Dark Horse: Lost Tribe of the Sith Comic Series Announced

Art by Paul Renaud, Takara (left) and Spinner (right).

The May the 4th be with you massive info dump included the reveal of an interesting new comic series by Dark Horse Comics, Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Spiral.

No doubt the popularity of Dark Horse Comics' Dawn of the Jedi series and it's different take on the galaxy far, far away makes Dark Horse think that a similarly different title may have an appeal.

Personally just based off the art we have seen for the cover, the style of Kesh may look similar to the TV shows Avatar: The Last Airbender, Fire Nation.  It will certainly be interesting to see the use of glass in construction and artwork in the pages of the comic.

Writer John Jackson Miller is a busy man, not only is he currently penning the ongoing Dark Horse series Knight Errant, with the upcoming release of Lost Tribe of the Sith (LTotS): The Collected Stories on July 24th, and now the new LTotS comic series.

Miller sat down with USA Today to discuss the series;

The new series, featuring art by Andrea Mutti, finds these descendants in an age of discovery and optimism, according to Miller, as they've found ways to traverse Kesh. 

"It'd be great, if not for the fact that a planet of Sith believers is always a disaster waiting to happen," the writer says. "It's a hornet's nest of ambition on this planet, and they're all stuck with each other. The fact that new horizons on Kesh have opened to them just allows for mischief on an even larger scale." 

The protagonist of The Lost Tribe (who would probably be a villain in any other series), the anarchist and would-be assassin Spinner yearns to tear apart the Tribe and has the ability to turn anything he can find into a Force-fueled weapon.  

His nemesis is the female keeper of order Takara, a Sith with her own ambitions.
"There's a fun contrast between the two of them," Miller says. "Think of the difference between the lawful-evil and chaotic-evil alignments in Dungeons & Dragons. Just because she wants to stop Spinner doesn't mean she hasn't got her own plans cooking. And as we know from Palpatine, Sith are born manipulators."

Miller also posted some more information regarding the series on his blog, Faraway Looks, revealing that that both the novella Pandemonium which will appear in LTotS: The Collected Stories and the comic series will bet set in the same general time period as the 8th and final LTotS ebook, Secrets.

Miller went on to reveal an interesting little tidbit about Kesh and the Lost Tribe,

As you can see, we'll be visiting locales on Kesh we've never seen before. Andrea Mutti from Knights of the Old Republic - War will be giving us our first looks at everything in the prose stories from Keshiri to uvak. We've worked to design a complete fantasy world. It's Star Wars through a different lens — no technology, very little metal, and no Jedi! 

There will be some big surprises, some building upon clues already in the prose stories. Kesh may not be quite as isolated from the rest of the galaxy as we thought...

Readers will want to pay particular attention to LTotS #6: Sentinel for an example of the galaxy at large making it's way to Kesh.

Look for Lost Tribe of the Sith: Spiral later this summer and no doubt more info about the comic at San Diego Comic-Con. 

SOURCES: USA TODAY and FARAWAY LOOKS

Review: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Secrets

The eight and final ebook installment of John Jackson Miller's Lost Tribe of the Sith series, Secrets was released last week and it concludes the section of the centuries spanning story featuring Caretaker Varner Hilts the unlikeliest of Sith protagonists, his Keshiri assistant Jaye, and the Sith devotee of Seelah Korsin,  Iliana Merko.

Miller weaves some rather humorous moments into this brief tale of a Sith society in chaos and on the verge of destruction.  Can Hilts an academic, stop the roving bands of Sith warriors from killing each other, destroying the Omen and ruining the society that all the generations before them created.

Miller does a ton of world building in this series that gives the Lost Tribe even more depth and if you liked the portrayal of the Lost Tribe in the Fate of the Jedi series this is a nice supplemental read.  It's a bit like one of the old "Tales of.." novels but done all by one author.

I really enjoyed Secrets and I think you will to if you give it a read.  Plus you cannot beat the price, it is free!

This ebook along with the previous seven installments and a new novella, Pandemonium will be collected in a paperback novel release entitled, Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories to be released around July 31, 2012.

Author John Jackson Miller posts fiction notes for his works on his website, check soon for trivia regarding Secrets.

Lost Tribe of the Sith: Secrets and Collection Cover Art

The StarWars.com Blog has published the cover art for the final of the Lost Tribe of the Sith ebook novellas as well as the new print edition which will collect all of the LTotS stories in one volume, Star Wars: The Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories.  All the LTotS stories are by author John Jackson Miller.

