While Star Wars films and television productions garner most of the worldwide renown, the novels offer fans some of the richest, lore-building content this massive entertainment property has to offer. But, consisting of a catalog of over 381 entries, the Star Wars literary universe can seem daunting to the most devout Sith amongst us.
Luckily, my love for Star Wars has seen me spend over thirty years arduously poring through the books, compiling a comprehensive canvas of the Star Wars literary landscape. With that in mind, these are the best Star Wars novels for the Sith enthusiast who has everything.
Darth Plagueis
A masterful look into the manipulative Sith duo by James Luceno, Darth Plagueis takes readers into the inner machinations of Plagueis and his apprentice, Darth Sidious. Rife with political intrigue and the constant power struggle inherent betwixt a Sith Master and Apprentice, Darth Plagueis paints a vivid and accurate picture of the precarious nature of the Rule of Two.
Most notably, Luceno articulates how easily ambition and a lust for power can tear the Master/apprentice dynamic apart. Rightfully lauded among Star Wars Sith novels, Darth Plagueis offers a detailed account of daily Sith dealings and fills in fundamental lore surrounding these legendary Sith.
Lords of the Sith
For readers looking for a one-off story on everyone’s favorite Sith duo, Paul S. Kemp’s Lords of the Sith is just the novel you’re looking for. Expertly weaving in the iconic Clone Wars animated series by utilizing Rebel leader Cham Syndulla as an antagonist, Kemp’s tale of assassination feels right at home in the post-Order 66 Galactic Empire.
Short and packed with hard-hitting action, Lords offers readers unfiltered insight into the combat relationship between Darth Sidious and his apprentice, Darth Vader. Indeed, in place of a Hugo-winning plot, Lords excels using gritty, visceral dialogue, transporting Sith fans into the cave with Sidious and Vader and leaving them with but a taste of the dark side power writhing within these Sith legends.
Darth Bane Trilogy
Perhaps the proverbial jewel in the Star Wars Sith novel crown, the Darth Bane trilogy represents essential reading for anyone who claims Star Wars Sith fandom. Written by Old Republic savant Drew Karpyshyn, these novels follow Bane from his lowly beginnings on the planet Apatros, his serving during the Jedi-Sith War, and culminating with his reforging of the Sith order and enactment of the Grand Plan.
Adored by almost all Sith fans for good reason, the Bane novels flesh out the origins of the mysterious Rule of Two, narrated expertly from the perspective of the titular Darth. Accordingly, after reading the Bane novels, Sith fans are left with a comprehensive understanding of the Rule’s bloody beginnings and the legendary Sith that started it all.
Dark Lord: Rise of Vader
Readers would be hard-pressed to find a better novel on one of the most iconic faces in cinematic history than James Luceno’s banger Dark Lord: The Rise of Vader. Bereft with poignant reading on the Chosen One, the Rise novel takes readers on an explosive thrill ride, focusing on his early years during the establishment of the Galactic Empire.
Notably showing Vader’s genre-spanning power and, perhaps more importantly, his myriad of insecurities, Rise gives readers glimpses at the inner turmoil within Vader following the events of Episode III-Revenge of the Sith and the lengths he will go to eradicate it. Complete with an apropos story and recognizable characters, Rise checks all the boxes, producing a must-read novel for any Sith enthusiast.
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
Expertly using the stark contrast between Coruscant’s majestic upper levels and the downtrodden, crime-infested lower levels as the backdrop, Michael Reaves pens a noteworthy addition to Star Wars Sith novels. Set shortly before the events of Episode I- The Phantom Menace, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter plays out as a perilous game of cat and mouse, as Darth Sidious sets his ghoulish apprentice Darth Maul in search of a traitor seeking to derail the Great Plan.
Teeming with dark side power, Shadow Hunter commands readers’ attention by presenting an enthralling Sith novel highlighting Maul being Maul. Filled with his backstory and introducing a cadre of engaging characters, like aspiring knight Jedi Darsha Assant and information trader Lorn Pavan, Shadow Hunter deserves mention for the great Star Wars Sith novel it is.
The Force Unleashed
A masterful adaptation of the award-winning video game of the same name, The Force Unleashed by Sean Williams comes highly recommended for any Sith enthusiast. Set between 3-1 BBY, Unleashed provides explicit details surrounding Garen Malek, the secret apprentice of Darth Vader, code-named Starkiller. Indeed, per the Rule of Two, Vader would’ve taken an apprentice when he believed he was nearing the point of usurping the title of Dark Lord of the Sith.
Enter in Unleashed, which covers the in-game events, correspondingly shedding light on the intricacies woven into Garen Malak by his relationships and experiences. Utilizing vivid prose, Williams encapsulates the raw power of the force and persistent internal and external trials faced by the Sith. Complete with grizzled Jedi Rahm Kota, the quirky Droid PROXY, and the morally upright Juno Eclipse, Unleashed captures the same nostalgic-laced feelings of the game, coupled with added clarity, resulting in one hell of a Sith read.
The Old Republic: Deceived
Deftly adopting the name of the first released cinematic for the massive MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, which covers the corresponding events surrounding the Sacking of Coruscant, writer Paul S. Kemp pens another must-read Sith novel, Deceived.
Surely, readers can agree all great Star Wars Sith novels feature a powerful protagonist. Deceived is no different, with Darth Malgus proving every bit the engrossing Sith as his more well-known counterparts. Possessing a sturdy code of honor uncommon by Sith standards, Malgus proves to be a pivotal shaker of Old Republic history and Deceived shows precisely why.
Lost Tribe of the Sith
A splendid collection of Sith lore, Lost Tribe of the Sith by John Jackson Miller takes the audience back some 5000 years and details the exploits of a marooned Sith crew and their fight for survival. Cut off from the larger galaxy and stranded on the planet Kesh, these lost Sith must overcome dangerous flora and fauna, hostile natives, and their rising ambition if they are to ascend as rulers.
The Lost Tribe stories are a truly unique entry into Star Wars Sith mythos, offering Sith enthusiasts a progressive introspective on an isolated group of Sith over their history. Immediately, readers will notice the stark differences between these Sith and the more Vader-esque variants, but therein lies Lost’s appeal. The intricacy with which Miller weaves these differences with the corresponding call to power burning in every Sith’s heart validates Lost’s place in the Star Wars Sith novel hierarchy.
