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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
adventurous
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:
Complicated
Star Wars: The High Republic - Into the Dark is another stellar entry in this new era of Star Wars. Full of amazing brand-new characters, exciting new ideas, and frightening new enemies, it leaps up to the top of the pack of canon novels, just behind Light of the Jedi.
Claudia Gray (Into the Dark, Master and Apprentice, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Bloodline, and Lost Stars) and Charles Soule (Light of the Jedi, The Rise of Kylo Ren, Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Lando, Poe Dameron) are tied right now for "favorite Star Wars author working." (Probably of all time.) Into the Dark only cements that further. And why is that?
NEW. Even in their stories about legacy characters, Gray and Soule both offer great, new insight into some aspect or aspects of their personalities.
So with a clean slate, and free reign over a massive new epic, it's no wonder they (and fellow High Republic authors Justina Ireland, Cavan Scott, and Daniel Jose Older) are crafting the most engaging Star Wars books and comics stories in recent memory.
Now... Into the Dark. We meet Padawan Reath Silas, apprentice to Master Jora Malli (a character first introduced in Light of the Jedi), Jedi Knight Dez Rydan (Malli's former apprentice), and Jedi Knights Cohmac Vitus and Orla Jareni; they're all headed out toward Starlight Beacon to meet Master Malli, aboard the Vessel, captained by roguish Leox Gyasi, crewed by young Affie Hollow, and a being called Geode (the less you know about him going into the story, the better). En route to the galactic frontier, the Great Disaster hits. Leox's quick-thinking and expert piloting get them to the relative safety of an Amaxine station (which you might recognize from Soule's The Rise of Kylo Ren). But the operative word here is "relative," because even though they survived the destruction of the Legacy Run, they're about to stumble into a conflict beyond what any of them could have imagined.
I really, really loved this one. The scale is not as galaxy-spanning as Light of the Jedi, but that only means more time with Reath, Affie, and the rest of this incredible cast of characters. Like Light of the Jedi, A Test of Courage, and the Marvel comics series, these characters are instant classics in my book-- for me, Reath, Leox, Affie, Cohmac, and Orla in particular could stack up against some of my favorite classic characters. Reath is a different kind of Jedi Padawan than we've really seen before. Capable in the field, but much more interested in studying; he's got a certain earnestness that's not bumbling or eyeroll-inducing, but endearing. Leox is genuinely not quite like any other Star Wars character I can think of. Gray described him as "Matthew McConaughey in space," and... well, he's that, and it somehow couldn't work better. Affie is similar to Rose, but she isn't shafted right out of her own story. Cohmac and Orla really challenge what it means to be a Jedi Knight (STRONG Qui-Gon vibes, and if I love anything, I love me some Qui-Gon Jinn). I can't wait to see what adventures they'll get into next (and for many of them, I won't have to wait long... thanks, Star Wars publishing!).
Without getting into real spoiler territory, suffice it to say if you've read Light of the Jedi, you'll already know what kind of threat the Nihil might pose... but you're not ready for the Drengir. Sentient plants consumed by the dark side... they're not like anything else in the Star Wars canon, and I'm thrilled to see how they will factor into the fomenting conflict across the novels and comics over the rest of the High Republic storytelling.
Gray's writing, as ever, is crisp, clean, and entertaining from beginning to end. The characters are distinct and memorable, the action is exciting, and the plot unfolds wonderfully. I will admit, at first I was a little iffy on a series of flashbacks about Cohmac and Orla as Padawans, but by the end of the book, I'd say they were well worthwhile, shedding important light on both characters, and the overall state of the galactic frontier surrounding Starlight Beacon.
I know Reath Silas is going to star in the next YA novel, Out of the Shadows, by Justina Ireland, and team up with her hero from A Test of Courage, Vernestra Rwoh, and I could not really be more excited about that. They have very different ways of being a Jedi; I think Vern's individuality, and her young age, are going to grate on Reath a bit, and I'm here for it. I really hope we catch up with the rest of the gang soon in other books, especially Leox and Orla.
I would absolutely recommend reading Light of the Jedi before reading this, as the Great Disaster, the era-defining cataclysm depicted in great detail in that book, is not very fleshed out here, and that context will help you understand the state of the galaxy. BUT I don't think you'll be totally lost here if you don't. It's a character-driven story, and you'll get everything you need about those characters here.
Again, I couldn't be more satisfied with The High Republic so far. PLEASE let them release some art books or visual dictionaries, and some action figures, ASAP.
FOR LIGHT, AND LIFE.
