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Star Wars Disney Canon Novel
Star Wars: The Living Force
In the year before The Phantom Menace, Yoda, Mace Windu, and the entire Jedi Council confront a galaxy on the brink of change.
The Jedi have always traveled the stars, defending peace and justice across the galaxy. But, the galaxy is changing, and along with it, the Jedi Order. More and more, the Order finds itself focused on the future of the Republic, secluded on Coruscant, where the twelve members of the Jedi Council weigh crises on a galactic scale.
As yet another Jedi Outpost leftover from the Republic’s golden age is set to be decommissioned on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Council about the increasing isolation of the Order. Mace Windu suggests a bold response: all twelve Jedi Masters will embark on a goodwill mission to help the planet, and remind the people of the galaxy that the Jedi remain as stalwart and present as they have been across the ages.
But the arrival of the Jedi leadership is not seen by all as a cause for celebration. Warring pirate factions have infested the sector in the increasing absence of the Jedi. To maintain their dominance, the pirates unite, intent on assassinating the Council. And they are willing to destroy countless innocent lives to secure their power.
Cut off from Coruscant, the Jedi Masters must reckon with an unwelcome truth: that while no one thinks more about the future than the Jedi Council, nobody needs their help more than those living in the present.
The Jedi have always traveled the stars, defending peace and justice across the galaxy. But, the galaxy is changing, and along with it, the Jedi Order. More and more, the Order finds itself focused on the future of the Republic, secluded on Coruscant, where the twelve members of the Jedi Council weigh crises on a galactic scale.
As yet another Jedi Outpost leftover from the Republic’s golden age is set to be decommissioned on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Council about the increasing isolation of the Order. Mace Windu suggests a bold response: all twelve Jedi Masters will embark on a goodwill mission to help the planet, and remind the people of the galaxy that the Jedi remain as stalwart and present as they have been across the ages.
But the arrival of the Jedi leadership is not seen by all as a cause for celebration. Warring pirate factions have infested the sector in the increasing absence of the Jedi. To maintain their dominance, the pirates unite, intent on assassinating the Council. And they are willing to destroy countless innocent lives to secure their power.
Cut off from Coruscant, the Jedi Masters must reckon with an unwelcome truth: that while no one thinks more about the future than the Jedi Council, nobody needs their help more than those living in the present.
432 pages, Hardcover
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
John Jackson Miller
383 books841 followersNew York Times bestselling author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in science fiction. His Star Trek novels include the Discovery – Die Standing, the acclaimed novel Discovery — The Enterprise War, the Prey trilogy, and Takedown. His Star Wars novels include A New Dawn, Kenobi, Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith, and the Knights of the Old Republic comics, available from Marvel as Legends: The Old Republic.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
He’s written comics and prose for Halo, Iron Man, Simpsons, Conan, Planet of the Apes, and Mass Effect, with recent graphic novels for Battlestar Galactica, Dumbo, and The Lion King. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site.
He is also a comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, Comichron.. He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 219 reviews
April 13, 2024
With this book, John Jackson Miller turns in an entertaining prequel era book featuring the Jedi Council. Not 1 or 2 members of the council, this book features the ENTIRE council as POV characters. Now, We've had some multi-protagonist stories, but we've never had one this large I believe.
I usually start with praise but I'll start with my 1 criticism this time. I think having 12 council member POVs, plus the villain and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, this felt like it was a little too stacked. Each character gets a storyline, and each character gets some interesting development, but it feels a little much to pack into a 400 page book. Perhaps it would have been better to pare it down to only 4 or 5 council members, and have the rest just be "present", but it would have lacked the special difference compared with other Star Wars books of featuring the entire council.
I really liked the questions Miller raised in the book. So many Jedi are focused on the big picture issues that so few are focusing on the day to day needs the Jedi should be filling. Qui-Gon serves as the asker of these questions, and this is where the book gets its title: "The Living Force".
I also really liked the portrayal of the Jedi order here. We get a glimpse into them really being monks who are trying to help others, and we also see the polar opposite of them working with Senators and Soldiers. It shows the vast responsibilities of the Jedi and how different the order has changed over the years.
If I had to say there was a main character, it is probably Depa Billaba, who is the Jedi who goes undercover to try and reveal information about a sector that is slipping away from the republic and the Jedi. Her story definitely felt like it had the most action in it (along with Mace and Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan).
My standout characters were Yarael Poof, Yaddle, and Eeth Koth. Every time Poof was present he made me audibly laugh at least once. Yaddle and Koth each had the most interesting sub-plot on the planet Kwenn.
Tonally, this book absolutely feels like the Prequels. Like other Prequel writers like Mike Chen, Delilah Dawson, and James Luceno, this book absolutely feels like it fits with the prequel era, specifically Phantom Menacae.
The plot and story of this book (and villains) actually feel very similiar to Claudia Gray's "Master and Apprentice".
Overall, I'll give this a 8.5 out of 10. I enjoyed it, and it asked some great questions, and absolutely nails the feel and tone of the prequels. However, it felt like it either should have been longer to accomodate so many POVs or cut the number of POVs for this page count.
I usually start with praise but I'll start with my 1 criticism this time. I think having 12 council member POVs, plus the villain and Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, this felt like it was a little too stacked. Each character gets a storyline, and each character gets some interesting development, but it feels a little much to pack into a 400 page book. Perhaps it would have been better to pare it down to only 4 or 5 council members, and have the rest just be "present", but it would have lacked the special difference compared with other Star Wars books of featuring the entire council.
I really liked the questions Miller raised in the book. So many Jedi are focused on the big picture issues that so few are focusing on the day to day needs the Jedi should be filling. Qui-Gon serves as the asker of these questions, and this is where the book gets its title: "The Living Force".
I also really liked the portrayal of the Jedi order here. We get a glimpse into them really being monks who are trying to help others, and we also see the polar opposite of them working with Senators and Soldiers. It shows the vast responsibilities of the Jedi and how different the order has changed over the years.
If I had to say there was a main character, it is probably Depa Billaba, who is the Jedi who goes undercover to try and reveal information about a sector that is slipping away from the republic and the Jedi. Her story definitely felt like it had the most action in it (along with Mace and Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan).
My standout characters were Yarael Poof, Yaddle, and Eeth Koth. Every time Poof was present he made me audibly laugh at least once. Yaddle and Koth each had the most interesting sub-plot on the planet Kwenn.
Tonally, this book absolutely feels like the Prequels. Like other Prequel writers like Mike Chen, Delilah Dawson, and James Luceno, this book absolutely feels like it fits with the prequel era, specifically Phantom Menacae.
The plot and story of this book (and villains) actually feel very similiar to Claudia Gray's "Master and Apprentice".
Overall, I'll give this a 8.5 out of 10. I enjoyed it, and it asked some great questions, and absolutely nails the feel and tone of the prequels. However, it felt like it either should have been longer to accomodate so many POVs or cut the number of POVs for this page count.
April 24, 2024
I really wanted to enjoy this one more but ultimately it left me feeling a little hollow.
Sorry, Masters, but I must write as the Force bids me.
It's probably just down to being a too-crowded narrative with the talented JJM working hard to give all 12 Council Members something narratively significant to do, plus tagalongs Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, plus the various villains and factions, plus local yokels on the planet Kwenn for the highfalutin' Jedi to interact with... heck, even an adolescent General Veers makes a cameo!
