Review: ‘Tales of Light and Life’ Is the Perfect Collection of High Republic Stories
OH, BABY!! I’ve been on record numerous times now talking about how my favorite era of Star Wars publishing is quite easily the High Republic. The stories are always filled with rich diversity in the representation of characters and the types of stories they tell. Each story told thus far has been filled with a spirit and love existing in any great Star Wars tale. Tales of Light and Life is no different.
Each story from every established High Republic author is laced with a perfect level of care. Of course, I liked some short stories more than others, but there is no doubt each of these impacted me in one way or another. Stories featuring everything from a young Axel Greylark, a grieving and motivated Bell Zettifar, to a pair of siblings fighting to survive on the frontier, this book is filled with tales of wonder, emotion, and piercing hope.
Often, the High Republic loves to rip your heart out of your chest in both the most painful and fulfilling ways. The devastation we’ve all felt at the loss of some of these characters speaks to the quality of the stories themselves. The demise of Loden Greatstorm, Stellan Gios, and everyone lost during the Night of Sorrow all tugged at the Star Wars heartstrings in high-powered ways. Not all of the High Republic hits you like this, but there are a fair share of heart churners. Tales of Light and Life truly lives up to its title. Many of the tales give you an optimistic view of not only what has happened before, but where we are going.
Beware, there will be some spoilers ahead.
The Queen’s Bloom: Zoraida Córdova
The stories taking place before the fall of Starlight Beacon are a mixed bag emotionally. The authors do a great job of almost fooling you into believing a different future is possible, but the pang of loss still exists in your stomach. Axel Greylark opens up the entire thing. I won’t be getting into spoiler territory yet, so don’t worry. Axel’s tale is one of my favorites. Probably the top two or three. He’s one of the best characters in all of High Republic lore. Here, we see him before the chaos he causes in Phase II. He’s still an academy student with a long history of recklessness already. He’s smitten with a girl and determined to live life by his rules. His story takes place before the tragic loss of his father, and we get a glimpse into the dynamic between the two. Because of that, it makes the knowledge of how his story will continue to unfold even more frustrating.
Zoraida Córdova destroys this character. Yes, I am using destroy in the most positive sense. Córdova owns this character. From when he was introduced to us in Convergence to now in a short story in Tales of Light and Life, he is as polarizing as ever. I know Axel is probably going to make the wrong choice. I know what future Axel is heading toward. We, as readers, know all of this. The magnetism of the character, coupled with the author who brings him to life in such a compelling way, almost convinces me to throw all of my prior knowledge aside. You want to root for Axel so bad. You’re willing to forgive him again and again. I hope Córdova can write more stories with Axel Greylark in the future. This one raises the bar for the rest of the book.
A Closed Fist Has No Claws: Tessa Gratton
Next, we have a story of a completely different tone. Gratton was one of the authors who first brought Marda Ro to us and delivered a different tone for the character. The naive, hopeful, free-spirited young Evereni we met in Path of Deceit is completely gone. Now, we have an angry, purpose-driven, and jaded Marda. She is on a mission to find other Evereni and bring them together. She has a belief they are stronger together. Aboard the Gaze Electric, she now commands what remains of the Path of the Open Hand. Of course, Mara doesn’t have those idealistic, faith-driven principles she once had. No, she is ruthless and cunning now. The story is written as if Marchion Ro himself might be reading back a letter from his past ancestors telling him of their history and purpose.
Marda is a fascinating character. Her character’s fate to this point makes me about as sad as any in Star Wars. A tear is dangerously close to falling down my cheek as I write this, remembering the young and in-love girl smitten over Kevmo Zink. She’s gone now, and won’t be coming back.
Shield of the Jedi: George Mann
Mann has recently burst onto the scene of the High Republic. His story gives you one of the book’s more light-hearted, sit-back-and-smile stories. If you’re just looking for good vibes from start to finish tale, this is the one for you. Rooper is in her final day as a Padawan. This is the story of her Jedi Trials. Her master, Silandra Sho, has deemed her ready and set the challenge before her. The task is simple. Retrieve Sho’s shield. Sounds easy enough, right? Of course, it’s never simple when it comes to the Jedi.
