Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark (Star Wars: The High Republic

Star Wars: The High Republic

by Claudia Gray, Giorgio Baroni (Illustrator)

Padawan Reath Silas is being sent from the cosmopolitan galactic capital of Coruscant to the undeveloped frontier—and he couldn’t be less happy about it. He’d rather stay at the Jedi Temple, studying the archives. But when the ship he’s traveling on is knocked out of hyperspace in a galactic-wide disaster, Reath finds himself at the center of the action. The Jedi and their traveling companions find refuge on what appears to be an abandoned space station. But then strange things start happening, leading the Jedi to investigate the truth behind the mysterious station, a truth that could end in tragedy….

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

443 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 2, 2021

About the author

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actually the best reason to do things.

I live in New Orleans. So far, in life, I've been a disc jockey, a lawyer, a journalist and an extremely bad waitress, just to name a few. I especially like to spend time traveling, hiking, reading and listening to music. More than anything else, I enjoy writing.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 5 out of 5]

**4.5-stars rounded up**

Into the Dark is a Disney Star Wars Canon YA novel, set during The High Republic era; known as the golden age of the Jedi.

The events in the three recent High Republic books all take place concurrently in the year 232-BBY.



As you discover in this novel, this is the year of the Great Disaster, a catastrophic event that caused numerous ships galaxy-wide to be suddenly, and violently, launched out of hyperspace.

It also destroyed moons and created a great amount of debris, causing major problems for ships and navigators.



To be clear, the events in this book take place before any previous media you may have watched or read.

We're talking all new Star Wars goodness, people! Now with that bit of timeline info out of the way, let's get into the review, shall we?



Jedi Padawan, Reath Silas, dreams of days spent pouring through the archives versus deep space adventures. He's comfortable in Coruscant, known to be the center of the Core System and home to the Jedi Temple.

When his Master, Jora Malli, gets assigned to the new space station, the Starlight Beacon, in the Outer Rim territories, he has to go with. An assignment he's not happy about.



Malli takes off early, leaving Silas to travel aboard The Vessel, a civilian transport ship, with three other Jedi: Master Cohmac Vitus, Orla Jareni and Dez Rydan.

The only other passengers aboard The Vessel include its Captain, Leox Gyasi, Co-Pilot, Affie Hollow, and Navigator, Geode.



It's during their journey to the Starlight Beacon that the aforementioned Great Disaster occurs, virtually ejecting them from the hyperspace channels and stranding them in deep space.

As you can imagine, that's not good.



The group discovers an ancient space station, the Amaxine, that seems to be abandoned. Unfortunately for the intrepid crew and passengers of The Vessel, they aren't the only ones to discover the station and not everyone else is friendly.

Making matters worse, the dilapidated Station may not be as abandoned as it first appears.



Claudia Gray, surprising no one, did an exceptional job bringing this story to life.

It was an absolute joy to read and learn about this earlier era of Star Wars history. The characters were incredibly well done. I loved their interactions with one another and getting to read from all of their perspectives.



My favorite character was obviously Geode. If you read the book, you will quickly discover why. He was the best and I loved every scene that he was in.

There is a ton, a ton, a ton of action, with some very serious baddies, known as the Nihil, that need to be stopped. A lot of the action focuses on some ancient idols that were discovered on the station, thought to have been left there by the Sith.



I would highly recommend this story to any Star Wars fan, or really even someone who is just looking to get into the books. This is the literal beginning. What better place to start?

Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney LucasFilms, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it did not disappoint!



I cannot wait to pick up the rest of The High Republic materials!

[Khurram · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Claudia Grey and Rae Carson have been the gold standard of the new Star Wars authors for me. This book is a great companion to the Light of the Jedi book but adds a great deal to the High Republic era.

The book focuses on 4 new Jedi characters and the crew of frontier "vessel." The characterisation and character development are great. For continuity as well, I really like how the event of this book fit together with other books in the series and the honourable mention of characters used in the other book.

I really like the conflict in the Jedi of finding their own paths in life and the force. I also find it interesting how the Jedi are more political, philosophical, and when need militaristic in this time. Depending on which route a Jedi decides to go through, they are given combat training, and the vast majority of them have not and don't expect to use it. Part of the is also explained very well in this book.

After reading this book, I would really like to see what is next for everyone in this book and really hope to turn up in another book. I already main characters of A Test of Courage will be returning. I hope these are so as well. This era suddenly got a lot more interesting.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so fun, and I got surprisingly emotional over it!!

RTC.

[Genevieve Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This took me FOREVER to read.

Its plot is fine. The characters are fine. Overall, I wasn't too invested. The most important thing here was that they RECANONIZED THE SITH SHRINE AT THE HEART OF THE JEDI TEMPLE.

Sometimes I think "maybe I should stop reading EVERY new Star Wars title and just concentrate on the ones I'm really invested in." But then I would miss out on all the important tiny details I NEED to know, such as the addition of new canon rooms of the Temple, and more light shed on nuances of Jedi philosophy.

There were a lot of other interesting details as well:

• The Kyber Arch: an arch made out of the kyber crystals from the lightsabers of Jedi killed in battle, in one of the Temple's meditation chambers.

• Padawan parties. ("Not technically forbidden" beverages and a BAND lol.)

• Wayseekers are apparently Jedi who "operate independently of the dictates of the Jedi Council." What it sounds like is just a Jedi... wandering out there in the galaxy alone... doing whatever they think is important.

The Wayseeker character in the book apparently became one after realizing she had differences with the Council, but those differences were profoundly skimmed over, which was disappointing to me. It can't JUST be the difference between her instincts and correct hostage-rescuing tactics as taught in the Temple, because that's a ridiculous thing to have a moral crisis over. There are ALWAYS differences between "correct tactics" and practice in the field.

• It was never explicitly stated, but Jedi celibacy was mentioned. There's still room here to argue that the true prohibition was against relationships rather than sex, but it was implied that celibacy itself was a tenet.

• The padawan braid was on the back of the head.

• This seems like it was overall a pretty chill time in the Republic. There's a mission to save two kidnapped planetary rulers and it's said that "very few Jedi ever had" an assignment so significant before. That kind of thing is pretty much a random Tuesday during the Clone Wars.

• Full Jedi levitation!

• A character theorizes that the Dark Side is only so dangerous because the Jedi artificially cut it off from the Light and try to suppress it, instead of embracing the Force as it truly is -- a mix of both. This is all just theorizing and a crisis of faith. It will be interesting to see if the evolving canon actually tries to argue this at any point in the future. I hope not.

• Three kinds of "Force artefacts" are mentioned: holocrons that contain memories/personalities of Force users, Force-enhancing artefacts, and Force-dampening artefacts. The dampeners are the most interesting to me, because I can't recall an example of something like that anywhere else except maybe the ysalamir.

