The Eye of Darkness is everything you could ask for as the beginning of the end for this initiative: it’s a sprawling, intimate tale about reckoning with your past and giving everything you have for the future you want.

A sharp and dark opening to the third phase of Star Wars: The High Republic. The novel ties in well with much of the other media being released and is, once again, a great read by George Mann. Particularly, the conflict in Elzar's emotions was gripping to read about, and I also enjoyed the mentions of the Phase II technology in the form of Pathfinder droids.

It was a pleasure to read the novel and then to compile articles about its content for Wookieepedia, thanks for the amazing opportunity!

The Nihil are in a position of power. The vicious pirates have raised the Stormwall – an impenetrable wall blocking off major portions of the galaxy – to claim their power in the galaxy. The Jedi and Republic find themselves in one of their worst positions ever as they come to face the marauders. Read Chris’ review of The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness!


I’ve been told this review can’t just say: “The High Republic is back!!” and call it good.

But man, do I want to.

Readers familiar with our coverage of The High Republic know two things about me: I love THR, but I also felt like Phase II lost a lot of the momentum that was built by Phase I. When Phase I ended with (in my estimation) too many cliffhangers, and instead focused on some stories I didn’t find quite as compelling, I felt a lot of the steam go out from the sub-line. But then Tales of Light and Life was able to breathe new life into THR again, even helping me appreciate Phase II a lot more than I had before. Now, with Shadows of Starlight #1 and The Eye of Darkness, I can say that my excitement for THR is at full steam again. I’ll break this review down into more conventional parts, but mostly because there’s so much to read and discover I don’t want to post any spoilers.

So, first, I want to talk about the pacing/scale. Light of the Jedi is one of the most electrifying premiers for any long running Star Wars series in my opinion. I built the expectation that Phases II and III would also start with huge set pieces like that, but neither did. Convergence was more intimate, looking at only a handful of characters. (I do recognize that Phase II really started with Path of Deceit, but I’m comparing a single publisher’s output.) Eye of Darkness is a little closer to Convergence…for a while. This book feels more like “The High Republic Book 4″ rather than a start to a new Phase…but I honestly don’t mind that. Rather than entirely resetting the stage for the era, since we are growing so much more familiar with it lately, the book instead sets the stage for the characters. We get to see the state of the galaxy through the eyes of four characters: Avar Kriss, Elzar Mann, Porter Engle, and Bell Zettifar. This limited POV means that the scale is dialed back, but it also means we get more of a personal review of the state of the galaxy. This helps us feel the weight of the characters’ predicaments, even if I felt like there was more background necessary and maybe a bit more could’ve been filled out here. (See the next paragraph for more.) This does not mean the novel is completely intimate and small, as some major set pieces do move the book along and helped me appreciate it a lot more than just a character study. The limited POVs do mean the book shifts between multiple POVs, and generally, I found this balanced well and found it compelling and hard to put down. There wasn’t a POV I was less interested in than another right now.

high republic eye of darkness final coverI mentioned this in the previous paragraph, but the book could use some more time to build out the state of the galaxy. I do know, and need to acknowledge, that this novel does not stand alone. Already, I can tell Shadows of Starlight will be absolutely required and necessary reading for this Phase. Which is fine with me! But it also means Phase III, in my opinion, will struggle to sell the idea you can only read what you want. This isn’t a knock on this novel; at this rate, it’s just a fact of the THR line as a whole, I think. This novel does do a good job of moving us a year into the future of THR, resetting the stage, and reminding us why we love these characters.

Moving to characters: I was so happy to be back with these characters. Honestly, I just straight up forgot how much I loved them and loved being with them. I do have some favorite POVs – ones that I thought were a little more to my speed and interests – but I found every major POV to be really compelling. We also get the POV of the Nihil, shared between two characters, but this one I do wish was a little more defined and a little stronger. I think we still need to get to know Marchion much better than we already have, and I think this book could’ve been an excellent time to get really, really deep into his mindset. While we do learn more, and see more from him, I do wish we had seen a bit more. But I found the Jedi POV to be really interesting, and I’m curious to see both how these characters got to the position they’re in and how they’re going to move into new positions.

I will also just say…this novel is fun. I had a blast returning to my favorite characters, spending time with them, and seeing what they were doing in a galaxy where everything has changed. And things definitely change in the novel, as massive set pieces change the state of the galaxy in compelling and gripping ways. I do feel like it’s important to comment that while I was a lot more critical of The Battle of Jedha, I find Mann (author, not pantless Jedi) to be a compelling author, and a lot of that came out here. There are parts of his writing that I like that weren’t present here – a discussion for later – but generally, I was reminded through this book why I enjoy his writing so much. All in all, fans of The High Republic have a lot to look forward to – and new readers have a great starting point for future THR stories.

Chris is Mynock Manor’s Sous Chef. You can follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisWerms. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.

DISCLOSURE: I received a copy of this novel from the publisher at no charge in order to provide an early review. However, this did not affect the overall review content. All opinions are my own.

The anticipation for this first book in Phase 3 has been super high in the High Republic fandom. George Mann had the hard job to meet those expectations and he succeeded brilliantly. This book opens a year after the Jedi of the High Republic have lost The Nihil have created a zone that is impenetrable by the Republic and has trapped Jedi from each other. The focus of this novel is Marchion Ro . Though readers don't get as much insight into his thoughts as they might expect, he is the center of all the Nihil do.

it is fascinating to watch characters think they know Ro's thoughts but they truly don't. Ro is always two steps ahead of everyone. He doesn't want order. He wants the galaxy to burn. I immediately had to reread this book because the tension level is so high and the fear for many beloved characters was real. Overall though George managed to give readers an action filled story of finding strength and hope in even the darkest times.. This book is the foundational kick off to phase 3 and leads a trail of threads that will tie into other stories.