We also got a synopsis for the short story Secrets which will be released March 5, 2012;

In Sith teachings, nothing is more important than the individual: the glorious center of the universe, around which all other lives pale in importance. But the planetary home of the Lost Tribe of the Sith is not the center of the universe, but a backwater — and the tribe’s legendary founders were little more than slaves themselves!
When the Lost Tribe suddenly rediscovers its forgotten origins, frustration and anger threaten to finish the society once and for all. But the past holds more secrets still — knowledge that, in the right hands, could place the evil rulers of Kesh on a path toward a greater destiny in the stars…

 SOURCE: StarWars.com Blog

Covers for the rest of the Lost Tribe of the Sith Series:

Cover Preview: Lost Tribe of the Sith #7: Pantheon

StarWars.Com and Star Wars Books on Facebook have released the cover art for the next e-book in the LTotS series.

LTotS: Pantheon will be released as a free e-book on July 18th.

StarWars.com also includes a brief blurb describing the story:

When the Sith ship Omen crash-landed on Kesh two thousand years ago, the crew encountered native barbarism and superstition. Now a violent millennium has reduced the Lost Tribe of the Sith to a similar state. While Sith teachings are remembered, honored, and violently practiced, knowledge of the Lost Tribe's true origins has all but vanished.

With a dark age imperiling the Sith, the future rests in the hands of the unlikeliest of people: Caretaker Hilts, the official keeper of lore. Mild-mannered by Sith standards, the aged Hilts hopes to use the wisdom of the ancients to reunite his people. But the truth he uncovers becomes anything but the Tribe's salvation. Rather, he may have set loose forces leading to its destruction -- and his own.

SOURCES:  StarWars.com and Star Wars Books on Facebook

Review: Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith: Sentinel by John Jackson Miller

I. SETTING

Sentinel is set in 3960 BBY on the planet Kesh in two principle locations, the capital city of Tahv and the area surrounding the Marisota River.  The Sith have now been on Kesh for 1040 years, so their society and culture is very ingrained.  What we have is a very caste based system, and in this system a fall from power has dramatic consequences. 

II. DRAMATIS PERSONAE

Jelph Marrain, Male, former Jedi Knight and Jedi Covenant Secret Agent
Ori Kitai, Female, Lost Tribe of the Sith
Grand Lord Lillia Venn, Leader of Lost Tribe of the Sith
Candra Kitai, Mother of Ori Kitai and disgraced High Lord.
Lord Flen Luzo, Male, Lost Tribe of the Sith
Lord Sawj Luzo, Male, Lost Tribe of the Sith
Gadin Badolfa, Architect and political go between for Sith
Krynda Draay, Female founder of Jedi Covenant (Mentioned only)
Jedi Master Lucien Draay, Son of Krynda, member of Jedi Covenant (Mentioned only)
Darth Revan, Fallen Jedi/Sith (Mentioned only)

III. STORY

At four chapters and 29 pages, Sentinel is a quick read but is really part of the larger story that began in LTotS #5: Purgatory.  It tells the story of the relationship between two outcasts from their respective societies former Jedi Jelph Marrain and former Sith Ori Kitai. 

She opened her eyes and glared at him. “I can feel it in your thoughts. You think I’m beautiful. You think you want me. You want to trust me. But you’re looking behind every word I say, trying to find me out, trying to trap me. Because of who I am.”

Jelph looked down at the water. He hadn’t known why he had come all this way when so much was at risk. Not until now. “I think I know who you are, Ori.” He stepped forward and put his hand on her shoulder.  She shrank at his touch.

This was a fun little romp through the LTotS, which gave us a some action, some romance, an interesting take on the Sith society/philosophy, and a bit of a twist at the end.  It also did a good job tying this series of stories into John Jackson Miller's previous work on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic comic series by having Jelph be a former member of the Jedi Covenant.  It also does a nice job of tying into the Knights of the Old Republic video games by bringing Revan into the story.

There isn't much to criticize in this story, other then the fact that Miller completely glossed over a fight scene at the end of Chapter 2 and the beginning of Chapter 3.  It wouldn't have added a ton to the story, but it just felt like a rather large omission in the flow of the story.

If you haven't gotten into the LTotS story yet, starting with #5 and #6 is a good place to start.  Jelph and Ori are interesting characters and has me wondering what ramifications this story may have for certain members of the LTotS in the Fate of the Jedi novel series.

IV. CONCLUSIONS

Lost Tribe of the Sith: Sentinel gets 8.5 out of 10.  Miller has a real nice way of crafting memorable sentences and there are a couple good ones in here. I look forward to continuing to read the LTotS story.  


You can download LTotS: Sentinel at StarWars.Com as a PDF or on Amazon.com for the KINDLE

Lost Tribe of the Sith: #6 Sentinel Released 2/21/11

The latest entry in John Jackson Miller's must read e-book novella series, Lost Tribe of the Sith has been released.

