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Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice #1
Star Wars: The Rising Force
Twelve-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi desperately wants to be a Jedi Knight. After years at the Jedi Temple, he knows the power of the lightsaber and the Force. But he cannot control his own anger and fear. Because of this, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will not take him on as a Padawan apprentice.
Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies—and face up to his own dark wishes.
Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.
Now Obi-Wan is about to have his first encounter with true evil. He must face off against unexpected enemies—and face up to his own dark wishes.
Only then can his education as a Jedi truly begin.
171 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
69 people are currently reading
3066 people want to read
About the author
Dave Wolverton
66 books152 followersDave Wolverton (born 1957) is a science fiction author who also goes under the pseudonym David Farland for his fantasy works. He currently lives in St. George, Utah with his wife and five children.
(Wikipedia entry: Dave Wolverton)
(Wikipedia entry: Dave Wolverton)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
August 1, 2012
I remember coming across this book in Kroger, not long after The Phantom Menance came out. My son was in 4th grade, and he HATED to read :'(
Since he was really into Star Wars at the time, I picked it up, hoping that it might spark his interest...or at least make those monthly reading goals go a bit smoother! We started off with me reading a paragraph and him reading a paragraph. It was agonizingly slow, but then the unthinkable happened: he read almost a page before he remembered it was my turn!
We both fell in love with the Extended Universe, thanks to this series of books, and my son is now an avid reader ;)
Since he was really into Star Wars at the time, I picked it up, hoping that it might spark his interest...or at least make those monthly reading goals go a bit smoother! We started off with me reading a paragraph and him reading a paragraph. It was agonizingly slow, but then the unthinkable happened: he read almost a page before he remembered it was my turn!
We both fell in love with the Extended Universe, thanks to this series of books, and my son is now an avid reader ;)
June 1, 2018
Since he died in The Phantom Menace, we don't get to see much of Qui-Gon in the movies. However, this book series begins with him training a twelve-year-old Obi-Wan, and is a prequel to the prequels. If you've ever been curious about the early years of the two Jedi who found Anakin, this book--and this series--is for you. Don't let the kiddie format stop you.
February 24, 2016
More properly 3.5 stars, rounded up.
While not on par with books such as Star Wars: Lost Stars, of course, I'm enjoying these YA Star Wars books series.
They're a great diversion, and while not great literature, each of them thus far has had (at least) one moment that makes me think, or just plain wows me, which is all I can ask. (I think this is, compareatively speaking, this is my least favorite of the 4 series I'm reading.
(For the record, I'm reading this series, "Jedi Quest", and "Galaxy of Fear", while I've finished the Rebels series "Servant of the Empire".)
While not on par with books such as Star Wars: Lost Stars, of course, I'm enjoying these YA Star Wars books series.
They're a great diversion, and while not great literature, each of them thus far has had (at least) one moment that makes me think, or just plain wows me, which is all I can ask. (I think this is, compareatively speaking, this is my least favorite of the 4 series I'm reading.
(For the record, I'm reading this series, "Jedi Quest", and "Galaxy of Fear", while I've finished the Rebels series "Servant of the Empire".)
Want to read
December 14, 2020it's Star Wars . . . about frikkin OBI-WAN aka the first fictional character I wanted to be but also marry sooooo yeah
December 6, 2022
A fun story to read which I was surprised that it was, of course it's not like the old republic novels or any of the adult ones, nothing dark here or anything like that, it's for a younger audience and it gets the job done. Good story, with the characters you know and love, interesting plot basically about a young Obi Wan trying to become Qui Gon's Padawan!
March 7, 2014
"Anger and fear will lead you down a path you do not want to follow. Befriend them, you should. Look them in the eye without blinking. Use faults as teachers, you should. Then, rule you, they will not. Rule them, you shall."
"We are not to know, we are to do."
In this first book in the Jedi Apprentice series, we see the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi as he is still a hopeful youngling in the Academy. He is precariously close to be the age where he will be unable to become a Jedi and asked to leave the temple unless he is chosen as a padawan. His only chance is the renegade loner Qui-Gon Jinn. But Qui-Gon is not interested in choosing another padawan since the disastrous circumstances regarding his last one. But when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are thrown together on a freighter ship and have to solve the dispute between two mining organizations, they find that they may need each other more than either of them realized.