Claudia Gray (Into the Dark, Master and Apprentice, Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Bloodline, and Lost Stars) and Charles Soule (Light of the Jedi, The Rise of Kylo Ren, Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, Lando, Poe Dameron) are tied right now for "favorite Star Wars author working." (Probably of all time.) Into the Dark only cements that further. And why is that?
NEW. Even in their stories about legacy characters, Gray and Soule both offer great, new insight into some aspect or aspects of their personalities.
So with a clean slate, and free reign over a massive new epic, it's no wonder they (and fellow High Republic authors Justina Ireland, Cavan Scott, and Daniel Jose Older) are crafting the most engaging Star Wars books and comics stories in recent memory.
Now... Into the Dark. We meet Padawan Reath Silas, apprentice to Master Jora Malli (a character first introduced in Light of the Jedi), Jedi Knight Dez Rydan (Malli's former apprentice), and Jedi Knights Cohmac Vitus and Orla Jareni; they're all headed out toward Starlight Beacon to meet Master Malli, aboard the Vessel, captained by roguish Leox Gyasi, crewed by young Affie Hollow, and a being called Geode (the less you know about him going into the story, the better). En route to the galactic frontier, the Great Disaster hits. Leox's quick-thinking and expert piloting get them to the relative safety of an Amaxine station (which you might recognize from Soule's The Rise of Kylo Ren). But the operative word here is "relative," because even though they survived the destruction of the Legacy Run, they're about to stumble into a conflict beyond what any of them could have imagined.
I really, really loved this one. The scale is not as galaxy-spanning as Light of the Jedi, but that only means more time with Reath, Affie, and the rest of this incredible cast of characters. Like Light of the Jedi, A Test of Courage, and the Marvel comics series, these characters are instant classics in my book-- for me, Reath, Leox, Affie, Cohmac, and Orla in particular could stack up against some of my favorite classic characters. Reath is a different kind of Jedi Padawan than we've really seen before. Capable in the field, but much more interested in studying; he's got a certain earnestness that's not bumbling or eyeroll-inducing, but endearing. Leox is genuinely not quite like any other Star Wars character I can think of. Gray described him as "Matthew McConaughey in space," and... well, he's that, and it somehow couldn't work better. Affie is similar to Rose, but she isn't shafted right out of her own story. Cohmac and Orla really challenge what it means to be a Jedi Knight (STRONG Qui-Gon vibes, and if I love anything, I love me some Qui-Gon Jinn). I can't wait to see what adventures they'll get into next (and for many of them, I won't have to wait long... thanks, Star Wars publishing!).
Without getting into real spoiler territory, suffice it to say if you've read Light of the Jedi, you'll already know what kind of threat the Nihil might pose... but you're not ready for the Drengir. Sentient plants consumed by the dark side... they're not like anything else in the Star Wars canon, and I'm thrilled to see how they will factor into the fomenting conflict across the novels and comics over the rest of the High Republic storytelling.
Gray's writing, as ever, is crisp, clean, and entertaining from beginning to end. The characters are distinct and memorable, the action is exciting, and the plot unfolds wonderfully. I will admit, at first I was a little iffy on a series of flashbacks about Cohmac and Orla as Padawans, but by the end of the book, I'd say they were well worthwhile, shedding important light on both characters, and the overall state of the galactic frontier surrounding Starlight Beacon.
I know Reath Silas is going to star in the next YA novel, Out of the Shadows, by Justina Ireland, and team up with her hero from A Test of Courage, Vernestra Rwoh, and I could not really be more excited about that. They have very different ways of being a Jedi; I think Vern's individuality, and her young age, are going to grate on Reath a bit, and I'm here for it. I really hope we catch up with the rest of the gang soon in other books, especially Leox and Orla.
I would absolutely recommend reading Light of the Jedi before reading this, as the Great Disaster, the era-defining cataclysm depicted in great detail in that book, is not very fleshed out here, and that context will help you understand the state of the galaxy. BUT I don't think you'll be totally lost here if you don't. It's a character-driven story, and you'll get everything you need about those characters here.
Again, I couldn't be more satisfied with The High Republic so far. PLEASE let them release some art books or visual dictionaries, and some action figures, ASAP.
FOR LIGHT, AND LIFE.
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Overall it was good. It took me a long time to finish. Without a map of the station, it felt unnecessarily confusing to imagine the layout. Character-focused, every character saw some kind of growth and left to their own destinies.
adventurous
funny
hopeful
mysterious
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
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Violence, Grief
Another fun Star Wars book. This one was shorter and smaller in focus than the last one, with fewer characters, which I appreciated. It made it easier to keep track of the plot and to connect with the characters. Geode in particular was a lot of fun. I enjoyed seeing the growth and learning each of the main characters experienced and that it was a lot less depressing than the previous High Republic book (perhaps because of its intended YA audience).