xdooniz2407's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
sbauer378's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Hands-down the worst book in phase 1. This dragged, I had to force myself to finish it. I am begging Star Wars to stop having children's authors write YA books, they are incapable of doing it.
A couple thoughts about phase 1 overall. The 3 adult books were phenomenal, as was the first YA book, Into the Dark and the audio drama. Seriously, Temple Runner was amazing to listen to, I burned through that in 3 days. The adult books and Into the Dark were so well-written and engaging, good pacing, I loved them. Bell and Ember are my favorite characters, Burryaga, Elzar, and Ty a close second. I really hope we see Ty again. I did find it absolutely hilarious the constant mentions of Yoda throughout and how he had just fucked off into the void. Cryptic little troll would vanish when there's hard work to be done, lol. Just a few negatives on phase 1. Like I said before, the two YA novels written by children's authors (Ireland and Older) really suffered from that. It skewed way too young, pacing dragged, and not much happened in them related to the overarching plot. They could easily be skipped. I dislike that even though the Drengir were mentioned multiple times as a big adversary, we only actually saw them in Into the Dark when they were introduced. I would have enjoyed more time spent on that. And finally, I think it was a mistake for this book to be the final one in phase 1. Fallen Star has the real climax and that should have been the final book.
The writing in this book is incredibly childish. This is just a middle grade book in a YA length. I honestly hate the word wizard now, it is overused and also was actually defined as a new slang word Ram came up with. The reader can't figure that out from context without it being spelled out? All the dialogue is very 21st century, gen Z/millenial-speak. A character says Ayeeee unironically and all I can think of is the noise the Ewoks make in battle. Author also kept using crescent as a verb (i.e. their smile crescented their face), stop that, it is weird!
I did not like any of the characters created by Older and he ruined the existing ones we already know, Reath and Cohmac. I am actually super mad that Reath was dumbed down into acting like an immature 12-year-old, acting like he's never seen a girl before or been out in public. That is not who he is from the first YA book, where he was maybe a little naive but mature and responsible, relatively level-headed. Cohmac Everyone is melodramatic, acting childish at security briefings. Crash whimpers, gasps, and gushes all in the space of one page, says "aw shucks". Crash is just very annoying in general, please stop putting teenagers in charge of shit. I know it's a YA book but still, please have some plausibility. Girl is a scam artist and also panics at the sight of blood despite being in the security business since age 12.
Unnecessary and overwrought romance abounds. I was irritated enough with the one between Syl and what's-her-name in the last YA book. This time we get 3 teenage romances that add nothing to the plot. Also, they are barely romances, it is a lot of mentioning of crushes and suddenly we're in forever love despite being 14. Very middle school. I was actively rooting for people to die just so the romances would stop. I might even get my wish with one of them.
Lots of plot holes or at least what I consider to be plot holes. 1) I don't think their ages are ever mentioned but since we meet Lula, Zeen, and Ram in a middle grade book, I assumed they were maybe 12/13. Definitely not mature or old enough to 2) This author is the worst offender at including a lot of callbacks to their other Star Wars stuff that most people have probably not read, especially when they are making callbacks to the comics. There was a lot of stuff that confused me because I am focusing on the books only. 3) Literal 4) Why are the Nihil attacking Corellia? Didn't Ro give orders in Fallen Star for no one to do anything while Starlight Beacon was attacked, so the entire galaxy would focus on it? Maybe I'm misremembering but it threw me off.
A couple thoughts about phase 1 overall. The 3 adult books were phenomenal, as was the first YA book, Into the Dark and the audio drama. Seriously, Temple Runner was amazing to listen to, I burned through that in 3 days. The adult books and Into the Dark were so well-written and engaging, good pacing, I loved them. Bell and Ember are my favorite characters, Burryaga, Elzar, and Ty a close second. I really hope we see Ty again. I did find it absolutely hilarious the constant mentions of Yoda throughout and how he had just fucked off into the void. Cryptic little troll would vanish when there's hard work to be done, lol. Just a few negatives on phase 1. Like I said before, the two YA novels written by children's authors (Ireland and Older) really suffered from that. It skewed way too young, pacing dragged, and not much happened in them related to the overarching plot. They could easily be skipped. I dislike that even though the Drengir were mentioned multiple times as a big adversary, we only actually saw them in Into the Dark when they were introduced. I would have enjoyed more time spent on that. And finally, I think it was a mistake for this book to be the final one in phase 1. Fallen Star has the real climax and that should have been the final book.
The writing in this book is incredibly childish. This is just a middle grade book in a YA length. I honestly hate the word wizard now, it is overused and also was actually defined as a new slang word Ram came up with. The reader can't figure that out from context without it being spelled out? All the dialogue is very 21st century, gen Z/millenial-speak. A character says Ayeeee unironically and all I can think of is the noise the Ewoks make in battle. Author also kept using crescent as a verb (i.e. their smile crescented their face), stop that, it is weird!
