Seeds of Starlight

by George Mann, Todd Haberkorn (Narrator)

When people start going missing on the oceanic world of Eiram, one Jedi Master and three Padawans are all that the Jedi can spare to investigate. Upon their arrival the Jedi quickly realize there is more at stake than they could possibly have imagined. A dangerous threat has emerged from the crashed Starlight Beacon beneath the ocean depths, and no one is safe, not even the Jedi...

Genres: Star Wars, Audiobook, Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Space Opera

5 pages, Audible Audio

First published November 14, 2024

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

[rou · Rating 4 out of 5]

can george mann stop torturing eve byre please

[Jay DeMoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cam might just be my new favorite Padawan.

This was a pleasant surprise

[Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is by no means a story that is essential to your understanding of the High Republic but if you’re a completionist like me you’ll give it a listen. This follows up on a mystery from The Fallen Star and while the story is good I just couldn’t get past some of the voice acting. The narrator can’t voice children, especially a young girl like Tep Tep. I even found Kam Lindon’s robotic voice grating at times. I kind of wish he just didn’t have the speech apparatus and I probably would’ve connected with him more. It’s tough when you can’t fully connect to the main character. Despite being billed as two parts this does give you a complete story with a conclusion, with part 2 only being teased in the epilogue. I really hope we can switch up some of the voice acting otherwise it won’t be a very enjoyable experience.

My Overall Rating: For the writing I give it a 7 because it is a good story. The voice performance I give a 3 as it didn’t work most of the time.

[Admiral Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this story was a physical book I feel like I would’ve enjoyed it more, which is surprising because I usually love audiobooks. But this one really wasn’t for me. Also the narration of some of the characters (… tep tep) was so bad and hard to listen to. The story was fine but there was things that just kept me not being invested

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that we essentially got an additional middle grade novel for phase 3. I’m now so concerned about Master Eve Byre because my girl cannot catch a break. 🥲

[Sofia Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good! I didn't expect I'd enjoy it so much.

[S.t. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The reader was very bad. The juvenile character voices were grating and unlistenable. As a story for a youth centric audience it was just mediocre. I am glad it was included in my Audible membership and I didn’t waste any credits.

[Tanner Reeve · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m not sure how, but there has to be a better way for a grown man to voice young girls than just squeaky falsetto. Fine enough story, definitely didn’t expect the Drengir to come back, there just wasn’t quite enough going on for me to care about any more than the main character.

[Topher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars because I don’t enjoy having to listen to an audio drama without a script but I actually did enjoy it. It was high republic so that automatically scores some points and it also follows some of my favorite characters and has new ones that are thrown in who I started to care about as well. You will be lost a little if you haven’t read the Middle Grade novels but doesn’t seem too hard to jump into regardless. Lots of fun and I am excited to see where this takes us in the overall storyline

[E.F. Buckles · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Note: This book appears to only be available on audio. I’ve tried to find the names on the Star Wars wiki to know how to spell them, but please forgive if I manage to mess them up anyway, LOL.)

I believe this is only the second Star Wars novel I’ve ever read, the first one being “Light of the Jedi” by Charles Soule, which, if I recall, was the first book in the High Republic series of releases. I have no idea what number “Seeds of Starlight” is chronologically in this series. I mainly grabbed it because I have Audible for a little while right now, this book and its sequel were free with my subscription, and I’ve been known to enjoy the middle grade and YA Star Wars TV shows like “Rebels” and “The Bad Batch,” so I figured chances were high that I would like this, too.

And I did. :) It’s clear that there are stories that came before this one, but the author did a good job giving enough context that I was able to follow this story without having read those other books. It did help a little to have read the first book in the overarching High Republic series, though, given some passing mentions of things like “the catastrophe” (an event where a transport broke up in hyperspace and sent tons of shrapnel shooting at various planets) and the “Nihil” (one of the “Big Bad” groups of this era), so I don’t know if someone who didn’t even read that would struggle or feel like they’d missed some important things, or not.

That said, I think the strength of this story was the characters. I hadn’t “met” any of them due to not reading the other books that some of them had appeared in previously. (Apparently, Jedi Master Eve Byre, and padawans Tep Tep and Kildo, were in previous books.) And some of them, like our new padawan friend, Cam, were introduced for the first time in this book. But the author skillfully established their personalities and backgrounds quickly so I didn’t feel lost or confused about who anyone was. They were each distinct, and I liked following them as individuals as well as a group. Cam and Master Byre were my favorites.

