Star Wars. High Republic III: El ojo de la oscuridad

Star Wars: The High Republic

by George Mann, Albert Agut Iglesias (translator)

One year after the tragic events of The Fallen Star, the Jedi fight to break the Nihil’s control over the galaxy.

The galaxy is divided. Following the shocking destruction of Starlight Beacon, the Nihil have established an impenetrable barrier called the Stormwall around part of the Outer Rim, where Marchion Ro rules and his followers wreak havoc at his every whim. Jedi trapped behind enemy lines, including Avar Kriss, must fight to help the worlds being pillaged by the Nihil while staying one step ahead of the marauders and their Nameless terrors.

Outside of the Nihil’s so-called Occlusion Zone, Elzar Mann, Bell Zettifar, and the other Jedi work alongside the Republic to reach the worlds that have been cut off from the rest of the galaxy. But every attempt to breach the Stormwall has failed, and even communication across the barrier is impossible. The failures and losses weigh heavily upon both Elzar and Bell as they search desperately for a solution.

But even if the Republic and Jedi forces manage to breach the Stormwall, how can the Jedi fight back against the Nameless creatures that prey on the Jedi’s connection to the Force? And what other horrors does Marchion Ro have in store? As desperation for both the Jedi and the Republic grows, any hope of reuniting the galaxy could be all but extinguished. . . .

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Fantasy, Space Opera, Adult

456 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2023

About the author

George Mann is an author and editor, primarily in genre fiction. He was born in Darlington, County Durham in 1978.
A former editor of Outland, Mann is the author of The Human Abstract, and more recently The Affinity Bridge and The Osiris Ritual in his Newbury and Hobbes detective series, set in an alternate Britain, and Ghosts of Manhattan, set in the same universe some decades later.
He wrote the Time Hunter novella "The Severed Man", and co-wrote the series finale, Child of Time.
He has also written numerous short stories, plus Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes audiobooks for Big Finish Productions. He has edited a number of anthologies including The Solaris Book of New Science Fiction, The Solaris Book of New Fantasy and a retrospective collection of Sexton Blake stories, Sexton Blake, Detective, with an introduction by Michael Moorcock.

Reviews

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another spectacular entry by George Mann! The High Republic series really fires on all cylinders when in the adult book format. This book brings the epic of Phases 1 and 2, but with much more emotional impact, as we really feel for the characters here.

One year has passed since the Fall of Starlight Beacon, and things are only getting worse. The Nihil have set up the Stormwall separating Nihil space, cutting off dozens, if not hundreds of planets from the help they so desparately need from the Republic.

There are many of our heroes who are inside and outisde the Occlusion Zone who try to fight back against the Nihil. Inside the wall, Avar Kriss and Porter Engle work independently, trying to find anything they can to help the situation. Outside the wall, Bell Zettifar, Elzar Mann, and Chancellor Lina Soh try their best to stop the situation from getting worse.

What makes this book feel special is it kind of has tones and some ideas that Infinity War does. In this book, everyone is reacting to what the villain Marchion Ro will do or has done, and the book is really centered around him as the focus. Because of this, he takes on this villanous protagonist figure that Thanos has in Infinity War. When I looked at the book that way, it really intrigued me. There is even a sequence early in the book where Ro executes a major character in a similar way that Thanos does in Infinity War.

There are also some great parallels and themes to real life that I enjoyed, particularly in the idea between the Nihil and the Republic conflict. For one thing, the Fall of Starlight Beacon really seems to be a similar event to the real world "9/11", which I find really fascinating. For another thing, the way that the Nihil are so focused on terror and so unfocused on governing also mirrrors many terrorist groups today.

I also enjoy the dichotomy of the Nihil versus the Republic and the Jedi on a social and cultural level. The Nihil here are portrayed as raucous and metal heads and chaotic and rulebreakers, whereas the Republic and the Jedi are much more organized, calm, cool, and respectful.

I think that if you've read the other High Republic books, you are going to love all the easter eggs in this one. If you haven't read everything, and have really only read the adult books so far, you'll be just fine, as George Mann does what every great Tie-in ficiton writer does and fills in any gaps you may have, but does it in an organic way.

There is one sequence in this book that is incredibly well written and delievered, and feels almost cinemtatic to me. It has to do with the Stormwall, but let me tell you I wanted to have a visual representation of this after I read it. Some great descriptive writing here!

All of the minor plotlines were easy to follow and to be honest, enjoyable to follow. There weren't any small plotlines that I found myself wanting to get past, I enjoyed them all, a very difficult feat in a multi-protagonist story like this.

Overall, a terrific book by George Mann. I'm not sure if its the best High Republic book, but its in the upper echelons with Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm. 9.5 out of 10!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judged on its own merits, and removed from the ennui of Phase II's vast temporal detour from these characters and this conflict, this was a fun Star Wars adventure with plenty of Jedi derring do under difficult circumstances and some Trek-ish elements to make the chaotic Nihil a little more of a credible threat to the Galaxy-spanning Republic.


In spite of the title there's not as much of this Bad Boy as you might expect, he mostly alternately broods and rages in his throne room. Ho-hum.

