Books The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray

You caught most of the ones I noticed, and a few others. The lightsaber color discrepancy was very odd considering that rather a big deal is made about it in LOTJ. I also viewed the Nihil ship description as "new" in this book, although it's pretty handwave-able.

Finishing this tonight. It's been really great. I have a few lingering questions about a few things, but I'll wait to see if they're addressed. I'd say, having greatly enjoyed all of the High Republic material thus far, this is probably my favorite, and that it's not at all what I expected!

 

Well I can't take credit for it all, thank the wookieepedia.

 

I use Rakuten Kobo to get the e-books in Germany, where we also don't get them on Kindle, which I normally use. Maybe that works in the US as well.

 

Just a warning

this has spoilers for into the dark


I didn't realise and watched it.

 

Finished it, really really liked it, lots more with these characters to look forward to. Just wanted to see if everyone has the same read on this bit of backstory as me:

Spoiler

So the Amaxine had this station and everything was going pretty cool for them, but then the Drengir, who don't seem to have much tech of their own, make it to the station via one of the hyperspace pods and make things really bad for the Amaxine, who sort of take off from there and eventually from the galaxy in general. I guess the Drengir hold the station for a little while and eventually do something that pisses off the Sith, who ultimately cart in some statues of races that they keep as slaves and use that to bind the Drengir... then the Sith basically just leave the statues there and leave the station alone.

The Drengir I guess are just naturally tuned in to the dark side. Maybe the first time in canon that that's a thing for a whole species? I considered that maybe they were corrupted or created by darksiders, but if so, it apparently wasn't the Sith, because the Drengir seem to remember encountering the Sith for the first time, not too long before they were bound.

I'm sure there's more history coming, probably in the Marvel series, but I don't know if we'll be going back to the Amaxine station so that might be it for now... did I miss or misinterpret anything there?

 

I find it funny about the backstory

Spoiler

How the Amaxine have been tied in with the First Order first as the name of the paramilitary group the FO was funding and then the station was being used as a base by Snoke.

 

Ugh, nothing gets on my nerves more than this kind of stuff. Really takes me out of the immersion. I know there are so many people working on this project, but come on. I feel like everything that has been coming out lately whether it be the cartoons, books, or live action stuff have all had these same problems

 

I hope the errors are fixed if there is ever a reprint.

I agree it hurts ones immersion and the knowing its set in the same general time as Light of the Jedi.

 

Spoiler

Maybe the Drengir are the Amaxines. Not in their original form, but transformed somehow, maybe even by the Sith--hence their dark-sidey-ness.

The whole "left the galaxy" thing always felt like a tall tale to me anyway.

 

Still slow going for me. Taking my time.

 

Spoiler

Something hinky's going on, but I don't think that's it. Or... huh, maybe? Something weird and darksidey happened. Some of the Drengir dialogue suggests that they live forever but their memory isn't the best. So it's vaguely possible that they just don't remember their own story too well. Maybe the Sith *are* responsible for what happened but the Drengir proved difficult to control, so they did the statue thing.

The statue thing still doesn't feel super Sith-y to me, but for now that's the story, I guess.

Yeah, it's odd that there are still these little nits to pick especially given that the whole launch was delayed, but there's so much that I like about the whole initiative that I'm just looking at it as like the first season of a TV show where they're not quite sure where they're going, and some elements are going to be discarded while others click.

 

So I am about 6.5 hours into the audio book.

Spoiler

Some good twists with the girl being Nihil and the artefacts holding back the darkside, not holding it.

It is interesting how these things turn the situation on it's head.

Over all a very good story.

I also like how some jedi DON'T like how cold the order is with death. And how flawed their views are.

 

Thanks for the warning, I've been enjoying these but sticking spoilers in for a book with variable global availability isn't cool.

 

FWIW it's background and premise spoilers more than how anything resolves--some of the information comes pretty late in the book but it's only a spoiler insofar as the Drengir are totally unknown at the story's outset.

 

I wish I had the audio book.

 

well I am 7.5 hours in and just now

Spoiler

They are starting to even suspect the Drengir, so I think it is a pretty BIG spoiler. Since it means we know the relics ARE'T the issue.

 

Cheers, worked for me and I've got it ready now for when I, finally, finish Light

 

Spoiler

Fair, but if that's your line then posting it here at all was a spoiler because the title graphic says DRENGIR in big letters.

 

I feel it is vague enough to not give the whole game away. And I needed to show people what it was.
But yes I did consider what you suggest.

edit:

Spoiler

I am on the final run now it feels, everyone going back to the station for their own reasons.

I also like how Claudia Gray pulls the rug out from the reader, I never thought that the girl would be Nihil and it is a great twist it really adds to their interactions.

And while i was spoiled about the planets it is good that they are more than they appeared.

 

Crossposting from the Rise of Kylo Ren thread, having just gone through it for the scenes related to Into The Dark:

Spoiler

-the Amaxine station still exists between ROTJ and TFA and the arboretum is thoroughly regrown.
-it's tended Snoke wearing a sweet hat.
- it's full of skeletons of various species. This seems to relate to events after Into The Dark.
-There are some kind of gnarly vines that could be interpreted as ex-Drengir, but also maybe not.
-Snoke describes the people who built the station as "trying to hold back the dark" and implies that the corpses are evidence that it didn't work out that well. This could maybe be a slightly changed premise (the Amaxine aren't mentioned) but it doesn't matter either way since Snoke is Snoke so it makes sense for him to be lying.
-overall, something pretty major does seem to have gone on in the station over the intervening years but it's tough to infer what it was.

 

So I got to the

Spoiler

Drengir and.... I am disappointed. They are basically darkside Gen'dai, planets. I was just expecting more from an ancient evil sealed away on a space station.

I guess the fact it is a species and not an individual (or even a hive mind type of creature) is the most disappointing part.

 

Re: Rise of Kylo Ren

Spoiler

I really liked the detail on the dead vines, which look exactly like they'd burst out to try and hold a ship in place.

 

So I finished the book

Spoiler

I thought for a second there that Affie was going to stay in the Guild, but I am glade she made the right decision.

Said about Dez though, I wonder what will become of him.

Cohmac is sounding A LOT like Dark Empire Luke/Ulic Qel Droma, with the need to understand the darkside. I see bad things in his future.

Orla seemed short sighted, with letting the Drengir out just so the jedi could escape.

Reath was alright, I liked him thinking out his problems. A bit too bookish for me to be all in for. Kinda reminded me of NJO Jacen.


The Nihil were alright, just used as generic raiders and then a stinger at the end, nothing bad but nothing great.

The Drengir were a waste, so just flush them out into space and that kills them? Weak, for all the mystery in the book and the misdirect with the idols. They were just a nothing enemy, I don't see how they were different from generic bad guy gen'dai.

It's ok, over all.

 

How soon until Vintians like our boy Geode start showing up in live action. Imagine a bar scene and as they pan across the whole place there are giant rocks at tables with drinks in front of them.