Books The High Republic: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang

Next adult novel.
https://www.starwars.com/news/swca-2022-the-high-republic-panel

 

So I take it that this will be the adult novel for wave two of phase 2 of the high republic?

also I’m probably going to get this and convergence mixed up until a cover is revealed for this.

 

Comes out in Spring 2023.

 

SpeedyHen preorder is now active for this - £16.40.

 

https://ew.com/books/star-wars-cataclysm-high-republic-excerpt/

Spoiler: Synopsis

After five years of conflict, the planets Eiram and E'ronoh are on the cusp of real peace. But when news breaks of a disaster at the treaty signing on Jedha, violence reignites on the beleaguered worlds. Together, the royal heirs of both planets—Phan-tu Zenn and Xiri A'lbaran—working alongside the Jedi, have uncovered evidence that the conflict is being orchestrated by outside forces, and all signs point to the mysterious Path of the Open Hand, whom the Jedi also suspect of causing the disaster on Jedha.


With time—and answers—in short supply, the Jedi must divide their focus between helping quell the renewed violence on Eiram and E'ronoh and investigating the Path. Among them is Gella Nattai, who turns to the one person she believes can unravel the mystery but the last person she wants to trust: Axel Greylark. The chancellor's son, imprisoned for his crimes, has always sought to unburden himself of the weight of his family name. Will he reconcile with the Jedi and aid in their quest for justice and peace, or embrace the Path's promise of true freedom?


As all roads lead to Dalna, Gella and her allies prepare to take on a foe unlike any they've ever faced. And it will take all of their trust in the Force, and in one another, to survive.

Spoiler: Excerpt

After the war between Eiram and E'ronoh reignites, the Jedi must divide their focus between helping quell the renewed violence and investigating the Path of the Open Hand. Among them is Gella Nattai, who turns to the one person she believes can unravel the mystery but the last person she wants to trust: Axel Greylark.

"I've seen Axel Greylark on the holonet," Orin said. "Quite the wealthy playboy. Looks like his palace has changed locations."

Gella nodded. She bit her lip. She had to control their first conversation or things might go haywire and she'd get no information.

"What's this boyo like?" Orin asked. "In your opinion?"

"Clever. Conniving. Charming."

"I may have a crush on him already," Orin said.

"He's the walking definition of charisma," Gella said. "But he's got a thing against Jedi because of a bad history involving his dad's death. Don't let him fool you. Under that celebrity sheen, he's painfully insecure."

Orin made a clucking sound. "You like him, don't you?"

Gella cocked her head toward the Jedi Master. "I didn't say that."

"Didn't have to."

Gella steadied her mind and took a breath. "He's slick. But there is a gentle side to him that I sensed. A young kid inside who's still hurting. I looked for the good in him before I had a grasp of who he was." She furrowed her brow. "And I tend to get defensive when I'm reminded of my mistakes in judgment. They had huge consequences, Orin."

He looked down as they drew closer to the landing pad. "I've spent a lot of time in the Outer Rim, fighting sadistic spice traders, rounding up parasitic scavengers that hurt good and honest people. I may have not always been around civilized folk all the time, but I did learn one thing. I'm good at reading people. But it's a skill that has taken decades. You're sharpening those skills even as I speak, but still. Be careful, Gella. Your feelings may alter your judgment."

Gella said nothing, using their imminent landing as an excuse to not speak. She would be on her guard. Not make any snap judgments. And control her emotions. It all seemed so very simple. Then why was she still nervous?

They were welcomed by armed guards, native to Pipyyr. Long-limbed, with fur in shades of black, white, and gray, they stared at Gella and Orin with glossy, rounded black eyes. They were shorter than Wookiees, with fangs that shone only when they spoke.

It was cold and windy. Gella pulled her cloak around her front and nodded when she met the guards.

"We've come to interrogate Axel Greylark, one of your prisoners."

"The Republic has sent you?" one of the guards asked, voice sounding like a low rumble.

"Yes," Orin said.

"No," Gella said, almost simultaneously.

They exchanged glances and the guards shifted their feet.

"I am Jedi Master Orin Darhga, and this is Jedi Knight Gella Nattai. We are working directly in concert with Chancellor Greylark," Orin said. "Our visit will be brief."

The guard looked down at a datapad. "Your ship checks out. The Eventide is one of Greylark's fleet." He looked up at Gella. "It looks like the chancellors have left a white list for access without authorization. You are on it, Jedi Nattai. Very well. You will leave your weapons on your ship or locked in our armory."

Neither felt particularly safe to Gella, but they decided to leave them with the guards. Past a three-meter-thick outer blast door and yet another one to the inner building, they were led down narrow corridors of stone. The air here smelled strange, like old seawater. Gella was growing a mild headache, and even Orin looked a little off.

"You'll probably notice the pressure change," said the guard leading them. Her voice was gruff and low. "Our atmosphere is slightly denser than on other inhabited planets. Most get used to it."

