Reviews

Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule

tupoik's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This is a great entry into the High Republic era. Although this book is tasks with introducing a large number of characters, settings, and conflicts, it does it masterfully. I really enjoyed even the minimal characterization we get from small roles. The conflict here is compelling and the stakes are high. I ended the book with many questions and can’g wait to answer them in the next book. 

bgibs122's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Checks all the boxes off for a fantastic Star Wars adventure—ships, planetary crises, complicated factions, Jedi doing Jedi shit. And the first third is one of the best SW setpieces of the new millennium in any medium.

This book makes the Force feel so…beautiful.

meowmeowmeowmeowmeowmeow's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

roznn's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

coventrythompson_929's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

reflectiverambling_nalana's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

"Light of the Jedi" starts out like lighting with the pressure of a timed mission and a thousand questions. Those questions fling into what feels like a million characters. While as a franchise book it doesn't necessarily have to be as enriched as an original world as there are some basic elements that are assumed to be known, exploring a new era that is so distant from the one that is familiar to theater goers, it does still need to feel approachable. 

Now, this wasn't necessarily a bad story. but it felt mostly like someone backed up a truck and just threw a lot of information at the reader. Species with minimal description, name dropping different planets, sprinkling information about the state of trade and government status as well as subcultures and groups. Then you have the technological issues with each group of parties having their different traits. It is, simply, a lot. That might not be so terrible except that even with it's respectable size, very few characters get enough time or detail to be fully fleshed out. Because of the many puzzle pieces, it did become a little confusing as to which character had which sub loyalty to.

I will say, to its credit, Marc Thompson has one of the most impressive deliveries of a narration I've heard in a while. Nearly all the texture and sense of character i first latched onto was because of his ability to distinguish the tones in a way that would be lost with just text in front of my eyes. I was truly blown away. I didn't love some of the sound effects included, but it's something I've come to expect about star was books. 

However, as amazing as it was, I just can't say I'm left itching to continue directly on. 

thebluebookworm's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot

4.0

Starting THR was one of my goals for 2024, and I just finished reading Light of the Jedi. I'm a couple years late to the party, but I see many people talk about this book and THR, and it captured my attention.

Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule is my first introduction to this part of Star Wars that is loved by many readers. It introduces characters that I know some of the names of because of other recent Star Wars books. Reading this was surprising and fulfilling, because it is different that other Star Wars material. It is a different setting from the Skywalker saga, since this is set during the golden age of the Jedi and the Republic. It is interesting to see their philosophies and actions, how they define their future and how non-Jedi understand them.

I did find the book a bit slow, but it is understandable, since it sets the setting for this whole new phase. The cast of Jedi is amazing, my favorites were Bell (which should be interesting given what happened in the book) and I'm excited to see how the trio of Avar, Elzar and Stellan develop.

shannmarie33's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

bugfartz's review against another edition

mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.0

g_killingstad's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

2.5