Between Books - Star Wars: The Living Force

The Star Wars literary world has recently moved us from one prequel, The High Republic, to another. It’s been 25 years since Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. This prequel was criticized by fans and general audiences, much like I feel about The High Republic. But now, decades later and after stories like Star Wars: The Clone Wars, this period is beloved by many fans.

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller is two storylines that merge together in an action-packed conclusion. In the first storyline, the Jedi find themselves closing outposts as trade and population centers move in the galaxy. With those movements, crime fills the vacuum. The Jedi Council decides to leave their temple before closing the beloved outpost on the planet Kween in The Slice region of the galaxy. Many Masters have a history with this location, and they realize that the criminal element has increased as Jedi outposts nearby close. The Jedi Council Master plan to hold a session in person on the planet and celebrate publicly the history and legacy of the outpost. Readers follow the members of the Jedi Council as they interact with the citizens of Kween and follow the Force’s urgings to aid groups and individuals. The second storyline follows Jedi Master Depa Billaba who has gone undercover into a criminal ring to help one young girl escape a life of crime. Master Mace Windu, her former Master, stops on his way to Kween to ensure she makes the meeting and if needed provides aid. Both stories meet on Kween as all 12 Masters influence the book’s conclusion.

John Jackson Miller knows science fiction and Star Wars. He has written several prose Star Wars books, though he had taken a decade's leave from this universe…with him writing some Star Trek books during that time. He has written even more Star Wars comic tales, especially for the Dark Horse era. So while we honestly won’t get many revelations, he weaves a tale that will keep the reader’s attention as someone who has completed the assignment before. While it’s not a full-on giant battle piece, I think he does a good job of showing the personal failure of the Jedi Council. They had removed themselves from the people. So to the people, they were merely rumors. And for the Jedi Council, the needs of the people were abstract. They have lost connection with the reality of the galaxy. For me, this shows how a Sith Lord could manipulate a galaxy Jedi leadership knew nothing about in a practical way.

Miller also allows us to use familiar mental images and a hook to bring in readers of other Star Wars media. First, most moviegoers have seen the majority of Masters on the screen. So we have general images for most of them. Miller is then able to use his space to give us a story that we never knew and lacks conflict with other stories as most of them are enigmas to us. Let us also not forget we have Yoda as a Master, who is very active in this book and invites us to get to know the others better, and their faults. Along with him we also get Mace Windu though his interactions with the other Masters are limited. Second, we have a halo effect for Master Billaba. She is the Master of a character not found here, Kanan Jarrus. I personally think that Jarrus may be one of the most effective Jedi found in Star Wars stories, and definitely, he is beloved. Billaba has been seen just a little bit in comics and television. This story allows us to see her in more fullness and we want to see her personality in view. While she challenges herself to help just one person, we can see a moral compass that she passed down to Jarrus. 

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller is refreshing. It is a standalone story, that has a clear beginning and end that really only needs the basic understanding of the prequel trilogies. One can get in, enjoy, and move on to their next read. I think the publishing program can use a little more of this, a stand-alone adventure that serves to just provide adventure while also reinforcing the action we saw on the screen.

 

This post contains affiliate links, which means that Between Disney receives a percentage of sales purchased through links on this site.

Cap's Comics - Kanan the Last Padawan #2

Padawan Caleb Dume has found his place in the universe, a place in war.  He has good friends in the Clone Troopers he serves with.  He has an attentive and wise master in Depa Billaba.  And of course when everything is going right it goes wrong!  The Clones turn on Dume and his Master after the transmission of Order 66, kill the Jedi.  Caleb, the future Kanan Jarrus, is forced to fight his way to freedom and die.  Once on the run, Caleb discovers that the Jedi may have not have equipped him to survive alone in the universe.  And he hopes to reunite himself with the Jedi Order so he is no longer alone, hungry and tired!  But he might be forced to learn new skills and new morals to survive. 