Gella rubbed her temples as they seemed to descend lower and lower, and the walls felt like they were pressing closer. The guard led them through yet another set of blast doors, and finally to a row of cells.

The cells were small—containing a cot, washing facilities, and table. Bleak and bare. There was a viewscreen in each room, most displaying a static image of a planet—perhaps the inmate's homeworld. One displayed an old holonet music show that Gella remembered as a child. On another screen was a candid interview with a jovial Chancellor Mollo, his facial tentacles waving.

So this is where they were keeping Axel? It was nothing like what she'd imagined. She'd assumed Axel would be in a cushy prison for the wealthiest convicts in the galaxy. This was harsh for any prisoner.

"Inmate AG-07. Transferred from prison barge CA73Z two weeks ago. Here we are." The guard stepped back so they could speak with relative privacy.

Inside, the disgraced Axel Greylark was curled up on the cot. He wore a white jumpsuit like the other prisoners, his dark, wavy hair longer and mussed, as if he'd just woken up. Gella had imagined speaking to him a thousand times since she'd last seen him on Eiram. Gella curled a fist, but instead of pounding the wall like she'd imagined, she could only bring herself to tap gently on the clear barrier between them. Orin glanced at her, his face showing the tiniest bit of worry.

Axel rolled over. When he saw Gella, he jerked to attention, draping his legs over the side of the cot. He was thinner and paler, with shadowed and hollow eyes. An expression of confusion settled on his features.

"Gella! What are you doing here?" he asked. He had eyes for nothing but her; he didn't even seem to notice Orin standing at her side.

Gella's head throbbed mildly. She told herself to stay clearheaded, but the ache was distracting. She took a moment to reach out with the Force, to steady herself. But it was more difficult than usual.

"We're here to ask questions," Gella said, trying to ignore the pain. "About Jedha."

He shook his head in disbelief. "What—how did you get here? What have you been doing?" Axel looked suspiciously at Orin, finally noticing him. Axel's whole posture changed slightly, like when darkness descends imperceptibly just after a sun sets. He crossed his arms. "So, what about Jedha?" he said.

"Before that, mate. Why are you looking so knackered?" Orin asked.

"What?" Axel said, his face confused.

"You look tired. Or sick. Or both," Orin added.

"If you care, why don't you get me transferred off this fuzz-covered planet?" he said, winking.

One of the Pipyyr guards growled at a distance.

"Insulting the guards?" Orin said. He motioned to Gella. "Maybe he's not as clever as you think."

"You called me clever, Gella?" Axel's eyebrows went up. "I'll take it." But his hand went to his stomach, and he suddenly paled, despite his repartee.

She stepped closer to the partition, studying him. There were several emotions arising from Axel. Relief, distrust, and now . . . discomfort. And he wasn't controlling them well. This was all genuine. "You aren't well," Gella said. "What's going on?"

"It's the atmospheric pressure." He rubbed his head. "Feels like my brain is being squeezed all the time, and I can't keep food down. It's worse when they let us walk outside in the upper courtyard, so I just don't leave my cell."

"Don't they have medicine or something for that?" Gella shouldn't care, but the words left her before she could think about it. Maybe it was her own blossoming headache that made her think less clearly.

"They do. It helps a little, but I'm more sensitive than most to the pressure, I guess. Maybe growing up on some of those high levels on Coruscant with those altitudes. I don't know."

It was disconcerting to see him look so unwell, and Gella knew she was being more sympathetic than she should. They'd passed by several other inmates, and none of them seemed nearly as sick.

"Look, I'm fine. I get boring food, lots of rest, and far too much time to think. Definitely no Chandrilan linen sheets or shimmersilk pajamas here. But you didn't visit Pipyyr's finest high-security prison on the edge of nowhere to ask if I liked the bedding and entrée options. What happened on Jedha?"

Gella studied him, staying silent. She sensed his emotions—the queasiness, the pain, the wondering. He really seemed to not know.

"The peace talks on Jedha failed. There was a battle, with a lot of casualties. Jedha City is a mess. We think the Herald of the Path of the Open Hand started a riot, and things got out of control. Something, or someone, was hurting Force-users. Something powerful." Gella stepped closer to the partition. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"

"No." Axel stood up. He looked down at Gella. "I didn't. I swear."

"What else is going to happen? After everything—you have to tell us."

"I'm not a member of the Path of the Open Hand," Axel said, shrugging.

"But you worked for them. Is the Herald their leader?" Orin asked.

Axel hesitated. He knew something.

"Spill it," Gella said firmly. She was getting irritated. If only this headache would distract her.

"He holds a lot of power, but the Mother leads them," Axel said, his hands hanging limply, as if tired of the questioning already.

Gella and Orin exchanged glances. She could tell by how he said the words that he didn't mean Chancellor Greylark.

"The Mother? Who is that?" Orin asked.

"She's the leader of the Path. She took them from a small religious group on Dalna into something bigger. Much bigger," Axel said.