The High Republic Phase III has kicked off with a bang! My co-host reviewed the book for our site, but we cover the High Republic for our podcast I knew I needed to read it as well and I am so happy I did. I loved the exploration of Marchion Ro's character and what does a villain do once he "won"?

The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness is de eerste Star Wars roman van de hand van auteur George Mann. We kennen hem al wel van de verhalenbundels Myths & Fables, Dark Legends en Life Day Treasury, het middle grade High Republic boek Quest for the Hidden City, het audiodrama The Battle of Jedha, en verschillende korte verhalen in Star Wars Insider Magazine en een aantal nummers van de comic reeks Star Wars Adventures. Hij is dus zeker geen vreemde in de Star Wars wereld, en velen van jullie zullen al in enige mate bekend zijn met zijn werk.

Mann opent Phase III van The High Republic op een spectaculaire manier. Aan het einde van Phase I bleven we met een heleboel vragen achter, we zijn een hoop personages verloren, en van nog meer personages was het lot onbekend. The Eye of Darkness begint een jaar na de val van Starlight Beacon, en deze vragen zijn nog steeds grotendeels onbeantwoord, maar niet alleen voor ons, ook voor de personages in het verhaal. De Nihil hebben de zogenoemde Stormwall opgeworpen in het sterrenstelsel. Een netwerk van drones die een ondoordringbare grens vormen, en daarmee een groot gebied afbakenen als de Nihil Occlusion Zone. Elk schip dat via Hyperspace de Stormwall probeert te passeren slaat er tegen te pletter. Wanneer een schip in normal space de grens probeert over te steken wordt het direct aangevallen en vernietigd door Nihil patrouilles. Ook houdt de Stormwall elk denkbare signaal tegen, dus communicatie tussen de buitenwereld en de Occlusion Zone is onmogelijk. Enkel de Nihil zelf beschikken over de mogelijkheid om de grens te passeren. De Occlusion Zone omvat een flink stuk van het bekende sterrenstelsel, dus met het opzetten hiervan is Marchion Ro in één klap heerser geworden van een flink gebied en een groot aantal onderdanen. Het is aan de Republic en de Jedi om de Stormwall te vernietigen en de onderdrukte inwoners van het sterrenstelsel te bevrijden van deze tiran.

We volgen in dit boek een flink aantal personages, waaronder een aantal Jedi buiten de Occlusion Zone. Zo werkt Elzar Mann samen met Chancellor Lina Soh om een manier te vinden om door de Stormwall heen te breken, ze verkennen zowel fysieke als politieke manieren. Bell, Ember en Burryyaga houden de grens in de gaten en slaan aanvallen van Nihil piraten af die met enige regelmaat buiten de Occlusion Zone komen om steden of hele planeten te plunderen.

Ook binnen de Occlusion zone volgen we een aantal Jedi die hun best doen om een manier te vinden om het sterrenstelsel van de Nihil te bevrijden. Zo doen de Blade of Bardotta, Porter Engle, en de Hero of Hetzal, Avar Kriss, er alles aan om onschuldige wezens te beschermen.

Naast Jedi volgen we ook hoogstaande Nihil personages als General Viess en Melis Shryke. The Eye zelf, Marchion Ro, speelt dan – ondanks zijn aanwezigheid op de cover – weer een erg kleine rol in het verhaal, en is meer een bijpersonage. In het Nihil kamp volgen we ook voormalig Republic senator Ghirra Starros, die nu als rechter hand van Ro probeert een regering op te bouwen. Ook volgen we de ontvoerde journalist Rhil Dairo, die door de Nihil gedwongen wordt om propaganda over het holonet uit te zenden.

Het verhaal zit vol spanning en Mann bouwt een waar gevoel van hopeloosheid op. De Jedi hebben klap na klap te verduren gekregen, en The Eye of Darkness maakt goed duidelijk dat ze het erg zwaar hebben. Ook wordt het duidelijk dat dingen eerst nog gaan verslechteren voor ze beter kunnen worden. Een minpuntje is naar mijn idee wel dat we vooral horen hoe slecht het overal is, en dat niet zozeer zien. Maar dat komt ook vooral omdat het boek al ontzettend veel ballen in de lucht moet houden om het verhaal te vertellen. Vooral voor de personages die in de Occlusion Zone gevangen zitten is het jammer dat we keer op keer horen hoe afgesloten ze zijn van de buitenwereld, terwijl we een hoofdstuk later zelf vrolijk rondhangen met personages buiten het gebied. Het had de spanning en het gevoel van afgesloten zijn van de rest misschien goed gedaan als de gebeurtenissen uit dit boek opgesplitst waren in twee boeken, eentje die de gebeurtenissen in Republic space liet zien, terwijl de andere zich enkel richt op de personages binnen de Occlusion Zone. Maar dat is wellicht ook weer te veel gevraagd.

Voor mensen die Phase II – dat zich 150 jaar vóór Phase I afspeelt – nog niet gelezen hebben is het misschien geruststellend om te weten dat je The Eye of Darkness prima gelijk achter Phase I aan kunt lezen. De verhalen uit Phase II geven uiteraard meer kleur aan de wereld, maar zijn niet nodig om dit boek te snappen. Voor mensen die Phase II wel gelezen hebben zijn er wat easter eggs te vinden, maar wat mij vooral opviel was dat Mann het voor elkaar krijgt om ons direct terug in de wereld van Phase I te gooien. Je hebt het gevoel alsof we gelijk doorgegaan zijn, en het niet al bijna twee jaar(!) geleden is dat we tijd met deze personages doorgebracht hebben!

