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A review by doctorwoofwoof
The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott
adventurous
dark
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
** Note: This is my first review for StoryGraph, which is, in my opinion, a worthy alternative to Goodreads. **
I know there is an unfair (!) amount of negative reviews/comments out there concerning this book, as well as "The High Republic" series as a whole. My sole goal with this review is to offer some honest feedback, hopefully inspiring you to check it out for yourselves!
There's a lot to like about this book.. It's set centuries before the first of the SW films, so it's a whole different playing field. No Sith/Evil Empire, none of that. It's just the Jedi Order and a much better organized, less evil than when Palpatine had it, Republic!
Now, mind you, just because there is no Sith or Empire present, that doesn't mean there isn't a "Big Bad" for the series. That nasty "honor" falls to the Nihil! They don't have the Force or any special powers, other than some nifty hyperspatial manipulation (which has yet to be explained and/or elaborated upon), but dang, they are surely representative being "threat-like" by the novel's conclusion! They also have a scary-ish leader, Ro Marchion, also known as the Eye.
One aspect of the book that I really liked, and its something I alluded to early on, was the absence of the Sith/Empire. This presents us with a galaxy that is far different, far simpler to some degree, than the SW universe we are familiar with! I think this is something that some people are having a problem with: no Sith/Empire or any other relatable villains! Their loss, eh?
Another aspect of the novel I liked was that the Jedi were portrayed as not necessarily all white or even partially black. Some were shown to have internal struggles, ones that affected their present lives as a whole. I think it was because of this that it made for more relatable Jedi.
SW: THE HIGH REPUBLIC is a great concept overall! The books, both the adult as well as the young adult ones, dovetail into one another, offering a bigger picture! However, you don't have to read all of them, but again, if you do, the tapestry is far grander in its scope!
I'm going to end my review here. Sure, I could ramble on some more about how great this book is, but where will that get me? Instead, I will offer you this: ignore the negative comments/reviews, going forth with an open, unbiased mind, and I think you will come away quite surprised! And, in the words of Martha Stewart: that's a good thing!
I know there is an unfair (!) amount of negative reviews/comments out there concerning this book, as well as "The High Republic" series as a whole. My sole goal with this review is to offer some honest feedback, hopefully inspiring you to check it out for yourselves!
There's a lot to like about this book.. It's set centuries before the first of the SW films, so it's a whole different playing field. No Sith/Evil Empire, none of that. It's just the Jedi Order and a much better organized, less evil than when Palpatine had it, Republic!
Now, mind you, just because there is no Sith or Empire present, that doesn't mean there isn't a "Big Bad" for the series. That nasty "honor" falls to the Nihil! They don't have the Force or any special powers, other than some nifty hyperspatial manipulation (which has yet to be explained and/or elaborated upon), but dang, they are surely representative being "threat-like" by the novel's conclusion! They also have a scary-ish leader, Ro Marchion, also known as the Eye.
One aspect of the book that I really liked, and its something I alluded to early on, was the absence of the Sith/Empire. This presents us with a galaxy that is far different, far simpler to some degree, than the SW universe we are familiar with! I think this is something that some people are having a problem with: no Sith/Empire or any other relatable villains! Their loss, eh?
Another aspect of the novel I liked was that the Jedi were portrayed as not necessarily all white or even partially black. Some were shown to have internal struggles, ones that affected their present lives as a whole. I think it was because of this that it made for more relatable Jedi.
SW: THE HIGH REPUBLIC is a great concept overall! The books, both the adult as well as the young adult ones, dovetail into one another, offering a bigger picture! However, you don't have to read all of them, but again, if you do, the tapestry is far grander in its scope!
I'm going to end my review here. Sure, I could ramble on some more about how great this book is, but where will that get me? Instead, I will offer you this: ignore the negative comments/reviews, going forth with an open, unbiased mind, and I think you will come away quite surprised! And, in the words of Martha Stewart: that's a good thing!