• The Shrine of the Depths. This had technically already been recanonized in Tarkin, but it's still interesting to see this come up again in a completely different era. The shrine it says is "hidden from the Jedi themselves" and "covered by a meditation area." The Jedi characters still seem to know about it, though, so it's up in the air how widely known-about the shrine actually is.

• YET ANOTHER CANON MENTION of the specific padawans' training area. No I will not stop bringing this up.

• "The padawans' dorm" was mentioned as an area of the Temple.

• The Council in this is so chilled out. When a padawan is orphaned, they pretty much just ask him what HE wants to do next. Who does he want as master? What does he feel his path should be? And when three Jedi more or less totally disobey orders, they end up deciding that it was justified and basically saying "well done, but don't do it again."

• A book of Core World fairy tales is mentioned, including such legends as Good Princess Chaia of Alderaan, the Ithorian pirate Bluebrow, and the Amaxine warriors.

• A character does a near-Kylo Ren maneuver, blocking someone's blaster bolt with a direct application of the Force.

• "There is no rightness in slaying an enemy. Killing is never true victory. At best it is the knowledge that you have done what you must."

• The Barash Vow is apparently "an extreme commitment to gaining ultimate communion with the Force." It's pretty much becoming a hermit for years to seek spiritual healing or enlightenment.

[Eva B.]

As if I wasn't already hyped for the High Republic, the Queen of Star Wars Novels is writing one!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm 90% sure I get to say I've read this now and AAAHHHH

Claudia Gray is just. really good at writing Star Wars. Also I want to hug Reath Silas because boy deserves it--the most relatable Archivist-who-Hates-Adventure Introvert since Bilbo Baggins, he's the perfect lens for a story about a new frontier, about exploring an abandoned space station and learning how to be excited about a new era for the Jedi order. Learning what it means to be part of the High Republic and reach out to the stars. This is the perfect introduction to this new era and I can not say enough delighted, wonderful things about it.

If you're already looking forward the the High Republic, get even more excited. This is Star Wars for you. For new readers and old, for Jedi lovers and smuggler fans, for anyone who loves space adventure at its finest. This is for you.

[Zoraida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reath Silas can do no wrong in my book!

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claudia Gray’s YA novel “Into the Dark” is a part of the Star Wars: The High Republic series. Set between Charles Soule’s “Light of the Jedi” and Cavan Scott’s “The Rising Storm”, “Into the Dark” introduces us to yet another group of characters that aren’t given enough time or story to develop. What we get is a decent enough Star Wars adventure, but one that we would expect better from a talented writer like Gray.

It must also be said that there isn’t anything in this novel that hasn’t been done before, or better, in other series.

The novel opens with a spaceship carrying several Jedi Knights to the Outer Rim caught in the Great Hyperspace Disaster (see “Light of the Jedi”), and they are forced to find shelter in an ancient space station. While exploring the ancient station, the Jedi discover an ancient evil strong in the Dark Side of the Force. It appears to be linked to four artifacts, which they deduce was put there by an ancient race to keep the evil at bay. When they take the four artifacts back to the Jedi Council, they realize, too late, that they have deduced wrong.

I liked “Into the Dark”, but, I’ll be honest: parts of it dragged. The side-story involving the background of the two Jedi Masters probably could have been removed entirely with no serious detriment to the main story. And the introduction to the Drengir—-an enemy that I find infinitely more interesting than the Nihil—-was somewhat anti-climactic. They also kind of reminded me of the Daleks from Doctor Who.

So far, I have read four of the novels in the High Republic series, and I have not been overly impressed by any of them. Still, I’m not giving up hope. Because rebellions are built on hope… which doesn’t really apply, but whatever…

[Jim C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. It does have a connection with the first novel of this series but not enough that it would affect your reading of this novel. In this novel, a group of Jedi are traveling to a new space station when the disaster mentioned in the previous book affects their journey. They end up on a different station and there is something sinister aboard this station.

It is my belief that Claudia Gray has been the best writer for the new canon books in this universe. Sadly, this is her weakest offering for this universe. There were some aspects I did like though. I loved the connection to the previous book as we get one more fallout from the disaster that happened in the hyperspace lanes. I also liked how the author used her characters to question some of the precepts of the Jedi. I did wish that she delved deeper into this. The main plot works for this universe and there are plenty of sub plots to keep readers interested. The flaw with this book is also the same problem I had with the first book which is the characters. These Jedi are not doing much for me. I don't feel any distinction from them and maybe that is the point of this series. Not singular characters but a group. If that is the case I just don't feel any connection. There are also flashbacks interspersed within the main story that really didn't add much to the arc.

I liked this book and I did think it was better than the first offering in this series. The problem is these Jedi are bland and I am not totally invested in what happens to them. My expectations might have been a little high for this particular novel because of all the other author's works in this universe. This ended up being a decent book but this series is just not meeting expectations.

[myo ⋆｡˚ ❀ * · Rating 3 out of 5]

i only read this to see if i wanted to read the ya books in this series and i don’t think i do for now, i may come back to these in the future. i thought it was just fine, nothing spectacular.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reigning doyenne of Star Wars YA novels enters the High Republic era with a stirring adventure/survival story set more or less concurrently to the events of Light of the Jedi that introduces an atypical Padawan in Reath Silas, a young human male who would really rather just hang out in the Jedi Archives thank you very much, and a supporting cast of Force users and everyday Republic citizens alike.


Reath Silas Didn't Sign Up for These Outer Rim Shenanigans

All and sundry find themselves caught up in The Great Disaster and must take refuge in a mysterious ancient abandoned space station overgrown with exotic plant life. Nothing could possibly go wrong, right?



I was a little surprised that the major antagonists didn't really show up until the final third or less of the book, but ultimately it worked since the first portion was more about establishing who these characters are and also the thrill of survival and discovery in a dangerous Galaxy. Also, the comically-inclined side characters are high quality, an oft-overlooked key ingredient in tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.

Perhaps less effective for me were the lengthy flashback sequences set in the Padawan days of a couple of mature Jedi showing how they dealt with a difficult hostage situation years before. It felt a little unnecessarily drawn out, and the denouement didn't really tie directly into the main events of the novel beyond just serving as an origin story for the two characters' doubts and feelings about the Jedi Order and the Force.

Excited to see what this gang has in store for us next!

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This makes a nice companion piece to Light of the Jedi. You don't need to have read Light of the Jedi first. It just gives you a different perspective on what happened in that book. It's about 4 Jedi travelling to Starlight when a disaster happens and they have to randomly drop out of hyperspace in the middle of nowhere. They along with some other travelers find themselves on an ancient, abandoned space station to weather solar flares in the area. The book is told in two halves, as if this were two books smooshed into one.