I know this book is meant for a much younger audience than myself, but I totally fell head over heels in love with it! It was a blast to see Obi-Wan a young boy and to cheer him on as he overcame his own fears and angers. Yoda made a brief appearance which was awesome, and I was so fascinated to see a brief glimpse of the inner workings of the Jedi Temple. Also I have a real soft spot for Qui-Gon Jinn, so his major role in this story really warmed my heart!
I would gladly reccomend this book to any Star Wars fan, especially if you are a fan of Kenobi and are interested in his experiances as a young padawan
"We are not to know, we are to do."
In this first book in the Jedi Apprentice series, we see the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi as he is still a hopeful youngling in the Academy. He is precariously close to be the age where he will be unable to become a Jedi and asked to leave the temple unless he is chosen as a padawan. His only chance is the renegade loner Qui-Gon Jinn. But Qui-Gon is not interested in choosing another padawan since the disastrous circumstances regarding his last one. But when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are thrown together on a freighter ship and have to solve the dispute between two mining organizations, they find that they may need each other more than either of them realized.
I know this book is meant for a much younger audience than myself, but I totally fell head over heels in love with it! It was a blast to see Obi-Wan a young boy and to cheer him on as he overcame his own fears and angers. Yoda made a brief appearance which was awesome, and I was so fascinated to see a brief glimpse of the inner workings of the Jedi Temple. Also I have a real soft spot for Qui-Gon Jinn, so his major role in this story really warmed my heart!
I would gladly reccomend this book to any Star Wars fan, especially if you are a fan of Kenobi and are interested in his experiances as a young padawan
August 15, 2018
Actual rating is 2.5 stars.
This is part of the Legends timeline and the start of a series in this universe. This tells the story about Obi-Wan before he is an actual padawan. He needs a master or he will never become a Jedi Knight. This details the initial meetings between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. This series is meant for the younger audience.
Immediately I liked this book as it shows Obi-Wan wasn't a perfect Jedi pupil and he had struggles. I think this gives an added dimension to his character. I also liked the developing relationship between two characters that we know that will be eventually master and student. The development between these two felt organic. The conflict that was used for the setting was working as it touched upon slavery which is a constant in this universe. Everything was working but then this book took a hard right turn in its plot. I thought with this turn the book lost its momentum and suffered from it. That is the reason I lowered my rating the half star.
This was a decent offer from this universe and it works for an introduction for a new series. It definitely has potential as we explore Obi-Wan as the student instead of the teacher.
This is part of the Legends timeline and the start of a series in this universe. This tells the story about Obi-Wan before he is an actual padawan. He needs a master or he will never become a Jedi Knight. This details the initial meetings between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. This series is meant for the younger audience.
Immediately I liked this book as it shows Obi-Wan wasn't a perfect Jedi pupil and he had struggles. I think this gives an added dimension to his character. I also liked the developing relationship between two characters that we know that will be eventually master and student. The development between these two felt organic. The conflict that was used for the setting was working as it touched upon slavery which is a constant in this universe. Everything was working but then this book took a hard right turn in its plot. I thought with this turn the book lost its momentum and suffered from it. That is the reason I lowered my rating the half star.
This was a decent offer from this universe and it works for an introduction for a new series. It definitely has potential as we explore Obi-Wan as the student instead of the teacher.
December 18, 2015
Ho sentito parlare molto di questa "saga" di libri su Star Wars ( "Apprendista Jedi" ) e visto che tutti le voci che ho ascoltato dicevano che era un libro da leggere ho deciso di fare un tentativo. E' corto ma con una storia tutto sommato interessante. Avevo paura che fosse un libro solamente per dodicenni, ma dopo aver letto le prime pagine ho capito che il target non era così basso e qualsiasi fan della saga di Star Wars poteva tranquillamente leggerlo. Sottolineo fan di Star Wars non perché gli altri non possano leggerlo, ma perché i personaggi che appaiono nella storia vengono raramente presentati e qiundi un non fan che non sa quasi niente di Star Wars forse avrebbe problemi con la storia.
Avrei voluto che si focalizzasse più sul tempio jedi ( visto che parla di Obi-Wan quando non è neanche un padawan ), ma la storia si sposta subito fuori. Comunque tutto sommato un bel libro.
Avrei voluto che si focalizzasse più sul tempio jedi ( visto che parla di Obi-Wan quando non è neanche un padawan ), ma la storia si sposta subito fuori. Comunque tutto sommato un bel libro.
April 11, 2021
This felt different from the other books in the series, probably because it's by a different author. I never really got into this one, but it plants a lot of seeds for future books, such as Xanatos and Bruck. Also it has Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon fighting space dragons.
July 15, 2025
2022 review:
What struck me this time through wasn't just Obi-wan's learning to accept the possibility of life going in an unexpected and unwelcome direction. It was mainly how unaware of true evil he really was. It reminded me of how Christians can be so afraid of other ideas or sins and their children falling prey to them that they over protect and don't properly teach them how to engage with other worldviews or to really deal with sin and evil in the world and within themselves. It can lead to a crisis of faith. The younglings are so coddled and unprepared for how dangerous the real world is, and yet are expected to not only survive but function as adults in it with or without a Master by the age of 13. And then they wonder why some leave or straight up turn to the dark side. Jedi Pedagogy leaves a lot to be desired.
Original review from 2021
Third reading and still fun. I enjoy the characters and adventures. The Jedi Order really need to invest in therapists. The amount of anxiety Obi-wan is already feeling about his situation is not ok. Qui-gon needs therapy as well. I love these books, but Yoda is pulling a Dumbledore, and he isn't addressing the underlying unaddressed traumas either Obi-wan or Qui-gon need to work on before Qui-gon becomes a master.
What struck me this time through wasn't just Obi-wan's learning to accept the possibility of life going in an unexpected and unwelcome direction. It was mainly how unaware of true evil he really was. It reminded me of how Christians can be so afraid of other ideas or sins and their children falling prey to them that they over protect and don't properly teach them how to engage with other worldviews or to really deal with sin and evil in the world and within themselves. It can lead to a crisis of faith. The younglings are so coddled and unprepared for how dangerous the real world is, and yet are expected to not only survive but function as adults in it with or without a Master by the age of 13. And then they wonder why some leave or straight up turn to the dark side. Jedi Pedagogy leaves a lot to be desired.
Original review from 2021
Third reading and still fun. I enjoy the characters and adventures. The Jedi Order really need to invest in therapists. The amount of anxiety Obi-wan is already feeling about his situation is not ok. Qui-gon needs therapy as well. I love these books, but Yoda is pulling a Dumbledore, and he isn't addressing the underlying unaddressed traumas either Obi-wan or Qui-gon need to work on before Qui-gon becomes a master.
April 7, 2015
If you like Star Wars, you HAVE to read this series. If you like Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, you need to stop everything you are doing immediately and get your hands on this series. Because it is amazing. The characterization and the insights it gives into the Jedi Way are just phenomenal. I love Qui-Gon so much. So. So much.
August 6, 2018
Genial pre-precuela de Star Wars. Un Obi-Wan Kenobi de 12 años y su acercamiento al legendario Qui-Gon Jinn. Lástima que la historia sea tan breve, y supongo que habrá que leer alguno de los 19 libros restantes de la serie para saber qué pasa a continuación.
A pesar de ser literatura YA (Juvenil), me ha encantado. Casi todo lo que huela a ciencia ficción me llena de curiosidad. Y para todos los curiosos como yo, tal vez resulte una lectura más que entretenida.
A pesar de ser literatura YA (Juvenil), me ha encantado. Casi todo lo que huela a ciencia ficción me llena de curiosidad. Y para todos los curiosos como yo, tal vez resulte una lectura más que entretenida.
June 29, 2015
4/5
Me divirtió tanto.
Creo que es interesante leer sobre historias (no sé si oficiales) dentro del mundo que creó George Lucas que no aparecen dentro de las películas. Saber sobre el pasado de Obi-Wan me resultó interesantísimo, y creo que a todo fan de Star Wars le debe pasar al leer libros como estos.
El que tarde tanto en tomarlo como padawan (y que incluso no lo haga en este libro), aún sabiendo que va a terminar siéndolo después, me desesperó tanto.
Conocer un Obi-Wan tan chiquito parecido a Anakin en tantos sentidos me pareció muy tierno.
Creo que no hay mucho que decir. El epílogo da ganas de más y seguramente mañana u otro día empiece el que sigue; tengo muchas ganas de sin dudas leer el resto de la saga.
