Star Wars: The Fallen Star (the High Republic)

IM AN EMOTIONAL WRECK 😭 I just finished this 5min ago and I have not stopped sobbing. I’ll be back later to write a real review lol

A really good star wars conclusion. Had me wondering if my favorite character was going to make it until the very end.

A lot happens but also not a lot happens. This seems to be a regular occurrence for the adult High Republic novels. The world is interesting, but there are a lot of characters and it's hard to keep track and form attachment.

Star Wars The High Republic adult novels have followed a trend that seems to leak over into every book so far. There is a big event to make all systems in the republic feel like one, that event gets attacked, and peace is disrupted. It’s a formula that is painful to read three times in a row. While this series is split into 3 phases (phase 1 is now over) there needs to be more contact between the republic and the antagonist. This series branch’s from Children books, YA books, comics, adult novels, and audio dramas which inherently means there’s a lot of characters. Sometimes the books feels like it lacks focus due to so many POV jumps mid chapter. A lot of the same thoughts, concerns, and ideas are repeated by different characters in different parts of starlight beacon which makes the book feel redundant. Ironically the book departs from MANY charters Throughout the story (most I’m happy with) which helps some with the POV problem but even after, the cast was still quite big until the end. Depending on how invested you are with these characters will determine how shocking/impactful this story is for the reader. With no Sith present in this era some of these adventures feel like they don’t really need Jedi around to really solve the problems. Star Wars stories usually span across many systems and with a whole story locked inside a beacon it feels like this story didn’t need to be as long as it was. Also it’s pretty frustrating that there’s a special unseen “entity“ that turns Jedi into dust and we never get to the bottom of what it was. Claudia Grey usually writes the better Star Wars stories but with a series that touches so many authors hands there’s somewhat of a disconnect between how some characters usually act. This series always feels likes it’s one books away from drawing you in and making you feel invested but I’m just not sure if that’s all this ride will ever be for me. This is the weakest of the 3 adult installments in my opinion and personally I think Claudia Grey has written the weakest books in this series so far. Will it take until phase 3 for there to be proper contact between the republic and Marchion Ro? Will he be plotting in the shadows for another 5 books? If so I might have to stop this train and get off. Pros: The big cast becomes smaller Some characters show growth Cons: Many POV switches Side story is unnecessary One setting makes some story beats feel like a drag Redundant ideals *read with book and audiobook