I did not like any of the characters created by Older and he ruined the existing ones we already know, Reath and Cohmac. I am actually super mad that Reath was dumbed down into acting like an immature 12-year-old, acting like he's never seen a girl before or been out in public. That is not who he is from the first YA book, where he was maybe a little naive but mature and responsible, relatively level-headed. Cohmac
Spoiler
leaving the Jedi was so out of the blue at the end of the book, especially when we never get his point of view. Also, he literally just runs off into the forest immediately after knighting Reath.Unnecessary and overwrought romance abounds. I was irritated enough with the one between Syl and what's-her-name in the last YA book. This time we get 3 teenage romances that add nothing to the plot. Also, they are barely romances, it is a lot of mentioning of crushes and suddenly we're in forever love despite being 14. Very middle school. I was actively rooting for people to die just so the romances would stop. I might even get my wish with one of them.
Lots of plot holes or at least what I consider to be plot holes. 1) I don't think their ages are ever mentioned but since we meet Lula, Zeen, and Ram in a middle grade book, I assumed they were maybe 12/13. Definitely not mature or old enough to
Spoiler
shortly be knighted, like the mention that Lula will soon be a knight and that's why she is given control over the task force. They talked in the last YA book about how Vern becoming a knight at 15 was a massive mistake. I already hated that Vern was knighted so early, especially when she is leagues behind older padawans like Bell and Burryaga.Spoiler
Yoda ex machina. Bro just showed up out of nowhere in the last 3 chapters to help save the day. Just, whatever man.lunashie23's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoy how the author brought this plot to life.. One of my favorite stories of the High Republic..
dkotamilburn's review against another edition
Just couldn't connect to the characters
thebooktwins's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
vercopaanir's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Supposedly a YA book, this often felt written more for middle grade readers. The first half includes a subplot of a character learning to tell jokes, for example. I also struggled with the number of POVs among people with similar backgrounds and names. Still, it was a fun adventure and I love Star Wars, and I ultimately enjoyed it!
alyxlc's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.5
kayblecar's review against another edition
This is part of the YA High Republic series but it reads younger than YA to me. The internal thoughts and reasoning of the teen characters feels too young as well, like 8 year old logic. Characters that have been in other HR books and comics are consistently characterized very differently in this book, even characters that Older created and wrote in the comics!
The dialogue and character reactions feel inappropriately quippy and dramatic, which contributes to the "young" feeling. I think this may come from Older's experience writing comics, though again, you'd think he'd write his comic characters the same.
There's a running bit where a character is learning to make jokes? And in the narration Older makes jokes that don't make sense but are echoes of other, better jokes. This makes me think Older doesn't know how to make a joke.
There are flashbacks throughout the book that don't really connect to anything that's happening in the story. They kinda lead up to something at the end but not really. It just made me think of how much better and meaningful the flashbacks in Into the Dark were.
Also, the thing that the bad guys are doing doesn't make sense in the broader High Republic continuity, because This is actually pretty consistent with the way the Nihil objectives and structure are completely different in anything that Older writes in the comics.
The dialogue and character reactions feel inappropriately quippy and dramatic, which contributes to the "young" feeling. I think this may come from Older's experience writing comics, though again, you'd think he'd write his comic characters the same.
There's a running bit where a character is learning to make jokes? And in the narration Older makes jokes that don't make sense but are echoes of other, better jokes. This makes me think Older doesn't know how to make a joke.
There are flashbacks throughout the book that don't really connect to anything that's happening in the story. They kinda lead up to something at the end but not really. It just made me think of how much better and meaningful the flashbacks in Into the Dark were.
Also, the thing that the bad guys are doing doesn't make sense in the broader High Republic continuity, because
Spoiler
Marchion Ro explicitly did not want any Nihil at Starlight Beacon beside the team he sent there. None of the other Nihil knew about it so how could they be planning for months to support it!?ariebacca's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Having just reread this, I am so happy I did so. I didn’t love this book on the first read, but now to close the loop on my The High Republic reread, I absolutely loved it. This book has serious heart and works so well as an end cap to Phase 1. I struggle with where it should be read, as it technically ends after The Fallen Star, but most of it is before/during.
I loved the characters and some of the plot related points that I didn’t like on the first read felt much better set up on the second read. I don’t really want to give anything away but it’s a good read. Ram is a delight, and Reath is a great counterpart to him. Masters Sy and Vitas work really well together as well and are a wonderful vessel for laying down story-beats that’ll be important down the line. Zeen’s friendship/love story with Lula is wonderful, and it’s great to see a force user who isn’t a Jedi. And finally, Crash and her team round out a huge cast in this book. It still took me a while to line Crash, but she grew on me by the end.
Overall this is a great addition to the phase.
I loved the characters and some of the plot related points that I didn’t like on the first read felt much better set up on the second read. I don’t really want to give anything away but it’s a good read. Ram is a delight, and Reath is a great counterpart to him. Masters Sy and Vitas work really well together as well and are a wonderful vessel for laying down story-beats that’ll be important down the line. Zeen’s friendship/love story with Lula is wonderful, and it’s great to see a force user who isn’t a Jedi. And finally, Crash and her team round out a huge cast in this book. It still took me a while to line Crash, but she grew on me by the end.
Overall this is a great addition to the phase.