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A special edition of The Last Jedi Junior Novel with illustrative artwork and sprayed edges. The First Order has the Resistance on the run. Things grow ever more desperate for General Leia Organa, pilot Poe Dameron, and former stormtrooper Finn as they desperately try to evade the First Order fleet. Rey has journeyed to the remote planet Ahch-To to ask legendary Jedi Luke Skywalker to lend his aid to the Resistance, but Luke has closed himself off to the Force and the rest of the galaxy. Rey knows she must convince the Jedi to help bring down the First Order, or all might be lost. Author Michael Kogge recaptures the suspense and excitement of the blockbuster film Star The Last Jedi, along with exclusive extended and deleted scenes! Also available for Star The Last Star The Last Jedi Activity Book Star The Last Jedi Cobalt Squadron Star The Last Jedi Book and Model

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First published March 6, 2018

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About the author

Michael Kogge

58 books45 followers
Michael Kogge is an American screenwriter and author who has written for several Star Wars projects, including the Star Wars Adventure Journal, Star Wars Gamer magazine, Hyperspace, Star Wars Insider magazine, and the Star Wars: Edge of the Empire roleplaying game. He has also authored a series of Star Wars Rebels chapter books, adapting episodes from the show's first season.

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5 stars
82 (28%)
4 stars
79 (27%)
3 stars
94 (32%)
2 stars
29 (10%)
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6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
Profile Image for Angela Smith.
417 reviews52 followers
April 26, 2018
There were parts of this book that were good and other parts that irked me. I know the story is open to interpretation from the person who is telling it but I think there were extra added "badness" passages just in case any younger person reading this was confused as to whether Kylo Ren/Ben Solo was a black hearted villain. Yes, it is obvious he is not Mr Peaches and Cream, but I felt like the writer was drawing a line under it to emphasise the fact. He added extra things that Kylo was supposed to have said and done and felt and made him much more malicious than he was portrayed in the film. It kind of undermines the great acting work of Adam Driver to make his character appear conflicted. For example in the book when he tells Rey in the elevator that he knows who her parents were and this line is directly from the book *He saved his strongest venom for last "I saw who your parents are." It hit her like he wanted it to, a shock to her heart. Dread quashed the confidence in her eyes. He almost felt sad for her. Almost.*

I didn't get that from watching the elevator scene, maybe that was just me? Another line was when he asked her to join him in the throne room when she asks him to not go this way. In this version, Kylo laughs at her when she says that. Then there is an earlier moment in the book when he is about to fire on the bridge of the ship his mother is in and their minds connect. He is trying to cause her emotional pain which he sends her through the force in that scene. I didn't get that from seeing the movie either. It was the love she sent him to let him know that she still loved him no matter what, as a mother would do. I know I feel that way about my children. In that scene he looked emotionally moved by their connection, enough to abort his original mission even if the tie fighters at his side completed it. There were some redeeming moments in the book and overall it was well written, I liked the lines where Leia thought perhaps that Rey could still save her son where Luke had failed. I know this book had to be simplified for younger readers but the lines seemed very black and white, with no grey areas as the adult version of the story had (I have read the adult version of this story too)

Perhaps it is up to the parent to explain why the heroes and villains behave like they do in the story as their motives are rather unexplored here. Although reading the junior novelization had the fat trimmed for a younger reader it was still interesting even if just for comparison, but it did leave me feeling more conflicted than Kylo Ren.
Profile Image for ..
339 reviews
March 31, 2018
I hate having to leave a two-star rating for this book. I mean, I loved The Last Jedi on screen, but this book just didn't do it justice. Now, I do understand this is the junior novel for the film, and the few bad words that were in the movie were replaced with different words (a good thing), but something wasn't right the whole time. The scenes were practically all wrong.

The author portrayed Kylo Ren incorrectly. He made Kylo Ren appear as if he was just an angry person and someone that completely despised Rey. That is not how it appeared in the movie. I'm not only referring the the Reylo ship, but mainly to the fact that Rey made him think things over in his life. Makes me kind of wonder if the author hates Kylo Ren as a character and wrote him the way he did for a reason.

The author also made Rose seem annoyed with Finn the whole time, and pretty much made her have no reason to give Finn that kiss. I'm not a huge fan of Rose, mainly because I feel like she's the replacement Lando for this new trilogy, but she was portrayed all wrong and that really upset me. And don't get me started on Rey x Finn... Was I the only one that noticed the author subtly shipping them? *sighs* Perhaps it was just a coincidence or something, but it appeared to be there.

