A Valiant Vow (Star Wars: The High Republic

Star Wars: The High Republic (Middle Grade) #3

by Justina Ireland

The New York Times best-selling series comes to an epic conclusion in this final installment of this wave of High Republic storytelling.

Written by Justina Ireland, one of the original High Republic story architects, the author of several Star Wars novels including Star Wars: The High Republic: A Test of Courage and Star Wars: The High Republic: Mission to Disaster, and a staff writer on the Netflix TV mini-series The Fall of the House of Usher.

It’s all been leading to this! Fan-favorite Padawans and younglings must team-up to stop the seemingly unstoppable blight all while dealing with technological terrors in the form of crab-like scav droids that destroy everything in their path!

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

5 pages, Audiobook

First published May 6, 2025

About the author

Justina Ireland is the New York Times bestselling author of numerous books including Dread Nation and its sequel Deathless Divide, the middle-grade novel Ophie's Ghosts, which won the Scott O'Dell award for historical fiction, and a number of Star Wars books including Flight of the Falcon: Lando’s Luck, Spark of the Resistance, A Test of Courage, Out of the Shadows, and Mission to Disaster. She is a former editor in chief of FIYAH Literary Magazine of Black Speculative Fiction, for which she won a World Fantasy Award. She holds a BA in History from Georgia Southern and an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fun read. I’ve always enjoyed the lighter tone of the Middle Grade novels in comparison to the YA and Adult novels from THR. So many storylines were wrapped up in this and I just find Churo & Tep Tep SOOO cute. And as an Axel Greylark stan, I love seeing his descendants. My favorite thing of all, though, has been watching Imri grow and evolve!!! I’m just so proud of him. I LOVE the ending (no spoilers!!) and also loved the epilogue. It was just such a sweet story and feels full circle from Test of Courage. Definitely one of my favorite Middle Grade adventures :)

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The final Middle Grade novel in the High Republic is here, and it ties up plotlines not only from Phase 1, but also from Phase 3. Justina Ireland really has had some of the best Middle Grade in the High Republic in my opinion (her YA books are hit and miss for me). This book was generally good, but wasn't as great as it could have been.

I did enjoy the further character development for Imri Cantaros. His journey from Phase 1 all the way here was really well done. I'd actually enjoy seeing more books featuring him in the future. Seeing Churo the Hutt was delightful, and for a Hutt character he has a surprising amount of depth.
Tep Tep being separated from the other youngling characters was an odd choice, and her story with Zenny Graylark was probably the weakest element of the book for me.

As a plotline, its very standard storytelling for the High Republic series, although I did enjoy the complexity that Churo and Imri's subplots brought.

Overall, this is a fun YA book. I think that A Test of Courage and Mission To Disaster are Better MG books, but if you've read this far in the HR you'll be well rewarded for finishing this book. 6.5 out of 10.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Middle grade books in the High Republic series have been fantastic IMO. They often don't feel MG with some of the darker themes included. I have loved watching the character growth of several of these Younglings, Padawans, and Jedi Knights over the years in this series. The highlight of this book for me was definitely Imri and my favorite Hutt, Churo.

Imri is trying to find out what kind of Jedi he wants to be (or if he even wants to be?) and where he fits in. And my sweet, vegetarian Hutt Churo just want to study biology and make a positive difference in the galaxy!

One thing never changes in Star Wars- the constant debate about Jedi being involved in politics and/or war or staying on the sidelines with "guidance" and I am happy to see the Jedi more involved here. There's an arc in The Clone Wars where the Jedi refuse to help a planet under attack by the Separatists but the instead they train them how to defend themselves. I think that was the only time I've been so furious at Obi-Wan.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.r rounded up. I love Imri, and it was cool to see him, Zenni, Churo, and Tep Tep again. I cant believe I only have one high republic book left 🥲

