Review: ‘Tempest Runner’ by Cavan Scott Belongs on Your Bookshelf
The first chapter of The High Republic is complete, but that shouldn’t mean we put these stories behind us forever. As we readers eagerly await the next wave of stories from new authors, the time slowly passing presents us the opportunity to revisit some of our favorite stories in this new era of Star Wars. Author Cavan Scott contributed an impressive amount to The High Republic, and my favorite of them all was his audio drama, Tempest Runner. While I planned to revisit it anyway, the epic six-hour experience felt daunting, so luckily, the recently published script from Del Rey arrived just in time.
It feels so satisfying seeing one of my favorite High Republic stories on the shelf next to all the other great titles in the collection. For fans who can’t listen to Tempest Runner, the script captures all of Lourna Dee’s incredible story. Cavan Scott does an excellent job demonstrating her path from aristocratic Twi’lek heiress to one of the most feared members of the Nihil. You can read my full review here. James Baney and I also had a lot to say about Tempest Runner in our book discussion here. In brief, I loved this story and my own journey coming to appreciate a character as complex as Lourna Dee.
Tempest Runner continues some of wonderful themes of self-forgiveness, self-acceptance, and someone choosing not only to exist, but deciding they are worth it. Lourna’s been through hell in her life, and where we find her in Tempest Runner is in the depths of reliving it all in her own mind. For the first time in a while, she finds the way to give herself a chance, not only to heal, but to grow. The best part about her journey in Tempest Runner is Lourna finding her redemption on her own terms, not based on the morality of others. Lourna’s story remains one of those unresolved at the conclusion of this first phase, and Scott planted seeds of possibility aplenty in Tempest Runner. This is one of the stories I highly recommend revisiting as we await what’s next, especially since this beautiful script is available to hold and browse through at your leisure.
Looks good, doesn’t it? Phase two, Quest of the Jedi, begins this October with Zoraida Córdova’s Convergence, so you have plenty of time to revisit this and many other High Republic stories up while you wait. And my goodness, Tempest Runner looks magnificent on my bookshelf. I just can’t stop saying it!
Tempest Runner is available wherever books are sold. Special thanks to Lauren Kretzschmar and Del Rey for the copy used in this review.
Kyle Larson lives in Portland, Oregon. When he's not running trails, he's reading and writing.
