Review: The Living Force

By Alberto Calderon

Spoilers!

“But not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the living Force.” Those legendary words spoken by Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn to his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi during The Phantom Menace are the driving force (no pun intended) of John Jackson Miller’s The Living Force.

After being challenged by the “rogue Jedi”, the Jedi Council vows to show the people that they are still the guiding light in the galaxy.

Story: 4 out of 5 Probe Droids

Being pulled by the desires of the Galactic Senate and their duty to protect the galaxy, the Jedi Council had begun abandoning Jedi outpost along the Outer Rim, leaving those worlds and their inhabitants to fend for themselves against the growing criminal element in the sector. Returning to Coruscant after one of these outpost closures, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi experienced firsthand the results of those decisions and the Jedi Master decides to approach the Council with a proposition. To leave the comforts of the Jedi Temple and venture to meet the people where they lived.

“Help one person. A Jedi needs no permission for that.”
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn

The Council had become more concerned with listening and studying the cosmic Force, the larger picture, the future. For them, worrying about the present and how small troubles affected the individual was almost beneath their abilities and Qui-Gon challenged them on those beliefs and the realities of the galactic citizens losing their faith on the Jedi.

A section of the galaxy that stretched from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim, known as The Slice had become a haven for pirate gangs and Zilastra, leader of the Riftwalkers, had taken advantage of the Jedi and Republic forces abandonment of the sector to establish herself as the up-and-coming force to be reckoned with. Add to that her secret hatred of the Jedi and you get a nice setup for a great villain.

While the Council members heeded Qui-Gon’s plea and head to the planet Kwenn to oversee the possible closure of the last Jedi Outpost in the Ootmian route, Master Depa Billaba was working undercover as a gangland speeder driver nicknamed Hotwire, investigating the rise of the Riftwalkers while also searching for answers regarding the disappearance of her mentee, Jedi Xaran Raal. Sanctuary Mount, the 200 year old Jedi outpost on Kwenn, was scheduled for decommission, but the Council wanted to celebrate the bicentennial with a celebration that highlighted the Jedi’s commitment to the people of Kwenn and the Outer Rim.

With one of many connections to the High Republic, author John Jackson Miller introduced the Grand Renewal, one of the Great Works of the High Republic era. Focused on protecting the ecosystem, machines purified the skies and seas, mountains reshaped and cleaned and reformed into the Gem Cities of Kwenn (thanks for the map), connected by majestic bridges.

“I am knowledgeable of many things. But I have never worn shoes!”
Yoda

Instead of having one problem that needed all the Jedi to work together to fix, The Living Force had all Jedi Masters having to help in smaller-than-usual disputes. Even Piell helped displaced students with better ways of expressing their art and acting as a sort of teacher with the other Jedi pitching in in sorts of art classes, botany class, mechanics, etc. Saesee Tiin and Plo Koon mediated a dispute between the humanoid and droid drivers of a “taxi” service. Eeth Koth crawled through a hoarders “collection” looking for some missing documents from the Jedi outpost while Ki-Adi-Mundi was caught in between a fighting couple’s relationship problems.

Yaddle did not want Kwenn to become a tourist spot during its rebuilding process. The planet belonged to the people that lived there and those who remained during the ecological collapse, which reminded me of the issues that Hawaii have been going through with growing tourism and the stress it places on the island while the native population calls for change.

While all this is going on, Mace Windu searches for an out-of-contact Depa Billaba who while infiltrating the Riftwalkers, finds that Zilastra hatred for the Jedi extends from a childhood trauma where she was separated from her two best friends when a Jedi visited their orphanage because they showed an affinity for the Force. This led her to joining various pirate gangs and ended with her killing a Jedi that had attacked the gang and later a separate Jedi who had been investigating the Riftwalkers. Xaran Raal.

“The Jedi didn’t steal your friends, Zilastra. They only could’ve gone with their guardians’ permission.”
Jedi Depa Billaba to Zilastra

It all leads to an all out battle throughout the floating cities of Kwenn between all the pirate gangs, now fighting under Zilastra’s command, against the Jedi Council members and the people of Kwenn. By the end, the Jedi had won back the admiration from the planet’s inhabitants but at the expense of their outpost being blown out by Zilastra in a last stand.

Ease of Reading: 4 out of 5 Probe Droids

The Living Force is a delight to read. From the opening chapter with Qui-Gon Jinn dispensing life advice to a young Obi-Wan Kenobi, who doesn’t waste time in uttering his famous line “Hello there“, and teaching him how to listen and make friends with people so he could better understand their problems and needs.