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

The last of the High Republic middle grade novels ends with a lot of positivity and hope for these characters to continue on. Majority of the story takes place on Aricho, which is suffering from corrupt politicians, the coming Blight, and a huge amount of Nihil Scav Droids. Jedi Knight Imri Cantaros, Zenny, Churo, and Tep Tep are all here from the previous books and their teamwork is still a palpable thing. Really enjoyed this read. Looking forward to finishing this grand chapter of Star Wars we call "The High Republic".
Recommend

[Christa Chirico · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet conclusion to the Middle Grade run of HR stories! I’m satisfied by the ending, especially for Imri, who has come so far across this series. Ultimately, I expected this to be a tiny bit more connected to the overall plots of all of phase 3 (especially since this is the final hour!!) but I did enjoy seeing these characters grow.

[Yanik · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had a pretty rough time with the previous two THR entries, Tears of the Nameless and Into the Light. They disappointed and depressed me in many ways and it was hard to see these final books in this series I love so much turn out that way.
I am so glad that Justina Ireland, once again, is here to pull me out of that with a wonderful, heartfelt story and fantastic characters. I won’t be comparing this to those novels, but instead judge it on its own.

We follow a small POV cast and most of the story is set on a single planet, Aricho, where we left Imri off in Defy the Storm. I’m pretty much fully in love with this cast and every character was a joy to follow.
While the plot is localized it did feel very connected to the events of Phase 3, Wave 3. It truly does feel like a solid ending of the MG side of the project with many arcs and threads coming full circle.
Imri’s perspective is of an older, more experienced Jedi Knight than the fresh Padawan we met inA Test of Courage, all the way back in Phase 1. He still struggles with his heightened emphatic powers but is more in control and able to use them as a tool.
Similarly emphatic but way more extrovert is Tep Tep (not a POV but just as present in the story), who has very quickly become one of my favorite THR characters. She is a joy to read and I hope we get to see more of her after the project ends.
Zenny is back and teams up with Tep Tep, we get a brief glimpse of Coruscant politics before they go off on their adventure. She too has grown so much in character and responsibility. Her story arc is touching and quite dramatic, but it suffers majorly on its resolve, being her (and her sister’s) presumed dead father returning. It was a repeat of the Chewwy death in tRoS and both unnecessary and undermining.
Churo is pursuing his dream career in biology but it inevitably leads him to face his family issues again. The way he has to learn that he can be both a Hutt and a scientist, to stake out his own person, is very powerful.

The plot does not shy away(as the MG never have) from the darker events of the main story and both criminal Hutts and the destructive Blight feature prominently and I wasn’t expecting this MG to give me one of the more memorable Blight descriptions. Some character arcs (like that of Zenny) aren’t as satisfactory, but overall I loved where everyone ended up.

This is a positive, hopeful Star Wars story, with many of its core themes and messages.
There is a conversation to be had about the gritty darkness that directly parallels real life politics, history and social issues as portrayed in Andor and The Mask of Fear. I agree that being ignorant of these issues and not wanting them in your SW is detrimental to deal with these problems IRL and makes the setting more shallow. I don't deny that these themes and elements have always been a big part of the storytelling and setting. In this, I am hugely thankful for the great reception these projects have had.
It is fantastic that the Galaxy Far, Far Away is this broad and diverse that things like that, Young Jedi Adventures, Ahsoka and THR can all exist. I fully agree that The Mask of Fear, Andor and the Alphabet Squadron series(still my favorite SW novels) are literary, cinematic and storytelling masterpieces.
But they are also incredibly heavy, dark and constantly reflective of real life events. There should be room for all of this, and I'm glad there is.
But in the end, I, personally, often read for escapism, and having something as uplifting, comfortable and heartwarming is incredibly welcome in times like these.

