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Star Wars Disney Canon Junior Novel
Rebel in the Ranks
As a new student at Lothal's Imperial Academy, Zare Leonis does everything it takes to pass as a model cadet. But secretly, he is a hidden enemy in the ranks, determined to discover the truth about his missing sister and to bring down the Empire. When a mysterious new cadet arrives and seems to have rebellion on his mind, Zare is drawn into a reckless plan that could doom them all. . . .
171 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2015
95 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Jason Fry
122 books296 followersI am the author of The Jupiter Pirates series published by HarperCollins -- visit the official site at http://jupiterpirates.com.
In addition to Jupiter Pirates, I've written or co-written more than 30 novels and short stories set in the Star Wars galaxy, including The Essential Atlas, The Essential Guide to Warfare, The Weapon of a Jedi, and the Servants of the Empire quartet.
I spent more than 12 years at The Wall Street Journal Online, where I wrote or co-wrote the Real Time and Daily Fix columns. My non-fiction work has appeared on ESPN.com, Yahoo! Sports, Poynter.org, Deadspin and Baseball Prospectus. I blog about the New York Mets at Faith and Fear in Flushing and live in Brooklyn with my wife and son.
In addition to Jupiter Pirates, I've written or co-written more than 30 novels and short stories set in the Star Wars galaxy, including The Essential Atlas, The Essential Guide to Warfare, The Weapon of a Jedi, and the Servants of the Empire quartet.
I spent more than 12 years at The Wall Street Journal Online, where I wrote or co-wrote the Real Time and Daily Fix columns. My non-fiction work has appeared on ESPN.com, Yahoo! Sports, Poynter.org, Deadspin and Baseball Prospectus. I blog about the New York Mets at Faith and Fear in Flushing and live in Brooklyn with my wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
June 13, 2024
We're not just teaching kids about fascism, here, we're teaching them better data-security practices, too!
I read the latter part of this with the book in one window and the relevant episode transcript in the other, and I'm impressed by how well the author managed to weave his material--including a much deeper backstory for Zare and a whole new set of secondary characters--into the original without having to change a single line.
Embarrassing confession: it took me until nearly the end of this book to realize that Zare and Ezra are anagrams. Huh.
I read the latter part of this with the book in one window and the relevant episode transcript in the other, and I'm impressed by how well the author managed to weave his material--including a much deeper backstory for Zare and a whole new set of secondary characters--into the original without having to change a single line.
Embarrassing confession: it took me until nearly the end of this book to realize that Zare and Ezra are anagrams. Huh.
April 15, 2021
*4.75
Oh, this series is so good.
Edge of the Galaxy functioned more as a prequel novel, whereas this book ties directly into the events of Rebels. This is exactly what I wanted upon finished the TV show - more content like this. It's so much fun and the character are great.
There were the scenes that I expected from Rebels, but there were also some cameo scenes that I was pleasantly surprised by. And there's another layer of stuff under what we see in Rebels that was really fascinating.
I'm hooked. 4.75/5 stars.
Oh, this series is so good.
Edge of the Galaxy functioned more as a prequel novel, whereas this book ties directly into the events of Rebels. This is exactly what I wanted upon finished the TV show - more content like this. It's so much fun and the character are great.
There were the scenes that I expected from Rebels, but there were also some cameo scenes that I was pleasantly surprised by. And there's another layer of stuff under what we see in Rebels that was really fascinating.
I'm hooked. 4.75/5 stars.
September 17, 2015
Excellent follow up to book 1. Part of what I enjoy so much is that it's clearly a simplified story for a younger audience but the stakes are personal, and the world building and characters are great (I love Merei!). It *feels* like Star Wars.
March 2, 2022
Loved getting a refresher of sorts of Ezra's path crossing with Zare's. I also enjoyed Merei's own part in the mission by flexing her tech skills (although now a danger awaits as her own mother is on her trail!).