I'm definitely interested in what comes next, hoping Charles Soule or another of his luminous colleagues can blow the doors off with the finale when it eventually does arrive.

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the beginning of the third phase of the High Republic series. This takes place after the first phase where it looks like the Nihil have won and are a formidable presence in this galaxy. How do the Jedi and the Republic respond?

I have been vocal of how I have not exactly enjoyed the overall series. To me it has felt bloated at times while I have had no connection to our heroes. At the same time I have thought the Nihil have been made too strong and has protection armor. That being said I did think this was a promising start to the new phase. I finally felt some connection to characters and I finally started rooting for some of our heroes. Even though much does not happen in this book it finally felt like we a building towards something. Maybe I feel this way because I know we are building to the culmination of this series. This book is basically the movie A New Hope. Our heroes have won a tiny battle but the war is not over. We all know that there is more to come and we all know Disney is going to drag it out over many offerings to get the most out of it.

For the first time throughout this long running series and throughout the different phases I am finally interested in the path of the story. I am interested in what happens to certain characters and how the plot gets played out. I still feel like there are certain plot aspects that feel out of place for this universe but they did not bother me as much as they did in previous offerings. I believe that is the case because it finally felt like we are doing something here and not just spinning our wheels and going nowhere. For the first time in a very long time I am piqued about this story. I look forward to the next offering and want to read it.

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 4 out of 5]

these characters have my heart

[Iwi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt so unneeded, only like 150 pages seemed important to the story.

I'm very confused about a wall in space. I don't think they use the word hyperdrive correctly. It was so long for what felt like nothing.

I did like seeing Bell and Ember of course, and Avar was fun but the Nihil have gotten even more cartoonish. I think the issue is having so many books about them when their only thing is Chaos and Destruction. I don't get Ro's hate or what he wants. It feels immature to have such a huge group be so motivated by "dancing on the corpses of their enemies". How are they their enemies? I know the Path started as an anti jedi group but this is generations later, what do the individuals think of to motivate themselves to participate in this brutal life where their leader will snap their neck if he's feeling moody?

A l s o I didn't like the implication that the republic (courscant) was feeding and governing all these other planets personally. I feel like that diminishes the scale of the galaxy and the politics within. Which I have been having a problem with since the sequels. The republic colonizing the galaxy has always been an ick but acting like this recent frontier colonization is the only reason these planets survive is a major ick.

I'm gonna finish the series but I'm tired of it too.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Starlight Beacon has been destroyed. The loss of innocent life, including Republic citizens and Jedi Knights, is staggering. Whole planetary systems are lost behind the Nihil's impenetrable stormwall. No one can get in. No one can get out. It is the darkest of times for the Republic.

The leader of the Nihil, Marchion Ro, gloats on his throne. His campaign of wanton violence continues unabated, as his Nihil hordes continue to ravage the innocent planets within Nihil space behind the stormwall, what the Nihil call the Occlusion Zone.

Still, for the Jedis caught on either side of the stormwall, there may be hope.

George Mann's "The Eye of Darkness" continues the story started in Charles Soule's "Light of the Jedi", Cavan Scott's "The Rising Storm", and Claudia Gray's "The Fallen Star".

I wish I could say it was any better than those books, but no, it isn't. If anything, it's even more boring. At least those previous books had some pretty exciting action sequences. This one had a handful of lightsaber duels and space battles, but mostly, this is a novel in which a majority of the characters talk. And talk. And think thoughts. And talk some more.

As Lego Emperor Palpatine said in the "Lego Star Wars Holiday Special": "Less talky talky! More fighty fighty!"

Strangely, despite how crappy I find these books, I still end up reading them...

P.S. I read this as an audiobook, replete with sound effects, John Williams's fantastic score, and Marc Thompson's narration. I just wish they had spent as much time and effort on the story as they did on the production value for the audiobook.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much so enjoyed this entry to THR. I took my time with it because I didn’t want it to end. I loved this start to Phase III. The stakes are high, and we are back with our beloved favorite characters. Mann did a fantastic job with making the characters feel authentic and by creating deep and exciting scenes. Very pleased.

[Johnny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven’t read it yet of course but the cover was revealed and that cover deserves 5 stars

UPDATE: Okay I read it. Officially 4 stars now! I really just have one huge complaint, and I want to air it out here. So, spoilers to follow:

What’s the problem with the Stormwall expanding? The Jedi and Chancellor are all like “oh if they expanded it once they can do it again, how awful.” No? They should hope for the Stormwall to keep expanding. The more space the Nihil capture, the more Republic planets and ships and RDC bases get inside. That’s exactly what they were trying to do. And when the wall expanded the first time and everyone flew away from it. The hell? You were literally just trying to get inside it!

Other than all that, I loved it.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is a translation of my German spoiler-free review over at Jedi-Bibliothek.

The Eye of Darkness by George Mann sets the stage for Phase III
The time has finally come: On November 14, George Mann's The Eye of Darkness kicked off the novel section of the third phase of the High Republic. A year after the fall of Starlight Beacon and the conclusion of Phase I, readers are reunited with the beloved adult protagonists many have come to love and miss. In this review, learn how Mann's first adult novel of the High Republic manages to engage fans from both phases and find out whether it lives up to the expectations placed upon it!