The main message of the novel is similar to what Into the Light tried to go for: appreciate the small things, every short step towards the light and good is as important as the rest upon the road. It pulled it off way better for me, than the other novel did though.
We start the book with a flashback between Imri and Vern meditating upon such a lesson and it felt like it was directed to the reader, to me, who struggled with how inconsequential and meaningless Into the Light appeared to be. Vern’s words hit hard and instantly hooked me into the story.
I love that Justina had these wonderful parting words for us. The MG’s illustrator Petur Antonsson, had a lovely acknowledgments section at the end of the book. It kind of hurt that Justina didn’t. Maybe she will have a last goodbye at the end of The Acolyte: Wayseeker(released on the same day as this boook), which I plan to read after Trials of the Jedi. I also hope there will be a panel or documentary featuring all authors and creators, reflecting back on the wild ride that THR has been.
Either way, she is going to be a huge loss for SW publishing and I hope she can look back with pride and joy at what she has accomplished during her time as a SW writer and one of the original Luminous Authors.

One more novel to go and The High Republic publishing initiative will end. It feels surreal and bittersweet. What a journey.

[Admiral Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Disney Books for sending this my way! This has to be my favorite middle grade book for phase 3. The story-line was adventurous and a lot of fun for all age groups. I loved getting to see more of Imri, as he was my favorite in this book! Yacek and Churo were also stand out characters to me. I also loved that while this book did have the Nihil presence they weren’t the main villain or danger, which was refreshing to see in a High Republic book. My only complaints with this book is also the characters. To be honest the middle grade characters for phase 3 have overall not been my favorite and fell a little short.

[Iwi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was cute! I always tend to like these books better because they seem to understand the jedi and the force better, wild. I'm still confused why a kid would like this reading just the middle grade books because it's so disjointed, but I had fun with the characters and even gasped at a reveal.

[Anthony Sandora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fine. Weirdly light on plot, and the existing plot does not really matter, even when comparing to the other HR middle grade novels.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe this is the second to last High Republic book and last middle grade book of the High Republic.

[Chelsea Zukowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

From my Space Wizards Book Club newsletter on Substack:

Some of The High Republic’s most beloved younger characters see their stories come full circle in one last lesson about the meaning of home.

Since A Valiant Vow is the last middle-grade novel in The High Republic, I want to answer the question “Do I have to read the YA and kids books?” one last time (I will continue to answer it): No, you don’t have to.

You can read just the adult books and still get the main story. I don’t recommend skipping the young adult books because they and the adult ones overlap the most when it comes to characters and plot lines. But now that I’ve read all of the YA and middle-grade High Republic books, I feel better-equipped to advise on how to read the era of Star Wars publishing.

Overall, the middle-grade novels are not essential to the main High Republic story.

But — BUT — that doesn’t mean they are not worth reading. In fact, it’s because of their relative standalone nature that the middle-grade books can take chances and showcase individual character journeys.

A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland has been out for a couple of weeks and has been largely overshadowed by the author’s other novel that came out on the same day — The Acolyte: Wayseeker. They’re two very different stories, but they both showcase Ireland’s talent for character work and growth from literal childhood to adulthood. She introduced Vernestra Rwoh as a teenage Jedi Knight in A Test of Courage, and in A Valiant Vow, the story of Vernestra’s Padawan comes full circle. Over a century later in Wayseeker, Vernestra reflects on all she learned from her time as a young prodigy with an empathic Padawan.

Imri Canataros is the star of A Valiant Vow, having established himself as a formidable Jedi Knight — even without a lightsaber — on the planet Aricho. He’s grown to love the planet and the community he helps there, and is reluctant to leave when news of the Stormwall’s collapse reaches them. Along for the adventure on Aricho is Zenny Greylark, still desperately searching for her missing father, and Jedi youngling Tep Tep, a standout among the last few middle-grade books. Churo the Hutt also returns, and it’s through him we get a better glimpse into Hutt society while he continues to go against the criminal ways of his family.

The plot of A Valiant Vow is a bit weak, and I found myself not really caring about the corrupt politics of Aricho or the swarming scav droids. Those took a backseat once evidence of the blight was discovered. Even then, I found myself wanting to get back to the characters and their personal journeys.