All in all I look forward to Zare getting one step closer to finding his sister. Part of me hopes he is revealed to be Force-sensitive too, but at the same time, I thoroughly enjoy "mundane" characters in the world of Star Wars as well. It's the ability of a character to overcome difficult circumstances- to keep hope in the hopeless situations, and to fight for what is right even if the consequences to yourself can be fatal.
All in all I look forward to Zare getting one step closer to finding his sister. Part of me hopes he is revealed to be Force-sensitive too, but at the same time, I thoroughly enjoy "mundane" characters in the world of Star Wars as well. It's the ability of a character to overcome difficult circumstances- to keep hope in the hopeless situations, and to fight for what is right even if the consequences to yourself can be fatal.
April 20, 2020
Can't go wrong with Star Wars!
August 25, 2021
This was certainly a step up from the previous book. There were no sports in this one! However, the cover is a bit deceptive, Ezra doesn’t pop up until the last 1/3 of the book and the High Inquisitor isn’t mentioned until the final pages.
But this is a continuation of Zare’s mission to find his sister, this time by going to the school and joining their ranks. And even more layers on how the Empire operates and their twisted philosophies. And Merei gets reckless with hacking.
I think, even for a middle grade book, this is very engaging and interesting…so many layers!
But this is a continuation of Zare’s mission to find his sister, this time by going to the school and joining their ranks. And even more layers on how the Empire operates and their twisted philosophies. And Merei gets reckless with hacking.
I think, even for a middle grade book, this is very engaging and interesting…so many layers!
February 28, 2018
Really enjoying these books, I know they are meant for young adults but I am 60 and still find them a fun read. The tie in to rebels is also very cool. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.
January 28, 2016
More about Zare Leonis. This one includes the Star Wars: Rebels episode where he meets Ezra Bridger, so it's nice to get the other side of that story.
June 1, 2020
Rebel in the Ranks is the followup to Edge of the Galaxy in the Servants of the Empire series. This one ties in more closely with Star Wars Rebels, with part of the events overlapping with Breaking Ranks - the sixth episode of the first season. We get to continue Zare Leonis' adventures along with those of Merei as they try to find Zare's sister and fight the Empire in their own way.
Our main character has started at the Imperial Academy on Lothal, and despite knowing the evil deeds the Empire has committed, must play the part of the perfect student. Author Jason Fry does a great job of showing the conflict within Zare: he's a good person who wants to care about his classmates but is forced to remind himself that they're all here to serve the government that stole his sister.
Closer to the end of the story, a new student transfers into Zare's unit. If you watched Star Wars Rebels you'll figure out who it is pretty quickly, but even if you haven't you'll figure out something strange is up. The book does a good job of adding to what we saw in the show in addition to recounting some of the scenes from a slightly different perspective. I really enjoyed and appreciated how it all tied together. Thanks to some help from the Ghost crew, by the end Zare is able to plan his next steps and set the stage for the next installment of his journey.
I had a good time reading Rebel in the Ranks and seeing the development of the characters in the story. I'm not sure I liked it quite as much as the first book, but I definitely can't wait to find out what happens next. If you're a Star Wars Rebels fan, you should check out this series if you haven't already.
Our main character has started at the Imperial Academy on Lothal, and despite knowing the evil deeds the Empire has committed, must play the part of the perfect student. Author Jason Fry does a great job of showing the conflict within Zare: he's a good person who wants to care about his classmates but is forced to remind himself that they're all here to serve the government that stole his sister.
Closer to the end of the story, a new student transfers into Zare's unit. If you watched Star Wars Rebels you'll figure out who it is pretty quickly, but even if you haven't you'll figure out something strange is up. The book does a good job of adding to what we saw in the show in addition to recounting some of the scenes from a slightly different perspective. I really enjoyed and appreciated how it all tied together. Thanks to some help from the Ghost crew, by the end Zare is able to plan his next steps and set the stage for the next installment of his journey.
