abigail_reads06's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Torture, Death of parent, Death, Violence, War, and Blood
Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Drug use
carter1315's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is the second book in the High Republic Series. The book follows several characters introduced in the first book as they navigate the opening of the Starlight Beacon while under threat from the Nihil.
I very much wanted to love this book, and there were some highlights:
Diversity
As in the first book, the cast of characters is diverse. Although the text doesn’t delve too deeply into these areas, it was nice to have Black Jedi and LGBTQ characters highlighted throughout the text. There is a brief exposure to a LGBTQIA+ relationship.
Compelling Arcs
We see characters introduced in the first book really dealing with their demons in this one. Topics such as anger, grief, loss, and trauma are handled well. The characters’ flaws are on full display and, for the most part, we see them working through them.
There were, however, some issues with this text that made me rate it 3.5 stars instead of 4 stars:
Too Many Characters
Nearly every character in this book (and there are many) is treated as a main character. At last count, there were over ten major characters that the reader has to keep track of. Most of them were not even introduced in this book. I felt like I needed a notebook to keep track of who was who and who was doing what at all times. Moments of significant character growth and progression were lessened by the constant interruption of secondary characters. It was very frustrating to read.
Too Many Plots
There are several plots at play in the book, and I think that it overall weakened the experience. The two main plots were fine, but were weighed down by the remaining secondary plots. This is ultimately tied to the number of characters. Several significant plot points were not resolved, as if the author just kicked them down the road for the author of the next book to take care of (which they will have to).
Overall, the book was worth the read, but it was significantly weaker than the first book (which also had a touch too many characters). My experience was neither good nor bad. I am still thinking about some of the major revelatory plot points. I just hope the third book is more streamlined than this one.
My recommendation: Read this as soon as you are done with the first book. That way, you’ll h fully remember everyone and maybe your experience will be more positive .
I very much wanted to love this book, and there were some highlights:
Diversity
As in the first book, the cast of characters is diverse. Although the text doesn’t delve too deeply into these areas, it was nice to have Black Jedi and LGBTQ characters highlighted throughout the text. There is a brief exposure to a LGBTQIA+ relationship.
Compelling Arcs
We see characters introduced in the first book really dealing with their demons in this one. Topics such as anger, grief, loss, and trauma are handled well. The characters’ flaws are on full display and, for the most part, we see them working through them.
There were, however, some issues with this text that made me rate it 3.5 stars instead of 4 stars:
Too Many Characters
Nearly every character in this book (and there are many) is treated as a main character. At last count, there were over ten major characters that the reader has to keep track of. Most of them were not even introduced in this book. I felt like I needed a notebook to keep track of who was who and who was doing what at all times. Moments of significant character growth and progression were lessened by the constant interruption of secondary characters. It was very frustrating to read.
Too Many Plots
There are several plots at play in the book, and I think that it overall weakened the experience. The two main plots were fine, but were weighed down by the remaining secondary plots. This is ultimately tied to the number of characters. Several significant plot points were not resolved, as if the author just kicked them down the road for the author of the next book to take care of (which they will have to).
Overall, the book was worth the read, but it was significantly weaker than the first book (which also had a touch too many characters). My experience was neither good nor bad. I am still thinking about some of the major revelatory plot points. I just hope the third book is more streamlined than this one.
My recommendation: Read this as soon as you are done with the first book. That way, you’ll h fully remember everyone and maybe your experience will be more positive .
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and War
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Torture
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