Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, Vol. 2

Star Wars: The High Republic

by Daniel José Older, Harvey Tolibao (Illustrator), Toni Bruno (Illustrator)

The Battle of Jedha, the biggest event in the High Republic cross-platform initiative, reaches it’s climax in this stunning conclusion to Star Wars The High Republic Adventures , Phase II!

As the Jedi Order desperately tries to end the conflict that rages through the streets of the Holy City, Padawan Sav Malagan struggles to maintain her secret identity as she tries to free captain Maz Kanata from the clutches of the Dank Graks. As Arkik Von’s dark plan plays out, Sav will have to make the most difficult decision of her young duty to the Force, or loyalty to her friends?

The clash between the Light and the Dark side threatens to consume the galaxy, in Star High Republic Adventures Volume 2, collecting issues 5-8, written by New York Times bestselling author Daniel José Older with artists Harvey Tolibao and Toni Bruno! Great for readers of ALL AGES!

Genres: Star Wars, Comics, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Graphic Novels Comics, Young Adult

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2023

About the author

Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. You can find his thoughts on writing, read dispatches from his decade-long career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music at http://danieljoseolder.net/, on youtube and @djolder on twitter.

Reviews

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the concluding collection of mini series set during Phase II of The High Republic series. In this one we pick up the action of Sav and the pirate gang trying to rescue Maz. All this concurs with the battle on Jedha.

I thought this was a step up from the opening collection in this mini series. I am not really surprised as my complaint for that one was that it just stopped in the middle. Since this is the concluding collection it has to have an end and it does. It is not epic and really does not affect much. The only thing you could say it affects is that it reassures a young padawan that they can train to become a Jedi. Yeah nothing new there as we have seen that before. This series is geared towards the younger audience and I believe they will enjoy it with the bright colors and the light hearted nature.

This does exactly what it is meant to do and really has no qualms about doing that. It is meant for the younger audience and to tie in with the ongoing series timeline that it is set in. The authors and the publishing company can check off both boxes. I will say that it does give a little exploration towards the background of a character we see in the first phase of The High Republic. Not enough of consequence but more than enough to provide a connection to the character. This is more than I can say what the first phase did for this character.

[Matthew Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I’m enjoying the adventures line of High Republic more than the regular line lately. This one was fun and definitely an all-ages book, but it read a little deeper than expected with the challenging of the Jedi order and restrictions that are in place. That coming from such a young Padawan was most interesting to me.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another graphic novel about events that happen at exactly the same time as the Battle of Jedha story. Because it doesn't stand on its own, there are panels that would be very confusing without reading or listening to the rest of the story (when Silandra Sho appears in one panel, for example, in a way that looks significant but without any explanation).

As far as this story on its own, I found it odd that Therm's character arc is that he needs to learn how to give in to his desire to run amok and kill as many foes as possible. The lesson Sav learns by the end is . . . fine, I guess. Nothing in the book seems particularly memorable.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a fun comic run for Phase 2. I loved Sav in Phase 1, so seeing her as a padawan was really cool.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series… existed.

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

the dark horse release schedule for this is partly to blame but i just could not get into this

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun story. Sad that it’s only 8 issues but I really hope we see Sav Malagan again soon. She just looks so cool and I’m a sucker for double bladed lightsabers and purple lightsabers and she’s out here rocking a double bladed purple lightsaber. I also always love seeing Star Wars pirates especially when those pirates include Dexter freaking Jexster and Maz Kanata. Very good connection to the wider phase 2 story as well.

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

A crazy nonstop action adventure. This reminds me of the Spider-man Nonstop comics it is literally from one fight to the next, maybe a panel of dialogue in between.

Jedi Padawan/Pirate Sav Malagán is on a mission to save her hero, the Pirate Queen Maz Kanata. Whether it is through a war or across the galaxy. Like a bull in a China shop, she will rush and deal with the consequences later.

A good, fast-paced adventure, a bit rushed for me but definitely enjoyable. If this is just the beginning, I am in for the next adventure.

[RachelUndercover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing quite like the smell of brand new comics.

[Online Eccentric Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/

This one is a bit weird - the art, character design and overall chaos in the early parts makes you feel like you're reading an issue of Heavy Metal, just with a Star Wars theme and a PG label on it. It's enjoyable but not really Star Wars. The latter parts are more clearly Star Wars but feel like only loosely connected to the beginning in theme. The story itself is a direct continuation.

Story: In the midst of the battle of Jedha, the protagonist padawan Sav Malagan is undercover in a pirate group, looking to find Maz Kanata. He is unsure of his capabilities and performance as a Jedii and feeling perhaps more closely related to his pirate group.

My main beef with this comic is that it does not feel like Star Wars to me - I would have enjoyed it more as a random Sci-Fi story. The cyberpunky elements of cybernetics feel off here - especially as this is the High Republic era. The art style does not 'feel' right either for the theme. I do like the main character though, even if I feel we have a few too many rebel Jedi characters in the High Republic stories and it doesn't feel like a novelty anymore.

If you like High Republic, probably pick this up. Also, if you're old enough to have read Heavy Metal magazine, maybe grab this for that nostalgia. For other Star Wars fans, this is more a hit and miss.
Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Phase 2 Book 2, 382 BBY.
Padawan Sav Malagan has gone undercover with the Dank Grak pirates amid the Battle of Jedha in an attempt to rescue Maz Kanata. Meanwhile, the rest of Maz's crew are in hot pursuit but are similarly caught up in the conflict on Jedha.

