– Non-Spoiler and Spoiler Review –
After the opening wave of novels for Phase I of The High Republic released in January, two comic series continued the era’s story and now Wave II begins with the concurrent release of more novels. The Rising Storm, written by Cavan Scott, is the second adult novel, and is a more personal, focused book, though it moves at a relentless, exhilarating pace, and expands the scope and dangers of the era in a way that’ll leave readers speechless. It’s a book you’ll be thinking about long after you finish it!
The Rising Storm picks up one year after the events of Light of the Jedi, the Great Hyperspace Disaster still fresh in everyone’s mind but the galaxy is eager to move on from, Republic Chancellor Lina Soh pushing ahead with the Republic Fair as a way to bring the galaxy together as they expand into the Outer Rim. The threat of the Drengir has spread far and wide, but with it only affecting the frontier and Marshal of Starlight Beacon Avar Kriss handling the problem (playing out in The High Republic comic from Marvel, also by Scott), the Republic and the Jedi don’t consider it much of a concern, nor do they worry about the Nihil, whom they believe they beat back but are actually resting on their laurels, looking for the right time and place to strike. The novel follows characters we’ve already met and brand new ones for the era, while spending more time with the Nihil and their dastardly plans, converging on the event of the era, the Republic Fair, in a big, action-packed, and intense way that no-one in the galaxy will forget. Well, that’s until the book’s finale, which answers an important question the team of Luminous authors sought to answer and will leave you eager to see what will come next.
Honestly, much of Scott’s writing and pacing will leave you breathless, as he masterfully hooks you from cliffhanger to cliffhanger in the big action sequences, builds up to those moments with teeth-chattering tension, and lets you cherish the quiet parts before the storm. The best example of how he builds tension and keeps readers hooked throughout the lengthy action sequence is thus: after we learn how the Nihil plan to strike fear and chaos in the Republic next, Scott takes us to the Republic Fair and there are several chapters were everything is going perfectly and no problems are on the horizon as far as the characters are concerned, but we as readers know something is coming and the wait is excruciating in the best way possible, so when the other foot drops, it drops hard like a rancor’s stomp. And while the sequence afterwards runs for nearly 30 chapters, it’s a breathless, exciting, well-written roller coaster of a ride, where Scott uses cliffhangers at the end of chapters, only to return later to resolve them, all the while adding new ones in-between, to keep the tension palpable over such a prolonged period. It’s somewhat similar to the opening disaster of Light of the Jedi, but where Charles Soule used a large variety of character POVs, Scott’s list is a little tighter, and as you grow attached to certain characters, it helps raise the stakes considering we don’t know the fates of really anyone involved. And when you get to the ending? Scott proves his mastery of the craft and leaves you needing more, because things will never be the same after this and he delivers the moment like a boxer taking out their opponent before they even knew what hit them.
With Scott focusing a little more on a core cast than LotJ, there’s some really great development on specific characters and certain relationships only teased or mentioned across the content out already. In particular, I really enjoyed the true brotherly friendship between Jedi Master Elzar Mann and Jedi Master/Council Member Stellan Gios; their third counterpart isn’t in the novel, Avar Kriss (who did feature in LotJ), as she’s off fighting back the Drengir in the on-going The High Republic comic, but revelations regarding their histories with one another do arise. With Kriss not really in the picture then, Scott focuses on the brotherly friendship, and by making its Prequel Trilogy parallel obvious, it helps highlight the unique place the Jedi Order is in during this time period. Mann struggles with the terrifying vision he received at the end of LotJ and over the past year he’s tried to figure it out on his own, even visiting an ancient Jedi site on a moon of Tython. Like most Jedi before and after him, as things start going well, he believes he has things figured out, but that couldn’t be further than the truth. With Stellan, he’s now in the spotlight, a poster-boy for the Jedi as Chancellor Soh wants the entire process regarding the Republic Fair, and the Jedi’s involvement, documented by a reporter named Rhil Dario. He’s charming and puts on a great smile, but he’s uncomfortable with the role but trusts wholly in the Force to guide him through it and his role in the spotlight. Reunited on Valo, the Fair’s hand-picked planet, it’s clear almost instantly, at least for me, that Elzar and Stellan are this era’s Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi: Elzar has visions he must contend with, as well as forming attachments forbidden by the Order (both with Jedi and others, which I felt Scott handled well here), while another similarity I couldn’t ignore is their impatience, especially since they both casually jump from great heights (one from a speeder, another from a…dragon!); and with Stellan, he’s the studious Master, adhering to the Order’s rules hence his poster-boy status, though he has his own struggles from time to time, much as Obi-Wan did. There are some key differences, as they don’t have the weight of a Chosen One prophecy between them, nor are they in a conservative Order, while they’ve trained together since Padawans so there’s a deeper bond. Thanks to those differences inherit in the era, Elzar and Stellan can foster and rely on their bond, and be open to one another as their emotional states swing with the giant events within The Rising Storm, and it’s a highlight to read these friends teasing one another, being there for one another, and helping one another even when one of them takes a dangerous first plunge towards the dark side. This support system the Jedi Order doesn’t fight against as much in this era makes one wonder what would’ve happened between Obi-Wan and Anakin if they could’ve been more open with one another, and it’s fascinating to see the potential play itself out, so far, with Elzar and Stellan. I’ll be very interested where the story of THR goes from here in Phase I and I hope Elzar and Stellan, and definitely Avar Kriss, stay important to the story so we can watch how it all unfolds and compare if it with the events on similar characters in the prequels.