I appreciated some of the astute connections to other canon material such as the High Republic novels and even the Marvel SW comics but I think I can only justifiably recommend to the most die-hard of Prequel Era fans.
Sorry, Masters, but I must write as the Force bids me.
It's probably just down to being a too-crowded narrative with the talented JJM working hard to give all 12 Council Members something narratively significant to do, plus tagalongs Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, plus the various villains and factions, plus local yokels on the planet Kwenn for the highfalutin' Jedi to interact with... heck, even an adolescent General Veers makes a cameo!
I appreciated some of the astute connections to other canon material such as the High Republic novels and even the Marvel SW comics but I think I can only justifiably recommend to the most die-hard of Prequel Era fans.
May 4, 2024
im sick why couldn’t this have been better 😩
May 5, 2024
I'm a big JJM supporter. He and James Lucieno are my favorite writers for Star Wars and every time they release a book I'm chomping at the bit to get it and read it.
I'll be the first to say - yes, I rated this book poorly. Not because I didn't understand it (I did), not because it featured a time period with characters that we already know (I love pre-Phantom Menace stuff). I rated it poorly because it was based on an idea that could have been stellar but the finished product was like butter on bread, stretched too thin.
JJM was given an idea from his editor to bring the Council working together as a team. So, JJM writes the story about the people in the Council (under a prompting from Qui Gon - who, by the way peaces the fuck out and doesn't even go on said mission) who rally together to hold a festival (concert? assembly?) on one of the last planets to have a working Jedi hot-spot. When the Jedi were on planets the planets thrived - economy, theft, living - when the Jedi left (due to the Senate removing their reasons... Palpatine...) the planets fell into disarray. Crime, dislike of the Jedi prompted people to suffer. And one of those suffering on the planet decides to fight back.
Sounds like a good story, right?
Well, it took FOREVER to get there. The was a bunch of junk that was so unimportant with various council members. Some get hit on, some want ice cream, some are investigating, some are making friends with locals. There was no plot!
There was also a side B plot which features one of the Jedi undercover, trying to figure out the death of her Padwan. This links to the story of the one who is suffering who chooses to fight back. (Won't go into further detail.)
By the end of the book, Qui Gon (and Padwan Obi Wan) return to make themselves known and assist with both issues of Plot A & B, but their presence was lacking imo. I wish they were around for the bulk of it. But I think given how out of character Qui Gon and Obi Wan seemed to be I don't know if wanted them to be there.
This book just didn't seem like JJM's writing, or the idea was just not something meaty enough to make a story out of. For me, it lacked a lot of things I liked in his books, and sad to say this is one Star Wars novel I'm not in a rush to re-read or keep on my shelf.
I'll be the first to say - yes, I rated this book poorly. Not because I didn't understand it (I did), not because it featured a time period with characters that we already know (I love pre-Phantom Menace stuff). I rated it poorly because it was based on an idea that could have been stellar but the finished product was like butter on bread, stretched too thin.
JJM was given an idea from his editor to bring the Council working together as a team. So, JJM writes the story about the people in the Council (under a prompting from Qui Gon - who, by the way peaces the fuck out and doesn't even go on said mission) who rally together to hold a festival (concert? assembly?) on one of the last planets to have a working Jedi hot-spot. When the Jedi were on planets the planets thrived - economy, theft, living - when the Jedi left (due to the Senate removing their reasons... Palpatine...) the planets fell into disarray. Crime, dislike of the Jedi prompted people to suffer. And one of those suffering on the planet decides to fight back.
Sounds like a good story, right?
Well, it took FOREVER to get there. The was a bunch of junk that was so unimportant with various council members. Some get hit on, some want ice cream, some are investigating, some are making friends with locals. There was no plot!
There was also a side B plot which features one of the Jedi undercover, trying to figure out the death of her Padwan. This links to the story of the one who is suffering who chooses to fight back. (Won't go into further detail.)
By the end of the book, Qui Gon (and Padwan Obi Wan) return to make themselves known and assist with both issues of Plot A & B, but their presence was lacking imo. I wish they were around for the bulk of it. But I think given how out of character Qui Gon and Obi Wan seemed to be I don't know if wanted them to be there.
This book just didn't seem like JJM's writing, or the idea was just not something meaty enough to make a story out of. For me, it lacked a lot of things I liked in his books, and sad to say this is one Star Wars novel I'm not in a rush to re-read or keep on my shelf.
May 2, 2024
pre-review
YOU BEST BELIEVE IM FREAKING SCREAMING. SCREAMING. OVER THIS BOOK. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS BOOK? THIS. THIS. THIS. IS. NEW. PLO. KOON. CONTENT. PLO KOON. PLO KOON. PLO KOON. IM SO EXCITED.
---
5/5 stars
i loved this. i love the jedi, so this was literally a BLESSING. this was such a funny book and i loved the banter between the council members. this just confirmed that plo koon is literally the funniest jedi ever, and in my opinion, the best jedi.
YOU BEST BELIEVE IM FREAKING SCREAMING. SCREAMING. OVER THIS BOOK. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS BOOK? THIS. THIS. THIS. IS. NEW. PLO. KOON. CONTENT. PLO KOON. PLO KOON. PLO KOON. IM SO EXCITED.
---
5/5 stars
i loved this. i love the jedi, so this was literally a BLESSING. this was such a funny book and i loved the banter between the council members. this just confirmed that plo koon is literally the funniest jedi ever, and in my opinion, the best jedi.
June 11, 2024
Jedi Council power rankings by yours truly:
Poof
Yaddle
Piell
Bilaba
Windu
Oppo
Yoda
Koth
Koon
Tiin
Mundi
Gallia
A fun book! Quite funny at times and it was cool to see the Jedi Council of this era doing thangs. Nice little cliffhanger at the end, too, though we all know where that goes.
Poof
Yaddle
Piell
Bilaba
Windu
Oppo
Yoda
Koth
Koon
Tiin
Mundi
Gallia
A fun book! Quite funny at times and it was cool to see the Jedi Council of this era doing thangs. Nice little cliffhanger at the end, too, though we all know where that goes.
April 22, 2024
Star Wars: The Living Force, a novel written by bestselling author, John Jackson Miller. This story takes place before the events of Episode I: The Phantom Menace.
SUMMARY
Jedi outposts are being shut down across the Republic, opening up many regions to a rise in criminal activity. With the urging of Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi Council will make a trip off coruscant to celebrate a Jedi Outpost scheduled to close, this outpost is special to many on the council, many were present at its opening centuries before.
This celebration will also be interrupted with violence from a pirate group that Depa Billaba had recently infiltrated, the Riftwalkers. The head of the Riftwalkers, Zilastra, is bitter toward the Jedi and the Republic and will stop at nothing to burn them to the ground.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I said I wasn't going to review another canon novel, but when I see something as interesting as this, written by an author that's written pretty solid books in the Expanded Universe, I just had to give it a read.
John Jackson Miller did a fine job in the opening chapters, capturing the feel and flow of the prequel films. There was a sense of familiarity with the scenario taking place, and the characters read true to who they were in the prequel films; such as Qui-Gon's confidence and Kenobi's curiosity and dry humor.