Gella watched him carefully. Axel had never said who'd instructed him when he wreaked havoc on Eiram. There had been a woman he'd spoken to, but Gella had never learned her identity. And the way Axel was standing now—slightly hunched and not meeting her eye—spoke volumes.

"She was the one, wasn't she?" Gella said. "Who was behind all your moves on Eiram and E'ronoh?"

Axel nodded, still not making eye contact.

Orin frowned. "Does she know what the Herald did on Jedha?"

Axel shrugged again. Gella took a calming breath before saying, "Tell us what you know."

Orin pointed at him. "Aye, or I'll talk for the next seventy-two hours straight until your brain feels pressure of a different sort."

"Trust me, one hour will suffice," Gella said, drily.

Shockingly, Axel smiled a little. "It's so strange, having someone to talk to that's not a wall, or a guard yelling at me." His hands shook a little as he raised them to the partition. "The Path is stationed on Dalna. But that's common knowledge if you ask around. Look, Gella. I need to tell you something. I didn't have a chance before I got taken away—"

"—For murder. Among other things," Gella added.

"I know, I know. And it was wrong. I had a million reasons why it made sense, and why I had to do it. But I didn't have to do anything. It was my fault, and my doing entirely. I'm sorry. But I'm sorrier for losing your trust, Gella."

They stood only a scant meter away from each other. She remembered when she could have reached out to him, clapped him on the back, smiled and laughed over being outsiders on Eiram and E'ronoh. None of this seemed real. And then she shook her head slightly to reset. Concentrate, she told herself. This isn't a time to be reminiscing. He lied. He killed. He fooled you. Don't let him do it again.

"I'd believe you more if you could tell us what else the Path, and whoever else you've been working with, is up to," she said. "I don't think what happened on Jedha was just the Path stirring up trouble against the Jedi. Tell me what you know."

Axel took a step closer. His palm slapped against the partition hard. Gella and Orin both jerked back in surprise. Axel's head sagged.

"Gella," Axel gasped, and closed his eyes. "I'll tell you everything, but . . ."

"What is it? Axel?" Gella put her hand up as well, and Orin moved to pull her back.

"I'm . . . I'm pretty sure I'm going to black out." Axel's hand squeaked down the plane between them, his eyes closing. He crumpled to the floor as the guard ran over and called for the medic to the lower circle of the prison. The guard ordered Gella and Orin back, opening up the cell to assess Axel. She murmured to herself, checking his vital signs.

"Well!" Orin's eyebrows rose high. "That did not go as I expected."

"I thought he was going to be different," Gella whispered. "Defensive. Manipulative."

"I thought you were going to give him a harder time. I'd no idea the job was already done for us before we got here."

The incoming guards placed Axel on a hover-stretcher and whisked him away. She stared at the empty corridor for longer than she intended, frowning deeply. Axel was doing so poorly. Incarceration was one thing, but this place was physically hurting him. It was cruel, even if it wasn't the intent of the prison itself. The Republic needed to know. Gella wondered if Chancellor Greylark had any idea how awfully her son was faring. She also wondered if the effects of Pipyyr and her distraction from feeling the Force made it easier for him to influence her.

And now her fury toward Axel had morphed into pity, and wanting to help him.

 

I can't help thinking that

Spoiler

Gella and Axel are a
metacommentary on Reylo.

 

https://www.starwars.com/news/the-high-republic-cataclysm-excerpt

Spoiler

Dalna was in view. Browns, blues, and greens, with cloud cover over half the globe. It was a fairly ordinary-looking planet. On the surface, at least. It was the ordinariness that made Xiri nervous.

Master Char-Ryl-Roy and Jedi Enya Keen entered the cockpit to survey the terrain.

“If we’re close enough to bypass any interfering comms and buoys, perhaps we can announce ourselves,” Enya said.

“Very well,” Char-Ryl-Roy said.

“Is that a good idea?” Xiri asked. She thought of a line from the enormous book on diplomacy she’d been reading. Imagine, with true feeling, the hopes and fears of the other party. “I think it best that I open the conversation. They may feel uncomfortable speaking directly to a Jedi at first.”

“Well. It’s time we announce ourselves. Shall we, Xiri?” Char-Ryl-Roy asked, motioning toward the cockpit.

Xiri led the way and began landing procedures.

“We’re on an open, general frequency. Anyone in the Path of the Open Hand compound will hear it,” Char-Ryl-Roy said.

Xiri cleared her voice. “This is Princess Xiri A’lbaran of . . . Eiram and E’ronoh. I am accompanied by Jedi Master Char-Ryl-Roy and Jedi Enya Keen, here on a diplomatic mission to open a dialogue about a recent occurrence regarding our planets. We wish to hear your full perspective on the matter.”

She held her breath and waited. She whispered to Char-Ryl-Roy, “Do you think it was received?”

Char-Ryl-Roy nodded. “Nothing to do but wait.”

Minutes later, a voice came through.

“This is Elder Yulon Onning. Senior council member of the Path of the Open Hand, thanks be to the Mother. We have received your request. At this time, we do not see the usefulness of such a dialogue, as you call it.”