Padawan Bell Zettifar, alongside his Master Loden Greatstorm, were highlights of LotJ, which made Loden’s capture by the Nihil hit that much harder at the end of that book. I liked Bell quite a bit, but I didn’t realize how much I cared for the character until TRS, as Scott puts him through a killer ringer multiple times, which nearly led me to tears on a few occasions and had me cursing Scott’s name several times throughout, but watching him emerge stronger and more assured than before is compelling reading. Bell struggles with Loden’s disappearance even a year later, not convinced like the other Jedi that his Master is one with the Force, but thankfully he has the absolute best girl ever at his heels, Ember the amazing space dog/charhound. Their bond, as someone who has had a dog all his life, is a big part of why Bell’s sections tugged at my heartstrings more than expected, and it’s clear by the end of the book she’ll be vital for Bell going forward once again. Tied with Bell for my interest in TRS is new character Ty Yorrick, much like I imagined I’d fall in love with as we were slowly introduced to her in the build-up to the book’s release. Ty has a murky history with the Jedi Order, one we just get a glimpse of here that connects to an Easter Egg in Scott’s Dooku: Jedi Lost, and she’s made her own way for a long time now, becoming a saber-for-hire, mainly to deal with monsters. The book opens up with a memorable and endearing scene with her dealing with a lone Drengir, though her next job puts her in the sights of the Order, exactly what she’s been avoiding for years. How they clash, and how she reacts to the growing chaos at the Republic Fair, are some of my favorite parts of the book, as she’s an interesting character with lots of potential and we get a wonderful glimpse of that here. Reading Race to Crashpoint Tower, Daniel José Older’s middle-grade book releasing the same day as TRS, will offer fans more time with the character thanks to some fun overlapping,* while she’ll next be in IDW’s Star Wars Adventures – The Monster of Temple Peak, a 4-issue miniseries starting in August, again from Scott, and it’s a prequel to her appearance here. I’m eager to see where her story goes from here!
In LotJ, Chancellor Lina Soh’s big Great Works project was the launch of Starlight Beacon and it’s been successful despite the Nihil’s attacks as it continues to transmit Avar Kriss reassuring words across the galaxy, though it’s had its own problems with a Drengir infestation Kriss is gathering Jedi together to deal with, events playing out in the comic as I mentioned before. Now Soh focuses on the Republic Fair, trying to show the galaxy, and specifically the Outer Rim, the splendor of joining the Republic and how glorious things could be if they all work together. There’s some pushback of course, personified by Senator Tia Toons from Sullust, who brings some salient points to the table about the overspending used on the Fair could’ve gone elsewhere, while he’s vying for a Defense Force Program, which would create a Republic Army, because if the Jedi were ever to fail, who or what does the Republic have to defend themselves beyond the limited coalition forces. Whether he has good intentions or something more insidious in mind with his ideas, especially as he mixes up with the mysterious client Ty Yorrick brings to Valo, is an enjoyably infuriating thing to keep track of throughout the book. The repercussions of the Nihil’s attack on the Republic Fair, and the shocking events of the book’s finale, make one consider some of Toons points, but Soh and Master Gios have their counterpoints that revel in the era’s optimism, though knowing how things are by the Prequels adds extra dimensions to these discussions. I also grew to enjoy the reporter Rhil, especially once her backstory is explored a little and how she contributes to the fight against the Nihil. I hope we’ll see more of her in the future, helping paint a better picture of the events than all the reactionary news reports from the big attack.