Despite this, the book had some truly moving moments. I teared up during a certain scene with Zenny as well as during the epilogue, which brought Imri’s and Vernestra’s story full circle. It’s those moments and many others from the middle-grade books that make these stories so powerful. Books like A Valiant Vow and others for younger readers are important not because they have high stakes for the galaxy, but because they have universal themes and relatable stakes for the individuals.

And that’s why you shouldn’t skip them. No matter how old we get, we’re never too old to learn something — and feel something — from a children’s book.

[Tommy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I know. I’m gritting my teeth even writing this next sentence. I’m a grown man about to bash a book written for middle grade readers. I know! But hear me out—I’ve got a 10-year-old daughter, and this book would put her straight to sleep.

This felt like someone grabbed a bunch of C-list characters you barely remember, tossed them into a pot, and set them loose on a forgettable, run-of-the-mill planet to do things we’ve already seen a dozen times before. And this is how they chose to end the middle grade series? I just don’t get it.

I’ve read—and listened to—everything in The High Republic. But I was still genuinely confused for the first half of this book. I couldn’t remember who most of these characters were, or if we’d even been to this planet before. It all felt completely disconnected from the rest of Phase III.

If you’re looking for solid middle grade Star Wars, skip this and check out the Phase III audiobooks by George Mann on Audible. Those are head and shoulders above this. You get real character growth, actual stakes, and brave choices. In this book? It’s just a crowd of characters wandering through plot points. I’ve seen deeper arcs in 20-page short stories.

Sure, there are a couple of “surprises” here—but it’s all just misdirection. No real payoff.

So yeah… I’m giving this a Jar Jar Binks. Just sitting here, scratching my head, wondering: why does this need to exist?

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Disney-Lucasfilm press for the advanced copy of this book for review.

This dad read A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland, the final middle-grade novel in The High Republic publishing initiative. The book centers on a number of young heroes—Imri Cantaros, Zenny Greylark, Tep Tep, and Churo the Huttling, to name a few—in the fallout of the Stormwall’s demise (which we’ve yet to learn how this actually happens). The planet Aricho faces a number of threats to its citizens, including a shady mayor at the helm. With biological disasters looming and Nihil scav droids attacking every incoming ship, can the brightest younglings in the galaxy band together in time to save the planet?

The middle grade books from The High Republic have been hit or miss for me. Some have been more memorable than others, and A Valiant Vow falls somewhere in between. On a surface level, there’s a lot to love: a diverse cast of characters, a plot filled with action and political intrigue, and an emotional ending.

However, when I put on my critic (dad) hat, A Valiant Vow feels like it’s trying to do too much with too many characters. Imri Cantaros is the lead character, and while he’s front and center, he’s surrounded by such a large supporting cast that I found myself constantly trying to orient who was doing what, where, and when. If an adult Star Wars fan with plenty of background knowledge struggled to keep up, I imagine the target audience of 8 to 12-year-olds might as well. And while there are a number of characters I really enjoy on their own (Zenny and Lexi Greylark, for example), I truly think the cast is just too large.

Criticism aside, A Valiant Vow does a great job of pulling all the storylines together in the end, and Ireland really got me with one emotional reveal I didn’t see coming. Being the final middle grade novel in the initiative, Ireland smartly includes an epilogue that will likely have longtime High Republic fans choking up. She does a beautiful job of closing the chapter on this part of the story with characters readers have come to love.

Vow releases concurrently with Ireland’s adult novel, Wayseeker, and if you choose to read these back to back, you’ll be rewarded with a wealth of context for arguably Ireland’s most beloved character, Vernestra Rwoh. In A Valiant Vow, we get to see why Imri Cantaros is such a memorable part of Rwoh’s life, even when he’s no longer her Padawan. Let’s hope we get more stories about how Rwoh and Cantaros continue to interact—I’d love to see how their relationship evolves.Despite its oversized cast, A Valiant Vow tells an inspiring story of tenacity and friendship. It’s a can’t-miss when it comes to wrapping up The High Republic

[Sydney · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

Less invested in the overall plot of this one than in some of the other middle grade HR books but I enjoyed this all the same. Imri, Tep Tep, Zenny, and Churo are all some of my absolute favorites of the middle grade cast so it was wonderful to see them all as part of this adventure.