It was neat having the full Jedi Council out of the Jedi Temple to be servants of the the people. However, when the action starts and lives of the people and Jedi are in danger, we know from the films that these council members are fine, so there wasn't anything in this book that really felt like a real risk when it came to the characters. My favorite character in this story has to Qui-Gon Jinn and I wish we focused a lot more on him; he truly has a servant's heart, wanting to help the innocent lives in the galaxy.
What stuck out to me, was how easy it was for the Empire to take control after the Republic had fallen. The citizens throughout the galaxy were pretty needy, unable to really take care of themselves, too dependent on the Republic and the Jedi. However, I think the Republic failed the people when it came to planetary security and preservation; crime is just way too rampant.
The message I feel this book is delivering, is that the people are suffering, not just in this fictional world, but the one we live in. Suffering with physical, financial, and identity issues. The Jedi, the Star Wars equivalent of spiritual leaders, have grown distant from their purpose as servants. Through Qui-Gon, a Jedi who seeks the will of the Living Force (the Star Wars version of the Holy Spirit) is the one who brings the Jedi back to their roots, waking them up from a sort of spiritual sleep.
To conclude, I honestly felt the story to be a little weak. I felt this one was pretty similar to a previous canon book I read, maybe a High Republic novel. While I think John Jackson Miller did well with the characters, bringing in good humor at times (especially with Ki Adi Mundi) and really pivoting from several different characters and their actions to others; The plot was a bit of a dull one. I did not hate this book, I don't think it was bad, in fact this book delivers a better message than a lot that I have read in canon.
RATING
I give Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller, a B.
SUMMARY
Jedi outposts are being shut down across the Republic, opening up many regions to a rise in criminal activity. With the urging of Qui-Gon Jinn, the Jedi Council will make a trip off coruscant to celebrate a Jedi Outpost scheduled to close, this outpost is special to many on the council, many were present at its opening centuries before.
This celebration will also be interrupted with violence from a pirate group that Depa Billaba had recently infiltrated, the Riftwalkers. The head of the Riftwalkers, Zilastra, is bitter toward the Jedi and the Republic and will stop at nothing to burn them to the ground.
OVERALL THOUGHTS
I said I wasn't going to review another canon novel, but when I see something as interesting as this, written by an author that's written pretty solid books in the Expanded Universe, I just had to give it a read.
John Jackson Miller did a fine job in the opening chapters, capturing the feel and flow of the prequel films. There was a sense of familiarity with the scenario taking place, and the characters read true to who they were in the prequel films; such as Qui-Gon's confidence and Kenobi's curiosity and dry humor.
It was neat having the full Jedi Council out of the Jedi Temple to be servants of the the people. However, when the action starts and lives of the people and Jedi are in danger, we know from the films that these council members are fine, so there wasn't anything in this book that really felt like a real risk when it came to the characters. My favorite character in this story has to Qui-Gon Jinn and I wish we focused a lot more on him; he truly has a servant's heart, wanting to help the innocent lives in the galaxy.
What stuck out to me, was how easy it was for the Empire to take control after the Republic had fallen. The citizens throughout the galaxy were pretty needy, unable to really take care of themselves, too dependent on the Republic and the Jedi. However, I think the Republic failed the people when it came to planetary security and preservation; crime is just way too rampant.
The message I feel this book is delivering, is that the people are suffering, not just in this fictional world, but the one we live in. Suffering with physical, financial, and identity issues. The Jedi, the Star Wars equivalent of spiritual leaders, have grown distant from their purpose as servants. Through Qui-Gon, a Jedi who seeks the will of the Living Force (the Star Wars version of the Holy Spirit) is the one who brings the Jedi back to their roots, waking them up from a sort of spiritual sleep.
To conclude, I honestly felt the story to be a little weak. I felt this one was pretty similar to a previous canon book I read, maybe a High Republic novel. While I think John Jackson Miller did well with the characters, bringing in good humor at times (especially with Ki Adi Mundi) and really pivoting from several different characters and their actions to others; The plot was a bit of a dull one. I did not hate this book, I don't think it was bad, in fact this book delivers a better message than a lot that I have read in canon.
RATING
I give Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller, a B.
May 2, 2024
"... if we truly think that allowing even one innocent to suffer to stop another harm is the will of the Force—then perhaps we do not understand it at all."
In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace returning to theaters May 3rd, I could not resist buying the book and reading it, in the hopes of finishing it before the movie was re-released.
Finished it before the 3rd of May, I have.
Enjoy it, I did.
Okay, enough Yoda-speak.For now. Let's get down to the basics.
Good, old Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Jedi Council with a pretty easy objective: help someone.
With the news of the Jedi outpost on Kwenn selected to be decommissioned, the Council comes to the decision to visit the planet. There, they will hold a celebration before deciding the fate of the Jedi outpost there.
Long story short, things don't go the exact way the Council has planned.
Even though the stakes weren't high concerning the Jedi Council members, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, it still was a worthy adventure. And boy, was I so happy when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan joined up again!
I feel like out of all of them, though, Depa Billaba serves as the main protagonist. Already on Kweenn, Depa is undercover as she gathers intel on the five different gangs. She befriends a young girl, who happens to be in leagues with The Riftwalkers.
The Riftwalkers are led by Zilastra, a female Nautolan, who has a grudge against Jedi. As the main antagonist, Zilastra proved herself later as being quite a threat. Again, even though there was no fear for the main gang, I did worry for the other new faces that had been introduced in the book.
It was fun to see cameos of certain characters, like Veers and Heezo and , as well as getting acquainted with new characters, like Kylah Lohmata andThe Idiot Threes Lobber, Ghor, and Wungo. The trio are more comic relief than anything, but they gave me quite a few good laughs. They reminded me of The Three Stooges and Burke, Beck, and Butch from the Final Fantasy VII remake.
I have to say the third part of the book is the strongest, if only because that's when the action happens. Don't get me wrong, the first and second parts were fine. It's just I had a more difficult time putting the book down once Part Three began.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book.
"He might tell Padawans that trying wasn't good enough. But never trying wasn't good at all."
In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace returning to theaters May 3rd, I could not resist buying the book and reading it, in the hopes of finishing it before the movie was re-released.
Finished it before the 3rd of May, I have.
Enjoy it, I did.
Okay, enough Yoda-speak.
Good, old Qui-Gon Jinn challenges the Jedi Council with a pretty easy objective: help someone.
With the news of the Jedi outpost on Kwenn selected to be decommissioned, the Council comes to the decision to visit the planet. There, they will hold a celebration before deciding the fate of the Jedi outpost there.
Long story short, things don't go the exact way the Council has planned.
Even though the stakes weren't high concerning the Jedi Council members, Qui-Gon, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, it still was a worthy adventure. And boy, was I so happy when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan joined up again!
I feel like out of all of them, though, Depa Billaba serves as the main protagonist. Already on Kweenn, Depa is undercover as she gathers intel on the five different gangs. She befriends a young girl, who happens to be in leagues with The Riftwalkers.
The Riftwalkers are led by Zilastra, a female Nautolan, who has a grudge against Jedi. As the main antagonist, Zilastra proved herself later as being quite a threat. Again, even though there was no fear for the main gang, I did worry for the other new faces that had been introduced in the book.