It has been a year since Starlight Beacon was destroyed by the Nihil, claiming the lives of not only civilians but also many Jedi. However, the Eye of the Storm, Marchion Ro, strives for more, even after dividing the galaxy with his "Stormwall" and establishing his own regime. While some Jedi, including Avar Kriss, find themselves trapped in the Nihil's "Occlusion Zone," Elzar Mann and Bell Zettifar stand helplessly on the Republic side, desperately trying to surmount the great barrier. However, Ro himself isn't the only force plaguing the galaxy — his Nameless creatures continue to pose a seemingly insurmountable threat to the Jedi…

The Exposition of Darkness
The Eye of Darkness presents no small feat for author George Mann. Firstly, a whole year has passed since the fall of Starlight Beacon within the galaxy, and secondly, as readers, we've also spent almost two years without the protagonists of the first phase. Therefore, Mann does not only need to establish the current state of the galaxy and portray familiar but mentally changed characters, but he also has to emotionally reconnect with us as readers. Hence, it is hardly surprising that the novel spents a considerable amount of pages on exposition. The separation of the galaxy is particularly well written, manifesting itself through territorial borders as well as an emotional impact on the characters. However, this results in a somewhat slow start to the story, leaving readers pondering about the core conflict of the book for a while. Simultaneously, the novel uses its exposition to adequately inform the reader, making you understand the dynamics and political landscape of the galaxy quickly.

The latter is one of the most intriguing aspects of the novel, as The Eye of Darkness takes plenty of time for politics – albeit surprisingly on the side of the villains rather than the Republic. The power games within the Nihil, featuring a newly established political structure, were exceptionally captivating, although somewhat predictable. On the Republic side, we finally get more insight into the emotional state of Lina Soh, a facet I greatly appreciated, though I would have liked to see more of her politics and to follow her beyond her conversations with the Jedi. Unfortunately, this is where the novel missed out on political potential.

Concentrated Chaos
One area where The Eye of Darkness certainly fulfills its potential is in its choice of protagonists. After the last two adult novels largely sidelined Avar Kriss, we are finally granted the opportunity to delve into her emotional world once again. Driven by isolation and feeling of guilt, hers was the most captivating perspective of the book for me. Elzar Mann's portrayal also remains consistent with his journey thus far. While he goes through similar challenges to Avar, the two protagonists’ differing approaches create a compelling tension. Bell Zettifar's perspective, although enjoyable to follow, doesn't deviate much from his previous storylines in past novels. The usual Nihil henchman perspectives are present as well, and, of course, there's Marchion Ro, who, in my opinion, deserved much more page time, primarily because he is mainly being perceived from the outside rather than allowed to contribute his own perspective to the novel. In the few instances where his POV is used, George Mann drops some intriguing hints, which, unfortunately, are not expanded upon yet. You can clearly tell that this is just the beginning of the Phase and that readers are supposed to hope for more. In this regard, Mann has undoubtedly succeeded.

In addition to these characters, there are a couple more perspectives and character appearances—some positively surprising, others frightening—most of them particularly effective when you discover them within the novel yourself. Overall, however, the novel's story is very narrow. In contrast to certain other works from the High Republic, the perspective does not constantly switch within the same chapter. Accordingly, some chapters of the book are quite short, a style choice I personally prefer over many point-of-view changes. Although The Eye of Darkness remains an ensemble novel, it feels more like the personal journey—or the beginning of it—of its main characters. Galaxy-wide consequences thus become accessible problems for readers through individual fates. The novel exudes a sense of focus that sets it apart from other works in The High Republic, making it particularly exciting and emotionally engaging for me. At times, the division between perspectives feels somewhat unbalanced, but given that this serves to enhance the novel’s suspense, I can easily look past that.

High Republic - high expectations
Thinking of a book from the High Republic is likely going to elicit associations with the feelings of fear and hope. It is precisely these emotions that Mann awakens and maintains throughout the novel's plot. The emotional turmoil of the main characters is palpable, their frustration is transferred to the reader, and their despair makes us fear for them. However, The Eye of Darkness is not just as dark as its title suggests. George Mann occasionally grants his characters a moment of respite amidst all the chaos, allowing them as well as the reader a well-deserved break to briefly process what has happened. As a result, the novel strikes a good balance between a tense and satisfying reading experience—losses hit hard, successes feel earned. One could critique the fact that the emotional distress of the characters is repeated quite frequently throughout the book. While this personally didn't bother me and only added to the weight of the emotions, I can imagine some readers might find this overbearing.