The story itself was very interesting, too. We had a mystery going on as people on a certain planet kept going missing. Not just citizens, but well-trained Jedi. And then, (minor spoiler) Master Byre also goes missing, so the padawans are left to figure out where everyone went and try to save them before it’s too late.

I really liked the teamwork on display here. Each individual had unique strengths (without that being their only character trait, thankfully… I don’t like it when characters are only allowed to be one thing.) and it was good to see them all come together, and even find new and unexpected allies, to solve the big problems they were facing. There was also a lovely theme of forgiveness going on here, which I really appreciated.

Tep Tep was a really fun character who stood out to me because of her empathetic heart that could look beyond the surface and try to find a reason to understand and be kind to anyone.

Cam, was my favorite, though. He’s already been through a lot in his young life, including an accident that injured him in such a way that he lost use of his natural voice and now has to use the monotone voice box of a droid. It makes him feel different and unable to express himself properly, so I really loved watching him learn to adapt and grow, and even find a way to use his voice to make a big difference, even if it doesn’t audibly sound the way it used to.

I also adored his dynamic with Master Byre. They hadn’t known each other long, but bonded quickly. She’d had a previous padawan who died (in a different book in the series), so that naturally impacted her dynamic with Cam as her new padawan. I can’t spoil exactly what happened, but there was a part at the end where they were both in mortal danger and I just love, love, loved how they managed to give each other strength to fight. Cam put himself in danger to try to help his master, refusing to abandon her to capture and death, and she nearly gave everything to protect him in return, despite something insidious trying to physically force her to hurt him. They didn’t give up on each other no matter what, and I just loved them so much. 😭 <3

I don’t want to spoil what was kidnapping the people on the planet, but it was quite an interesting investigation and reveal! The closest thing I have to a critique of this story is that certain things that happened in the big climax were a little bit creepy. As an adult reader, I wasn’t bothered by it, but when I was a middle school age, something like that would have really creeped me out to the point I don’t know if young me would have finished reading this. So just a heads up there for parents looking at this book for their kids. For myself, as an adult, it was just a little creepy, but mostly exciting, and led to the beautiful moment of Cam and Eve Byre protecting each other, so I really can’t complain much.

These High Republic stories, (at least the two that I’ve read so far,) have been like cotton candy to me. Just fun and entertaining, and honestly, quite well written. I like seeing the Jedi at their height, being noble and good people who help others. Since I listened to both “Light of the Jedi” and then this book on audio (It looks like this book in particular is only available on audio, while “Light of the Jedi” comes in print.), it seems worth saying that the audio productions have been excellent. You get sound effects in the background at appropriate times, like the “woosh” of lightsabers, blaster fire, etc. Occasionally, there’s a little music.

The narrators have been highly skilled as well, able to do many voices so that each character sounds unique. In the case of Cam, with his droid voice box, the audiobook even used a special effect so that when the narrator read his lines, he sounded like the talking droids from the Star Wars movies and TV shows. Characters who speak while wearing helmets are given the appropriate effects so you can hear that, too. It’s just a lot of fun for me to listen to, with a good story as well. I did think that the male narrator’s voice for young, female, Tep Tep was squeaky and high-pitched to the point of being unintentionally funny at times, but it didn’t detract from the story for me.

I’ve already downloaded and started the sequel to this book (also exclusively on audio), “Haunted Starlight.” While I don’t think I’ll ever get around to reading every book in the High Republic series, (It looks like there might be more than 35, ranging from Adult, to YA, to children’s, and comic books???), I’d like to track down at least a few more because I just am enjoying this era. I’ve been going through a stressful time irl, recently, so something entertaining like this is really appealing.
I recommend “Seeds of Starlight” to fans of Star Wars, young and old.


Content Advisory:
This book is aimed at Middle Grade and is generally appropriate for that age. However, parents will want to be aware of some scarier elements that some kids may be sensitive to, and which I will detail below.

The following sections may contain SPOILERS by necessity.

Language:
None.

Violence:
TW for mild hints of grief over a lost mentee (Cam’s master lost a padawan in a different book, and there are brief mentions of this fact throughout), and fear of loss of a close mentor figure (much more intense, especially near the end.)

Standard Star Wars violence, toned down a little bit for a middle grade audience, but it can still get intense at times. The book opens on a fairly intense fight where a master and padawan are trying to fend off a plant-like being (the description of this creature is not gross, but probably pretty scary for younger kids) that just keeps moving no matter how many tentacles or vines they (bloodlessly) chop off with lightsabers. The tentacles keep writhing despite getting cut off, too. It’s implied that the two Jedi either get killed or captured at the end of the chapter. (We learn later that they survived but were captured.)