It was fun to see cameos of certain characters, like Veers and Heezo and , as well as getting acquainted with new characters, like Kylah Lohmata and
I have to say the third part of the book is the strongest, if only because that's when the action happens. Don't get me wrong, the first and second parts were fine. It's just I had a more difficult time putting the book down once Part Three began.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this book.
"He might tell Padawans that trying wasn't good enough. But never trying wasn't good at all."
May 2, 2024
This was a fresh Star Wars read. I enjoy getting content that’s around TPM era, since we don’t often get to expand the lore from that period. This was an okay story. It didn’t exactly thrill me, but it was nice to have new content.
June 14, 2024
Qui-Gon Jinn is beloved by a large portion of the Star Wars fandom for no reason I can understand, but he does manage, a year before the events in “The Phantom Menace”, to get the ossifying Jedi Council off their rumps and on the streets of Kwenn, a planet long neglected by many, including the Jedi. A formerly beautiful and inviting place, with an imposing Jedi Temple containing vital, ancient texts, the planet has been falling apart as years of corporations pulling funding for many services, a rise in criminal activity, has led to shuttered and shabby surroundings, and a consequent lack of hope in its citizenry,.
Jedi Master Depa Billaba has been on Kwenn for a while, working undercover as a body guard to a young thief. Billaba has been looking into stopping piracy in the Slice (the region Kwenn is in) and also for what happened to a former padawan, who was killed on-planet. When Billaba and the young thief Kylah are pulled in by Zilastra, head of the Riftwalkers, Billaba sees a terrific opportunity to learn more about the gangs on Kwenn and hopefully disrupt their activities. Things go wrong, of course, with Billaba's identity revealed, and her captured and tortured by Zilastra, who sees in Billaba a way to hit back against the Jedi, whom she bears tremendous animosity for an encounter she had during her childhood with a cold Jedi Master (whose identity is revealed near the end of this novel).
Meanwhile, the Jedi Masters are arriving on Kwenn, and discovering a number of people need all kinds of help. The Masters throw themselves into all sorts of activities, and though I had never given them a second look before, I found the time author John Jackson Miller spent on Oppo Rancisis and Yarael Poof provided much entertainment. Yaddle is just the best, of course, showing much good sense and kindness to the inhabitants, and becoming a bit of a celebrity, too.
I even didn't mind Mace Windu, who's still a hardass throughout the novel, but who manages to show that even he has a tiny bit of warmth in his dealings with his former padawan Billaba.
I found it interesting that once the Jedi got themselves organized on the planet, the great way they worked together echoed what will come in the Clone War, and saddened me, as no matter what successes they achieve on Kwenn during this novel, their downfall is coming fast.
So, I enjoyed this book a lot, especially the time spent with Masters I barely knew (Billaba, Poof, Rancisis). This was fun, but also sad, I could not keep thinking how in a little over ten years, Darth Siddious will be happily eradicating their bodies and the history of their activities.
Jedi Master Depa Billaba has been on Kwenn for a while, working undercover as a body guard to a young thief. Billaba has been looking into stopping piracy in the Slice (the region Kwenn is in) and also for what happened to a former padawan, who was killed on-planet. When Billaba and the young thief Kylah are pulled in by Zilastra, head of the Riftwalkers, Billaba sees a terrific opportunity to learn more about the gangs on Kwenn and hopefully disrupt their activities. Things go wrong, of course, with Billaba's identity revealed, and her captured and tortured by Zilastra, who sees in Billaba a way to hit back against the Jedi, whom she bears tremendous animosity for an encounter she had during her childhood with a cold Jedi Master (whose identity is revealed near the end of this novel).
Meanwhile, the Jedi Masters are arriving on Kwenn, and discovering a number of people need all kinds of help. The Masters throw themselves into all sorts of activities, and though I had never given them a second look before, I found the time author John Jackson Miller spent on Oppo Rancisis and Yarael Poof provided much entertainment. Yaddle is just the best, of course, showing much good sense and kindness to the inhabitants, and becoming a bit of a celebrity, too.
I even didn't mind Mace Windu, who's still a hardass throughout the novel, but who manages to show that even he has a tiny bit of warmth in his dealings with his former padawan Billaba.
I found it interesting that once the Jedi got themselves organized on the planet, the great way they worked together echoed what will come in the Clone War, and saddened me, as no matter what successes they achieve on Kwenn during this novel, their downfall is coming fast.
So, I enjoyed this book a lot, especially the time spent with Masters I barely knew (Billaba, Poof, Rancisis). This was fun, but also sad, I could not keep thinking how in a little over ten years, Darth Siddious will be happily eradicating their bodies and the history of their activities.
May 15, 2024
I am happily calling this Miller's Triumphant return to Star Wars! Maybe this is a 5 star marked rounded down to 4.5 but I really do think he sticks the landing and does what he set out to do. Providing a voice to characters who seldom have had their voices heard until now in Star Wars. There are also some fun character appearances that have no doubt pleased a specific subset of the fandom (a certain Veers fanatic comes to mind). And I should also acknowledge the laying of the foundation for Eeth Koth to leave the order before Episode 3 - his relationship with Inisa no doubt leads him to one day meet his wife Mira before his untimely end at Vader's hands. Finally, as always Qui Gon content is a much welcomed addition, I'll never stop asking for more about him!
January 1, 2024
I received an ARC of this from Edelweiss. This was such a fun read! It takes place before Phantom Menace and features the Jedi Council plus Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan. There were also some nice little references to future events from the prequel movies. I’d give this one a solid 4.5.
April 14, 2024
"Tomorrow's suffering - it doesn't exist, not yet. Today's suffering does."
This was so good, I couldn't put it down!
This was so good, I couldn't put it down!
April 9, 2024
When this book was announced, I was super excited to get involved with each member of the Jedi Council, but I was also very skeptical to the concept of this many main characters in a 400 page novel. However, John Jackson Miller blew my expectations out of the water with this book.
Like I previously mentioned, this novel follows the whole Council, along with a couple other Jedi and pirates, a year before the events of The Phantom Menace, which is an era which I find really fascinating. Miller was able to balance all of these characters very well by using, what I call, The High Republic technique. In The High Republic, we found ourselves bouncing off many different perspectives and scenes during fast-paced, smaller chapters. The same is done here, so we move through the plot very quickly in a way that feels natural even though we follow like 15 different ‘main’ characters.
Despite this, none of the characters felt necessarily underdeveloped. Some characters may have spent a majority of the novel not doing very much, but the members of the council were sort of used as smaller parts of the larger character of the Council, as we are supposed to learn how the Council had let their attention slip away from what made the galaxy so great in its Golden Era. Along with structure, many defences are made to the High Republic which creates a ‘transition’ vibe for this novel from THR to the prequel trilogy, showing how the Jedi fell so hard.
I initially felt a bit strange about the High Republic as I couldn’t imagine how the Jedi could become so self-destructive in a short amount of time, but this book gives a good example on how their intentions changed for the worse.
Overall an excellent addition to the Star Wars universe!
Like I previously mentioned, this novel follows the whole Council, along with a couple other Jedi and pirates, a year before the events of The Phantom Menace, which is an era which I find really fascinating. Miller was able to balance all of these characters very well by using, what I call, The High Republic technique. In The High Republic, we found ourselves bouncing off many different perspectives and scenes during fast-paced, smaller chapters. The same is done here, so we move through the plot very quickly in a way that feels natural even though we follow like 15 different ‘main’ characters.
