Out of the Shadows

June 11, 2021

Gr 9 Up-Eighteen-year-old hauler Sylvestri lost her mother to the Nihil and then her ship is lost after it is pulled out of hyperspace. While trying to get Coruscant authorities to listen, she receives a suspicious offer from the uber-wealthy Graf family-an offer connected to the mother it seems Syl didn't know at all. Meanwhile, Syl's ex-girlfriend Jordanna is exhausted defending a settlement the Nihil keep attacking and wishes she could win Syl back. She links up with the Jedi who come to her aid, including 17-year-old Vernestra, a green-skinned Mirialan who has Force visions that may lead her to the truth about the Nihil's weapon. When they, along with with several other characters, meet up, they must survive a journey into the heart of the Nihil mystery. Assuming familiarity with the High Republic-era Star Wars universe, this book features multiple viewpoints and venues, and focuses on plot and suspense rather than action and description. Combining multi-strand storytelling with an extensive cast can make the plot occasionally confusing, though still enthralling. Depth of character development varies, with most attention paid to Vernestra and Sylvestri, who have the most compelling plot lines. The mostly human main characters have a variety of skin tones and hair colors/textures, like Syl's "dark skin" and "wild, kinky curls" and Jordanna's "sandy-hued skin" and "long, dark, curly hair." VERDICT This complex and suspenseful but occasionally confusing story and its compelling characters will appeal most to fans of the Star Wars franchise and of mysteries.-Rebecca Moore, The Overlake Sch., Redmond, WA

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June 15, 2021
As the dastardly Nihil inflict turmoil and bloodshed in the Outer Rim, the Republic and Jedi Order scramble to eliminate the space pirates and bring peace to the galaxy. Rumors abound of ships forced out of hyperspace into realspace and then disappearing; the Nihil threat, it seems, is growing bolder and fiercer. Following the mysterious death of her mother, 18-year-old Sylvestri Yarrow is struggling to survive as a hauler. Then the Nihil launch a sudden attack on her ship in the Berenge sector, a rarely traveled part of space. Fleeing to Coruscant to alert the Republic, Syl falls into a political quagmire involving one of the wealthiest families in the galaxy as well as the strangely coveted Berenge sector, which might be crucial to the Nihil's hyperspace disruptions. The whole ordeal pulls a quartet of Jedi into the mix: Jedi Master Cohmac Vitus; his Padawan, Reath Silas; Jedi Knight Vernestra Rwoh; and her Padawan, Imri Cantaros. Meanwhile, concerns over the Order's involvement with the Republic in its campaign against the Nihil plague the four Jedis. Containing a dizzying number of overarching storylines and characters, this latest installment set in the High Republic era nonetheless excels, with enough political intrigue and intricate thrills once it yanks its disparate threads together. Per usual, Ireland's firm grasp of this universe keeps it all from running amok. An essential tome for die-hard Star Wars fans, although others will find much to enjoy. (timeline) (Science fiction. 12-18)

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