The scenes I adored in the movie were not written very good. I just did not get the feels at all. I was super excited to come across the hand-touching scene, but again, no feels (I did leave some gifs on GR once I hit that part, but I wish I didn't now). I heard that the director of the film did not give any input on this novel, and I really wish he did now. I would have to think he would've been very upset with the way the author portrayed his movie and characters, and would've had the author go back and fix it. I would not waste your time with this junior novelization, unless you're trying to read all the Star Wars books like me. Read the other one, The Last Jedi by Jason Fry. I heard it is way better, and I'll be reading it in a few days.
Profile Image for Gemma F..
717 reviews79 followers
March 10, 2018
Liked the take on the movie! However Kylo’s character wasn’t true to the film and didn’t portray Adam Driver’s acting as seen in The Last Jedi.
Profile Image for Lois Merritt.
406 reviews39 followers
April 8, 2022
This was great. First of all, I think this narrator is the female Marc Thompson - she is very convincing with both genders and accents. The book itself was a nice and short version of the movie (compared to the longer novelization), but doesn't skimp on anything. It's for the younger set, but yet no book that I've listened to designed for younger audiences weren't also ones that us old people can't like either. So two thumbs up!
Profile Image for Nicky.
181 reviews1 follower
August 6, 2023
The film was a 5/5 -- the book, unfortunately, has a lower rating mainly because I don't agree with Michael Kogge's portrayal of Kylo Ren.

Like in the TFA junior novel, Kogge made Kylo appear more evil in the book than in the film, almost refusing to acknowleddge any humanity and/or conflict in the troubled character. Kogge's Kylo is all about rage, anger, and selfishness, overall black-and-white, when there is obviously a lot more to that character.
ironic
It sort of contradicts the content of the TLJ story -- from Rey reminding Luke that he saw the conflict in Darth Vader and believed he could be redeemed, to the overall message that there is potential for light and dark in each of us.

Also Kogge seems to keep hinting/pushing for a Finn x Rey romance. Please let it go, sir.

I very much preferred Jason Fry's version of The Last Jedi -- Fry's portrayal of Kylo Ren, as well as Kylo and Rey's relationship, is A LOT better. While Kogge focused more on Kylo's villainous side, Fry actually emphasized Kylo's human side and made his inner-conflict more clear.

For example, compare Kylo and Rey's second Force-connection:
Kogge's version:
Rey stood firm. "You are a monster."
"Yes," he said. "I am."
Ren broke the connection, opening his eyes. He was alone again, in the ready room. But his affirmation about himself lingered in his mind.
A monster. Indeed that was what he had become.

then Fry's version:
"You are a monster," Rey said, remembering the terror of her paralysis on Takodana.
She stared back at him--and found his eyes full of hurt. Hurt--and conflict.
"Yes, I am," Kylo said, and there was no menace in his voice--only mistery.

See how Kylo's conflict (expressed in the film) is more emphasized in Fry's version than in Kogge's.

Another example: Kylo's last scene in TLJ.
While Fry doesn't exactly describe Kylo's face/feelings/emotions during the last Force-connection between him and Rey, Kogge does:
The Falcon's ramp rose, and Kylo Ren's communion with her ended. He stood alone in the command center, seething with rage.


seething with rage
"SEETHING WITH RAGE"
stood alone
"STOOD ALONE"

NO -- HE IS ON HIS KNEES, HEAD BOWED OVER IN EMPTINESS AND HEARTBREAK.

--------
aNYWAYS,

But Kogge did pretty well in other aspects, such as Luke's character -- especially Luke and Yoda's interaction.

Many fans claimed that TLJ wasn't true to Luke's character, but this passage in Kogge's novelization supports otherwise:
"The greatest teacher, failure is. Learned this you have not."
Yoda might as well have been talking about himself. Was the Jedi Order's failure to stop the rise of the Empire why Yoda had fled to a swamp planet rather than return to confront the Emperor? If Yoda, with his talent in the Force, had led the fight from the outset, he could have reestablished the Jedi and saved the galaxy so much pain.
Yet Yoda had not incited more war. He had retreated in defeat. Wars not make one great, he'd told Luke when they'd first met. His exile had allowed the galaxy--in the guise of young Luke Skywalker--to come to him.
Luke had followed Yoda's example by secluding himself on Ahch-To. He had accepted failure and defeat, but what he hadn't accepted was the idea of forgiving himself."

Being the last of the Jedi, there was obviously a lot of pressure on Luke's shoulders to restore the Jedi Order. He thought he could accomplish that. But when his rash actions (PTSD? anyone?) ended up pushing his nephew to the dark side, Luke believed he had failed, so he did what Yoda did when he failed to stop Emperor Palpatine -- exiled himself.

