What happens when the Jedi Order is not enough?

After the disaster on Hetzal Prime, the Republic is in recovery. The successful construction of Starlight Beacon is a highlight to Chancellor Lena Soh’s tenure as leader of the Republic and the upcoming Republic Fair on Valo looks like another feather in her cap as she is about to make the frontier expo a must-see attraction in the Outer Rim. Relations with the Togruta are moving forward and the future of the Republic looks bright indeed. But not if Marchion Ro and the rest of the Nihil have anything to say about it.

The Rising Storm is as ominous as it sounds. As you’d expect from the middle book in a trilogy it expands on the characters of the first novel while setting up the conflict for the third. Needless to say, we are left hanging. The Rising Storm is a roller coaster of action and adventure and once it gets going it thunders its way to the end! Cavan Scott does a masterful job of weaving together the complex characters of Jedi, Republic and Nihil into a story that captures the imagination in vivid and exciting ways. The Jedi have survived yet another devastating Nihil attack, but at what cost?

Bottom line: this is a fantastic Star Wars novel. After Charles Soule’s groundbreaking Light of the Jedi the bar was set pretty high. Generally, a trilogy is written by the same author so switching authors for each book seemed a risky way to go, no matter how talented the author is. Flow, story, and style could all be radically affected, but in this sequel the story seamlessly shifted between authors while still being distinct.

The critiques I have of the series are minor compared to the level of joy I had while reading it, but there are a couple. One, unlike any of the Star Wars trilogy movies it’s hard to tell whose story this is. Jedi Padawan Bell Zettifar plays a big role in both books but still feels more like a supporting character. Chancellor Lina Soh is also featured in both books, but she feels much more like Mon Mothma – an important character relegated to the background. The series could be about Jedi Masters Elzar Mann, Stellan Gios, and Avar Kriss who seem to be the Jedi equivalent of Han, Luke, and Leia, but while Mann and Gios are a major focus in The Rising Storm, Kriss is basically absent while the opposite is true in Light of the Jedi. Still the story is so engaging and the overall tale of triumph and tragedy so compelling it almost doesn’t matter.

The other critique ties into this one. There are so many interconnected stories in this new initiative that characters you’ve never or rarely heard of pop in out of nowhere, but they obviously have some sort of history. It feels like you’re missing huge parts of the story even though they are only mentioned in passing. Obviously something is going on with Avar Kriss and the Hutts and the Drengir, but if you only read the main books in the series, you have no idea where that story thread comes from since it is featured in the comic books and in A Test of Courage and Into the Dark. Padawan Ram Jomaram pops up in the story, and obviously is connected to the events at the Republic Fair, but unless you read the middle grade novel Race to Crashpoint Tower you would have no idea what that is. Is it possible to enjoy the main trilogy of novels without reading the other books? Most definitely, but the reader does have a sense of missing out that could be discouraging. Is there such a thing as too much continuity?

One aspect that does bind the two books together is Marc Thompson’s reading of it. Thompson returns as the audiobook narrator of The Rising Storm as he did for Light of the Jedi and again does a masterful job especially considering not only the wide range of characters but having to bring life to so many different species. It’s mind boggling how many characters he has to juggle and yet he makes each character distinct through voice and manner. While reading the book has nuances of its own that is best served by your own imagination, I loved listening to Thompson’s rendition and found it to be not only enjoyable but together with the sound effects, music, and Thompson’s voice it is something incredible.

The Rising Storm is a valiant sequel to Light of the Jedi and is an exciting addition to the Star Wars universe. Can’t wait for the final novel in this trilogy to come out! But if this is just the first trilogy of The High Republic, my mind is reeling as to where this story is going. One thing is for certain, I want to be along for the ride.

The Rising Storm is one of the first hints that not everything will be bright and light in the High Republic storytelling. Readers colpe events with mounting dread, fearing what is to come and knowing that it will bring consequences.

The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is out today. And...I’m gonna need a minute. Seriously, this book was fantastic. If you enjoyed Light of the Jedi as much as I did and you’ve been waiting to see what happens to all of those characters and some new ones, I doubt you’ll be disappointed with the sequel. I will say that this is a book that left me...furious? Devastated? I just had to kind of sit there in silence for a while when it was over. And then Mollie and I walked our dog and I spent the whole time just word vomiting about my feelings. But let’s get into everything in a little more depth, and I’ll be keeping this review spoiler free, so don’t worry!

It all opens with a new crawl, and a lot of books do that. The comics do that. But something about this one just had me pumped. I could see the text moving up the screen. My eagerness to continue this story was compounded by three, simple paragraphs. And I felt this joy of just wondering what was going to happen next. We had six or so months between Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm and it felt like the perfect balance to sit and ruminate on what came before without falling too deep into what might happen in the future. The entire High Republic feels like we’re just being taken on a ride and I love it.

Something I said I loved about Light of the Jedi was that it struck a very good balance between being different and familiar. I could tell this was a Star Wars story. It didn’t feel like it was trying to be too on its own. But it also excelled at introducing new characters and locations and enemies and ideas to feel fresh and exciting. The Rising Storm keeps that trend going within Star Wars, but also within The High Republic era. Structurally the pacing of the book is still very fast. It’s not a short book, but it is a quick read, if that makes sense. It’s very hard to put down. However, it doesn’t open with an insane action sequence like Light of the Jedi. It’s a much slower burn but Scott very effectively builds up the stakes and the tension and overall sense of dread, so that when the insane action sequences begin...I already said the High Republic was like a ride, but I’m telling you the second half of this novel was like a giant hill on a roller coaster. Stomach dropping, heart pounding. I’m serious when I say I felt all that, and I can only think of a handful of books that have done that to me.

I think that’s in large part due to the characters. Charles Soule set so many of them up well in Light of the Jedi, and just about everyone you would expect returns in The Rising Storm, but I appreciate that the focus is going to apparently shift between books. Bell Zettifar again has a major role. Elzar Mann is more in the spotlight this time around. But Avar Kriss takes a backseat. Stellan Gios gets his introduction, and is a blast. We meet the saber for hire monster hunter Ty Yorrick. Now that we have more than one novel in this series, I can again, confidently say that The High Republic is taking me back to those Legends days. Focus may shift between this huge cast of characters, but everyone feels present.