Multiple action sequences throughout, with chasing people and some fighting with Star Wars style weapons. None of our young main characters get killed, though they are in serious peril several times.

One of the grosser/creepier things that happens is a MAJOR SPOILER, so heads up for the following:
The padawans discover that people are going missing because of the same sentient plant-like beings that were attacking the Jedi at the start of the story. These plant things operate as a hive-mind and they are known to sometimes eat people (not described), and use other people as hostages, controlling their still-living bodies (very described) with a vine penetrating the person’s spine, connecting to their central nervous system and physically controlling their actions to use them to build some sort of large technological device. There is some blood mentioned on these people's clothes from the punctures.

One individual Master Byre gets captured and has multiple punctures in her back and neck because the plant-beings are using her brain as a master controller for their hive-mind. This is intentionally described in a very creepy manner and would likely scare more sensitive young readers. The controlled person’s eyes are described as totally black, and her mind-controlled voice is very creepy in the audiobook. She is forced to act zombie-like and attacks Cam, stating that she's going to eat him, referring to him as “fresh meat”. Cam gets knocked around with the Force a bit before being forced to flee because he doesn’t know how to save her at this point. This is what I was referencing with the trigger warning about intense fear of loss of a mentor figure. While Jedi Masters aren’t the same as a mother or father, given that padawans are separated from their families when they go to become Jedi, their master is the closest thing to a parental figure that they have, and their bond can become very close. It could be scary to some young readers to read of Cam’s mentor figure being mind-controlled and forced to attack and try to kill him.

Later, this woman is forced to attack Cam again. Her painful struggle to fight the mind control is described, and she seems to keep losing. Finally, Cam gets wrapped in vines and is having the life strangled out of him, truly thinking he’s about to die, but his bond with his master gives her the strength to defeat the mind control. In desperation to save her padawan, she finally manages to force the plant to let him and her go. It appears for a moment that she might be dead, however, she survives. Later, when Cam visits her in the hospital, the sight of her inflamed wounds on her neck is described, but she is recovering well.

Other padawans are forced to fight mind-controlled adult Jedi, too, but these aren’t as creepy as Cam’s fight. They are a little intense, just because of the nature of what’s happening and the strength of the attackers, but the padawans and masters all survive. Some citizens are fighting too, but there’s little to no description of deaths or injuries.

One captive citizen states that if you try to break the vines, they tighten and hurt the captive with thorns, but this isn’t described because the padawans figure out that cutting the vines completely with their lightsabers keeps this from happening.

Sexual/Romance:
None.

Spiritual/Magic:

Standard Star Wars spirituality, with talk about, use of, and connection to the Force. Only the Light Side is represented in this particular book. There is also passing mention of creatures called “the Nameless” which are monsters that prey upon Force-sensitive humans, reducing them to lifeless husks. However, these monsters are only mentioned briefly here because Tep Tep and Kildo faced and fought some Nameless in a previous book. There are no Nameless on the planet that the padawans are investigating here, they simply fear and wonder for a time if that might be what is kidnapping people.

Other: It might be worth mentioning that the High Republic series has novels and comic books ranging from Middle Grade all the way up to Adult. Some of the large-scale events mentioned in passing in this book happened in Middle Grade stories (like Tep Tep and Kildo facing the Nameless), some in Young Adult (Cam’s master losing her padawan), and some in Adult (like the Catastrophe and the crashing of a certain space station). Parents may wish to be cautious which books they let their middle grade readers read if they become curious about these events. While Star Wars has typically been mostly okay for the whole family, some of the YA and Adult stories may have more intense violence and more mature themes than younger kids are ready for yet. I also recall the Adult “Light of the Jedi,” which was officially the first book of the High Republic series, having a few mild swears and swear-replacements, but I wrote a full content advisory on that book as well, if anyone wishes to read it.

[Craig Carignan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was not that good I think it was too YA for me.

[Declan O'Keeffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edit: reread before Haunted Starlight

Yet another surprise drop from Audible, Yet another banger.

This one plays out at the beginning a bit like a mystery as to what's going on, but if you have been following the high republic closely and are up to date, the mystery isn't much of a surprise.

