Book Review: "The Rising Storm" - Star Wars storytelling at its finest
After launching back in January to much acclaim, and sweeping the New York Times bestseller lists in the process, the Star Wars High Republic publishing initiative returns this summer with the latest wave of stories set during the golden age of the Republic.
It was always going to be tough to follow Light of the Jedi, Charles Soule’s non-stop, action-packed introduction to the High Republic era, but Cavan Scott has done so, and done so brilliantly. The Rising Storm picks up a year after the events of the first book, with the galaxy still contending with the new threats that pose a challenge to the peace and prosperity they’ve become accustomed to. There are the Nihil of course, the Outer Rim marauders who were the primary antagonists in the last book, but there are also the Drengir, who were introduced in the fantastic Marvel comics run, also written by Cavan Scott.
Despite these problems, they are determined to proceed as if nothing were amiss, with Chancellor Soh arranging for a Republic Fair on the mid-rim world of Valo. This exhibition, a World’s Fair type event, is designed to showcase the “Spirit of Unity” between all worlds that exist under the Republic banner.
But the best laid plans of MSE droids and men often go awry, and that is exactly what happens when the Nihil get wind of the event and decide to strike back against what they perceive to be an encroaching threat on their territory and their way of life.
In a word, this book is phenomenal. It has adventure, it has so much character development, it even has some romance. Romance so clear and spine-tingling it made my jaw drop. Wholly unexpected and delightful. Where it really thrives, in my opinion, is with its characters. Now that the first wave of Phase One - remember, this is not Phase Two, merely wave two - has passed, and the audience is firmly rooted in the High Republic era, we have time to really dive in deep with them and explore what it means to live in this time period.
Standouts include returning Padawan Bell Zettifar, who is learning what it means to live without his Master after the latter was taken by the Nihil in Light of the Jedi, and Valo’s Jedi administrator Master Elzar Mann, who is given much more time now than he was in the first book. Elzar, and his longtime friend Master Stellan Gios absolutely stole the show for me on the Republic side of things. Theirs is the kind of intense, healthy male friendship that I think media both sorely lacks and desperately needs. They are complete opposites, and spend half their time thinking the other one is an idiot, but they also respect and trust one another.
I also suspected, going in, that I was going to love Stellan Gios and I was right. This assessment was based solely on his concept art, which was somehow reminiscent of both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ben Solo, two of my all-time favourite characters, and I am proud to report that the bearded dorky Jedi Master with a crossguard saber is now, in fact, one of my favourites from this era.
Another new character who completely blew me away was Ty Yorrik. I won’t dare spoil anything about her here, but she might be a new favourite of mine too. Is it possible to have too many favourites? This whole book is an embarrassment of riches, really.
Speaking of favourites, I haven’t even talked about the Nihil yet.
It’s no secret to those who know me that I absolutely love the Nihil. It’s not just their steampunk-space pirate aesthetic, but the fact that they’re unlike any villain we’ve seen before, at least in the new canon.
I also use the term “villain” extremely loosely, because like most well-written antagonists, they are highly motivated, and in a way that is juuust understandable enough that you at least see where they’re coming from, even if you don’t outright agree.
From the outset, I got the impression that the Nihil view the Republic as an antagonistic, colonialist, oppressive force, and in that respect, I do agree with them. It’s also wonderful to see that Cavan Scott does not shy away from this either, fully spelling this out for the reader to show that whether or not the ends justify the means, the Nihil have a reason for living and acting the way they do.
And then of course we have Marchion Ro. The Eye of the Nihil. The man himself. How anyone expected to put a morally ambiguous man in a mask front and centre, give him a tragic, mysterious backstory and a righteous cause, and not have me be fascinated (and maybe fall a little in love) is beyond me. Marchion Ro is a fascinating character, his personal goals remain a complete mystery, and any time he appears the chapter never goes the way you expect it will. I suppose my one regret with this book is that we don’t get more time with him, but hey, if that just means that the mystery surrounding him will continue to be built out, then I can’t complain.
With the book as a whole, Cavan Scott also never lets you forget just how interconnected these stories are, not only within each wave, and not only in the way you would expect a sequel to, but within the High Republic tapestry as a whole. There are many offhand references to the Marvel and IDW comics, as well as hints at the plots of the Young Adult and Middle Grade entries in wave one that are noticeable if you’ve decided to go all in and read everything, but do not detract from the story if you prefer to just read the adult-aimed entries. These references are absolutely a reward and a treat, but in no way a punishment for a lack of time and inclination.
That said, do yourself a favour and read the whole thing, if you can. As we move into subsequent waves and phases, I wouldn’t be surprised if the characters who are children now will grow to star in the adult-focused novels down the line, and it’s much easier to keep up now than to catch up later. But that’s just my extremely biased opinion.
Star Wars The High Republic: The Rising Storm is out June 29, 2021, and is available for pre-order now!
Special thank you to Del Rey, Lucasfilm and Disney for an advance copy of this book for review purposes.