“It would be quite useful, I assure you,” Xiri said. “We have much to discuss—” She could hear her voice rising with irritation. She took a breath to pace herself. “We recognize the importance and the influence of the Path of the Open Hand in this galaxy. We wish to hear your wants and needs with respect to our great planets.”

“I see,” said Elder Onning. “And how would you propose to show your good faith in opening this conversation?”

Xiri muted the comm. “What is he talking about? I don’t understand this diplomacy speak!”

Master Roy rubbed his chin. “I believe he’s talking about gifts, Xiri. A token of faith.”

“Gifts? Tokens?” she whispered. She nearly said, I didn’t get to that part of the diplomacy book! She patted herself down, as if searching for a blaster without a holster. At her waist was her ever-present bane blade. Xiri never wore jewelry, or anything else of consequence.

Elder Onning spoke again. “We believe in gifts given freely. A tenet of how we see the Force, and a measure of our sense of selves within this universe.”

“Gifts given freely,” Xiri repeated. “And yet you request a gift to simply open up a conversation?” She’d spoken without thinking and saw the result in Enya’s wide eyes of alarm. Master Roy put a hand to his substantial forehead. Oops. Perhaps that was the wrong thing to say.

“If that is how you feel,” Elder Onning said, a clear chill in his voice.

Come on Xiri, she said to herself. Step up. Be a diplomat. Do something.

“I offer you a cherished personal item, my bane blade, carried with me since I was a youth,” Xiri said, trying not to rush her words. “They are priceless on E’ronoh, as they cannot be bought or sold. We never, ever part with them, not until death.” She caught her breath. “I offer you the bane blade of a princess of E’ronoh as a token that our discussion is offered with the best of intentions.”

“Princess Xiri,” Elder Onning replied. “I thoroughly appreciate your vision of our peaceful community. We are but a simple folk, not ones to accumulate shiny little trinkets for the sake of a teatime conversation.”

Xiri threw up her hands in frustration.

Enya reached forward to mute the comm. “He’s bluffing!” Enya said. “I think he’s salivating at the idea of receiving gifts. You can practically hear his hands making grabbing motions.”

“What about Teegee?” Xiri suggested.

At this, Enya jumped up and unsuccessfully suppressed a squeal. “Not Teegee! I only just got him together in one piece!”

“Okay, okay!”

Xiri looked over her shoulder and saw Enya exhale with relief and pat 4VO-TG, who was at her side. The droid also made a noise of relief that sounded slightly like a human passing gas.

What else did they have, Xiri wondered. They couldn’t give up their ship. The astromech wasn’t up for grabs. Her own precious bane blade was rejected outright.

“But I believe,” the Elder continued, “in a true show of an . . . open hand of friendship, there may be something aboard your ship that would prove how deep your good intentions truly are.”

“Here we go,” Char-Ryl-Roy whispered. “Let the bargaining begin.”

Xiri opened the comm. “Please do speak. We are all here to listen.”

“I believe you said there were two Jedi aboard,” Elder Onning said. “Given our differing views on the Force, the very presence of a Jedi is an affront to everything we believe in.”

Xiri watched Enya and even Char-Ryl-Roy stiffen at the remark. She didn’t know what to say to that. The Elder broke the silence, finally.

“As a show of faith, as you expressed so eloquently, we would accept a gift that was sincerely important to us, as well as those in your party.”

“Yes?” Xiri said.

“A lightsaber. The Jedi’s killing weapon. After all, it is the embodiment of how the Jedi use the Force. And the Path believes it ought not to be used. Giving us a personal lightsaber would be the ultimate show of respect to our people.”

The two Jedi couldn’t hide their astonishment. Xiri muted the comm once more, and Master Roy put his hand on his lightsaber.

“We cannot do such a thing. It has never been done,” Master Roy said. “It is a part of who we are. A lightsaber is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands. It would be reckless to give it away.”

“I agree,” Xiri said. “Surely they can choose something else.” She turned the comm on again. “I am afraid a Jedi lightsaber cannot be gifted.”

“Then we do not believe you truly choose to talk to us in the spirit of diplomacy. We would see this as an affront to the Path, for it is clear that the people of Eiram, E’ronoh, and all Jedi look upon us with disdain. We have every right to see you as a threat, given your inability to offer a gift given freely. That is all.”

The transmission went dead.

Xiri muttered to herself. “I can’t believe we came here for nothing,” she said.

“Wait!” Enya interjected, standing up. Her dark eyes shone as she held out her lightsaber. “I . . . I’ll give them my kyber crystal.”

Char-Ryl-Roy faced Enya, holding her shoulders. “Enya. Do you know what you’re saying? Finding our kyber crystal is a sacred part of our training as a Jedi. It has chosen us. We cannot give it away like a mere jewel or gem of worth. This is non-negotiable.”