It being the first high republic audible original it is a pretty good jumping on point for the series, but also it is kind of in the middle of an ongoing story. (So new readers, do with that what you will.)

I was very excited by the prospect of this audiobook when I realised what it was about having been up to date with the series. It does focus primarily on characters I'm not overly familiar with, but this book did a great job at allowing me to appreciate those characters more, while getting the story I had been wanting from the [spoilers] after the events of phase 1.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am excited for the next one coming at some point next year.

[Kevin McLaughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eiram. The site where Starlight Beacon fell. A dangerous foe thought to have been vanquished returns, and three young Jedi must team up with some unlikely allies if they have any hope of surviving.

That's the setting of "Seeds of Starlight" by George Mann, the latest entry into Phase Three of The High Republic and the latest Audible-exclusive audiobook from Star Wars publishing.

The story focuses on new Padawan Cam Lindon, newly chosen by Jedi Master Eve Byer who we know from Tears of The Nameless, and the younglings Kildo and Tep Tep who are favorites from Escape From Valo and Beware The Nameless. The trio, along with Master Byer, have taken the Innovator on a scientific mission to search for a way to craft an early warning system for the blight when they receive a distress call from Eiram, where people have strong anti-Jedi leanings since the fall of Starlight to investigate the large-scale disappearance of the population of one of their cities. Among the missing are Jedi Master Ackmora and his apprentice.

Through the course of their investigation, master Byer becomes counted among the missing. And the three young Jedi continue to investigate to rescue her when they encounter a lone Nihil presence. Who they question on the rooftops until they're attacked by the source of the disappearance.....the Drengir! Thought to have been destroyed, they're back and they're kidnapping anyone they can find. The young Jedi and the Nihil, Grenda, race across the rooftops to escape. At this point we find Grenda is the part of a group called The Hurricanes, a gang of young Nihil who were stranded on Eiram and left the Nihil.

The two groups join together to rescue the kidnapped people from the Drengir including masters Ackmora and Byre, who the Drengir had selected to be a leader of the hive mind in the absence of their Great Progenitor.

The Drengir attack the city until they're turned away and the day is saved. We learn the Drengir were building a ship to escape, to run because something is coming that terrifies them. The Blight.

The characters in this are wonderful. We knew a few, but Cam is a wonderful new Padawan who is unique. Grenda and the Hurricanes are a group that shows the Jedi that there is hope for the Nihil to see that Ro doesn't care about them. Cam is another addition the team at Project Luminous' efforts to bring inclusivity to the forefront of storytelling. Cam was in a horrific air speeder accident when he was 11 and his larynx was crushed. Now he has a prosthetic vocoder to help him speak.

A character who I absolutely feel terrible for is Eve Byer. She endured the most horrible torture in Tears of The Nameless and lost her Padawan. Now, she's taken and enslaved by the Drengir in efforts to make her their new queen of sorts. I really hope the folks at Lucasfilm see fit to give her a break soon!

While this audiobook is aimed at Middle Graders, it does not skimp on the horror. The Drengir are terrifying and the way it's described how they control their victims is horrifying. They certainly did not patronize their audience.

Overall this was an incredibly fun read, it was relatively short at 4 and a half hours but it packed a lot of intrigue, horror and action. It also gave us the return of the Drengir. 5 stars go to Audible now and start listening!!!

[Santosh Thapa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Seeds of Starlight - George Mann (Narrated by Todd Haberkorn)
Genres: Science Fiction / Fantasy/ Middle-Grade
Release Year: 2023
Audiobook Length: 4h 30m
Rating: 6/10
Themes: Exploration, Survival, Humanity

Opener:
Jedi padawan Chalara Matanga sensed movement in the darkness and tightened her grip on her lightsaber hilt. It found her. Sweat trickled down her scaly brow. Her breathing was ragged, and her shoulder burned with pain. She could feel hot blood trickling down her slender arm from the stinging wound soaking into the pale sleeve of her mission robes. Her head crest ached from where she'd struck it against a wall, and one of her pronounced eyes typical of all Bivall was beginning to swell shut. She never felt so lost and alone.

Summary:
When villagers go missing on the oceanic world of Eiram, Jedi Master Eve Byre and her Padawans—Cam, Kildo, and Tep-Tep—are sent to investigate. Their search leads to the wreckage of Starlight Beacon, where a sinister Drengir threat has awakened. When Master Byre disappears, the Padawans must work together to unravel the mystery and save Eiram, testing their courage and teamwork in the face of danger.

