Star Wars: Kenobi Review

Star Wars: Kenobi was written by New York Times Bestselling Author, John Jackson Miller. This novel takes place in the Rise of the Empire era, following the events of Revenge of the Sith, about 19 years before the battle of Yavin.

SUMMARY

After the fall of the Republic and the dismantling of the Jedi Order, Obi-Wan Kenobi has taken Anakin & Padme’s infant son, Luke Skywalker, to Tatooine. On this outer-rim world, the boy may be out of the Empire’s reach. Her, Kenobi must keep out of trouble and try to to bring little to no attention to himself.

Tusken Raiders roam the desert. They view the settlers in the Jundland Wastes as a parasites that needed to be removed. One leader, A’yark, is determined to rid the land of these disgusting creatures. This particular Tusken stands out among the rest, and is known to the settlers, as Plug Eye. The Tusken Raiders would often attack settlements and homes in the desert, looting resources they found useful. The people in the area had created the Settler’s Call, an alert system that would bring the people together to go out and defend the victims of the Tusken Raiders.

In this tale, the Settler’s in the Pika Oasis, must defend their lives and lively hood. Trouble seems to follow a new stranger that strolls into the Oasis. Can this newcomer be trusted? Or is the stranger the root of all the settlers problems?

CHARACTERS

John Jackson Miller created new characters that were truly worth investing in.

Annileen Calwell runs a little shop, Dannar’s Claim, out in the Pika Oasis. Widowed, she’s got two kids to raise on her own, ages 16 and 17. Her husband passed away nearly 8 years prior to this tale. However, she isn’t truly alone. Her deceased husband’s best friend, Orrin, is still around and does a pretty good job of keeping an eye out for the family and many others around the area. Annileen does her best to raise her kids up right and has a pretty good sense of humor. She’s very protective of her kids and her property.

A’yark, the Tusken leader is irritated and saddened by the fact that the tribal people are diminishing. A’yark is cautions and intelligent, able to speak some words in basic. This character’s past is full of tragedy and loss, giving A’yark the wisdom needed to lead other Tusken Raiders.

Kenobi, is adjusting to life outside of the Jedi Order. His new life mission is to stay hidden, and keep watch over the boy he hopes will truly bring balance to the force, the son of Anakin Skywalker. He’s cautious of everything, which is wise. He does have a bit of paranoia, which raises curiosity with those he interacts with. He seems to be at the right place at always the wrong time, drawing way to much attention to himself, but his presence usually saves the day. He’s gets a mixed reputation, wherever Kenobi goes, trouble follows.

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this book, a lot. It was interesting to see Kenobi out of his element, surrounded by common folks who see him as some stranger, a drifter, a hermit. Kenobi’s interaction with Annileen was always entertaining. It’s obvious that there was an attraction between the two. However, Ben holds onto the oath of the Jedi Order, which forbids attachment.

This book has some cool surprises throughout, keeping the story interesting and the reader glued to the pages. There are some really high lighthearted moments, and some that actually get pretty dark. I would say it has a pretty good balance when it comes to evoking particular emotions.

Miller touches on familiar story points, such as the Lars family and the event that took place mentioned in Attack of the Clones (more specifically the novelization), when Shmi was taken by Tusken Raiders. I loved that moment, which anchors the story into the previous material. It’s also mentioned that Owen Lars really doesn’t like Ben. I find that very interesting and wish we had more as to the reason why.

There are “Meditation” segments in the story, I really enjoyed those moments. They are actually pretty emotional. Kenobi, alone in the desert, speaking out to his old master Qui-Gon, desperate to commune with him. These moments are what make Kenobi human. The galaxy has become such a different place for him. His loneness in the force, in the desert, remind me of just how much of a burden Kenobi has on his shoulders. He was there at the fall of galactic republic. He tried to protect Republic, but his failure along with the Jedi Order, altered the course of galactic affairs for many years to come.

Overall, the story is fantastic. It’s gritty, it contains some pretty dark moments but has some light humor throughout. Toward the end, I found some elements to be less intriguing and had some heavy Twilight Zone vibes, but it still ends in a high note. Nothing negative to say about this novel.

Do I recommend you pick up Star Wars: Kenobi? Yes, I highly recommend this book. It’s full of great character and takes place during an interesting time in the Star Wars timeline.

RATING

I give Kenobi an A+