The High Republic: The Rising Storm

I remember reading Star Wars: The High Republic: The Rising Storm, and I remember a female being held captive by a dude with claws and a death threat at the end. I forgot their names and I lost the book. Does anyone know their names?

I had the great privilege of attending today's High Republic Live Q&A Panel via eventbrite and Barnes & Noble with the unparalleled authors of this Era, those being Charles Soule, Claudia Gray, Daniel Jose Older, Cavan Scott, and Justina Ireland. I am forever grateful for them spending their time directly with the community in a one-on-one conversation, even though we couldn't be in-person.

Wave Two is releasing just in a few hours, and I'm hoping to get through at least halfway of The Rising Storm tonight. Here, in this post, I'll be reviewing the astoundingly messy notes I took during the Panel. I hope that this makes us fans excited for the two new books kicking off a brand new era within a relatively new era to Canon.

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I'd firstly like to acknowledge the fact that the authors instantaneously created a hilarious and fun atmosphere in the event. I never realized what great sense of humor Charles Soule has! They made everyone comfortable immediately, and the authors' chemistry with one another makes The High Republic so much more enjoyable. The fact that they seemed like genuine friends makes me feel more satisfied when reading, knowing that they put their hearts and souls into the pages with good intentions. I truly felt right at home with these lovely creators. The fact that they seem to get along extraordinarily well makes the experience all the better. The gave me good, much-needed laughs, for sure.

For instance, Charles got kicked out of Zoom for technical reasons, and when he returned, Claudia said something along the lines of, "Oh, yeah, while you were gone, we had a very empowering conversation. Everyone was in tears." The authors busted out in laughter as if they have conversations like this often. I love it!

Also, Claudia answered one of my questions. . . I don't even have words. She's my favorite author for the saga, but, y'all, my stupid ass came up with the dumbest question I could have possible configured.

How old is Geode?

Yep, this is all that I could come up with. This is what my life has come to. Asking how old a fictional character in a book series is. . . Such an enriching topic, LOL.

Anyway, her answer was utterly perfect. She said that Geode is very "cagey" when talking about his age. He doesn't like to reveal too much about himself, but he's likely older than most humans. Honestly, this is just great. She didn't answer whether or not this wondrous Vintian makes an appearance in Wave Two, unfortunately. This leads me to believe that he doesn't, as I believe that she knows how many fans this guy has.

As for considerable and potent news, Cavan Scott stated that Wave Three is already in the works, and the overarching narrative's conclusion is generally being constructed. This was a huge surprise for me. Furthermore, in his The High Republic comic series has progressed to the point that his team is working on the twelfth edition. As of now, there are only five. I cannot wait to see the story of Keeve and Sskeer continue!

Another bit of excitement was more details regarding Daniel Jose Older's comic series, Trail of Shadows have been revealed. He basically said that it is a detective chronicle taking place in the underworld of Coruscant with poltical conspiracy involving the Republic's military! Wow. This sounds like easily the most unique thing that The High Republic has ever done.

As for tomorrow's new releases, The Rising Storm and Race to Crashpoint Tower:

The Rising Storm - Cavan Scott

• Takes place a year after Light of the Jedi

• Galaxy is in a relaxed state after the Great Disaster and Nihil have been dealt with.

• The Republic Fair showcases the safety and amazing feats of the Republic as one of Chancellor Lina Soh's innovative Great Works

• But, something goes wrong. . .

Race to Crashpoint Tower - Daniel Jose Older

• A side story relating to The Rising Storm (similar to how Wave One's stories gave different perspectives of the same event)

• Padawans from The High Republic Adventures converge in this narrative!

• Ram Jomaram is a mechanically-inclined Jedi, making his debut in this novel.

Justina Ireland also decided to reveal a lot about her young adult novel, releasing in July, that being Out of the Shadows.

• Includes Reath Silas, but she didn't expand much upon that, which is slightly worrying.

• Vernestra Rwoh is dealing with the trials of undertaking a conflicted Jedi Padawan at such a young age.

• The new protagonist, Sylvestri Yarrow, has a tragic backstory with a deceased mother, failing business, bankrupt lifestyle, and she goes to Coruscant where she is thrown into a plot of evil with Reath and Vern.

Miscellaneous Q&A

1. Are there going to be bounty hunters in Wave Two?

The authors have talked out it, but they didn't directly reveal a yes or no.

2. Was Wave One a big success?

It actually was, and this makes the authors relieved and satisfied that people are feeling the immersion that they intended to create. The feedback is going beyond their expectations, despite what many of you may believe.

I myself have sent emails to every High Republic author praising their accomplishments.

3. What are the authors most proud of?

Cavan - Cavan loves introducing people to new forms of reading, whether it be comics, ordinary novels, or even audiobooks. His High Republic audiobook original, Tempest Runner, releasing in the coming months, is something he thinks will resonate with a lot of people. Just seeing the diversity in the fundamental storytelling is great to him, as he finds it as a great reflection of what The High Republic stands for, as do I.

Daniel - He loves seeing younger fans enjoy this era, especially. The connection that the younger ones feel when reading is something that parents have come up to him and thanked him for. A lot of kids see themselves in his Adventures comic series, and that has been a rewarding experience for him.

4. Do you plan on connecting the era of the Skywalker Saga and beyond with The High Republic?

Charles - It has already been done!

5. Will we be learning more about the Jedi Council in Wave Two?

Claudia - Absolutely!

6. What about animals in Wave Two? Got any more of those?

Daniel - Monsters. Monsters. Monsters. So many new designs for monsters have been created according to him, and crossover monsters from existing content in Canon has also been brought over. The possibilities are endless!

7. Will you be releasing any more major information regarding new books, Wave Three, and anything else?

Charles - We're holding out on that. However, snippets of information will be coming out in July.

Also, they mentioned that they use Wookieepedia as a source for content creation! I thought that this was a neat little surprise.

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Their excitement for the Star Wars community reflects exactly how happy every fan should be for Wave Two of The High Republic. I was honored to be in their presence tonight, and I hope that anyone who plans on purchasing Wave Two's first novels can enjoy them as much as I know I will.

My friends, we are all the Republic!