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Commencement (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 1) [Paperback]

John Jackson Miller , Brian Ching , Travel Foreman , Michael Atiyeh , Travis Charest
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)

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Book Description

November 11, 2006 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 1 (Book 1)
Thousands of years before Luke Skywalker would destroy the Death Star in that fateful battle above Yavin 4, one lone Padawan would become a fugitive hunted by his own Masters, charged with murdering every one of his fellow Jedi-in-training! From criminals hiding out in the treacherous under-city of the planet Taris, to a burly, mysterious droid recovered from the desolate landscape of a cratered moon, Padawan Zayne Carrick will find unexpected allies in his desperate race to clear his name before the unmerciful authorities enact swift retribution upon him!

Frequently Bought Together

Commencement (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 1) + Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Volume 2 - Flashpoint (v. 2) + Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Volume 3: Days of Fear, Nights of Anger
Price for all three: $40.47

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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up—On the opening page of this compilation, readers are reminded that "The events in this story take place approximately 3,964 years before the Battle of Yavin." Even though the action occurs before the traditional Star Wars saga, those familiar only with the first Star Wars characters won't feel lost: these stories are peopled with characters that represent the same worlds and situations laid down in the original framework. Zayne Carrick is one of five padawan who are about to take part in a ceremony to see which of them will be knighted, and Zayne thinks he has no chance because he is totally inept. The Mandolorian War is heating up and the Jedi council is split on whether to join or not. It is an exciting time and about to get more so. The "Knights of the Old Republic" stories explore the motives and reasoning that add a gray area to the black and white, good and bad, of Jedi versus Sith that the original stories lack. The artwork is colorful and kinetic. This book is a thrill ride not to be missed, a nonstop action story that will captivate readers.—Dana Cobern-Kullman, Luther Burbank Middle School, Burbank, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

John Jackson Miller is the author of the national best-selling novel, Star Wars: Knight Errant, nine Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic graphic novels, and the Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith eBook series. His comics work includes writing for Iron Man, Mass Effect, Bart Simpson, and Indiana Jones. Author of several books about comic-book history, he also runs the research website, The Comics Chronicles.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 152 pages
  • Publisher: Dark Horse; 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 edition (November 11, 2006)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1593076401
  • ISBN-13: 978-1593076405
  • Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.4 x 10 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #61,382 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Author John Jackson Miller has spent a lifetime immersed in the worlds of fantasy and science fiction. He's best known for his Star Wars work, including Star Wars: Knight Errant, his national bestselling novel from Del Rey; Star Wars: Lost Tribe of the Sith; and his long-running Knights of the Old Republic comics series from Dark Horse. His Star Wars: Kenobi hardcover releases in August 2013.

He's written comics for Mass Effect, Iron Man, The Simpsons, and Indiana Jones, and has written for the Star Wars Roleplaying Game. Production notes on all his works can be found at his fiction site (farawaypress.com).

Miller is also a noted comics industry historian, specializing in studying comic-book circulation as presented on his website, The Comics Chronicles (comichron.com). He also coauthored the Standard Catalog of Comic Books series.

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
(25)
4.5 out of 5 stars
The art is very good and the story is interesting. Scott Bauserman  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
It's fun, just as Star Wars was meant to be. Enjolras  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
I'd highly recommend this to anyone: casual fans and hardcore addicts will find plenty to enjoy here. Thomas Lorraine  |  4 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story! February 16, 2007
Format:Paperback
I just recently started playing KOTOR again, and saw this book at my local comic shop and decided to pick it up. I got home that same evening and was going to browse through it while I waited for the game to load. Instead, I ended up reading it cover to cover and forgot all about the game! It's great! I became so totally immersed in the story that the next day, I went out and picked up issues 7-12. I recommend it even if you've never played the games.
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10 of 12 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Pre-Luke, pre-Anakin excitement March 26, 2007
Format:Paperback
It's nearly 4,000 years before the birth of Luke Skywalker. Zayne Carrick is a Jedi initiate with some minor abilities in the Force and a ton of bad luck. Stationed with a team of Jedi masters and four peers in training on a planet on the outskirts of a war-torn region of space, Zayne is expecting to fail when the other initiates are knighted into the Jedi order. But when he arrives at the ceremony, he finds his friends dead at the hands of their masters. He escapes before he too can be murdered, and he soon finds himself on the run along with a handful of fellow fugitives.