But he came back in the end, didn't he? At the Resistance's darkest hour, when even Leia lost all hope, Luke showed up. And he didn't attack and destroy the First Order like what a lot of people wanted/expected -- that actually would have gone against his character arc. Luke is tired of war. He doesn't want to kill and destroy. He wants to protect others, and prevent more loss in his life.

And it was Yoda who told him (all the way back in ESB),
"A Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack."
and
"Do. Or do not. There is no try."

When Luke appeared on Crait, for once he used the Force in one of the most peaceful ways possible, as a Jedi should -- he Force-projected himself to distract the First Order, defend the Resistance therefore allowing them a chance to escape and survive, and allow his nephew to take out and release all his anger on Luke, all without hurting anyone. And it made all the difference -- the Resistance managed to escape on the Falcon to continue their fight.
Luke didn't try to take down the First Order single-handedly. He didn't try to save Ben Solo on the spot. He just did what he was capable of doing, and accomplished exactly what his character was meant to: restore hope.

^ And we see this in the beautiful ending that Kogge wrote for his novelization:
So passed the life of Luke Skywalker. But death would not be the end. His name, his deeds, his legend would live on, reenacted by scrawny stable boys brandishing broom-sticks or dreamed about by restless orphan girls who scavenged their barren homes for scraps of hope.
For all things are possible in the Force.
Profile Image for Andrew.
532 reviews15 followers
April 17, 2018
I listened to this book via Audible.

Michael Kogge does a great job adapting The Last Jedi to novel form in a way that's accessible to readers of all ages. I wouldn't even consider it a strictly 'junior novel,' just a straightforward one. While it does add some things compared to the film, it's not quite as much as Jason Fry's 'Expanded Edition' adaptation.

Most of the additions seem to focus on Finn and Rose's interactions and character developments, but there are a few things from deleted scenes that make it in as well. Compared to the other novel, it doesn't go into the characters heads as much, so we don't see as many inner monologues this time around.

Your enjoyment of the book will of course be similar to how you feel about the film, since all of the same highs and lows and flaws and perfections exist here.

It was definitely enjoyable and a good way to relive the events of the story. If you're a Star Wars fan looking to experience The Last Jedi in a different way, this can certainly help you do it!
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,429 reviews1 follower
September 14, 2022
Michael Kogge is such a great writer for Star Wars junior novels. He did a bunch of Rebels novelizations that I enjoyed, and I loved his TFA novelization, and now this one of The Last Jedi. It’s a “junior novel” but not dumbed down; it actually has pretty wide vocabulary for a junior book, and rather than simply recapping the movie, it actually adds quite a few things about what Leia, Luke, Rey, Finn, Rose, and others were thinking and feeling during the story. It adds some connective tissue that make parts of it make more sense. Most obvious I felt was the way it showed Leia’s special Force moment after the ship blew up, which seemed very out-of-the-blue in the movie but is written really well here. This novelization, unlike the adult one, also made Finn a more capable and less bumbling character, which I liked. This book is 100 pages less than the adult one, so yes it does go through events more quickly, but I might possibly have liked it a tad more.

Great novelization, even to read as an adult.
Profile Image for Deborah Kimball.
9 reviews1 follower
March 13, 2018
The author really seemed to despise Kylo and wrote him far differently than he’s canonly shown on screen. also left out several key scenes about Holdo and others. only the deleted scene content was enjoyable about this adaption.
Profile Image for Tori.
374 reviews13 followers
March 10, 2018
Worthwhile for diehard fans, but as always, a terse rendering that adds nuance to the film but does little on its own.

Lots of Reylo squealing, and an extra hurrah for my baby BB-8, at least.
386 reviews5 followers
April 1, 2021
A Faithful Adaptation

