Temptation of the Force

As Star Wars fans we take the lore for granted. We know our Wookie from our Ewok, but to the casual person they are just two different types of furry alien. Take a step back and it is a complex universe, full of planets and species. It was tricky enough with just the three films, but six films later and an extended universe and it can feel overwhelming. Star Wars: The High Republic was designed as a reset and refresh for a book series set centuries before the films allowing new readers into the fold. By the time Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton has arrived have they not just created a newer complex universe full of characters that are not Skywalkers?  

During the time of the High Republic, the Jedi were at their most powerful, but even then, they faced threats. The Nihil have become a force that even the Jedi cannot easily defeat, safe behind their Stormwall. To give those planets stuck behind the wall hope the Jedi go on a mission to liberate Naboo. Will they succeed and are The Nihil the biggest threat? A new scrouge is attacking planets both in the Republic and the Occlusion Zone, a disease that turns everything living into dust. 

Star Wars Books should be praised for the ambition they have shown when creating The High Republic, a small corner of the Star Wars universe that they can call their own. There are main cannon books like Temptation, but also side stories in juvenile literature and graphic novels. This leads to a rich tapestry of adventures, but also an impenetrable wall for those who are not up to date. 

I am happy to read novels set in and around the nine main films, I have a good understanding of the timeline and the characters. High Republic throws most of this out. It is similar in many ways, the Jedi Council etc., but the core characters are new. At this point I cannot remember all the relationships between them. Having Star Wars names does not help matters; Skelpi Whatnot, Diptoe Hightail etc., they all sound generated from a Star Wars name creator. 

Tessa Gratton has played their part in weaving such a dense tapestry, having written some of the other tales, but this is one of the core books. The author is dealt a tricky hand; several characters, many storylines already in play. Gratton must juggle them all and it is natural that some characters are not as well served as others. It also means that the action takes a while to get started as we need to appease all the loose ends and get the characters set off on their next adventure. In the end, I was a little confused and bored at times. 

Fundamentally, I do not believe the issue is with Temptation itself or the writing, but with the series; it has become a little flabby and self-indulgent. I have read many new Star Wars novels based on new characters or locations that have worked brilliantly; Doctor Aphra and Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire are both books that get on with the story and the characters and get out again. By this point the High Republic feels like a stew left on the pot too long. I hope that the current major thread is concluded soon and sewn up. I imagine someone who invested in most titles under the High Republic banner will still get something from the book. As a reader, I am not enjoying them anywhere near as much as books based on the better-known Star Wars films and TV shows, or the one off titles.