The characters are interesting. The main character is the Padawan, Reath Silas, who wants to be a researcher with the Jedi and gets pushed out of his comfort zone by this adventure. In addition to the Jedi, the 3 person crew of the ship they are on play a large role as well. Affie Hollow is a pilot in training hoping to take over her foster mother's business one day as the head of a transport guild. If you were wondering where the Drengir come from, it's this book. (They kept popping up in other High Republic media I read without explanation. I hate how Lucas Books has put all these adult, YA, and junior novels along with 3 comic book lines together and just leave you guessing on how to read them.)

[Siona Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Once again, I'm not very impress with Claudia Gray's writing. I think she had an interesting plot going in the beginning of the book, but the original story felt over by 50%, so it ended up feeling like a duology mashed together. Pacing aside, the characters' dialog (in all of her books that've read) comes across like she's trying to hard to be funny and very much like a "hello fellow kids" attempting and sounding "hip and modern", if that makes sense. Like I don't think people really speak like how Claudia writes them.

With that being said, I do think Orla Jareni and Cohmac Vitus were interesting characters, and I would be interesting in following stories by other authors about these characters. I also think the Drengir are an awesome addition to the Star Wars universe, and they were the main reason I decided to pick this up, even knowing how much I don't get along with Gray's writing.

In the hands of another author, I think this could have been a stellar book. I know many people love Claudia Gray's books, both Star Wars and otherwise, but I just can't get into her. I wish Disney would allow more authors to write books because Claudia has done so much for the new canon and, not to beat a dead horse, I just can't be bothered to pick them up knowing she's the author. I would LOVE to see what N. K. Jemisin could do with an adult High Republic book (if she'd be interested in writing one), but I would even settle for more books by Charles Soule and Rae Carson (both of whom I enjoy their Non-SW material more, but still like when they write in the universe).

Overall, if you don't have the issues I do with Claudia Gray, then I would say you might like this book. But I definitely would not recommend this as somebody's first entry into the High Republic.

[Hallie (thecommonroomshop) · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS is the feeling I have been craving with the High Republic books. A soft-hearted jedi who is afraid of adventure, a haunted space station, dark plant magic, epic battles and characters who are overwhelmed by their emotions.
🌌🚀💫🪐💥

Claudia Gray has proven to be THE Star Wars author for me. I knew I needed to read to at least this book before deciding if I want to continue this series. AND YES. YES, I THINK I WILL.

It was so nice to have such a character driven book after the (beautiful) chaos of Light of The Jedi. I really, really, really love how she lets her characters struggle with how they connect with the force. It’s such a realistic and human portrayal vs. the purely black and white writing I’ve seen from other stories. Honestly her writing is just top tier.

While I appreciated all of the POVs, I would have been in heaven if it had only been Reath Silas telling the story. His chapters were my favorite. The pacing dragged at times for me, but overall I had an amazing time! Onto the next🤍

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum https://bibliosanctum.com/2021/02/14/...

Into the Dark was my fifth Star Wars book by Claudia Gray, but it’s probably the first one I didn’t love. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed it well enough, but I was also lukewarm about a lot of it. Unfortunately, I just don’t do as well with large casts when it comes to media tie-ins with their multitude of subplots and character perspectives.

Our story takes place in the era known as the High Republic, a setting created for a new series of written work launched in early 2021 to expand the Star Wars universe. Thus far there have only been a handful of books published, and Into the Dark is the first YA novel. Although it is intended to be a standalone, this story is also set around the Emergences space disaster featured in other The High Republic books. We are introduced to a padawan named Reath Silas, whose master had volunteered their services at the new Galactic Republic base established in the Outer Rim called Starlight Beacon. Along for the ride are also Jedi Knights Dez Rydan and Orla Jareni, as well as Jedi Master Colmac Vitus. Each of them have their own reasons to go, but all are committed to supporting the cause of their order and the Republic.

But when their transport is forced out of hyperspace by the Emergences, the Jedi must find a way to help bring the crew to safety. They end up at what appears to be an abandoned space station with a mysterious garden zealously protected by an army of droids, and that’s just one of many strange things they encounter. As more starts to go wrong, our characters discover the disturbing origins of the station, which is a remnant of an ancient race of aliens who have left certain safeguards in place to control an aggressive carnivorous plant species that would be a danger to the galaxy if set loose. And despite their best intentions, the Jedi may have inadvertently disrupted the careful balance of the station, putting everything at risk.

While Claudia Gray is still by far my favorite of the new Star Wars canon authors, I thought Into the Dark was probably her weakest. She usually writes great characters, but the attention here was simply spread too thin among too many perspectives, and even though Reath may be the closest thing to a protagonist, I also felt he was the dullest. The main gist of his character appears to be his reluctance to leave the comforts of Coruscant for the wild frontier of the Outer Rim, and he basically spends the entire book trying to broaden his horizons but still doesn’t quite manage it. Compared to Gray’s other novels where her protagonists typically grow a lot by story’s end, Reath’s journey didn’t seem to have much of an impact. It’s like his biggest challenge is still around the corner given the losses he experiences at the end of the book, and everything that occurred up to that point was just the leadup.

Also keep in mind that during this time, the Jedi were still all about eschewing attachments and forming any kind of emotional connection to anyone or anything, so one can’t help but think this might have also limited what Gray could have done with the characters. I therefore actually find it quite interesting and appropriate that this topic was touched upon in Master Colmac’s story arc. He was definitely one of the more compelling POVs, and I especially enjoyed his internal struggle and questioning of the Jedi’s ways (though I wasn’t so keen on the flashbacks to his early life which I felt were more distraction than explanation). Other characters I enjoyed included the pilot team of Affie and the spice-addled Leox who presented opportunities for cultural exchange and information sharing so that readers too can learn about the differences between the peoples of the core worlds and the Outer Rim.

In terms of the story, the plot involving the Amaxine and the Drengir might have come across as a bit convoluted, but what really excited me was when things started linking up to the bigger series arc concerning the Nihil. These are the main villains of The High Republic, after all, and naturally I was intrigued to read more.

That said, in many ways Into the Dark suffered some of the same issues I had with Light of the Jedi, and I believe the main reason has to do with the fact that this era’s timeline and its characters are still so new. We’re essentially starting fresh, and it’s inevitable that readers are going to need some time to get to learn the ropes. I think this is where I am now, but as time goes on, I’m sure it will become easier to feel more invested and connected to all the names, events, and places. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to getting more of The High Republic lore, and this is a series I will continue to stick with as long as I’m enjoying myself.

[Holly (The GrimDragon) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Let me never forget, he thought, that it is another living creature standing opposite my blade."

