I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to receive an early copy of a book before! Thank you Del Rey Star Wars and Disney Books for sending me a copy of this highly anticipated book to review. I had such a hard time savoring The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott. I really tried, but I ended up devouring it cover to cover in about 3 days.
The Rising Storm is just that good, and I guarantee it’s unlike anything you’ve read in the Star Wars universe.
My Rating | 5/5
Author | Cavan Scott
Publisher | Del Rey
*This review may contain spoilers, proceed with caution!
We find our beloved characters from the Light of The Jedi moving on from the nightmare that was the Great Disaster and preparing themselves for The Republic Fair. A unified effort commissioned by Chancellor Lina Soh to bring the galaxy together once and for all. Soh wants to send a message to all of the galaxy’s inhabitants: that they are stronger together even with the rogue pirate group the Nihil lurking in the shadows.
Something bad is on the horizon though. Jedi Master Elzar Mann continues to replay his nightmarish visions of the brutal massacre he had in Light of the Jedi. And now, we see him wrestle with the possibility of this vision coming true.
Elzar Mann is a character that I did not expect to fall in love with. In The Rising Storm, Cavan Scott gives his readers the opportunity to get to know the inner workings of each Jedi, Nihil, creature, and citizen. I felt truly immersed as a reader and I know that this is due to Scott’s beautiful writing!
Along with Elzar, we are reunited with my favorite young padawan Bell Zettifar, Jedi Master Stellan Gios, and Chancellor Lina Soh. We also meet one of the newest additions to the High Republic’s roster, Ty Yorrick, a rogue Jedi monster hunter for hire (I want to be her).
And don’t worry, I didn’t forget about the Nihil! They are back and just as ruthless as ever. Scott is not afraid to dive deep into the graphic nature of what Marchion Ro (BAE) and his bloodthirsty goons will do to get what they want.
While the character development in this book is fantastic, the classic themes that drive the plot are some of the best I’ve ever read within the Star Wars universe. How does a young Jedi cope with the loss of his master? What about a Jedi in love? And my favorite in the book, how does a Jedi who is experiencing a pull from the dark side ask for help to stay in the light?
And while we’ve seen all of these themes examined before, Scott brings a fresh perspective that is pleasing to read. He doesn’t shy away from the complexity and the layers but embraces them, humanizing both the heroes and the villains of the story.
All I can say after finishing this book is that I hope and pray that we’ll get this kind of Star Wars on the big screen sometime very soon. Until that day though, I look forward to the next High Republic novel in the series. I can’t wait to see what happens next!
The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott is available everywhere books are sold on June 29th, 2021. Click here to pre-order your copy!
My goodness, Scott is just the best. Everything he writes is gold! Doesn’t matter what reader he aims for. Definitely agree about Ty Yorrick, super psyched for the Star Wars Adventures mini-series featuring her. More, more, MORE!