Ram takes on the Nihil on Valo under the persona of the Scarlet Skull. With is persona and ability to project a red lightsaber, he is able to cause chaos and disrupt Nihil activities. But Ram can't take on the Nihil alone and free the city from their plundering. He joins up with other left behind Jedi younglings who survived the Jedi slaughter. Together, they problem solve, create huge issues for the Nihil and even help save a few people along the way. For a middle grade Star Wars novel, I really loved the teamwork and mutual reliance the kids had for each other.

What I loved most: Tep Tep - I loved her connection to the force and her connection to animals, I love Ram and all his shenanigans, Zyle totally had some young Han Solo vibes going on.

Ram may be my new favorite jedi... I loved him before, but this one made me like him even more.

This book is so "wizard" -> read it and the rest of the series!

Escape from Valo (Star Wars: The High Republic)
by Daniel José Older
The next in a series of star wars books for young adults. The book shows an open nature of the changing writing environment. The characters are LTGBQ+. It also changes the idea of Jedi connection restrictions. That the greatest Jedi Behavior is their ability of compassion. They are more broadly connected than most people, connecting different places, and peoples. The main characters are finding their responsibility is not just to the Jedi but to the planets and people around them. The children are wonderful, exciting and dynamic. I adored each of the characters. The idea that each Jedi see the pattern of the force through individual perception is a great idea or lore added to the Jedi traits.

The High Republic continues to be a great addition to the Star Wars universe, and has consistently been the best storytelling in the Disney era. I don't find the middle reader books to hit the highs of the adult or YA parts of the series, but this was a fun adventure to help kick start the final part of this series.