'Into The Light': A 'Star Wars' High Republic Book Review
Image Source: Bluesky
The High Republic has been a success for Lucasfilm and the wider Star Wars brand, telling a range of stories with a range of characters and settings over the past four years. But, at last, the formal initiative is coming to an end. Into the Light represents the first novel of Wave 3 of Phase 3, with a focus on several characters from Claudia Gray’s first High Republic novel, Into the Dark. Now, four years later, and three in-universe years later, much of the gang is back together again, both villains and heroes, alongside several new characters on a mission to the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk. Today, CultureSlate reviews Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Light without any spoilers!
When last we left off main character Reath Silas and his allies in Tears of the Nameless, the Jedi had discovered a way to hopefully combat the Nameless and the blight. Rejoined by his former Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus, and connecting with Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo, Reath’s journey was next told in the Echoes of Fear miniseries that further explored the mysteries from Tears. All that to say, this novel had quite the stage set for it and started with a bang.
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Image Source: Wookieepedia
In Into the Light, Reath and many of the Jedi have begun to feel the strain of the conflict against the Nihil and now the growing stresses of the blight, especially due to events in Tears which left a certain key location in peril. Then, terrible news arrives, as the blight has been discovered on Kashyyyk. At the same time, Nan, a Nihil operative and someone with a history of betrayal and treachery shows up, claiming to have key information. Bringing her on a mission to aid Kashyyyk alongside Avon Starros, Amadeo, Cohmac, Azlin Rell, the crew of the Vessel, and others, Reath and his friends confront a range of threats both expected and not.
Because of our dedication to avoiding spoilers, we’ll have to discuss many of the characters and events in this novel in general terms. But on the whole, there are a lot of great elements. Many characters slot well into their depictions and characterizations from past novels. Where there are differences, one can easily chalk that up to the weight of the situations that bear down on the galaxy, and the individual weights held by many of the characters.
The variety of characters is also immense, in addition to myriad Jedi and several villains, new side characters appear to help add context to the galaxy in this time, and one particular character even returns after an absence from the storytelling. The plot also generates a great deal of mystery around the goals of its villains, so you are left guessing about just how things will go, and who will be under threat next.
But there are a few issues with the novel, one of which is what are likely authorial choices reversing or clashing with other recent pieces of storytelling. Small errors do exist in The High Republic, but these instances are different. While they are explained, or are able to be explained, by a discerning reader, they can be jarring with those invested both in certain characters and in broader storytelling, keeping up with everything only to see the changes and events reversed in the next story to feature the character.
Another issue is the only half-hearted attempt to draw a new reader into the story. The character we mentioned who makes a return after a long absence feels like they could serve as, and are set up to be, a proxy for the audience, someone characters can fill in about major events. Instead, the only period of explanation is summarized for the benefit of the longtime reader, rendering the character’s seemingly well-placed role moot.
Despite these problems, there is a whole lot of good to be found with Into the Light. It starts us down the road to the upcoming finale, to be seen in other books and ongoing comics, and it is full of great characters and a plot that will keep its readers guessing to the very end. High Republic fans, rejoice, and for those who are new to Star Wars books, we cannot recommend enough to go back and read excellent novels like Light of the Jedi and Into the Dark to help get you started on the road that ends this summer.
Rating: 8/10
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Source(s): Into the Light
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