Despite this, none of the characters felt necessarily underdeveloped. Some characters may have spent a majority of the novel not doing very much, but the members of the council were sort of used as smaller parts of the larger character of the Council, as we are supposed to learn how the Council had let their attention slip away from what made the galaxy so great in its Golden Era. Along with structure, many defences are made to the High Republic which creates a ‘transition’ vibe for this novel from THR to the prequel trilogy, showing how the Jedi fell so hard.
I initially felt a bit strange about the High Republic as I couldn’t imagine how the Jedi could become so self-destructive in a short amount of time, but this book gives a good example on how their intentions changed for the worse.
Overall an excellent addition to the Star Wars universe!
Want to read
September 8, 2023very excited for this one!
May 23, 2024
The Living Force review
This may seem beside the point of this book review, but In my day job as a teacher working with kids with autism, I have a student, and the only time I could get him to engage with reading was Star Wars novels. I would bribe him to work by offering to read Star Wars books out loud for him. I read local author Kirsten White’s Padawan novel that way. When I was walking around school carrying the Living Force that same student pointed at the cover and named all the members of the Jedi Council. I guess I am not the SW nerd I thought I was. I knew all their faces from the prequels but not their names. The ultimate question about John Jackson Miller’s The Living Force is this? Do you need to be one of those folks who knows all those names to enjoy it?
This novel is indeed a novel about the Jedi Council, the concept is designed narratively speaking to involve the entire Jedi Council. Set a year before the events of Phantom Menace, (what does a year mean the Star Wars universe?) Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are on a mission and discover that the Jedi Outpost leftover from the era written about in the High Republic novels is going to be closed on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn is worried about the increasing disconnection and isolation of the Order. Mace Windu came up with a bold plan: all Jedi Masters on the council will go to Kwenn as a sign of goodwill to help the planet and a reminder that the Jedi are here to serve.
Qui-Gon challenges the council in one of the most important scenes “We know our work touches billions. We stop menaces, some before they even develop. We save whole star systems at a time.” He focused on the empty spot on the floor. “and yet, when was the last time one of us counseled someone who was bereaved? Helped someone overcome self-destructive behavior.” He looked up. “Told anyone that their lives are important.”
Opening the novel on a brief adventure with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan gave me the impression that the novel would focus on them. As a fan of Several of John Jackson Miller’s Star Trek novels, I trusted him and didn’t read any plot stuff ahead of time. I follow JJM on Facebook. I remember when he announced this and was excited about it for the whole time. I should have known the POV would go often between members of the council. It is a smart narrative choice to open the book on one of the most well-known members of the council and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The majority of the first act is centered around Master Depa Billaba (The Padawan of Mace Windu), she is mostly a background character in the movies, and as a fan of the Clone Wars show I am not even sure she got much airtime there either. Billaba is undercover trying to counter Riftwalker gangsters that are creating a foothold in this region of the outer rim. In many ways, she is very important to the novel, and was surprised looking back that she got little mention in the back cover. It would have been tempting to give the whole council sword-wielding opponents in this novel, but it would not have made sense in the Star Wars universe so I think it is good JJM avoided this mistake.
The novel is long for a Star Wars novel, getting in about 70 or 80 pages more than most but it is tightly packed with more than enough time devoted to each Jedi in the council. I didn’t feel anything needed to go, and I worry about longer books having a little drag. All the narrative twists and turns were all there for a good reason. Yoda and Mace Windu being powerful characters make sense to get a little time on the page, but John Jackson Miller obviously spent tons of time on Wookiepedia and it shows. If you were worried about Oppo Rancisis and Eeth Koth getting attention then don’t worry.
The Living Force is a fun piece of Star Wars work, but it plays a role in highlighting the Jedi Council trying to fulfill its mission as a team just before the Republic starts to fall apart. These dying moments of the golden age make for interesting stories for sure.
I admit a list of the Jedi Council with pictures up on my computer screen to look at as I was reading at one point helped me know who the characters were. I didn’t NEED that, but it helped the book come together. I think super SW nerds MUST read this one and the casual SW fan looking for a read will enjoy it. It adds to the prequels in a few ways but for me it is a deeper understanding of the Jedi council. It certainly doesn’t hurt the prequels and has added a little weight to Qui-Gon’s rep with the council as someone who pushed them.
I liked it very much, but I feel some Star Wars novels expand the universe in ways that I can’t separate from the movies and shows. Even more rare are times when they transcend the tie-in and just become great stories regardless of what galaxy or how long ago they are set. JJM did that in the Star Trek novel Enterprise War, a novel I think about all the time when I watch Strange New Worlds, despite it being a set-up for Discovery season two. I suspect this novel will come back into my memory next time I watch Phantom Menace. Only time will tell on that front
Generally, I listen to SW novels on audiobook, but it was good to do work on mental translation required for reading by myself. Big Thumbs up.
April 20, 2024
When the Phantom Menace debuted Star Wars fans were able to see the Jedi in a completely new light. At the center of young Anakin Skywalkers journey is his fateful meeting with the twelve Jedi Masters in the temple in Coruscant.
In The Living Force John Jackson Miller takes that snapshot of the council and builds out a story that shows us a grand adventure the council takes before the events of Episode I, that will enhance how you see these characters in the future.
The story kicks off when Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan are returning from a mission in the outer reaches. Qui-Gon shares with the council the growing changes the galaxy is facing as the Jedi close outposts and move closer to the core worlds in general and Coruscant specifically.
Qui-Gon issues a challenge to the Masters. He asks them to reconsider their isolation and to see the greater galaxy once more and to see the power of interacting and changing the life of just one person.
The Council takes the challenge to heart and decides to return to one of the Jedi's Great Works the revitalization of the planet Kween, a planet of many interconnected cities.
The greatest joy I had with this book was learning more about the individual Masters as Miller paired them in situations that highlighted their skills as individual Jedi and as teams. My favorite, and the source of so many laugh out loud moments was Yarael Poof and Ki-Adi-Mundi. These two long lived beings approach the changed world of Kween with very different reactions and personalities.
Each member of the council finds themselves guided to be of use to very specific areas of Kween . Even Piell encounters a group of hungry students cut off from teachers and even basic care needs like food. Yaddle encounters a young woman looking to do more for her career and her home world but remains stuck as an assistant to high maintenance news anchors. Depa Billaba suffers at the hands of pirates as her former Master Mace Windu frets for her fate and leads a small fierce attack force to attempt a rescue.
Milller succeeds greatly at giving each of these Masters time to shine and time to learn. Yet even though the Force is with them, and they inspire a significant level of faith in the Jedi and in working together as a community, the story tugs at your heart as we know where the Jedi and the republic will end up in a very short time.
Miller is a Legend among long time Star Wars book fans, and he handles this story masterfully. I also was very appreciative of how a unified canon timeline can produce a book that fits so perfectly in the time line it represents. The efforts of the story group were very evident in this book to me. With nods to the High Republic, as well as character cameos from the cinematic world, this book satisfies on so many levels.