Some of the junior novelizations haven't been as great as they could have been. And while I disagree with some of the...emotions in the book given what occurs in Rose (and confirmation of my own theory, which I am still gloating over a little, thank you), I also recognize that a clear villain is more in line with children's books than what Ben Solo/Kylo Ren actually is. But this reminded me of exactly how much I liked the movie the first time I saw it. This is a good novelization. Given length of the book and how long it took me to read it, I would definitely guess that it would be a challenging but appropriate read for grades 4-6 and enjoyable for younger kids to have read to them and even enjoyable for older kids, or adults as I am. I love the junior novelizations. This one didn't make me cry but I felt the urge at the end. Good book.
Profile Image for Richard Dominguez.
958 reviews127 followers
February 4, 2023
This is my second novelization (book based on a movie) and just like Avengers I really enjoyed reading it.
The things added that can not be done in a film (or rarely done) such as thoughts and the extra info that rounds off the characters all make for great reading.
Like the movie this was well paced and moves smoothly and quickly from start to finish, an excellent read and an easy recommendation.
Profile Image for michael (gerard’s version).
31 reviews11 followers
August 3, 2019
I liked it quite well, seeing as it is one of, if not my favorite Star Wars movie (It's a personal opinion so please don't give me a lot of backlash!) But it did mess up or leave out some good or (in my opinion) important parts, including at the end of the movie during Rey and Ben's last Force Connection, how they cut the Battle of The Throne Room really short (it's probably my favorite scene in the movie), and they leave out the entire "Blow that piece of junk OUTTA THE SKY!!!" part, though of course I just love the Battle of Crait in its entirety. *This review is just my personal opinion, and yes I do ship Reylo so please do not hate me for this review!*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
44 reviews
September 25, 2025
For a junior novelization, especially alongside an “official” novelization, I expected simpler prose and vocabulary with a scene by scene retelling. That’s not what this is. If this is meant for kids, then kids should certainly be able to read the official novelization. So, treating this as just another version of a novelization of The Last Jedi, I would say this is not better than the “official” novelization. It passes over weighty moments too quickly, especially in the second half. However, it did surprisingly give a level of sentimentality to the end that I didn’t quite feel with the official version, edging it up to three stars.
Profile Image for Darth BookLover.
157 reviews1 follower
March 30, 2018
Una resumida y bien llevada novela juvenil respecto a la novelización oficial de la película. Con algunas narrativas extras a la novelización y a la película . Bien escrito y te mantiene en todo momento atento a cada página . Esta novela juvenil complementa a la perfección los pasajes de la película y libros para adultos. Obligatorio leerla. Mas si odiaron la película para que les quede claro en sus mentes retrógradas el por qué de ciertas escenas que uds critican con todo. 5 estrellas le doy o un 9.8/10
Profile Image for Samantha.
315 reviews7 followers
October 17, 2019
I mean, it was a fun Star Wars audio book.
Star Wars audio books are enjoyable because they go that extra mile with sound effects and music, and become a little more immersive that way. It was a bit simplistically written, but this is the junior novel, so that makes sense. I would have listened to the other novel, but this was what my library had. It adds a tiny bit extra to the plot from the movie, though not much. And really, I'm not sure who would read this without watching the movie first anyways.
So yeah, fun. Good for kids. Maybe a little less enjoyable for adults.
Profile Image for Iain Hawkes.
345 reviews1 follower
July 10, 2025
I gave both novelizations of The Last Jedi 4/5, whereas the film itself would score about a 3/5. Go figure. 0_0

Anyway, I don't actually have much to say - it's a junior novelization of the film, said film being a case of high highs juxtaposing with low lows, and there's little I could say here that doesn't apply there. Still, like the adult novelization, the book's at its best when it's doing its own thing, namely the melencholy scenes with Luke.

Solid stuff, but as an adult, go for the adult novelization.
Profile Image for Clarissa Boggs.
646 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2018
Seemed rushed and the characters weren't portrayed as they were in the extended edition so there wasn't much emotion put into words in this version. It was alright . As a junior novel ,if I was a kid reading it I wouldn't see the big picture of the complexed character of Kylo Ren and all the conflict he has because it wasn't put into words ,the whole dynamics between Rey and Kylo were so rushed it didn't even feel the same .
1 review
October 17, 2022
Star Wars: The Last Jedi A Junior Novel is a great book by Michael Kogge. This book is based off the film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. This, unlike many other books that have film versions, was published after the creation of the film. The author of this book, Michael Kogge, is also a screenwriter who wrote for many other Star Wars projects. He has written many books in the Game of Thrones series as well.

This story takes place in 34 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin). The main characters of this novel are Rey, Kylo Ren, Finn, Poe, Luke, General Organa (Leia), Snoke, and Rose. This story is told in amazing detail by a narrator. The novel is just as good as the movie, if not better, thanks to the amazing narrating given.

This novel has lots of excitement and many different conflicts. At the beginning of the story, Poe Dameron, a Resistance commander (later demoted to captain) is leading his rebel fleet to destroy the Dreadnought, an Imperial Star Destroyer of the mega class. Poe succeeds but in exchange for the loss of many Resistance bombers, and X-Wing pilots. Some other major events in the novel are when Rey finally convinces Luke to train her, Kylo Ren kills Supreme Leader Snoke of the First Order, and when Ren becomes Supreme Leader of the First Order, taking his master Snoke’s place.