Whether The Eye of Darkness fulfills the expectations of a The High Republic fan probably depends on personal hopes and cannot be answered generally. Personally, I held more emotional expectations than content-related ones and tried to keep my hopes in check to avoid potential disappointment, especially after the death of one of my favorite characters in a previous novel. In fact, this approach turned out to be the best way for me to delve into this novel, as not only were my hopes fulfilled, but my expectations were positively exceeded. Once I grasped the novel's goal, understanding that it was primarily about establishing the conflict rather than telling the story of significant, high-casualty battles, I could sit back (more or less) and thoroughly enjoy following my favorite characters on their journeys, thus becoming completely emotionally invested in their personal challenges. Although the plot became somewhat predictable after the exposition, with the novel's losses no longer surprising me, I've reached a point where I prefer a well-written, engaging story with a clear goal over a narrative filled with shock value twists and turns any day. The clear focus of The Eye of Darkness allows us to understand the lessons the characters learn and perhaps even take something away from them ourselves. How do you learn to trust yourself again after making mistakes? How much hope can you invest in people whom you’ve lost behind battle lines? How do you stay true to your own principles amidst so much pain and chaos? The Eye of Darkness provides answers to many of these questions – answers I will surely be contemplating for a while.
The power of connections

On the other hand, The Eye of Darkness also purposefully leaves certain questions unanswered. Marchion Ro unfortunately remains a bit of an enigma, and characters around him, such as Boolan, only make shadowy appearances. Certain encounters between characters create potential for conflict that is not yet exploited here. In the context of this novel, this seems confusing at times, but it makes sense that Mann is simply laying clues for future works and allowing readers to make their own assumptions in the meantime. It’s also worth noting how George Mann embeds his novel in the overall structure of The High Republic. There are, of course, several connections to Phase I, which serve as poignant reminders of lost characters and traumatic fates. However, there is a character whose fate was still unclear after Phase I who appears in this book, and it seems like a central piece of information about them is omitted, as they are not addressed any further, leaving me with some questions. Perhaps the comic Shadows of Starlight, which Mann also links his novel with several times, will shed light on this later. There also appears to be a small mistake regarding a character who is actually deceased showing up on page - but as this is only a short mention by name, it is not too bothersome. The intrigue deepens when Mann builds bridges to Phase II. The prequel phase of the High Republic has definitely not yet unfolded its full narrative potential, as this novel highlights several times, and I'm curious to see how further connections will be made.

Conclusion
The Eye of Darkness by George Mann serves as a captivating introduction to a new phase of The High Republic and demonstrates that you don’t need an excessive number of casualties to tell a gripping and moving story. The author successfully blends exciting political intrigue with compelling emotional destinies, allowing the reader to empathize through focused narration. In doing so, Mann not only sets the stage for the third Phase but also positions its central characters. Not everything is answered, not all threads are drawn to their conclusion, and yet the characters have changed and gained new insights— this is exactly what I expect from an opening novel, and it is precisely what The Eye of Darkness delivers.

Many thanks to Random House Audio for providing us with a review copy!

[Admiral Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOY I LOVE THE HIGH REPUBLIC!!!!! It was a sad breaking story but in the end was filled with so much hope. I loved being able to see more of Marchion, Avar, and Elzar. Truly an amazing cast of characters and an amazing story I can’t wait for the rest of phase 3.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Random House Worlds for the review copy of this book. This review is spoiler free.

George Mann returns to the world of The High Republic, offering up his first ever full length adult Star Wars novel, The Eye of Darkness. It’s been a year since the fall of Starlight Beacon and things are bleak. The Nihil still have a large section of the galaxy cordoned off in their Occlusion Zone, with Avar Kriss and Porter Engle both fighting from within its borders. Meanwhile, Bell Zettifar and Burryaga go on mission after mission aiding the territories bordering the Occlusion Zone, providing assistance however they can. Elzar Mann is still reeling from so much loss while navigating a Republic that’s found itself lost and at a political crossroads. Let’s not forget Marchion Ro, the titular Eye, who led the Nihil to victory but philosophically is at odds with the direction the Nihil is heading.

I know I’m not the only High Republic fan who’s been anxiously awaiting the return of the beloved characters from Phase I. I grew very fond of the new characters introduced in Phase II but couldn’t wait to catch up with the likes of Avar, Elzar, Bell, Burry, among others. My excitement for this return might have slightly clouded my memory, as The Eye of Darkness is solidly not a happy affair. I knew this going in, obviously, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for how bleak of an affair it would be. The Eye of Darkness is the dark side twin of Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi (am I now just realizing that light and dark are literally in both of their titles? Quite possibly). All of this aside, The Eye of Darkness, while somber in tone, is a book I never wanted to put down. Mann does a stellar job of balancing multiple POV’s and taking readers on an emotional, psychological, and thrilling Star Wars adventure. And don’t get me wrong, I love me a bleak story; books are always more interesting to me when the heroes are down and out and the path to success is anything but clear.

George Mann has done what I thought was, at this point, highly implausible: causing my love for some of my all time favorite Star Wars characters to grow even more. In Mann’s hands, Bell Zettifar is as resilient as ever; his determination and sense of righteousness as he goes on missions to help those in the surrounding areas of the Occlusion Zone is heartwarming. Add to this his bromantic reunion with Burryaga and you’ve got pure joy on the page. Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann are separated, in more ways than one. Avar’s connection with the Force has weakened, its song barely a whisper, but she’s as determined as ever to fight for peace and fairness in the galaxy. Elzar Mann is still struggling with the choices he made during Starlight’s demise and aching for a sense of purpose and connection.