Rooper’s journey in this short story delivers a lot of lessons about the Force, but also about life. We all take little time to think about how everything around us is so interconnected. Unintended consequences that certain actions may have are something to remember when reading this.
Something I have adored about this era in Star Wars is the emphasis the authors have put on how each Jedi perceives the Force. For some, it’s music, an ocean, a forest, and many more. For Rooper, she experiences the Force through color.
“A vast web that stretches across the galaxy, with each living thing a vibrant node of light and life, brilliant and glowing.”
This quote is so elegant and beautiful. Everything about the Force in the High Republic feels so alive. If the Force is the energy field around all living things and binding the galaxy together, then it should feel vibrant and immense for the Jedi. I love how the authors of this era go above and beyond to help us almost feel the Force ourselves when reading.
The Lonely Traveler is Home: Daniel José Older
I LOVE Ram Jomaram, and if you do too, then this “tale of light and life” is just for you. Ever since reading Midnight Horizon, you won’t find me doing anything but singing the praises of Older. He is phenomenal, and this story represents both his supreme talent and love for these characters. It begins with a bit of a gut punch as the story takes place on Starlight Beacon. I wasn’t quite ready to be back aboard Starlight at first.
For Ram, he misses home. Valo was his home planet, and he doesn’t know when he will get to return. It’s fascinating to see the Jedi have these emotional attachments. During the prequel era, we know it’s completely frowned upon for most Jedi to express a level of emotional attachment to a place or person. Ram is not only listened to here, but his friends go above and beyond to help him feel better. During this era, exists an empathic nature to the Jedi that sets them so far apart from the group we know in the Clone Wars as a whole.
A reason I love Ram is his devotion to his friends. Often, he will sacrifice his well-being to try to absolve his friends from their troubles. While that isn’t exactly healthy, it’s worth saying how admirable it is. He’s just a Padawan after all, and has much to learn. In The Lonely Traveler is Home, you see the best of the Jedi. That is their heart, camaraderie, and devotion to friendship and love.
After the Fall: Claudia Gray
FINALLY! Claudia Gray has entered the chat with a story from the crew of The Vessel. It’s been a while since we have heard from Affie, Leox, and Geode. I sure hope we get plenty more from them in Phase III. Without going into spoilers, I want to begin by saying this story is a launch point for Affie’s character. She’s plagued by some internal guilt for the role she played in the shutting down of the Byne Guild. Couple this with the trauma from the collapse of Starlight Beacon, and we meet her at a point in her life where she feels powerless.
While assisting in recovery efforts for Eiram, she speaks with Captain Mar’Ti. Mar’Ti and her ship were once a part of the Byne Guild. Her blame and anger for the current situation former guild members find themselves in now is solely directed at Affie. As an Affie fan, you start off a bit offended and upset but come to realize, just like Affie, the collateral damage of her choices. It reminds me of how Ahsoka says that the right choices can lead to the wrong consequences in the opening episodes of the Ahsoka series.
This conversation changes Affie. She has a bold new plan ready to enact. It’s risky and not exactly profitable. But don’t worry. Leox and Geode are as supportive as ever. In many ways, these three are where a lot of the heart of Phase I came from, and I cannot wait to see their story continue.
The Force Provides: Justina Ireland
Finally, we arrive at the Vernestra Rwoh story. I fell in love with Vern’s character from the opening chapters of A Test of Courage. Her spirit and overall disposition make her one of my favorite characters in Star Wars. When the news arrived she was also going to be entering the realm of live action in The Acolyte, I was beyond thrilled. The Force Provides is a top-tier short story in this book.
Again, I am not going heavy into spoiler territory for any of these (but continue reading at your own risk). Vern’s faith in the Jedi has tremendously been shaken. Having always been something of a prodigy among the Jedi has led to some difficulty for someone as young as she is. She’s been a Jedi Knight for a short time and doesn’t have her former master to lean on or gain advice from in times of crisis. The Jedi have been obsessed with finishing off the Nihil threat. Launching offensive after offensive, their pursuit is relentless.
Vern simply can’t take it anymore. I felt like I was reading an excerpt from some Jedi during the Clone Wars at times. She speaks of how the Jedi have lost their way in this conflict. Her inner belief is that the Jedi should focus on being peacekeepers and listening to the call of the Force. Instead, she feels she can no longer be a part of this conflict. She forgoes getting the “permission” of the council before drifting off elsewhere and adopting the path of a Wayseeker. Her connection to the Force is not severed or broken in any way, but her trust in her ability to hear the Force’s call is certainly in play. She does not doubt the Force, but there is so much self-doubt in her as well. The heavy burden she carries of those she feels like she has failed, especially Imri, plagues her.
For Vern, this story is a journey of self-discovery. She rediscovers her confidence in herself and her abilities to be in tune with the Force. She takes new steps in believing in her instincts. It felt like we saw Vern take about fifteen steps forward. However, before she was able to leap forward, she took a few steps back. This tale gave us pure, authentic Vernestra Rwoh. I loved it.
All Jedi Walk Their Path: Charles Soule
For many, myself included, this will hands down be the best story in this book. Charles Soule just nails it again. He delivers a two-pronged story revolving around Bell Zettifar in the present day after the fall of Starlight while weaving in a tale of Bell and his late former master Loden Greatstorm. For several High Republic fans, Loden Greatstorm was a favorite character. His tragic death was one of the most difficult I’ve received in any Star Wars medium. Bell and Loden represent the gold standard of the Jedi. You have the supremely wise master who radiates with a mighty power, but is tempered with a calmness and soothing presence a Jedi should have. On the other side, you have an eager student in Bell. He holds the ideals and values of the Jedi so tightly you know he will always be the hero the galaxy needs. In addition, he carries this with a level of empathy not entirely common in all Jedi. The two are as great a pair as we have ever had, and they were severed far too soon.
Seeing Loden back was a real treat. Soule gives this character such a tremendous presence. The master and apprentice are helping to solve a planetary dispute. However, the violence and lawlessness have escalated beyond control. The council calls them back in as they see the situation is hopeless. Loden has other ideas. He believes they can still help enact lasting change. After surviving several attempts on their lives, Loden and Bell simply seek out small opportunities to help the people of this small town. Day in and day out, just doing the simple things to help, to show they care, and to show them there is a better way. For Bell, he learns a valuable lesson. Showing people you care by investing in their lives, helping them daily, and being a listener can help you accomplish far more than swinging a lightsaber, making things float, or any grand gesture.
In the present, Bell mourns the loss of Starlight Beacon and the many lives lost in the tragedy. His heart is heaviest for Burryaga, our favorite Wookiee Jedi. He still has the young Padawan’s lightsaber and can’t decide what to do with it. Bell knows in his heart that Burry lives. His journey to find his friend mirrors so much of the simultaneous story being told of his time as Loden’s apprentice. I don’t want to get into any more of this story here because it’s one you need to read for yourself. It pierces the heart. This story is the essence of what the “light and life” mantra means. Bring our boy home, Bell.
Light in the Darkness: Cavan Scott
Cavan Scott knows how to make Star Wars fans cry. The cries of Bell Zettifar after the death of Loden mirrored the shrieks of pain from fans everywhere. Light in the Darkness moved me to tears. Thankfully, the tears streaming down my face in this one were of a different kind. Yes, pain existed. But beyond that, the spirit of hope and faith persisting fills most of the tears. Inside every Star Wars fan is the memory of a time of awestruck wonder. This story delivers on the “larger than life” nature the Jedi have and the idea that this is the golden age of the Jedi in the galaxy.
The story follows two siblings, Hoi and Kian. We first meet them as they attempt to steal food from the Hutts. Since the fall of Starlight Beacon and the impenetrable wall the Nihil has created in hyperspace, chaos has consumed the Outer Rim. Many crime syndicates have capitalized on this chaos and lack of Republic oversight. This led to a rapid change for the peaceful Outer Rim dwellers. Hoi and Kian went from villagers living in harmony to a completely suffering and oppressed life. Their people are in danger of starving to death. They live under constant threat of the Hutts coming back to kill them all. Their parents are already gone.
The villagers have practically given up all hope, and Hoi has lost all faith in the Jedi, who are supposed to be keepers of the peace and guardians of justice. How could it take the Jedi so long to get to them? Surely, the Jedi don’t care about them or anyone else but only themselves. It made me sit back and think about our world. I couldn’t help but think about the hopelessness that exists for so many people because they’ve been left alone for so long, with no one seeming to care one iota about them. Seeing others feeling outcast, lonely, or hopeless breaks my heart. On one hand, we have Hoi, the sibling who has lost hope in the Jedi. On the other, we have Kian, who’s desperately clinging to the promise of a better future the Jedi represent to the galaxy. It’s a tremendously impactful story.
This is a story you won’t want to put down, and you can read it over and over again. If you require some inspiration, you’re going to want to read Light in the Darkness.
The Call of Coruscant: Lydia Kang
Mark this tale down as one of my most anticipated going into this book. Lydia Kang has skyrocketed onto my favorite authors list after her masterful work with Cataclysm. Naturally, her story was one I was giddy to begin reading.
It follows Padawan Amadeo Azzazzo and his Jedi Master, Mirro Lox. The two have spent a few years going mission to mission, planet to planet, helping those in need. Of course, the role of a Jedi is to be a guardian of the light and willingly go to the aid of those who need it. No one said this life is easy, and Amadeo is growing weary of the constant turnover. He sees the communities and roots the villagers around him have, and part of him yearns for a simpler life where he can grow attached to a place and the people in it. The thought of experiencing a different kind of friendship, fellowship, and love is appealing. Throughout the story, he doesn’t exactly question his place in the Order or his future as a Jedi, but he does flirt with something new and discovers the “why” behind his desire to be a Jedi.
In the wake of the Starlight Beacon disaster, the two get called back to the Jedi Temple at Coruscant. They have been on the move for so long that it’s been years since Master Lox has been back at “Jedi HQ.” Upon first seeing the capital of the Republic, Amadeo is in awe. The cityscape is unlike anything he has ever seen. Rather than await orders of their next mission, he takes his first opportunity to ditch the Temple and explore the city he can.
For Amadeo, his night in Coruscant is unlike anything he had ever experienced. I will let you read all about his “night in the town.” He discovers his grounding in the Force and is at peace with his purpose. On the other hand, Master Lox is met with the news of his former friend’s death. The loss of Stellan, in particular, hit home. Every time I see Stellan’s name, I still get a bit sad. What a great Jedi. This story also offers up some great callbacks to Phase II of the High Republic.
Conclusion
I loved this book from start to finish. The entire High Republic team is brilliant. Each of these stories is written with the love and care a Star Wars story deserves, and it shows. This era could be, and in my opinion, should be, the future of Star Wars. We are coming up on the beginning of the third and final phase of this publishing initiative. Buckle up. It’s going to be a wild ride.
Rating: 10/10
Star Wars: The High Republic – Tales of Light and Life is available now wherever books are sold. Barnes & Noble’s exclusive version of this novel contains an extra story by Alyssa Wong.
Special thank you to Disney-Lucasfilm Press for the advanced copy used in this review.
Finding ways to nonchalantly incorporate Star Wars quotes into 8th grade classroom, Tyler lives and breathes Star Wars. His morning tradition is sending the latest number in the countdown for different Star Wars projects and loves engaging in uplifting Star Wars dialogue. If you are passionate about Star Wars you can follow him on Twitter at TyBrad5.
