Books The High Republic: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott

@Dawud786

The fun thing about having this era opened up is that we never really know what the Republic 1000 year peace was like and only saw the tale beginning and tale end of it when the Sith were really active with Bane and Plagueis.

So now we can see that big middle chunk and maybe see what outside events that had little to no Sith involvement was like.

 

It's really a sharp contrast when in the PT even nominally "good" politicians like Valorum aren't that great (and even Padme, Bail, Mon Mothma etc. are ultimately ineffective) whereas by the end of The Rising Storm

Spoiler

even the nominally "bad" politician, the militarist Sullustan dude, isn't really all that bad and can find it in himself to be a team player when it counts.

 

Considering just dropping Star Wars High Republic entirely. I love the Jedis’ whole aesthetic, and I really liked how the Jedi were portrayed during the first third of that first novel, but otherwise I’m having a real hard time managing to care about any of it. I like Jedi but without the Sith or other good villains there’s just not much to them. I hate the Nihil and Drengir more than just about anything. Just the absolute worst. Nothing in these is exciting enough or messed up enough or horny enough to keep my interest.

 

I find that to be such a limited notion of what Jedi can be, frankly. I think the Nihil present a unique, non-Force-user challenge for them.

Personally, I'd love more stories where the Jedi actually resolve conflict without even igniting their lightsabers at all. Where the Jedi's mere presence and peacefulness ultimately soothes the situation.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

I just absolutely cannot take the Nihil seriously at all ever

 

I think I like the Dengir idea more then the Nihl to be honest myself, but i do agree having more Non-Force Sensitive villains in general is a cool idea.

Worked for Thrawn back in the day.

 

I just finished, and I guess I have to thank Cavan Scott for ripping my heart right out of my chest at the end.

Spoiler

Loden Greatstorm is now one with the Force, but what a horrifying image to be left with...

My heart breaks for Bell.

What did Marchion Ro unleash? Some kind of Eldritch horror?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

Maybe this is a stretch too far, but I think the Republic Fair is meant to be a bit of a comment on theme parks and, more specifically, Galaxy's Edge. There's a passing mention of visitors eating tip-yip and being able to buy miniature versions of the attractions. Also, Valo is in the Outer Rim, like Batuu.

 

There's an element of that for sure. It's also a World's Fair analogue.

Spoiler

When Senator Toon is laying into Chancellor Soh over the cost of the Fair and how out of reach it is for regular folks, I felt that. Especially when Lina responds with "well, they can watch it on the HoloNet."

I immediately thought of myself watching people's Galaxy's Edge visits on YouTube.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

I can understand your point of view, even though I have been enjoying this era. The Old Republic era and its villain's are just superior to what we have in the HR era, even just taking in canon content. The Mandalorians are a better non-force user villains compared to the Nihil, can do more damage against the Jedi then the Nihil. The thousands of year old Zygerrian_Slave_Empire would also make interesting non-force villains. Of course the ancient Sith outshine the Nihil and the Drengir in their destruction towards others, and inner conflict, etc.

Also since the Drengir are.....

Spoiler

From the Old Republic era, we could see them more as villains in their prime, before the Sith betrayal.

But I am liking the horror/alien aspect the Drengir have as baddies.

Unfortunately..
SPOILERS FOR UNRELEASED CONTENT WARNING

Spoiler

The Drengir are wiped out eventually in Phase 1, There is going to be another threat, The Nameless showing up, which I hope can be well done villain's.

I do like the Nihil as villain's, but its mostly because they are quite different from the usual baddies towards the good guys, Galactic Empire/First Order, and the CIS.

 

I get the impression that the Nihil won't last all 9 (or 18, or 27, etc) books as an organisation. Marchion will likely persist a bit longer though.

Based on six months per wave and three waves per phase, The High Republic may last into 2025.

 

I mean maybe it’s like Marvel were Marcion is Loki leading to Thanos

 

I don't think there'll be some Thanos emerging from the shadows, that's Palpatine's job. Rather, I think future antagonists in The High Republic will be the result of the events of previous books. Marchion Ro isn't working for anyone.

That said, it's not as if anyone knows who Marchion is yet, so I suppose an eventual Sith villain could work. They don't have to be known to the Jedi.