This is a story that tests and pushes those characters. The Great Disaster in Light of the Jedi wasn’t a natural disaster, but it kind of had that feel. The events playing out were all about our heroes saving lives. They were reacting to the Nihil and acting in defense, as a Jedi should. But those times are over. The Nihil force our heroes to react to actual, horrific acts. The Great Disaster was kind of an accident that the Nihil took advantage of. There are no accidents in The Rising Storm. The Nihil are here to cause pain and suffering, and the Jedi struggle to keep true to themselves in their responses, some more than others.

There are a handful of reminders from one character to another that they shouldn’t revel or celebrate the deaths of their enemies. The loss of any life is still regrettable. And yet...as the reader you can’t help but feel that same wave of satisfaction as the Nihil get what’s coming to them. You can see as some Jedi struggle to keep to their code and stay true to the light...but you can also completely understand and sympathize when they lose that struggle.

Speaking of the Code, I like everything this book has to say about it. We should be seeing the differences between the Order at this point and during the time of the Prequels. A Jedi Master is challenged over the prospect of having passions, and he’s like of course we have passions. Of course we have emotions. Of course we become attached to those around us. But a Jedi is never a slave to their emotions or their attachments. There is a lot of talk about attachment in this book, but I think Scott wants to show that not only is living free from attachment a sad way to live, but attachment can reveal our true potential. The Jedi are at their strongest, doing the most amazing things, when they are attached to each other. When they’re vulnerable and honest with each other. They admit their failures and shortcomings to each other and then they help. It’s a shame to think about Anakin living at this point in time. I think he would have thrived under this Jedi Order. The Prequel Jedi teach that attachment is forbidden, but I think that leads to them just closing them off from everything. Other Jedi. The citizens of the galaxy. We see that a Jedi’s strength comes from the Force, yes, but also from compassion and understanding and forgiveness. Not from piety. I’m very intrigued to see how this story continues to unfold and changes them. And The High Republic is showing us how the Jedi and the Republic can fall apart, not from one major war, but instead from a handful of smaller, still incredibly significant and tragic events.

This is the first story I’ve read out of Wave Two, and I cannot express the excitement I have to dive into the others. I’m going to dive into Race to Crashpoint Tower as soon as I finish writing this review, and part of that excitement comes from how connected The Rising Storm appears to be. Ram, the main character from Crashpoint appears in the novel, and I’m guessing here, but I think it’s in the middle of his book. So I assume we’re going to see his story play out and see his point of view of that same scene, which is really exciting to me. But I think this book is also tying into Out of the Shadows and the comics with the Drengir, and even the High Republic Adventures comic. The first wave didn’t feel this connected, but that’s because it was just starting out. Now I’m definitely seeing how it all fits together and as a Star Wars completionist it’s so much fun. But if you’re not a completionist? I don’t think you have to worry. Scott very efficiently summarizes the key events from stories you may have missed. Did you only read Light of the Jedi? That’s fine! You’ll still understand what you need from the stories that are dealing with other threats.

Scott is also highly...maybe even hilariously skilled at creating those intriguing Star Wars hooks for future stories. Remember how Rogue One mentioned all those other secret Imperial projects like War Mantle? And then The Bad Batch recently brought it back up and explained what it was? And all the Star Wars nerds pointed at the screen like, “They said the thing!” Stuff like that is peppered throughout this book. Cavan has set up at least a dozen really cool sounding objects or events or characters or ideas that we could see reappear in Star Wars. And I say he’s hilariously good at it because by the end of the book I was just laughing when I wound up highlighting yet another concept that I was like, “Well I really wanna know more about that.”

I think that’s all I have to say about this book without diving into spoiler territory. It’s yet another fantastic installment that has kept my enthusiasm for The High Republic era set to maximum. It left me feeling...a lot of emotions, but also ready to dive into more from Wave Two. But of course it’s also got me...right now I’m gonna say dreading Wave Three? But in the best way. I have to find out what happens next. Because, yes, there are plenty of new developments and threats to be explored and fully realized. The Great Disaster? The Drengir? The Nihil? It sounds like they were just the beginning…

An amazing achievement! This book feels like a hybrid between the Star Wars we know and a disaster novel. When the Nihil attack the Republic Fair, it’s up to the Jedi to be able to save the thousands gathered there… but the enemy has a few surprises up their sleeve.

The second phase of The high Republic kicks off with a deeper, darker exploration of internal and external conflicts. Rising Storm is set around a year after the events of Light of The Jedi.
The book opens with Marchion Ro , the enigmatic leader of the Nihil. Ro has put the Nihil in a holding pattern that not everyone approves of, he also begins a personal journey for an artifact that holds an immense allure for him and a deadly fate for the Jedi.

While Ro is on his quest and dealing with uprisings in his leadership the Jedi leads in this book all head to Valo. Chancellor Lina Soh has high hopes for the events. She hopes the event will unify diverse species and be statement about the Republic's intent to grow a unified collection of worlds on the edge of the known galaxy. The fair is set to be a celebration and an invitation to community and protection.

Through the eyes of Stellan Gios, Bell Zettifar, and Elzar Mann Cavan Scott sets up a chess board of sorts. The Jedi and a supporting cast are all neatly placed in position and then completely torn apart by the arrival of the Nihil.

Much like Charles Soule with Light of the Jedi, I was primarily familiar with Cavan Scott's work as a comics writer and not sure what to expect from The Rising Storm. Also like Charles Soule, I was quite impressed--Storm grabs Light's baton and runs with it ably, continuing that book's high stakes and epic-scale action while also deepening the High Republic setting, complicating its themes, and advancing the timeline more than I would have expected.

While big battles are typical of most Star Wars stories, something I've especially enjoyed both here and in Light of the Jedi is the decision to slow down the pacing when the big set-piece conflict happens and spend a good third of the book weaving in and out of several different points of view within that setting--I typically read in fits and starts and when books move ahead too quickly I can sometimes forget what's going on and which characters are trying to do what. Slowing things down allows the fighting (or rescuing, in the case of Light of the Jedi's Hetzal set piece) to breathe and feel properly significant.