“I understand. But I have a feeling that what’s happening here is larger than me and my lightsaber, or even my kyber crystal. I’ll be okay, Master.” Enya smiled. “And who knows. I might get it back, if the talks go well. When they realize we truly are here in the spirit of peace. There are lives at stake. I think it’s worth it.”

Xiri put her hand on Enya’s shoulder. “Are you really sure?”

“I am,” Enya said, nodding.

“Okay then.” Xiri hailed the Path frequency again. “This is Xiri A’lbaran again. Elder Onning, though we cannot gift a Jedi lightsaber, we offer instead the personal kyber crystal belonging to Jedi Enya Keen to open our discussion together.”

They could practically hear the Path Elder smile with satisfaction. “That is satisfactory. Excellent. The Mother will very much appreciate your gift. We are transmitting coordinates to your ship. You may begin landing procedures. We will meet you on the landing pad of our compound shortly.”

There was a pall cast upon the party as they prepared to enter Dalna’s atmosphere. Enya sat behind the pilot’s seat from which Xiri steered the ship. She held her lightsaber in her lap and stayed quiet, as if communing with the crystal in their last moments together. Enya touched the grooves and switch, as well as the various pieces of metal that had come together to make a lightsaber that resembled no other.

“Thank you for doing this,” Xiri said. “I know what it must feel like to lose something so precious.” She held her bane blade out. “I gave this up once, too. But it found its way back to me, in the most unexpected way. Maybe it will be the same for you.”

Enya smiled sadly. “And yet, you offered it again, because you believed in this mission. Maybe I’ll get my kyber crystal back, maybe not. A good Jedi does not let their emotions overcome them. It does feel like a piece of me will be lost forever. But a Jedi is more than their lightsaber. As long as the Force is with me, I am still a Jedi. The Force is always with me.”

“I think I felt the same way about Phan-tu. And then I almost lost him.” She smiled. “I know, it’s not the same to compare such things—people and crystals. But I suppose you’re feeling like you’re losing a piece of yourself. Something irreplaceable.”

“Phan-tu is okay, isn’t he?” Enya asked, her face frowning with worry.

“I think so? But I can’t be sure.” Xiri knew he wasn’t quite okay, but she didn’t know how to fix it. She saw the rainy sky above Dalna in the viewport and watched the rivers, forests, and farmland speed by. “We’re nearly there.”

Enya carefully dismantled her lightsaber, removing the slightly glowing yellow crystal from the focusing mount. She held it in her hand and smiled.

“It warms to me.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Master Roy asked once more as their craft landed with a slight bump on the landing pad at the Path compound.

Enya’s eyes were shiny, but she was not crying. Her brown cheeks grew duskier for a moment. She stood, her hand gripped around the crystal.

“Yes.”

 

So a few spoiler free reviews came out today and it seems cataclysm is going down well.

 

Just finished this, so I guess I'll be kicking this off. Overall I really liked this one, in my opinion the best High Republic novel since Light of the Jedi and a really well written book. I hope Kang comes back to write more Star Wars, preferably High Republic. I can only heartily recommend this to everyone. More detailed impressions behind the tags.

Spoiler

I think this novel shines through its characters. I don't think it was necassirily any better a plot than Convergence and uses the same characters for the most part but it can fall back on those characters already being familiar at this point and it really made me feel for them, in a way that most High Republic publications have not managed. The setting for me will always remain amazing but the characters so far mostly fell falt with few exceptions like Vernestra and Reath. This one had a great cast all around. Binnot was a decent villain and the Mother sleazy as always. But where this really shines was its heroes. Enya and Gella especially are absoulte delights and I'm sad that we'll probably not be seeing them anytime soon, since as Humans they can't really show up in Phase III. The Chancellors also feal like a lot better rounded characters here in Convergence and Xiri and Phan'tu are more amazing here than in Convergence, despite having remarkably less screentime. Cippa and Orrin are also great additions to the cast and I wonder whether we might not be seeing Cippa take on an important role in Phase III. Depending how old Arkanians get, I could definetely see it and I'd love to see her at the height of her power. What I certainly didn't expect coming into this novel was Yaddle being an important character but it was absolutely glorious, she and Yoda were amazingly utilized and the scene where they saved Gella and Axel was amazing.

Apart from the character what I liked most about this was it's generally positive tone. Some of the recent High Republic books have really been depressing, always being centered around some catastrophe. It's not surprising since they need to build up the villains to make their vanquishing feel all the more satisfying. But this one despite all the losses, many dead Jedi and the Nameless being instant Jedi killers, this one was mainly about hope and overcoming adversity. Despite being centered around an event called the Night of Sorrows this one was ultimately positive and that is lovely I think.

I do think that the Night of Sorrows will come up again in future High Republic publications, since once again with this central event I felt like I was missing part of the story, despite being completely caught up on the publishing initiative. It wasn't really glaring though, I have to admit that. But the loads of Jedi suddenly appearing with Dalnan volunteers out of nowhere and the second group never properly featured and fighting underground definetley require some more explanations, especially the first one kind of felt like Deus ex Machina. Also there were clearly major internal shifts happening within the Path during the events of this novel, that we never really got to see, since we were mostly focused on the heroes and Binnot. At least the latter story will certainly be told in the Marda Ro centric YA book coming up, which will probably conclude the Mother's arc and finally set up Marchion Ro.

