Star Wars: The High Republic returns in full with the latest novel, The Eye of Darkness, which kicks off a new phase while retaining the same thrills and entertainment.
Star Wars: The High Republic – The Eye of Darkness
Written By: George Mann
Published By: Random House Worlds
Release Date: November 14, 2023
Purchase [Affiliate]: https://amzn.to/3Qu8pep
George Mann is ushering in Star Wars: The High Republic Phase 3 with the adult novel from Random House Worlds, The Eye of Darkness. Following the story from Phase 1, and a constant stream of bestsellers, Mann had a gigantic task before him. Not only did he need to pick up threads from the previous stories and catch readers up on what their favorite characters have been up to, but had to tell a new story that would set the stage for this grand finale of a Phase.
Folks, Mann made it look ridiculously easy.
[Note: I will NOT be delving into specific spoilers for Eye of Darkness. There will be some mention of previous High Republic events, however.]
Blending Old and New
Set one year after the fall of Starlight Beacon and the Nihil’s wholesale takeover of a chunk of the galaxy, The Eye of Darkness puts the focus on a number of Jedi as they struggle to figure out their next steps. Much like Light of the Jedi initial kick-off, there isn’t any one main character. Instead the story jumps around between a few, giving each of them a solid arc/time on the page, while moving the larger story forward.
Here are the Jedi you get to spend a lot of time with this time around: Elzar Mann, Avar Kriss, Porter Engle (my man!), Bell Zettifar, and Burryaga. Of course, there are a number of side characters and Jedi who pop up (some new and some familiar), but if you’re looking for protagonists, these are your people.
On the villainous side of things, The Eye of Darkness spreads the love as perspectives shift between Ghirra Starros, General Viess (go read Marvel’s The Blade), and Melis Shryke (a fun newcomer). Curiously enough, despite the title’s implication, we don’t actually spend much time within Marchion Ro’s (the Eye of the Nihil) mind. Instead, the focus is on how everyone reacts to the events he has set in motion and how he’s centered himself, and his vengeance, within the galactic story.
By keeping the perspective largely on the outside (we do get some moments from Ro’s POV), readers can see the impact of his influence on both those closest to him as well as his enemies. While there’s a little bit of a detachment from him than in previous stories, the result is a true showcase for how terrifying he can be.
Perhaps what’s most impressive about all of this, is how Eye of Darkness manages to make it feel like we never left these characters. Reading those first few chapters, bouncing between characters, was instantly familiar.
You know those friends you have, the ones you may not talk to for long periods of time (months, maybe years), but when you finally talk, it’s like no time had passed at all. That’s kinda of the feeling here. Hell, even the completely new characters (who will likely get expounded upon in future stories), managed to have a sense of familiarity to them.
Mann’s ability to make everyone feel distinct and “real” within his prose makes all the difference. It ensures we all recognize the characters we know/love, while introducing newcomers that instantly mesh with them. It’s an impressive feat of storytelling, to be sure.
Beyond the Galactic Wall
The novel jumps back and forth between these characters who sit on either side of the Occlusion zone the Nihil have established. For the Jedi, their goal remains the same: find a way through the Nihil barrier to provide assistance to those in need. Without being able to communicate with one another, however, we’re treated to seeing how they each go about this task. The result is a story that feels almost like a race against time and filled with an ever-present sense of tension.
It’s a solid approach and made for some engaging reading that was ridiculously tough to put down. Without going into spoilers, every “near miss” or “close call” only pulled me into the story more. That level of tension is what drives the story forward.
I know it’s cliche to use as this point, but Empire Strikes Back feels like the best Star Wars comparison. We’re seeing the Jedi, and the Republic, on the ropes here and as much as we want them to ‘win’ the day, the odds are against them to the point that even a minor success feels like a victory.
Narratively, it makes for a compelling adventure and considering how things left off, makes total sense. As we’re just beginning the phase, it’s still too early for things to get turned around for our heroes. Even so, as they face setbacks, the story still puts the focus on the driving theme for all of these High Republic stories (and Star Wars in general): hope.
Hope that things can get better even when it’s darkest. Hope that good will find a way to triumph. Even hope that individuals can do better and make the right decisions. More than hope, however, we see how the Jedi, up against the wall, continually choose to do the right thing because they care and want to help others.
The result is a story that, grim as events still seem, left me feeling optimistic. Even without a massive “win” to close out the book, the payoff is no less dramatic or emotional. Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a ton of great action to enjoy. Not to mention how the final segments felt like a white-knuckle ride that kept my heart rate up while I flipped the pages.
A (Mostly) New Beginning
Because many people will ask, it IS possible to enjoy The Eye of Darkness without having read any of the Phase 2 books. Technically, it works well enough on its own to serve as a general starting point, but skipping Phase 1 would eliminate all of the emotional impact and character beats.
That said, I was really impressed with how well it managed to connect to things in Phase 2 (despite those stories taking place over a 100 years prior). There are some direct character connections, but even a few minor moments that are given more depth thanks to the previous phase.
While I haven’t gone back to revisit any of those stories yet, I’m pretty sure The Eye of Darkness has already enhanced my view on Phase 2. So if you did skip out on Phase 2, this might leave you with a strong desire to go back and change that.
Along these same lines, I was impressed with how well the novel works without needing much accompanying material. One of the things that I struggled with later on in the first Phase (particularly with The Fallen Star) was the overall sense of time. Along with the connective threads between all the projects. Phase 2 had this to some degree, but was short enough it never became a bigger factor.
The High Republic is at its strongest when each story can be enjoyed on its own. Yes, the big plot point connections are necessary, along with the character work (as far as becoming emotionally involved). Many of the publications did a good enough job with brief recaps to catch readers up to speed on things they may have skipped. Towards the latter end of the Phase, however, things began to feel a bit disjointed. If you didn’t read some of the ancillary material, it was easy to feel lost.
A big factor in this, was how the sense of time didn’t feel pinned down enough. Too much was taking place at the same time (often was between the comics and novels). So if you missed a particular story, it felt like they were throwing random plot points at you without fully understanding how we got there.
Despite coming in to pick up the direct story threads from Phase 1’s cliffhanger, and integrating Phase 2 elements, The Eye of Darkness manages to deftly avoid this issue. Namely, because it firmly establishes this story takes place roughly a year after the events of The Fallen Star.
There are some plot points that left me wanting more explanation (like Avar getting behind the Occlusion zone), and will be explored in the comics. But knowing the specific timeline made digesting those dangling threads more palatable.
Obviously a lot can change in a year, especially during a war, so it makes sense that characters have had life altering experiences in the time between. Rather than feeling like I missed out on something and needed to catch up (as I did with Fallen Star), it felt like a natural progression. Maintaining the idea this universe—these stories—continue even without us ‘watching.’
All in all, The Eye of Darkness is another stellar entry in The High Republic that gets Phase 3 off on the right foot. It jumps right into the action, brings you up to speed, and lets you enjoy more time with some of your favorite characters; all while bringing together a fresh story and more thrills.
George Mann continues to bring the goods to the galaxy far, far away with flowing prose that’s engaging and informative. It’s just damn good Star Wars.