I'm kicking off December reading all Star Wars & then devouring the entire movie franchise for the last half during the holidays (Holly Daze) for maximum serotonin!

Into the Dark is my first foray into The High Republic Era & it couldn't have gone better! Claudia Gray is without a doubt one of my very favorite Star Wars writers & this continued to prove her excellence!

It was so damn fun!

Not only is Into the Dark an adventurous ride set 200 years before The Phantom Menace, but a finely-crafted character-driven story featuring a wonderful cast, including a nerdy bookworm Jedi, Reath Silas! Plus Jedi Masters Orla Jareni & Cohmac Vitus, Jedi Knight Dez & the crew of a shipping freighter: asexual stoner Leox, pilot-in-training Affie & chill navigator Geode! One cannot forget Geode!

Dysfunctional found family, an abandoned space station, plant-like carnivores that are more than a bit murdery, gardening droids (also murdery), crossing the Kyber Arch alone, space pirates, trauma, grief, DID I MENTION THE MURDER PLANTS?!?

I loved this & I'm looking forward to all things High Republic!

May the Force be with you!

[Unseen Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating of 4.25.

The journey into the new era of Star Wars fiction known as The High Republic continues as acclaimed author Claudia Gray presents the next entry into this sub-series with the young adult novel, Star Wars: Into the Dark.

Jedi Padawan Reath Silas is about to have the adventure of his life, whether he wants it or not. Apprenticed to the powerful Jedi Master Jora Malii, Reath is happy with his life on Coruscant where he can pursue his academic and scholarly interests. However, his master has just accepted a dangerous new posting aboard the Starlight Beacon, a gigantic Republic-controlled space station on the frontier of the Outer Rim, far away from everything Reath has ever known.

However, fate has a funny way of changing even the best laid plans. Reath, leaving Coruscant a few weeks after his master’s departure, finds himself caught up in the disaster sweeping through the galaxy. Travelling aboard the unusual spaceship known as the Vessel, Reath and three other Jedi, each of whom have their own reasons for leaving the Jedi Temple and journeying into the wilds, encounter a mysterious disturbance out in hyperspace, as the remnants of the ship know as the Legacy Run, splinter out at lightspeed, destroying everything in their path.

To avoid the high-speed fragments, the Vessel makes an urgent jump out of hyperspace and finds itself trapped in an isolated portion of space with several other ships. Forced to seek shelter in a seemingly abandoned space station, the Jedi and the Vessel’s crew attempt to work with the other ships to find a way to survive until hyperspace can once again be travelled safely. However, great danger lies in wait aboard this station, as the various crews fight for resources and each of the Jedi are forced to fight their own inner demons. But there are things far darker and more ancient aboard this station, and Reath and his colleagues will soon be forced to face off against a deadly foe whose reappearance could change the galaxy forever.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2021/03/10/...

For other exciting reviews and content, check out my blog at:
https://unseenlibrary.com/

[julia ☆ [owls reads] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Into the Dark was a pretty fast and action-packed read, but there were too many POVs sections for me.

[Anne Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

The third installment in the High Republic universe was: AMAZING.

I absolutely loved this book, from its impeccable writing style (no one does it like Claudia Gray) to its character or storyline. It was the perfect balance between action and reflection.

I’m truly grateful for Gray’s style to take the time: she allows you to know more about the characters, their personalities and motivations through the prism of dangerous stakes (kidnapping, death, fear, doubt, etc). I loved every single characters from this book. The Jedis (especially Cohmac and Orla) were fascinating and interesting in many ways. And of course I LOVED Reath and Dez who have my heart forever.

The choice of keeping the plot trapped between Coruscent and the mysterious lost station was pertinent and made the pace go faster from the middle. It was an easy and fantastic read. In conclusion, the YA and Middle-aged books worked way better on me than Light of the Jedi did. I can’t wait to be reunite with the younglings and I don’t really care about the elders.

tw: death, mourning, explosion, psychological torture.

[Alexandra Elend Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

“So many fragments of the truth. No complete picture. Which of course is more frightening than the whole truth could ever be.”

As the third and last book taking place in the first wave of books of the High Republic Era and taking place during the harrowing and complicated time of the great disaster there are a lot of things in play and taking shape through Into the Dark.

We presented with all the threats that the galaxy at large is about to confront and those discoveries may be more terrifying than any before.

While the galaxy is at high alert and in chaos a group of Jedi gets stranded in a mysteriously abandoned space station alongside a few refugees and a very unsettling presence that will set into motion some catastrophic events.

There is quite a lot happening in this book and it took me a good deal of time to make peace with it all and being able to swallow it.

“It takes strength to question your own actions. Just don’t dwell on the past to the point of forgetting the present.”

This was a book with which I just couldn't seem to connect. I'm not even absolutely sure what wasn't working for me. I like the different characters that they all have intriguing personal drama going on and all the revelations were really nice and very informative but the way it all slots together just wasn't doing it for me.

Seriously, I had a very hard time moving through this book as I was both: interested and really bored at the same time most of the time.

There was an impending feeling of doom all around and the tension kept ramping up with everything that kept happening, I could feel that, and yet I was very annoyed that things were happening in such a way and in such a place.

I can readily say the importance of everything they discover here but, well, I think I could have happily skipped the first half of the book and not care about it.

“Cohmac wondered who the Nihil were – where they must have come from – to carry such wrath as their birthright.”

However, I loved the characters. Like, every single character had something that made them really fun to read. From the Jedi, to the crew that was transporting them to the ship they were using.

Nobody can top Geode, though, in the way I loved him because I'm still pondering over him.

Their journeys were all really satisfying and I felt proud to see what they all accomplish and how they dealt with the challenges presented to them. They felt very genuine and real and honest even when they were dealing with situations that were more than they could probably handle nicely.

“How can we split the Force in two? How can we justify an act of violence – and it is violence, such a dividing, even the darkness divided from the light.”

I did like, at the end of the day, the way it went more into the ideology of the Jedi at this time and was ready to discuss it more fully.

Sure, we had already gotten the groundwork for understanding it before but I feel like Gray took a bit more time, and had more of an opportunity, to really get into it. And that is just one of the things I appreciate most of this era.

We know what the overall outcome is going to be. We've seen the future. The only unclear thing is the path to get there. How, exactly, did we get there ideologically and why did it happen. All wonderful questions that we are starting to see more explored and diving deeper into seeing the differences.

The force is such a vast, everchanging, concept that I will never get tired to discuss and see it discussed.

“When you cannot achieve balance within yourself, simply lean toward the light and do your best. There’s no point in reacting to a lack of calm in a way that makes you even less calm.”

Even though I did enjoy the ending, which was pretty intense and informative, overall the book was not what I was expecting - yes expectations are never good - and I could never quite get into it correctly to enjoy it much.

