Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

Accompanying the second wave of High Republic storytelling, this novel provides an alternate look into the disaster of the Republic Fair. The interlocking storytelling provides a better view of the crisis but I wonder if it reads as strongly without the other novels for context.

Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older is the second middle grade book in The High Republic series. And it’s one of if not the most enjoyable middle grade book I’ve read in Star Wars since I was in middle school myself. Usually I read stories like these and I’m like yeah that was fun but ultimately it’s not written for me, it’s for someone twenty or twenty five years younger. Race to Crashpoint Tower might not be written for me, but I really connected with it.

Padawan Ram Jomaram is one of the two main characters, and I thought he was great from chapter one. He’s a very unconventional Force user, preferring to work with machines and droids and speeders in the garage rather than study Force combat or lightsaber techniques. He is the most strongly connected with the Force when he’s doing what he loves, and I think that’s a great message. Just because something works for most Jedi, or people, that doesn’t mean it has to be your way of doing things too. You’re going to relate to the world around you in a unique way and that should be embraced. But then I think to the prequel era Jedi and I just can’t imagine a Padawan like Ram existing. I suppose they could and we just never met them, but the Jedi of the High Republic seem so much more open minded and varied. It ties back with something Stellan Gio says in The Rising Storm about how of course the Jedi all have passions, and they are allowed to pursue them. As long as their lives remain in balance and their attachment to their passions don’t overwhelm everything else.

And attachment is brought up quite a bit in this book. That’s kind of standard for Star Wars, it’s a big theme in Anakin’s story of course, The Rising Storm brought it up too, but Race to Crashpoint Tower contains maybe my favorite discussions on attachment. That’s the benefit of reading these middle grade books sometimes. The big lessons Star Wars is trying to teach us get boiled down into easier to digest passages. I really like what Older says about having attachments to people versus concepts. Don’t get attached to the past and the life you used to have. Be open to change and accepting of the future. But also don’t attach yourself to outcomes or anything that you think should happen. Attaching yourself to those things that are gone or outside of your control will only lead to anger, frustration, and resentment. On the flip side, yes, you can form attachments with your friends and your family and the lives of those around you. Again, as long as you keep it all in balance. Don’t let your attachment turn into possession or control, which of course is exactly what Anakin let happen.

A lot of that discussion about balance comes from a great conversation between Vernestra Rwoh, from the previous middle grade book, and the other main character of this book, Lula Talisola from The High Republic Adventures comics, also by Daniel Jose Older. I’ve been impressed with that comic so far because, again, I usually see the Adventures line as fun, cute little stories. They’re fine but they’re not for me. The High Republic Adventures have not been that way and I think Older has just nailed down this ability to write in a way that is accessible and fun and exciting for a younger Star Wars fan while still helping a fan in their thirties like me see things in a new perspective. If you’ve been reading the Adventures comic, you should absolutely read Race to Crashpoint Tower, because it feels like a direct continuation of that story.

And this book is also much more tightly connected with The Rising Storm than A Test of Courage was with Light of the Jedi. I read The Rising Storm first, and Ram appears about halfway through the book and then exits the story. In Race to Crashpoint Tower we get to see that scene again from Ram’s point of view, but it didn’t feel repetitive. It’s actually really great mentally timing up the events in this book with what’s going on in The Rising Storm. Things that are touched on in the novel are expanded upon and enhanced in the middle grade book. I feel like I have an even more clear picture of the chaos that erupts at the Republic Fair.

Other themes in this book are perfect for the age group. All about seeing people for who they are not what you want them to be, or fear them to be. Just for who they are. We get to see Padawans helping each other through grief and trauma. Lula helpe Ram deal with his fear and despair with a hug. And I mentioned this in my review for The Rising Storm as well, but the Jedi Order of this era is much more understanding and compassionate. I think we see Anakin hug Ahsoka in The Clone Wars, but I can’t think of a single other example of one Jedi in the prequel era hugging another. If one of them is having problems the others are like hoo boy better meditate on that. Good luck, the Force will be with you, et cetera. Their views on attachment have gone so far the other way in terms of balance. But I could probably do a whole other video on that.

For now I’ll just say Race to Crashpoint Tower was great. It’s a perfect companion to The Rising Storm. I picked it up immediately after finishing my review for the novel, and finished it in a day. A quick read. A fun read. A funny read, I really like Older’s sense of humor. And new characters that I’m thrilled to know will stick with us, because it sounds like Ram isn’t going anywhere.