If I had one serious critique it's that I wish we had learned a little more about Marchion Ro's real motivations and history here. The reveal of the "Leveler" at the end of the book is clearly meant to be extremely foreboding for the future of the setting but without knowing more about its nature, or at least what Ro plans to do with it, the threat remained too vague to really hit me. The Nihil in general are fun but not very deep, and to function as proper antagonists in this era someone on their side needs a genuinely compelling modus operandi, not just a mysterious one. With a Lourna Dee audio drama coming soon they can't take for granted that Ro is going to remain the most interesting villain forever.

On a less serious note I have to admit that I found the cover very underwhelming (both of them, in fact). I'm not oblivious to the marketing impetus to slather the High Republic books with lightsabers but I wish the era's covers would at least think more outside the box compositionally and do something more striking than "the protagonists stand there and look serious". Comparing the primary covers to the limited-edition "widescreen" ones you could be forgiven for thinking someone is making them dull on purpose so that fans will seek out the pricier ones instead.

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

The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is the follow up to Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule, the book that kicked off The High Republic era of storytelling. Light of the Jedi had to accomplish a lot in the way of world-building and character introductions, and those efforts pay off in a big way in The Rising Storm.

The Rising Storm takes place on the planet Valo during the Republic Fair — an event Chancellor Soh hopes will celebrate the “Spirit of Unity” in the galaxy and forge new alliances. It’s been nearly one year since The Great Disaster and the apparent defeat of the Nihil, vicious marauders with their eyes firmly set on conquest. Peace seems to have won the day.

However, the Nihil were not defeated and are not gone. Under orders from Marchion Ro, the Eye of the Nihil, the pirates have stayed in the shadows, lulling the Republic into a false sense of security. When they do finally emerge, carnage follows making this second book in the series a very dark chapter indeed.

The attack on the Republic Fair is brutal and unrelenting. The Nihil are a very real threat to everything the Republic has built, but they can also be a threat to each other as we see some of the inner workings of Marchion Ro and his Tempest Runners, Lourna Dee, Pan Eyta, and Zeetar. Ro is a fascinating character, and the things he will do to bring his plans to fruition are chilling.

Jedi Masters Elzar Mann and Stellan Gios, along with Padawan Bell Zettifar, are at the forefront of The Rising Storm, and all face trials that will test them in the most challenging ways. Bell Zettifar is still coming to terms with the loss of his master, Loden Greatstorm, at the hands of the Nihil. He has a fantastic companion to keep him grounded in the charhound known as Ember, and is under the tutelage of a new master, Indeera Stokes.

Elzar Mann is a complicated character, with impulses that are often contrary to the Jedi way. Stellan Gios, who reminds me a bit of prequel era Obi-Wan Kenobi, is very much the face of the Jedi — not necessarily a position he relishes. Stellan and Elzar go way back, and the friendship shared by the two is one of the highlights of this book. There is also an intriguing new character, Ty Yorrick. She’s mysterious, but has clearly trained as a Jedi at some point. We get teases, but her past is largely left open to explore in the future.

Light of the Jedi had the weighty task of having to set up so much, and as a result we never really got to spend much time with individual characters. The Rising Storm really ramps up the development on both sides, in particular the Jedi and the Nihil. With all the introductions aside, there is more room to get into the heads of the main characters, and that makes The Rising Storm a compelling read. The action and conflict then propels the story forward, making The Rising Storm a thrilling read. Cavan Scott has created stunning page-turner.

As mentioned in the review for the middle-grade book Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel José Older, the events of The Rising Storm and Crashpoint Tower take place in the same place at the same time, making both books good companion pieces. It’s not necessary to read both, as each book can stand on its own, but it wouldn’t hurt either. Both are good reads.

The audiobook presentation of The Rising Storm, read by Marc Thompson, is excellent. I read the book and listened to the audiobook after, and it’s perfectly complementary. Hearing the characters adds a new layer to the story. Marchion Ro is already an unsettling presence on the pages of the book, but hearing his voice takes it to a new level. Thompson is a master of his craft, and that mastery is on full display in The Rising Storm audiobook.

Book Rating: 5/5

Audiobook Rating: 5/5

Thank you to Penguin Random House and Penguin Random House Audio for providing copies for review purposes.

The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott, review copy wonderfully provided by @delreystarwars, @delreyuk and @disneybooks .

Ok, bold statement time; this is one of the best Star Wars books I've ever read and I've read a lot of them.

The second adult novel in the new High Republic series, this serves as a follow-up to the barnstorming first installment by Charles Soule, Light of the Jedi. The story picks up roughly a year after the catastrophic events of the first book and the galaxy, believing the Nihil threat has largely passed, is preparing a grand celebration, The Republic Fair, on the small planet of Valo. Naturally, things don't necessarily go to plan....

.....ok that's an understatement. A more accurate statement would be that things go so horrifically and harrowingly wrong that by the end I don't think anyone even remembers that there was a plan in the first place.

Not only does this book scale the lofty heights of expectation left by Light of the Jedi, it plows straight through them, giving the movies a run for their money on the sheer scale and weight of the events in the book. This is the Star Wars that Legends fans miss. Epic storytelling unrestrained by movies or TV shows.

Through all of these tremendous set-pieces is a cast of strong and compelling characters,the relationship between Stellan Gios and Elzar Mann being the beating heart of the story making me pine for a young adult series called The Firebrands that follows Elzar, Stellan and Avar getting into scrapes at the Jedi Temple, like an intergalactic Harry Potter. Oh and I'm calling it now, Ty Yorrick is going to became a fan favourite moving forward.

I implore you. If you've ever dreamed of flying a starship or duelling with a lightsaber, get this book immediately (I'd read Light of the Jedi first though fwiw)

Cavan Scott brings the ruckus with the follow-up to Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi! You can pick this one up and dive in and enjoy it if you want, but if you are keeping up on the other High Republic stories you’ll get a lot more out of it! This book picks up on many of the threads left in Light of the Jedi and pulls on things from The High Republic Adventures. I suppose that’s kind of a Star Wars rule in general. This book is not as grand in scope as Light of the Jedi. It is definitely more focused. Whereas Light of the Jedi gave a lot of context around the galaxy and different points of view, The Rising Storm focuses on its characters to pull us into the events.