Het maar liefst vijftien en een half uur durende audioboek is ingesproken door Star Wars veteraan Marc Thompson en is weer een genot om naar te luisteren. Zoals altijd doet Marc zijn best om elk personage een herkenbare eigen stem te geven, en zoals altijd slaagt hij er weer in je te laten geloven dat je naar meerdere verschillende personen aan het luisteren bent. Het tempo is prettig en hij weet de nodige emotie in zijn vertolking te stoppen, wat de spanning en het gevoel van hopeloosheid nog sterker maakt.

The Eye of Darkness is wat mij betreft een geweldige start van de derde fase van The High Republic. We krijgen een goed beeld van de huidige status van het sterrenstelsel, een jaar na de val van Starlight Beacon, het tempo is prettig om te volgen, ondanks de grote hoeveelheid personages en gebeurtenissen die we tot ons nemen, en de spanning is van begin tot eind aanwezig. Heb je genoten van de eerste fase van dit spektakel? Wacht dan niet met het beginnen aan de derde!

This week, The High Republic books are back with The Eye of Darkness by George Mann. Phase III kicks off a year after the galaxy-changing fall of Starlight Beacon, when the Nihil have managed to take over countless worlds and lock them behind a nearly impenetrable Occlusion Zone.

Behind the Stormwall, there are Jedi fighting their hardest to get messages back to the Republic. It’s dangerous among the Nihil, and lost heroes such as Avar Kriss will stop at nothing to weaken the Nihil’s hold on the galaxy world by world.

In this book, Marchion Ro is dizzy with power and desperately seeking more. The chancellor is trying to keep the Republic’s spirits up while worrying about her lost son. Elzar Mann is grieving the loss of his best friend — and hoping he doesn’t lose Avar, too.

Even with fewer characters to bounce between (I suppose that’s one benefit to so many of them crumbling to dust in Phase I), this book truly feels like The High Republic is the best it’s ever been. The tension and twists actually made my heart race. There is no guarantee at any point that the character you’re reading about is going to survive the next page. Almost nothing is off-limits (except for Ember, of course). Anything could happen.

The surprises are genuine, the emotional moments as deep as they come. I’m rooting for the characters I should be rooting for and wishing the worst for the ones who deserve it. It’s been helpful to stay caught up with the latest High Republic comics too, because even though you don’t need to read them to understand and appreciate this book, the comics have added context to what I’m reading that has made me enjoy it even more than I think I would have without them.

The Eye of Darkness makes you believe the Jedi could lose to the Nihil any moment, again. That makes it an instant page-turner. The Nihil continue to push boundaries (literally?) and do things the Jedi won’t expect, and that’s frustrating in the best way possible because it forces you to wonder how the Jedi are going to get out of every situation differently than we’ve seen them do so before.

And once again, the book is specifically written so that you could read it as your first entry into The High Republic and you would be able to pick up on what you needed to know. I love that about these books. The barrier to entry is low on purpose, inviting more readers into the celebration.

You will love this book if you’re looking for a story that makes you hold your breath, fear for loveable characters’ lives, and leaves you wanting more without ending in an unsatisfying way. It sets up what’s to come next, but it’s a self-contained story that will make you glad you gave it a chance.

What surprised me most about this book is how comforting it was to be back with characters we got to know in Phase I. I love The High Republic, but I struggled to feel attached to many Phase I characters back when this was all new and coming at us pretty fast and heavy. Pointing to Elzar and Avar’s relationship specifically, I was never really into it before. I’m not entirely sure why yet — I’m still processing — but I stan hard for these two now.

So you can probably gather that I’m more excited than I have ever been for the next books in the series (it’s going to be a long wait until January). The Eye of Darkness proves that whatever the Luminous Team has planned for the rest of these stories, it’s going to be some of the best Star Wars we’ve ever seen. Read. Listened to. Whatever.

Phase III has begun — and it’s far, far from over.

This was an absolutely wonderful start to Phase 3 of the High Republic. It made me so glad I read every bit of the past two phases and hit the ground running. But most importantly, it gave ample time for characters to reflect on the sheer amount of world shaking events that have happened in THR so far. George did great things especially for Avar, who finally got a spotlight that made her feel like a multidimensional person. The focus on Ghirra was also wonderful - patron saint of villainfuckers, but also a complex and interesting character on her own.

My only gripe is that Marchion Ro, THR’s central villain on the front of the book, still remains an enigma. Through both previous phases we have seen how the Nihil came to be and his family’s beef with the Republic and the Jedi, but his personal motivation and beef seems larger than that. He’s always been interesting because he has no political ideology, often using the language of some sort of political ideology to recruit but not believing it or being motivated by it himself. Sure, the Evereni were hated when they came to the Republic, but why does that translate to him hating the Jedi even MORE than the Republic? What is his personal reason for being as fervent as his ancestor Marda? I would think that by this point starting Phase 3 we would have more insight into that, but it remains a mystery. This book does some heavy lifting showing him falling down a path of megalomaniacal fanaticism obsessed with his own power, without any actual aim, and maybe that is the answer, but that seems to be what drives him now in the story, rather than what started him on this (pardon the pun) path.

I look forward to how this novel will fit with the rest of the phase, especially the little references to other storylines that will clearly be covered in the YA, MG, and comics.

