Where the previous Phase and Waves were all started with an Adult Novel, Lucasfilm decided to begin Phase 2 with a YA novel. This is a controversial move, as the Adult novels are typcially bigger in scope and scale, while the YA novels are smaller and more character based. That is certainly true here, but I think that it is a bold choice that I think pays off.
And this is without a doubt the best YA novel that we've had in the High Republic thus far!...but it's not up to the snuff of the Adult books.
This story has three main protagonists, Kevmo Zink, Marda Ro, and Yana Ro. Obviously, Kevmo was my favorite character, being the male Jedi. That being said, I really really enjoyed reading about Marda and Yana. I think the authors Gratton and Ireland did a good job of balancing their storylines and giving them enough to do. It's hard to have 3 point of view characters and keep them all interesting.
This book centers around a cult, something pretty unique in Star Wars. The Path of the Open Hand is definitely setting up stuff for not only Phase 1 (which occurs 200 years later), but also is setting up stuff for phase 3. I loved the way that little hints were able to clue the reader in on why they chose this setting for Phase 2. At first, I was aprehensive about jumping back this far, fearing that it would be lackluster and unecessary. This book proved all of that wrong.
This book has several other tie-ins not only to Star Wars, but to Phase 1 of the High Republic. It's handled in just such a way that you are rewarded if you've been keeping up with it, but you're also able to jump in as a new reader and enjoy it.
This book also takes the idea of following a Master and Apprentice on a simple mission, a concept that I wish many more Star Wars books could use. I wish this was entirely focused on them, but its still nice that they were really the only Jedi present. It made it much more character based.
Making the villain a calculated leader like "The Mother" was great, and I love Machiavellian characters who are playing the chess board for their own political gain, and "The Mother" has a lot of interest not only in this book, but in the phase as a whole.
I think that this book is very dense thematically, and it is bold for covering a topic so serious as a cult in a YA book. It handles it well without being too heavy for young adults. I loved seeing the inner workings of the Path of the Open Hand, finding out how they recruited members, what they all did, and how they made money/stole artifacts.
There are obviously worldview elements that Ireland and Gratton use and promote that I am not a fan of, but its become standard practice in Star Wars now. It almost feels required by most authors.
This is the shortest YA book thus far, and yet it really didn't need to be longer. The authors were very compact with their writing and were able to tell an entertaining story.
The ending of the book will certainly be controversial, and yet I think that's ok, because it shows the authors and editors are not afraid to take big risks in their stories (this ending feels a little like "Vector Prime") in the way that it also took a big risk.
Overall, I actually had a really fun time with this book. I read it in 1 day (4-(1) hour sessions). Whereas the other YA books felt like a chore (Into the Dark, Out of the Shadows, Midnight Horizon), this book feels fresh and fun and delightful. 8.0 out of 10! Well done Gratton and Ireland.
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From the Publisher
Long before the Clone Wars, the Empire, or the First Order, the Jedi lit the way for the galaxy in a golden age known as The High Republic!
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| The High Republic: The Light of the Jedi | The High Republic: The Rising Storm | The High Republic: The Fallen Star | The High Republic: Into the Dark | The High Republic: Out of the Shadows | The High Republic: Midnight Horizon | |
| By | Charles Soule | Cavan Scott | Claudia Gray | Claudia Gray | Justina Ireland | Daniel José Older |
| Age | Adult | Adult | Adult | 12–18 years | 12–18 years | 12–18 years |
| Book in series | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
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| The High Republic: A Test of Courage | The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower | The High Republic: Mission to Disaster | The High Republic: The Great Jedi Rescue | The High Republic: Showdown at the Fair | The High Republic: The Battle for Starlight | |
| By | Justina Ireland | Daniel José Older | Justina Ireland | Cavan Scott | George Mann | George Mann |
| Age | 8–12 years | 8–12 years | 8–12 years | 5–8 years | 5–8 years | 5–8 years |
| Book in series | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 | 1 of 3 | 2 of 3 | 3 of 3 |
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| The High Republic Convergence | The High Republic: The Battle of Jedha | The High Republic: Cataclysm | The High Republic Path of Deceit | The High Republic: Path of Vengeance | The High Republic Quest for the Hidden City | |
| By | Zoraida Córdova | George Mann | Lydia Kang | Justina Ireland & Tessa Gratton | Cavan Scott | George Mann |
| Age | Adult | Adult | Adult | 12–18 years | 12–18 years | 8–12 years |
| Book in series | Prequel Novel: 1 | Prequel Novel: 2 | Prequel Novel: 3 | Prequel Novel: 1 | Prequel Novel: 2 | Prequel Novel: 1 |
