Into the Dark is set during the “High Republic”, a golden age for the Republic and for Jedi. It introduces us to some new Jedi Masters, Knights and Padawans. They discover new threats, ancient enemies and strange technology in an era that is generally peaceful and prosperous. I particularly liked the character development some of the Jedi and friends go through during the mission. The Jedi Code and the Jedi way is pressure tested, both by the Jedi and the unpredictable nature of the galaxy. I think it’s a great addition to the Star Wars universe. It expands upon a new time period in the Republic’s past and adds some great new protagonists as well as some new existential threats to be confronted. Would recommend for new fans or old.

I am so happy that I got the opportunity to read this book. I had finished the first Star Wars High Republic book, Light of the Jedi, which has a arduous duty of introducing the High Republic era and the many new characters to fans. Into the Dark did not have the same issue, This book had the opportunity to focus on a small set of Jedi and their adventure exploring an abandoned space station. This adventure is contrary to what Padawan Reath Silas would desire as he falls into the "Adventure, excitement. A Jedi craves not these things" category. I welcome the character develop that this book had the opportunity to give.

I am loving this new Star Wars series, set way before the events of Episode I, in a time where the Jedi’s ruled the galaxy. I love these new adventures and cast of characters. Into the Dark was just as good at the first book in the series, if not better! I can’t wait to continue on with these stories!

I am seriously obsessed with The High Republic era in Star Wars. We don't have enough content prior and I am just thrilled that we continually keep adding to it. And to have a book written by the Star Wars queen herself, Claudia Gray, is honestly such a gem.

This book follows our Padawan Reath Silas as his Master Jora Malli accepts an assignment on their behalf to go to the Frontier. Reath is quite used to life on Coruasant and does not feel that it is in his destiny to accept an assignment in the Frontier. But, he is persuaded by his Master regardless to follow her orders and meet her out there. I LOVED that Reath is into the Archives because it reminds me very closely of Qui-Gon Jinn and it was cool to be able to make that connection with a beloved Star Wars character. I also appreciated the amount of Sith lore that was involved because I love being able to learn about the Sith, who as we know, are never truly gone.

This novel follows closely with the plot line of The Light of The Jedi and can be read before reading that but I felt that reading LOTJ first really helped me understand the whole picture better (as some of these characters are mentioned in that novel and as well as A Test of Courage). 4.5 stars for me and I cannot wait to read more from Claudia Gray and the rest of the authors involved in The High Republic!

Star Wars The High Republic: Into the Dark is set in the same universe and timeline as Star Wars The High Republic: A Test of Courage. Other than the Nihil, who are the villains - or at least one of the villains - in each volume, who cause a major disruption of hyperspace in A Test of Courage which plays a significant role in Into the Dark, there are no characters or plotlines in common and they were written by different authors, but there are commonalities present, and those who read and enjoyed the previous volume are likely to enjoy this one as well. This volume is an example of well-done fan fiction, set in the Star Wars universe, and containing both familiar and unfamiliar species, with a passing mention of Master Yoda.

Several of the main characters are Jedi, including one Padawan learner; unlike Jedi I have seen in previous volumes and movies, these Jedi - even the masters - appear to be less certain of themselves, and to dwell more on past mistakes than is generally seen in Jedi. I would say it makes them more human, but as several of them are of different species, that would be misleading; I do think it makes them more relatable than the more common image of the serene and unflappable Jedi knight or master. Reath Silas is a Padawan learner who, unlike most Jedi previously seen, prefers to spend time in the Archives rather than having adventures; in an attempt to broaden his horizons, his trainer, Master Jora, accepts an assignment in the borderlands of the Republic, and, of course, her Padawan learner must come with her. Master Jora goes ahead, and leaves Reath to follow her on another transport. As he waits for his transport to arrive, Reath meets Dez Rydan, a young Jedi knight, who is taking the same transport to the frontier, as are Orla Jareni and Master Cohmac Vitus. Their original transport is replaced due to mechanical problems, and the replacement is a cargo vessel named Vessel, crewed by three members of the Byne Guild, Affie Hollow (human, co-pilot), Loex Gyasi (also human, pilot), and Geoid (Vintian, a sentient rock). Once the transport leaves Coruscant, it almost immediately encounters debris disrupting hyperspace, from the actions of the Nihil, which forces them out of hyperspace into the nearest system, which is experiencing a significant solar flare, and leaves them seeking shelter in the only place available - an apparently abandoned space station. As the Jedi and the crew explore the space station and meet other, similarly-stranded travelers, it becomes apparent that something is very wrong on the space station - something that centers around the presence of some type of Dark Force on the station. Over the course of the novel, the Jedi seek to find and contain the Dark Force, a quest complicated by unrest between the members of the various stranded crews, 8-T droids that not only care for the luxurious foliage that covers the station but are also willing, and able, to attack any being that disrupts the plant life, and the unfamiliar technology of the station itself. These issues create a coming-of-age experience for Reath, as well as creating a fertile ground for Orla and Cohmac to relive an earlier occurrence that each believes to have been their greatest failure, while Dez is captured by hostile aliens, which ultimately leads him to rethink his entire future. All four Jedi learn and grow, often in painful ways, throughout their entire adventure - the very type of adventure which Reath would rather have never had. This is an enjoyable and entertaining read, particularly for those who enjoy the Star Wars universe, but would also be a good read for anyone who enjoys coming-of-age adventures.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Into the Dark.

I was really excited for another Claudia Gray Star Wars novel, as Lost Stars is one of my absolute favorites and . . . I mean, this was fine, but honestly, not great. The plot was okay but nothing remarkable, the characters were fine and I did really find Reath relatable and I liked Affie’s arc a lot.

The only thing that truly excited me about this novel was mention of the Kyber Arch, which I’m gonna need to see that recreated on screen at some point. There’s nothing super exciting or memorable about this storyline, unfortunately,

I was initially worried that I was going to be bored out of my mind as I read this book. And for the most part, I wasn’t, but the best part about Star Wars is the world building created by the scenery and background characters. This book doesn’t really contain either. Sure, the story itself is ok (a boy who’s convinced himself he’s ‘not like other Jedi’), but it really lacks substance. I put this book down once and went “wait, I don’t have to pick this up again” so I didn’t.
A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy.

Only a month after the initial launch of The High Republic, our next novel arrives in the form of Claudia Gray’s The High Republic – Into the Dark. The young adult novel takes place roughly at the same time as the opening novels, but it’s a side adventure with far reaching implications that opens up the era to new faces, enemies, and stories. If you’ve read any of Gray’s previous works before, you already expected nothing less and she delivers on all fronts again, especially the characters, in her first THR entry.

In case you are unaware, The High Republic – Into the Dark is the third entry in the big The High Republic publishing initiative for Star Wars, which takes place 200 years prior to the prequel films (aka The Phantom Menace). The Jedi are at the height of their power, especially since there’s no corruption in the Republic yet nor any Sith to mess with them, and they are out amongst the people, helping in squabbles big and small. The Republic is expanding to include the Outer Rim, starting with their Starlight Beacon project, but they run into a nefarious marauder group called the Nihil and their threat is only beginning to become clear after a deadly hyperspace disaster strikes. Thankfully, the way Claudia Gray writes Into the Dark, despite it being the third novel and fifth overall entry in the era’s story (there are two comics as well!), one could easily pick this up as their first introduction to the era and not feel completely lost; sure, reading all the content is highly encouraged, not only to get a better idea of the full picture, but also because everything’s been top-notch so far, though it’s not necessary yet. I’ll be curious to see how that changes as we continue on into the rest of Phase I: Light of the Jedi, as well as once we reach the next Phase(s), but for now I’m glad to see it’s easy for readers to jump in as they please so far!