Thanks to Penguin Random House for a review copy of The Eye of Darkness. My review posted on DorkSideoftheForce.com:

Kicking off the next phase of The High Republic storytelling, Star Wars: The Eye of Darkness, excels in its balance of sprawling action with intimate, quiet grief.

Author George Mann had a huge task to achieve – reintroduce characters and stories from Phase 1 and set up key threads to weave together The High Republic’s grand finale. Mann exceeded expectations with his novel, bringing his signature touch of horror style to a story about how the Golden Age Jedi deal with being brought to their knees.

The Eye of Darkness deftly weaves back together the story threads from Phase 1 even as its main characters are scattered throughout the galaxy, most unable to communicate with each other. The book is set one year after the end of Phase 1, The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray, and the horrific destruction of Starlight Beacon.

The novel chiefly follows Jedi – Elzar Mann, Avar Kriss, Porter Engle, and Bell Zettifar and Burryaga – but also gives POV chapters to galactic journalist Rhil Dairo (The Rising Storm) and the traitorous Senator Ghirra Starros. Though he graces the cover, Eye of the Nihil Marchion Ro doesn’t get nearly enough page time as hope, but a few key chapters offer crucial insight into his psyche and some juicy nods to Phase 2 storytelling.

There are also a couple of newcomers – General Viess (see Marvel’s The Blade) and Melis Shryke – offering more perspectives on how the Nihil react to one another and Marchion Ro’s machinations.

The Eye of Darkness follows these Jedi before, during, and after the lead-up to the one-year anniversary of Starlight’s fall. For the Republic, is a day of mourning and frustration as it and the Jedi struggle to fight back against the Nihil and Marchion Ro’s Stormwalled Outer Rim. For the Nihil, it’s a day to gloat and revel in the chaos they’ve sown.

Despite little time with Marchion Ro, much of the chapters follow how the good guys and bad guys react to him and his actions. By keeping him still a bit mysterious but shown through the eyes of those closest to him, the Evereni becomes an even more terrifying and mercurial villain.

Throughout the novel, there are passages from both Jedi and Nihil that attempt to explain what Marchion Ro wants and what the purpose of being a Nihil is. They talk of his hatred for the Jedi and the Nihil’s, ahem, nihilism, and glorification of anarchy and violence.

Mann’s writing has this knack for making the reader really feel the emotions of the characters they’re reading about. The fear elicited by Marchion Ro shines beyond the page, creating a solid level of unease at his unpredictability, which is felt by both the characters and the reader.

Similarly, the whiplash of hope and despair felt by the Jedi protagonists is keenly felt throughout the book’s 416 pages. Though felt in different ways for different reasons, our main Jedi in this book cycle through traumatic flashbacks and waves of intense anger, grief, and guilt.

Perhaps the most tortured Jedi soul is Elzar Mann, who really goes through it over and over again in The Eye of Darkness. While he grieves his friend Stellan Gios and desperately tries to find a way through the Stormwall, Avar Kriss tries to correct her many mistakes through small, secret missions against the Nihil in the Occlusion Zone.

The book’s multi-POV approach is reminiscent of The High Republic’s first novel, Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule. But the common critiques of that novel and the other adult High Republic books don’t apply to The Eye of Darkness.

The High Republic’s adult books often don’t have as much deep character exploration because of their multi-POV structure. The incredible main characters of Phases 1 and 2 have to share space, and readers bounce back and forth between the Jedi, Republic leaders, and the villainous Nihil.

But in The Eye of Darkness, the multi-POV works perfectly to catch up with the Jedi scattered inside and outside of the Nihil’s Occlusion Zone. It also spends crucial time exploring the immense grief and guilt felt by the Jedi and Chancellor Lina Soh.

The Eye of Darkness is The Empire Strikes Back of The High Republic. Both inside and outside the Occlusion Zone, the Jedi and the Republic are firmly on the defensive side, still reeling from the devastation. But even small victories and revelations about the nature of the Stormwall (along with even more Phase 2 nods) feel like something to get the good guys back in the game.

As the first book in the next phase of High Republic storytelling, which is slated to be its grand finale, The Eye of Darkness does an excellent job reintroducing characters and key plot points and firmly establishing where it all takes place on the timeline. The pacing is also *chef’s kiss*, effortlessly bouncing between characters, planets, whole chunks of the galaxy, and light and dark emotions.

Speaking of, there are a few deliciously dark and horror-tinged moments in The Eye of Darkness, particularly with Baron Boolan, Marchion Ro’s Nameless-obsessed twisted scientist. His name will sound familiar to you if you read Path of Vengeance.

With all of the Phase 2 connections, the inevitable question of whether or not you have to read those prequel books has been popping up since The Eye of Darkness review copies went out. My short answer is no, you can read and enjoy The Eye of Darkness without reading Phase 2.

But the novel may change your mind about skipping a High Republic phase full of Force cultists and the origins of the Nameless.

Overall, The Eye of Darkness is a fresh but familiar story with all the trappings that make a good High Republic book. It makes you feel like we never left these characters but still surges ahead with a thrilling new phase of epic stories and raw, relatable characters.

The High Republic is back with one of its longest books yet as the long wait for Phase Three finally ends. The Eye of Darkness by George Mann is the first adult novel in Phase Three and brings us to one year after the events of The Fallen Star.

Things in The High Republic often look bleak but I don’t think it has ever been this bad. The Nihil have taken over a large sector of the galaxy trapping people within their massive storm wall. The Republic is at a loss and with The Nameless even the Jedi don’t know what they can do.

I found this book to be very much about trying to hold onto hope when there is so little of it. And that’s a very prevalent theme throughout all of Star Wars. Additionally learning to accept what you’re doing is enough and that you are making an impact is seen throughout.

