With the prequels and a lot of the fiction that has come out since the prequels, we’ve been conditioned to think that anytime a Jedi feels attachment he’s in danger of going to the dark side.
So I have to applaud Christie Golden for not getting caught up in that cliché in “Allies” (May, hardcover), the fifth book in the “Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi” series. In one of the most engrossing romances in the saga — and the most giggle-worthy since the short-lived Anakin-Tahiri attraction in the “New Jedi Order” series — Ben Skywalker and Vestara, a Sith, are intrigued by each other as they spend time together as unlikely allies.
I also have to applaud Golden for not compromising on the Lost Tribe of Sith being evil. It would be easy to say that since they were isolated on a planet for many years, they are not reflective of other Sith. It would be easy to have Luke say, “Well, I’ll judge these people as individuals, not as Sith.”
But, as we are shown through their schemes, betrayals and power grabs, these Keshiri Sith are not just misunderstood Force-users: They are indeed evil. The real question as the “Fate of the Jedi” series goes forward will not be whether Ben turns to the dark side due to his attraction to Vestara. Even Luke isn’t worried about that; he knows he raised his son right; but he is worried about Ben getting his feelings hurt, like any love-struck teen.
The pertinent question is whether Vestara will stay loyal to her Sith (a.k.a. evil) roots or whether she will turn to the light side, having seen first hand how Luke and Ben go about their business.
While the authors of the “New Jedi Order” series killed off Anakin Solo just when the Anakin-Tahiri romance was getting good, it seems like Golden and other the “Fate of the Jedi” writers — Aaron Allston and Troy Denning — are willing to take their time exploring Ben and Vestara, and I appreciate that.
Golden’s strength is her grounding in reality. In addition to handling the central romance believably, the author does family scenes — Han, Leia and young Allana hanging out at their Coruscant safehouse — better than any other “Star Wars” writer (the action could be taking place in our galaxy, except that Allana has a pet nexu cub instead of a puppy).
Also, the central conflict of “Fate of the Jedi” isn’t a warlord or race of warriors trying to take over the galaxy, as has been the case in too many “Star Wars” series. Here, the drama ratchets up when the Galactic Alliance’s chief of state — the former Imperial Admiral Daala — starts making the wrong political decisions. Her missteps lead to a galaxy that’s slowly spiraling out of control — she’s lost the trust of the Jedi, and slaves are rising up on numerous worlds (which is a particularly nettlesome problem, because as Daala tells her aide, there are no slaves in the GA, at least not officially).
Now, all of this would make “Allies” a pleasant read, but not necessarily a memorable one. But in the end, it earns the “memorable” label, too, as Golden delivers a shocker at the conclusion of the plot about the Jedi and Sith’s combined quest to find the mysterious, supernatural Abeloth. I always appreciate it when a new book references something from old books that I never imagined would be brought to light again.
It works in “Allies,” because in real people’s lives, the past is never really just “in the past,” and the same should apply to “Star Wars” characters’ lives. It’s nice to see that Golden and the “Fate of the Jedi” team have been paying attention. And it’s because of that I’ll be paying attention when Book 6 rolls around — Denning’s “Vortex” is slated for a December release.