Skyborn (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #2)

Title: Skyborn (Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith, #2)

Author: John Jackson Miller

Published in: 2009

Date read: 12th February 2013

Score: 4/5

Genre: Science fiction, Fantasy

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Skyborn" by John Jackson Miller is the second story in the Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith series (part of the Legends continuity), following "Precipice." It deepens the lore of the isolated Sith survivors on the planet Kesh, focusing on the establishment of their unique society and their manipulation of the native population.

The story is set roughly a century after the crash of the Sith mining vessel Omen on the unexplored planet Kesh. The initial survivors, comprised of various Sith and their enslaved species, have begun to consolidate their power and adapt to their new, primitive environment.

"Skyborn" details how these stranded Sith, though cut off from the wider galactic civilization and their advanced technology is slowly decaying, manage to assert dominance over the indigenous sentient species of Kesh, the Keshiri. The Keshiri are a winged, feathered humanoid species with a strong spiritual connection to the "Skyborn"—deities believed to descend from the heavens.

The Sith exploit this indigenous belief system to their advantage. Recognizing the Keshiri's reverence for things falling from the sky, the Sith survivors, particularly those strong in the Force, skilfully present themselves as these very Skyborn deities. They use their Force powers – even rudimentary applications – to awe and control the Keshiri, cementing their position as their divine rulers.

The narrative explores the early formation of the Lost Tribe's unique culture, heavily influenced by their new role as "gods." It highlights the internal struggles and power plays among the Sith as they compete for influence and consolidate their authority over both the Keshiri and their own dwindling numbers. They begin to establish their rigid caste system, with the Force-sensitive Sith at the apex and the non-Force-sensitive remnants of the crew and enslaved species forming lower castes.

"Skyborn" shows the initial, crucial steps of the Sith's long-term survival strategy. Despite losing much of their advanced technology and being trapped light-years from known space, their cunning and mastery of the Dark Side allow them to establish a new, albeit primitive, Sith Empire on Kesh. It sets the foundation for the strange evolution of the Lost Tribe of the Sith, isolated from the galaxy but still dedicated to the tenets of the Dark Side.

Comments:
Again, I do remember this part of the series but in no more detail than is given in the plot summary.

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)