This book felt like a lot of personal journeys and that’s always something I like to see in books. A lot of struggling to come to terms with the way things are. Specifically with Avar, Elzar, and Bell.

Eye of Darkness is a fantastic start to the third phase and it has me very excited for what comes next.

After nearly two years since readers witnessed the fall of Starlight Beacon in Claudia Gray’s novel, The Fallen Star, The High Republic returns to this timeline (Phase II being filled with amazing prequel stories) with the publishing initiative’s latest adult novel: The Eye of Darkness. Author George Mann commences Phase III in a surprising way, delving into the aftermath of the destruction of Starlight Beacon on both sides of the conflict—the Jedi and the Republic being shrouded in hopelessness and self doubt while the Nihil continue to gloat over their massive win. A seemingly impenetrable Stormwall raised by Marchion Ro separates the galaxy between Republic space and the Occlusion Zone—stranding hundreds of worlds who are now subject to destruction and death by Nihil’s hand.

The Eye of Darkness features some of the High Republic’s pivotal characters in a new way—Elzar Mann trying to take on the leader mantle of his lost friend Stellan Gios alongside Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh; Avar Kriss and Porter Engle turning into rogue survivors, fighting day by day to find a way home while also making small acts of heroism to help the people stranded in the Occlusion Zone; Bell Zettifar and Burryaga working together to find a way to puncture the Stormwall; and finally Marchion Ro and Ghirra Starros craving more power in their own ways. The novel also brings some compelling side characters (old and new), including Rhil Dairo making a comeback since The Rising Storm and General Viess, the latter making her first appearance in The Blade comic miniseries by Charles Soule. And let’s not forget about KC-78 who truly shines in the book as the ultimate droid companion.

George Mann has arguably the hardest novel to write out of all The High Republic initiative. Writing about everyone’s favorite heroes in a state of fear, especially the Jedi, is a tough one to sell—very much like Luke Skywalker in The Last Jedi. Although about 80% of the novel is tainted by the darkness of Marchion Ro and his Nihil marauders, the final act feels like the light at the end of the tunnel—concluding Mann’s epic tale in an incredibly satisfying way while setting up what’s to come in the upcoming books and comics of Phase III.

The High Republic: The Eye of Darkness is a dark tale that cannot be missed, so make sure to grab your copy (with a gorgeous cover featuring Marchion Ro by Grant Griffin), both available in physical and audiobook, narrated by none other than Marc Thompson.

Thanks to Random House Worlds for the review copy of this book. This review is spoiler free.

George Mann returns to the world of The High Republic, offering up his first ever full length adult Star Wars novel, The Eye of Darkness. It’s been a year since the fall of Starlight Beacon and things are bleak. The Nihil still have a large section of the galaxy cordoned off in their Occlusion Zone, with Avar Kriss and Porter Engle both fighting from within its borders. Meanwhile, Bell Zettifar and Burryaga go on mission after mission aiding the territories bordering the Occlusion Zone, providing assistance however they can. Elzar Mann is still reeling from so much loss while navigating a Republic that’s found itself lost and at a political crossroads. Let’s not forget Marchion Ro, the titular Eye, who led the Nihil to victory but philosophically is at odds with the direction the Nihil is heading.

I know I’m not the only High Republic fan who’s been anxiously awaiting the return of the beloved characters from Phase I. I grew very fond of the new characters introduced in Phase II but couldn’t wait to catch up with the likes of Avar, Elzar, Bell, Burry, among others. My excitement for this return might have slightly clouded my memory, as The Eye of Darkness is solidly not a happy affair. I knew this going in, obviously, but I don’t think I was quite prepared for how bleak of an affair it would be. The Eye of Darkness is the dark side twin of Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi (am I now just realizing that light and dark are literally in both of their titles? Quite possibly). All of this aside, The Eye of Darkness, while somber in tone, is a book I never wanted to put down. Mann does a stellar job of balancing multiple POV’s and taking readers on an emotional, psychological, and thrilling Star Wars adventure. And don’t get me wrong, I love me a bleak story; books are always more interesting to me when the heroes are down and out and the path to success is anything but clear.

George Mann has done what I thought was, at this point, highly implausible: causing my love for some of my all time favorite Star Wars characters to grow even more. In Mann’s hands, Bell Zettifar is as resilient as ever; his determination and sense of righteousness as he goes on missions to help those in the surrounding areas of the Occlusion Zone is heartwarming. Add to this his bromantic reunion with Burryaga and you’ve got pure joy on the page. Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann are separated, in more ways than one. Avar’s connection with the Force has weakened, its song barely a whisper, but she’s as determined as ever to fight for peace and fairness in the galaxy. Elzar Mann is still struggling with the choices he made during Starlight’s demise and aching for a sense of purpose and connection.

Of course at the center of all the chaos is the Eye of the Nihil himself, Marchion Ro. The Eye of Darkness, for numerous reasons, is a character study and Ro might be the most fascinating of all. Here’s a being who’s literally won; his Nihil have achieved their goal of defeating the Jedi (he quite literally has Jedi killers in the Nameless) and taking over a large territory of space, yet Ro is adrift. He doesn’t quite seem to know what to make of things, going so far as to let his lover Ghirra Starros have a solo meeting with the Republic, knowing all along she likely will fail. I think that Marchion’s character arc is still in the early stages. Unlike his Jedi counterparts, who have had to make massive changes and choices in their fight against the Nihil, Ro has been coasting on his success. George Mann hints at a family member who might be at the core of Ro’s struggle, but all we get is a whisper, making me believe that there’s still more layers to this mysterious Evereni.

The Eye of Darkness is an exploration of shadows. The shadows that threaten to dominate when all hope seems lost. The shadows that exist in utter loneliness. The shadows that tempt us to give in because continuing on is utterly exhausting. While darkness always comes before light, it’s anyone’s guess how the Jedi will pull themselves out of this particularly challenging bind. George Mann has crafted a stunner, I give The Eye of Darkness 🧢🧢🧢🧢/5 – highly recommend!

One year after Starlight has fallen and the Nihil have cut off a section of the galaxy behind their Stormwall, the Jedi and the Republic are still trying to find a way to fight back. But against the Nihil, Marchion Ro, and his Force Eaters, is there any hope at all?

George Mann draws back the curtain on Phase III of The High Republic with a bang. The heroes and villains each face their own trials. The damage is done, the stakes are high, and the Jedi search for a way to fight against a weapon that threatens their very existence.

This book is every bit the masterful emotional gut punch of superior quality that we have come to expect from The High Republic. The action is relentless and the neverending tension keeps things moving. The story builds heavily on a core theme of Star Wars: Hope.

The galaxy has changed, the enemy is relentless, and the Jedi and the Republic fear what Marchion Ro will do next.

But that doesn’t mean they will stop fighting.

This is a must-read for any High Republic fan ready to see heroes and hope fight against unimaginable darkness!

Being the first novel of Phase 3 was going to be a big ask for any author, but George Mann does a fantastic job connecting the stories of the previous two phases. It's been one year since the fall of Starlight Beacon. The Jedi and the Republic are still reeling from the destruction of their “beacon of hope" in the Outer Rim. Deep inside the Occlusion Zone, Nihil leader Marchion Ro celebrates his victory but hungers for more.

Stellan Gios might be gone but his presence looms large over Jedi Master Elzar Mann and Republic Chancellor Lina Soh. Author George Mann launches Phase 3 of The High Republic, aptly titled Trials of the Jedi, in a stellar, pulse-pounding, nerve-racking but ultimately hopeful manner.

Phase 1 of The High Republic was filled with great characters and George Mann gets to play with a lot of them in The Eye of Darkness and gives all of them enough substance to not be mere fan service but undergo full fledge arcs. Marchion Ro and the Nihil are featured heavily throughout the story. He is not content with the destruction of Starlight and feels that as long as the Republic stands and the Jedi walk, his work is not over. He built his throne on Hetzal with the wreckage of the Legacy Run, for kriff-sake.

The Eye of Darkness could have easily been a book about the Nihil and the Republic/Jedi fighting for 400 pages but having all of the parties still dealing with the results of the fall of Starlight was a much better decision. It gives us our heroes multiple challenges to overcome while we see that even in victory, the Nihil are in disarray. Elzar Mann is now the face of the Jedi alongside Avar Kriss and future stories are posied to expand their relationship and how they come to terms with their own failures. Hi praise to George Mann for starting Phase 3 of The High Republic on such a high note.

With The Eye of Darkness, George Mann allows fans of the High Republic to venture into unknown territory. With great skill in worldbuilding, Mann presents us with a galaxy that is very different from what we have known in "The Light of the Jedi", as well as from how we left it with the last stories of Phase I, ranging from military, political, and humanitarian aspects.

In addition to that, the British author describes characters who have never been in such difficulty, exhausted by a year of efforts to resolve a situation from which they cannot escape. Elzar Mann, Lina Soh, Bell Zettifar, and Avar Kriss are at the center of the narrative from the light side, while beyond the Stormwall there are Ghirra Starros and Melis Shryke. Unfortunately, Marchion Ro is a bit sidelined and underdeveloped, and at the end of the work, you will question how much the galactic status quo has changed, net of the good evolution of the protagonists.

Despite these small defects, The Eye of Darkness is an excellent work to launch this Phase III, capable of satisfying readers of the entire project (who also get a nice reward from reading Phase II) with a smooth writing style and a fair balance between action and introspection.

Marchion Ro hive, make some noise!

I promise I’ll be serious now, but with a cover like that, how else did you expect me to kick this off? The High Republic Phase III has officially kicked off with George Mann’s The Eye of Darkness, which hops forward in the timeline, taking us to the year following the crash of the Starlight Beacon, and into a galaxy now partially under Nihil control.

Following their victory over the Republic, the Nihil — under the now-public leadership of Marchion Ro — have set up their base of operations in a portion of the Outer Rim now known as the “Occlusion Zone,” protected by a massive impenetrable “Stormwall” that keeps the Republic out, and keeps anyone stuck behind it in. Though it has been a full year since the fall of the Starlight Beacon, and the incident that claimed the lives of so many (including Stellan Gios, who despite my two years of delusions is apparently not residing with the mermaids on Eiram…that we know of), the Republic is still scrambling to pick up the pieces.

Communications are not what they were, the Jedi Order is becoming more and more entrenched in politics — a sign of things to come, perhaps? — and our Jedi heroes are scattered to the winds, with Bell and Burry on rescue missions, Avar roughing it in the Occlusion Zone, and Elzar now forced to play a political role he never really wanted. Not to mention, plenty of new characters/former background characters are brought more to the forefront and given a chance to truly shine, including Rhil Darios, who might just be one of my new favorites.

As for Marchion Ro, now saddled with a leadership position he doesn’t seem overly interested in, chaos continues to spread. He is a textbook example of the ends not completely justifying the means, but also the ends remaining just understandable enough that it keeps him compelling, and terrifying, knowing there’s little he won’t do to get what he wants. As for that shocking revelation about his affair with former Senator Ghirra Starros — who herself has a fascinating arc in this book — there is little I can say in any sort of intelligent or critical capacity, but lets just say there are ample ample crumbs.