Sometimes, a Star Wars book reader can feel like the stories are focused on smaller events that only add to the grander narrative being told somewhere else in a film or TV series. The High Republic feels like it’s able to take full advantage of the narrative and creative freedom to deliver epic storytelling. If you’re one of those readers who feels that way, this series might be what you are looking for. Galaxy-wide stories with an epic scope of events that feel far-reaching and grand.

And the events are like… legit.

And when you think things can’t get crazier… they do.

Remember when way back the whole Project Luminous thingie was inspired by somebody asking “What scares the Jedi?” Yeah, I think this book delivers on that idea and more. The story juggles each character with ease although now that we have multiple books and comics we might be a bit more familiar with each one. I’ve already talked about how wonderfully each piece of the high Republic puzzle fits together but the whole endeavor is shaping up beautifully.

This is a must-read for any High Republic reader and those interested in the Jedi facing a well-thought-out enemy. Enemies who can rise to the threat level that strikes fear in even a Jedi master!

Vor einigen Monaten ging Star Wars mit dem Multimedia-Projekt The High Republic (Hier geht’s zu Phase 1 im Review) in eine neue Ära. Rund 200 Jahre vor den Ereignissen der Skywalker-Saga steht die Republik auf ihrem Höhepunkt, geleitet von der von Toleranz und Zusammenhalt angespornten Kanzlerin Lina Soh und behütet vom machtvollen Orden der Jedi. Die Expansion ins Outer Rim schreitet voran und die Auswirkungen des Großen Desasters sind überwunden. Doch nicht alles ist wieder heile Welt: Die skrupellosen Nihil wurden zurückgeschlagen, doch hegen unter Führung des Auges Marchion Ro bereits neue, noch finsterere Pläne, während die Drengir, von der Dunklen Seite der Macht besessene Pflanzenmonster, sich immer weiter ausbreiten.

Ein Sturm zieht auf: The Rising Storm
Mit The Rising Storm aus der Feder von Cavan Scott geht die High Republic-Ära in die zweite Phase. Das Große Desaster und die Angriffe der Nihil und Drengir haben Narben im Outer Rim hinterlassen, doch die hoffnungstragende Raumstation Starlight Beacon ist in Betrieb gegangen und verbreitet die Botschaft von Solidarität und Zusammenhalt. Damit nicht genug, hat Kanzlerin Lina Soh obendrein beschlossen, mit einem weiteren ihrer Großen Werke voranzuschreiten: der Republic Fair, einer riesigen Ausstellung auf dem Outer Rim Planeten Valo, der sowohl die Republik wie auch ihre neuen Verbündeten in den Randgebieten feiern und als Zeichen des Friedens dienen sollen. Mit dabei sind hochrangige Abgesandte zahlreicher Planeten, ein Kontingent an Jedis sowie tausende Besucher aus der gesamten Galaxis – die perfekte Gelegenheit für Nihil-Anführer Marchion Ro, endgültig zu beweisen, dass Lina Sohs Traum einer sicheren, vereinten Republik nichts als Schall und Rauch ist, und dass selbst die so hoch geschätzten Jedi der wahren Macht des Outer Rim, den Nihil, hoffnungslos unterlegen sind.

Wie Light of the Jedi in Phase 1 dient The Rising Storm als Ausgangspunkt von Phase 2 der High Republic-Ära, an das alle weiteren Werke anschließen. Die Story beginnt einige Monate nach dem Ende von Light of the Jedi und greift die Storyfäden und Charaktere aller bisherigen Bücher sowie Comics auf. Im Mittelpunkt der Handlung stehen auf Protagonistenseite diesmal vor allem die Jedi-Meister Elzar Mann und Stellan Gios, Noch-Padawan Bell Zettifar sowie Kanzlerin Lina Soh, aber auch neue Charaktere wie die Ex-Jedi Ty Yorrick oder Senator Tia Toon, der darauf drängt, neben den Jedi auch eine Armee der Republik zu etablieren, um gegen Angriffe wie jene der Nihil besser gewappnet zu sein. Wer hier Parallelen zur Prequel-Trilogie sieht, liegt nicht falsch. Während des Lesens hatte ich immer wieder das Gefühl, dass Parallelen zu bisherigen Themen gezogen wurden – etwa eben die Militarisierung der Republik, Jedi, die Affären pflegen, oder die Vorgehensweise des Rates in Frage stellen –, nur um dieses dann bewusst in konträre Richtungen zu lenken. Und der Effekt gelingt. Auch Phase 2 der High Republic-Ära zeigt uns, dass vieles, das wir über die Jedi, die Republik und die Macht zu wissen glauben, nur eine bestimmt Perspektive war – und dass all diese Dinge in Wahrheit viel vielschichtiger und komplexer sind bzw. dass bestimmte Aktionen nicht immer auch (vor)bestimmte Folgen nach sich ziehen müssen. Und wie bereits in Phase 1 steht auch einmal mehr die Frage danach, was die Dunkle Seite wirklich ausmacht bzw. wie jeder einzelne Jedi mit den Versuchungen dieser umgeht, im Mittelpunkt.

Trotz spannenden Charaktereinblicken und flotter Erzählweise kämpft The Rising Storm jedoch auch mit einigen Problemen, allen voran, dass das Buch nicht wie der nächste Schritt in der Story wirkt, sondern eher wie ein weiterer Einführungsroman ohne signifikante Entwicklungen – weder auf Seiten der Jedi bzw. Republik, noch auf Seiten der Nihil. Wo Light of the Jedi zahlreiche Charaktere etablierte, die neuen Antagonisten vorstellte und neue Blickweisen auf den Jedi-Orden lieferte bzw. klarmachte, dass Jedi nicht gleich Jedi ist, müsste ein Folgeteil nun die Story in Eilschritten vorantreiben – stattdessen erhalten wir eine Flut an weiteren Charaktereinblicken bzw. -einführungen vor dem Hintergrund einer erneuten großen Auseinandersetzung mit den Nihil, die ebenfalls ohne tatsächliches Novum auskommen muss. Geschuldet ist dies wohl unter anderem der umfangreichen Cast, die allesamt zwar interessante, aber im Grunde kaum relevante Story-Arcs erhalten – während gleichzeitig jedoch etablierte Key Player wie Avar Kriss komplett außen vor gelassen werden. Das Resultat ist ein Leseerlebnis, das zwar Spaß macht, einen letzten Endes aber leider doch mit dem Gefühl zurücklässt, im Grunde nicht mehr als am Ende des vorangegangenen Buches zu wissen – und somit ein wenig enttäuscht.