As for the Nameless after Phase 2 is nearly over we still know remarkably little about them. This book does explain why the Jedi are caught on the wrong foot by them in Phase I, despite having seen them before, though Yoda's and Creighton's decision to keep them out of the archives does seem somewhat stupid. But despite some hints of Yoda that he might know more about them, the Jedi are still remarkably clueless. I do hope Yoda finally spills the bean at the start of Phase III and allows us to transition into the Jedi fighting back phase, instead of constantly getting caught on the wrong foot.

I did also find the Path to be somewhat puzzling in this. I've always hated them but so far they've been portrayed as mostly peaceful with a hard core of fighters doing the bidding of the Mother. Suddenly turning them into a cult of murderous, highly armed fanatics willing to murder seemed a bit off to me and I hope the YA novel next month gives this one a bit more context. But since this one was such an amazing story I'm willing to forgive it being somewhat weaker on the villains front.

I also kind of wonder how Eiram and E'ronoh end up backs as rivals with different royal houses by the time of Phase II, considering Xiri and Phan'tus wedding. The conflict I can buy since the tensions are far from resolved, even at the end of this, but the separate royal houses despite the heirs getting married seems like a story waiting to be told. Also I really hope that at the end of the High Republic publishing intiative we get more stories told in this time and an adventure story about Gella and/or an adult Enya preferably written by Lydia Kang would be one thing I'd absolutely like to see.

If I'd had to rate this, I'd give it 4,5/5 and I really hope the High Republic keeps up this kind of quality going into Phase III.

 

Got my copy from Amazon UK yesterday. It's on the reading list!

 

Same here, along with a copy of Quest for Planet X.

Suppose I ought to now get to The Battle of Jedha.

 

That's still in my reading pile as well.

 

Star Wars: The High Republic: Cataclysm by Lydia Kang is the second adult novel in phase two of the High Republic and her first Foray into full-length Star Wars literature. Concerning High Republic books, the weakest has been her predecessor Zoraida Córdova's Convergence. Whether Lydia Kang will be able to capture lightning in a bottle that was Phase One is a complex question for many readers, but for me? It's a little column A, a little of column B. Spoilers Follow For Entire Book:

The Good:

Firstly, I want to point out how well Kang writes. Her prose is very workmanlike and has an excellent rhythm to it. She knows exactly when to switch point-of-view, and how much that contributes to the feel of a good Star Wars novel. However, the biggest strength she brings to the table is her dialogue, it's snappy with no growing pains with the characters' voices that you sometimes get with a new author taking over. Her pacing is also great, I was glued to my book as soon as it arrived finding it quite hard to put down.

Orin Darhga:

Spoiler

If you were to ask me my favorite character, I would easily choose Orin Darhga in a heartbeat. Introduced in this novel, his jovial Jedi Master personality is incredibly endearing. I also enjoy his chemistry with Gella. I love how he is kind of a no-bull**** straight talker who tells it as he sees it but does it in the kindest way possible. However, it is a little frustrating that he dies in a very absurd way in this novel. I also listened to segments from the audiobook while waiting for my book to be delivered, and Mark Thompson gave him the thickest textbook Scottish accent imaginable, which I approve of, and it incepted the idea so when I read his lines, he was sounding like the Scotsman from Samurai Jack.

Spoiler

One thing is very clear when reading Cataclysm, Lyida Kang loves writing Yaddle. I mean it's hardly a secret when the quote on the back of the dust jacket is a Yaddle quote.

Spoiler

Yaddle is not one of the oldest Glup ****tos in Star Wars history, but she has been seeing a revival of interest as of late in The High Republic and after her lackluster episode in Dave Filoni's Tales of the Jedi animated anthology. Ever since her cursed-looking puppet made its first appearance in The Phantom Menace the Star Wars Expanded Universe has always wondered "What's the Deal with female Yoda?" Legends gave her quite a bit of a spotlight in the early Republic comics, and in the scholastic Watsonverse Jedi Quest series, but she has been somewhat missing in New Canon until recently. Overall, I was surprised by how much I liked Yaddle in Cataclysm. Kang writes her so well, giving her moments of excellent wisdom as well as some of the best comedic scenes that this book has to offer. I found pairing her with the Arkanian Jedi youngling Cippa Tarko to be quite wholesome. One scene that will always stick with me is this exchange that I imagine all people who have interacted with young kids can relate to.

Spoiler

A final word on Yaddle is this. Yaddle > Yoda.