Of course at the center of all the chaos is the Eye of the Nihil himself, Marchion Ro. The Eye of Darkness, for numerous reasons, is a character study and Ro might be the most fascinating of all. Here’s a being who’s literally won; his Nihil have achieved their goal of defeating the Jedi (he quite literally has Jedi killers in the Nameless) and taking over a large territory of space, yet Ro is adrift. He doesn’t quite seem to know what to make of things, going so far as to let his lover Ghirra Starros have a solo meeting with the Republic, knowing all along she likely will fail. I think that Marchion’s character arc is still in the early stages. Unlike his Jedi counterparts, who have had to make massive changes and choices in their fight against the Nihil, Ro has been coasting on his success. George Mann hints at a family member who might be at the core of Ro’s struggle, but all we get is a whisper, making me believe that there’s still more layers to this mysterious Evereni.

The Eye of Darkness is an exploration of shadows. The shadows that threaten to dominate when all hope seems lost. The shadows that exist in utter loneliness. The shadows that tempt us to give in because continuing on is utterly exhausting. While darkness always comes before light, it’s anyone’s guess how the Jedi will pull themselves out of this particularly challenging bind. George Mann has crafted a stunner, I give The Eye of Darkness 🧢🧢🧢🧢/5 – highly recommend!

[☆lindsay☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

AVAR KRISS THE WOMAN THAT YOU ARE

[Tyson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

lina soh being an elvar shipper i cheered

[Arezou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marchion Ro hive, make some noise!

I promise I’ll be serious now, but with a cover like that, how else did you expect me to kick this off? The High Republic Phase III has officially kicked off with George Mann’s The Eye of Darkness, which hops forward in the timeline, taking us to the year following the crash of the Starlight Beacon, and into a galaxy now partially under Nihil control.

Following their victory over the Republic, the Nihil — under the now-public leadership of Marchion Ro — have set up their base of operations in a portion of the Outer Rim now known as the “Occlusion Zone,” protected by a massive impenetrable “Stormwall” that keeps the Republic out, and keeps anyone stuck behind it in. Though it has been a full year since the fall of the Starlight Beacon, and the incident that claimed the lives of so many (including Stellan Gios, who despite my two years of delusions is apparently not residing with the mermaids on Eiram…that we know of), the Republic is still scrambling to pick up the pieces.

Communications are not what they were, the Jedi Order is becoming more and more entrenched in politics — a sign of things to come, perhaps? — and our Jedi heroes are scattered to the winds, with Bell and Burry on rescue missions, Avar roughing it in the Occlusion Zone, and Elzar now forced to play a political role he never really wanted. Not to mention, plenty of new characters/former background characters are brought more to the forefront and given a chance to truly shine, including Rhil Darios, who might just be one of my new favorites.

As for Marchion Ro, now saddled with a leadership position he doesn’t seem overly interested in, chaos continues to spread. He is a textbook example of the ends not completely justifying the means, but also the ends remaining just understandable enough that it keeps him compelling, and terrifying, knowing there’s little he won’t do to get what he wants. As for that shocking revelation about his affair with former Senator Ghirra Starros — who herself has a fascinating arc in this book — there is little I can say in any sort of intelligent or critical capacity, but lets just say there are ample ample crumbs.

With The Eye of Darkness, Mann is given the unenviable task of having to kick-off two timeline jumps — both back to this particular era, and also a year ahead of where we last saw these characters — and he pulls it off beautifully. The first 80 pages or so are reminiscent of Light of the Jedi in that they throw you into the action headfirst and offer very little room to breathe, but soon enough everything settles and allows the character work The High Repulbic does so well to rise to the surface. There is nothing easy about the dilemmas in The Eye of Darkness, no right answer for any of the characters, and it is that struggle that makes up the bulk of the book. It’s no longer a question about preventing a conflict, but rather one of choosing the best course of action when it comes knocking at (or blasting down) your door.

The Eye of Darkness is a welcome return to the High Republic, and to this era of characters in particular, and a fabulous kick-off for this final phase of storytelling that is sure to entertain and devastate in equal measure as we hurtle slowly but surely towards that grand finale.

The Eye of Darkness hits shelves on November 14. Special thank you to Random House Worlds for the advance copy for review purposes.

[Seth Tillman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m disappointed to say that this has been my least favorite of the High Republic books so far. This is especially true as the follow up to Cataclysm, neither of which did much to further the overall narrative of the series. It introduced new secondary villains that weren’t particularly compelling. The title makes it sound like it will focus on Marchion Ro, but he played a bigger role in previous books. Maybe I missed something in one of the other books but the sudden addition of the storm wall was jarring to me.

[ShamNoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Loved it. Felt so good to come back to these characters, and didn’t mind playing catch up with a slow pace. Great action, surprisingly hopeful, and very much looking forward to the rest of this phase.

[Kels · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love when marchion ro does evil things while looking sexy. and avar is sexy by just existing.