I had a good time reading Rebel in the Ranks and seeing the development of the characters in the story. I'm not sure I liked it quite as much as the first book, but I definitely can't wait to find out what happens next. If you're a Star Wars Rebels fan, you should check out this series if you haven't already.
November 17, 2017
Enjoyed this much more because it shows a different point of view from the Rebel in the Ranks episode. I wish it could have explained why Ezra had taken such an immediate liking to Jai and vice versa, but I understand this isn't his story. On the other hand, I love how Zare sees through blueberry's fake identity time and time again. This finally explains what happened to Zare after posing as an Imperial hero, and I can't wait to see how it's further explored. Zare's level-headedness, leadership and strong determination paired with Merei's quick-thinking and ability to collect herself under pressure make them a great team, and I'm raring to see what'll happen to them by the end of the series, because they sure as heck would have made great rebels.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, in the sparse screentime (pagetime?) Zeb and Sabine had in this book during their encounter with Merei Spanjaf, it served to portray Zeb as having a level head and a soft spot for little kiddos.
As for Sabine, well...
... it only showed more of her arrogance and holier-than-thou attitude towards a girl who means no harm and physically poses as no potential threat. Granted, I was asking for more personality from her, but I don't think I meant it this way. At this rate, there's no saving her from being my least favorite character in the Ghost team.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, in the sparse screentime (pagetime?) Zeb and Sabine had in this book during their encounter with Merei Spanjaf, it served to portray Zeb as having a level head and a soft spot for little kiddos.
As for Sabine, well...
“When I’m finished,” she said. “I’m using the decoder as the seed for a decryption subroutine. If you know what that means.”
... it only showed more of her arrogance and holier-than-thou attitude towards a girl who means no harm and physically poses as no potential threat. Granted, I was asking for more personality from her, but I don't think I meant it this way. At this rate, there's no saving her from being my least favorite character in the Ghost team.
August 3, 2019
I absolutely loved this book so much more than I thought I would! It was the perfect book to read during a 6 hour car drive. It didn't take long at all and was very enjoyable. As with a couple other of Jason Fry's Rebels books, I was expecting this book to follow Season 1 Episode 6 (Breaking Ranks) very closely. I was happy to find out that I was quite wrong. There were definitely some scenes towards the end that followed the episode word for word, but about 85% of the story was new Star Wars material. This story focused on Zare Leonis' point of view, rather than Ezra's, rather Dev Morgan in this book. I found it very interesting to learn more about Zare's background more and his hunt in finding his sister. There were totally surprises along the way that were unmentioned in the Rebels episode (characters, plot lines, back stories). Also, Ezra is my absolute favorite character from Rebels, so it was nice seeing how Zare saw him as a person towards the end of the book. The only let down was the the amount of time Ezra was in the book. Since he was on the cover, I was expecting him to be included more, but out of the 3 parts in this book, he was only in the last part. I have read five Star Wars books by Jason Fry so far, and this one is at the top of my list! Totally read this quick, easy, and fun book if you are a Rebels fan who wants more Rebels content! :D
August 8, 2020
I love how this book feels like a continuation of the last book. There’s no overly awkward time jump, it feels very natural. If you haven’t read my review of the first book, check that out, because it really shows my overall feelings to this series.
Unfortunately, this book had high expectations to live up to and primarily it did a great job in continuing the story. For me it really only became a drag once the entire Rebels episode “Breaking Ranks” was recounted. It was cool to see it from Zare’s point-of-view, but it didn’t really add all to much to the story until the epilogue. Even so, for partly being a novelization, it did a decent job. It was engaging enough, but I couldn’t help feeling that it was half a novel. I can’t decide if it would be better if I had read this prior to watching the episode.