I also love how novels can fill in spaces that fans can still question about the cinematic world of Star Wars. I don't think a book should exist to fix perceived holes in stories, but this novel does give credence to how quickly the galaxy turns on the Jedi. Through the machinations of a Sith lord hiding in the midst of a bureaucratic system, the Jedi are systematically withdrawing to the core leaving many citizens defenseless against pirates, cartels and the Hutt clans. Though the Jedi feel they are being guided by the Force all the local citizens can do is notice how much worse their lives are in their absence as outposts continue to close across the galaxy. Overall though this book shows us the power of the Force to guide and inspire, and it left me hopeful that Kween has weathered the storms of galactic war and still remembers the impact the Jedi had on their world in their most desperate times.
I was very fortunate to do a combo read of this book along with the audio version narrated by Marc Thompson. I hope readers have a chance to experience both formats of the novel but I have to give a shout out to the excellence Marc Thompson brings to this production. There are a multitude of characters and emotional beats in this story and Marc performs them all spectacularly. This book is the perfect read as we gear up for the Anniversary of The Phantom Menace and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you see these Masters brief appearance in the film.
Thank you Random House Worlds and Penguin Random House audio for review copies of this book.
In The Living Force John Jackson Miller takes that snapshot of the council and builds out a story that shows us a grand adventure the council takes before the events of Episode I, that will enhance how you see these characters in the future.
The story kicks off when Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan are returning from a mission in the outer reaches. Qui-Gon shares with the council the growing changes the galaxy is facing as the Jedi close outposts and move closer to the core worlds in general and Coruscant specifically.
Qui-Gon issues a challenge to the Masters. He asks them to reconsider their isolation and to see the greater galaxy once more and to see the power of interacting and changing the life of just one person.
The Council takes the challenge to heart and decides to return to one of the Jedi's Great Works the revitalization of the planet Kween, a planet of many interconnected cities.
The greatest joy I had with this book was learning more about the individual Masters as Miller paired them in situations that highlighted their skills as individual Jedi and as teams. My favorite, and the source of so many laugh out loud moments was Yarael Poof and Ki-Adi-Mundi. These two long lived beings approach the changed world of Kween with very different reactions and personalities.
Each member of the council finds themselves guided to be of use to very specific areas of Kween . Even Piell encounters a group of hungry students cut off from teachers and even basic care needs like food. Yaddle encounters a young woman looking to do more for her career and her home world but remains stuck as an assistant to high maintenance news anchors. Depa Billaba suffers at the hands of pirates as her former Master Mace Windu frets for her fate and leads a small fierce attack force to attempt a rescue.
Milller succeeds greatly at giving each of these Masters time to shine and time to learn. Yet even though the Force is with them, and they inspire a significant level of faith in the Jedi and in working together as a community, the story tugs at your heart as we know where the Jedi and the republic will end up in a very short time.
Miller is a Legend among long time Star Wars book fans, and he handles this story masterfully. I also was very appreciative of how a unified canon timeline can produce a book that fits so perfectly in the time line it represents. The efforts of the story group were very evident in this book to me. With nods to the High Republic, as well as character cameos from the cinematic world, this book satisfies on so many levels.
I also love how novels can fill in spaces that fans can still question about the cinematic world of Star Wars. I don't think a book should exist to fix perceived holes in stories, but this novel does give credence to how quickly the galaxy turns on the Jedi. Through the machinations of a Sith lord hiding in the midst of a bureaucratic system, the Jedi are systematically withdrawing to the core leaving many citizens defenseless against pirates, cartels and the Hutt clans. Though the Jedi feel they are being guided by the Force all the local citizens can do is notice how much worse their lives are in their absence as outposts continue to close across the galaxy. Overall though this book shows us the power of the Force to guide and inspire, and it left me hopeful that Kween has weathered the storms of galactic war and still remembers the impact the Jedi had on their world in their most desperate times.
I was very fortunate to do a combo read of this book along with the audio version narrated by Marc Thompson. I hope readers have a chance to experience both formats of the novel but I have to give a shout out to the excellence Marc Thompson brings to this production. There are a multitude of characters and emotional beats in this story and Marc performs them all spectacularly. This book is the perfect read as we gear up for the Anniversary of The Phantom Menace and is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face as you see these Masters brief appearance in the film.
Thank you Random House Worlds and Penguin Random House audio for review copies of this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 16, 2024
So, I’ve always been a huge fan of Star Wars. I remember getting the VHS special editions of the original trilogy as a kid, going to see every movie in theaters as they came out, playing many of the video games over the years, and even getting many of the Lego sets as a kid as well.
However, I never really read any of the novels until a few years ago when I read Timothy Zahn’s “Heir to the Empire” trilogy. Reading those books really piqued my interest in the greater Star Wars Expanded Universe. I had long neglected the books, as I felt like they would be subpar to more standardized literature and more of a cash grab by Lucas Arts.
I was wrong with that assessment. There are many great Star Wars books out there. Not only do they greatly enhance the world, many are also well written and enjoyable. I’ve read several books at the time of this review, and all have been at least entertaining and a few have been masterful. That being said, and I say this in every review, I hate the direction which Disney has taken Star Wars. I hate how ten years ago they discarded the EU and made many of the best books non-canonical. I won’t even get into how terrible the new trilogy is. Disney Star Wars has only been saved by a few tv shows, Rogue One, and now that I’ve read this, a few books.
John Jackson Miller is a beloved Star Wars author. It was refreshing to see this book get released, as he has written several of the good “old” Stars Wars books that are no longer canon. The Living Force is largely a breath of fresh air, as it expands upon George Lucas’s vision for Star Wars rather than whatever it is that Disney tried to create.
The Living Force takes place before Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In this novel, you see the Jedi Council in its full form. Each character is given page time and is more relatable, as most of these characters are only seen briefly on the screen in the movies with few lines. I enjoyed the character development, the world building, and the world building. It was funny at times and also interesting. The very end was sinister. This felt like “old” Star Wars to me.
What I didn’t enjoy as much was the story, even though it was still enjoyable. I felt the Jedi to be too flawless. I found the villain to be cartoonish and uninteresting. The plot was somewhat creative, but maybe could have been more so given the characters involved. Also, no one really died? That was odd.
Regardless, this was a fun read for me. I read a lot of serious non-fiction these days, so it was refreshing to go back to something I’ve loved my whole life.
However, I never really read any of the novels until a few years ago when I read Timothy Zahn’s “Heir to the Empire” trilogy. Reading those books really piqued my interest in the greater Star Wars Expanded Universe. I had long neglected the books, as I felt like they would be subpar to more standardized literature and more of a cash grab by Lucas Arts.
I was wrong with that assessment. There are many great Star Wars books out there. Not only do they greatly enhance the world, many are also well written and enjoyable. I’ve read several books at the time of this review, and all have been at least entertaining and a few have been masterful. That being said, and I say this in every review, I hate the direction which Disney has taken Star Wars. I hate how ten years ago they discarded the EU and made many of the best books non-canonical. I won’t even get into how terrible the new trilogy is. Disney Star Wars has only been saved by a few tv shows, Rogue One, and now that I’ve read this, a few books.
John Jackson Miller is a beloved Star Wars author. It was refreshing to see this book get released, as he has written several of the good “old” Stars Wars books that are no longer canon. The Living Force is largely a breath of fresh air, as it expands upon George Lucas’s vision for Star Wars rather than whatever it is that Disney tried to create.