With The Eye of Darkness, Mann is given the unenviable task of having to kick-off two timeline jumps — both back to this particular era, and also a year ahead of where we last saw these characters — and he pulls it off beautifully. The first 80 pages or so are reminiscent of Light of the Jedi in that they throw you into the action headfirst and offer very little room to breathe, but soon enough everything settles and allows the character work The High Repulbic does so well to rise to the surface. There is nothing easy about the dilemmas in The Eye of Darkness, no right answer for any of the characters, and it is that struggle that makes up the bulk of the book. It’s no longer a question about preventing a conflict, but rather one of choosing the best course of action when it comes knocking at (or blasting down) your door.

The Eye of Darkness is a welcome return to the High Republic, and to this era of characters in particular, and a fabulous kick-off for this final phase of storytelling that is sure to entertain and devastate in equal measure as we hurtle slowly but surely towards that grand finale.

The Eye of Darkness hits shelves on November 14. Special thank you to Random House Worlds for the advance copy for review purposes.

The High Republic’s final Phase’s first adult novel is George Mann’s The High Republic – The Eye of Darkness, which lives up to its title, and then some, by giving the Nihil their Light of the Jedi moment. It’s a rousing adventure of a novel blasting right into the new Phase, never relenting in its tension while still catching up readers on the new, deadly status quo, plus diving deep with favorite characters for the journey ahead, leaving readers eager to see where and how this Phase will wrap it all up.

Set one year after the fall of Starlight Beacon, The Eye of Darkness picks up in a far different galaxy than we last left it in Phase I, as the Nihil stand nigh untouchable behind their yet-to-be-cracked Stormwall, an invisible barrier delineating their hold on the galaxy. Some Jedi are trapped behind the Stormwall with the Nihil and their unwilling residents, while the rest of the Order, alongside the Republic, are struggling to find a way in, though the Jedi Order is grappling with what to do with the threat of the Nameless, the creatures who feed on the Force, if they do make it through. The situation seems hopeless for those on both sides of the Stormwall, but the Nihil have turned from pillaging to governing, something their modus operandi isn’t quite prepared for, plus with Marchion Ro’s unrelenting focus on destroying the Jedi, these new status quos threaten to tear the Nihil apart from the inside. With help from former Republic Senator and now Nihil-aligned politician Ghirra Starros, who arranges ministers to oversee basic ruling structure, will she find a path forward for peace with the Republic, or are greater plans in motion? And will Supreme Chancellor Lina Soh, facing the constant mockery of her Great Works by Marchion Ro’s actions, ever let the Nihil have a seat at the table? Furthermore, will the Jedi be at her side, regardless of her choice, as they work through their fear of the Nameless creatures while trying to still be guardians of Light and Life despite abandoning their Temple Outposts? With George Mann’s expert pacing and great variety of point-of-view characters, the answers to these questions, and more, will have you eager to dive into each new chapter and the final Phase overall. In fact, The Eye of Darkness reminded me most of The Rising Storm, as it has a pervasive sense of unease, uncertainty, and tension throughout the entire read since Mann paints a compellingly tough picture for our heroes to overcome and it only seems to get more difficult as the book goes on, especially as favorite characters take greater and greater risks to end the Nihil’s reign. Add in the era’s two big ingredients, a propensity for killing off characters and providing cliffhangers like it’s the luminous authors’ sole existence to hurt us readers, and there’s a recipe Mann has no problem whipping up that will leave fans with all sort of reactions by TEoD’s end, be it letting out one really long, deeply held sigh of relief, shouts of anger and sadness, and desperately needing more content to see what happens next. Charles Soule’s Light of the Jedi kicked off the entire era in spectacular fashion and Mann’s The Eye of Darkness delivers at the same level, plus taking the risks of The Rising Storm for an entry which lives up to expectations and then some.

A lot of what makes Darkness such an engaging read is its characters, not only from how well Mann dives into their internal conflicts about their choices or what’s happening in the galaxy now compared to a year ago, but also from who he all follows. At the book’s core is a pair of characters who have ignited High Republic fans for years now due to their connection and past, yet in Darkness are even further apart than ever: Jedi Masters Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann. Avar is trapped behind the Stormwall, trying to help those in need one crisis at a time without being caught by the Nihil, while Elzar remains on the other side, struggling with his new role, how he left things with Avar, and losing his patience about being unable to bring her, and anyone else, back from the other side. Darkness is ripe pickings for those writing fan fiction, obsessing over little details about the two and their history with Stellan Gios, or just fans of the characters in general, and George Mann keeps readers’ emotions on edge with surgical precision. I’m far from the only one, but I’ve been calling for Avar to be a point-of-view character for some time now, as her journey through Phase I, while interesting, never quite got the full treatment to make it all really land, but Mann makes up for this choice with having her front and center in Darkness, as her struggles with her role, what happened, and what she has to do now make for compelling reading; in fact, it renews my wishes for a deeper dive into her character during Phase I events, no matter when we get it, as it’s just that good. What really left an impression was her dealing with her failures after having all these big titles subscribed to her, from Hero of Hetzal, Marshall of Starlight, and even Estala Maru’s final words about her being the best of them, as it opens a window into her issues even during Phase I with the honorifics and the pressure of living up to them and then explores what it means for such a prominent Jedi to have failed, at least as she sees it, and be caught up in the consequences. The friends and allies she makes along the way, especially as a golden opportunity presents itself she can’t pass up, are an enjoyable collection and their views of her help her come to terms with her life and actions so far in a fitting way. As for Elzar, there will be reason to request more concept art of him,* but that’s not what makes his sections so easy to invest in. With the loss of Stellan, Avar separated from him, taking over a role he doesn’t feel he can fill the shoes of, and already struggling with his emotions, there’s a lot of turmoil for Elzar to drag himself through and the author Mann doesn’t let up, which makes it even more compelling as he works his way through it and leaves you hoping he can prevail. His conversations with Chancellor Lina Soh, where they express their frustrations with the situation regarding the Nihil or the Jedi Council’s decisions and work through resolutions, are a real delight because they tell us a lot about both Lina and Elzar in the process, while also giving us a glimpse on how the Republic feels about what’s happened. Overall, things get rather emotional towards the end for both Elzar and Avar and their respective journeys (and for readers, as I got quite emotional!), as revelations tear open questions fans have been wondering over for some time now, with Darkness leaving readers eager for what comes next.