I appreciate, however, as I can recognize the importance it has and all it did for the time period it's set upon.

And if I happen to see the characters again I will be very glad because I do believe that is the strong suit of this book.

“It doesn’t matter how far we run, or in what direction. In the end, we always come back to the beginning.”

__________________

I have many very conflicting emotions over this book. Like, I'm still dizzy over them all. So, naturally, I'll need to think more about them.

As of right now, I think I liked it? Not, like, loved it or anything to rave about but well enough. Though that may change, seeing as how I was sure I was hating it at first.

It was mostly shock and surprise I think.

RTC.
__________________

Oh man, I'm so scared of this book after how we left things at the end of The Light of the Jedi which also means that I'm excited about it, of course.

I'm really loving this High Republic era and getting more content over it is just making me really happy!

If this book is anything like its predecessor, well, I'll be perfectly content with that.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bookworm jedi, a pilot eager to prove herself, a rock-like navigator, pirates, and space station with the atmosphere of a haunted house where the bulk of this story's action takes place all make up Claudia Gray's YA entry in The High Republic-Phase 1. It's filled with action, some genuinely scary parts, jedi angst, and engaging protagonists.

Reath Silas is headed for Starlight Beacon, much to his dismay. He's happy in the jedi Archives, and can't see how taking his head out of a book could benefit him. He's travelling with Orla Jareni, Cohmac Vitus and Dez Rydan, all Jedi knights, to the Outer Rim's newest station, Starlight Beacon, together on The Vessel.

Affie Hollow is copilot of The Vessel, with Leox Gyasi as pilot and Geode as navigator. They're all part of the Byne Guild, run by Scover Byne; the guild handles shipping throughout Rim, and Scover is Affie's adopted mother.

While en route, hyperspace lanes are closed due to the Great Disaster, and they, along with several other ships, must shelter on a station, which is full of plants and droids tending them, but otherwise empty. It's got a creepy, haunted feeling, and the Jedi sense weird Dark Side stuff there, which is unexpected. Affie finds evidence of the station being an out of the way place some Byne pilots have stopped at, also.

Well, this wouldn't be a Star Wars story without everything going to crap soon after everyone's arrival at the station, with multiple threats and shocks. And a new adversary for everyone in the sector/galaxy to contend with. As if the Nihil weren't enough!

After a shocking loss, Reath is left bereft, and Cohmac is left wondering about some of the Jedi strictures on emotions and attachments. Orla is reminded of her first mission with Cohmac, twenty years earlier, what with everything going wrong then, too. Affie learns things about her adopted mother, and we all learn from Leox that Geode is a "wild man" *hee, hee*

This was a lot of fun. Reath is relatable, and though dragged into adventure, proves himself to be daring and more than capable at improvising; he grows a lot over the course of the book, and it's fun watching it happen.

Affie has some pretty big decisions to make with what she learns, and she chooses to make hard choices; she too, grows a lot over the course of this adventure.

I really liked how much Cohmac had to wrestle with his teachings after all that they encountered and how making the decision to take Reath on as his padawan felt like a good decision for both of them. I also liked how Orla's experiences with the weird Force stuff they encountered helped her maker her decision with respect to her place in the Jedi Order.

I found this book to be a fun entry in the series, and now on to the next.

[Ozymandias · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been very excited about the opening of a new era in Star Wars history, and the idea of the High Republic – that we’re in a Republic and Jedi Order that are working fine thank you – is one that seems like it could expand into new types of stories that we haven’t seen before. And the idea that the authors are creating the type of setting they want to write stories in is promising. But I found Light of the Jedi (the opening novel) to be tedious and overly concerned with setting up the big picture. Well fine, maybe that was an inevitable problem when creating a new universe. Too much time needed to be wasted on worldbuilding and there wasn’t enough room for the potential stories. But now that the setup is out of the way we can actually get into some of the awesome potential stories, starting perhaps with my favorite Star Wars authors of the new Disney canon: Claudia Gray.

And it certainly is better than the first book (it would almost have to be). This story doesn’t devolve into an endless sprawl with no clear direction in sight or get lost in minutiae. It doesn’t overwhelm you with new characters but limits the cast to maybe six who matter – enough to care about but not so much it overwhelms.

Characters have always been Gray’s strong suit and continue to be so here. Reath is a really great lead (though I still want to know… is his name pronounced Wreath or Ree-Ath?). Reath is a teenage padawan who is lacking in native talent but makes up for it through hard work. He loves research and the thrill that comes from learning new things. But despite that he’s not a square. Well, all Jedi are kinda squares. What I mean is he has friends, he knows how to relax and socialize, he just takes his work seriously and enjoys it. He has no interest in leaving Corsucant and the comfort of the library to go on some crazy adventure on the frontier. What a waste of time. Why go and distract yourself with all that derring-do when you could just read the reports after the fact? But if it needs to be done he’ll do it. He’s deliberate and methodical. The sort of guy who, when asked to join in a deadly serious mission, pauses and thinks carefully about it… and then says yes. In a life and death situation towards the end his reaction is to nerd out... and it saves his life. Yup. I love Reath.

Which is a good thing because that feeling of goodwill is going to have to get you through most of the book. The hyperspace disaster that was the whole thrust of the last book is the core of this one as well. While traveling to the frontier, Reath finds himself trapped on a space station with the crew of a bunch of other starships. So far so good. But they don’t really do anything in the station. There’s some sort of mysterious dark side force there, but it’s secondary to everyone just sorta wandering around. I was expecting a much greater sense of danger and it only developed nearish the end. And truthfully, even then I wasn’t impressed. The Nihil remain uninteresting villains and the other villains are a little much. Plot and action have never been Gray’s strongest point (the character journey is what makes her books worthwhile) and this time I felt like this stuck out a bit more than it has before.

Truthfully, I think the book’s big mistake was in not sticking closer to Reath. We start off seeing the world almost entirely from his point of view, but once we get to the station, we split our viewpoint between a whole bunch of characters, including a lot of Jedi with problems. It splits the book into a bunch of different (related) narratives that are never as compelling as the opening was. It’s not just that I love Reath, I felt that the plot needed a stronger central arc. The crew of their freighter can be fun – including the spiced-out hippie and a sentient(?) rock – but their story isn’t enough to last us a whole book. And the other Jedi just aren’t that interesting. Whereas there were a lot of missed opportunities about young Jedi on his own encountering the galaxy for the first time.