This was an action packed continuation of the High Republic Juvie novels. I loved the way it slightly connected to the YA and Adult novel by mentioning characters from them.

DO NOT ignore the middle grade books from “The High Republic”. “Race to Crashpoint Tower” is a fast passed adventure that occurs within the action of “The Rising Storm”. A delightful cast of characters must work to contain the drengir threat while the Older Jedi are busy with the Nihil attack on the fair….

This story takes place in the midst of the events of The Rising Storm. We first meet Ram in an encounter with Ty Yorrick and this story gives us the start of Ram's journey. I love everything about this story! Though it is aimed towards younger readers there is no watering down of the danger or threats Ram faces as he leaves his comfort zone to help save his city. Ram's companions for this journey are Lula and Zeen from the High Republic Adventures. Older does an amazing job giving us insight into Lula and Ram's internal thoughts as they confront their greatest fears in the face of the Nihil and another deadly force. A fantastic read with hints in the finale that we may be seeing Ram again soon!

My Take:

The Good… I have enjoyed the majority of this new point in the timeline. New characters and new adventures, but same rules (Jedi, dark side… The Galaxy!) I like this character Ram. He’s a Jedi who thinks he will easily slide into the mechanical aspects of shipbuilding, general repair, and lottsa droids, but when things are busted, he may have to take care of the bad guys who do the busting… A challenge, an uncomfortable situation.

The Bad: My big critique of this novel is amount of background knowledge needed to understand some of the plot points. I’d say that I’m pretty well versed in SW lore, but some of the assumptions made by the author needed a good deal of reach. I wonder how this will be viewed by a younger reader who hasn’t been exposed to as much of the SW universe.

The Ugly:

The Nihil. Ugly in a good way. It’s hard for the young idealistic Jedi to understand the motivations of these marauders. Steal and kill. Profit and purge.

Race to Crashpoint Tower is a middle-grade book that has good crossover appeal for an older audience if you want some gaps filled in in The High Republic story arc. Justina Ireland and others have done a great job in introducing us to this new time period and characters and Older does a good job with this book.

4 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley, Disney Publishing, and the author for a copy for review.

This wasn’t bad by any means. I thought it was a lot of fun. But it doesn’t carry the same emotional heft or maturity as Justina Ireland’s A Test of Courage or even the High Republic Adventures comics line by Daniel Jose Older. In places it felt like a good, rip roaring Star Wars story and in places it felt written down to its middle grade audience. And, like all good Star Wars, it has moments of genuine wisdom. It’s a mixed bag with more good than bad, but it’s still a mixed bag.

I love what Star Wars is doing with its High Republic series in having whole books be from the points of view of the Padawans. Race to Crashpoint Tower is made for young readers, but it was still a fun, quick read, adding more depth to the events of The Rising Storm and the Republic Fair.

But Race to Crashpoint Tower isn't just a story to bolster others, it's an exciting and heartfelt tale from the points of view of two key padawans of the High Republic - Ram Jomaram and Lula Talisola. And while the adult novel The Rising Storm drives the story forward with intense action and shocking cliffhangers, Race to Crashpoint Tower comes alive in its quieter moments. That's especially true when reading all the thoughts, hopes and dreams of Ram and Lula, whose stories weave together throughout the middle-grade novel. There are moments the padawans contemplate questions and worries that Star Wars fans have been thinking about for decades: what it means to be a Jedi and where their place is in the galaxy.

Daniel Jose Older treats these heavier topics with such care, making them engaging and essential to the storytelling as well as relatable to readers of all ages - not just middle-grade readers. The book still has plenty of action and is a quick, fun read. It's perfect for High Republic fans who want even more depth to the Republic Fair story, along with the hilarious and touching musings of padawans.

Daniel José Older's previous Star Wars work has not always been for me but he's clearly in his optimal element with Race to Crashpoint Tower. Weaving expertly in and out of the events of The Rising Storm in a way that Star Wars rarely pulls off outside of film tie-ins, Older makes the attack on the Republic Fair his own by featuring Ram Jomaram, a wonderfully-realized new Padawan character whose Force-powered technical expertise is refreshingly counterintuitive and the kind of thing I wish we saw more often from Jedi characters--especially in the High Republic era, where a lot of thought has clearly gone into creating a wide swath of individuals with their own experiences of the Force.