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished this while doing reading sprints on my youtube channel last night! I really enjoyed this installment and it was a sad ending but I didn't cry what is wrong with me?! I cannot wait to read the next installment of this series such a fun read, always recomended the audiobook!(:

[Alex (late.knight.reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

All I can say is I AM UNWELL (this book was amazing, thank you George)

[Jesús De la Jara · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Todo lo que hago termina en sufrimiento.
¿Tan ciego estoy?
¿Tan perdido?
Stellan nunca habría cometido este error
Yo debería haber caído con el Faro, no él.
No soy lo bastante bueno.
Lo siento, Avar, nunca seré lo bastante bueno."

Ha pasado un año desde la caída del faro Starlight y Marchion Ro ha logrado aislar la galaxia en un sector para él llamada la Zona de Oclusión. Esta zona es impenetrable pues cuenta con una barrera llamada Muro Tormenta que tiene droides temibles que matan todo lo que está a su paso, y si las naves enemigas quieren hacer un salto son destruidas o desaparecen. El control temible que tiene Ro de los caminos ha logrado semejante proeza. Por tanto, hay algunos jedi que están fuera de esa zona y otros que están dentro.

"Otros más como Bell y Burryaga o Mirro y Amadeo, intentan conseguir un motor Camino Nihil que permita abrir una brecha en el muro. Y otros, como Reath y Emerick, buscan una solución al problema de los sin nombre. Nuestros mejores cerebros trabajan sin descanso para encontrar una solución"

Elzar Mann es uno de los que se encuentra a salvo en Coruscant, allí como se vio en los cómics de "Shadow of Stalight" el consejo jedi determinó los Protocolos Guardián, una serie de medidas extremas hechas para salvaguardar a los Jedi. Otros jedi como Bell Zettifar y Burryaga está en las fronteras cuidadando de incursiones Nihil. Allí Bell está a bordo de la nave "Tratado". Bell en esta novela sigue demostrando su valor no solo en el ataque y contraataque, sino también en rescatar vidas: hasta la última le importa. Avar Kriss, por su parte, está en la Zona de Oclusión, paradójicamente en el sistema Hetzal. Se ha camuflado e incluso ocultado su diadema. Ella empieza a criticarse todo, incluso admite de que en realidad ella huyó de Coruscant y no por excusas de que iba a perseguir a alguien o tratar de acabar con los Nihil. En realidad huía de su fracaso. También se siente mal por lo de Elzar, piensa que debió acompañarlo y no ir. Tanto ella como Elzar se sienten mal por no haber apoyado al otro en esos momentos.

"A la República le encanta infiltrarse en culturas distintas mediante la propagación informal de sus creencias. Y los Jedi son esenciales para eso, predicando paz mientras empuñan las armas, proclamando la no interferencia cuando hacen lo contrario. No son más que unos hipócritas."

Mientras, en el bando de los Nihil, Ro vive en su fortaleza en Hetzal. Todos los planetas dentro de su sistema sufre de asesinatos, cobros de ingentes cantidades de dinero y hambruna ya que para controlarlos no les permiten usar todos los recursos. La periodista Rhil está presa y ahora cubre la prensa de Marchion. Es obligada a presenciar la muerte del maestro del Consejo Jedi Pra-Tre Veter con un Sin Nombre ante las cámaras. Esta acción fue transmitida a toda la galaxia y fue muy salvaje y humillante para los Jedi y la República. Marchion tiene a los Sin Nombre con artefactos que les causa dolor y los mata de hambre para que le teman.
Los ánimos se caldean y Elzar y la canciller luego de ver la matanza del maestro jedi van al Consejo Jedi para tener una tensa reunión con ellos sobre qué hacer. La parte política es disfrutable ya que están en un periodo de alta emergencia e incluso Ghirra Starros, la senadora traidora que ha estado con Ro todo este tiempo, se ofrece a mediar. También tenemos muchos otros personajes, como Melis Shryke que es la protegida de la general Viess y debe atraer Jedi para dárselas al doctor loco Boolan, quien experimenta con ellos. Bell deduce que sus ataques son para eso.
Me gusta que Elzar sea el personaje principal, a pesar de que no es miembro el consejo lo toman en cuenta para todo y parece que él lleva todo el peso. Elzar se pone a prueba aquí y mucho, tiene muchos cuestionamientos, se siente inferior a sus dos amigos. Siente realmente que fue culpa de él muchas cosas y que por la muerte de Stellan él debería llenar ese vacío. Por ello toma su lugar y hasta la canciller lo considera como antes a Stellan. El mensaje que Elzar graba para Avar es conmovedor.
Me gustó mucho este libro. Sin lugar a dudas la calidad del escritor influye mucho en el resultado final. En este caso hubo mucha acción, quizás no tanto como en otros libros pero el modo de narrar leventa mucho la historia. Espero con mucha expectativa el siguiente libro "Tentación de la fuerza". Por la historia que debe contar debería ser uno de mis favoritos, espero que la pluma de la escritora esté como esta vez, a la altura.

"Se había estado mintiendo desde entonces. Se había dicho que la bondad de Stellan debía ser canalizada de algún modo. Que la galaxia no podía vivir sin ella. Que haría todo lo posible por encarnar lo que Stellan había sido, lo que había defendido."