This is a good book with a great protagonist. I can certainly recommend it. It’s definitely Gray’s weakest entry in the Star Wars universe, but it’s still good enough to be worth reading. As the big chance for a whole new era to prove itself it’s rather less striking. The new setting just hasn’t done anything to justify its existence yet, so far as I’m concerned. The types of stories being told just don’t seem that thrilling. But if you can look past the somewhat pedestrian plot, the characters are fun enough to make this book work. I love some of the subtle moments, like the fact that when a group of Jedi are asked whether anyone has experience in starcraft repairs, Reath answers “I just finished the basic course” and then just sits back to see if anyone has superior knowledge. It’s good stuff and so is his development. I’d be curious to see if she or anyone else does something with him in future.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 2 out of 5]

My second read in the High Republic era, and it’s much the same as the first (Light of the Jedi, by Charles Soule). I feel like too much of the storytelling is simply setting up future events—especially in the disappointing trend of including a little “end credits” chapter that feels more like Thanos in The Avengers than any villain in Star Wars. Just tell me a story; don’t make me feel like you’re strong-arming me into reading the next book.

In my comments about the previous book, I mentioned that I’m frustrated with how the Force is now being viewed as a “light side” and “dark side” that always fight each other, rather than the original conception of the default “the Force,” and then the dark side that is a corrupt approach to it. In Claudia Gray’s Into the Dark, I’m troubled by the blatant gnosticism of the Jedi way—the idea the Jedi have that the physical is insignificant, that what’s truly important is the spiritual. This of course contradicts my own Christian faith, so I find it annoying; but I also don’t see it as a necessary aspect of the original trilogy. When Yoda tells Luke, “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter,” I don’t hear that as a total, general statement about the relative value of the physical and the spiritual. It’s simply a moment when Luke is thoroughly distracted by the “crude matter” and needs to be reminded that there’s more to the galaxy than what he sees with his eyes. That doesn’t have to mean that the body is unimportant or even bad.

In Into the Dark, however, the gnostic split is enshrined as part of the Jedi way. “Every tenet of Jedi doctrine proclaimed that Cohmac should feel happy for Master Simmix, who had been freed from the illusion of mortality and the weaknesses of the flesh. . . . Now Simmix was gone, and they’d left his body behind as though it were nothing. It is nothing, Cohmac reminded himself. Crude matter. Master Simmix is one with the Force” (112, 178). But at the same time, this novel (more than most SW books) keeps the reader’s focus on the physical bodies of the characters, which are hurt and injured in all kinds of ways. And it does matter—to us, and to the characters. So is Gray subverting what she’s also presenting as Jedi doctrine? If so, then 1) it’s not clear that that’s her point, and 2) it’s challenging to deconstruct the Jedi Order so much at this early stage in the High Republic series, and hundreds of years before the events of the prequels. Why did the Jedi Order and council survive so long, when there were so many obvious cracks all along? Yoda at least shouldn’t have seemed to surprised that everything was falling apart during the prequels. How far back do you have to go to get to a time when the Jedi Order seemed like a good idea to anyone?

I’ll interrupt the criticism for just a moment to mention the best part of this book, and in fact one of the best things in any SW book: Geode. Geode is such a fantastic addition to SW. A character who is essentially a non-character has become one of my favorite characters. I don’t want to see him overused in future stories, but his existence in this one makes me smile.

Okay, back to the negatives. Gray’s narrative style in this book drives me nuts. Point of view is all over the place! Each chapter gives us the perspective of perhaps four or more different characters, and with no transition from one to the next. I don’t know if I’ve ever read such an unfocused, scatterbrained novel. Stylistically, this book is terrible even by Star Wars standards. If the High Republic series is going to endure, the writers are going to have to stop loading us with a zillion new characters while never making any decisions about whose character this story is meant to be. It’s a mess.

Everyone in this book says “hell” a lot. Why was that such a popular swear word in the High Republic, but then apparently faded by the time of the Empire?

Evil sentient plants . . . I’m just not sure. It’s a potentially intriguing new villain, but I also think it may become the Weeping Angels of the SW galaxy—interesting for one story, but progressively worse as their mythology has to be further explained. It’s no worse a villain than the Nihil, who are so far completely bland. But I don’t know. It was at least an interesting idea to write an almost-horror kind of SW story. I almost think it would have been better to keep everyone on the space station for the whole novel, and make it into a close-quarters paranoia kind of story, where everyone starts turning on one another, and layers of identity and motivation continue to be revealed (à la the first-season X-files episode “Ice”). It felt a little like cheating to whisk everyone to Coruscant in the middle of the story, and then back to the station. The momentum at that point was gone, and all that was left was a series of dull “pew pew” action scenes.

One more thing: How could Reath not have figured out the answer to Jora’s question about the Kyber Arch right away? I mean, come on! I so hoped that the actual answer wouldn’t be such a motivational office poster. But it was.

[Inkslinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by Disney Publishing Worldwide/Disney Lucasfilm Press and Claudia Gray via NetGalley. All opinions are mine and freely given.

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"It doesn't matter how far we run, or in what direction," Master Cohmac replied. "In the end, we always come back to the beginning."

02-02: 'Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark' by Claudia Gray is the lastest release in the brand new era of stories which lays out the path of the Jedi prior to The Phantom Menace.

Gray is one of a select handful of Star Wars universe authors chosen for this set of books. Already known for other stories within the franchise history such as 'Leia: Princess of Alderaan,' 'Lost Stars,' and 'Bloodline,' she's also released her own series.. the Firebird novels.

Charles Soule authored the first of The High Republic era novels.. 'Light of the Jedi,' which was released in January and 'The Rising Storm' by Cavan Scott is due to arrive in June.


"How can we split the Force in two? How can we justify such an act of violence--and it is violence, such a dividing, even the darkness divided from the light."


'Into the Dark' follows a padawan named Reath Silas who prefers the scholarly side of the Jedi Order. Most of his days at the Jedi Temple in Coruscant spent in the Archives studying, his Master takes an assignment in the undeveloped frontier in hopes it will broaden his interest in adventuring and help him achieve the much needed balance that's central to their practice.

When the ship he's traveling on are forced to drop out of hyperspace due to a galactic-wide disaster, it's only the first in many things that begins to upend their plans.

As the Jedi and their traveling companions have to take refuge on what appears to be an abandoned space station, the Jedi themselves begin to feel something at work within the Force that unnerves them. They suffer strange visions and feelings they can't explain.


"Let me never forget," he thought, "that it is another living creature standing opposite my blade."


Whether you're a Star Wars fan like myself or you just enjoy great sci-fi storytelling, there's nothing not to love about this book. It's filled with all the angst, mystery, and betrayal that the franchise has come to be known for throughout the years and the story itself is crafted expertly. There were things I expected to occur that never did and things I never saw coming until they were upon me.

I express enough how rare those kinds of occurrences are for me in any kind of media consumption.. but here we are.