Older also brings in several supporting characters from his and Justina Ireland's earlier work, most prominently Lula Talisola. Given where Lula's story is in the most recent comics it was surprising to see Crashpoint not just utilize her but incorporate Zeen Mrala's arc while jumping significantly forward in time--I didn't mind it but I can imagine fans of the comic feeling somewhat "spoiled" to suddenly meet up with Lula and Zeen several months on and find out that nothing much has changed. By comparison, Vernestra Rwoh and Imri Cantaros are used with a much lighter touch, teeing up but not stepping on their upcoming feature roles in Out of the Shadows.

Older's humor is one of those things that isn't always my cup of tea but this was by far the most I've genuinely laughed at his work--all things considered I would prefer the Drengir didn't speak at all but his more comical approach to them certainly utilized the full potential of their Little Shop of Horrors vibe, and I wouldn't mind seeing more of it. Another Older staple that continues to not work for me, though, is his insistence on writing out gibberish alien languages instead of, say, "Fezmix chattered angrily", which is almost always how characters like Chewbacca are handled in prose when not outright translated. Some Star Wars languages are certainly more plausible than others but in practice Older's tend to come across simply as funny noises, which might work on the screen but I think falls flat in prose. Thankfully there's not too much of it here, and the Bonbraks are fun enough generally that it didn't keep me from enjoying their appearances.

More in-depth coverage to come on Eleven-ThirtyEight upon the release of Out of the Shadows.

On this episode of Everything is Canon, Steve talks to Daniel José Older all about his latest Star Wars book and entry into wave two of The High Republic era, his excellent middle grade book, Race to Crashpoint Tower.

Part of the second wave of books from phase one of The High Republic era, Race to Crashpoint Tower is set just before the disastrous events of Cavan Scott’s The Rising Storm. Daniel’s book takes place mostly on the planet Valo and follows Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram and a top to bottom fun cast composed mostly of younger characters to create not only an exciting, fast-paced adventure, but a genuine look at how these young Jedi and their friends deal with adversity, relationships, and danger.

We talk about dogs of course, some current hot-button issues in publishing, what exactly is a Star Wars architect, lots of The High Republic, Race to Crashpoint Tower, and much, much more.

For the full author interview, click the link below...

https://www.cinelinx.com/off-beat/shows/everything-is-canon-star-wars-race-to-crashpoint-tower/

The second wave of The High Republic is here, kicking off with Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel José Older and The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott. Race to Crashpoint Tower, the follow-up to A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland, is geared toward a middle-grade audience (ages 8-12), but contains enough action to keep readers of all ages engaged. It also fits in nicely with The Rising Storm, as the events of both books take place concurrently.

Race to Crashpoint Tower takes place on the planet Valo as the Republic Fair is getting underway, celebrating the unity and strength of the Republic. Just about one year previously, the galaxy was reeling from ‘The Great Disaster’ and attacks from a mysterious group of vicious pirates known as the Nihil. Time and the apparent defeat of the Nihil has allowed the Republic to move on, and Chancellor Lina Soh hopes the Republic Fair will mark this new time of peace.

Crashpoint Tower follows Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram, who should be helping prepare for the Republic Fair but instead is working on repairing a broken speeder, is notified by the droid V-18 of an issue at the communications tower that has tripped a security alert. As Ram decides to go investigate he soon discovers there are Nihil on Valo. Suddenly the situation has become more dire, and Ram knows he must get the comms up and running so Starlight Beacon can be alerted and help can be summoned.

Along the way, Ram is joined by the droid V-18, who gets an unusual upgrade, the diminutive and mechanically-inclined Bonbraks, and Jedi Padawan Lula Talisola and Force-sensitive Zeen Mrala, characters introduced in IDW’s The High Republic Adventures.

As if the Nihil presence on Valo wasn’t bad enough, soon Ram and his cohorts find out the Drengir — sentient and voracious plants (although I’m still not sure about plants as a threat, but suspension of disbelief really helps) — are also on Valo. Soon Ram and his friends must take on the Drengir threat while the Republic Fair is under attack by the Nihil.

Race to Crashpoint Tower is an exciting read and, and the title suggests, moves very fast. Which can be either good or bad, depending on how much time you like to spend with a story. Of course, adults have to keep in mind it’s written with a younger audience in mind so it’s meant to move at a quicker pace. Crashpoint Tower dovetails in a wonderful way with Cavan Scott’s The Rising Storm, which would be beneficial to have read first. (I didn’t and wish I had.) Since the stories take place simultaneously, and some characters do cross over between the two books, by reading both you’re getting a wider perspective of the events on Valo.

Author Daniel José Older has crafted a fun tale with Race to Crashpoint Tower, one with humor, peril, and a healthy dose of adventure.

Rating: 4/5

Thank you to Disney Lucasfilm Press for providing an uncorrected galley proof for review purposes.

I received a free eARC of this title from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

The story was great. It was fast paced, entertaining, and the characters were relatable. The beginning was a little slow to start, but picked up about 25% in. I think my only critique is all the talk of a hyperdrive or hyperspace incident. I’m not sure if this is something covered in a different book or if it is just establishing the timeline for future books.

The main characters are young which makes it relatable to kids. Any child who likes Star Wars will find this book entertaining.

Any kid who loves the Star Wars universe will love this book.

Welcome back to The High Republic! In Daniel José Older’s latest book we get all kinds of adventures and excitement that a Jedi may or may not crave! Like most younger reader books, the story is fast paced and action packed and (as Older promised) dinosaur filled! The new characters are dimensional and original which again, is something Older is great at. Original characters and storytelling!

While this book is the shortest of the second wave of the first phase… or something… the book is packed full of Star Wars spirit, energy, and wackiness!

And I love it.

Daniel José Older is one of my FAVORITE authors because of his ability to give us such original characters! It’s so refreshing to see something unique in these timeless tales and that strength is definitely here in this book!

This is a must-read for any High Republic fan of course, but I’d also add in the readers who stand outside of the norm. Ram is a Jedi who is different from all the other Jedi and watching him find his strength in that is powerful and empowering. Watching these young ones rise to the challenges before them is masterfully done and I can’t wait to see what else is in store for them. So kick back in your garage with your Bonbrak homies and check it out!

Did I mention there’s a flying dinosaur?

Race to Crashpoint Tower was a fun, fast-paced book to read that I think young audiences will enjoy. Although, the book was an incredibly fast read, and I think it was too short to fit everything in 200 or so pages. At times I felt as if the writing was all over the place and like Older was trying to fit all these ideas in a limited amount of space, which was a little overwhelming to read. Younger audiences, especially towards the younger end of the age range, probably won’t be looking for the same aspects I’m looking for when approaching a book, so with this in consideration, I this book is definitely meant for its targeted age group. Not to say that adults can’t or won’t enjoy, just that I’d recommend leaving this installment for the younglings.

The Review was published as part of a special that included a review for the Rising Storm

Junge Helden: Race to Crashpoint Tower
Zeitgleich mit The Rising Storm erscheint heute zudem Race to Crashpoint Tower von Daniel José Older, das erste Junior-Buch der High Republic-Ära. Die Geschichte spielt parallel zu den Ereignissen von The Rising Storm und folgt Padawan Ram Jomaram, der mithilfe seiner Freunde ein Abenteuer startet, um die von den Nihil lahmgelegte Kommunikation Valos wiederherzustellen. Das Buch legt einen gänzlich anderen, passend kindgerechten Tonfall an den Tag und fügt sich direkt in die Ereignisse von The Rising Storm ein, ein paar überschneidende Szenen inklusive.

Neben Ram folgt Race To Crashpoint Tower in Nebensträngen auch den Charakteren Lula Talisola und Zeen Mrala aus der ebenfalls von Older geschriebenen Comicserie High Republic Adventures – sowie Vernestra Rwoh, einer jungen Jedi, die Leser von Phase 1 bereits aus A Test of Courage kennen werden. Vor allem in diesen Nebenhandlungsträngen dreht sich wiederum alles um Einblicke in die Philosophie der Jedi, während Dinge wie der Grundsatz, dass Jedi keine Bindungen eingehen dürfen, oder Eifersucht und Selbstzweifel erforscht werden.

Der größte Kritikpunkt an dem Buch ist, dass sich die Story stark an die Ereignisse von The Rising Storm sowie High Republic Adventures anlehnt, die nicht speziell für junge Leser geschrieben sind. Das Buch ist somit für erwachsene Leser eine nette Nebenstory, funktioniert als selbständiges Kinderbuch in der Ära aber nur bedingt.

The children’s book in this phase of the High Republic is a fun read no matter what your age. Older’s humor actually made me laugh out loud, something that doesn’t happen often when I’m reading.