Unfortunately, this book had high expectations to live up to and primarily it did a great job in continuing the story. For me it really only became a drag once the entire Rebels episode “Breaking Ranks” was recounted. It was cool to see it from Zare’s point-of-view, but it didn’t really add all to much to the story until the epilogue. Even so, for partly being a novelization, it did a decent job. It was engaging enough, but I couldn’t help feeling that it was half a novel. I can’t decide if it would be better if I had read this prior to watching the episode.
February 10, 2020
This is the second book of the Servants of the Empire series. This one is basically an adaptation of the Rebels episode called "Breaking Ranks". I enjoyed this less than that of books one since this book was more of an adaptation than an original story. However, I did enjoy the insight that came with writing from a Zare's perspective. As with any adaptation, there is something to enjoy by reading the story versus simply watching it as it brings out the narrative in a different way. I look forward to reading more Rebels, but especially the rest of the Servants of the Empire series.
July 26, 2020
Not sure if this fits in the main star wars universe.
Available on Amazon prime. An interesting look at life in an Imperial Military Academy. Most of the people using the Force seem to be a violation of the original rules for the force. The people who can use the dark side without being sith lords seem really inappropriately powered. It should be possible to tell a story without making everyone a secret jedi or sith lord. The story itself is ok, the lost sister will be found, may be on the dark side?
Available on Amazon prime. An interesting look at life in an Imperial Military Academy. Most of the people using the Force seem to be a violation of the original rules for the force. The people who can use the dark side without being sith lords seem really inappropriately powered. It should be possible to tell a story without making everyone a secret jedi or sith lord. The story itself is ok, the lost sister will be found, may be on the dark side?
January 1, 2022
This second book in the series has a bit more focus on Zane’s slicer girlfriend, and it also includes the activities of the actual Rebels episode including him. It doesn’t have all the sports references of the first book, but instead has more of a military feel as Zane goes through basic training in the start of his time at the Academy.
This one felt a bit more like a middle book and less like a complete story; certain things are resolved in it, but it ends on a cliffhanger for several key points.
This one felt a bit more like a middle book and less like a complete story; certain things are resolved in it, but it ends on a cliffhanger for several key points.
May 26, 2017
Si, esta saga promete mucho. Sigue subiendo de ritmo y profundidad de trama. Si bien hay dos que tres cosas no creíbles y es un poco predecible, sigue siendo una historia ingeniosa e interesante. No diré más porque, como dije en la mini reseña anterior, creo que Servants of the Empire es un libro dividido en cuatro partes para que los niños no se asusten con la longitud de lo que están leyendo... Asi que vamos al que sigue.
March 28, 2021
Ooh, I loved this book. Set concurrently with one of my favourite Star Wars: Rebels episodes Breaking Ranks I was instantly hooked on the plot. I always wanted to know the back story, if Zare Leonis ever found his sister.
The previous book on the series involved many great-ball, which wasn't my favourite thing to read. I was thrilled when this book didn't include that.
I now know I need to get the next book.
All in all, it's an excellent book, even if it's a junior novel.
The previous book on the series involved many great-ball, which wasn't my favourite thing to read. I was thrilled when this book didn't include that.
I now know I need to get the next book.
All in all, it's an excellent book, even if it's a junior novel.
March 12, 2025
From school to military academy, the story of Zare Leonis continues.
Still simple but in a good way. Ezra appears and an entire section is a retelling of a Rebels episode but I enjoyed it. Maybe it helped my lapse of memory about that episode: some plot twists should have been "spoiled" by the animated series but after more than 10 years I forgot several things.
I hope to enjoy the third and fourth parts too.
Still simple but in a good way. Ezra appears and an entire section is a retelling of a Rebels episode but I enjoyed it. Maybe it helped my lapse of memory about that episode: some plot twists should have been "spoiled" by the animated series but after more than 10 years I forgot several things.
I hope to enjoy the third and fourth parts too.