The dynamics between the characters are wonderfully fleshed out, especially within the smaller groups that have more familiarity with one another. The natural instincts to fall back on those they often knew best.. before the others.. sometimes worked against them and I feel the story constantly pushed each of them to see beyond their biases.


"If you use your defeat to learn the path to victory, it was no defeat at all."


Of course, it wouldn't be a Star Wars story if it didn't make me well up with tears at least once.. and that certainly held true here. Gray did such a great job of weaving a connection between the characters and myself as a reader.. that I felt no indifference for anyone involved.. I was either deeply invested in their survival or their end.

What I often love about this franchise is that even the 'heroes' are not infallible. They often suffer grave setbacks, question even the most desperate choices they're forced to make, and mourn the actions they eventually succumb to taking. It doesn't hurt, that Star Wars has taught me not to take even their most popular characters for granted.. because anyone can be lost, one way or another.. just as anyone can persevere, even if maybe we wish they wouldn't.

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[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

The truth is that It’s has been a while since I’ve read a Star Wars novel. I really enjoyed the ongoing series in what was renamed after the Disney purchase of Lucas Films as the “Legends” universe. However, since Disney took over and pretty much tried to erase twenty years of strong story building, character development, and classical moments, I found myself less interested in their attempt to build a new cannon. I have also noticed many other fans have struggled with the same issue. Now, I am taking a tentative step back into the world of Star Wars to see if the High Republic novels deliver a new level of excitement and creativity that Disney is desperately hoping it will.

The High Republic is a new Star Wars series set in the golden age of the Jedi, when Jedi knights served as the guardians of justice and peace throughout the galaxy. It is set 200 years before the Skywalker era and 800 years following the fall of the Old Republic. This series has been planned and developed with a team of writers over several years, initially called “Project Luminous”. It is expected to be a multi-arc storyline, including adult, young adult, middle grade, and young reader novels and comics. I read the first adult book – “The Light of the Jedi” – and found it a good enough start, displaying some promise and potential for new instill some new and well-needed creativity. I gave it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Now I’ve read “Into the Dark”, the first young adult novel, which begins at a much slower and more methodical pace than the adult novel. It begins with Padawan Reath Silas, and his Jedi Master Jora Malli, preparing to leave the galactic capital planet of Coruscant to take on posts at Starlight Beacon, the Republic’s new space station and outpost on the edge of space.

Unfortunately, Reath is not excited to be going to the new frontier. He would much rather stay on Coruscant, spending his time studying in the Jedi archives and becoming a great scholar of history and knowledge. But that is not to be when he is joined by others on his journey to the Starlight Beacon, including young Jedi Knight Dez Rydan, Jedi Wayseeker Orla Jareni, and Jedi Master Cohmac. All of whom, are seeking their own answers as to how best develop their understanding of the Force.

Things only get worse as they find themselves knocked out of their hyperspace path due a hyperspace accident leaving a minefield of wreckage disrupting travel lanes. Then they find themselves trying to find refuge on what appears to be an old abandoned space station. Or so it seems until the feeling of the dark side makes its presence known, as well as the growing threat of the new Jedi enemy, the Nihil…

The first thing that I appreciated with this book, was that it didn’t introduce a massive number of characters in the first 120 pages like “The Light of the jedi” did. I understand this is young adult novel, but I almost cheered the more methodical approach of introducing the characters and building the action as a slower pace so that there’s a bigger investment and understanding of who they are, their weaknesses, strengths, and motivations. That was an improvement over the last book for me.

For the most part, Claudia Gray does a good job of interweaving several plotlines that run parallel and cross over as our group of good guys face off against not one set of bad guys, but two. Her writing style is pretty fluid and easy to immerse yourself in. I agree with many of the fans who consider her one of the better Star Wars writers. Her characters were interesting, the action scenes were mostly enjoyable, and her plotting was well-thought out most of the time.

Still, I don’t want to oversell my view of this book. I am still struggling with the Nihil, space pirates, as a strong enough antagonists for our Jedi good guys. I am just not finding them to be formidable enough. Yes, I know we’re only two books in, but still, they just don’t put real fear into my veins. Also, I will need to wait to wait and see how future books develop the storylines, because there were some plot points that were left open and unresolved in this book that I want to see how they turn out.

For now, I am still finding myself being challenged at times throughout the two books with caring enough about what happens. The overall concept feels a bit forced and packaged, enforcing a conceptual outline on top of telling a good story. Some things come across as overly plotted and image focused over content and heart. I know that some may agree with these thoughts and others will disagree, and I am okay with that. These are just my thoughts. I am not trying to lobby anyone to agree with my assessment.

Overall, this book continued building on the potential of the first one. It explored a new time period, introduced new characters, and new villains. Several developing storylines were established that should play out in future books. The good news is that my interest is peaked enough to get me to read the next adult and young adult books in the serious.
My rating - 3 out of 5 stars.

[Joshua Bishop · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars - Claudia Gray does it again!

I don’t always read the YA Star Wars novels, I find their writings occasionally more akin to a junior reader than young “adult”. However, Claudia Gray is far and away
my favorite Star Wars author so I had to give this a chance.

Set concurrently with Light of the Jedi, Into the Dark continues the world building established in the former. We continue to learn more about some of the heroes of the High Republic time period as well as increasing the threats around them.

Our primary POV character is Reath Silas who honestly is not dissimilar to young Obi-Wan in the Padawan novel. The character arc of Reath is quite incredible and worth not spoiling. Other characters of note for the “goodies” are Master Cohmac and Orla who round out our primary Jedi characters for this novel. The former is deeply into mysticism while the later is strongly poised to drive out the darkness through her own efforts. We also have a rag tag crew of pilots who the obvious MVP is the character of Geode. At the start, I found the writing for Geode a little comical but as the novel progressed the character grew on me.

Throughout the novel we learn more about the Nihil from Light of the Jedi as well as the new evil, the Drengir. The Drengir are plant based warriors nay-impossible to kill (and not unlike Dirge from the Clone Wars micro series). These beings are deeply ensconced in the dark side and present a number of challenges for our protagonists.

One of my favorite parts from a literary aspect was the use of an explosive device as a form of Chekhov’s Gun; I always like when authors are intentional with their plot points throughout.

If I have to knock this book on anything, it’s the six “25 years earlier” chapters. They were fine, however, for the payout being two sentences where the rescued character speaks at the Starlight Beacon dedication, it was a little leg down. You could’ve spoken about Cohmac and Orlas past in conversation without those six mini chapters changing the pacing of the novel.

Also. Without spoiling too much, the character of Nan was extremely interesting and her character arcs was one of the few in CANON Star Wars that actually made me audibly gasp as I figured it out in real time like Reath.

All in all, another home run from Claudia Gray. To me, even though this is not her best Star Wars novel, it’s her biggest home run yet. The majority of her novels have taken place during deeply recorded periods of time in the Star Wars canon; so there was not too much world building she had to do. For her to step in to a new time period with only 1 other novel preceding hers (which likely wasn’t finished when she started writing) and help generate a new world shows why she is the queen of Star Wars authors.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first heard that Claudia Gray would be a writer for The High Republic, I was instantly excited. Gray has never disappointed me with her Star Wars novels, and Into the Dark is no different. It’s clear throughout all of Gray’s work that character development is her strongest attribute, and that really shines through in this book. Initially, the idea of a book-smart Jedi who had no lust for adventure wasn’t appealing to me whatsoever, but within the first 50 pages I felt totally attached to Reath Silas, which was a pleasant surprise. The other three Jedi on the adventure were unique in their own rights, giving the roster of the Jedi of the High Republic a nice variety. Gray incorporated some new Force lore that had the Star Wars nerd in me smiling. In a similar fashion to Master & Apprentice, Gray highlighted the relationships between master and apprentice as well as general Jedi dynamics. Besides the fantastic writing of the Jedi, the crew of the main ship in this book, the Vessel, were a lovely addition. Affie Hollow had a very intriguing backstory that made me feel incredibly invested in her. Leox Gyasi was interesting to me in that he wasn’t your typical pilot, rather he was grounded and introspective. And Geode added some needed levity to more intense moments. The space station that the group ends up on is so amazing and unique, with so much mystery and intrigue added in. Initially I was worried that we’d get the same old typical space station, but Gray found a way to make this totally unique and different! However, since we spend most of the book on this station, the plot did feel a little slow at times. However, Gray used the mystery and quirks of the station to her advantage, so this didn’t end up being a huge issue for me. Lastly, the most original facet of this book to me were the Drengir, which were evil plants that Gray had mentioned in interviews and that we had seen in concept art. I was skeptical at first about a murderous plant species and how that would work in a Star Wars story, but it was a great choice that allowed for a unique enemy with unique tactics and fighting techniques. Overall, this book was an enjoyable read that tied in to the rest of The High Republic nicely while still being able to stand on its own.

(Thank you to Disney Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege to review this book early!)

[TheGeeksAttic · Rating 1 out of 5]

Star Wars: Into the Dark was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, Claudia Gray. This is the first YA novel within for the High Republic Era.

SUMMARY: Jedi apprentice Reath Silas is to report to his master on the Starlight Beacon, to work out in the outer rim frontier. He has no interest in such a thing, he'd rather stay on Coruscant and work in the archives. As he and a few other Jedi hitch a ride on hired ship, the vessel, they have to pull out of hyperspace as a galactic emergency unfolds.

An old space station is nearby, the vessel makes its way to the space station, along with a few other ships in the area. They will have to stay there until hyperspace is once again safe to travel. While in the station, a darkness is discovered. The Jedi take it upon themselves to remove the darkness, but with a strange twist, the actions taken lead to a new disorderly Jedi, an odd discovery, and frustration.

CHARACTERS: I'm picking two random characters to talk about.

Cohmac Vitas - He's a Jedi Master, long ago he went on a mission that didn't go as plan. The mishaps of that mission have a long lasting effect on him. He also has a hard time with the rules of the Jedi Order. The training the Jedi receive to have a lack of emotion and attachment, make him angry.

Affie Hollow - She works for the Byne guild, on board the ship called, the vessel. She lost her parents a long time ago, but was taken in by the leader of the guild. So, some day, Affie would take control of the guild. She finds something unusual on the space station which leads to the discover of shady business going on within the guild.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: This book, was actually pretty disappointing. Every single time I open a Star Wars book, I have high hopes and expect excellent storytelling. I really want to enjoy the book I'm spending all my time on. Claudia Gray normally tells fantastic stories in Star Wars, sadly, this is the exception.

Reading Into the Dark was a chore! The magic of Gray’s storytelling was absent. The characters were bland, the villains were awful (as in unintentionally comical), and the story was absolutely boring. There was a secondary story being told in the book about a past mission by a few of the main characters. It was pointless and a waste of ink. Many parts of the story seem to just skip around details. Descriptions were lacking, but for the most part, dialogue wasn't too bad.

The High Republic main villains are the Nihil. This book does have the Nihil, which come across as an afterthought without any sort of intimidation or disturbing factor. The other villains in the book, the Drengir, look creepy if you've seen the art. They are dumb in this story. If you've seen the film/musical of Little Shop of Horrors... you've seen the villains. (Yes, the plant villains speak basic.)

Many aspects of the story had potential had they been altered slightly. The twist that unfolds was disappointing and frustrating.

RATING: I give Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark an F. I did not expect this to happen with a Claudia Gray book... I’m sad.

Do I recommend you pick up and read Star Wars: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray? To get the bigger picture on what's taking place throughout the galaxy during the High Republic, yes. If it your just slightly interested in this era, no.

[Drea · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can we split the force in two? How can we justify such an act of violence,- such a dividing, even the darkness divided from the light.

My favorite type of Star Wars story HAS to be any story that questions the teachings and decisions of the Jedi Order. Not only is this a fun adventure, with lovable characters, and fun easter eggs. It is also a story that sheds light into the many flaws of the Jedi Order and the problems with political/religious fanaticism.

I was also introduces to two of my new favorite Jedi's Reath Silas & Orla Janeri!

There are so many things that I loved about this book that I did not mind the moments where the plot slowed a bit too much. Another new favorite and of course it was Claudia Gray!

I cannot wait to continue reading about the Nihil and the chaos they will most definitely bring.

TW: Death of parent, Injury/injury detail, indenture servitude, Violence, Abandonment, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, and Toxic friendship

[Faye 🫀 · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Positives:
- Reath Silas my Bilbo Baggins x Samwell Tarly x Peeta Mellark x Jayce Talis x Viktor (Arcane), x The 10th & 11th Doctor from Doctor Who-coded angel….
- you mean to tell me the Jedi temple in Coruscant is built on top of the one and only Sith Temple from the Sith Empire/Old Republic era…… craZ
- I loved all of the conversations about Light x Dark and how the only reason why it’s so deeply problematic between the two is because of the Jedi’s forced separation of the two instead of an understanding that light and dark exist in all things. I know this is a controversial & hot topic in the Star Wars universe, but personally I would LOVE if these books/films/tv shows explore this more
- the Jedi are like way more lax/chill about their rules in this era then I expected tbh
- Claudia Gray’s writing in Star Wars is just so brilliant and big brain & well researched & emotional/hard hitting & complex & it kills me everytime

Negatives:
- I honestly only cared about Reath’s perspective and the other perspectives kinda lost me
- I also really didn’t care about the plot all that much & felt pretty bored constantly.