This book was a definite improvement over Book 1, not least by actually managing to take itself a bit seriously at times. There are moments of genuine emotional weight and the antagonists actually feel much more like they're a genuine existential threat. By the end of the book you really do feel like you've seen Sav grow as a person and as a Jedi, something which wasn't part of the the preceding book.

The other reason I quite enjoyed this book was due to comparison with Cavan Scott's 'Battle For The Force', set concurrently, which I read immediately before this. That book totally failed to given any sense of scale or danger to Battle of Jedha but thankfully this one does. Here, although we only focus on a handful of characters caught up in it, we get a real sense that there is a much larger and more significant battle going on around them, of which they're a small part.

Finally, I liked that the story returned to Takodana for the finale, being a proper conclusion to this story rather than feeling like just another cog in the machine of the interconnectedness of the High Republic stories.

* More reviews here: https://fsfh-book-review2.webnode.page *

[Daniel Roslan · Rating 3 out of 5]

High Republic Adventures Vol 1 : Collision Course (#1-5)
Story: 6/10
Importance: 7/10
Reason: The premise of this book was interesting, but the execution was a little off. Its tone is also kind of all over the place. At some points I really feel that this is meant to be the All Ages series, very childish moments, while others feel very intense for a kids book. The characters also all feel a little too two dimensional for my tastes. If they had more depth I think I'd have really enjoyed this story, but there were too many moments where I didn't really understand the characters motivations for acting like they did, so it ended up feeling forced for conflicts sake. The events and characters of this book all end up surprisingly important to the main story, to the point I was kind of taken aback as I'd thought the younger material was intended to be more skippable. It's not must read, but you are missing out on relevant info if you don't.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

382 BBY

This graphic novel is the second set in Sav's adventures during the High Republic Era, collecting issues #5-8. Sav continues her adventures as a Jedi padawan and pirate on a mission to save Maz Kanata from the Dank Graks, an enemy pirate group. Sav does what she can to infiltrate the Dank Graks to find Maz, but a battle rages around her on Jedha, complicating matters. Sav will do whatever it takes to save the pirate queen she so admires.

While I was skeptical of The High Republic Adventures stories being good and worthwhile, I can say with this next part of Sav's adventure that it's been fun to learn about some new characters in a newly explored era of SW history, as well as seeing the past of some other characters we already know. I enjoy Sav's story as well as the art. It would be fun to see Sav, Saya, and Raf.

[Adam Fisher · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is coming a bit late to me, so I have kind of moved on from the Phase Two stories of the High Republic. Young Sav Malagan is a fun character, especially for kids (which is the age level this is written for) and they become an amazing and respectable Jedi Master later on (seen in The Edge of Balance series). This story has Sav attempting to rescue Maz Kanata during battles on Jedha and Takodana.
Overall, a good story; fast-paced and well written... but I've moved on from this.
Recommend, especially if you read closer to the rest of the Phase 2 releases.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to see Maz Tanaka and Dexter Jettster in this, even if it's just barely. I guess both species live for an extremely long time. It's about a new Padawan who has went undercover with a pirate gang that Maz is running. She's been captured and these guys are trying to get her back. It's mostly fighting across Jedha and Takodana but has a lighter tone for younger readers with the main character having some self doubt. It's honestly better than any of the Phase II novels I've read.

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is ultimately a fairly light-hearted heist style story that doesn't add a lot to the Phase 2 storyline (although does set roots that are reflected in Phase 3 to a small extent). The book focuses on kind of absurd action as Sav's allies crystallize and friend/foe change on a whim. There's lots of action and fun to be had, but it's definitely one of the shallowest experiences of Phase 2.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not terrible, but a bit too frenetic for my taste. The art is quite variable, too--really good in the first two issues collected here and little more than functional in the other two. If you're going to have two different artists, maybe try to get ones with a more similar style? This also seems to be focused on younger readers, so your mileage may vary.

[Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sav is a fun character. She feels very reminiscent of Luffy from One Piece, with her obsession with pirates, even to the point of shirking Jedi duties to act like one. It is cool to see Maz's castle this far in the past (with Therm Scissorpunch!). I don't think this Phase II series is as good as the Phase I one.

[Luke Hansen · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

The Jedi Adventure comics are consistently my least favorite aspect of The High Republic—which is fine since I’m well out of the intended demographic.

The characters lack defining qualities and memorable roles in the narrative . Sav is fun but, again, lacked any development. The whole story just feels stagnant.

[Helena Greenfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is aimed at a younger audience so I am not exactly the target of it. I try to bear that in mind when reviewing and honestly I did enjoy the characters quite a lot and it was a fun little comic run!

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Review for both volumes read back to back

It's a story in the Disney line of comics for children, so you know exactly what you'll get:

A Mary Sue female lead and homosexual relationships.
Oh, also ridiculously misplaced dialogue like "I feel seen".

Don't bother reading.

[Renn · Rating 2 out of 5]

It really annoyed me that I could barely see what was going on during any battle or fight scene—everything was so muddled— but now I wonder if that was on purpose to cut down on the violence. Either way, I didn’t like it that much.

[Ahdom · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun wrap up to phase II of the High Republic Adventure story. It's been a fun ensemble adventure, but not my favorite story. This is a fun read for younger readers!

[Star Wars Lads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The follow-up to The High Republic Adventures Phase I is much more underwhelming than its predecessor.

Check out our review on the channel now!
https://youtu.be/8RTN2wAUbmo

[Tyson]

raf and alak 🫶

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story is fine. It's fine. I think it's a me problem, but the writing seems lower-caliber than normal and this art style is rubbing me the wrong way.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I liked this better than the first volume honestly!

[Elliot Miles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girlfailure fr

[Danielle S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I screamed when Tera Senubi showed up. What a funky little dude.