This book is set during the events of the Rising Storm and gives more points of views of the time. It is a perfect companion to the adult novel. The two main characters Jedi Padawans Ram Jomaram and Lula Talisola are so human and relatable.

Don’t let the reading age deter you, this is an enjoyable book for everyone.

Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older is a fun, quick pace middle grade adventure. It follows Ram, a padawan who has a good sense of machinery. He lives on Valo, which is the centre stage for our second wave of High Republic novels. I love that this wave involves a Republic Fair, reminiscent of a World's Fair. Pairing the innovation of a World's Fair with the "golden" age of the jedi is ingenious.

Older has always had a good grasp on pacing in his past novels, and Race to Crashpoint tower never lulls. There's a good balance between world building and character building. It's not the most original story, but it's executed well. I would definitely recommend this for younger readers.

Star Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower is an awesome story full of action, adventure, good one liners, funny droids, Jedi, characters who have self doubt who grow to overcome those fears and more. I loved reading this book. It's a fast read that's full of intense action sequences that would translate so well into a film if this book was ever adapted into a cartoon or a movie.

The opening scroll of this book should have began with the word, CHAOS! Similar to how the Revenge of the Sith opening scroll began with the word, WAR! The battle that ensues at the end of this great Star wars The High Republic novel is pure chaos. There is a several chapters long battle between the Nihil, the Jedi, and a new villain the Drengir. This epic battle is beautifully written and has so many twists, turns, and problems to solve.

The story is told from the points of view of several characters including the young Padawans Lula Talisola from IDW's Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comics and Ram Jomaram. The friendship and bond that is growing between Lula Talisola and Zeen is something we see throughout the story. If you want to see more of their adventures please make sure you pickup the awesome Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures comics by IDW.

Ram Jomaram is a reluctant Jedi and hero. At the start of Star Wars The High Republic Race to Crashpoint Tower he doesn't want to be a part of this growing conflict between the Nihil and the Jedi. Ram would be happy just tinkering with spare parts in a garage. As the story progresses we get to see him grow into a hero and a more confident Padawan. Ram Jomaram also has some very entertaining sidekicks, the Bonbraks and his droid V-18. This is Star Wars so this quirky droid and the Bokbraks have some of the best lines in the entire book.

Vernestra Rwoh is also in this book. She is quickly becoming my favorite Jedi in the High Republic era. She has appeared in several of the the Star Wars The High Republic books. She keeps growing and becomes more confident as a young Jedi Knight. She even takes on a mentor role to Lula and Zeen which I enjoyed reading because all three characters learn from each other.

The new villain in this story is the Drengir. I won't say anything about them other than they are awesome. If you are a G.I. Joe fan and remember the monster at Castle Destro, I think there is a lot of similarities between that monster and the Drengir, except the Drengir has a lot more personality.

In short I high recommend reading Star Wars The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower. It’s an awesome book.

Trust in the Force.

Stay awesome and keep reading!

The High Republic is back and packed full of laughs, adventure, and an unforgettable coming-of-age story to kick off a new wave of stories. Race to Crashpoint Tower is Daniel José Older’s first time dabbling in Star Wars's middle-grade genre, and he does not miss by any means. This next set of High Republic stories focuses on the Republic Fair, revered as a symbol of unity, on the planet Valo; but when things can go wrong in a galaxy full of dangerous adversaries, they will go wrong. I have a bad feeling about this, indeed.

You'll be introduced to Ram Jomaram, a mechanical-minded Jedi Padawan who finds comfort in understanding what makes things tick and how he can improve them — this is best depicted with his hilariously witty droid V-18, who will definitely steal the hearts and minds of anyone who picks up this book. Race to Crashpoint Tower also has the best Star Wars ingredients baked into it when it comes to the traditional hero's journey. Ram's mission ultimately comes down to how easily he can break out of his comfort zone, which readers of any age can relate to.

What I appreciate most about Race to Crashpoint Tower is how easily Older integrates his The High Republic Adventures comic storyline featuring Lula Talisola, who appears alongside Ram on the cover. It's a testament to both the ambition and confidence of the High Republic team to weave all these stories together without fault and make the journey as a reader feel worthwhile and necessary.

Race to Crashpoint Tower is an excellent way to kick off your newest reading adventures in the High Republic. It's a perfectly timed pick-me-up story with lots of drama, some thought-provoking ideas about what it means to be a Jedi, and authentic characters that you understand inside and out. Plus, it will leave you hurting from laughter. What more can you ask from a Star Wars book?