Bell Zettifar has basically been the adult novel through-line in Phase I and he returns to such prominence in Darkness, and rightfully so, adding another notch in his nuanced journey as a Jedi. He’s part of a Republic Defense Force team tasked with both protecting the planets on the edges of the Nihil’s Stormwall and capturing a Path drive to help traverse the seemingly unstoppable technology. While Elzar struggles with being himself as he’s thrust in the roles and decisions of his friends, Bell contends with a righteous zeal to bring the Nihil to justice for all they’ve done, including the death of his Master, Loden Greatstorm, who’s rescue was robbed from Bell’s hands as the Jedi crumbled to dust before him. After rescuing Burryaga from the oceans of Eiram, told beautifully by Charles Soule in the Tales of Light and Life collection, Bell’s sense of self and purpose has only strengthened, but the confirmation bias doesn’t help as the situation only grows worse over the course of Darkness, forcing him to confront himself and his commitment to his goals or to Life and Light. Having Burry and Ember around provides Bell with a support group, exploring one of this era’s key differences for the Order compared to the prequels, and watching how he relies on them and uses their presence and advice to center himself as his drive to prevent more needless Nihil violence grows serves to also show us how much Loden would be proud. Hopefully that’s how his story ends by the close of Phase III, as Darkness is a great reminder of what’s made him such an exciting character to follow.

One thing I’ve wanted from High Republic stories is more time within the Nihil themselves, and given they have effectively “won” to some degree, it would make sense we’d get more from their side in Darkness (the title and cover offer such expectations too). Thankfully, I believe Mann does one of the best jobs yet exploring their side as well, thanks to chapters from Marchion Ro’s perspective, Ghirra Starros’ sections, General Viess who appeared in Phase II’s The Blade comic miniseries, a new and upcoming Nihil, and even a familiar character stuck doing their dirty work who comes up with a plan of their own to fight back. Ghirra’s chapters give us a much better understanding of her choices up until this point and peel back some of the fog around the Nihil and what they’re doing now they control a large swath of space behind the Stormwall. They also include some topical potential when Ghirra attempts a diplomatic future for the Nihil, as discussions she has with the Republic and Marchion offer what at times can feel prescient and valuable for how to deal with those who rule through fear, intimidation, and bad faith arguments. Marchion proves he’s as unpredictable as ever, but Darkness begins to peel back the layers to see how sustainable this method is, and if he really cares or not what happens with the Nihil compared to fevered focus on destroying the Jedi Order. Between the new character and General Viess, we get to see what the appeal of the Nihil still is and what it means to profit from their chaos, and what the system, as is, does to those who attempt both. I quite enjoyed the return of a character from The Rising Storm, as their tenacity and guts despite the situation, and later their ultimate choice as the novel closes, made me excited for more from them in the future. The little glimpses we get of how terrible the Nihil’s rule is for those trapped behind the Stormwall is a stark and important case to explore, as we hear more than see what their year in power has done up until then, so it was a small, yet appreciated addition to better contextualize how bad things are beyond what characters tell readers. Overall, the villains and those directly dealing with them don’t disappoint, as while Ghirra might be the only one with some understandable exploration, Viess offers more self-preserving intrigue, while Marchion proves again he’s a special type of psychopath and a villain that can stand alongside even Darth Vader as one of the franchise’s greats.

Fear is not only something readers might feel for their favorites while reading The Edge of Darkness, but also it’s something which permeates much of the decisions and choices of many of its characters, whether they realize it or not. And, on the edge of such darkness as this novel portrays, how could many of these characters not react in such a way, even the Jedi? The Nameless don’t just feed on the Force, they wiggle their way into a person’s fear, so learning to conquer such emotions will likely be one part of the larger puzzle for the Jedi to survive the Nameless threat. It’s interesting to watch the Jedi Order react the way it has, especially with the Guardian Protocols and retreating to some degree, claiming it’s for various reasons which have nothing to do with fear, but rather to show patience and understanding, but how could this be anything but fear dressed up in different clothing? This gives this golden era the first big feeling of the prequels, yet knowing they’ll have to overcome the Nameless leaves me curious how Phase III will balance showing this golden era’s true might while also keeping an eye to the future of where they end up. How each of Darkness’ characters overcome the fears they deal with in the year since the fall of Starlight is what makes each character’s journey so enjoyable to watch unfold, whether they be good or bad, as it makes all of them feel like real, accessible people, even if they are Jedi, and that humility is very engaging and part of what makes this era so tangibly exciting

George Mann’s The High Republic – The Edge of Darkness lives up to its title, and more, by setting a startling and engaging new status quo for what’s to all come for Phase III: Trials of the Jedi.

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