This is the first chapter of what looks to be a fascinating story by John Jackson Miller. Brian Ching and Travel Foreman provide bold, colorful art to tell the tale. Zayne is an interesting character who, like the future Luke, is forced by circumstances to rise to the occasion. The question is, will he seek justice -- or revenge?

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.(n e t) editor
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Good Read September 9, 2007
By CB
Format:Paperback
It's nearly 3,900 years before Episode IV. On the city-planet Taris, Jedi padawan Zayne Carrick is about as big a bumbler as one can get - in fact, he's so inept that he's become a running joke not only with his fellow padawan, but with their masters as well. However, the laughter's over once Zayne's classmates are found murdered on the night they are to be promoted to Jedi Knights - and Zayne is the prime suspect. What ensues is a chase through the many urban levels of Taris and the surrounding solar system as Zayne tries to figure out how he became framed for the crime and discover the true killers. Along the way he befriends the wily smuggler Gryph and a pair of offbeat scofflaws as the evidence mounts - and points to a solution no one expected.

I have to be honest - I didn't expect very much out of this volume; I picked it up on a whim. What drew me to it was Brian Ching's pencil work (those of you familiar with his art on the Clone Wars series know what I'm talking about - it is dramatic and reminiscent of the conceptual work of Ian McCaig; Ching pencils most of this volume), but I also found myself interested in the story. Certainly, it is not an original plot by any means - this kind of tale is about as standard as any you'll find. Additionally, none of the characters are too relatable or innovative. However, the dark thoroughfares that this Star Wars yarn takes you down are surprisingly compelling, and the ending quite unexpected, and none too tidy. I'll be interested to take a look at Vol. 2. Recommended for the Star Wars fan and those looking for some great artwork.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars commencement is rough, even for a padawan...
John Jackson Miller brings knights of the old republic to life in Commencement. The mandalorian war is in action and the world of Taris is coming closer to being part of the war. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Tookie
4.0 out of 5 stars Love the old
I love reading about the old republic and eras before A New Hope. This is an exciting graphic novel and well drawn. Look forward to reading more.
Published 3 months ago by Keri Garrison
5.0 out of 5 stars Super fantastic
Good book didnt take me long to read. I was fooled by the cover, i thought it was a chapter book but in the mail it was comic book but nice to read
Published 4 months ago by Caineisthename
5.0 out of 5 stars this IS Star Wars
I've been a bit disappointed at how much of the modern Star Wars EU seems to have lost sight of what made the Original Trilogy such a success. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Enjolras
4.0 out of 5 stars It satisfies my curiosity.
This seemed like a decent start to the back story of the KoTOR games. Most of the interesting stuff is packed towards the end. The art is okay. Read more
Published 10 months ago by milp
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Story
The twists are predictable, adn the action is... iffy. But the characters are a lot of fun. Recommended to any star wars fan, especially as the new game has launched!
Published 17 months ago by Jefferson J. Thacker
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Series
My son enjoyed this saga. The art is very good and the story is interesting. May the force be with you!
Published 19 months ago by Scott Bauserman
5.0 out of 5 stars Great post Tales of the Jedi/ KOTOR prequel!
Darkhorse has held the SW license for several decades and with this (and SW Legacy) they knocked 2 series out of the park! I like how Zayne is not the Jedi we have come to see. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Dax S. Torres
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Graphic Novel
This is the story of a padawan. He is true teenager. On the edge of adulthood and becoming a jedi knight. It is a story of betrayal and coming of age.
Published 23 months ago by chrismo
5.0 out of 5 stars great saga and wonderful story
After hearing bits and pieces of this series I decided to go ahead and start collecting the comics. This one is the first installment of the series and kicks things off to a good... Read more
Published on March 3, 2011 by grognard
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