cartoon series. Navigating from one writing to the next could prove to be disconnecting for those unfamiliar with the Sith author.
But for the readers looking for a well-crafted, unique perspective on the Sith and the dark side of the Force, the
Book of Sith is an amazing investment. The
Book of Sith itself looks marvelous and the writings of the different Sith provide great content and a deeper insight to the Force. Were a collection of texts from dark side force wielders to exist in real life, it would look something like the
Book of Sith that can be found in stores today.
Book of Sith is a must read for Star Wars fans and for those tempted by the Dark Side!
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