The Living Force takes place before Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In this novel, you see the Jedi Council in its full form. Each character is given page time and is more relatable, as most of these characters are only seen briefly on the screen in the movies with few lines. I enjoyed the character development, the world building, and the world building. It was funny at times and also interesting. The very end was sinister. This felt like “old” Star Wars to me.
What I didn’t enjoy as much was the story, even though it was still enjoyable. I felt the Jedi to be too flawless. I found the villain to be cartoonish and uninteresting. The plot was somewhat creative, but maybe could have been more so given the characters involved. Also, no one really died? That was odd.
Regardless, this was a fun read for me. I read a lot of serious non-fiction these days, so it was refreshing to go back to something I’ve loved my whole life.
March 26, 2024
What if…the members of the Jedi Council went on a field trip together? A bit simply put perhaps, but that’s the central premise behind John Jackson Miller’s The Living Force, which follows the entirety of the Jedi Council as they head to Kwenn, where an old Jedi Outpost is set to be decommissioned, on a mission of goodwill to the greater galaxy.
Besides the obvious wildness of having the entire Jedi council present and playing an active role in the story, the most interesting aspect of the novel is what Miller chooses to do with the Jedi council, and the questions he chooses to tackle by their very presence. By the time we get to The Phantom Menace, the Council is very much in a state of removal from the galaxy at large. They ponder questions of the larger force, and tackle the issues brought to them by the Republic, but the connection they have with the broader galaxy is gone. The High Republic days of Jedi outposts, exploration, and living and training out among the greater galaxy are no more — or rare — as the interests of the Order become increasingly entwined with those of the Republic. If the High Republic was the precedent, then The Living Force is the payoff for that sort of thinking.
All this is to say that for all the Jedi Council are our protagonists, we aren’t necessarily rooting for them, as we can see this sort of philosophical, detached mentality has already begun to take over the older members, and we see that the institution as a whole is starting to buckle under the weight of its own presumed grandeur. Even when they do make an attempt to connect with the locals on Kwenn, and try to resolve their problems, as Qui-Gon Jinn suggested they do, its clear many of them have forgotten what it even means to help on such a fundamental level. It’s also clear, with the way a young Obi-Wan Kenobi struggles with the same thing very early on, that this level of care and outreach for the larger galaxy is something they don’t even really teach or emphasize anymore.
That’s not to imply that the council are heartless or anything, far from it. This is still a novel, and there is still a journey for them to all go on, but what The Living Force does best, perhaps, is tackle the question of the role of the Jedi in the galaxy in so direct a way that it becomes startlingly clear to the reader how and why the Order became too big to fail.
The Living Force hits shelves on April 9. Special thank you to Random House Worlds for the advance copy for review purposes.
Besides the obvious wildness of having the entire Jedi council present and playing an active role in the story, the most interesting aspect of the novel is what Miller chooses to do with the Jedi council, and the questions he chooses to tackle by their very presence. By the time we get to The Phantom Menace, the Council is very much in a state of removal from the galaxy at large. They ponder questions of the larger force, and tackle the issues brought to them by the Republic, but the connection they have with the broader galaxy is gone. The High Republic days of Jedi outposts, exploration, and living and training out among the greater galaxy are no more — or rare — as the interests of the Order become increasingly entwined with those of the Republic. If the High Republic was the precedent, then The Living Force is the payoff for that sort of thinking.
All this is to say that for all the Jedi Council are our protagonists, we aren’t necessarily rooting for them, as we can see this sort of philosophical, detached mentality has already begun to take over the older members, and we see that the institution as a whole is starting to buckle under the weight of its own presumed grandeur. Even when they do make an attempt to connect with the locals on Kwenn, and try to resolve their problems, as Qui-Gon Jinn suggested they do, its clear many of them have forgotten what it even means to help on such a fundamental level. It’s also clear, with the way a young Obi-Wan Kenobi struggles with the same thing very early on, that this level of care and outreach for the larger galaxy is something they don’t even really teach or emphasize anymore.
That’s not to imply that the council are heartless or anything, far from it. This is still a novel, and there is still a journey for them to all go on, but what The Living Force does best, perhaps, is tackle the question of the role of the Jedi in the galaxy in so direct a way that it becomes startlingly clear to the reader how and why the Order became too big to fail.
The Living Force hits shelves on April 9. Special thank you to Random House Worlds for the advance copy for review purposes.
May 14, 2024
I was excited about this book when it was first announced. I like John Jackson Miller’s track record as a Star Wars author, I enjoy the prequel era, and I was intrigued by the title, as the idea of the living force compared to the cosmic force is one of the most interesting but under-explored ideas of the prequels.
The end result was very disappointing. The scattershot focus on so many characters meant that every character was flat and boring. The plot was incredibly boring until about 75% of the way through. A needle has to be thread during this era of Star Wars, as threats can’t be *too* major as to eclipse the coming reemergence of the Sith. So this book handled that by making the antagonists incredibly dumb and predictable, but somehow still being a threat to all 12 council members at once. Most of this book felt like it wanted me to be saying “hey look it’s the thing from the other Star Wars thing!” on every other page. An interconnected universe is good, but this was ham fisted. I would not have finished this book until I found the audiobook for free on Spotify, and the unique character voices, sound effects, and music helped to raise my level of engagement. I can still only recommend that cautiously, as a couple of the character voices are incredibly annoying and drag the whole experience down.
Verdict: stay away if you’re not a Star Wars fan, and even so approach cautiously. You’ll get a few interesting character nuggets but not enough to justify the bloated, boring plot. I hope JJM gets more freedom to write the book he wants if/when he handles another Star Wars project, rather than something corporate mandated.
The end result was very disappointing. The scattershot focus on so many characters meant that every character was flat and boring. The plot was incredibly boring until about 75% of the way through. A needle has to be thread during this era of Star Wars, as threats can’t be *too* major as to eclipse the coming reemergence of the Sith. So this book handled that by making the antagonists incredibly dumb and predictable, but somehow still being a threat to all 12 council members at once. Most of this book felt like it wanted me to be saying “hey look it’s the thing from the other Star Wars thing!” on every other page. An interconnected universe is good, but this was ham fisted. I would not have finished this book until I found the audiobook for free on Spotify, and the unique character voices, sound effects, and music helped to raise my level of engagement. I can still only recommend that cautiously, as a couple of the character voices are incredibly annoying and drag the whole experience down.
Verdict: stay away if you’re not a Star Wars fan, and even so approach cautiously. You’ll get a few interesting character nuggets but not enough to justify the bloated, boring plot. I hope JJM gets more freedom to write the book he wants if/when he handles another Star Wars project, rather than something corporate mandated.
June 11, 2024
Absolutely love John Jackson Miller with his works on the KOTOR comics and his “Kenobi” novel. So when I found out he was coming back to Star Wars to write a novel I was extremely excited. However, this book was a complete drag that jumped all over the place and left little to be desired. The main characters is basically the whole Jedi council. Not as a whole, but individually ALL 12 of them. Every chapter brings a different POV as well. So the chapter will come to an end talking about Windu on a spaceship then next you know we are now with Yaddle talking about how old she is next to some speeder bikes. Just completely hard to follow.
