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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
Race to Crashpoint Tower is like a “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” (or, in Star Wars lingo, “Tag and Bink Were Here”) side story that takes place mostly on Valo during the Nihil attack on the Republic Fair. Some of the characters and events from The Rising Storm, which told the fuller story of that battle, are glimpsed from a distance in this book. But unlike Tag and Bink, Race to Crashpoint Tower isn’t a comedic retelling from another perspective; it’s just more stuff that was happening at the same time as the previous book. And that makes me wonder: why not tell the whole story in one novel? Instead of being drawn in and intrigued by the addition of new actions into the previous story, I feel annoyed. Anyway, because this book is almost a non-story and the writing style is pretty bad, I’ll write some more general thoughts about the High Republic series.
As the fifth volume in the High Republic series (not counting graphic novels), this would seem to be a good time to stop introducing fifty new characters in each book. But no. The difficulty is that when a new character enters, I have to ponder: Is this a brand-new character who has never appeared before? a minor character who was mentioned in a previous book? a major character I’ve totally forgotten? the main character in a previous book that I’ve somehow missed? The answer could be any of those, and so the High Republic is a really dispiriting method of storytelling. I don’t want to put the book down and check Wookieepedia every time a character is mentioned.
That’s related to another major flaw in the High Republic endeavor: spreading the story across different kinds of books. What is the point of publishing books for different audiences if you have to have read all of the books of every level in order to understand what’s happening in the story? There is no way someone could read the “young readers” novel Race to Crashpoint Tower without having read the “grown-ups” novel The Rising Storm. I don’t understand how this publishing strategy makes sense. This is only the second year of High Republic books, and I have tried my best to read everything and in the proper order, and still I’m lost.
Of all the many, many characters who have been introduced so far in the High Republic, the only one I find interesting is Vernestra, who makes some brief but unimportant appearances in Race to Crashpoint Tower. I imagine that eventually the High Republic will coalesce around her as the only character who has the potential to carry all the narrative weight. (I’m even cynical enough to guess that this was the authors’ plan all along, but they want us to think that we’re making our own decision about which character should take the central focus. I mean, how far could a story go with a moody, introverted Wookiee Jedi? Obviously he was never in the running to be the main character.) Still, though, even with Vernestra there’s little reason that she had to exist in a different era from what we’ve seen in the movies. She could easily live in the prequel era. Actually, she would have been excellent as one of Luke’s students after Return of the Jedi—if the sequel trilogy had been . . . well, other than what it was.
As the fifth volume in the High Republic series (not counting graphic novels), this would seem to be a good time to stop introducing fifty new characters in each book. But no. The difficulty is that when a new character enters, I have to ponder: Is this a brand-new character who has never appeared before? a minor character who was mentioned in a previous book? a major character I’ve totally forgotten? the main character in a previous book that I’ve somehow missed? The answer could be any of those, and so the High Republic is a really dispiriting method of storytelling. I don’t want to put the book down and check Wookieepedia every time a character is mentioned.
That’s related to another major flaw in the High Republic endeavor: spreading the story across different kinds of books. What is the point of publishing books for different audiences if you have to have read all of the books of every level in order to understand what’s happening in the story? There is no way someone could read the “young readers” novel Race to Crashpoint Tower without having read the “grown-ups” novel The Rising Storm. I don’t understand how this publishing strategy makes sense. This is only the second year of High Republic books, and I have tried my best to read everything and in the proper order, and still I’m lost.
Of all the many, many characters who have been introduced so far in the High Republic, the only one I find interesting is Vernestra, who makes some brief but unimportant appearances in Race to Crashpoint Tower. I imagine that eventually the High Republic will coalesce around her as the only character who has the potential to carry all the narrative weight. (I’m even cynical enough to guess that this was the authors’ plan all along, but they want us to think that we’re making our own decision about which character should take the central focus. I mean, how far could a story go with a moody, introverted Wookiee Jedi? Obviously he was never in the running to be the main character.) Still, though, even with Vernestra there’s little reason that she had to exist in a different era from what we’ve seen in the movies. She could easily live in the prequel era. Actually, she would have been excellent as one of Luke’s students after Return of the Jedi—if the sequel trilogy had been . . . well, other than what it was.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The book’s plot and characters make sense within the wider context of the High Republic series.
