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imarvelatthestars's review
- 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
5.0
I love these characters. I love the planets and culture they come from, I love the dynamic they share with each other. I love the journeys they go on individually, but also with each other and how their bonds strengthen and develop with the story. Not to mention the fact that Córdova's prose is absolutely gorgeous. I lost count of how many times I just wrote some variation of "Córdova, your prose!" in the margins. (Can she just write all Star Wars forever after this? I loved her approach so much.)
Moderate: War, Alcohol, and Death
jenny_librarian's review against another edition
3.75
Not my favourite, but an alright follow up to Path of Deceit. I did like Phan-Tu and Xiri’s relationship though.
Graphic: War and Mental illness
Moderate: Death of parent, Gun violence, Violence, and Medical content
frozenjedi's review against another edition
- 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
3.5
Part 1 had me really engaged and I was invested in Xiri and Phan-tu's relationship plus the predicament of E'ronoh and Eiram. The plot looked a little predictable then, but at least I liked where it was going. But that waned in part 2.
There were certain plot points that while it wasn't complicated in simplicity, the way they were explained/acted out felt unnecessarily convoluted. And the overall plot felt too drawn out, which made part 2 of the book sluggish.
Not to mention, there were some great action moments. But with the way the author wrote them, the scenes usually ended with me confused on the outcome of everything. There wasn't any clarity in the action scenes. It felt like I skimmed over it even though I would reread it to understand what the heck just happened.
By the final act's main battle, I kind of gave up getting an actual clear picture of what was going on. That's a bit annoying considering this is a Star Wars novel.
But on the upside, I did enjoy the characters a lot. It was cool seeing how they grew to be a tight knit group, but their actual storylines were best in duos: Phan-tu and Xiri, Gella and Axel.
Though, the subtle romance between Axel and Gella felt too subtle. By the end you could definitely see there were feelings from both sides (which made the outcome of everything Axel did hurt) but majority of the book it seemed one sided. But idk, maybe that was just me.
Anyway, considering I've been reading this off and on for months, I have a lot of mixed feelings and thoughts about Convergence.
But I'm wayyy too invested in Gella and Axel's story at this point, so I guess I'm going to read the next book.
Minor: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, and War
whocop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, and Violence
Moderate: Alcohol, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
abigail_reads06's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Death, War, Murder, and Gun violence
Moderate: Religious bigotry
karoureads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: War
Moderate: Death
coruscant's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Perhaps the biggest winner in the cutback cast was the world building. E'ronoh and Eiram both felt lush and vast and identifiable in my mind. The two worlds exist in such stark opposition yet had a great number of similarities. The two heirs, Xiri and Phan-Tu, made for a brilliant pair and were both fully fleshed and well written. Córdova certainly knows how to write a romance that is both subtle and punchy as needed.
Axel Greylark was perhaps the most compelling of the cast with his complex motivations and beliefs in question from the offset.
This book relied pretty heavily on the reader having picked up Path of Deceit which is not unusual for anything High Republic. Much of Star Wars generally is about the unlearned mistakes of the past and as the cards are dealt for Phase II, I am questioning the decision to make the second phase a prequel to the first less and less. The Path of the Open hand operates quietly in this book and it begs the question will the Jedi respond to this threat before it is too late?
There many things we know from Phase I that suggest Phase II cannot end with specific scenarios. I thought this would be limiting in a storytelling sense however after the first book ends I find myself no more certain of the direction the next books will take. Many may see this as a negative outcome but I am intrigued by the ability to keep the wider narrative a mystery when so many known factors are in play.
In a High Republic sense I am enjoying the genre-travelling of this era. Part political-thriller, part romance was not a combination I expected to work so well. My biggest takeaway from this book is that I simply cannot wait to make it to Jedha (but knowing the High Republic's penchant for grief and misery... maybe I can?)
Graphic: Death of parent, War, and Grief
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Drug use
billyjepma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I don't know how to say this without sounding disparaging, which I don't intend to be, but the story feels like something you'd find in fan fiction. That's not usually something I mind, as those tropes are popular for good reasons, but they didn't click for me in this context. Despite my misgivings about the story around them, I'm still invested enough in the cast of fresh-faced heroes to want to see where they go next.
If this were a standalone series, I would be more forgiving, probably, but I'm also not sure how compelled to continue I'd be. As part of an ongoing storyline I'm already significantly invested in, it's disappointing. It makes me question more than ever whether the choice to have Phase 2 of The High Republic as a "prequel" series was the best, especially since this first outing has yet to establish a solid direction for the rest of the stories moving forward. I'm obviously in for the whole shebang, so I'm ready and willing to be proven wrong, but the momentum and investment I had in Phase 1 of THR have yet to translate over so far.
Moderate: Murder, War, and Violence
Minor: Injury/Injury detail and Death of parent