I received a digital advanced readers copy of this from Netgalley. It's due to be released later this month.

I'd go 3.5 stars if I could. I was a little disappointed at first because for some reason I was expecting more Qui-Gon, but this is very much an Obi-Wan solo adventure. Since it's written for a younger audience, however, it does make sense to focus on the younger character. In this story, Obi-Wan is 16 and has been matched with Qui-Gon for a short period of time. He's struggling to connect with the Force and his new master and worries that he's disappointing everyone around him, and I think a lot of kids will identify with that and enjoy the mysterious planet that seems to have a life of its own. I saw this marked as young adult, but I think it read a bit younger - which is not a complaint! I have 5th and 6th graders who would really enjoy this, and I'd definitely purchase it for my library.

𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.
I have so much to say about this book. As someone who has read almost every Star Wars book, I can comfortably say that this one is a stand out. I loved Kiersten White's Camelot Rising trilogy so I was beyond excited to see she was writing a Star Wars novel and this one did not disappoint. It has the perfect amount of little references and easter eggs for old fans while still remaining accessible to new ones. The humour in this whole book is perfectly timed and delivered with classic Obi-Wan wit and he feels completely in character the entire time.⠀The plot itself moves at a great pace and I loved the incorporation of the most recent High Republic arc to add an extra tie into the world of Star Wars. This book is a must for any Star Wars fan.

I loved this book so much. I read it in one day!!!! Because it was so good.It was super nice to see Obi Wan and see him as his younger self trying to figure himself out. I couldn’t help but love this book. This book was very good and very quick pace for me. II love how they utilized people form the past. The book was very interesting and the plot kept me intrigued throughout the book. Especially learning about the planet Obi Wan was on and trying to figure it out. My favorite part of book was Obi Wan guessing himself on his place in the order. I just loved learning more about how he truly felt when he was younger and seeing his struggle with his master.

When you spend a significant portion of your time reading Star Wars books, you begin to understand the massive amount of work that goes into connecting each individual story not just to other stories, but also to the larger narrative of a galaxy far, far away.

In closing out Obi-Wan Kenobi season, PADAWAN leaps backward in time to show readers a version of Obi-Wan Kenobi that hasn't yet been largely explored: A young, uncertain, almost rebellious teenage version. We've seen Obi-Wan afraid before, and we've seen him questioning the Force and its purpose, as well as his own purpose in the galaxy. But we've only seen that in the context of the aftermath of tragedy -- not the all-too-relatable reaction to growing up not fully understanding the universe. Until now.

Kiersten White writes a captivating, heartbreaking yet hopeful tale of what it takes to embrace change, mind your surroundings, and trust those willing to help and care for you. PADAWAN is the coming-of-age Obi-Wan story we didn't know we needed -- and a surprise guest character makes it even more delightful.

And trust me when I say the ending will leave you desperate for more stories told about Obi-Wan's youth. That's all I'll say about that.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am a huge fan of the Star Wars books and anything Star War, so I expected to like this, but Padawan absolutely blew me away. I loved every second of it I really liked how it brought something old and new to the characters. I loved seeing a more in depth side of Obi-Wan . I good day so many good things but I don’t want to give any spoilers… Star Wars and young adults fans read this book!

This is my first Disney era Star Wars novel. I enjoyed every minute of it. The story takes us through obi-wan’s teenage years and having difficulty being a padawan. It was fun seeing this character from a different angle. I can see myself getting into the Disney era novels.

I am a huge fan of the young adult Star Wars books, so I expected to like this, but Padawan absolutely blew me away. This is hands down my favorite piece of Obi-Wan media. This book follows Obi Wan Kenobi as a Padawan as he goes on a mission alone to a mysterious planet occupied by a band of seemingly force-sensitive children and teens. The plot of this book is fast pace and extremely engaging. It can be hard in prequel books like this to build tension and feel invested in the safety of the main character, however, White managed to keep me on my toes at every turn.