This dad read “Race to Crashpoint Tower” by Daniel José Older, this wave’s middle grade point of entry for younger readers. I must start off by saying I find this whole adult/YA/middle grade setup somewhat laughable. I get that the good folks at Disney/Del Rey are trying to find appropriate onramps for Star Wars readers of all ages but we all know what’s really going on: us adults are reading absolutely everything! Also, how confusing would it be for a middle grader to just read the books “for them”? Every single High Republic story, which all stand on their own artistic merits, are connected and each author seems to be writing with the assumption that we’re all keeping up. So instead of calling it a “middle grade” book, I will simply refer to “Race to Crashpoint Tower” as the smaller, quicker-to-read novel that tells a cool side story on Valo and has some really cool illustrations thrown in. Thankfully that’s not all is has going for it!
We’re introduced to Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram, a teenager who loves spending his time with his droid pal V-18 tinkering in the garage. He and his master reside on the planter Valo which is preparing for the epic Republic Fair. Turns out the main comm tower for the planet, located at Crashpoint Tower, is glitchy and all other Jedi are busy with the fair so it’s up to Ram and V-18 to check things out. All definitely is not well and Ram makes it his personal mission to make sure the Jedi Order is alerted and the enemies defeated.
What is really fun about “Crashpoint” is that it tells its own story while interconnecting to other High Republic works. The main connection point is obviously “The Rising Storm” as the narratives of both books happen concurrently but what was a real delight was having character’s from IDW’s “The High Republic Adventures” along for the ride too! Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala are front and center and make great teammates with Ram – I can only hope this means we’ll be seeing them all again in future comics.
Older seems like he’s having a blast – there’s plenty of comic relief mixed in with all the action and teenage emotions. His writing is vivid and blends the action/adventure with the human struggle beautifully. I also have to give a special shoutout to artist Peter Antonsson who made his High Rebulic debut earlier this year in Justina Ireland’s “A Test of Courage” – his work in “Crashpoint” is awesome! Del Rey can I get my request for “The Art of the High Republic” in now? I’ll also need a place to purchase some prints – thanks!
We’re introduced to Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram, a teenager who loves spending his time with his droid pal V-18 tinkering in the garage. He and his master reside on the planter Valo which is preparing for the epic Republic Fair. Turns out the main comm tower for the planet, located at Crashpoint Tower, is glitchy and all other Jedi are busy with the fair so it’s up to Ram and V-18 to check things out. All definitely is not well and Ram makes it his personal mission to make sure the Jedi Order is alerted and the enemies defeated.
What is really fun about “Crashpoint” is that it tells its own story while interconnecting to other High Republic works. The main connection point is obviously “The Rising Storm” as the narratives of both books happen concurrently but what was a real delight was having character’s from IDW’s “The High Republic Adventures” along for the ride too! Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala are front and center and make great teammates with Ram – I can only hope this means we’ll be seeing them all again in future comics.
Older seems like he’s having a blast – there’s plenty of comic relief mixed in with all the action and teenage emotions. His writing is vivid and blends the action/adventure with the human struggle beautifully. I also have to give a special shoutout to artist Peter Antonsson who made his High Rebulic debut earlier this year in Justina Ireland’s “A Test of Courage” – his work in “Crashpoint” is awesome! Del Rey can I get my request for “The Art of the High Republic” in now? I’ll also need a place to purchase some prints – thanks!
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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:
Yes
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
what is Star Wars if not traumatized children forced into leadership positions during war persevering
anyway this book was exactly what I thought it would be, I am not the target audience since it is written for children but it is very good for what it is. I love how perfectly it ties in with The Rising Storm, although TRS emotionally devastated me and I wasn’t ready to be thrown back into that.
As always The High Republic knocks it out of the park with its characters. I loved getting to know Ram better. Vernestra is also always a favorite of mine. And Ty Yorrick is always so cool.
Anyway this book was great and had me getting emotional a few times. Star Wars can always be counted on for that
anyway this book was exactly what I thought it would be, I am not the target audience since it is written for children but it is very good for what it is. I love how perfectly it ties in with The Rising Storm, although TRS emotionally devastated me and I wasn’t ready to be thrown back into that.
As always The High Republic knocks it out of the park with its characters. I loved getting to know Ram better. Vernestra is also always a favorite of mine. And Ty Yorrick is always so cool.
Anyway this book was great and had me getting emotional a few times. Star Wars can always be counted on for that
adventurous
fast-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-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:
Yes
adventurous
fast-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:
Complicated