The High Republic: The Rising Storm – Book Review

The High Republic’s epic storytelling continues with the second wave of books, starting with The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott. Following the dramatic events of Light of the Jedi, The Rising Storm depicts the celebratory events of Chancellor Soh’s next Great Work: The Republic Fair. However, as we all know the threat of the Nihil is still very much present—and what began as a beautiful fair representing the spirit of unity across the galaxy soon turned into the most horrific and devastating attack in all Star Wars history.

Very much like Light of the Jedi, The Rising Storm consists of a multitude of storylines from the equally plentiful main characters’ points of view. Perhaps one of the main critiques from the former book was the focus on the bigger picture while introducing too many new characters with not enough development. Light of the Jedi was an incredibly ambitious story to fit within the pages of just one novel—Charles Soule’s efforts in starting this all-new era of Star Wars truly paying off as the new heroes and villains are now grounded within our beloved galaxy far, far away with new stories exploring each character in depth. Although past Light of the Jedi readers had the opportunity to get to know some of the new characters in more detail through the incredible Marvel’s The High Republic and IDW’s The High Republic Adventures comic series—along with Justina Ireland’s A Test of Courage and Claudia Gray’s Young Adult novel Into the Dark—The Rising Storm is the true sequel to Soule’s introductory novel.

Cavan Scott is no stranger to Star Wars, having written a wide variety of stories spread across different media and publishers. His Marvel debut with the ongoing comic series The High Republic left a mark and stole the hearts of many fans—his efforts paired with some of the most talented artists in the galaxy. The Rising Storm (the author’s very first Del Rey Star Wars novel) is probably Scott’s greatest achievement and most likely the best Star Wars book of the year—through and through an absolute masterpiece.

As mentioned before, The Rising Storm is centered around The Republic Fair. Cavan Scott beautifully takes the reader through the event as if it were the next Disney park attraction—gracefully diving into the details of each pavilion while jumping from one character’s viewpoint to the next. Then, in horror fashion, like a stab in the gut, just when the reader begins to feel serene through the spirit of unity, the storm of the Nihil descends on the celebration—brutally destroying and murdering everything and everyone on sight. Scott’s utterly graphic description of each horrific act is at a level never seen in Star Wars publishing—showcasing the Nihil’s true nature and how far they are willing to go to destroy the Republic and the Jedi. It’s no surprise from the master of Star Wars horror—this time Scott really taking the reality of the new villain threat to a larger scale, superseding the Great Hyperspace Disaster from Light of the Jedi.

With Seventy-Six short but satisfying chapters, Cavan Scott was able to structure a nice pacing from one storyline to the next. The Rising Storm truly delves into each main character development—from one side: Stellan Gios, Elzar Mann, Ty Yorrick, and Bell Zettifar to the other side: Marchion Ro, Pan Eyta, and Lourna Dee. Each protagonist is enriched with new experiences and background stories, but what really stands out in the book is the emotional level explored by Scott. The author does not shy away from portraying characters with strong feelings that are not afraid of making mistakes—especially the Jedi. Elzar Mann in particular is one character that redefines what it represents to be a Jedi, focusing on love (yes, Jedi can love!) but also on the willingness of seeking help during the most challenging moments while at the same time trying to make amends. On the other side of the conflict, Scott further exposes what it’s like to be a Nihil and really sets up the hype for Tempest Runner, one of his next stories within The High Republic. In particular, the author takes the character of Lourna Dee to the next level—making her one of the most feared villains of the era. And speaking of villains, The Rising Storm only continues to feed into the mystery that shrouds Marchion Ro, the Eye of the Nihil as the author takes the reader on a mystical journey that will ultimately lead to the unleashing of true fear—something that even the Force will not be able to shield the Jedi from.

The Rising Storm also shines the spotlight on Chancellor Lina Soh and her inspiring strong will to do good but also on a new character: Ty Yorrick, the Tholothian Force-sensitive monster hunter and mercenary that will be the protagonist of yet another upcoming story from Cavan Scott: The High Republic: The Monster of Temple Peak. She is definitely one of the most intriguing characters coming out of the novel—the Padawan-turned-saber-for-hire right in the middle of the conflict, giving the reader a unique point of view.

The Rising Storm is an incredibly emotional story that will forever define the Star Wars universe—pushing the limits in terms of storytelling and reading experience. This next installment of The High Republic is an essential must-read and one that will without a doubt take its place among the best Star Wars stories of all time. The book is also available in audio format, read by Marc Thompson—who always takes the book experience to the next level!