Book Review: Tears of the Nameless
I keep saying it, but I really can’t believe we’re staring the end of The High Republic in the face - or at least, these initial three phases, because hope and delusion spring eternal. With everything winding down, but seemingly with more mystery to solve than ever before, the second to last YA book, George Mann’s Tears of the Nameless is here to start bringing things to a close, winding down the story, and bringing that much needed resolution to the mystery as we race towards the finale.
The novel primarily follows Reath Silas and Amadeo Azzazzo as the two pair up to figure out the connection betweeen the Nameless and the blight that is currently spreading across the galaxy, pairing Reath’s booksmarts with Amadeo’s field experience. But Reath isn’t just contending with this mystery with galaxy-shaping consequences. He is also dealing with the fact that he is really the sole point of contact for the ever-unstable Azlin Rael. and the fact that his former master Cohmac Vitus has resurfaced once again.
What Mann does so expertly in this book is craft the continuing mystery of the Nameless in such a way that it both builds in a satisfying way for the next book, while also resolving enough that it won’t feel rushed when we do get to the final YA book sometime next year. The question is no longer of “what” but of “how” and it’s developed in such a wonderful way. The novel also introduces a fascinating new antagonist whose very existence carries such interesting implications for the rest of the story.
Tears of the Nameless also touches on another element of Star Wars, one that I absolutely love and find reflected most consistently in the books, and that is when the characters wrestle with internal issues. Themes of loss, of worthiness, of a sense of duty in the face of an unreleting galaxy, and the toll such a duty takes on you. We see it in Reath and Amadeo, but also in Vernestra Rwoh and Affie Hollow, who pop up here as well. There is a lot of plot in this book - this close to the end, it was all but inevitable - but that’s not to say that it doesn’t make time for the core cast of characters too, who will carry this story through to its no doubt heartbreaking, or at least bittersweet, conclusion.
Tears of the Nameless is out September 27, 2024. Special thank you to Disney Books for the advance copy for review purposes.