[Jazmin Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Thank you, Porter. Thank you for this gift.”

Well that was another extremely amazing book from this beautiful collection of stories that is The High Republic. This book hit straight to the feels. It’s wonderful how George Mann has managed to range from the deepest and darkest feelings of despair and pain to the beauty of love and hope that is always present in Star Wars stories.
Avar Kriss the WOMAN you are, I knew from the very beginning she would be my favorite character and I wasn’t wrong.

[Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was great.

love seeing my faves again: Elzar, Avar, Marchion, etc.

Porter Engle was a real highlight, I loved the vibe and tone of all the stormwall stuff.

such a lovely return, if a little slow.

[Nova · Rating 3 out of 5]

stellan gios haunts me everyday…

[Saimi Korhonen · Rating 5 out of 5]

”In this war – and it was a war to Bell – every single life mattered. Every death was a failure. What else did for Light and Life mean if not that?”

The Eye of Darkness kicks off Phase 3 of the High Republic! The Nihil have won and carved out a huge chunk of space for themselves, sealing it behind their impenetrable Stormwall. Billions of being are at their mercy, including many Jedi, like Porter Engle and Avar Kriss. While the trapped heroes try and keep hope and light alive in the darkness of the Nihil, the Republic and the Jedi are working tirelessly to find a way to bring down the Nihil.

We are so back! George Mann knocks this story out of the park, delivering an emotional, dark yet always hopeful story, that perfectly sets the scene for phase 3, and beautifully starts weaving Phase 2 together with Phases 1 and 3. Reading this, I was so glad I have kept up with all the High Republic stories and that I had read Phase 2 - it is not necessarily 100% needed to understand this tale, but it makes so many things hit so much harder, offers intriguing context to many small lines here and there and just, over all, makes this story all the more interesting. Porter Engle says that this battle between the Republic and the Jedi against the Nihil is a long time coming, a conflict rooted in the past, and knowing that past, everything Marchion does has so much more weight to it. I also enjoyed how different this book felt to the Phase 1 adult novels. Those books were centered around one huge event and its aftermath, whereas this book is about multiple smaller, separate storylines, about the state of the galaxy and how helpless the Republic seems to be against the Nihil. This era already has a completely unique vibe to it and I'm loving it.

This novel was, as George Mann has described in many interviews, above all, a character study. I think all the characters felt like themselves while also a bit different from the last time we saw them, as they should be, since this book takes place a year after the traumatic events of The Fallen Star. Since I adore Elzar and Avar, it was no surprise that their chapters were my favorites. I loved how Mann explored their characters and how, in many ways, they are trapped on similar journeys with similar feelings of grief, regret, guilt and self-loathing. They are both trying to not be who they used to be, thinking that is the way to succeed and become better, but of course that's not how it works. They are so far from who they used to be and while that's fascinating and awesome as a reader, it hurt me, cause they are hurting so bad and they feel utterly lost. They are also both reeling from the loss of their polestar, Stellan, and everything to do with that trio and how broken they are now, made my heart ache. I love this trio so goddamn much (as I do Avar and Elzar as a ship - they were so good and angsty in this novel!). Elzar, my sweet messy sad boy, specially killed me with all his thoughts about Stellan and his desperation to make his friend's death mean something, to be what Stellan used to me. This quote hurt me to my very core: ”Elzar wished he still had faith as strong as Bell’s. That burning belief in his friends, in their will to survive, the immortality of youth. Once, he, Stellan and Avar had been like that. They’d thought it would go on forever. That nothing could tear their friendship apart. That no danger would ever really be deadly enough to take one of them away. How wrong they’d been.” I was also just so happy to have Avar back as a lead character in a novel. Don't get me wrong, I loved what Scott did with her in his comic, but you can just get so much deeper into a character in a novel. Avar is in a fascinating point in her life - a true low point (I mean, pretty much every character is at their lowest, apart from some of the Nihil) – and I was delighted to get to read in depth about that.

Other characters I enjoyed were obviously Bell and Burry (they are Knights now and I love them), Ghirra Starros, who has publicly joined the Nihil and has become their advocate (she is a complex, frustrating woman and for the most part I just wanted to bang her head with a frying pan to get her to see sense, but damn did I like her chapters) and Lina Soh, one of the standouts from Phase 1 for me and one of those rare, truly good and moral politicians in Star Wars. Speaking of Lina, one of the unsurprising highlights of the book for me was her friendship with Elzar: I liked how they kinda vibe with each other, understand each others frustrations and desperation, and become strong allies. Azlin Rell only briefly popped into this story, but he was still a standout - he truly is one of the great gifts of Phase 2. He is so strange, creepy but also quite sad a character. There is a haunting vibe to him.