Fazit
Phase 1 der High Republic-Ära hat mich vor einigen Monaten sofort in ihren Bann gezogen und ich konnte es kaum erwarten, die Bücher von Phase 2 in die Finger zu bekommen. Nach dem Lesen bleibt nun ein zwar grundsätzlich zufriedenes, aber auch etwas enttäuschtes Gefühl zurück. The Rising Storm leistet großartige Arbeit dabei, die gravierenden Unterschiede zwischen dieser Republik samt ihren Mitgliedern sowie der am Rande des Kollapses stehenden Republik der Prequel- oder Prä-Sequel-Trilogien zu zeigen und liefert auch einmal mehr spannende Einblicke in Jedi-Denkweisen, wie wir sie während der Skywalker-Saga noch nicht sehen konnten, verabsäumt es aber gleichzeitig, die überspannende Story tatsächlich voranzutreiben. Alles in allem wirkt The Rising Storm somit mehr wie ein weiterer Einführungsroman, der uns abermals gespannt warten lässt, in welche Richtung sich alles nun tatsächlich entwickeln wird.

Star Wars The High Republic: The Rising Storm van auteur Cavan Scott is een van de drie boeken uit de tweede golf High Republic verhalen. Net als Race to Crashpoint Tower speelt het zich een jaar na de gebeurtenissen rondom de Great Disaster af, rondom de Republic Fair. Een evenement dat het beste te vergelijken is met de Wereldtentoonstellingen waaruit op Aarde onder meer de Eiffeltoren en het reuzenrad voort gekomen zijn. De Republic Fair zou alle werelden in de republiek samen moeten brengen en nieuwe werelden moeten overtuigen zich bij de republiek aan te sluiten. De Nihil vinden dit echter een uitstekend moment om hun aanwezigheid nogmaals onder de aandacht te brengen door te doen waar ze goed in zijn: dood en verderf zaaien.

The Rising Storm zit vol actie en zodra het verhaal eenmaal op gang is en de Nihil aanval begint is er geen stoppen meer aan. De personages worden van actie moment in actie moment gegooid en wanneer je denkt dat het er op zit gaan we nog vrolijk even verder. Naast alle actie doet Scott ook aan de nodige world building en character development. Deze tijdsperiode is in vrij korte tijd al erg ver uitgewerkt en alle Jedi die we tot nu toe hebben leren kennen zijn allemaal geloofwaardige en uitgediepte personages met unieke persoonlijkheden en, zoals in The Rising Storm duidelijk wordt, gebreken en emoties. Zo spelen de gevoelens van Elzar Mann een rol in dit verhaal waar Anakin alleen maar vol goedkeuring op terug zou kunnen kijken.

Emoties spelen ook een grote rol in de ontwikkeling van Bell Zettifar. In Light of the Jedi verloor hij zijn meester, Loden Greatstorm, en in The Rising Storm zien we van heel dichtbij hoe hij omgaat met dat verlies en hoe hij zijn best doet zijn leven voort te zetten onder een nieuwe meester. En uiteraard staat de Charhound Ember nog altijd aan zijn zij.

De intense manier waarop de Jedi in deze tijdsperiode met de Force communiceren blijft indrukwekkend. Scott laat niet alleen zien hoe dit in hun voordeel werkt door hoe grotere groepen zich bijvoorbeeld weer mentaal aan elkaar verbinden om gezamenlijk te handelen. Maar hij spendeert ook een moment aan Elzar die de vernietiging van een schip vol passagiers aanschouwd en de angst en het verdriet van de slachtoffers voelt en tegelijkertijd de vreugde en het plezier van de Nihil die dat op hun geweten hebben. Het lijkt me in dergelijke situaties ontzettend moeilijk om met die gevoeligheid om te gaan.

We worden in deze tweede golf boeken ook voorgesteld aan een nieuw personage, Ty Yorrick, een Tholothian force user die overduidelijk ooit getraind is als Jedi maar de Jedi Order al enige tijd achter zich gelaten heeft en zich nu onder andere verhuurt als bodyguard. Ze is bij de Republic Fair aanwezig als bodyguard van iemand die een uitvinding wil verkopen die grote gevolgen kan hebben voor het sterrenstelsel, en de Jedi in het bijzonder, maar raakt al snel betrokken bij het gevecht tegen de Nihil. Ty is zonder twijfel een van de interessantste personages uit de High Republic tot nu toe en ik ben heel benieuwd naar verdere verhalen die haar geschiedenis en toekomst gaan verkennen.

Verder komen er wat leuke feitjes aan bod, zo heeft Bell zijn lightsaber aan boord van de Crucible gemaakt onder toeziend oog van Doctor Huyang, een schip en droid waar we in de Clone Wars TV serie kennis mee maakte. En er wordt ook een korte melding gemaakt van Phrik, één van de weinige materialen in het sterrenstelsel die bestand zijn tegen lightsabers. Hoewel dat geen nieuw materiaal is doet de vermelding vermoeden dat we daar in een toekomstig verhaal mee te maken gaan krijgen.

De Drengir spelen een minimale rol in The Rising Storm, al wordt wel vermeld dat ze, of in ieder geval hun reputatie, zich het afgelopen jaar door het sterrenstelsel verspreid hebben, met (sterke?) verhalen dat complete planeten ten prooi gevallen zijn aan deze vraatzuchtige planten.