Es un libro muy recomendable a cualquier fan de Star Wars que guste leer de aventuras y Jedis.
Me divirtió tanto.
Creo que es interesante leer sobre historias (no sé si oficiales) dentro del mundo que creó George Lucas que no aparecen dentro de las películas. Saber sobre el pasado de Obi-Wan me resultó interesantísimo, y creo que a todo fan de Star Wars le debe pasar al leer libros como estos.
El que tarde tanto en tomarlo como padawan (y que incluso no lo haga en este libro), aún sabiendo que va a terminar siéndolo después, me desesperó tanto.
Conocer un Obi-Wan tan chiquito parecido a Anakin en tantos sentidos me pareció muy tierno.
Creo que no hay mucho que decir. El epílogo da ganas de más y seguramente mañana u otro día empiece el que sigue; tengo muchas ganas de sin dudas leer el resto de la saga.
Es un libro muy recomendable a cualquier fan de Star Wars que guste leer de aventuras y Jedis.
April 20, 2021
2.5
This book came off a bit dull and lifeless. I can see the makings of a good story here . This one was recommended to me by a friend when I told him I was looking for a good Star Wars books after finding the last one I read to also be a let down. I just don’t think YA is really my cup of tea. I think I’m going to give that genre ( style?) a break for a little while and come back to it in a couple years. This just didn’t do it for me . I think the story would have been much better expanded upon in greater detail.
If any one knows of any good Star Wars tie in novels feel free to let me know.
This book came off a bit dull and lifeless. I can see the makings of a good story here . This one was recommended to me by a friend when I told him I was looking for a good Star Wars books after finding the last one I read to also be a let down. I just don’t think YA is really my cup of tea. I think I’m going to give that genre ( style?) a break for a little while and come back to it in a couple years. This just didn’t do it for me . I think the story would have been much better expanded upon in greater detail.
If any one knows of any good Star Wars tie in novels feel free to let me know.
December 22, 2017
This review is for the whole series.
I read these books as a kid and LOVED them. I wanted to read them all again but found that not many libraries have the entire set, so I found them online. I loved them even more. If you think this series can't be enjoyed by a 24 year-old woman as well as a 12 year old, you're wrong. In fact, being older, I feel like I appreciated more of the politics and difficult situations. Each book has serious moral choices and consequences that I completely forgot about as a kid. It was so much fun re-reading them. This series has a permanent place in my heart.
I read these books as a kid and LOVED them. I wanted to read them all again but found that not many libraries have the entire set, so I found them online. I loved them even more. If you think this series can't be enjoyed by a 24 year-old woman as well as a 12 year old, you're wrong. In fact, being older, I feel like I appreciated more of the politics and difficult situations. Each book has serious moral choices and consequences that I completely forgot about as a kid. It was so much fun re-reading them. This series has a permanent place in my heart.
February 26, 2010
(I now maintain a blog just for my kid-lit reviews. Find it at http://kidlit4adults.blogspot.com .)
A friend has convinced me to try my hand this year for the first time at writing children's literature; but I don't actually know anything about children's literature, so am starting the process among other ways by first reading a stack of popular books that have been recommended to me. Today's titles are from yet another long-running series of chapter books for grade-schoolers, the kind of franchise where an endless amount of 30,000-word volumes are cranked out once a month by a series of essentially anonymous authors; and this is actually one of the types of employment I'm hoping to find in the industry myself, which is why I'm reading so many of these types of books these days, to understand more about how exactly they're written.
And indeed, after expecting these to be only middling titles that rely mostly on the strength of the "Star Wars" brand for their commercial success, the three volumes of the "Jedi Apprentice" series I read (volumes 1, 2 and 3) were instead some of the better chapter books I've so far come across this year, with challenging vocabularies and nicely complex moral lessons that have more in common with Zen Buddhism than the Babysitters Club. (But then again, this series is put out by the always excellent Scholastic, so I guess I should've known better.) Although these will only appeal almost exclusively to boys in the 10-to-12 range, they're excellent for what they are, and get the classic "rules" of writing for this age group almost perfect -- for example, they include plenty of periil but very little real-world danger (helped immensely by their fantastical setting), feature plenty of action but a stripped-down non-confusing plot, and also do a nice job for sci-fi novels at exploring both school environments and inter-gender relationships at that age in depth. They're on the large side of such books, a full 30,000 to 35,000 words apiece, and despite their subject matter are not recommended for so-called "reluctant readers."
A friend has convinced me to try my hand this year for the first time at writing children's literature; but I don't actually know anything about children's literature, so am starting the process among other ways by first reading a stack of popular books that have been recommended to me. Today's titles are from yet another long-running series of chapter books for grade-schoolers, the kind of franchise where an endless amount of 30,000-word volumes are cranked out once a month by a series of essentially anonymous authors; and this is actually one of the types of employment I'm hoping to find in the industry myself, which is why I'm reading so many of these types of books these days, to understand more about how exactly they're written.
And indeed, after expecting these to be only middling titles that rely mostly on the strength of the "Star Wars" brand for their commercial success, the three volumes of the "Jedi Apprentice" series I read (volumes 1, 2 and 3) were instead some of the better chapter books I've so far come across this year, with challenging vocabularies and nicely complex moral lessons that have more in common with Zen Buddhism than the Babysitters Club. (But then again, this series is put out by the always excellent Scholastic, so I guess I should've known better.) Although these will only appeal almost exclusively to boys in the 10-to-12 range, they're excellent for what they are, and get the classic "rules" of writing for this age group almost perfect -- for example, they include plenty of periil but very little real-world danger (helped immensely by their fantastical setting), feature plenty of action but a stripped-down non-confusing plot, and also do a nice job for sci-fi novels at exploring both school environments and inter-gender relationships at that age in depth. They're on the large side of such books, a full 30,000 to 35,000 words apiece, and despite their subject matter are not recommended for so-called "reluctant readers."
November 20, 2018
This was painful and bittersweet and an incredibly necessary source of valuable information about the Jedi Order. I love Obi-Wan Kenobi. Even as a headstrong, angry initiate his overwhelming determination to do what's right is his most pronounced characteristic.
November 6, 2016
5 stars
Good book. Nice to learn more about Obi-Wan. Hope he becomes the apprentice of Qui-Gon.
Can't wait to read more Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice novels!!!!
Good book. Nice to learn more about Obi-Wan. Hope he becomes the apprentice of Qui-Gon.
Can't wait to read more Star Wars: Jedi Apprentice novels!!!!
February 6, 2024
I decided I would go back and try to read some Star Wars books and novels and see if it could rekindle my dwindling interest in the franchise.
While looking up reading orders, I found those novels for teens, and I remembered that I actually read most of those when I was much younger.
The novels are very very short so I decided to give it a go.
I am positively surprised so far.
While looking up reading orders, I found those novels for teens, and I remembered that I actually read most of those when I was much younger.
The novels are very very short so I decided to give it a go.
I am positively surprised so far.
April 15, 2017
El epílogo me ha matado un poquito, OMG
February 8, 2022
Really more like a 3.75, but I rounded up because of the cliffhanger.
July 7, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
cortito y al pie
LE RE PASA EL TRAPO A PADAWAN
me gustó mucho!!! tengo un profundo rechazo hacia Qui-Gon pero bueno, me gustó leer sobre Obi-Wan y como fue progresando. Leer sobre él siempre me hace feliz
pd: me acabo de dar cuenta que este es mi primer libro de legends… se que la serie no es muy aclamada pero es un libro corto con padawan obi-wan, asi que fantástico. Estaremos leyendo los demás a ver qué onda esta historia alternativa
cortito y al pie
LE RE PASA EL TRAPO A PADAWAN
me gustó mucho!!! tengo un profundo rechazo hacia Qui-Gon pero bueno, me gustó leer sobre Obi-Wan y como fue progresando. Leer sobre él siempre me hace feliz
pd: me acabo de dar cuenta que este es mi primer libro de legends… se que la serie no es muy aclamada pero es un libro corto con padawan obi-wan, asi que fantástico. Estaremos leyendo los demás a ver qué onda esta historia alternativa
May 13, 2014
As this particular series are children's books, I've rated them as such - and not against adult level novels with the same rating. My reviews for these are also a bit shorter; just a few comments here and there.
A good start to the series. The plotline of Offworld versus Arconan Mining wasn’t exactly the most thrilling drama in the world, but it was okay. The most engaging part of the story came mainly from following Obi-Wan and wondering if he was going to make it as a Jedi. Obi-Wan is the sympathetic character of the piece, and there are certainly hints of the young man he becomes here. Qui-Gon’s character seems a little harder and colder than when he appears in the film, but we discover that this is due to events in his past that are not yet resolved. A note: this book has about 50 pages more than the other Jedi Apprentice books, which allowed more time for description and to develop a slightly more complex plot. The other books could definitely benefit from 50 extra pages.
7 out of 10 (for a children's book).
A good start to the series. The plotline of Offworld versus Arconan Mining wasn’t exactly the most thrilling drama in the world, but it was okay. The most engaging part of the story came mainly from following Obi-Wan and wondering if he was going to make it as a Jedi. Obi-Wan is the sympathetic character of the piece, and there are certainly hints of the young man he becomes here. Qui-Gon’s character seems a little harder and colder than when he appears in the film, but we discover that this is due to events in his past that are not yet resolved. A note: this book has about 50 pages more than the other Jedi Apprentice books, which allowed more time for description and to develop a slightly more complex plot. The other books could definitely benefit from 50 extra pages.
7 out of 10 (for a children's book).
December 23, 2015
This series is one of the first series I read to my boys. They were quite young when we started it. My eldest son went on to read the Jedi Quest series independently just this year. He is now reading the Last of the Jedi series.
This series made me realize how wonderful modern children's literature could be especially for boys. My boys are not interested in dog stories even though we have read several of them. (Where the Red Fern Grows and more)I am very glad for the wide variety that is available.
My personal note on this series is that I really like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as characters so it was very interesting to me to see their adventures as Master and Padawan. They display a great relationship, with excellent conflict resolutions and problem solving personally and as Jedi.
This series made me realize how wonderful modern children's literature could be especially for boys. My boys are not interested in dog stories even though we have read several of them. (Where the Red Fern Grows and more)I am very glad for the wide variety that is available.
My personal note on this series is that I really like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan as characters so it was very interesting to me to see their adventures as Master and Padawan. They display a great relationship, with excellent conflict resolutions and problem solving personally and as Jedi.
December 18, 2022
Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! I can still quote the opening paragraphs a decade later. The beauty of this series was how accessible it was. You don't need to know the whole universe of Star Wars - this series creates a universe that you can easily get in to. The characters are engaging and relate-able, and the stories get you to think about challenges faced in your own lives, without being too confronting. Perfect for younger readers. One of my favourites in early highschool. I waited for every new book to come out.
May 2, 2025
I read this series with my brother years ago from the library, and it shaped a huge part of what I write. It's a shame these books are so difficult to find nowadays, but I'm determined to eventually collect them all again.
August 20, 2018
This was a fun little book. I liked seeing Obi-wan as a young apprentice.
May 24, 2023
i ate this shit up as a kid. one of the biggest influences on my writing style back in the day. cannot wait to get into all the other books again ah yumymmymy
January 28, 2016
Star Wars Legends Project #41
Background: The Rising Force came out in May 1999, 2 weeks before The Phantom Menace was released in theaters. It was written by Dave Wolverton. Wolverton has written about a dozen Star Wars YA novels besides this one, mostly from the Star Wars Missions and Episode I Adventures series. He also contributed stories to each of the Tales anthologies. However, he is probably best known among EU fans for the novel The Courtship of Princess Leia. He has also written a few dozen of his own original sci-fi and fantasy novels.
The Rising Force is set 44 years before the Battle of Yavin, 12 years before The Phantom Menace. So, it takes place about 9 years after the events (frequently referenced by it) of Star Wars: Jedi, Volume 1: The Dark Side (my review). It features a 12-year old Obi-Wan Kenobi as the protagonist, and of course Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda play major roles as well.
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi has just missed his last chance to be selected as the apprentice of a Jedi Master and is being shipped off to Bandomeer to join the Jedi Agricultural Corps. Devastated that he will never be a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan doesn't have time to dwell on it when he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between the employees of two rival mining companies on-board the ship. He is also surprised to find that Qui-Gon Jinn, the very Master he had hoped (and failed) to impress, is on-board as well. Even though Qui-Gon didn't choose him, they may yet be forced to work together . . .
Review: So, obviously a lot of the tension of this story, at least as far as Obi-Wan is concerned, is about whether he can convince Qui-Gon to accept him as an apprentice. And, just as obviously, very few readers will not already know that that's a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, the book does a pretty good job of getting inside these two character's heads and setting up some strong issues that they'll both have to overcome before they can achieve the relationship we know they will one day have.