 

Ordered this from Amazon UK today along with a few other non-SW books. Should come Wed/Thu.

 

Am I the only one that thought the book was trying a bit too hard to make the Sullustan dude out to be bad/dumb at every opportunity. He's kind of right the whole time.

 

The Sullustan dude felt like an Old Republic relic. A man who sees the benefits of not relying solely on the Jedi and that the Republic should have its own military/defense force (even if it’s small).

While we know little of the canon Old Republic era, I’m positive they had their own military. I don’t see how the Jedi could have defeated Sith/Mandalorian threats toward the Republic without military aid.

I would not be surprised if this Sullustan knows about certain ancient history of the old Republic.

He is probably worried of history repeating itself, and knowing that just because the Republic has had no need of a military for around 768 yrs (since the current Republic began) doesn’t mean it will never need one.

 

@StarWarsFan91

We know from what little we know as we'll that the Old Republic eventually collapsed as the Sith took over Coruscant and pretty much the galaxy for a short time.

 

Did anyone else who listened to the audiobook have difficulty understanding OrbaLin? His voice was so filtered I honestly had no idea what he was saying.

 

The impression I got is that he's only presented as "bad" from the perspective of certain characters, and even then, he's seen mainly as annoying and persistent.

Spoiler

He gets some pretty good lines calling Chancellor Soh out on her mistakes, and there's a definite acknowledgement at the end that he isn't entirely wrong. Toon even plays a crucial role in setting up the climactic battle.

I think we might see that in High Republic politics there is mutual respect between proponents of opposing ideas, which will start to fade as the series goes on, until the division and corruption eventually progress to the point we see in the prequels.

 

I don’t think the fall of the Old Republic during the Sith reign on Coruscant.

The Shrine they constructed on the planet (the place modern Jedi Temple was built over) was around or before 5,000BBY. The Old Republic fell thousands of years later.

Perhaps during the era of Sith occupied Coruscant, the capital/government of the Old Republic was moved elsewhere.

Though I’m sure Coruscant was a war zone during the Old Republics fall, which is why the Mandalorians were able to break into the Temple to steal the darksaber.

But maybe the Sith took control of the planet more the once.

 

I felt like that was a deliberate misdirect. We are supposed to be on Lina Soh's side at the outset, and Toon is supposed to be a thorn in her side.

It just happens that there's more bipartisanship in the High Republic than we are used to. Toon's not entirely right nor entirely wrong. The same with Soh. Both want what's best for the people.



Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

I thought that absolutely Toon was set up to as a "hawk" and a bit of a parodic strawman like a modern warmonger to contrast with the "noble" HR ethos in general, but the twist was that even he could set his agenda aside when it really counts. The point being is that this is an era when even the "opposition" can work for the greater good, and there can be mistakes on even the wonderful Chancellor's part, but underlying it all, on all sides, is that "We are all the Republic" thing that seems so far out of reach IRL, and in the PT era. It's a little manipulative, but it's a point that's rarely made in SW and it's relevant and all that -- I did like the reveal that he participated willingly in the trap, when I'd been assuming the Jedi would pretty much dupe him into doing so unwittingly. I'll admit that there are other ways to look at Toon, though... that's just how I read it.

 

But at the same time Toon is a Sullustan, representing the interests of SoroSuub (not the most "evil" corporation in SW), not a human from one of Empire's future supporters like Kuat or Eriadu (whose inhabitants in LOTJ were portrayed as scary, merciless warriors rathen than as sympathetic victims of the terrible disaster).

 

I wonder if we aren't appreciating how scarred the GFFA is from however vast and devastating the Sith Wars were that they wouldn't want a galactic government with a standing army.

Toon makes a strong case for one, given the threat the Nihil pose. Likewise, the Jedi insistence that they aren't warriors, which is also born out of their participation in the Sith Wars and the mutual destruction they experienced and perhaps committed, helps. If soldiers are needed, how can the Jedi fulfill that role? They would likely refuse to do so, even if it seems a somewhat contradictory idea to hold as the wield lightsabers and flit about in special starfighters.

That said, the last great war saw unimaginable scales of destruction. Given what we saw at Malachor, it seems the scale is broader and worse than anything seen in the 9 Saga films.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk