The High Republic: The Falling Star - Book Review

The High Republic has so far delivered some of the absolute best Star Wars storytelling to date. And while each tale, told at different reader levels, is authentically Star Wars and incredibly engaging, what makes The High Republic work so well is its variety of iconic new characters in the all-new era. From Avar Kriss, Elzar Mann, and Stellan Gios to Keeve Trennis and Sskeer and so many more—fans have fallen in love with their heroism, values, and yes, even fallibility. But as we have already experienced with Marvel’s The High Republic and The Rising Storm, the golden age of the Jedi is tainted by the pure evil of the Nihil, and none of our beloved characters are safe. The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray represents just that—delivering the ultimate tragedy of the Republic and the Jedi Order by slowly taking the reader on an emotionally draining journey to witness the fall of Starlight Beacon.

Author Claudia Gray has probably written her best masterpiece yet. She already stole our hearts with Lost Stars and Master and Apprentice (to name a few), but The Fallen Star takes it to a whole new level. Following the steps of Light of the Jedi and The Rising Storm, The Fallen Star tells the story of yet another attack of the Nihil. The novel’s storyline is very reminiscent of the best disaster movies (Titanic being a great example)—its haunting pace from beginning to the very end keeps the reader anxious to find out what happens next while at the same time leaving a dreadful feeling towards the fate of the main characters. Yes, expect some of your favorite ones to unexpectedly perish in The Fallen Star!

Speaking of Jedi, The Fallen Star is very much centered around the Force wielders, with Stellan Gios, Elzar Mann, and Bell Zettifar taking the spotlight as the protagonists of the novel. Although these are already well established heroes, Gray continues their development in a satisfying way—focusing on Bell’s struggles to become a Jedi Knight after the loss of his former Master, Loden Greatstorm, and the romantically complicated dynamics between Stellan, Elzar, and Avar Kriss. Although these are the main characters in the story, other Jedi such as Burryaga, Orla Jareni, Nib Assek, and Indeera Stokes play crucial roles—the Wookiee strengthening his friendship with Bell Zettifar while Orla Jareni taking Elzar Mann under her wing to help the fellow Jedi reconnect with the Force after his slight fall to the dark side during the events of the Republic Fair.

Claudia Gray’s novel wouldn’t be the same without the Vessel Crew. Affie Hollow, Leox Gyasi, and Geode are back from the author’s first The High Republic YA novel, Into the Dark. Their presence in The Fallen Star is as equally important as the Jedi’s, each member of the crew playing crucial roles throughout the course of the tragic tale while providing just enough comic relief to the novel’s dark tone—at the same level as the Falcon crew in the original trilogy. Nan also makes a return from Gray’s previous book, and as you might know from Out of the Shadows, she is now working with Chancey Yarrow independently from the Nihil. In The Fallen Star her loyalties and survival instincts will be tested. The novel also introduces a few new characters, but with the multitude of already established ones, they don’t get enough time to shine in the story (perhaps some will return in the future).

Compared to The Rising Storm (which brought many readers to tears), The Fallen Star is a different kind of tragic story. Instead of another out in the open, barbaric attack by the Nihil, the destruction of Starlight Beacon is insidious in its nature—taking only a few saboteurs and a weapon of fear to bring the mighty Jedi to their knees. Here, the evil mastermind Marchion Ro takes front and center of the stage—leaving the rest of his people out of his greatest achievement yet. Gray does an excellent job at writing Ro, departing from the character’s mysterious and distant presence in favor of a much more intimate point of view—exposing his inner thoughts as he carefully watches his masterpiece unfold.

The Fallen Star is the epic, heartbreaking, jaw dropping beginning of the conclusion to Phase I of The High Republic. If you are a High Republic fan, then you already know this is an absolute must read. If you are just diving into the all-new era of Star Wars storytelling, then make sure to catch up with the previous novels and comics before diving into The Fallen Star. Grab a copy now (for those of you who prefer the audiobook format, the novel is read by none other than Marc Thompson) and let us know what your favorite, most heartbreaking moments were on our social media outlets.