Review: Escape From Valo

By Alberto Calderón

Spoilers!

It is easy to feel defeated. It is easy to accept your circumstances when others are stronger and make you live in fear. But what if you accept those fears for what they are and realize you are not alone? When the Nihil returned to Valo and overtake the planet, the Jedi younglings of Lonisa City form a last stand in defense of their home.

Co-authors Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong delivered a tale of friendship, conquering fears, and accepting yourself fully in this Middle-Grade adventure set in Phase 3 of The High Republic.

Story: 3.5 out of 5 Probe Droids

After the fall of Starlight Beacon, Jedi Padawan Ram Jomaram ignored Master Yoda’s call to return to Coruscant as he felt that he would be of more use if he returned to his home on Valo and help the people of Lonisa City stand up and fight against the Nihil.

When a story has multiple authors there is always the concern that the competing styles might overshadow the story but José Older and Wong found a way to make it flow, perfectly connected, that it was difficult, if almost impossible, to discern who wrote what.

Daniel Jose Older

After spending the better part of a year attacking the Nihil as the fearsome Scarlet Skull, a call back to his deception alongside Jedi Reath Silas as members of the Scarlet Skull Club in José Older’s Midnight Horizon, Ram steps up his attack during the Nihil’s Dark Fair, a week-long celebration commemorating the fall of Starlight. During his exploits, he encounters Gavi, Tep Tep, and Kildo, Jedi younglings who are the remaining survivors from the Nihil attack on the Jedi temple when they returned to Valo.

“Resistance is alive and well on Valo, but we need help. If anyone in the Republic receives this transmission, please respond.”

Jedi Ram Jomaram

The three Valo Jedi treated the Scarlet Skull, or should we say, Ram, as a celebrity as they knew the exploits and heroic wins from the Jedi they grew up with during times of peace, before the Nihil.

Alyssa Wong

With the addition of young pirate-in-training, Zyle Keem, the newly formed Scarlet Skulls set out to defend Valo against Nihil commander Vark Tarpalin, friend-turned-foe Driggit Parse, and Baron Boolan’s scientist apprentice Niv Drendow.

It is important to remember that most of the characters are between the ages of twelve and sixteen years of age but they have all suffered tremendous losses. This holds them back at points but in great Star Wars fashion, they learn to fight through those fears and come out stronger on the other side. Sometimes those fears are physical and sometimes emotional. Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong don’t shy away from those important coming-of-age themes just because it’s a Middle-Grade book. They understand that the younger fans need to see themselves in the stories they read and that is very wizard.

Ease of Reading: 4 out of 5 Probe Droids

Escape From Valo is a great easy read for all types of readers. If you’re a fast reader you’ll get done with it in one day. If you like to take your time and savor every page, you can read it in a couple of days and if you read at a leisurely pace then it should take about a week or so. Chapters move fast and the story is engaging so you will want to keep going. I will say that fans of The High Republic Adventures comic book series might enjoy this book a bit more than other readers with the addition of the Dank Graks, Therm Scissorpunch, Dexter Jettster and the rest of Tanana Keem’s pirate gang.

Characters: 3.5 out of 5 Probe Droids

Ram and Gavi are the driving forces in the story and are anchored by Kildo, Tep Tep, and Zyle. Of all the new characters, we see the story unfold through Gavi’s eyes. His fear of attachments heightened by his attraction to Kildo and his failing friendship with Driggit. He doesn’t want to lose them and it took almost dying to realize that holding on so tightly to those feelings were the reason his connection to the Force had been diminished.

“Have a great day. Or a terrible day. I’m not your boss.”

Zyle Keem

Across each book and comic series we see Ram slowly but surely growing in his abilities but most importantly for him, in his self confidence. Similar to Gavi, he held close to those fears of failing at Valo, failing his new friends who he had taken under his wing,and failing the Jedi, especially his friends he thought had died on Starlight.

The High Republic has broken ground in Star Wars literature with the inclusion of non-binary and trans characters and that continues here. Tep Tep feeling like herself when she changes her name and lived publicly as a girl. Zyle using They/Them pronouns and Gavi and Kildo expressing their love for each other. Kids need to be able to see characters they identify themselves with.

Driggit Parse was a cool character to introduce as this Nihil “member” who is just doing what he thinks is best for his family and the people of Lonisa City. She wants the Nihil as far away from Valo as possible but that means working with them.

We get to spend some time with Niv Drendow who I expect will keep showing up as a foil to the younger Jedi in the High Republic along with Driggit as they both have plans for the Jedi and the Republic.

Canon Connections: 4 out of 5 Probe Droids

One thing all authors of The High Republic do well is connect their stories with what came before and usually drop a few tidbits that will come to play at some point in future stories. Escape from Valo is not the exception. The first few stories of Phase 3 have taken place around the one year anniversary of the fall of Starlight Beacon and how the Jedi that are trapped behind the Nihil Stormwall are trying to send messages to anyone that can hear them while they do what Jedi do best, help those in need.

“What can I say? You’re just stabable.”

Driggit to Zyle

Earlier we mentioned the pirate gang which returned to The High Republic after making their debut in Phase 2. We have interactions with acklays, nexus, mudhorns, hragscythes and other creatures that are roaming free inside the Lonisa City Zoo after the attack on the Republic Fair and the search for the Republic scientific vessel the Innovator(The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott).

Expand Star Wars: 3 out of 5 Probe Droids

If I had one criticism of Escape from Valo is that it doesn’t have the big scope as other High Republic books. It didn’t feel like we were seeing a big part of the story that is unfolding. But that is okay. It is on par with the other Middle Grade entries. I’m pretty sure that Ram showing up with the Innovator, the bacta, and other scientific innovations that were thought to be lost will have some impact in future stories.

I liked learning about the anti-aging cream Mycropram and how it can help baby Nameless that are born in captivity survive. Plus we got our first named Nameless with Grendrek. Plus, who knew that acklays lived in packs.

“We could turn and face the galaxy, side by side, together, apart, whatever, always one in the Force.”

Kildo to Gavi

One thing that I always look forward to is how the new Jedi connect to the Force. Tep Tep felt the warmth inside every living thing, especially the scary creatures. It helped Kildo slow things down to make sure he made the correct choice. For Gavi it was interconnected threads between the people and even Lonisa City itself.

Overall: 3.75 out of 5 Probe Droids

In true Star Wars fashion, Escape from Valo is a book about found families, friendships, and accepting who you are. There are great conversations about attachments, compassion and what makes a Jedi a Jedi. Having young kids have these conversations can be more powerful than listening to the Jedi Masters and Knights debate the Jedi Code.