Whereas Light of the Jedi is an expansive novel following tons of characters and A Test of Courage centers on a small group and story, Into the Dark relies heavily on its characters to push forward a focused, but larger tale that adds to the unfolding threat against the Jedi and the Republic, so it sits somewhere between the opening two stories and it’s a sweet spot I quite enjoy in the new era. As the Jedi start heading to the frontier to help with the Republic’s expansion, like Jedi Master Jora Malli as Starlight Beacon’s marshal, her Padawan Reath Silas, an Archive-minded Jedi not down for any type of adventures, follows shortly after, alongside Jedi Knight Dez Rydan, Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus, and Wayseeker Orla Jareni, all with their own reasons and goals for heading to the Outer Rim. They get passage from a unique cargo ship, the Vessel, tied to one of the Outer Rims bigger shipping Guilds, with an even more unique crew in Leox Gyasi, Affie Hollow, and Geode. The hyperspace disaster interrupts their trip to Starlight, forcing them to land on an abandoned space station with ancient ties and a dark, scary secret that will threaten the galaxy if it’s not contained. What’s most impressive, and what helps make Into the Dark my favorite THR novel so far, is how its characters drive everything forward and they all have their unique, individual reasons for running back into danger, time and time again; both the opening novels have this aspect too, but Into the Dark implements it the strongest, as their actions breed consequences both big and small and it’s thrilling to watch the characters deal with them.

For the Jedi, I found Reath Silas to be the most intriguing, as all the Jedi we’ve met in the era so far are action/adventure ready, much like the prequel Jedi, and Reath is the exact opposite: he’d rather stay in the Jedi archives and pour over the texts, and the adventures someone else had, instead! It’s unique and surprising because it seems strange but also because we haven’t had this perspective really before. At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like Reath, as how could someone with all these awesome abilities ever just want to read books, a thought I’m sure a lot of us can sympathize with, but the way Gray tackles his internalizations helped me understand Reath’s reasoning, while his journey throughout the book adds even more layers and nuance to the portrayal that I almost wanted to be a Jedi Archivist too. Plus, someone Reath meets becomes a mirror of his progression and I loved the way Gray played out both their arcs. With Dez Rydan, he’s a former Padawan of Reath’s Torgrutan Master Jora, and he has an almost endless thirst for adventure, much like Yoda rallied against when training Luke Skywalker, making Dez basically the opposite of Reath in all aspects. How the two Padawans deal with their legacy as their Master’s students and with the events on the station certainly goes in unexpected directions.

As for Orla Jareni and Vitus Cohmac, the two Jedi go a long ways back, where a fateful mission changed the course of their careers forever: for Orla, whose connection to the Force comes instinctively, she’s decided to take up being a Wayseeker, where she’s still affiliated with the Jedi Order but she’s listening to the Force to find her purpose; and for Cohmac, he can’t let go of his mistakes, causing him to question the Jedi though he has no desire to leave the Order, while the challenges they face in the space station only add to his growing feelings. I wish we had a little more with Orla in general, as it felt like we didn’t get as complete a picture with her wants and desires, but the nature of her character means she was in flux anyways so it makes sense we’d have less of an arc for her. However, the flashback sequences with her and Cohmac on their fateful mission 25 years earlier help explore why she’d choose something like a Wayseeker, and her ending has me itching for more time with her. Cohmac’s story, with how he’s still dealing with his perceived mistakes and how the darkness they encounter on the station only feeds into his thoughts/doubts, lays the foundation for another character I’ll be eager to see more of, especially since he’s giving me some Qui-Gon Jinn vibes and if there’s no new Qui-Gon content, I’ll take the closet thing I can get. The flashback covering Cohmac and Orla’s previous mission ends about the way you’d think, but how it ends opens the question if their actions were really mistakes or the will of the Force, considering the ultimate consequences tie into events we’ve seen in previous THR works.