Het Audible audiobook is weer voorgelezen door Marc Thompson en zoals we van hem gewend zijn doet hij dat weer fantastisch. Thompson is altijd geweldig in het produceren an unieke en herkenbare stemmen, en dat is in dit boek, net als bij Light of the Jedi, een groot voordeel. Net als in Light of the Jedi volgen we 14 uur lang weer een vrij grote groep personages die zich altijd op verschillende locaties en in verschillende situaties bevinden. In enkel tekst is het soms nog lastig om al deze personages die we nog maar net kennen uit elkaar te houden en ik pak nog vrij vaak even het concept art er naast om te zien over wie we het nu ook alweer hebben. Wat hierbij in de tekst al helpt is het feit dat Scott de personages waar hij het over heeft vaak even een snelle visuele beschrijving geeft. Door ”even aan zijn baard te zitten” of ”een fantoom tinteling in een missend lichaamsdeel te voelen” is gelijk weer duidelijk over wie we het hebben, maar wat hier nog een schepje bovenop doet is het stemmenwerk van Thompson. Ik zou iedereen die moeite heeft met het uit elkaar houden van de personages dan ook aanraden de audio versie van het boek te proberen.

Verder is de productie natuurlijk net zo indrukwekkend als we van de Star Wars audioboeken gewend zijn met geluidseffecten en achtergrondmuziek die je het gevoel geven dat je zelf in het verhaal zit.

Als je van Light of the Jedi hebt genoten is dit een waardig vervolg waar je ook van zult genieten. Het is prettig als je Light of the Jedi gelezen hebt voor je aan The Rising Storm begint, maar dat is geen vereiste. Datzelfde geldt ook voor Race to Crashpoint Tower dat zich gelijktijdig afspeelt. Alle belangrijke informatie uit deze boeken wordt duidelijk genoeg vermeld om dit verhaal prima te snappen, al is de extra context uit de eerdere twee boeken uiteraard wel leuk en handig om te weten.

Scott heeft een prima verhaal vol actie en intrige neergezet dat het tempo maar zelden verlaagt. Ik vraag me wel af of het prettiger geweest was om het boek op te delen in twee verschillende boeken, zodat beiden zich wat meer op een kleinere groep personages kon focussen. Maar dit is zeker een boek dat je maar lastig neer kunt leggen, al is dat misschien af en toe nog even nodig om een blik op verhelderend artwork van de personages te werpen.

It seems cliche to call any book a “page turner,” but that truly is what Star Wars: The High Republic: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is. This novel has everything a Star Wars fan wants: heroic Jedis, wicked (but fascinating) villains, political intrigue, action packed duels, romance and more.

Last book I’ll admit I was overwhelmed with all the new characters (I’m personally bad with names). However with this second novel I felt like I was returning to old friends.

One of my favorite aspects of the novel was the exploration of the Nihls and their leader Marchion Ro (The Eye of the Nihil). Every chapter you understand the Nihls more which makes them even scarier.

However my absolute favorite was the charhound Ember, companion of Padawan Bell Zettifar.

Overall The Rising Storm is a must read for all fans of a galaxy far, far away.

The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is a heavy hitter. I was first captivated by Scott's storytelling when I listened to Dooku: Jedi Lost. This book's strength is the cast of characters and the way Scott crafts tension and anticipation in each storyline. Every chapter feels like a cliffhanger that keeps you reading. This is a page-turning-don't-put-the-book-down kind of book.

Like, Race to Crashpoint Tower, this book takes place on Valo (for the most part) during the lead up and events of the Republic Fair. The most intriguing character is Elzar Mann who seems to be struggling with attachments and darker thoughts. The way Scott handles the complicated intricacies of jedi "rules" is what I've been waiting from Star Wars for a long time ever since Attack of the Clones. Scott continues to

Cavan Scott has quickly broken my top 3 Star Wars authors. I can't praise his characters, pacing and prose enough. This will be a book I buy for myself and return to many times. I can't wait to see what comes next (I would love to see a prequel Stellan-Elzar-Avar padawan novel).

The Rising Storm is a wonderful sequel to Light of the Jedi, and Cavan Scott’s prose was near flawless which made for a smooth read. I was surprised how dark this novel was; however, I enjoyed the sinister tone Scott crafted. My only gripe is I wish Loden would have gotten more attention so his death was more emotionally impactful; although, I am curious how Loden’s death will affect Bell and his journey moving forward. Now more than ever I’m intrigued with this enigmatic purple artifact, and I hope we get more answers in the novels to come.

I was absolutely blown away by The Rising Storm! I won’t lie, I was intrigued by Light of the Jedi but was overall a little disappointed in the characters. It’s like Cavan Scott read my mind; he fleshed out every character in this book so well, making me feel so connected to them. Plot and story wise were outstanding as well. The first half is like a slow cooker; you know something is about to go down, and Scott provides the groundwork to get you ready. My one complaint would be that I wish the ending felt more connected to the rest of the book. As is, I almost feel as if part of the story was missing but I’m sure it'll be addressed eventually.

All and all, this is now one of my favorite Star Wars books and I can't wait to see more from Cavan Scott!

The Rising Storm gave me the feeling of absolute shock, awe, and wonder on every page. Taking place one year after the events of the Great Disaster, it jumps into a galaxy that's still on the road to recovery while simultaneously striving for the long sought-after goal of unity. This is less a standalone book and more of a true and natural continuation of Light of the Jedi, in which author Cavan Scott raises the stakes even higher and jumps right in with our favorite characters on a more intimate level. Whether you're a fan of the Nihil, the Jedi, the everyday folk, or even politicians, there's a storyline you can attach yourself to. Whether it's the most minute detail or a more nuanced concept, Cavan Scott doesn't waste a single word in his writing, which often feels like some of the best in Star Wars publishing. What's most impressive about the Rising Storm is that while it is wide in scope, I feel I got to know these characters better than ever before. This is especially true to Elzar Mann, who is a primary focus despite his absence on the cover of the book. Exploring a lot of the interpersonal relationships made this book intriguing and seeing how the characters played off each other in a time of crisis never fell short of entertaining. Ultimately, The Rising Storm is up there as one of my favorite Star Wars books ever written and is a masterpiece from start to finish.

The Republic wants to celebrate its growing territory and the peace it ushered in - but the darkness cast by the Nihil get deeper as the true extent of their threat continues to be revealed. Read Chris's review of The High Republic: The Rising Storm!

