Sentinel (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #6)

Title: Sentinel (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #6)

Author: John Jackson Miller

Published in: 2011

Date read: 22nd September 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Science fiction, Fantasy

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Sentinel" by John Jackson Miller is the sixth novella in the "Lost Tribe of the Sith" series (part of the Star Wars Legends continuity), following "Spiral." It delves into a pivotal and desperate period for the Lost Tribe on Kesh, as their long-held isolation begins to definitively unravel and their ancient traditions face an unprecedented external threat.

The story takes place approximately 5,000 years after the initial crash on Kesh, centuries after the rise of the "Savior" High Lord Daiman. The Lost Tribe has achieved interstellar travel and has begun to make tentative probes into the galaxy, but they remain largely unknown to the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order.

The central focus of "Sentinel" is the growing threat of the Prime Jedi, a mysterious and highly powerful Force-user who has established a stronghold on the planet Vaashan. The Prime Jedi is a solitary figure who, for unknown reasons, has become aware of the Lost Tribe's existence and, more critically, the Force signatures emanating from Kesh. This individual perceives the Tribe as a growing dark side cancer that must be eradicated before it can spread.

The novella follows the Lost Tribe's desperate attempts to understand and neutralize this formidable, unknown enemy. The Sith Lords of Kesh, having grown accustomed to internal power struggles and dominance over the Keshiri, find themselves confronted by an adversary unlike any they've faced – a lone, incredibly powerful Force-user who operates outside their known doctrines and strategies.

"Sentinel" highlights the clash between the rigid, dark side-focused dogma of the Lost Tribe and the Prime Jedi's more enigmatic, almost primordial connection to the Force. The Sith, despite their vast power and resources, are put on the defensive, struggling to comprehend a threat that does not fit their established understanding of the galaxy.

The narrative emphasizes the theme of the guardianship of the galaxy – the Prime Jedi acts as a self-appointed sentinel, standing against the burgeoning darkness of the Lost Tribe before it can truly return to galactic prominence. It also showcases the internal fear and desperation within the Tribe as they realize their long isolation might be ending not with glorious conquest, but with annihilation.

The climax of "Sentinel" involves a direct and brutal confrontation between the Lost Tribe's forces and the formidable Prime Jedi. It's a battle that will determine whether the Lost Tribe can continue their long-term plan of returning to the galaxy or if their centuries of hidden power will be snuffed out before they even begin. The novella sets the stage for their eventual emergence into the wider galactic stage, but not without first facing a truly existential threat.

Comments:
Nothing else to add other than great progression through this great story.

Books that we've read by John Jackson Miller (8):
Skyborn (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #2) (2009), Precipice (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #1) (2009), Paragon (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #3) (2010), Purgatory (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #5) (2010), Savior (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #4) (2010), Knight Errant (Star Wars) (2011), Sentinel (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #6) (2011), Lost Tribe of the Sith: The Collected Stories (2012)