It's a very self-contained story and probably one of the least essential HR books overall but still worth the read for anyone who has read the other middle grade novels. Similar to how I felt with the final YA book, Into the Light, A Valiant Vow does a good job of wrapping up character arcs from the other middle grade novels while also feeling a bit like a sequel to first HR middle grade book, A Test of Courage. Imri choosing Tep Tep to be his Padawan and introducing her to Vernestra, his former master, was a really lovely full-circle ending for him! Would love to see more of their Master/Padawan dynamic in the future. However, since it is quite short (it's nearly 100 pages shorter than Beware the Nameless for comparison), I did find myself wishing the story was a bit longer just to go a little deeper into the various character dynamics that were present here.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was cute, but it’s weird to have such a self contained story so late in the High Republic initiative when it feels like there’s a dozen plot points that we could wrap up instead of saving everything for Trials of the Jedi.

Character development here is great, and I’m glad that we get to see the end of some folks character arcs. I imagine reading this book stand-alone would be jarring, especially to the young reader it’s intended for, and so it’s probably best read alongside Escape from Valo and Beware the Nameless.

When seen as a trilogy about young characters learning to understand emotions and become the people they want to be, this is an excellent tale for younger readers.

I appreciate the ending and its nods both to stories from the past and stories yet to come. The book starting with the yet-to-be explained major plot point from the comics is jarring and creates even MORE timeline questions about the last year of the High Republic, but I understand why it’s necessary here in order to get the story moving.

Overall a cute read, not required unless you love these characters in their prior outings.

+1/2 star for Churro the Hutt. What a little dude!

[Tabitha Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Valiant Vow is the concluding MG novel in the third and final phase of the High Republic publishing initiative, and it ends on a sweet note. While maybe it was me trying to read it on a time crunch, it feels like quite a few things were just hurled in and jumbled around. I loved revisiting Imri and Churo, as well as our little darling Tep Tep. I wasn't a fan of her other youngling friends in Escape from Valo, but she was the jewel I'm so glad we got to see in Beware the Nameless and this novel!

I just feel (honestly for the third phase overall) that we've kind of lost the main plot and are just compiling random narratives and trying to tie them up with a neat little bow, which this book does. I'm glad it does for the characters involved (Imri and Tep Tep especially!), but it just feels soo different compared to phase 1.

Full of heartwarming moments for our three main characters (and some more!), I'm delighted to see some happy endings for some cherished Jedi and Jedi-associates. Recommend for those young star wars fans and of course, THR completionists. 3/5 stars for A Valiant Vow! Just one more book to go...

[Alyce Caswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Stormwall is down! For Jedi Knights Imri Cantaros and Yacek Sparkburn, this doesn't mean much at first - they are still supporting the refugees on Aricho. But then scav droids start bringing down ships, Churo the Hutt's vessel among them, and the government's shadiness soon comes to light. The threat of the Nihil may only be tempered by the arrival of Zenny Greylark and Tep Tep!

So... from the above, you can see that's a lot of things going wrong all at once, but it works. This book never feels rushed. In fact, the pacing is excellent - and I was quickly invested in every character's journey. I know this is written for kids, but it was so much tighter and much more interesting than the adult novel of this wave. I couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed about that. Not every aspect of this large multimedia project has been good, so I wonder if I rate stories that have all the best aspects much higher than I should. Hmm... in any case, Ireland is a great writer with more hits than misses.

Side note - Tep Tep is forever ruined for me by the terrible voice the narrator gave her in the audiobooks. She does briefly reference those adventures here.

[Jacqui · Rating 3 out of 5]

Imri's and Tep Tep's arcs end on a satisfying note here, and I do love the pairing of Imri and Tep Tep as Master and Padawan. I wouldn't have predicted it before this book, but the pairing ends up feeling natural and right by the end of the story.