Obi-Wan, of course, is dealing with all kinds insecurity, self-doubt, and fear of rejection. He is desperate to prove himself and eager to please, but those very characteristics seem to be pushing Qui-Gon away. On the other hand, though he is sheltered from having spent almost his whole life in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he is brave and passionate about justice. And, although that sometimes leads him to act rashly and without thinking about the bigger picture (hardly out of character for a not-quite 13-year old), Qui-Gon cannot help but feel strangely drawn to him.
For his part, Qui-Gon is carrying around a deep sense of betrayal over what happened with his first apprentice, Xanatos, several years earlier. It seems like he can't imagine himself trusting another apprentice, but clearly he is also unable to trust himself as a mentor and teacher. He gives Obi-Wan advice and guidance at several points, but there is a guardedness to his interactions that Obi-Wan can't seem to overcome, no matter how often he proves himself.
In other words, even though we know how this partnership is eventually going to end up, there is more than enough dramatic material here to make the journey worthwhile. And watching them work through these issues as imperfect human beings is so much more satisfying and real than if their relationship were treated as more of a foregone conclusion. And, even better, this book doesn't even begin to resolve all of those issues with some quick and easy (and cheap) climactic moment. There are plenty of threads left dangling for the rest of the series. These are good choices.
My biggest complaint is that, despite these strengths, the story still feels very slight, and the arc of the narrative (if not the characters) is a bit pat. The writing is simplistic, obviously, but that's to be expected. More annoyingly, though, the story makes weird (though typical of Star Wars YA stuff) choices with in-universe details. For example, the portrayal of Hutts in the story doesn't mesh particularly well with anything else that we know about the species. And there are just occasional nagging details that don't quite gel, like the reference to a spherical "compass" on-board the ship that is supposed to serve for if the navigational computer malfunctions. Someone explain to me how the heck a "space compass" is supposed to work? What would it even be? There was also a particularly jarring reference to a character returning their blaster to the "holding compartment on their leg" (or something like that). Has Wolverton really never heard of a "holster" . . .?
Then, of course, there's the problem of the catalyst that drives the plot. Apparently, there are way too many potential apprentices and not enough Jedi Masters, so if a candidate hasn't been chosen by their 13th birthday, they get shuffled off into some other path. Nothing about this makes sense, especially when it becomes clear that this is the destiny that the Jedi Council, in their wisdom, are prepared to foist onto Obi-Wan Kenobi, who will grow up to become one of the greatest Jedi of all time. But the fact that he doesn't get picked by Qui-Gon, who everyone knows is laboring under some serious relational issues that have nothing to do with Obi-Wan's worthiness as a candidate, doesn't give anyone any pause at all.
And really, this is such a by-the-numbers YA device: In a dystopian future, the main character is about to come of age and be assigned a role within their rigidly-delineated society. But they get stuck with something they're not happy with, and then it pushes them to learn things they never expected about the order of things and about themselves, etc. Except this isn't a dystopian future, this is a utopian past. It's the freaking Jedi Order, for crying out loud. Maybe this particular YA formula isn't the best fit here . . .?
I feel bad leaning my critique too heavily on the fact that this is written for a younger age group, because a lot of what I don't like about it is working as intended. But ultimately (and this is an observation I'll probably make a lot as I work my way through this series), there's just not a lot to this book. As a result, it's not bad, just not very memorable. Though, honestly, it's better than I remember, and better than I expected, thanks to the interesting character work.
C-
Background: The Rising Force came out in May 1999, 2 weeks before The Phantom Menace was released in theaters. It was written by Dave Wolverton. Wolverton has written about a dozen Star Wars YA novels besides this one, mostly from the Star Wars Missions and Episode I Adventures series. He also contributed stories to each of the Tales anthologies. However, he is probably best known among EU fans for the novel The Courtship of Princess Leia. He has also written a few dozen of his own original sci-fi and fantasy novels.
The Rising Force is set 44 years before the Battle of Yavin, 12 years before The Phantom Menace. So, it takes place about 9 years after the events (frequently referenced by it) of Star Wars: Jedi, Volume 1: The Dark Side (my review). It features a 12-year old Obi-Wan Kenobi as the protagonist, and of course Qui-Gon Jinn and Yoda play major roles as well.