Sentinel follows on the events of Book 5: Purgatory,  StarWars.com has also posted the following blurb for the novella:

Cast into slavery by the machinations of the Sith, Ori Kitai believes she's found her way back into the Lost Tribe -- and perhaps a whole lot more. Ori's discovery of a second starship gives her the opportunity to avenge the humiliations heaped on her family by the decrepit Grand Lord. Indeed, she could turn their entire society upside down -- offering escape from their planetary prison. But Ori encounters resistance from a surprising person: the seemingly humble farmer who took her in: a man with a secret past and an agenda of his own. He cannot allow Ori Kitai to unleash the Lost Tribe on an unsuspecting galaxy. But how can he stop the woman he loves without destroying them both?

Look for a review of Sentinel on Lightsaber Rattling this week.

Amazon Link


StarWars.Com Link

For the rest of the Lost Tribe of the Sith and other interesting Free Downloads visit, StarWars.com's Digital Download Page. 

Lost Tribe of the Sith: Release Dates and News

We received a lot of updated information regarding the Lost Tribe of the Sith (LTotS) e-book series this week via both Sue Rostoni at Lucasfilm and John Jackson Miller through Del Rey's Facebook Page "Star Wars Books." 

 

Lost Tribe of the Sith Collection

 

In August of 2012 we will get the release of the LTotS collection in book form including new material from author John Jackson Miller for the collection.  JJM views the e-book releases in two tetralogies; Books 1-4 'Founders Tetralogy' and Books 5-8 'Darker Times Tetralogy.'  The new material in the collection will bridge the gap between the LTotS' Dark Times and the Fate of the Jedi era LTotS.

Lost Tribe of the Sith: Titles and Release Dates:

1. LTotS #1: Precipice: May 28, 2009
2. LTotS #2: Skyborn: July 21, 2009
3. LTotS #3: Paragon: February 10, 2010
4. LTotS #4: Savior: April 27, 2010
5. LTotS #5: Purgatory: October 25, 2010
6. LTotS #6: Sentinel: February 21, 2011
7. LTotS #7: Pantheon: July 19, 2011
8. LTotS #8: Secrets: March 8, 2012
9. LTotS Collection: August 2012



LTotS Comments from John Jackson Miller in a Facebook Chat with Fans on Star Wars Books (Del Rey's) Facebook Page: 

The free ebook novella LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: 7: PANTHEON has moved to July 19, 2011 and LOST TRIBE OF THE SITH: 8: SECRETS has moved to March 8, 2012. These dates are to stay consistent with the pattern of Fate of the Jedi releases.

There are three more Lost Tribe short stories yet to be published, and then there will be all new material in the print collection in 2012.

Yep, all the LTOTS short stories I've done plus additional material in the Lost Tribe book.

Sorry I skipped over this. Yes, the idea is that in the Lost Tribe short stories, we got the Founders Tetralogy (chapters 1-4) and then we also are getting four stories from what I would consider the Darker Times, all in e-book form......with Purgatory and Sentinel really being right at that beginning moment of the Darker Times. The intention would be that the new material would provide the other bookend, showing more of how the Tribe got its act together, and evolved closer to what we see in the FOTJ novels. And it's all related. The threads from the very beginning reach very far into their future. It's been interesting writing these characters -- they weren't founded by great Sith Lords, but rather, middle-managers in the cause of evil. Showing how they evolved has been fun.

SOURCE: STAR WARS BOOKS FACEBOOK PAGE 

Lost Tribe of the Sith (E-Books)

Kindle Versions


1. LTotS #1: Precipice (LINK) 
2. LTotS #2: Skyborn (LINK)
3. LTotS #3: Paragon (LINK)
4. LTotS #4: Savior (LINK)
5. LTotS #5: Purgatory (LINK)
6. LTotS #6: Sentinel (LINK)

PDF Versions available at STARWARS.COM

1. LTotS #1: Precipice (LINK) 
2. LTotS #2: Skyborn (LINK)
3. LTotS #3: Paragon (LINK)
4. LTotS #4: Savior (LINK)
5. LTotS #5: Purgatory (LINK)
6. LTotS #6: Sentinel (To Be Released 2/21/11)

For more news from John Jackson Miller you can follow him on: Twitter     Website     Facebook     SW.com Blog

 

Lost Tribe of the Sith #5: Purgatory FREE EBOOK NOVELLA

John Jackson Miller's latest installment in the e-book series LTotS has been released in PDF.

Hopefully a kindle version will be up on Amazon.com soon.


For those of you unfamiliar with the setting of the Lost Tribe of the Sith series.  The crew of a Sith dreadnaught, the Omen, crash land on a technologically and naturally resource deprived world of Kesh.  The story follows how the stranded Sith deal with each other and the natives of the planet.

This series of E-books ties in with the current major novel cycle by Lucasbooks/DelRey, Fate of the Jedi.