April 19, 2024
A good and enjoyable read overall. Miller does a strong job capturing the voices of Jedi like Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon, Yoda, and Mace Windu. I also appreciated the opportunity to see other Council members such as Depa, Eeth, and many others developed. It was nice to see the Council members in the spotlight basically.
The connections to the PT and to its politics and to Palpatine's scheming will likely appeal to PT fans, and there are lore connections to the High Republic era that could put a smile on the faces of High Republic fans like myself.
Jedi philosophy takes center stage thematically, but there are a number of action sequences that should keep readers invested in the plot throughout.
More stories set in this era or written by this author would be welcome in the New Canon.
The connections to the PT and to its politics and to Palpatine's scheming will likely appeal to PT fans, and there are lore connections to the High Republic era that could put a smile on the faces of High Republic fans like myself.
Jedi philosophy takes center stage thematically, but there are a number of action sequences that should keep readers invested in the plot throughout.
More stories set in this era or written by this author would be welcome in the New Canon.
May 20, 2024
Wow I'm a Yareal Poof girl I guess. He's so funny. I love all the jedi masters getting attention ✨ it was fun and silly but also the little plot was entertaining too. And I am forever a sucker for a little flash of Maul.
I really liked too seeing how the jedi should be/what they have fallen into. As well as expanding on how they've gotten so detached from the galaxy as a whole.
I really liked too seeing how the jedi should be/what they have fallen into. As well as expanding on how they've gotten so detached from the galaxy as a whole.
May 13, 2024
The most Star Warsy Star Wars book I’ve ever read. Yarael Poof is one of the all time greats. Plo Koon is Plo cool. I might mess around and be mindful of the living force. 4 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2024
I loved this book. This is the most time I’ve spent with a number of the Jedi on the prequel-era council because outside of the main names, they don’t do a ton outside of the council chambers, at least in media I’ve watched/read. So the book felt really fun because I was really excited to spend time with the entire cast of characters. That cast of characters is HUGE, by the way, because we’re hanging out with all 12 members of the Jedi council, plus Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, as well as the villains of the story as well, there are whole chapters following their perspectives too!
Avoiding spoilers, the plot follows the Jedi council visiting the outer rim planet of Kwenn after reports of some criminal activity in the area. Kwenn used to be a Jedi outpost but they’ve kind of quit using it so they want to show the area that the Jedi haven’t forgotten about Kwenn by sending the council to commemorate the anniversary of the construction of the outpost on the planet. They spend time helping folks on Kwenn while the pirates plans start to come to fruition in the background until the climax when it all breaks bad and they have to confront the pirates directly to stop them!
I think JJM does a great job swapping between these storylines, tying them altogether, and making the characters all unique as well! Each of the 12 council members felt like their own character, not just generic wise Jedi archetypes. It was so good.
If you like the prequel era and Jedi adventures, I’d DEF recommend this one. It’s a fun look at the Jedi of the era and a peek at the things they let slide that allowed Sidious to do his thing. What a wonderful novel!
Avoiding spoilers, the plot follows the Jedi council visiting the outer rim planet of Kwenn after reports of some criminal activity in the area. Kwenn used to be a Jedi outpost but they’ve kind of quit using it so they want to show the area that the Jedi haven’t forgotten about Kwenn by sending the council to commemorate the anniversary of the construction of the outpost on the planet. They spend time helping folks on Kwenn while the pirates plans start to come to fruition in the background until the climax when it all breaks bad and they have to confront the pirates directly to stop them!
I think JJM does a great job swapping between these storylines, tying them altogether, and making the characters all unique as well! Each of the 12 council members felt like their own character, not just generic wise Jedi archetypes. It was so good.
If you like the prequel era and Jedi adventures, I’d DEF recommend this one. It’s a fun look at the Jedi of the era and a peek at the things they let slide that allowed Sidious to do his thing. What a wonderful novel!
April 22, 2024
The only thing keeping this from 5-stars is the Billaba sub-plot, which felt distracting to me as I was hoping for more intensity with the Jedi Council masters. While I did get plenty of that, the sub-plot resulted in what felt like "action set-piece addition" when I was hoping for a more contemplative book. It's a pity these Jedi Masters received little on-screen development in the prequels, but I'm glad a man of John Jackson Miller was allowed to turn his talents to this oversight.
April 30, 2024
I feel so bad giving this one only three stars but I definitely have to re read this one and I'm probably going to do this sometime this month. I got stock in so much philosophy and not so much action, and probably that's why I was kind of waiting for something else to happen that I really didn't enjoy the Jedi Philosophy parts so much. This is probably getting a higher score next time but for the life of me I cant give it any more than 3 stars right now.
REREAD: I'm afraid 3 stars is all I can give it after the second re read. This was probably too ambitious. How about giving us more context into the council as an entity or a single book on each one would be great.
They have always been (for the most part) cold figures that we barely even know their names, yet they practically hold the balance of all the events we know and love. Such a huge responsibility on them, yet we know nothing about them. And after reading this book, I like I know somethings about their personalities, but how about a real background story...
I don't know, this was such a let down really.
REREAD: I'm afraid 3 stars is all I can give it after the second re read. This was probably too ambitious. How about giving us more context into the council as an entity or a single book on each one would be great.
They have always been (for the most part) cold figures that we barely even know their names, yet they practically hold the balance of all the events we know and love. Such a huge responsibility on them, yet we know nothing about them. And after reading this book, I like I know somethings about their personalities, but how about a real background story...
I don't know, this was such a let down really.
April 27, 2024
Goodness gracious did this book scratch a particular itch. I got to see Thisspiasian-extraordinaire Oppo Rancissis in action, hear about that troublesome prankster Yarael Poof and all his quirks, and was awarded a closer look at the mindsets of so many different Jedi High Council members that I’ve only ever vaguely known. Ki-Adi Mundi is a logistical psycho in the most hilarious way. Saesee Tinn needs to get laid. Even Piell would make a baller Pine Cove counselor. I just want to read about the zany misadventures of some of these heartwarming characters. 7/10 would read again. 4 Stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2024
Oh, man, how I wanted to LOVE this book. For the first hundred pages I was all in as the set up was going, and all the Jedi were doing their thing. I really enjoyed their characterization, and relationships. I liked seeing them interact with people. There were some fun moments...
By page 200 there was still nothing going on. This Jedi found a book stolen from a library, that Jedi ate a snow cone with no flavoring, because he insisted that ice was a flavor, then he stopped a domestic dispute, Yaddle played a PR spokesperson (or spokesLannik if this were a "Legends" story). What the heck is going on here?
This could have been a really fun book, and it was fun at times. I never thought that I would read a book filled with almost a dozen Jedi perspectives and be so bored. It's like if they made a Superman game with only the Clark Kent parts.
By page 200 there was still nothing going on. This Jedi found a book stolen from a library, that Jedi ate a snow cone with no flavoring, because he insisted that ice was a flavor, then he stopped a domestic dispute, Yaddle played a PR spokesperson (or spokesLannik if this were a "Legends" story). What the heck is going on here?
This could have been a really fun book, and it was fun at times. I never thought that I would read a book filled with almost a dozen Jedi perspectives and be so bored. It's like if they made a Superman game with only the Clark Kent parts.
July 5, 2024
Plo Koon is the people’s princess
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