May 5, 2025
Better than the first one in the series but it was still pretty boring. I don’t care about Zare as a character at all. Likely because it is a junior novel but I did not find the writing style sophisticated enough, but that would be on me for reading well below my age. It ties exactly into a good Rebels episode though. However I did not care to read the end of the book because it was a shot for shot re write of a portion of the episode. All new material was not that great either.
July 29, 2017
Zare Leonis has made the right choice in attending the Academy to find more information about his sister, but it's about to become entangled in the plans of the Rebels squadron, when his former roommate is replaced by Ezra Bridger in disguise.
Zare and Merei must navigate their own paths in the quest for the discovery of the information of the location of Dhara Leonis, but they will end getting caught in a net of lies... will they be able to shake it off?
Recommended!
Zare and Merei must navigate their own paths in the quest for the discovery of the information of the location of Dhara Leonis, but they will end getting caught in a net of lies... will they be able to shake it off?
Recommended!
April 12, 2020
The second book in this series really helps connect the events prior to and directly after Ezra's infiltration of the Imperial Academy. Really loved getting some more backstory on Zare and Jai. Merei is working her butt off in this and for what?? This was a great little push into the rest of the story. Now we get to see what happens with Zare on his own.
August 21, 2021
A wonderful short book, picks up right where the prior book left off. Of note, Wookieepedia led me to believe that this was a novelization of a Rebels episode. While it does adapt some of an episode (and suffers the bad dialog expected of that) this composes about 30% of the story, with the bulk being new and interesting content.
September 30, 2021
In search of clues to find his missing sister, Zare Leonis enters the Imperial Academy. A new recruit appears to have strange abilities and is intent on drawing Leonis into questioning the status quo.
Fry's chapter novel is interesting and is short enough to not intimidate reluctant readers, while encouraging them to pick up the next volume to find out what happens next.
Fry's chapter novel is interesting and is short enough to not intimidate reluctant readers, while encouraging them to pick up the next volume to find out what happens next.
June 25, 2023
I enjoyed this more than the first one. It was fun and it's nice to see things ramping up for Zare. Plus, it serves well as an adaptation of an episode since it adds a substantial amount, all of which adds to this plotline in Rebels. However, just in general I'm not crazy about the book. The writing didn't connect with me, and I found it hard to read for more than like 10 minutes at a time.
March 8, 2019
Great read
Definitely for young readers and fans of Star Wars: Rebels. It was refreshing to see the daily lives of average galactic citizens. The book is really light on details but is intended for a tween reading audience.
Definitely for young readers and fans of Star Wars: Rebels. It was refreshing to see the daily lives of average galactic citizens. The book is really light on details but is intended for a tween reading audience.
January 3, 2020
Season 1 episode 6 tie in
This book is all the events leading up to and including Zare's perspective on episode 6.. It was significantly better than the first Servants of the Empire book.
This book is all the events leading up to and including Zare's perspective on episode 6.. It was significantly better than the first Servants of the Empire book.
July 25, 2020
I’m actually really surprised at how great the first 2 books in this series have been.
Fry nails everything great about Star Wars and makes it fun to read.
I’m now 100% emotionally invested in a series that’s definitely geared towards a group of readers at least 2 decades younger than me.
Fry nails everything great about Star Wars and makes it fun to read.
I’m now 100% emotionally invested in a series that’s definitely geared towards a group of readers at least 2 decades younger than me.
September 16, 2020
The second installment in the Servants of the Empire series ramps up the action. Some of it is a retelling of the Star Wars Rebels episode "Breaking Ranks", but it is seamlessly handled.
My rating: 3.9 Stars
My rating: 3.9 Stars
July 1, 2021
I think I vaguely remembered parts of this arc from Rebels..I definitely remember important bits and pieces, so getting to read MORE of it is really cool. And I’m really hoping they find Dhara before she gets turned into an inquisitor
August 14, 2022
This was a great addition to the Rebels animation series. What I liked is how it gave wonderful background to a character's story which only received passing attention in the TV series. Also, it was great to see some events from the show explained through a different character's point of view.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews