By Justina Ireland

When I was a teenager, I remember when my brothers and I found Heir to the Empire in our local bookstore. Star Wars was my favorite movie growing up, and we were not expecting new books. So we bought it, read it, and loved. We had a similar experience when Rogue Squadron came out in 1996 – saw it right after it was released in a bookstore, and had no idea it was coming out. Bought it, loved it. Since those days a lot of books and comics have come out. I have read all of them. Suffered through the “superweapon of the month” phase, the Yuuzhan Vong, and changing of publishers with promised books undelivered, and then a huge swath of my library becoming “legends”.

Since Disney took over the publishing license, they have been churning out books regularly. The books have been good, and occasionally very good. But with the High Republic it feels like I start and stop for the first third of each book. When I get past a certain point I am dialed in and start to enjoy myself.

Out of the Shadows is the latest book in the YA High Republic arc, taking place concurrently with the adult, comics, and kids books. Vern and Imri (young Jedi Knight and her padawan) and Syl continue their intertwining adventures. They uncover a powerful conspiracy and plots among the powerful of the Republic. Syl reunites with her former girlfriend… And is war effecting the Jedi? This was good – once it got going. The burning question in this time of intergalactic crises – when is Yoda coming off his sabbatical?

423 Pages

3/5