Xiri/Phan-tu:

Spoiler

Their noble romance was one of the parts of Convergence that really captivated me, and I enjoyed seeing it in Cataclysm as well. You would think that the story of star-crossed lovers being from two planets at war would borrow heavily from tropes seen in Romeo and Juliet and or the Trojan War, but I think the thing that makes Xiri and Phan-tu work so well for me is how it's not that. They are often the most competent and levelheaded in the room. I said in my convergence review that I was looking forward to the resolution on whether their relationship would make it, and I am happy to report that it seems like it will. Of course, they make mistakes in this book, and their relationship at the beginning was seeming pretty rocky, but nothing like the Night of Sorrow on Dalna to give your marriage a second forged in the fire moment.

Amazing Build-Up:

Spoiler

I found that I enjoyed the front half of this novel a whole lot more than the "Everything had converged into a cataclysm of violence" (actual line in the book) half of the novel was less interesting. I have seen some reviews compare it to a Sanderlanche, but I haven't read any of his work so I can't comment on if that is accurate, but I found the Night of Sorrow to be a little underwhelming in execution. For one, I think Dalna was just a little bland setting for this final showdown. However, the intrigue of getting all of our parties to Dalna was part of the book I enjoyed the most.

The Bad:

Unfortunately, this duology of High Republic Adult books has been very much a mixed bag. There is stuff I like, but I don't know if I would recommend them as must-reads for people wanting more insight on Phase One as it stands. Phase Two still has a plethora of comics and one more YA novel yet to release, so maybe that last jig-saw puzzle piece will snap into an aha moment for me, but that is yet to be determined.

Axel Greylark:

Spoiler

I really hate Axel Greylark. Honestly, there is very little that I find interesting about him, and since his "arc" is so integral to this duology of books, it seems like my enjoyment of it was doomed from the start. I know a lot of other people really can't get enough of Axel, but to me, he is just a narcissistic nepo baby who manipulates every person he meets and fails upwards in life with mommy issues. He tanked all my enjoyment of Gella in the first book and killed my favorite character in this book with his actions, and I was actively rooting for Gella to put a lightsaber through him in the final act, even though it wasn't very Jedi-like. He does "redeem" himself in this book, but frees Gella from the Path during the final part of this book, but I overall just am glad that Axel is in the rearview window for The High Republic. Axel walks the tightrope between a character you love to hate and you feel sorry for so well, that he doesn't fall on either side and it's just frustrating for me. His motivations are fairly vapid, and his arc ends in this book where we picked up at the beginning with him going back to jail, only with mommy issues slightly resolved.

The Mother:

Spoiler

In the few scenes that the Mother is in this book, she is great, but there aren't many. One of my biggest critiques of Convergence was the villain department, and Cataclysm improves with the point-of-view character Binnot Ullo being very well written, but Binnot feels like the villain before the villain if that makes sense. It is cool seeing the beginning of the Path schism that is going to take place with the path of the closed first forming in this book that I imagine will spin off and become either the Nihil or the Elders of the Path that we see in The High Republic Adventure comics. The Mother is going to need quite a bit of fleshing out to get to a point where I like her as a villain, and with only one book left, Cavan Scott has a lot of legwork to do in the comics and in Path of Vengeance. The writing on the wall is her beef is related to having to give up a daughter to the Jedi, hence the Mother title, and I'm not thrilled about that plot development and am hoping my theories are subverted.

Yoda:

Spoiler

One of the nuclear hot takes in Star Wars that I have, is my dislike for Yoda. Yoda is a decent Jedi, but by the Force is a terrible leader of Jedi. He is pretty much hands-off this entire phase it seems, just having a few scenes with Kyong Greylark, and then getting off his ass and finally going to Dalna at the very end, but the coup de grâce to Yoda in this book is him knowing about the Nameless and doing NOTHING about it. The final conversation that he has with Creighton Sun is so infuriating. It seems that the more we get of Yoda in canon, the more incompetent he appears to be. Once Phase One wrapped up, and I learned about the jump backward for Phase Two I was peddling the story that we would learn about the Jedi doing a no-no of some kind. I mean I was right, there is no bigger no-no than discovering an existential threat to the entire Jedi Order and therefore the Republic and covering it up and kicking the can down the road for a century and a half. Yoda is straight-up acting like a fossil fuel executive man. I can't tell if this is intended, like is The High Republic team intending to do this, or is just like a tuning fork for me as a Yoda hater. I will reiterate my point Yaddle > Yoda.

Lackluster Payoff:

Spoiler

Piggybacking off of my point about how good the build-up is in this novel, I was let down by how it all resolves. Once all roads pointed to Dalna it did feel like we were getting some Rising Storm-esque fluster clucks that all of our cast was walking into and that those who read Mission to Disaster knew would be the event known in Phase One as the Night of Sorrow. It was fine, but I do think that Kang bit off more than she could deliver, the action scenes became a bit bland and muddled, and hard to parse out. The falling action had that terrible Yoda scene, and it was cool that E'ronoh & Eiram worked together to help at Dalna, but I felt like the crossover between the YA novels and the Adult novels were a detriment to each other's stories. I am fine with the Mother being the puppet master, but I think E'ronoh & Eiram's conflict should have been the plot of this duology of books first and foremost, and the Dalna and plot surrounding that should have been the YA novels.