The plot of this story is filled with twists, but the major events are easy to see. This story increases in suspension when Poe blows up the mega destroyer Dreadnought and the First Order fires back. Now, the First Order is on a chase against the Resistance, trying to destroy every last remaining ship, and member. This chase leads the First Order and Resistance to the planet Crait. General Organa chose this planet because back when Darth Sidious, and Darth Vader’s Empire ruled the galaxy, she was part of the Rebel Alliance and they once had a base on the planet. The final battle amongst the First Order and the Resistance had begun, and the First Order ended up winning. The Resistance ended up escaping but the story leaves off on the death of Luke Skywalker, and the Resistance left with about a handful of members and one cruiser.

This novel is a great choice for not only fans of Star Wars, and sci-fi, but anyone else who would like to read it. The book has an amazing amount of detail, suspense, and action. It has such detail that you can imagine what is happening in your head while reading. I recommend this book to anyone who has the chance to read it.
Profile Image for Dan.
1,788 reviews31 followers
August 4, 2018
I love Star Wars novels on audiobook! Pew pew! All the sound effects, plus the talented narrators, really make it like listening to a fully dramatized radio play or something. Kogge did a fantastic job capturing the events of The Last Jedi movie in this novel for kids, that adults would enjoy too (although there is also a longer Last Jedi novel for adults).
Profile Image for dani.
210 reviews293 followers
October 12, 2018
Some parts of this were outstanding... many parts were lackluster. Some important scenes were glossed over or left out. The author made Kylo Ren's character seem one dimensional.. and highlighted only his anger.. as if there was no more depth to his character. The adult novelization added much more to the story.
Profile Image for Edith.
242 reviews
September 4, 2019
Una adaptación sencilla con escenas que no fueron incluidas en la película. Esta novela junior está escrita con mucho corazón; describe de manera precisa y hermosa los pensamientos y emociones de los personajes, además de que añade ciertas reflexiones sobre el destino y la fuerza. Una de las adaptaciones que más he disfrutado, basado 100% en el guión. Muy recomendable.
Profile Image for WILL U READ.
63 reviews
December 21, 2023
It’s an accurate description of the movie with more internal detail and dialogue. It fits the audience for kids but I think the movie suffices some parts better but if you are on a tight budget this is worth it. Because there are sound effects, then get a library card or obtain one then get Libby! Enjoy the Last Jedi!
Profile Image for Yara AM.
61 reviews
April 19, 2024
3 stars. I am a Star Wars fan, and this book was exactly the same as the movie, which I appreciated. There were no surprises or anything new or special about it. It’s like the author took the script and made a book of it, adding some extra dimensions of feelings here and there. But overall an okay book. I do prefer the movies.
Profile Image for Will Plunkett.
705 reviews1 follower
March 27, 2018
I read this while also reading the "regular" novelization; interesting how even some of the narration was almost identical, including some of the extra scenes for the books that filled in gaps the movie allowed. It summarized some parts to shorten the book's length.
Profile Image for Iwi.
761 reviews5 followers
May 9, 2018
Not terrible or anything, I just didn't agree with a lot of the perceived emotions from the characters and didn't think the action towards the end was handled well, it was all told very quick. I did like how Luke was sensing Rey while he was talking to Kylo, that was like minor chills.
Profile Image for Ola Matysiak.
36 reviews2 followers
November 6, 2020
WTF? The author completely missed the point with the characters' portrayal in the movie creating his own sick version of events. Kylo Ren is on the path to redemption in TLJ movie, here he behaves like a lunatic (more like a Joker from "Batman" series). So dumb. A waste of time and money.
Profile Image for Kate.
806 reviews6 followers
February 15, 2023
I read the full length novel and thought I'd read the junior version for fun, too
This condensed a lot of the fighting scenes which I was happy about (they're not fun to read) but cut down on some of the thoughts/interior life of the characters. Which makes sense. Still worth the read.
Profile Image for Jason.
4,557 reviews
February 6, 2019
Sometimes... oftentimes...the "junior" novel distinction is completely arbitrary. Good story I'd good story. This was better than the "adult" novel.
Profile Image for LelandraTheLazyReader.
539 reviews4 followers
July 22, 2019
2 stars because it's pretty clear to me that this was written from the script before the author saw the final movie, a lot of wrong dialogue and wrong descriptions had me cringing hard.
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