The Nihil have been defeated, and peace reigns across the galaxy! (Or have they been?) Chancellor Lina Soh sees no better opportunity to celebrate the Republic than now with an event called the Republic Fair! (Or is it really the best time to do so?)

Spinning from the events of the first wave of The High Republic material, The Rising Storm checks in on the galaxy a year after the events of the Great Hyperspace Disaster. The galaxy reels from the event, still on edge for possible Emergences, even so long after the Battle of Kur, and still sees pockets of Drengir afflicting planets across the Outer Rim. Despite all of this, the Jedi Order and Republic work together to create an event called the Republic Fair, hosted on a planet called Valo. On Valo, the best of the galaxy would be brought together as an exhibition showing the cultures and peoples of the galaxy. Exotic animals, delicacies, and advancements in technology would be displayed for the entire galaxy to see.

This, as you might imagine, brings out some of the skepticism of certain Republic planets. Is it the best time to really be creating such a massive target? The events of Into the Dark show that the Nihil really haven't been defeated as soundly as was thought after the Battle of Kur. The Marvel comics series shows Avar Kriss and Starlight Beacon's attempts to curtail a growing threat of Drengir, even as the Republic and Jedi Order are forced to create alliances with shady customers across the galaxy. This leads to a growing feeling of dread and gloom for the characters, and, honestly, the reader.

If there's anything we know as readers, even the best laid plans of our heroes never truly go without a hitch. So, even the fact that a book was written about this event tips us off to the fact that *something* is going to happen at the Republic Fair. But Cavan takes this one step further, masterfully using foreshadowing to ramp the tension so high that the climax almost feels like a relief. Every time that we hear about another Nihil attack, or meet a character, or hear about the Fair, we wonder if that is going to play into the climax of the novel. One scene features a firework, wherein both I, as the reader, and a character in the novel, both flinch, expecting it to be part of an attack/the climax. In this sense, Cavan creates an incredibly gripping novel, one that is hard to put down despite uneasy you feel reading. It's not often that I feel such visceral emotional reactions to books like this!

The growing tension helps the pace of the book zip along, even as it focuses on a few storylines. Generally, three or four stories are happening concurrently, and each chapter brings you from one event to another. Even if you may not click with one story, there's plenty to keep your interest, especially as you try and see how all of the stories start to tie together in the climax of the novel. Some stories concurrently happen in another book, and a chapter or two introduces the other events from other sources. I have two small points here, though. First, I would love to see a novel zero in a little bit on a smaller cast. Both The Rising Storm and Light of the Jedi had fairly expansive casts, which is great in terms of really fleshing out an era, but it doesn't give a lot of characters a lot of time in the spotlight. It also means that the stories zip between each other pretty frequently, with one character left with far less material than the others. Second, the way that the stories are interconnected (specifically here with Race to Crashpoint Tower), certain elements are introduced only to be solved in a different book. I absolutely love this sort of interconnectivity, but it does make them required reading, and almost requires them to be read in a certain order. The Rising Storm doesn't suffer without Race, but it would mean buying another book is all.

Now, I don't want my comment about the wide variety of characters, and my desire to see stories focus in a bit on some characters, to sound like a harsh indictment. As it stands, Cavan does a wonderful job of fleshing out some of the characters that he picks up. One such character is Bell Zettifar, who is dealing with the loss of his Master, Loden Greatstorm. His pain quickly becomes ours as we empathize with him, thanks to Cavan's brilliant writing, and we easily join his emotional journey. A few other characters didn't connect with me emotionally, but I still wound up liking them a lot as people, like Stellan Gios or Indeera Stokes. I think this speaks really well to Cavan's ability to write characters: there are plenty to connect with, and even ones that I don't connect with still end up being interesting enough to come alongside. I won't say a ton about her, because she needs to be experienced and I think part of her enchantment comes from her part in the novel, but Ty Yorrick is an easy stand out character, and I can't wait for her IDW mini-series.

The plotting and characters are really where this book stands out, but it wouldn't be fair to write a review of a Cavan Scott work without mentioning how weird it is. (This is a good thing!) Cavan has such a brilliant mind toward worldbuilding, and he really makes his stories feel like they inhabit a lived-in universe. This was one of the highlights of Dooku: Jedi Lost, where planets and artifacts and books and people's names were thrown around as if they knew what their significance, even if we don't, is, and makes it feel like there's a real history behind the stories. The Rising Storm is the same. I won't say much, but one creature brought out the real xenozoologist in me!

And, finally, I wanted to talk about one more thing that was mercifully brought back in the era: politics! In the previous novel, Senator Noor was the political stand-in, reflecting on the economic state of the Republic in light of the Disaster. We also read about Eriadu and how it teamed with the Republic. In this novel, we see intrigue as one Senator stands as a fairly staunch opponent of Lina Soh. At the same time, the Republic is courting Togrutans into joining the government, with the Fair as the backdrop to this new relationship. There has truly been a dearth of politics in the franchise recently, and I for one am really excited to see it come back in such an exciting era.

All in all, The Rising Storm proves to be an extremely exciting novel, tense and well-written, gripping and full of personality and life. The era has yet to hit a low point, and I'm really excited to see where the series goes with this much momentum that it has already built.

(Review will be posted at mynockmanor.com and linked on both chriswerms.wordpress.com and emailed from chriswerms.substack.com on 6/29).

If Light of the Jedi immersed us in the world-building of a new Star Wars era, one that occurred hundreds of years before the Skywalker saga, then Cavan Scott's The Rising Storm forever bonded us to all the charming, mysterious and relatable characters of the High Republic. The Rising Storm is a hefty tome, but it's a thrilling page-turner from start to finish, dropping us back into the grand High Republic era and again immersing us into a time when the Jedi were revered as ethereal heroes.

A year after the events of the Hyperspace Disaster seen in Light of the Jedi, the Republic has opened Starlight Beacon in the Outer Rim and is preparing a grand Republic Fair to showcase art, culture and technology from planets around the galaxy. It's Chancellor Lina Soh's greatest Great Work, and she and her staff have high hopes for the fair to further integrate more Outer Rim planets into the Republic with the tagline Spirit of Unity.

