Mitternachtshorizont

Star Wars: The High Republic

by Daniel José Older, Andreas Kasprzak (Translator), Tobias Toneguzzo (Translator)

NUR NOCH EIN SCHRITT BIS ZUM SIEG ... ... ODER IN DEN ABGRUND? Nach einer Serie verheerender Verluste scheint die Republik die marodierenden Nihil endlich in die Flucht geschlagen zu haben. Doch dann erreicht die Jedi die Nachricht über einen mutmaßlichen Nihil-Angriff auf den Industrieplaneten Corellia, direkt im galaktischen Kern. Die Jedi Cohmac Vitus und Kantam Sy werden zusammen mit ihren Padawanen Reath Silas und Ram Jomaram damit beauftragt, der Angelegenheit auf den Grund zu gehen – doch sie alle haben nach Monaten der ständigen Bedrohung längst ihre ganz eigenen Kämpfe in ihrem Inneren auszutragen …

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

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2022

About the author

Daniel José Older is the New York Times bestselling author of the Young Adult series the Shadowshaper Cypher (Scholastic), the Bone Street Rumba urban fantasy series (Penguin), and the upcoming Middle Grade sci-fi adventure Flood City (Scholastic). He won the International Latino Book Award and has been nominated for the Kirkus Prize, the Mythopoeic Award, the Locus Award, the Andre Norton Award, and yes, the World Fantasy Award. Shadowshaper was named one of Esquire’s 80 Books Every Person Should Read. You can find his thoughts on writing, read dispatches from his decade-long career as an NYC paramedic and hear his music at http://danieljoseolder.net/, on youtube and @djolder on twitter.

Reviews

[megs_bookrack · Rating 4 out of 5]

**3.5-stars rounded up**

The High Republic era continues with Midnight Horizon from veteran Star Wars contributing author, Daniel Jose Older.

This installment features a huge and varied cast of characters, many of whom will be familiar to Readers of previous HR books.



The main action is set on the planet of Corellia and more specifically in its capital of Coronet City. Jedi Masters Kantam Sy and Cohmac Vitus get sent there, along with Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jamoram, to investigate a possible Nihil attack on the Core Worlds.

Known for its massive shipyards, Corellia would be a tantalizing target for the evil Nihil raiders.



It's on Corellia that Reath and Ram run into Crash, a bold young security specialist who lost one of her close friends during the recent attack.

The young people team up and infiltrate the Coronet City night life, including a wacky ruse involving an intergalactic pop star, while the Masters pursue more mainstream channels of investigation.



This book was so packed full of action my head is still spinning. This is definitely one that I will need to read again in order to be able to pick up on all the finer points.

Older's passion for the Star Wars galaxy is evident on every page. You can absolutely tell this is a person with vast knowledge of the world, characters and lore.



It's not just action, however. This story is full of insights into many popular HR characters.

Since this era began, the characters we have come to know have been through so much. There's a lot to process. I like getting the chance to go along with them on that journey.



Some of you may be wondering about my 3.5-star rating; although rounding up to a 4, it may seem low to some.

Basically, for me, I wasn't as swept away in this installment as I have been with earlier works. I rate novels based off a comparison to other novels in the same genre that I have read.

Star Wars, in my opinion, being a genre unto itself, that is what I am comparing this reading experience with.



I'll be honest, I did get lost at times trying to keep up with all the characters and action. Additionally, I found my attention sort of waxing and waning amongst the separate lines of the plot.

With this being said, I fully accept that may be more of a me problem, than a problem with the actual book.



I respect this author's contribution to this world so much. I think the level of content here is fantastic. I just may need to read it again in order to be able to soak it all in.

It's really good though, so I actually wouldn't mind...



Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney LucasFilms Press, for providing me with a copy of this to read and review. I appreciate it so much!!

I have absolutely adored my time spent with the new High Republic materials and definitely recommend them to any Star Wars fan.

[Jim C · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is one more entry in a series that crosses over into novels, short stories, comics, and audiobooks. In this one, we visit Corellia where there is rumor that the Nihil are on this planet.

Once again I do not connect with an offering from this series. This series is just not doing it for me. My biggest gripe is my connection to the characters. At this point I know the characters but I really don't care what happens to them. This book did not help me in that regard. The reason for that is the first two acts of this book was boring and basically a love story between every single character. If there was a scene between two characters I expected them to have a romantic connection between them. Granted, this did not happen every single time but I expected it. Also, there seemed to be concepts that just did not make sense. Did we really need to spend time on making Zeen an overnight pop sensation? Is this what Star Wars has become? The only saving grace from this book was the final act. It was full of action and that felt like Star Wars to me. But to get to that point it was a real chore.

The only thing I can really say positive about this book is that it met expectations. At this point in this series I expect a book to be between two and three stars. It would be nice if I was surprised a little bit. This series has definitely has run its course and to extend it is not doing any favors to the authors who are writing these books. That includes this offering.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

More Nihil plots, more winning young characters, more familiar-yet-different Star Wars settings (this time Corellia some 190 years before the events of Solo)...yet somehow, for me, less than the sum of its parts?

Between livewire Bodyguard Impresario Crash, Padawans Ram and Reath, and the senior Jedi Cohmac and Kantam I felt the story lacked a firm focus on a character or even group of them - and this before they toss in Zeen as well. I can understand if DJO loves his The High Republic Adventures characters and creations and wanted a lot of them to have a chance to shine but it made this fast paced novel for younger readers a good, but not great, addition to the High Republic line of novels for me.


No offence, Crash! FWIW you were my fave character in this one.

[Alexandra Elend Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

“But it turned out paths only revealed themselves one step at a time, and Reath was ready for another step.”

Midnight Horizon is the closing book in the High Republic Chronicles Phase One and it couldn't do a better job of closing this introductory, familiarizing chapter of the story if it tried.

Utilizing every thread that has been carefully placed through the previous eight books we get to embark on a thrilling investigation on the core planet of Corellia where with the help of resident security team leader Crash, Jedi Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram, alongside Masters Chomac Vitus and Kantam Sy, the clock will count down to stop suspicious Nihil activity.

The High Republic closes with a bang worthy of the Jedi and the Force filled with doom and anxiety but tempered by a good dose of hope.

“The galaxy is not… it’s not the one we grew up in. It’s not the one the Order we know was built for. I don’t know where we go from here, but I know if we don’t face the new reality head-on, it will devour us whole.”

Everything about this book was delightful, entertaining, gripping, hard-hitting, and anxiety-inducing. Making it a very hard book to ever put down.

We start in a very intense place, already deep into the action and the resolution of a long-awaited conflict. And from that moment on, whether with intrigue or plotting or a good ol' bar fight, we never stop.

The pacing is simply well managed.

Any time a slower bit comes into play, emotional or simply reflective, it evoked feeling and empathy making it all interesting and compelling and engaging. Whether a fight or memory it all demanded to be fully present and immersed in the story.

“The lesson of Youngling we take on is one of the hardest ones for most Jedi to learn. Indeed, some never do […] Detachment […] To let go. Elusive it is, but also, always available to us, always there. And then, when we grasp, gone again.”

Truth is, the quieter and more emotive sections were probably the most fascinating of them all.

One factor that this whole chronicles have made a point of exploring is the nature of attachment, and love, in the Jedi as well as the Force, all of them have been deep, meaningful conversations that have explored the issue satisfactorily; the way it is explored in this one, however, may just be my favorite.

In some way, it felt like the final nail in a long discussion.

Maybe because we have had time to explore it with facts as much as with words the way it was all described this time around felt more resonant and weighty than ever before.

Not only is the subject of emotions and the way the Jedi interact with them explored but also some new Jedi ways to relate to the Force that are tremendously interesting.

“But Reath Silas was a Jedi. And he wouldn’t let this fight, or any fight, tear the core of what that meant away from him. Even if it cost him his life. He had a code, and he was part of a lineage of great Jedi […] who had lived and died by that code, too. And he would honor it.”

Surprisingly enough, one of my favorite things ended up being the dynamic between Reath and Ram a duo who I would have never imagined together before this book, but one that worked so well to compliment each other despite it all.

Together they brought levity and a sweet sense of innocent youth that was refreshing and endearing. This only got amp when Crash was involved but both boys alone were plenty enjoyable.

Quite a nice rapport was needed to balance out the heavier and more despairing notes the story took. But at the same time, it was what they both needed in order to process the many things the galaxy kept throwing at their young lives.

In essence, they remained the same kids we had met separately, but they are a great example of how certain people bring the best in us and can understand the deepest parts of ourselves.

Not that they were the only ones having relevant and fraught conversations; as Crash's whole team - formed of a very mismatched but perfectly quirky motley crew - joined the wagon in this particular area. They were all delightful.

“They headed down the corridor together, the moment already morphed into a new one – their partnership easily sliding from delicate intimacy to strategic badassery without a beat missed.”

Though there were a lot of new dynamics, all of them engaging and charming in their own rights, the return of one that has enthralled me from day one was a very nice discovery, even if they weren't at the center stage of the emotional discovery.

Zeen and Lula represent a completely different side of the spectrum of interactions from the previous ones but, at the same time, very much the same one.

Symmetry, a level of mirroring, and deep understanding and connection have always been at the heart of these two's interactions, and seeing them both grapple with the meaning of it all as their paths seem to diverge was exactly what I wanted for them from the beginning. In the sense that it makes their bond that much more complicated and beautiful.

After all, they have always been mesmerizing together.

“Soon they would converge, and they would be safe, because Crash had willed it to be so, and Crash got what Crash wanted, it was known.”

Though the revolving and returning cast was a nice, comforting blanket into which to burrow the inclusion of all these new characters was quite nice and really fun. Crash in specific.

Being the head of a body-guard company, being well acquainted with the politicos of the zone and many of their ploys provided a good entrance point for the story, and cast, to get a foot in. And her uncommon, and yet familiar job, was an interesting factor to add to the mix.

It would never have occurred to me before that such a colorful job could mirror and parallel some of the aspects of being a Jedi so well. It provided gripping comparisons as well as reflections.

That being said, it was Crash's personality that really stole the show. Charming and sneaky, untrusting and encouraging she could be quite the mix of signals but genuine and earnest would always win in there.

Hope of seeing her again, and her crew as well, will lay like an ember forevermore.

“There was no such thing as not taking side. It was sheer theater in peacetime and an absolute joke during war. Neutrality, the performance of it, was something powerful people demanded of everyone else so they could stay protected.”

Corellia being a planet in the core of the Republic brings with it, quite naturally, a tinge of politics to the whole situation. One that was made all the better for its recurrence and relevance in the plot as a whole.

Being on the fringes of the unfolding disaster really made every bit of the political intrigue stand out all the more whenever it came up.

Subtly and restrained as it was used, its ripple effects can already be felt and will surely shape the galaxy for the near future, at the very least. As it is already affecting our characters.

“They had struggled, each in their own way, to find detachment, to breathe through the impending sense of loss, the fear. Each had failed; each had tried again anyway, and then again. This was the Jedi way. There was no other.”

The climax of the story was as heart-stopping, breath-catching, and jaw-dropping as the last book in any series deserves to be.

Moment to moment, breath to breath the tension filled every page and made the already intense pace become positively frantic. Frantic with desperation the likes that only the Nihil can bring to the galaxy.

It was fantastic.

Even trying to anticipate anything would have proven a fool's endeavor.

All the beats of the story moved seamlessly between several locations, interweaving and tightening the plot; even to the point that the event of The Fallen Star made their ripples be felt, to quite a tremendous capacity, and changing the story alongside them.

The combination of it all made for an explosive, heartrending, compelling close to one of the best books in the series.

“It’s okay to feel everything you feel, but you gotta find balance.”

If there is one thing I feel compelled to say is that this book would not work quite as well if you haven't read The High Republic Adventures comics series, at the very least.

Seeing as how there are character arcs, plot threads, and even characters themselves that are being pulled directly from that comic series and without said context, their appearance may be a little too disorienting or bizarre.

All their input is being used to great effect and enriches the story quite a bit making it a bigger, more overarching scene and story on its whole.

“Difficult the way forward will be. But there is a way, hm? There is always a way […] that way ourselves we must. For it has not been made yet. To do this, though, to forge our path to the future, guided by the secrets of the past, we will be.”

At the end of the day, I do feel that Midnight Horizon is one of the best books in The High Republic Era so far and a totally worthy read.

It's a sadness that the book in itself was so short. Though considering the engrossing pace I cannot complain about it.

Certainly, the fact that one of the biggest themes is closed in such a circular way only increases my enjoyment of the whole adventure. It makes it feel neatly closed and resolved, for the moment and rewarding in the extreme.

“But really, there was no path at all. Not now, not ever. Searching for one had always been folly. The only path was the one Reath was on, wherever he was, wherever he went […] There was no path. Which meant that the only way forward was to make one.”

__________________

You know what? I think this one is my favorite of this last batch of books. Definitely, the perfect way to close Phase 1.

Ram and Reath deserve so much love!

RTC.
__________________

And, with this, I'll finally caught up to where we left of for Phase One of this Chronicles.

I'm excited.

That cover, however, and that name give me nothing. Both are pretty different than what I'm used for this "series" and that disconcerts me a little. Mostly, I'm just lost. Which is a good thing I supposed.

At the very least, I do have faith that Older will deliver a fun story and a valuable part of this era.

[Zan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Listen, I know as a YA novel this is not really intended for me, and I'm absolutely stoked that today's Star Wars kids will grow up with novels that have such great and solidly expressed representation in SW per gender and sexual orientation... but it'd be nice if said novel they grew up with weren't also written like ass. Every character has their characterization flattened to be the same UwU goofy clumsy loser. Every chapter puts them through the most painful, slap-sticky, unserious, absurd and irrational trials. The plot doesn't make any damn sense, the new characters don't make any damn sense. Like I hate to be this negative but, even for a kids book this is terrible - there's middle grade SW stuff that's got more nuanced thematic through-line and doesn't try to chew through its prose with a goofy grin.

It will take a *lot* to have me pick up anything by Older again. Sorry.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midnight Horizon by Daniel José Older is this wave’s best novel

Midnight Horizon, the final novel of the third wave from the High Republic is bringing Phase 1, Light of the Jedi, to a close, at least in book form. One month after the releases of The Fallen Star and Mission to Disaster, author Daniel José Older now provides us with the Young Adult novel of the wave - featuring Reath Silas and Cohmac Vitus, as well as some of his main characters from IDW's The High Republic Adventures, while he also brings a few new characters into play. After a short while of getting adjusted to the story, Midnight Horizon turns out to be the best novel of this wave. Here's why!

The plot of Midnight Horizon takes place around the same time as The Fallen Star, starting just before that novel and continuing on a few moments beyond it. Therefore, you should ideally read the Young Adult novel last, especially if you prefer to know as little as possible about Starlight Beacon's fate. Also note: the novel includes events from the The High Republic Adventures series and even partially overlaps with this plot. If you don't want to spoil the comic series for yourself, I recommend catching up with the IDW comics up to issue #12 first and starting the novel then.

Plot-wise, Midnight Horizon is about Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy, as well as Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram, who are sent to Corellia to investigate a precarious situation following news of a suspected Nihil attack on the Core World. Doing so, the Padawans encounter Crash, a security specialist who lost her friend to that same attack, and together they infiltrate the city's nightlife with the help of Zeen Mrala. But after months of fighting and going on adventures, the teenage Jedi, as well as their teachers, are battered and struggling with their memories and emotions. And the supposed Nihil attack turns out to be bigger than the Jedi and Crash ever expected ...

Charming Characters

„They spoke of suppressing emotions, of forsaking love, burying any discomfort until it was a mere whisper. But emotions couldn’t be mastered.“

In his first Young Adult novel set in the High Republic, Daniel José Older succeeds in delivering us exactly what makes the genre - character focus and great emotions. He is faced with the tricky task of having to pick up on two Jedi protagonists who have previously been written by two different authors, while having to remain faithful to the traits of these characters and their previous developments. With Reath Silas and Cohmac Vitus, first introduced in Into the Dark by Claudia Gray and further developed in Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland, Older manages to do just that. The quiet Padawan, overwhelmed as he searches for his path, and his inwardly seething teacher undergo an exceedingly exciting internal development in Midnight Horizon that progresses so subtly that it managed to surprise me greatly towards the end of the book – yet its twists did never seem implausible. I was a little confused by the fact that the two Jedi hardly spend any time together in the novel, though. While this can already be assumed based on the synopsis, the cover still had me hoping for spending more time with the master-student duo. So instead of once again sending Cohmac and Reath on a mission as a pair, Daniel José Older shakes up the dynamics between the characters and instead pairs Reath with Padawan Ram Jomaram, who calls Starlight his new home after the events on Valo, while Cohmac is off with Master Kantam Sy. As much as I would have liked to see more moments between Cohmac and Reath, the typical Young Adult separation between the youths and adults is just as intriguing in this novel. Older knows how to set the scene and make use of this, which makes for some incredibly funny moments.

The relationship between Ram and Reath is quite prominent in Midnight Horizon, with Reath taking on the role of an older brother to Ram, but learning just as much from his younger friend. At first, this pairing threw me off a bit, as the novel seemed a bit too upbeat, especially at the beginning. Reath seamlessly fits into the young adult category, but because of Ram a lot of drolly moments arise at the beginning of the story. Considering that The Fallen Star was pretty much the exact opposite of that, though, I'm happy to let this slide and be glad about the fact that the characters are allowed to have some fun as well. In addition, both Jedi have some great hero moments and go through extremely relatable character development that not only moves you while reading but continues to make you think beyond that. In the end, you can't help but love the combo of those two.

I was also pleasantly surprised by Kantam Sy, let alone for the representation of a non-binary person. We never knew much about them so far, but this changes drastically in Midnight Horizon - much to my excitement! Kantam is an extremely intriguing character with an interesting history in the Jedi Order the likes of which we haven't seen before. As a student of their missing master Yoda and separated from their student Lula, Kantam also has a great inner conflict they have to overcome amidst all the turmoil.

But we’re not done yet: the story includes a few more characters from the Adventures comics and Older’s Race to Crashpoint Tower that are further great examples of subtly incorporated queer representation - Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala, who struggle primarily with their feelings for each other. After a moving scene that takes place shortly after the comic book storyline and (unsurprisingly) brought tears to my eyes, the two girls part ways, making Zeen primarily interacts with Ram and Reath, into whose dynamic she fits quite well, while Lula fades into the background.

There are some new characters as well, of course, and there was no skimping on representation here either! Security specialist Alys "Crash" Ongwa, who is based on Older's author friend Alyssa Wong (author of the current Aphra comic series), is a character that took me a few chapters to warm up to. This is mainly due to the fact that Crash is always surrounded by a huge team (consisting of members of various species with sometimes very bizarre names), making me put the Adventures Annual, in which most of them were briefly introduced, next to me while reading, so as not to constantly lose track of who is who. But as the novel's characters quickly realize - Crash is someone you instantly have to befriend, and once you've formed an emotional bond with her, her chapters are also great fun, offering an exciting non-Jedi perspective that allows for an interesting perspective on life and the elite on Corellia thanks to her special status as head of a security firm.

Heroic Plot

The plot of Midnight Horizon initially follows Crash and her team, the Padawan team on the hunt for Krix, and the road trip through space of the remaining characters in three different strands. All these strands seamlessly merge in the course of the story, allowing us to follow the perspectives of many protagonists, helping us not to lose track of the plot and therefore enabling us to follow the events on Corellia quite well due to its relatively limited ensemble. One aspect I especially enjoyed about this book, and one that The Fallen Star was only able to provide quite sparsely, was getting an outside perspective of things. While strange machinations are going on on Corellia, the Jedi on the other side of the galaxy are busy with the fall of Starlight Beacon. And even if we don't get a direct insight into what's going on over there, we experience the Jedi's reactions to the catastrophe and also get to see that the population is shocked by these events as well.

Overall, Older does a great job of capturing the lively, bright core world of Corellia and the vibrant nightlife of the capital, Coronet City. The city feels real, and we not only get a glimpse of its elite, but also of its underworld and some public venues. I also liked that there was no shying away from detailed descriptions, even in bloody scenes and in combat. As gruesome as the carnage may be, it was easy to engage with the action and its traumatizing aftermath while reading. The author's pleasant writing style always creates a gripping atmosphere, be it emotionally moving, disorientingly lost, action-packed or wickedly dark. Many links to the events of previous works of the phase, references to the past - which will certainly be playing a role in the future - and enough unanswered questions round off the novel’s plot.

The book also provides us with a few flashbacks into a character's past. Of course these immediately make sense in regard to that person’s journey, but they also lead you to a much bigger moment of realization at the end, which puts these scenes in a whole new light. Thus, Midnight Horizon manages to surprise you several times, with the plot leading to what I consider a very satisfying ending that creates new possibilities for its characters and leaves enough questions unanswered that we can come back to in the future – yet it is also a well-rounded conclusion overall, taking into account the transition to a Phase 2 that is set 150 years earlier. Above all, in this novel Older shows that it doesn't always take a multitude of deaths to create emotional stakes for characters, and that the turmoil they feel within themselves in combination with a well-staged, action-packed battle is fully sufficient for that.

Still, there are a few minor things I want to note. These don't really made me enjoy the novel any less, but I'd like to mention them anyway. Firstly, some chapters in the first part of the five-part novel mirror the plot from the comic issue The High Republic Adventures #12. I was more pleased than irritated by this, yet it of course creates a duplication that comic readers will notice. Those who can't get the IDW comics in their countries due to license or distribution issues will be spoiled for most of the plot from this issue.

Secondly, I also had to get used to the writing style in the first chapters for a bit, as they were written in a relatively juvenile and humorous way and the author wrote out vocal sounds such as laughter as "haha". This was a bit strange to me at first, as it was completely new to me, but I quickly got used to it. At certain moments, a few character’s decisions went by a bit too fast for me, but all of this changes as soon as the novel takes its time to really go into its characters’ depths emotionally, and then, Older's writing style doesn't let you go even for a single moment and you are allowed to be completely immersed with and enthralled by the story that gives you just the right mixture of tension and emotion.

Moving Messages

„To have to do it again does not mean we have failed, only that we must do it again. And again.“

Due to the events happening on Starlight Beacon simultaneously to this story, it was clear from the beginning that Midnight Horizon would be an emotional book. Nevertheless, it surprised me how much depth it gives to the adult Jedi and especially to the youngest member of the lot, Ram. For example, Ram's biggest task is to find balance between his emotions. At one point he feels nothing at all, at another he feels dangerously much, and he has to learn to allow both sides to exist while not letting either get the upper hand.

I was also incredibly moved by Reath's inner journey: he is primarily concerned with finding his path for the future – a core conflict within the Young Adult genre. And though this kind of conflict has been addressed many times before, Reath's frustration and cluelessness is palpable, his confusion approachable, and the solution to his problem so simple yet so eye-opening that it has become one of my favorites from this novel.

Even beyond that, Midnight Horizon poses exceedingly intriguing questions that are given room to in the minds of several characters. One of these, for instance, is about what exactly it means to put something first, what that something should be, and whether the sheer obligations of the Jedi Order aren’t enough of a sacrifice already. In general, staying in the Order is a big theme. I was particularly pleased about this, as this discussion has not really been addressed in this era before and has been one I’ve been dying to read more about. I also think it’s most interesting how Older subtly picks up on the young Jedi not really having a clue of life outside of the Order and how they are quite overwhelmed with simple things from the everyday life of a "normal" being- such as work, payment and money. These scenes always help lightening up the dense plot, providing some much appreciated levity amongst the chaos the characters find themselves in.

However, one of the most important themes that Midnight Horizon addresses is one that could be defining for the entire phase, as well as for the future of the Jedi: when every peaceful attempt at a solution has failed and the enemy continues to wreak destruction without regard or remorse, can we still fall back on the tried and true methods? Or will there be a point where even a Jedi must resort to war like their enemies do and proceed with the same violence and ruthlessness? The novel provides an answer to this question, and Daniel José Older manages to turn all of these difficult issues into moving messages without ever seeming preachy, but offering everyone exactly what they want to take away from them for themselves.

Conclusion

Midnight Horizon by Daniel José Older has everything you could ever want from a Star Wars novel. After needing a few chapters to get you into the humor and mindset of the characters, the novel will then convince you all the way as soon as the plot picks up speed. In addition to wonderfully fleshed-out characters, we get to explore a vibrant Corellia, travel through hyperspace, spy on the nightlife of its elite, witness love confessions, stagger through toxic gas, watch Starlight fall, and take an emotional journey into the past. Themes of losing friends, finding one's place in the world, balancing one's emotions, and abandoning loved ones give this Young Adult novel a poignant depth that is fueled by humorous moments and supported by great representation of queer characters. This is what makes Midnight Horizon the best novel of this third publishing wave and one of the best Young Adult novels for me overall. In the end, all that remains for me to say is that the story, whose messages will give me something to think about for quite some time, leaves me with a smile on my face and I’m left hoping that Daniel José Older will be allowed to write many more Young Adult novels for The High Republic in the future.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daniel José Older continues to cement himself as the author of all of my favorite novels in the High Republic. He just seems to have this knack of balancing humor, seriousness, and all the other ingredients that create a great Star Wars and "Midnight Horizon" is another trophy to add to the growing list.

Set in the few days prior to the events of "The Fallen Star," Jedi Master's Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy are accompanied by respective padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram to Coronet City on the planet Corellia to investigate the mysterious disappearance of some of the planet's elite. Aided by newcomer Crash and her misfit gang of contracted bodyguards, the Jedi find themselves entangled in a deadly political web from those they were sent to aid as well as the murderous Nihil who may have more to do with events at play and to come more than the Jedi are aware...

I absolutely loved Crash and her gang and are some of my new favorite characters introduced in this story. Ram has been a favorite since "Race to Crashpoint Tower" and I'm so thrilled at the part(s) he got to play within the story, as well as the ever-charming Bonbraks. An unexpected pleasure was found in getting to know Lula Talisola and Zeen Mrala more in this story, as I am not a High Republic comic reader, but Daniel does a good job of not making readers such as myself feel left out of that particular narrative as the story unfolded. The story switches at times did throw me off for a second as I read due to the fact they weren't marked as changing, but overall, it didn't affect my enjoyment of the story.

For fans of Solo, this is a must-read and for those still reeling from the events of "Fallen Star," I can't promise that this will alleviate any of your pain, but I can promise you will walk away immediately wanting to reread and find all the hidden gems you might have missed. With Phase 1 wrapping up, this is another strong ending to the story of the High Republic Jedi as their light goes dark.

*special thanks to Lucasfilm, Del Rey, and Disney for an advanced copy for review purposes*

[havilliardgirlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m going to be honest, I am conflicted on this book. I’m going to give it 3⭐️ because overall I did enjoy this book, however, it did not live up to the hype for me.

Let me start by saying, I expected this book to focus on Reath and Cohmac because of the cover. Yes I know, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” But I was really hopefully the cover would be accurate to the story. The book actually focuses on Ram, Crash, Kantam, and Zeen.

So, I will start off with the things I enjoyed and then expand into what I didn’t.

*Spoilers Below*

Things I Enjoyed:
1. Ram. Diving deeper into this character was fun! It was adorable to see his bond with Reath and how talented Ram is. His lightsaber skills are outstanding! I also really enjoyed his quick thinking in the middle of battle when other characters seemed to struggle.
2. Crash. It was a roller coaster with Crash. I did not like her at first because I feel that she bonded way too quickly with the boys. But, the more the story went on, the more I liked her and her crew.
3. The foreshadowing in Kantam’s story that lead to Cohmac’s decision to leave.
4. Reath being knighted in the end, but the moment being a broken and sad thing.
5. I really enjoyed seeing Reath and Ram act like teenagers in the way they sparred, pranked, joked, and flirted with girls.
6. Cohmac. Anytime the story focuses on him. Especially when he was grieving.

Things I did not Enjoy
1. I feel that it took far too long to connect to the main high republic story and what was happening with Starlight Beacon. There was a lot of side story and back story happening throughout this book. Normally I enjoy that, but I felt it was too much. It slowed the pace of the story more than I enjoyed. All I wanted to do was skip to the ending parts. I was anxious to see how things would play out when they learned what was happening with Starlight. But, I feel we did not get a lot of that. I also feel that part of the problem was that the side stories were main about characters we have zero connection with in the books. If you read the comics, it’s characters you already love, but for just the book readers I’m not sure they will connect. As someone who reads both, I had a problem connecting. I believe it is because I would have preferred the comic characters to be introduced differently. I wish that we had seen them previously as side characters so that we were familiar with them in the books. I did not like that the focus was torn between two of the biggest characters in the high republic (Reath and Cohmac) and four characters we aren’t super familiar with. Which leads into my next point.
2. Zeen. I like Zeen, but her part in the book felt very rushed as did her side story before she meets up with the team. I would have liked to focus and expand more on her struggles with Krix. It seemed to skip over it rather quickly (especially if you don’t read the comics). Zeen honestly should have had her own book and not be jammed into this one. I feel that a story focused on Zeen, Lula and Kantam would have played out better in a story focused only on the 3 of them. Especially if it was from Zeen’s POV.
3. Reath. Now…. Let me emphasize Reath is my second favorite character in all of the High Republic. Which, I think, is exactly why I did not enjoy how he was written in this book. Again, I DID enjoy seeing him act like a normal teenage kid but that’s where the enjoyment stopped. Let me explain. When Reath was on missions he acted very awkward, bumbling, and always tripped over his words. This did not feel like the Reath I’ve come to know. He is introverted, yes, but he’s somewhat of a perfectionist. He’s obsessed with being the best at anything he does and has a lot of confidence in his skills because of how hard he worked for them. I understand that means he wasn’t always good…. But the Reath we knew from the start was already good at everything. So, seeing him stumble through a relatively simple mission, was not enjoyable. After all that he has already gone through and how he has never struggled like that before, it was uncomfortable. NOW, with regards to flirting with girls. Yes he’s awkward. But he should be. He’s a teenager and that makes sense to me. But, on the missions, I felt like Reath should be the one to take the lead and be quick to make decisions. Not Ram, who has very little experience compared to Reath. In the beginning they explain that Reath feels like Ram is a younger sibling, and yet, Ram is the one doing all of the protecting and leading throughout the story. Which… was fun to see Ram shine, but it really took away from Reath’s character. This adds to Reath being knighted in the end. He 100% deserves that yes, but seeing him be so awkward and never take the lead was not a great lead up to him being knighted.
4. Cohmac. Again, I absolutely love Cohmac. Which is why I’m disappointed. I really really really wanted to follow Cohmac and his struggle with the force and the Jedi order. But, he’s hardly in the book. Anytime he was it was the best part of the story, honestly. I was very upset that he was not with Reath 95% of the story. I wanted to see their bond and how things would play out with them as Cohmac struggled. Would Reath keep him grounded? Or would Reath encourage his behavior and leave with him?? How would Cohmac’s actions affect Reath as the story progresses and vise versa?? But no, they said hardly two words to each other the whole book. I saw glimpses of Cohmac’s rage and grief but not nearly enough. I wanted to see his struggle as we have gotten to see Elzar’s. Heck, we got to see Stellan’s struggle with the force more than Cohmac’s. I’m sad that we did not get a POV for Cohmac. I’m dying to know what went on inside his mind as this whole story progressed. Especially once everything started to play out with Starlight and then leading up to Reath’s knighting. What was Cohmac thinking?? What were his biggest struggles?? Why didn’t he talk to Reath?? How does Reath feel about it?? Why didn’t we get them together?? 😭😭😭

So, overall, it is still an enjoyable read. I still recommended it, and the High Republic is still my favorite Star Wars book series. You could chalk up my dislikes to me just being salty that I didn’t get more of my favorites 😂 I am excited for what is to come next!

[Raoul · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️

Star Wars: Midnight Horizon wasn’t a strong way to end Phase 1 of the novels. The biggest issue was that it relies too much on the High Republic Adventures comics, which I haven’t read. The story also felt a bit messy, with too many points of view to keep track of. The structure didn’t really work for me overall. I think it would have been better if it focused just on Ram and Reath, since following two Padawan friends is a fresh idea for Star Wars.

4 out of 10

[katie :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND DISNEY PUBLISHING FOR THE ARC!!

I have been binge reading the high republic for around a month now, and I was blessed to have the opportunity to read this one early and read the entirety of Phase One of the high republic with no stops. This is the perfect ending to the entire Phase. It not only closes out the YA Trilogy beautifully, but it answers two of the biggest questions I've had about the High Republic since the beginning. One being, "why do all the jedi live across the galaxy NOW, but in the prequels they're all based on Coruscant?"

This book is an incredible finale and accompaniment piece to The Fallen Star. I was gripped the entire time. I love what Daniel José Older has done with these characters and this story. This book is everything I've come to expect of a High Republic novel-- action-packed, incredibly funny, heartwarming, gutwrenching, and delightfully queer.

I loved the insight we got on all these characters, but our real showstopper and scene stealer is Ram. If you are not already ready to adopt Ram, you will be, I promise. (Although Reath Silas really shines in this novel as well.)

This book gets five stars for one moment alone that made me scream, cry, and gasp at the same time. You'll know when you read it ;)

Pre-Order this now. I will certainly miss our Phase 1 friends in Phase 2. (I hope we come back to this cast in Phase 3... I have new questions I need answered...)

[Joshua Bishop · Rating 2 out of 5]

I give this a 2.5/5 stars; this was definitely my least enjoyed Phase 1 High Republic novel.

This was nearly a DNF if I am being fully honest. This was painfully slow for the first half and very difficult to get into. I have read a number of complaints about how relationship-focused this book is and, while that certainly is true, that isn’t the biggest issue to me.

For me, the larger issues are that many of the returning characters like Reath and Cohmac don’t feel like how they did in the other novels. For much of the book, Reath seems to have had a massive regression in character. Cohmac also seems extremely different to me.

This book explores a small team of Jedi investigating an alleged Nihil attack on a core world and the work they do to defend the planet. Assumedly, this attack is one of the random attacks from Fallen Star that pulled republic forces away from Starlight.

Once we get to the Nihil confrontation, the book really picks up but it is a very long road to get there.

This is an interest read when you’ve already finished Fallen Star. Throughout the whole book we hear about Starlight, Starlight, Starlight when we already know it’s gone. I would’ve actually liked this to have happened earlier in the book to get away from that “surprise” sooner. Because there is no shock factor in the reveal it would’ve been better to get out of the way sooner.

Jedi grandmaster Yoda makes an appearance as this novels “Chekhovs gun”. The fact that yoda is missing is mentioned more in this novel than any other just for him to show up in the ultimate climax to save the day.

We get to read about Reath attaining the status of Knight at the conclusion which was a very emotion provoking read. I’ve always loved these parts since seeing Anakin knighted in the clone wars micro series and then it getting recanonized in Brotherhood. However, Reaths was something special that you felt like you experienced the whole journey of. I will be interested to see if Reath remains in YA books or if Ram will take his place and Reath “graduates” to the main series.

I did not care much for the Zeen-Lula B-plot, but I did enjoy the Lula cliffhanger that is very much a plot mirror of Bell and Burry from the adult novels.

Much like Fallen Star, I didn’t hate this read but I was let down by the conclusion. I think the marketing and scale of the High Republic (to borrow from wrestling) booked the authors into a corner on what they could do or not. I am excited to get through Phase II before the hopefully thrilling High Republic conclusion of Phase III.

[Drew's ambitious reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book/series is amazing! Although this isn't my favorite book in the series I loved how action packed it was! It took me a while to read because I had to get caught up with the other books but if u r a star wars fan and haven't read the high republic series u should its really good espcially the audiobooks! Four out of five stars!(:

[megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was probably my least favorite of the series, I just don't feel as attached to these characters unfortunately. Also the characters I do know and love felt "off" I'm interested to see where it goes from here.

[Sage Groves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Star War.

Midnight Horizon by Daniel Jose Older chronologically closes out our first phase of The High Republic novels, and it is the perfect book to do so. Midnight Horizon exquisitely balances heartwarming scenes with edge-of-your-seat action, lustful love stories with emotional conversations, and overall exceeds in establishing the balance between galactic wide issues and normal teenager problems. It is refreshing to read a book aimed at a younger audience that can deal with out-of-this-world issues like space Vikings infiltrating the essence of a sci-fi city as well as have a teenage boy mull over what his “type” in girls might be. Older creates a consistent and gripping tone throughout the novel that never slows down long enough to get boring—Midnight Horizon is the definition of a page-turner.

Taking place in Coronet City, Corellia, the setting adds so much of the urban-fantastical tone that drives this book. Three teenagers and two Jedi Masters are placed in a setting that is very foreign to them, taking them out of their comfort zone and establishing an interesting dynamic between the Jedi characters and the Corellians. The Nihil, the main antagonists of Midnight Horizon, are ruthless adversaries and provide a conduit for some exquisite Star Warsy action sequences.

The characters and relationships between them are what really makes this novel so special. We have seen these characters grow over a series of books and comics, however, this book is able to give them all a complete arc all on its own. Now for a brief character study moment:

Reath Silas
Reath Silas is the star of this book. Even as the only POV character that was not created by Older, the Reath that we get in Midnight Horizon is my favorite version of him. His journey through navigating the things he has been through as well as finding his place in the Galaxy and as a Jedi is such an emotional ride and one that the reader will feel so connected to without a doubt. Moreover, he is just funny and provides a much-needed wholesomeness amidst galactic chaos.

Ram Jomaram
Never before have I read such a realistic and healthy depiction of a child going through and reacting to trauma. Ram, while being a source of light and utter joy in this book, is also a character that readers can learn from. He is truly just a little guy trying his best—and oh boy does he have some wizard moments! A highlight of this book is Ram’s brotherly relationship to Reath; they are a fun duo and a source of perfectly timed comedic relief.

Kantam Sy
First and foremost—a non-binary Jedi in Star Wars? A dream come true. Kantam is an absolute gift in this book and definitely one of, if not my favorite Jedi now. Their outlook on the Force and on love and attachment is one that we rarely see. They are such a unique character and just a joy to read about. Every word from their mouth is a lesson for the reader. Kantam is very easy to fall in love with and I cannot say enough good things about them.

Zeen Mrala
Zeen and Lula have been my favorite Star Wars characters since I read the High Republic Adventures comics, yet somehow I found myself loving her even more than I thought possible in Midnight Horizon. Her story is inspiring to say the least. There was not a single moment in this book where I was not in awe of her resilience, her emotional awareness, her heart, and her badassery. Her relationship with Lula is the quintessential sapphics in space love story and will have the reader’s heart absolutely melting.

Alys “Crash” Ongwa
Crash was the perfect addition to this series. Her intelligence, attitude, kick ass strength, and journey through growing up and trusting the people who love her made her very human character essential to this very fantastical novel. As usual with Star Wars stories, I find the non-Jedi characters the ones I connect to the most, and Crash did not let me down.

Cohmac Vitus
What can I say other than I have rarely seen a character’s story wrap up as well as Cohmac’s. His dynamic with Kantam is very grounding. Also I love Cohmac because his character shows the reader “Hey! Grownups have problems and need help too!” in a very healthy and realistic way.

Sabata Krill
WHAT A VILLAIN! Sabata is ruthless, determined, manipulative—girlbossery at its finest. And yes! Let women be villains!

Overall, Midnight Horizon quickly became my favorite Star Wars novel—possibly one of my favorite novels in general—because of the beautiful prose, believable and engrossing dialogue, emotional lessons and themes, wizard action, and delightful characters. This is a book that I will be going back to re-read for years. Lastly, as a queer person, I am obligated to say that this book has some of the best LGBT representation I have ever read. It is so fluid and natural and isn’t performative, which is everything I could ask for in a book.

This is a spoiler free review. To listen to my full review, please tune into my podcast Fulcrum Transmissions on 2/7 where I will be discussing this book and all of its spoilery little details. Also, to hear me talk to the author of Midnight Horizon, Daniel Jose Older, please listen to Fulcrum Transmissions this week 2/2!

Thank you Disney and Lucasfilm Publishing for the ARC of this book.

[Arezou · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you bolster readers enough to stop weeping over their faves and move forward? Obviously there’s no easy answer to that question, but one way might be to give them a compelling, slow-burn mystery ride, which is exactly what Daniel José Older has done with Midnight Horizon.

Set concurrently with both Mission to Disaster and The Fallen Star, the story follows Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy, as well as Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram on a mission to the Core world of Corellia. Ostensibly, they are going to simply investigate a mysterious message that was sent their way. But once they meet local business owner, security expert, and slightly chaotic teenager Alys “Crash” Ongwa, they find themselves embroiled in a much bigger plot to destabilize the Republic than they had initially realized.

With Midnight Horizon, Older brings his signature effortless humour to what might otherwise have been a very heavy, stressful adventure. After the non-stop (understandeable) tension of The Fallen Star, it made for a nice change of pace to have these moments of levity, even while at the back of your mind, you know everything is not going to be alright for the massive cast of characters we’ve come to love over the last year and a bit. 

The central mystery is a delightful slow-burn. It shares the same kind of film-noir vibe as the High Republic’s Trail of Shadows comic series (also by Older), as both are set largely in urban environments and touch on many genre staples that we haven’t seen much of in this era, such as a criminal underworld, an urban nightlife, etc. It mixes expected Star Wars elements, such as the Nihil and the criminal underworld, with a subtle but scathing commentary on the lengths some will go to in order to justify their xenophobia. 

And yet somehow, with several threads of mystery flying about at any given moment, Older found time to include not one but three love stories. Three queer love stories at that, none of which rely on tragic endings that force the characters to grow. While one is told through flashback, the other two are set in the present day and are full of hope that these crazy kids might just find a way to make it work in an unforgiving galaxy. Colour my sappy romantic heart absolutely delighted. Maybe not all Star Wars is tragic romance after all.

I mentioned above that this novel is set concurrently to the two others being released in Wave 3. This is a slight departure from previous waves, where the Young Adult novel was set a few months after the key event, and featured the characters processing whatever had just happened. While we’re unlikely to get those answers for quite some time, Midnight Horizon provides the perfect venue for readers to process it, as tucked in amidst the mystery and the romance is a remarkably sincere treatise on grief and loss and the various ways in which we all process it. It’s catharsis wrapped in an adventurous package.

With only a few comic issues and one manga volume left in the first wave, Midnight Horizon feels like the perfect grand finale to Phase One, ending on a perfect lead in to the next phase of stories coming this October.

Midnight Horizon is out February 1, 2022. Special thanks to Disney Books for the advance copy for review purposes.

[Neil R. Coulter · Rating 1 out of 5]

Midnight Horizon represents a rather amazing confluence: some of my least favorite High Republic characters, written by my least favorite Star Wars author, read by one of my least favorite audiobook narrators. The book suffers the same weaknesses as so many entries in the High Republic: too many characters, too little focus. It's not worth writing about, but I'll just mention that though I'd previously liked Reath and Cohmac, in this book they both seem to have turned into little children, with very little similarity to how they'd previously been presented.

And so ends Phase 1 of the High Republic. I've now read Phases 1 and 2 (though who can say whether they've read every book in this series? It's all so confusing), and my overall impression is that I've read not a major story but an outline sketch of what might have developed into something substantial and interesting. The series has introduced a hundred or more characters, but because every book takes the point of view of a lot of those characters, I don't feel a connection to more than a few: Orla Jareni, Leox Gyasi, Geode, maybe Stellan and Elzar. Avar was introduced as perhaps the primary protagonist of this era, but then she all but disappeared, which is too bad. Many of the characters are very young and speak and act even younger than they are—the worst offenders being Ram Jomaram, Bell Zettifar, Imri Cantaros, and almost all of the non-Jedi youth.

One of the problems with the first two phases of the series is the limited chronology. Phase 2 takes place just a century or so before Phase 1 (if I'm understanding correctly), and some of the characters in Phase 2 are still alive in Phase 1. So why is everything about the Nihil and the Nameless such a mystery? Not only should records still exist from the conflict on Dalna, but some of the Jedi present there are still alive! And why does no one in Phase 1 seem to have any memory of the conflict between Eiram and E'ronoh in Phase 2? It makes no sense to me.

I don't much care what happens in Phase 3, but I might as well endure, so I'll know how it all turns out. I hope now that the era is finished, good authors will take up some of the interesting characters and build better, more focused stories. There's potential, but the current authors have fumbled the possibilities.

[Jonathan Koan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't know what happened with this book. *Sigh*. It had such potential. The first third of the book really set up some interesting ideas, but the rest of the book just didn't work for me.

My first and biggest issue with this book is a problem endemic with all the YA novels in Star Wars: The language and story feels too much like modern day. It feels like the 2020s are present in Star Wars, both in words used, such as "cringe", and "my truth". This makes the story just feel out of place with the rest of Star Wars.

Another major issue with this book is the writing and story. DJ Older spends a large chunk of the book talking about characters feelings, and there are entire chapters where almost nothing happens except a deeper exploration of a character's feelings for another character or their frustration with their lot in life. This might work in a dedicated romance or character novel (such as Ahsoka, Force Collector, or A Crash of Fate), but it sadly doesn't work here. What should have been a fun book turns into a chore and a sad chore at that.

Where this book shines is its humor. DJ Older always makes me laugh and his humor is always on point. That is one part of the 2020s aspect of the storytelling I'm ok with, because there were moments I genuinely guffawed.

I feel like this story would have been better if it was just Reath and Cohmac. Having Ram in the book makes it more fun, and having Zeen, Lula, Kantam, and other Jedi characters gives it connections to other stories, but ultimately makes the book crowded and largely uncessessarily. I've been saying that Star Wars needs to break out of the page-count boundaries that the books have, but this book is an exception to the rule. This book could have easily been 150 pages shorter if those uncessessary characters were cut out, and it would have been much better.

If I can give another small bit of praise, the parts of the story with Yoda were really good!

Overall, I didn't enjoy this book, but I by no means hated it. I just think the YA books are handled poorly(both in writing, production, and in design), and that the Adult books are vastly superior. But this book is definitely weak on it's own. 3.5 out of 10. Sorry DJ Older, maybe next time.

[Adam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just bad. So far the weakest High Republic book released, and a terrible way to end an otherwise amazing Phase One. Even when compared to the other ‘YA’ novels, this reads more like fan fiction written by an inexperienced author, and manages to reduce the characters that have been built up over the last year, including Jedi Masters, to shells of themselves, brought down by immature dialogue and moodiness. Unfortunately, DJO’s informal and immature writing style leads me to believe this era isn’t a great fit for the author.

[Brett Wyman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this was just painful. I hate reading unnecessarily long books. I understand that the High Republic wants interconnected stories, but having Ram, Zeen, Lula, and Kantam in the story was just overkill. There are multiple chapters that do absolutely nothing for the plot progression. In addition, the language was a little bit too modern for my taste... and I'm not even old. In my opinion, YA books tell much better stories with smaller casts. I like Reath and Cohmac and think the focus should have been on them.

Frankly, I just didn't like this book.

2 stars.

[Daniel Kukwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this to be the most disposable chapter of "The High Republic" storyline. As with the previous book. "The Fallen Star", outside of the Jedi most of this book is full of characters and situations that made me shrug. It's an easy enough read, but most of it wasn't holding my attention...except for the one plot element that by itself raises this novel to 3 stars: Ram and Reath. Their relationship is glorious, and the pages glowed whenever they were front and centre. The rest of the novel could disappear tomorrow...as long as I can keep Ram and Reath.

[Unseen Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating of 4.75.

The first phase of The High Republic Star Wars novels continues to come to an intriguing end with the phase’s third young adult entry, Midnight Horizon, a deeply exciting and fun novel from the talented Daniel José Older.

Following the devastating Nihil attack on the Republic Fair, the Nihil raiders are finally on the run from the Jedi of Starlight Beacon. However, not everything is as it seems, and several mysterious events and attacks are beginning to occur around the galaxy. One of the more alarming rumours of Nihil activity has been sent from the planet of Corellia, home of the galaxy’s premier shipyards, where a now missing diplomatic bodyguard was attacked by mysterious killers wearing Nihil garb.

Determined to ensure that the chaos of the Nihil does not spread to the core planets of the Republic, the Jedi dispatch the small team of Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy, as well as Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram, to investigate. All four Jedi have substantial experience dealing with the Nihil, but each of them is going through their own personal internal battles as they struggle to deal with recent losses. Nevertheless, the Jedi embark upon their investigation into Corellia and soon find unusual help from young security specialist Crash, the employer and friend of the missing bodyguard.

While Cohmac and Kantam attempt to investigate through official channels, Reath and Ram work with the chaotic Crash and her unusual security specialists to infiltrate Corellia’s high society. Crash believes that one of her elite clients has knowledge about the Nihil infiltrators and embarks on an ambitious plan to draw them out, setting up Jedi associate Zeen as a famous singer. However, nobody is prepared for the Nihil’s plans, both on Corellia and at Starlight Beacon, and chaos is about to be unleashed upon the Jedi and all of Corellia. Can the Jedi stand against their foe when all hope seems lost, or will the Nihil continue to sweep across the entire galaxy?

Midnight Horizon was an exceptional entry in the High Republic series, and I was particularly impressed with the cool and epic story it contained. Older came up with a brilliant and powerful narrative that combines a fast-paced story with great characters and some interesting High Republic developments.

To see the full review, click on the link below:
https://unseenlibrary.com/2022/08/10/...

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

[Klaudia Amenábar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The entire High Republic has been so SO wonderful, and so many parts of it interlock together to make this book as great as it is. And I am already a huge fan of Daniel's work. But there is some really special sauce in this one. I love Star Wars, and I can find something to love about every piece of it, but this book is one of the few times in Star Wars where the characters feel like living, breathing people, and not just mythical archetypes or parts of a grand story. It's something I used to love about the Percy Jackson books as a kid — there is humor, and connection, and culture there, that you do not need headcanons, or fanfiction to fill in, like so many stories often do. (I think the highest compliment for something is that people want to write fanfiction about it, but an even higher one is that it doesn't need any at all).

The High Republic has already delivered so wonderfully on representation for POC and for queer people, but this book's focus on Kantam Sy, Star Wars' first HUMAN non-binary character, who is a POC, a Jedi knight, and a former padawan of Yoda's no less, felt like breathing such a sigh of relief. As soon as Kantam was introduced in the comics and other THR media I wanted to know more about them. I didn't know they would quickly rocket to my top 10 Star Wars characters.

As a fan, I have vascillated over the years on my opinions on the Jedi order, and of Yoda. But on recent rewatches of the Clone Wars, and especially reading THR, my opinions have changed a lot. I remember the Last Jedi coming out and despite not being sure about how I felt about Yoda, the scene with him and Luke brings me to tears every time. The High Republic. This book should be essential reading for any Star Wars fan to really understand the order, or the Jedi, or the Force. Reading it is the written equivalent of the magic you feel watching Yoda's scenes in Empire, and a love letter to moments in Return of the Jedi as well.

There are just SO many wonderful things to say about this book. I laughed, I cried, I remembered why I loved Star Wars, I felt more represented here than in any part of the rest of the galaxy, and most of all, I felt the loss of Order 66 and the Jedi Order even more deeply. Watching Revenge of the Sith after this (and all the High Republic), will be all the more painful.

There is something for everyone here - wonderful new side characters, especially non-Force users, connections to the rest of the canon (like Solo!), kids being kids, a beautiful exploration of depression and trauma, and so much more that I don't want to spoil. I'm going to have to rethink my top 5 Star Wars books, because this might have to go in it now.

[Kels · Rating 4 out of 5]

reath silas my sweet, sweet boy i love you so much🥺🥺and i feel like a proud mother rn wowowowow

okay but phase 3 is coming back to these character right??? RIGHT??? I NEED TO SEE THEM AGAIN

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Midnight Horizon was a disappointment for me. I had been really looking forward to seeing how the book portion of phase 1 would conclude -- particularly after so many threads had been left dangling with the end of The Fallen Star-- and was sad to find that these topics weren't addressed at all in Midnight Horizon. The first half of the book was also very slow.

I did enjoy getting to see more of Lula and Zeen as I loved getting to meet them in The High Republic Adventures. It was nice that the story gives both new and returning characters quick introductions as there were some old friends I needed a refresher on.

[Alec Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

o fim dos ya da primeira fase!

eu gostei mt d tudo o q aconteceu nesse livro, dos pdv e dos personagens, mas senti q se vc não ler os quadrinhos do José Older antes, cê não vai desenvolver uma ligação mt forte com os protagonistas (foi o q aconteceu comigo)

[Gabriel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh.

Maybe if it didn't have so much of that infuriating kid, Ram, I'd be able to stomach it.

But no.

The bits with Yoda were cool, but the novel had lost me at that point, and I was just listening to the audiobook on 2x speed to get it done and over with.

No more like this, thanks.

[katezsz]

this book ended two ways: zeen realized the only way forward is with the jedi order, and cohmac realized the only way forward is without it. i’m in pain

[Meggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some History:
Daniel Jose Older’s works in the High Republic multimedia project have included the middle grade novel Race to Crashpoint Tower, the juvenile comic Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, the comic miniseries Star Wars: The High Republic - Trail of Shadows, and in February of 2022 a young adult novel, Midnight Horizon. I’m not spoiling anything to say that you will understand Midnight Horizon better if you have knowledge of Older's other works within the High Republic series: besides Reath Silas and his Master Cohmac Vitas from the previous young adult novels, we also see Padawan Ram Jomaram from Race to Crashpoint Tower; Padawan Lula Talisola, Zeen, and Master Kantam Sy from The High Republic Adventures; and plot points and references from all of those stories. It deepens the world of the High Republic…for better or for worse.

Summary:
When word comes of a suspected Nihil attack on the industrial cosmopolitan world of Corellia, Jedi Masters Cohmac Vitus and Kantam Sy, along with Padawans Reath Silas and Ram Jomaram, are dispatched to uncover what happened. Reath and Ram meet up with a Corellian local named Crash who is trying to uncover what happened to her friend and co-worker, so the padawans team up with Crash to infiltrate Corellia's elite while the Jedi Masters take a more diplomatic path. But what they uncover on Corellia is a part of a much greater plan that could lead to the Jedi's greatest defeat…

Timeline Disclaimer:
Midnight Horizon is set concurrently with the other stories taking place during part three of this first phase of the High Republic project. The second half of the story covers some of the same climatic events that happened in Claudia Gray's adult novel The Fallen Star, so while our heroes are on a different planet, what is happening there is all interconnected with this greater Nihil plan.

The Good:
—I liked all the characters here, and I liked getting to see what everyone is going through. As you would expect for very young Jedi thrown into a galaxy-wide conflict, they're each not dealing with it particularly well. Ram is struggling with feeling anything: he feels emotionless and dead until a certain point, when he becomes overwhelmed with emotions. You don't want to feel no emotions, but as a Jedi you can't feel everything. Ram has to learn how to reach some sort of balance between those two extremes.

—With Reath, he wants to know if he is on the right path, and if what he’s doing is what he’s meant to do. But as he learns throughout the story, if you're following the will of the Force you can't predict or plan things. He has to let go of some of that control he craves. Throughout his journey in these young adult novels, he's been learning that he needs to step beyond what he's comfortable with—go outside of the archives on Coruscant—and that in the process, he won't always know what's to come and what role he's going to play. He has to trust that the Force will guide him where he needs to be.

—Zeen and Lula are really struggling with their relationship. (Something that I think makes a lot of sense for the Jedi of the Prequel Era, who were inducted into the Jedi Order as babies and didn’t deliberately choose the life of a monk/warrior.) Is it friendship? Is it more? If Lula wants to go further within the Jedi Order, you have to forgo attachments. But she and Zeen are really close, and they’re not sure how to reconcile that. We see from Master Kantam's story that some Jedi have done walkabouts—have temporarily left the Order because of those restrictions on their life, and then returned to it. So it will be interesting to see how their relationship plays out in future books…but probably more in future comics, since Zeen and Lula mainly appear in The High Republic Adventures.

—I liked getting to meet Crash Ongwa, who is a Tuckerization of the writer of the 2021 Doctor Aphra comic, Alyssa Wong. Although I have to question all these characters within the young adult novels who are business people at really really young ages? Crash is only sixteen: her mom retired from their diplomatic bodyguard business, and then Crash took it over. I know that people tend to do stuff at very young ages within the Star Wars universe (in the Legends X-wing books, we have Gavin Darklighter joining Rogue Squadron as a teenager), but it feels like a lot of responsibility for someone who's so young. And throughout the story, Crash struggles with all the responsibility resting on her shoulders.

—Once I got to the halfway point and the Nihil attack on Corellia, I felt like the pace vastly improved. It was exciting, and I was turning the pages quickly to find out what happened next. I liked the introduction of some elements like the strange drill ship that Ram piloted, that maybe will show up in phase two of the High Republic books or comics or what have you since it's old. It felt like a fair bit of setup for future stories, but I’m not sure if they’ll be covered in the (prequel) second phase or if I’ll have to wait until phase three—whenever that is.

The Meh:
—When i was reading Race to Crashpoint Tower, Older's middle grade novel, I felt like it was very silly. Older's sense of humor skews towards silly and jokey and juvenile, and his humor is also present in Midnight Horizon, especially in the beginning before they’re sent to Corellia. Older's sense of humor doesn't really jive with me, and I think it fits better with middle grade stories than with young adult ones. There were times—especially in the first half of the story—where I questioned why this story was young adult at all. The only reasons I could think were because of the emotional turmoil that all the Jedi were going through, as the relationship issues that Zeen and Lula were having felt more teen to me, but at the same time the tone of the story felt younger. But then when we got to the halfway point and the Nihil started attacking, and it did get darker and more violent. To be honest, I started reading Midnight Horizon in February according to Goodreads, but upsetting current events made me put the book aside for a time. When I picked it back up in May, I had to start back over at the beginning because I didn’t remember very much. It felt like an “it’s not you, it’s me” problem.

—I also felt like the set up was a bit slow, and a bit hard to get into. The prologue of the story when Crash's friend and co-worker goes missing was exciting, but then we cut back to the Jedi getting ready for multiple missions and a lot of silly stuff. I think that was why it was so easy for me to put it down several months ago—that the combination of the tone not working for me and the pace being a bit slow meant that I didn't feel like I was missing out when I put it down for a while.

—While I thought it was interesting how Older got into all these different characters' heads, I was surprised that we never got the viewpoint of Reath’s master, Cohmac Vitas. Cohmac is going through huge amounts of emotional turmoil, and when we get to the end of the book he makes the drastic decision to leave the Jedi Order. It's not a sabbatical; it's not a temporary walkabout like Kantam Sy undertook; he's permanently leaving the Order. But since we never got inside his head, what we understand of his problems is filtered through the other characters. Maybe his POV was omitted because this is a YA novel? Still, I would have liked to see his thought process here.

—And related to the pace issue: Midnight Horizon is almost 500 pages long, and that’s pretty beefy for a young adult novel. I wondered if some judicious editing could have solved the issues I had at the beginning, where I felt like the story was a little slow to get off the ground.


My Verdict:
Midnight Horizon details what Reath Silas from the YA novels as well as everyone from The High Republic Adventures comics are doing while Starlight Beacon falls apart. I liked the second half of the story better than the first half, because I struggled during the beginning with Older’s pace and tone; and I liked digging into Reath and Ram and Zeen and Crash’s heads, even if I felt like there was one key POV omitted.


My YouTube review: https://youtu.be/CqabjdzQgz8

Star Wars author Daniel Jose Older on Midnight Horizon and the return of a major Jedi (warning: plot spoilers): https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/star-w...

[Anni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could say so many things about this novel. No matter how elaborate words I use, I don't think that I can fully do justice to this incredible story. Daniel José Older delivered everything I've ever dreamed of and more. The High Republic has been a fantastic new era and a refreshing tale from the very beginning and Midnight Horizon was a perfect book to end its first phase. Truly, saved its best for last. This book evoked so many emotions in me, I simply couldn't put it down. It's been hours since I finished the book. Ever since I've been just sitting here, thinking.

Where do I even start? Since the first The High Republic Adventures comic, I've been absolutely in love with both Zeen and Lula. Following their growth on the pages of the comic has been wonderful. And now, we finally got a proper glimpse into Zeen's mind! And at the most thrilling moment! There are huge, foreign emotions floating around. Perhaps even love? Despite the complex nature of their newly found feelings, the girls deal with the situation in such a mature way that I have to admire.

There's is this thing that I've always loved about star wars books, especially the High Republic: There's no closet in the galaxy. The characters are free to love anyone, no matter their gender, sexuality or species. This is the way of Star Wars. While I'm happy that this is the case most of the time, I do think that Older has created something special here. The situation Lula and Zeen are facing is, to me, very similar to a real-life coming out story. They're both afraid of the uncertain future, and the reactions of the people who matter to them the most. Lula's difficulty to confess her feelings to Master Sy, who is later revealed to be even closer to the girl than we ever knew, is almost a painfully familiar feeling.

Even though Kantam and Lula don't get to finish their conversation about love, the Master's opinion on attachment and relationships is made clear to the reader. How could they deny Lula something they have experienced and enjoyed themself? This is how we get to my favourite moments of the story. Flashbacks about the adventures Kantam had in his youth are downright exhilarating, but also full of wisdom and life advice. Their new, teeny toddler friend is also worth mentioning, as she is absolutely adorable. Kantam has quickly become one of my favourite High Republic Jedi.

Kantam's youth is particularly refreshing, as it depicts (like the High Republic often does) a completely different picture of Jedi Order than what we are used to seeing in the Prequels. After hearing the story of a Jedi who was free to find their own way, love and live, and finally, return to the order, I cannot help but to ask once again: What happened to the order? How did these Jedi stray so far from the path they were once on? Especially Yoda, since he's such an accepting, fatherly figure in the story. Perhaps we'll learn more about this in the future. For now, I'll happily enjoy the heart-wrenching love stories this era has gifted to us.

This book isn't certainly missing any romance. However, it's not overwhelming but rather small moments that also contribute to the overall story. If the previous High Republic YA-novels have focused more on the personal growth of the characters and thrilling action scenes, Midnight Horizon, above all, focuses on the relationships between characters. In addition to the satisfying moments of Zeen and Lula's slowly budding romance, the book also offers the reader some other interesting relationships as well as top-notch flirting. “You can be anything you want!”

A relatively new character, the colourful security expert Crash Ongwa brings with her an entire team of new characters, including a pretty, floating girl, who also happens to be a galactic pop star. The strong bond between the two girls is fascinating. Even when their relationship doesn't get much time in the book, its resilience of it is evident. As Crash tells us: what they have is based first and foremost on a strong friendship. Who knows, maybe in time it'll develop into something more. Once again, strongly relatable feelings.

Crash also introduces the reader to the Corellian culture and Coronet city's way of life. And what a city it is! Older has managed to bring the galaxy alive. Instead of a faceless mass of unremarkable people and murky factories, Corellia is full of culture, journalists, superstars, politicians, you name it. The setting feels like a fully functioning, vibrant city, not just an empty facade that serves as the backdrop for the novel. During the brief scenes set in The Starlight Beacon, Midnight horizon manages to breathe new life to the corridors of the Beacon as well.

This is even more important as the Fallen star focused so closely on narrating the story of its core characters, leaving the rest of the station feeling a bit empty. Midnight Horizon also builds a deeper emotional connection to the Jedi currently on Starlight, as well as to the Beacon itself. In particular, witnessing the reactions of the characters when they learn about the beacon's fate are a welcome addition to the bigger story.

At its core, this book has two themes that tangle together: love and choosing your own path. The padawans display the uncertain feelings of youth: confusion, fear and difficulty to find their place, while masters Vitus and Sy try to learn how to let go of things when it's time to do so. Cohmac's briefly described but substantial struggle, in particular, deepens once again the significance of the events of the Fallen Star. While romance is always lovely to read (especially when we have a cute couple of young girls), the second theme of the book sets it apart from the rest of the High Republic books. The most important lessons about making your own decisions can be found in the memories of Kantam. The theme continues, however, through the novel. It's evident in both Cohmac's struggles and Zeen and Lula's relationship but also in the way Reath and Ram are struggling to adapt to the new, war-torn galaxy.

While this book has much more romance than the previous two High Republic YA novels, the journey of personal growth is still a central story element. Zeen, who finally got time to shine as an independent character goes through a lot. I'm especially happy how we saw both extended scenes from the High Republic Adventures comics and a proper ending to her longstanding vendetta against Krix. The story of Krix and Zeen has been a massive element that has shaped her as a character. It was a nice little addition to get to know what was going on in her head after the final battle of that personal war that we witnessed in the comics.

Perhaps the most interesting surprise in the book was Ram Jomaram. Although we've met the padawan many times before, he has never had the time to develop before. Older's great sense of humour gets to shine through Ram. Together with Reath, the padawan boys are a hilarious duo. As Reath puts it, Ram is a precious little brother-type of a character and I'm glad that he finally got a bigger role. Reath on the other hand continues on his quiet, uncertain path toward the future. A scary future. Just a year ago he spent his time reading in the corner of the library. Now his entire life has been turned upside down. This too was extremely relatable.

This book is filled with small, quiet moments and interactions between the characters. We've seen only few, rare calm moments with most of these characters before, as comics are a very fast-paced format. The High Republic books have to always bear the burden of carrying the main plotline forward with a limited number of pages. Despite this, Older manages not only to add wonderful, small interactions but also finishes his book with a massive, cinematic battle. At times, the novel deals with surprisingly grown-up and dark themes for a YA story. However, these topics like death and sex are handled with great care, making it all work.

I have to admit: While reading I was almost bewildered at times. Older's writing is so packed with information and I have a bad habit of rushing forward when reading a new story. I tend to devour the text because I feel compelled to finish a book in one sitting. This always leads to me skimming over entire paragraphs, but can you blame me? With so many lives at stake and a romance that needed its conclusion, I just had to know how the story ended.

I still have trouble summing up my thoughts on this book. I'll have to reread it soon, take the time to fully enjoy every single word. This is a story that truly deserves to be appreciated to its fullest extent. The expression might be overused but I simply loved this book. It's not uncommon for me to shed a few tears at the end of a good story, but that I can't simply stop bawling my eyes out? That doesn't happen often. Midnight Horizon truly struck several chords with me. Reath Silas may want a full refund, but I certainly don't.

[Lea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mä en osannu erotta noita hahmoja toisistaan edes vikassa luvussa niiku miks niiden nimet on niin samankaltaset😭😪