The real highlight of this book in my opinion is the exploration of Obi-Wan's fears and anxieties. Much like the movie Solo, this book explores a main character we know and love who is less sure of himself and his path, you can see parts of the character we know, but he is less fully realized. The way this book explores Obi-Wan's fear of failure is both extremely relatable and connects well to the rest of his character arc in the franchise. This book is also full of fun easter eggs and references to other parts of Star Wars, most notably the High Republic, and nods to parts of Obi-Wan's story. I enjoyed getting to see Obi-Wan's character fully outside of the Skywalker's story.

My two small critiques of this book are the villain felt underdeveloped, in motivation and character, and the larger cast of characters led to some being underdeveloped and forgettable. But these did not largely affect my enjoyment of the book.

3.5 stars

This was one of my first forays into Star Wars novels--and yes, it was spurred on by the Obi-Wan Disney+ show. I've always been mildly interested in reading more Star Wars books but never really knew where to jump in because the universe is just SO BIG. A story about Padawan Obi-Wan seemed as good a place as any to start.

And it was pretty good. My main disappointments were that it felt a little more on the middle grade end of the YA spectrum and the total lack of <spoiler>Qui-Gon</spoiler>. Other than that, the story itself was interesting and well-paced. There are a number of new characters who were pretty well developed. There were a few lines that felt like a *<i>wink wink nudge nudge</i>* to the reader. And I liked reading about young Obi-Wan and seeing the beginnings of his transformation from a young, impatient Padawan into a wiser, more patient Jedi.

Obi-Wan has always been one of my favorite characters, especially in Master and Apprentice. But this novel brought something both old and new to the character. As a fan of the High Republic there are wonderful callbacks and references, but it ties him to THR thematically as well. It has interesting new characters, and genuine humor, and a piece of queer representation I will never stop thinking about. It also has such an incredibly good mystery, and a wonderful and important wider message. I came into this novel thinking I’d enjoy it just because I like Obi-Wan, and now I would recommend it to anyone, even those who don’t care about him that much. It captures the spirit of Star Wars, of the Jedi, of his character, so well. I had the privilege of reading this early, while the Kenobi show was airing, and there are allusions and references to his time without the Jedi that genuinely made me cry. Thank you for this novel. It reminded me how much I love Star Wars.

This latest YA entry into the Star Wars canon focuses on a young teenage Obi-Wan Kenobi, in turmoil about whether his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, truly wants to be his mentor. The Jedi Knight is somewhat of a mystery to the young Padawan – very serene and detached, committed to meditation and reflection, but seemingly loath to engage in the type of galactic adventures, complete with saving those in need and righting wrongs, that young Obi-Wan longs for. He sees his fellow Padawans seemingly more well connected to their respective Masters and engaging in work that is meaningful to them, and wishes he had the same opportunities.
When he stumbles across a mysterious message from a Jedi Wayfinder from long ago and hidden out of view in the Jedi Temple, he eagerly brings that information back to Qui-Gon and urges them to investigate. While initially agreeing, Qui-Gon is nowhere to be found on the day of the mission, and Obi-Wan, after much angst and worry, impulsively decides to head out on his own. He finds a mysterious planet that seems to have its own connection to a type of Force, but this power is turned against a group of young teens who appear to be descendants of shipwrecked colonists and who have developed elaborate methods of survival.
The running theme of the book is the restoration of balance – both for the teens, for Obi-Wan and for the planet itself. A twist is introduced when a ship of miners arrives, having managed to navigate through the erratic and dangerous asteroid field surrounding the planet. Facing deadly odds against survival, can Obi-Wan and his group of new friends find their way to a new future? The book provides new insights into Obi-Wan that are particularly resonant with the new series Obi-Wan Kenobi now showing on Disney+ - the anxieties, fears, and doubts about his future for the older Obi-Wan appear to be well rooted in this well written YA novel. Having a mysterious Jedi Wayfinder leave enticing clues about this planet is also reflective about Obi-Wan needing to find his own way – his own path to connection with the Force. Recommended.