Beyond these few intriguing Jedi, the non-Jedi contingent of characters left an even bigger impression, especially in the Vessel’s team of Leox, Affie, and Geode. Prior to Into the Dark’s release, Gray teased the idea of Leox: 1990’s Matthew McConaughey as the captain of a space ship, and holy Sithspit did she deliver! It was impossible not to hear McConaughey speaking all of Leox’s lines, the dialogue perfectly synced with his performance in something like Dazed and Confused, a drawl like only he bring to even the most tense of situations. Leox is much the same, preferring calm and non-violence to most situations, even as the threat aboard the space station becomes clear, though his laid back nature hides his fierce loyalty. How he interacts with the Jedi, and especially his crew, offers plenty of surprise and delight, and his few POV sections left me hoping for more. I particularly liked his interactions and time with Affie Hollow, the adopted daughter of the Byne Guild leader, Scover Byne, as how he treats her feels like a rarity we see in both Star Wars and some of the other fiction I read. Affie wants to do her adopted mother proud, but the stigma of her relationship with the Guild’s leader means no one is willing to teach her the important stuff, but she forms a bond with Leox and Geode since they treat her for who she is, not for who she’s related to. Affie’s journey, uncovering some secrets about her past on the space station and what it means for her future in the Guild, is easily my favorite of the novel, just ahead of Reath’s, as it’s refreshing that a “supporting” character has so much more to do than get involved in the Jedi shenanigans and tons of agency throughout. As for Geode, well I won’t spoil that here, but I loved how Gray played with the character’s status throughout the novel. Overall, the crew became one of my favorite aspects of Into the Dark, from their individual agency to their memorable personalities and stories, and I’m happy to see more of the era’s common folk after focusing so much on the Jedi so far. Also, considering the space station is out in frontier territory, and others from the area are similarly stuck in space around it due to the unfolding hyperspace disaster, we get to meet different species and characters from the Outer Rim and I’m excited about the idea of all the new species and planets we might get to see as THR unfolds, thanks especially due to the ones Gray introduces.

Considering it’s out a month after, I was a little surprised Into the Dark takes place around the same time as Light of the Jedi, but it makes sense due to it setting up more of the era and introducing aspects which will become more important as the story unfolds across its three Phases. One of those aspects is of course the era’s main villain, the Nihil, though they take more of a backseat here than other novels, but their presence spells trouble when a much larger and potentially far deadlier threat emerges. I won’t dive too much into this threat, and only a tad more in the spoiler section below, but I don’t consider talking about them spoilers since they’ve been setting up their appearance in this novel for some time now: the Drengir. Imagine a swampy, rotund tree, but now add in a mouth, eyes, its branches as arms/lethal weapons, and sprinkle in a dash of poison and a disturbing desire for meat (I put the concept art here to help); it all adds up to a disgusting, scary, and a terribly interesting and dangerous new foe for the Jedi, unlike any we’ve seen them face before. There are plenty of questions left about them by novel’s end, but I’m both horrified and eager to learn more, as they honestly seem like such a great foe for the upstanding Jedi of the era: their nigh indestructibility, poison that still has unknown side-effects, and insatiable taste for meat aren’t weapons this Jedi Order has seemingly dealt with before, nor has had any of its members train to fight against, as avoiding the dark side has seemingly left them all potentially more susceptible to the oppressive dark energy radiating off the Drengir. How this threat evolves and grows will certainly be something to look out for as THR’s story continues!

The High Republic – Into the Dark by Claudia Gray carves out its own corner of the era with a memorable cast full of agency, a dangerous and intriguing new threat, and the promise of complex and engaging tales ahead for all involved and for the era as a whole; it’s Gray, what else did you expect?!.

Claudia Gray once again smashes a book out of the water while still keeping the story alive. Mixing action, adventure, and mystery all together, we learn the secrets behind why a space station is left seemingly abandoned.

I haven’t had the pleasure of reading Claudia Gray’s other Star Wars books, however, this one has definitely sealed my fate.

Though it was a bit hard to get into at first because of the new characters and initial lack of “usual” connection (ie characters we all know and love), this proved to be a great story that brought new lore and seamlessly combined it with an already well-established and well-loved universe.

I loved seeing the different aspects of the journey from a Padawan, a Jedi Knight, two Jedi Masters (with flashbacks from their own times as Padawans) as well as the regular civilians with little to no knowledge of the Jedi whatsoever.

It was also great seeing characters who questioned the Jedi Order. Without light, there is no dark and vice versa. It was nice to see that even though the times were thriving for the Jedi Order, some of the members questioned the ways of the Jedi.

Though this book is YA, it’s definitely a fun read for anyone for any age. There was a lot of action, some darker moments, but also good lessons.

Overall, I gave it 4 stars.

Disclaimer: THANK YOU SO MUCH TO @NETGALLEY FOR THIS STAR WARS BOOK!!!
All opinions are my own.

Reath Silas is an introvert who is exploring an abandoned space station. I loved seeing how excited he was for this new Jedi order. I'm a huge Star Wars fan and this book was everything I wanted in a Star Wars book. Reath is learning what it takes to be a part of the High Republic and it's great to be introduced to a new era of Jedis.

Claudia Gray has been established as the best SW writer in my opinion since <i>Bloodline</i> came out. The trademarks of a Claudia Gray SW novel are thought-provoking storylines, complex characters that break out of their molds, and a diverse and populated SW universe that builds on and adds to the films. I was so excited to hear that her book, Into the Dark, was one of the new novels to begin establishing the High Republic era.

Part of the appeal of starting fresh in a new era is that the familiar dramas in the Jedi Order and the Senate don’t have to be adhered to. This is a new era that does not have the problems for the future one, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have it’s own problems. This novel introduces two of the main villains for the High Republic era: the Drengir and the Nihil. But just because we have some big-bads doesn’t mean that the general drama inside the Jedi order goes away.

There are multiple POVs, but the main characters seem to be two Jedi, a padawan, and a young member of a shipping guild. I enjoyed each character’s personal journey, but they never really managed to come together as a team for me, so when one of them starts referring to the others as their friends it just doesn’t feel earned. That could be because most of the characters are jedi and they’re really not good at sharing their own feelings or making deep connections. I’m not gonna lie, I much prefer stories that focus on the non-jedi in the SW universe, but I know each fan has their own faction they prefer focusing on. I believe fans who loved <i>Master and Apprentice</i> will continue to enjoy Gray’s portrayal of the Jedi in this novel.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book takes place in the Star Wars universe a few centuries before the films. It tells the story of a group of Jedi and cargo haulers traveling to a new communications beacon. I thought that the book was fine. There were some new Star Wars villains introduced, and I definitely wanted to keep reading and see what happened next. However, it also felt like the character development was a bit limited, and not much new was introduced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney for granting my wish for this eARC!

Set during the High Republic, an golden era in which Jedi maintain peace across the galaxy, Padawan Reath Silas sets off on an assignment to the frontier (much to his chagrin). When the ship he's on is caught in a widespread disaster, Reath, the ship's crew, and three other Jedi work together to gather nearby survivors to an abandoned space station to wait out the disaster. But there's something not quite right about the space station...

I absolutely adored this book. Claudia Gray's command of the YA-SFF genre is perfect for the Star Wars universe. The characters and world were rich and full, and the story was equal parts entertaining and moving. Though the narrative splits into present time and a flashback to an event 25 years prior, I never felt disconnected from either aspect of the narrative.

I'm going to spend a lot of time thinking about this snarky, diverse space crew and their adventures, and I'm looking forward to diving into the other installments in The High Republic.

Told from multiple points of view with flashbacks to 25 years previously, “Into The Dark” follows four Jedi and two Byrne Guild pilots as they take refuge upon an abandoned station. The station is their port in the storm while hyperspace lanes are down, and once there they all discover something troubling. In their quest to discover more, each character learns a little bit more about themselves and they all reckon with something that has haunted them.
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All in all I thought that this was an amazing book. Definitely 4/5. Claudia Gray captures the feel of the Star Wars universe so well, and despite the numerous characters I found myself looking forward to each point of view change. In addition to that, I feel like the “High Republic” period is going to be a brilliant addition to the Star Wars universe and I can wait to read more books from this new era.

This started out very good but I sook began to lose patience as the main character just seemed to be too whiny and not very jedi like.

Another knockout by Claudia Gray! Awesome new characters and unique story. I can’t wait to see what else this initiative has in store!

This review was published as part of a larger Star Wars The High Republic special which can be found here:
https://unaltered.at/2021/01/13/special-reviews-star-wars-the-high-republic/

Into the Dark war mein persönlicher Favorit unter den bisherigen Werken der High Republic-Ära und wurde von Claudia Gray verfasst, die im Star Wars-Universum bereits für Bücher wie Bloodline oder Lost Stars bekannt ist. Die Story folgt Padawan Reath Silas, Jedi-Meister Cohmac Vitus, Jedi-Ritterin Orla Jareni und der eigenwilligen Crew der Vessel unter dem oben bereits angesprochenen Captain Leox Gyasi, die nach einem Zwischenfall im Hyperraum auf einer verlassenen Raumstation stranden und sich dort gleich mehreren Bedrohungen gegenübersehen – nicht zuletzt einer starken Präsenz der Dunklen Seite der Macht, die in Verbindung mit den legendären Amaxine-Kriegern zu stehen scheint.

Claudia Grays Werk ist weit düsterer als die anderen Einträge in Phase 1 und liest sich wie eine spannende Mischung aus typischem Star Wars-Abenteuer und finster-ominösen Sci-Fi-Werken wie Alien oder Event Horizon. Into the Dark führt auch erstmals das Konzept von Wayseekern ein – Jedi, die sich von den Lehren des Ordens zurückziehen, um ihren eigenen Weg in der Macht zu finden – und zeigt einmal mehr, wie unterschiedliche Jedi ihren eigenen, inneren Kampf gegen die Dunkelheit, ihre persönlichen Zweifel und den Kontrast zwischen ihrer Berufung und ihren Wünschen meistern.

Wie immer gelingt es Claudia Gray dabei, vor allem auch die emotionale Seite der Story und Charaktere wunderbar in den Vordergrund zu rücken, sodass man von Minute eins an mit diesen mitfühlt und -fiebert, von den vorgestellten Jedi bis zu Nebencharakteren wie dem Navigator Geode, der mit seiner interessanten Persönlichkeit zu meinem neuem Lieblings-Star-Wars-Nebencharakter geworden ist.

In der größeren Story der High Republic nimmt Into the Dark – wie bislang alle Werke von Phase 1 – vor allem auf Light auf the Jedi Bezug, weshalb wir raten, dieses Werk zuerst zu lesen. A Test of Courage und die Comic-Bände können auch danach gelesen werden.

If you're picking this up, then you're a Star Wars fan. To see Gray doing what she does in the SW universe in this new era, well, it's wonderful.

A Claudia Gray Star Wars novel will always be worth your time!

I received a free review copy of this book from NetGalley.
Into the Dark is one of several books and media tie-ins being released as part of Star Wars: The High Republic Era. Set 200 years before The Phantom Menace it is a “Golden Age” of the Republic and of the Jedi Order. But it is not without conflicts. The Republic we know from the main Star Wars movies and TV shows is a bit smaller. Many of the outer worlds haven’t been explored yet or are unknown to those of the so-called “Core worlds,” namely Coruscant.
In this book, by veteran Star Wars author Claudia Gray, a young Padawan named Reath Silas, along with three other Jedi Knights, have been sent to explore a planet that is just beginning to explore relations with the Republic. A strange tragedy causes hyperspace to become impassable and the ship they are traveling on is marooned on a mysterious space station that seems to have a connection with the Dark Side of the Force. Reath, the Jedi, and the crew of the Vessel, just band together to discover the source of this power and discover a new threat to the galaxy.
Several new concepts are introduced in this novel, for one, Reath several times mentions his is lesser powered than other Jedi. He’s also more academically minded. There’s always been a bit of a question about if there were different levels of power to Jedi and other Force-sensitives. Obviously, they couldn’t all become knights like Obi-wan and Qui-gon, so what happens to them? We got a small glimpse in Rogue One of a low powered Force-sensitive with Chirrut Îmwe, with Reath, Gray takes us a step farther into what other careers and abilities the Jedi might have.
We also learn a bit about Wayseeker Jedi. One character, Orla, is seeking to become a Wayseeker. A Jedi who does not live within the bounds of the Order and pursues other interests. It will be very interesting to see where the series goes with this kind of character.
A lot of new enemies and exciting action drive this book. It’s super-fast pace and the story is phenomenal. The High Republic Era is only beginning. Many other books and comics are being released over the coming weeks. I have a full list on my Bookshop here. Remember, I receive a small commission for any books purchased through links on this page. Thank you and keep reading!