This story is very dark and gloomy. Everyone is stretched thin, no one knows what the Nihil are planning next, the Jedi are unable to help all those who need it and people trapped within Nihil space have no way to reach out to help through the Stormwall, and those outside of Nihil space have no idea whether the people they love who are trapped are even alive. It's a dark time for the galaxy. But, in true Star Wars fashion, this novel is about the hope that can be found even in those darkest of times. For me, Star Wars is, at its heart, about a kind of defiant hope. A hope that will never be extinguished, no matter how bad it gets, and a hope that can sustain you at your lowest. A hope that carries you even if you know that you might never see the outcome of all your actions - I was reminded of that Andor quote: "I burn my life for a sunrise I know I will never see." Especially the Jedi of this novel embody this kind of defiant hope. They have no idea whether all the things they do have any lasting impact, if they are actually achieving good or whether none of it will amount to anything, but they keep doing their job anyway - they keep helping, fighting, researching, believing, hoping. The Jedi are helpless and on the losing side, but they all have to learn that trying is enough, that even if you do not always win the big fight, it matters if even one person is saved or helped. They hope cause to lose that hope is to let the Nihil kill their spirit. This quote was so good: "You may be a Jedi, but you don’t have to save everyone. You can’t save everyone. It’s the fact you even try that makes you different from the Nihil." People like Rhil Dairo are also a wonderful example of this defiant hope: she is a normal human woman, a journalist, who has ended up in a horrible situation and who is being used by monstrous people, but who still finds it in her heart to keep fighting and doing what she does best. She is not someone with superpowers, huge wealth or anything like that, she is just a normal person, and I love that, cause alongside Jedi and all that, SW has always also been about normal people who achieve great things. As a softie at heart, all this shit gets me right in the feels.

Another theme I greatly enjoyed was all the discussions surrounding retaliation, fighting back and diplomacy. There's always been, in SW, a lot about what is the right way to fight: when is it time to take up arms and start a revolution, when is it, instead, time to try and negotiate, to pursue diplomacy. I loved all those conversations with Lina and other politicians, and the Jedi, because many of them disagree, but they all have valid points. There is a certain safety in diplomacy, but can they truly negotiate with people like the Nihil without abandoning all they stand for? Can they fight against the Nihil and not risk thousands of lives? I've always loved the politics of Star Wars, so all of that was catnip for me.

So, yeah, you might say I really enjoyed this novel. George Mann's first foray into SW adult novels is a raging success and I am so glad he got to launch this new era. This is a brilliant novel.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Was not expecting a 9/10 on this for me but I just love how introspective my Mann George gets with these characters. It’s everything’s. Sure, he loves the word “belied” and the phrase “a mirror was held up to x”, but who can fault him when this is the product. Porter, Avar, and Elzar in Particlar shined for me, and each side character had their moments so shine. I can’t wait to read about Ram (my boy and honestly my inner child🥺) in the next entry. Marchion Ro, I might hate you beyond belief, but I love you, High Republic.

[Joshua Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good read to start off the third, and concluding phase of the high republic books. It had just enough call backs to the previous phases, plenty of action, some suspense, and mystery to entertain and keep you hooked. In true Star Wars fashion, the book ended - as all first trilogy books/movies do - with hope; I can only imagine how devastating book two will be.

The dynamics of all of the key characters were very intricately intertwined, but done with enough exposition that you didn’t feel completely lost. As someone who doesn’t read the comics, it was nice getting more about Porter who was a fascinating character, and seeing the once “perfect” Avar struggle so throughout made for a great dynamic POV. I think the star had to be Elzar though. While we don’t actually see him do a whole lot aside from one battle, his character development is what is the real winner. Honorable mention to Bells growth from taking a step forward after giving into fear self pity from previous books.

I did notice, compared to phase 1 and 2, that this book really hammered that you need to read or at least know about the YA Books too. It felt like every five chapters you got a reminder of “don’t forget about Reath Silas”. On the one hand, it was nice to see the YA books get the recognition they deserve. While they almost require the main series to survive, it’s not always the case vice versa. But it bordered on “don’t forget to spend on this other book to understand what I’m talking about”.

Lastly, there is a book released after Phase 2 called “Tales of Light and Life”. It is a collection of short stories like the old “Tales of the…” series from legends. I skipped this and do regret it, specifically I felt like I was lacking information on Bell that I think wasn’t as well rounded not having it.

[Brayden Raymond · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoy George Mann's writing, here he handles a typical High Republic ensemble cast of characters and manages to weave together a believable narrative that is really the set up for the grand finale of The High Republic Series. The desperation of Avar and Porter, the longing of Elzar, the frustration of Bell are all very well navigated. I do wish we saw a little more of Elzar (he's definitely my favorite THR character and his longing, desperation and struggle is what makes him one of the most interesting Jedi characters) or Bell's plot lines since the primary action was focused on Avar and Porter BUT I know they will get their opportunity before Phase 3 concludes.

[Alacritous13 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact George Mann can write 400 pages just setting the stage, and make it this engaging is truly a testament to his skill.

Very little happens in this book, but a lot is shown. It explorers the consequences and impacts of the last year (in universe), especially on the characters we know and love. In particular it showcases the inconsiquentiality of their actions.

While previous authors used charters deaths as their main means of traumatizing the readers, Mann uses nihilism. Easy 5 out of 5.

Ride the Storm

[Alec Costa]

eu vou morrer d ansiedade antes dele ser lançado

[eclipse · Rating 4 out of 5]

avar kriss i missed you so much