“Every being is your better, Obi-Wan. Remember that, and service becomes second nature.”
Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn to Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi

Covering sixty chapters, divided in four parts, it may easily seem like a daunting task, but the chapter length and engaging storylines makes any reader want to come back for more when they close the book at the end of the day.

It is also a fun book. You may think that having twelve stoic Jedi Masters makes for a boring read but it is far from that. I particularly love the sort of running joke of Qui-Gon and Kenobi constantly running into bumbling pirates Lobber, Ghirra, and Wingo.

Characters: 5 out of 5 Probe Droids

I think that John Jackson Miller did a good job in giving every character enough page time to make their inclusions worthwhile. It could have easily turned to a soup where everything is mixed in and you can’t tell one character from another or go the other way with some Jedi taking control of the story at the sake of relegating others to the background but all have their time to shine.

Separate from the Jedi, we spent most time with Zilastra and Kylah Lohmata, a young girl caught in between Zilastra’s tough way of life and Hotwire’s (Depa’s undercover persona) more caring nature. Zilastra reminded me of the Martez sisters from Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch. Both suffered a loss at the hands of the Jedi, were given a superficial apology, and this led to a hatred of the institution. Granted, Trace and Rafa Martez didn’t resort to killing Jedi to make themselves feel better.

“Other people are not the canvas on which you can paint your grief.”
Depa Billaba

Book Yaddle continues to be one of my favorite Jedi. She was great in Lydia Kang’s Cataclysm and it continues here. She delivers some of my favorite quotes in the whole book. From reminding someone that denying how they felt would be denying their very self, a very timely comment on how the Force existed for everyone because the Force was everyone and her own light side take on the anger eventually leads to suffering line:

“Courage leads to peace. Peace leads to love. Love leads to healing.”
Jedi Master Yaddle

Canon Connections: 4 out of 5 Probe Droids

Although the Jedi from the High Republic are not mentioned we have some great callbacks and connections to the era. The Jedi outposts that are now being closed by the Republic were first constructed during that expansion period and the Unquenchable Fire, a light that was lit atop Sanctuary Mount every night to remind the citizens that they had allies against the night, served the same purpose as Starlight Beacon.

Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and Senator Shiv Palpatine make an appearance with Palpatine always having a suggestion at the ready for every problem Valorum brought to the Council and even making an off the cuff comment about painting the Chancellor’s office walls red.

Apart from learning that Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas was the Jedi who took Zilastra’s friends, it’s mentioned that he had been taking initiates without the approval of the Council and even taking in possible recruits just to fill the ranks of the Jedi Order as he foresaw the need for an upcoming conflict.

I was surprised that there was a connection to a very recent book, Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade by Delilah S. Dawson, with the inclusion of Jedi Temple Selonian droid technician, and Sith infiltrator, Heezo who reports back to Sidious about the goings around the temple. We are reminded about how Palpatine is always ten steps ahead of everyone as he had been slowly getting his hands on texts from the Jedi outpost on Kwenn with the help of the temple’s caretaker and once he was of no use, sends a Zabrak with red and black tattoos (wink, wink) to take care of him.

Expands Star Wars: 3.5 out of 5 Probe Droids

John Jackson Miller had the difficult task of not only incorporating the twelve Jedi Council members but finding a way to make them unique and individual. Eeth Koth specialized in rarities, Plo Koon was good with large logistics while Saesse Tin was the go-to for fixing starships. Yaddle looked over legal proceedings, Adi Gallia possessed a disciplined mind which helped with diplomatic matters with the Senate and Republic officials and Even Piell was similar to Qui-Gon Jinn in listening to the living Force.

“Be mindful, Master Yoda. A lie for the greater good is still a lie.”
Adi Gallia

We learned that the Galactic Courts of Justice held that Jedi were not liable for events that took place during official Jedi duties inside Republic boundaries (reminder of police not held liable for their actions).

When it comes to crime syndicates in Star Wars we know of the Hutts, the Pykes, and Crimson Dawn. The Living Forces brought to light new pirate gangs like Riftwalkers, the Vile, the Staved Skulls, the Poisoned Blades, and the Filthy Creds.

Overall: 4.25 out of 5 Probe Droids

The Living Force is a must have for Star Wars fans and fans of the Jedi. Although there are moments that make you question the Jedi complicity in the upcoming fall of the Republic, it mainly reinforces the idea that the Jedi are, above all, good.

“Those who envy the past may lose sight of where they are.”
Jedi Master Mace Windu