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi has just missed his last chance to be selected as the apprentice of a Jedi Master and is being shipped off to Bandomeer to join the Jedi Agricultural Corps. Devastated that he will never be a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan doesn't have time to dwell on it when he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between the employees of two rival mining companies on-board the ship. He is also surprised to find that Qui-Gon Jinn, the very Master he had hoped (and failed) to impress, is on-board as well. Even though Qui-Gon didn't choose him, they may yet be forced to work together . . .
Review: So, obviously a lot of the tension of this story, at least as far as Obi-Wan is concerned, is about whether he can convince Qui-Gon to accept him as an apprentice. And, just as obviously, very few readers will not already know that that's a foregone conclusion. Nevertheless, the book does a pretty good job of getting inside these two character's heads and setting up some strong issues that they'll both have to overcome before they can achieve the relationship we know they will one day have.
Obi-Wan, of course, is dealing with all kinds insecurity, self-doubt, and fear of rejection. He is desperate to prove himself and eager to please, but those very characteristics seem to be pushing Qui-Gon away. On the other hand, though he is sheltered from having spent almost his whole life in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, he is brave and passionate about justice. And, although that sometimes leads him to act rashly and without thinking about the bigger picture (hardly out of character for a not-quite 13-year old), Qui-Gon cannot help but feel strangely drawn to him.
For his part, Qui-Gon is carrying around a deep sense of betrayal over what happened with his first apprentice, Xanatos, several years earlier. It seems like he can't imagine himself trusting another apprentice, but clearly he is also unable to trust himself as a mentor and teacher. He gives Obi-Wan advice and guidance at several points, but there is a guardedness to his interactions that Obi-Wan can't seem to overcome, no matter how often he proves himself.
In other words, even though we know how this partnership is eventually going to end up, there is more than enough dramatic material here to make the journey worthwhile. And watching them work through these issues as imperfect human beings is so much more satisfying and real than if their relationship were treated as more of a foregone conclusion. And, even better, this book doesn't even begin to resolve all of those issues with some quick and easy (and cheap) climactic moment. There are plenty of threads left dangling for the rest of the series. These are good choices.
My biggest complaint is that, despite these strengths, the story still feels very slight, and the arc of the narrative (if not the characters) is a bit pat. The writing is simplistic, obviously, but that's to be expected. More annoyingly, though, the story makes weird (though typical of Star Wars YA stuff) choices with in-universe details. For example, the portrayal of Hutts in the story doesn't mesh particularly well with anything else that we know about the species. And there are just occasional nagging details that don't quite gel, like the reference to a spherical "compass" on-board the ship that is supposed to serve for if the navigational computer malfunctions. Someone explain to me how the heck a "space compass" is supposed to work? What would it even be? There was also a particularly jarring reference to a character returning their blaster to the "holding compartment on their leg" (or something like that). Has Wolverton really never heard of a "holster" . . .?
Then, of course, there's the problem of the catalyst that drives the plot. Apparently, there are way too many potential apprentices and not enough Jedi Masters, so if a candidate hasn't been chosen by their 13th birthday, they get shuffled off into some other path. Nothing about this makes sense, especially when it becomes clear that this is the destiny that the Jedi Council, in their wisdom, are prepared to foist onto Obi-Wan Kenobi, who will grow up to become one of the greatest Jedi of all time. But the fact that he doesn't get picked by Qui-Gon, who everyone knows is laboring under some serious relational issues that have nothing to do with Obi-Wan's worthiness as a candidate, doesn't give anyone any pause at all.
And really, this is such a by-the-numbers YA device: In a dystopian future, the main character is about to come of age and be assigned a role within their rigidly-delineated society. But they get stuck with something they're not happy with, and then it pushes them to learn things they never expected about the order of things and about themselves, etc. Except this isn't a dystopian future, this is a utopian past. It's the freaking Jedi Order, for crying out loud. Maybe this particular YA formula isn't the best fit here . . .?
I feel bad leaning my critique too heavily on the fact that this is written for a younger age group, because a lot of what I don't like about it is working as intended. But ultimately (and this is an observation I'll probably make a lot as I work my way through this series), there's just not a lot to this book. As a result, it's not bad, just not very memorable. Though, honestly, it's better than I remember, and better than I expected, thanks to the interesting character work.
C-
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