But despite laying low for a bit following the Hyperspace Disaster, which they caused, the villainous Nihil raiders are determined to strike back at the Republic's "Spirit of Unity" by targeting the massive world's fair-type event and cause as much carnage as possible. Many of the Nihil AND the Jedi are blinded by their own arrogance, which leads to devastation on both sides.

The Rising Storm latches onto your heart and soul and doesn't let go, ending on a devastating cliffhanger that rivals that of The Empire Strikes Back. Scott delivered a character-building epic with a bang that sits with you long after you've finished reading. The Rising Storm does a fantastic job at humanizing both the mighty Jedi and the ruthless Nihil, as well as fleshing out the characters who are neither. It deftly explores the physical and emotional trauma inflicted on those caught between the proverbial light and dark sides of the push for expansion and progress.

The Rising Storm is all at once intense, thrilling, emotional, comedic and heartbreaking - a standout Star Wars story that is another huge leap into the High Republic era we've just begun to explore and fall in love with.

*Thank you to Del Rey and Disney Books for providing an advanced copy for review!*

One can only imagine the feat of being tasked to follow up Charles Soule's LIGHT OF THE JEDI with another novel in the newest, most highly-anticipated era of Star Wars publishing. But as usual, Cavan Scott took one look at the stories that came before him and said: "Don't worry. I got this."

Oh, he definitely got it.

Scott has written countless Star Wars stories between the various comics he has contributed to recently, not to mention the audio drama that has since kicked off a new slate of canon Star Wars audio projects - with another on the way (also by Scott). Make no mistake: There was no doubt he would deliver.

But with so much darkness? So much misery? So much pain?

What is Star Wars, if not a child's earliest glimpse into the terrors and consequences of civil unrest?

THE RISING STORM continues The High Republic's trend of telling Star Wars stories that excite, surprise, and innovate?

Storytelling in a galaxy far, far away gets better every time.

We are blessed. And we are all sobbing.

Star Wars: The High Republic – The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott

Kicking off the next wave of the burgeoning High Republic publishing line of Star Wars media, Cavan Scott’s The Rising Storm had a heavy load to lift. It shoulders it in the end, but not without some effort and some bruising on the way.

For those who have not been following the Star Wars literary line in 2021, The High Republic is an ambitious initiative spanning books and comics for all ages set in the golden age of the Jedi Knights, some two hundred years prior to the Prequel Trilogy. The Jedi are at the peak of their power and not yet the more ethically compromised characters we see in the fading years of the Galactic Republic, while their assorted foes are all very different to the Dark Side wielders with which we are so familiar from the films.

The Rising Storm tells the story of the continuing conflict between the Jedi of this era and the most fascinating of these new enemies, the marauding Nihil. The focus of this second wave of titles is the Republic Fair, an event intended by the Supreme Chancellor to act as a symbol of prosperity and possibility to the Galaxy.

While theoretically a standalone novel, The Rising Storm is in practice a direct sequel to the initiative’s debut in Light of the Jedi, picking up the vast majority of its expansive cast where author Charles Soule left them off in January 2021. Unfortunately, the invited comparison is not always a flattering one for this book. Where Light of the Jedi balanced a tremendous amount of worldbuilding with a fast-paced, propellant plot and instantly compelling characters, The Rising Storm becomes bogged down with an over-lengthy set-piece that loses all cohesion thanks to erratic jumps between an overwhelming number of character perspectives.

With the already-expansive cast of Light of the Jedi only growing and the tangled web of connections between them becoming ever more intricate, few novels have ever cried out quite so much for a Dramatis Personae like the ones so commonplace in the pre-Disney canon. This problem is not helped by the novel’s rapid pace and fleeting chapter length, which allows the reader very little time to sit with any particular Jedi character before they are on to the next, and the next.

A few members of the sprawling cast do manage to stand out in spite of this lack of focus, in particular newer characters such as the charismatic Stellan Gios and the very human Elzar Mann. Both have multiple memorable scenes that leave an impact on the reader long afterward, and the relationship between them is one of the few that is given the space necessary to flourish. However, most of the characters feel drowned within a story that is trying to do too much at once and repeatedly cuts itself off before it can settle into a rhythm. This is perhaps most regrettable with the intriguing new ‘saber-for-hire’ Ty Yorrick, who is never quite allowed the room to live up to her promising introduction.

This is really a shame because when the book is good, it’s often very, very good. The strengths of the novel reflect the strengths of the High Republic as a whole, above all a compelling world that feels both related to the Star Wars Universe we know yet also wholly fresh. Scott is especially talented at weaving together references to the broader galaxy in ways that add multiple layers of richness. There are continual winks and nods to all aspects of Star Wars from the films to Legends continuity to the broader High Republic project, but they are carefully presented in a way that makes the world feel bigger and never makes even the casual reader feel that they are missing something. By the novel’s end, the Galaxy of the High Republic feels more full of promise than ever – and more full of danger for the Jedi.

And the source of that danger is one of the book’s highlights. The villainous Nihil deserve special mention, once again managing to steal the show from the protagonists as they often did in Light of the Jedi. These chaotic space Vikings feel like nothing else in Star Wars, in large part due to an ingeniously constructed and vividly depicted political structure and internal culture which makes their every scene crackle with tension. Indeed, one of The Rising Storm’s greatest accomplishments is the unique impression it crafts of a group who see themselves as the lead players in a tangled family drama with the Jedi featuring only in occasional walk-on parts. It helps that the number of Nihil character viewpoints is kept low, allowing the reader to become familiar with a core set of characters in a way that doesn’t happen enough with the Jedi protagonists. It’s easy to see why Scott will be returning to the Nihil with August’s Tempest Runner audio drama focusing on the character of Lourna Dee, one of the more memorable antagonists here.

Following up an opening as well-received as Light of the Jedi was never going to be easy, and The Rising Storm often falls short of the bar that had been set. Through it all, with such a refreshing premise, the strength of solid worldbuilding, and original antagonists, The Rising Storm is an entertaining and worthwhile journey to an even longer time ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

Early review copy provided by Del Rey Books. The Rising Storm releases in all good bookstores and digital storefronts 06/29/2021.