I also appreciated seeing more of my favorite little Hutt, Churo, and more of his relationship with his sister, which is quite complicated and nuanced.

The plot does feel rather confused at times and as if it is throwing everything but the kitchen sink in with regard to conflict and antagonistic forces, which makes it feel as if none of the plot lines can be developed fully and the ending a bit too rushed. A lesser number of antagonistic forces might have worked better in a junior novelization such as this.

A solid junior novelization, but not my favorite of the junior High Republics. Nor is it my favorite work from Justina Ireland.

Good for High Republic fans but not a necessary read for Star Wars fans by any means is my final verdict.

[Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alright book with some fun character moments. I have a similar complaint with this as I do with some of the other phase 3 High Republic books, in that the plot seems so inconsequential. As if the story needs to spin its wheels in order to not step on the toes of the ending that is coming with Trials of the Jedi. All the stuff with the Scav Droids was cool, but the blight and the Nihil arriving near the end felt a added-in in a superficial way.

I really did like the furthering of Churro and Imri's characters. Churro is a great protagonist for a middle-grade novel, and it is cool to see a good-hearted young Hutt navigate life bearing the expectations and stigmas surrounding his family and species. Imri was a standout character in the first High Republic middle-grade novel, so I am glad he gets more focus here. Him taking on Tep-Tep as a padawan was unexpected to me, and a great step forward in his journey.

Ultimately, this middle grade novel was fine. Not a must-read, but its probably best to have middle grade books tell these smaller-scale stories.

[Zettifar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books was so very cute and for one of the few times we get left with hope and not the usual death and despair of the high republic lol

Imri & tep Tep arks were great and i found connected well with the phase 1 arks of Imri and vernestra during those middle grade books. While obviously these books are not targeted for a mid 30's man but if you can turn that adult brain off then their is a fun star wars story being told here that melds so well with the choas of the YA and adult high republic books.

I felt it from the very start of the high republic , if you have the time to read all 3 different levels of books in the high republic then the level of enjoyment you can have in the high republic is 10 fold compared to just reading the adult novels and that belief has held all the way through to now being finished with the last middle grade book and only having left the last adult book of the high republic.

[Topher · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We should have known she was bad when she was blocking people all over the planet from reading something just so her child wouldn't”

Justina cooked with that line for sure. I know I am not the intended audience for these books but these books are my intended books. I have found such delight in the middle grade novels throughout the high republic and they have touched me in so many good ways. I love how this tied up Imri’s story, who we started with at the beginning, but tied in characters that we met along the way. Do I wish Gavi and Kildo were in here? Yes. But I understand that it was already very character populated and they wouldn’t have added to this particular story (sorry I just love them.) The whole Zenny storyline has me feeling so much for her and I loved that way they dealt with grief. Can’t believe there is only one high republic book left. I say bring it on but I also don’t want it to end 🥲

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this book via Audible.

Star Wars: The High Republic: A Valiant Vow continues the trend of fun and exciting Star Wars books aimed at a younger audience but still enjoyable by all readers. While not a direct sequel to any previous books, it picks up after Defy the Storm and Beware the Nameless and follows characters last seen in those stories.

This galactic adventure sees Jedi Knight Imri Cantaros, youngling Tep Tep, scientist Churo the Hutt, and senator's daughter Zenny Greylark (among many others) team up to solve a mystery on Aricho. Huge storms are preparing to move in, so time is short and the heroes must make unexpected friends in order to save the day! The story is never dull, with lots of twists and turns to keep you interested.

Valiant Vow is far from the most amazing Star Wars book, but it ticks all the checkboxes you could want in an adventure set in a galaxy far far away. It's short, fun, and if you like the High Republic, you won't be disappointed.

[Brooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Star Wars The High Republic: A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland was a fun conclusion to the middle grade books for the High Republic. One thing I really loved about it was that I felt like it finally gave Imri Cantaros his due. The story itself is fine. I always go into these knowing I’m not the target audience since I’m a grown man, but they are always a pleasant experience for the most part. My favorites have been A Test of Courage and Beware the Nameless and my least favorites were the Phase 2 middle grade, so this book probably falls somewhere in the middle. It’s not a cataclysmic conclusion that brings all the middle grade characters back together if that’s what you were hoping for, but it does do right by one of the initiatives first characters. Churro lovers will be happy that he is back as well. Overall, it’s a perfectly serviceable story that isn’t a must-read but will be enjoyable for High Republic completionists.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2021, Justina Ireland kicked off the Middle-Grade books for Star Wars: The High Republic with Star Wars: The High Republic: A Test of Courage. Now, 4 years later, in 2025, she has written Star Wars: The High Republic: A Valiant Vow. This is the last Middle-Grade High Republic book. I confess that I almost rated this book 3 stars. It would have been the 1st time I'd done that in 2025 so far. And it would have also marked only the 2nd High Republic book I'd ever rated 3 stars. (The 1st was Star Wars: The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower, by Daniel Jose Older, which I read back in 2021. But the ending was really good, which prompted me to bump up my rating to 4 stars. Interestingly enough, this is just the 1st of 2 Star Wars books by Justina Ireland that I bought recently. The 2nd is called Star Wars: The Acolyte: Wayseeker. And that will be the next book that I read.

[Norrin Shearer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gets 4 stars. It’s solid for a middle grade novel. It was nice to revisit Imri, Tep Tep, Zenny, and Churo so we could wrap their stories up after Vernestra moved on to the Young Adult novels and Gavi, Driggit, Kildo, and Ram are all on Eriadu without Tep Tep. I also enjoyed the end to these kids’ stories, it served them well. I enjoyed the different pieces to this narrative and how they all came together. I think the way the book handled Zenny’s grief and tried to show the readers that it’s ok to let yourself feel was a good lesson, though the last third of the book wrapped up very quickly so Zenny’s loss was resolved extremely quickly. I suppose that’s probably for the best in a children’s book, but I still think we could’ve zoomed in on that impact a smidge more. Otherwise, great stuff here!

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad to know that Churo is doing well. When he was introduced in an earlier book, I didn't expect him to be a recurring character. He's probably as surprised as I am.

This is not a bad story—kind of a typical High Republic middle grade book: kids on a planet far from the main conflict of the series; young Jedi learning to lead; lost family members presumed dead and then, surprise!, not dead; very minor conflict with Nihil or deceptive adults that's resolved by some low-level Mystery Machine gang–style ingenuity from the kids. There's no romance, which I always find to be a relief in a SW book. All's well that ends well.

The ending of this book seemed less weighty and complex than I'd expected, since this is the final middle-grade High Republic book, and we're headed to the grand finale of the whole series. I'm really not feeling like this is almost the end.

[Brittany | Magically_Blonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have absolutely loved the young reader books through THR and it’s hard to believe this is the last one. It’s been a delight to take whimsical and adventurous breaks from the trauma we get in the YA and Adult novels and comics. This book was no exception to that! I’ve loved watching these characters grow, especially Imri and Tep Tep! I’m also incredibly happy to he got to survive the series, and as he said, with empathy and hope! 🥹

[Will Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 1/3 of the book, for me, was the worst that any book can feel (even more so than boring): unnecessary. But once it got going, it was a well-connected story (most of the best SW books intertwine multiple arcs into a single one by the end, like this did) with individual characters' strengths how the story progressed. A few references to current events (especially on pg. 200: last year it was from Sept. 22-28 and this year's will be Oct. 5-11... IYKYK) were a nice touch.

[Alex Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

For a book meant for middle school students and younger. This book was better than most. It kept a clear and concise story with great character themes and a plot that was more in the grey area than some adult books I have read. It was a sad way to say goodbye to these characters and know it was the final young reader book for the High Republic initiative. However, I was very happy to see how the story ended and it was a great circle back moment all the way back to the first time we met Vernestra and Emri.