I know that Kanan: The Last Padawan as a title is really the latecomer in the Star Wars line, not being part of the original release.  Also, it is the first that relies on a non-Original trilogy character.    But it might just be the best.  In issue number one, Greg Weisman went deep and philosophical  This issue while more action-packed really goes deep in exploring the Jedi way of life.  Caleb has never been alone.  He went straight from his parents' home to the Jedi Temple.  Someone has always watched over him and provided for him.  While the Jedi may have taught him martial skills, lightsaber play and meditation, the young man is really not trained to live within the universe.  In "Chapter Two: Flight" he is forced to struggle with basic questions of survival and one really does feel for the young man, even if he is really just animated/drawn.

Kanan: The Last Padawan #2 for me was even more successful than the first issue.  And the Between Kid approved the purchase of next month's issue.  So I personally am hoping that the quality art, by Pepe Larraz, and writing can be maintained and this series has a long run. 

Between Books - Star Wars: A New Dawn

Disney has made it clear that with the purchase of LucasFilm we have a whole new Star Wars. The old Expanded Universe now has Legend status. All new books are considered to be canon for LucasFilm storytellers. Star Wars: A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller is on the vanguard of that new canon while also introducing fans to Kanan and Hera, two heroes from Star Wars: Rebels.

Kanan Jarrus has a secret. He is in fact a former Jedi on the run from the Empire after the purge of the Jedi order. He has hidden himself for years wandering the galaxy staying away from the attention of the Empire and their Jedi hunters. Kanan prepares to leave his job hauling explosives to mine the strategically important thorilide, used to stabilize a key component of Imperial warships, and slip yet again into another new life. His plans to slip away are interrupted by the arrival of two newcomers. Count Vidian, an Imperial industrial magnate and advisor to the Emperor, has been sent to improve operations of Gorse the refinery world, and Cyndathe mineral rich world. Vidian’s operations directly impact the lives of the few beings that Kanan cares about. Vidian arrives at the same time as Hera, a attractive Twi’lek seeking information about the Empire’s operations and any dissent that they may cause. Hera and Kanan become unlikely partners as the two attempt to thwart Vidian’s plans for Cynda and the horrible impact on Gorse.

I found Star Wars: A New Dawn an easy read. The biggest struggle is the fact that except for the mentioned but not present Emperor all these characters are new. So I have no relationship with them. I will say that was fine since I wanted to use this Between Book as an introduction to Star Wars: Rebels. But some may find it difficult since they are new faces. For me I do feel more ready for Star Wars: Rebels since I understand the tension in the Kanan/Hera relationship, they both clearly like like each other. However, there is still plenty of tension as Hera is not looking for romance. And I got to watch them grow into a division of labor I expect we will see on the television; Hera gets ideas but Kanan implements them. The book was not my favorite Star Wars book, but I still find it worth the read. The story is small, it’s only life and death for one system! But it is also nice to not have the entire galaxy on the line for once!

I think a big win for Jackson Miller is that when I read I see Kanan as Freddie Prinz Jr. I do not yet picture the animated version but a live action hero. But I hear the voice actor’s voice and even see his face when Kanan talks.

No attachments was a Jedi maxim. Because of this, Jedi make great fugitives. The power of attachments and relationships is a big theme in this book. For Count Vidian a lack of attachments makes him vicious. But for Kanan developing attachments allows him to rechannel the heroic part of his personality. And despite the fact Kanan is a drifter, everyone notices he is a good man even if he does not see it. I look forward to seeing how this personality growth works out on the show since he will be mentoring another. Will he instantly be the good man, or will he start by being a little rough around the edges?

I think if you read Star Wars books, you need to pick up Star Wars: A New Dawn. If you are interested in the animated series, as I am, I would say it is a read you might want to jump into. But for Disney fans not interested in LucasFilm, you can probably pass. Now I am excited about Star Wars and how Disney will continue to roll out and built the new toy. And I would say Star Wars: A New Dawn has me hopeful about some new personalities in a growing universe.