Verdict:
Beware the depths of Eiram, where Starlight's remains stir secrets no Jedi is truly prepared for. In Seeds of Starlight, George Mann crafts a lively, if not groundbreaking, adventure with a crew of Jedi and Padawans navigating eerie disappearances and an unwilling populace. Todd Haberkorn’s narration brings energy to the story, although his choice for Tep-Tep’s voice may make your ears cringe harder than a Drengir at a vegan buffet. While the mystery is more ‘obvious spoiler’ than ‘edge-of-your-seat,’ the character arcs, particularly Cam’s, provide a grounding thread of growth amid the galactic chaos. A delightful pit stop for High Republic fans, though newcomers may feel slightly adrift in the Force. Perfect for Padawans and seasoned Jedi who crave a lighthearted exploration of Star Wars lore.

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Going into Seeds of Starlight, my expectations were low. But George Mann has surprised me before—Tears of the Nameless might be my favorite High Republic novel. He excels at weaving mystery, horror elements, and unique creatures into his stories, and this one definitely leans into that eerie atmosphere.

Set on Eiram after the crash of Starlight Beacon, Seeds of Starlight follows a young group of Jedi investigating a growing number of disappearances—including missing Jedi. The local townspeople whisper of an ancient evil at the heart of it all, and as the mystery deepens, the tension builds. One of my favorite moments was early on when the crew enters the Jedi headquarters. The way the audiobook presents this sequence makes it genuinely spooky—you can feel the unease as they search for answers in the empty halls.

The audiobook format itself is excellent. The production, effects, music, and voice acting all pull you in. Some might find certain voices—like Tep-Tep—a bit grating, but to me, that just showed the actors’ commitment to the characters. It’s a fast-paced, action-heavy mystery, though it doesn’t offer deep character development outside of Cam Lindon. His presence stood out because Star Wars rarely explores Jedi with disabilities, and the story does a great job showcasing his strengths.

That said, this book is clearly aimed at a middle-grade audience. If you go in expecting something deeply character-driven or lore-heavy, you might be disappointed. Seeds of Starlight is more about adventure and atmosphere than deep themes or emotional weight.

Would I recommend it? If you’re a High Republic completionist or a younger Star Wars fan, absolutely. If not, you’re not missing a must-read. But if you’re in the mood for a Jedi mystery with some spooky vibes, it’s a quick, engaging listen.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book via Audible.

Seeds of Starlight is an Audible exclusive Star Wars story targeted ostensibly at a younger audience but still easily enjoyed by all.

It's a bit of a follow-up to Tears of the Nameless, featuring several of the same characters while also introducing a couple new ones. Jedi Knight Eve Byre, Padawan Cam Lindon, and Younglings Kildo and Tep Tep find themselves on Eiram, the site of the crashed Starlight Beacon, trying to help an unwilling populous with mysterious disappearances. Things go from bad to worse when Master Byre goes missing as well, and the kids must work together to save the day.

It's not a very long story, but author George Mann packs a lot in, developing Cam's character significantly over the course of events. It's quite enjoyable, and a bit of a thankful reprieve from all of the Nameless terrors the Jedi have recently been facing. That doesn't mean everyone walks away unscathed though.

If you like Star Wars and enjoy the High Republic tales, you should add this to your reading list!

[Cale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely designed for kids, this Audiobook succeeds mainly on the strength of the narrator Todd Haberkorn, who manages a surprisingly varied selection of voices for the characters. When Kildo, Tem-Tem, and another Jedi land on Eiram to answer a distress call, they experience the devastation of the aftermath of Starlight Station's crash on the planet, and solve a series of mysterious disappearances, which leads back to the station. The story has some decent action, although the mystery at the center of it is clearly answered in the prologue, which makes the characters' slow investigation of it seem kind of pointless. But ultimately, the young Jedi come to the right conclusion, make new friends, and save the day. Kids should enjoy this, although there's a fair bit of knowledge they need to have coming into it.

[PAUL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easily the best High Republic work aimed at the younger end of the market, it’s actually a shame this wasn’t a book. Once you get past the crunchy narration (Tep Tep sounds like she has wandered in from Sesame Street and every time you hear the word ‘vocoder’ you kind of will Cam to sound like Cher, believing in life after love) it’s a fun little adventure. Bringing back The Drengir is a curious choice as they were always a bit of an embarrassment but here they are more malevolent than their worst Vervoid-esque appearances during Phase I. Apparently there is a sequel to this coming, no doubt it will be released out of step with everything else, but I’m curious to see what happens next. I actually hope it is a continuation and doesn’t, like many of the High Republic works, suddenly drop these characters in favour of someone dull, like Avon, for instance.

[Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cool little audible-original story. Definitely something you only want to listen to if you are caught up in the High Republic. I enjoyed the main character Cam (Kam? Spelling is hard to know for audio originals), who I believe is a new character introduced for this story. While there isn't anything earth-shattering in this short adventure, it has the basic stuff you would enjoy from a Star Wars story.

My biggest criticism would be that the narrator's voice for Tep-Tep was a bit off-putting and took me out of the story. Though it is understandable that voicing a young girl would be difficult haha.

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun middle grade audiobook adventure! I really enjoyed seeing Tep Tep, Kildo, Master Eve Byre (between this and Tears of the Nameless I hope she gets a break!), and her new padawan, Cam. It's also great to see the Drengir back.

The audiobook production is great (as usual with Star Wars) but I do wish this wasn't an audible exclusive. I would love to have a physical copy of this and it's sequel. I also found myself wishing it was a full-cast audio drama rather than one narrator. The narrator is overall great (his voice for Kildo was exactly what I imagined him to sound like) but I really wasn't a fan of his voices for the female characters (particularly Tep Tep).

[Charlie Moe · Rating 3 out of 5]

That was fine. It felt pretty bloated and slow. I wasn't really taken in by the lead and there kind of a lot of side characters for how short it was. The mystery stuff was pretty obvious. It was nice seeing Tep Tep again, but they didn't really do a whole lot.

There was also a big speech near the end about how we need to come together despite our differences and I get where they were going for. But it really struck me the wrong way. Like in today's political climate, there's compromise and then there's dealing with fascists. It felt a bit tone deaf.

[Tyler James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t usually listen to audiobooks when I have the option to read, but this one is audio-only for now, and it ties into the series I’ve been reading all year. That being said, I genuinely enjoyed it! The narrator brought the characters and story to life in a way that complemented the books I’ve already read. While I initially missed the feel of reading, this was a great way to stay immersed in the series and experience it in a new format.

[Erik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent Audio Drama during the High Republic Phase 3

We return again to the ocean world Eiram after the fall of Starlight Station, as people and even fish are disappearing. If you've kept up with the High Republic books, you can quickly figure out what has returned to trouble people. Nothing too deep, an interesting little detour away from the larger Nihil conflict.
Recommended for Star Wars fans.

[Amy Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story that chronicles some new and old characters in the High Republic. I enjoyed our new character, Cam, a lot. He had a unique story and good character development. I was happy to see more of Eve and the other younglings. I also enjoyed a change of pace back to a drengir story instead of the Nameless.

[Evalyn Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little extra story. Nothing special, nor required to understand the overarching high republic story. The narrator ranges from ok to downright awful for young characters like Tep Tep.

Excited to see where this will go in the next part in relation to the blight

What does George Mann have against Eve Byre 😭

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahh... my favourite High Republic villains. The Drengir! I still have no interest in the Nihil - compared to "MEAAAAT! MEAAAT!" they are pretty ordinary. Unfortunately, the narrator was a bit off-putting - particularly the voice of Tep Tep (which sounded a bit like a parody). But I did have fun with this audiobook.

[Angel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good and fun story. I agree with the consensus that it contains one of the best Drengir stories in THR, especially since they sort of came and went in Phase One. Very excited/interested to move on to Haunted Starlight. I loved the character development in this. Tep Tep and Kildo are slowly becoming beloved characters for me, and Cam is a very interesting addition to the story.

[Brittany | Magically_Blonde · Rating 4 out of 5]

I accidentally listened to Haunted Starlight first, but that’s okay! I’ve been trying to soak up any last bits of THR before it ends with the final novel tomorrow (😭💔). I love that here in the middle of Phase III we’ve essentially gained two extra young readers because these are always so fun and adventurous! And this was no exception to that! A little monster mystery to help tide us over!

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll give it a pass because they're Padawans, but it took them WAY too long to figure out what the "monster" was.

Also, don't be a Jedi Master surrounded by Padawans. Chances are THEY are the story's main characters... and it won't end well for you. Just sayin'.

[Ann]

4 for the story (a great paced middle grade adventure!)
-10 for a grown man doing Tep Tep's voice. this was so bad that I played it for multiple people and now we are doing the voices as a joke

can master eve byre catch a break?! damn!