The Nihil have largely been absent from material since the opening novels, and while Eye of the Storm Marchion Ro features in The High Republic Adventures, he’s not the focus, but TRS brings them back in a big way. And where I felt like LotJ could’ve spent more time with the Nihil, TRS does have several POV chapters with Ro and Tempest Runners Lourna Dee and Pan Eyta, it still feels like we need more to better understand their wants and needs as well (though we will have more in Scott’s other upcoming project, audiobook Tempest Runner, starring Lourna Dee). Lounra Dee was my favorite Tempest Runner and non-Ro Nihil character in the opening book and she continues to impress, as her ability to mask her reactions and keep everyone around her on edge, thanks in part to how she doesn’t trust anyone, make her a formidable foe and ally; even the Jedi find out she’s not to be messed with lightly. How she reacts and deals with the power shifts within the Nihil hierarchy, Pan’s designs against Ro as some of his secrets (see: the Paths) get out, cultivating the newest Runner, or Ro’s own eye-popping schemes are among my highlights from TRS and makes me even more eager for the audiobook about her. As for Marchion Ro, he’s just as unpredictable and willing to evolve his plans as ever, and as TRS unravels what he’s up to (which you can get a taste of in one of the excerpts), it becomes clear it’s going to change the era forever, while getting to find out what happened to Loden only adds to his dangerous plans for the future. With Scott able to add unbearable tension throughout the extended fight on Valo, consider the tension building up to what exactly Ro has planned hair-pulling-ly good, and the payoff looks to truly answer a vital question for this era: what scares the Jedi? It’s a moment I can’t stop thinking about since I read it and thinking about it only makes it more daring and hit hard again. Ro doesn’t disappoint and my hate (see: love) for him grows again here. We’ll discuss what he has up his sleeves in more detail in the spoiler section below, so head below the button to finish the review if you don’t want to be spoiled!
STRAP IN AND ENTER YOUR PATHS
BECAUSE IF YOU WANT SPOILERS CLICK BELOW
Here are a few other things:
- We have a page dedicated to The High Republic, which is where you’ll find all our reviews, news articles, and a list of what content is yet to come!
- Whereas Wave I content didn’t touch on the subject much, The Rising Storm, and even Race to Crashpoint Tower, has some interesting, deep, and intriguing conversations and storylines regarding the Jedi’s policies towards passions, attachments. This is the part that famously got Anakin and the whole galaxy in trouble, though it feels like, especially as we see what happens with Elzar, the Jedi Order is a little more lax in this era, a little more open. However, the no passion bit is already baked into their code, but you can hear the flexibility in moments like Stellan Gios’ response when Rhil asks him about it, “My ‘passions’ must never be greater than my mission.” As long as they can put those feelings away, push aside whatever they are passionate about, be it teaching or someone they care about, and still surrender themselves to the light when it needs them, passions are encouraged and can help prevent complacency. Kind of sounds like Anakin’s words to Padmé as they sneak away to Naboo in Attack of the Clones, no? Anakin obviously couldn’t let go when the light required him too, but then again, the Order was even harsher and less open regarding its connections to emotions and others. I’m glad The High Republic stories are beginning to dip their toes into the subject and I’m interested to see how they handle it in future works.
- I was a little surprised by the year difference between LotJ and TRS, as while the comics have been covering the time in-between, it hasn’t quite been clear how much time has passed, so I hope they try to make it a little clearer going forward.
- *When Ty finds herself in prison at one point in the book, we meet Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram (spelling), a small, cool moment where the story from Race to Crashpoint Tower overlaps with TRS and reading both versions side-by-side is a fun way to experience it. It’s synergy on a level you love to see in an effort like this.
- There is a wonderful little nod to Jedha that I hope can be explored or visited in the future of this era.
- TRS references two characters we’ve met before, in The Clone Wars, and would likely be alive in this era: Tera Sinube and Huyang!!! Out of the two, I expected to see Huyang, the truly ancient droid who helps Padawans make their lightsaber, a little earlier, but I’m just glad to know he’s out there and the potential to see him in a story has grown, even if by a fraction.
- Several more LGBTQ+ characters are added to canon here, like Ty and Chancellor Soh’s son, and Crashpoint adds the first human non-binary Jedi character, so kudos to the teams here for broadening representation time and time again. Hopefully the on-screen teams can follow suit sooner than later.
- Scott has a penchant for throwing in all sorts of weird artifacts and events in his writing so far and TRS doesn’t disappoint, making one wonder what will turn out to be simply a legend, something more, or something to be explored in the future; I particularly enjoyed the list of stuff archivist Jedi ObraLin talks (and talks and talks) about, even while battling Nihil!
- UPDATE: Check out the latest Star Wars Alliance podcast where yours truly guests with Katie and Clay to chat all things The Rising Storm! It was a blast to make my first podcast appearance and I hope it won’t be my last, while the hosts were excellent and kind for this first timer. Go give it a listen when you can!!!
The High Republic – The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott takes all the promises of the era from Light of the Jedi and builds and expands on them with a breathless thrill ride cradling an emotional core thanks to focusing more on specific characters, while it pushes the story of the era into a larger, frightening new place for the Jedi, the Republic, and citizens alike.
+ Ending with stick with you for a long time afterwards
+ Rollicking thrill-ride with cliffhangers galore
+ Smaller character list leads to better focus, emotional connections
+ Ty Yorrick, Bell Zettifar’s journey, and Elzar/Stellan Prequel parallels
+ Marchion Ro/Lourna Dee expansions
– Still would like a little more with the Nihil
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.
DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher at no charge in order to provide a review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.