The Problem With Prequels:

Spoiler

Piggybacking off of the piggyback, I feel like this is why so many High Republic readers were left scratching their heads when we learned Phase Two was set in the past. It would be like if after making Empire Strikes Back, George Lucas made The Phantom Menace making the movie Machette viewing order the release order. Like don't get me wrong I like the Phantom Menace, but after the Darth Vader reveal it would be a little confusing in my opinion. It's not an impossible task, but if I were in charge of it, I would scale back the scope of this phase and make it a much more personal story between a small cast. I think that is why Path of Deceit works so well, and why the two adult novels don't. Path of Deceit has like seven or eight important named characters and I enjoyed the story. The Path of Open Hand is interesting, but I think it would be more interesting if it was smaller in scale instead of Nihil with a little pinch of Jonestown. I think focusing entirely on how the Path can turn into the Nihil was the direction instead of the Path being just the Nihil without the punk aesthetic and an anti-Force-using bumper sticker. We know the ending, we are just looking for details to inform the future, which is fun for some, but kind of boring for others. Yoda in Midnight Horizon has a line talking about looking toward the past to inform their choices in the present or something like that, and that is great in principle, but as it stands the Phase Two adult book duology doesn't really do that. It covers E'ronoh & Eiram, which we know will end as foretold in Into the Dark. It covers the Path turning into the militant Nihil from a certain point of view, but it's kind of half of the picture. The problem with prequels is that you need a good how. How does Anakin Skywalker become Darth Vader? All of the Hows in these books aren't really groundbreaking, and informing my thoughts on Phase Three which I feel is the opposite of its intended purpose.

General High Republic Issues:

Spoiler

Piggybacking off of the piggyback off of the piggyback this is just an issue that a lot of people have been having with the High Republic. Its biggest strength, being a story told across many mediums, is also showing its ugly head with some weaknesses. I have read everything The High Republic has released, I am a Star Wars content whale, and I am being catered to. However, my brother has only read the three adult novels from Phase One, and enjoyed them, has gaps in his knowledge that are never going to be filled, making the story kind of an all-or-nothing thing that does have its shortcomings. It's good for us whales that are going to read everything and see if it all connects, but for average fans trying to break in it's impossible. It's getting into Star Trek Expanded Universe territory that we are going to need color-coded flowcharts for plotlines and where they get resolution because it isn't a traditional A to B story.

TL;DR:

Overall, Star Wars: The High Republic: Cataclysm earns a good ranking from me (3/5 Stars), Lydia Kang did an excellent job writing the story, but there are some plot elements I don't enjoy and a slew of inherited problems that the entire second phase of the High Republic has had. A lot of Phase Two's success for me is depending on Path of Vengeance to tie things up in a meaningful way.

 

Spoiler

Exactly how I felt! I am glad someone feels the same way about that aspect of the story!

 

I got to admit that I have enjoyed the High Republic books and comics and only wish that they get more expanded in teen and adult oriented animation and tv series other than the Acolyte.

 

One slightly strange thing in the book - each time one of the main characters is mentioned in a chapter, Kang uses their full name, and then the character's first name is used for the rest of the chapter.

It's almost as if the reader's not expected to remember who these characters are, from chapter to chapter.

 

these new HIgh Republic prequel prequel novels Convergence and Catacylcsm came out at a bad time where the regular main adult novels HIgh Republic trilogy books have been doing great and then later this year is the start of Phase 3 of the High Republic adult novels

 

Spoiler

I enjoyed Cataclysm more than Convergence. Once the action got started on Dalna, I didn’t want to put the book down, which is always nice. I did think that everyone was too forgiving of Axel, especially Gella. Axel’s actions directly led to the deaths of many innocent people, including Orin Darhga. I’m just glad the Gella didn’t end up falling in love with the ‘bad boy’ Axel, as was hinted at in both books. And I’ll agree to being confused about why Master Sun and Yoder decide to keep the Nameless a secret from other Jedi. Sure, you don’t want every pirate and bounty hunter out searching for their own Leveler, but the Jedi should be prepared to face them. We see the consequences of that failure in Phase I. Between this and Yoda’s counseling session with Anakin, Yoda decision making isn’t always so great.

Add that to the fact that some of my favorite Phase 2 characters, the Ro sisters, are only really appearing in the YA novels and the audio drama.

 

Yeah I do think that the Ro sisters should have been in the Adult Duology, and the Eiram–E'ronoh plot should have been given to the YA novels

 

Just finished Cataclysm, and while it and Convergence are really solid, I am also much more interested in the YA novels this time around. I do look forward to rereading the Phase I material with more knowledge of Eiram and E'ronoh.

And, to reiterate my theory for the Levelers' origins:

Spoiler

I still think they are the result of old experiments by Darth Caldoth, despite how much some dislike the Sith factoring in.