'The High Republic: Trials of the Jedi' Review

Four years ago, Star Wars publishing changed forever.

In a time when the entire world needed nothing more than a little light and life, a Star Wars livestream revealed a brand new era of a galaxy far, far away. Filled with characters, book titles, stories, and creators, this video announced the beginning of The High Republic with fanfare and excitement worthy of a major motion picture.

And now…we’ve come to the end. After over twenty five books, over a hundred comics, manga, audio dramas, short stories, and more, Charles Soule was tasked with landing the ship and bringing everyone home.

And you know what…Trials of the Jedi is a masterpiece.

Random House Worlds

Normally, that particular tidbit would come at the end of our review, but this achievement is so incredible that there is no benefit to delaying that descriptor. What Charles Soule has created thanks to not only his own talent but also the work of so many incredible writers and artists that have been sculpting this story for the last four years is nothing short of miraculous.

There are so many storylines, so many characters, and so many questions that all demand satisfaction, and somehow…it all works. And not only does it work – it shines as a crowning achievement of Star Wars publishing.

Trials of the Jedi offers one of the best finales we’ve seen in any medium of Star Wars storytelling, and it also bears the mark of being the first-ever unanimously awarded “Masterpiece” by the Youtini Review Team.

This is The High Republic at its absolute peak.

Plot

Trials of the Jedi is a culmination of the last four years of High Republic storytelling. At the start of this adventure, the galaxy is being ravaged by a terrifying Blight that has been raging across the stars, the Nihil continue to hold numerous planets hostage behind their devious Stormwall, and Marchion Ro, although he claims to be a savior, seethes with a malicious need to destroy the Jedi Order.

Each of these storylines is devastatingly important to the narrative of Trials of the Jedi, but thankfully, Soule begins the novel by adding plenty of context for readers that may not have kept up to date with the thousands of words the initiative has offered over the years. Although fans who have religiously consumed every book and comic Phase 3 has to offer will likely have the most well-rounded experience with the novel, worries about an exhaustive list of required reading may be happily left at the door.

Trials begins its story at a relatively quick pace, and the momentum only increases as the book goes on. Soule appears distinctly aware of just how much ground there is to cover, and despite the Herculean nature of that task, he creates a plot that is not only intensely exciting but also marvelously cohesive.

Random House Worlds

At its core, Trials centers on The Nine: a group of Jedi assigned to not only the book’s wraparound cover but also to a single mission set to save the galaxy from its inevitable destruction at the hands of the Blight, the Nameless, and Ro. This group is composed of characters from nearly every medium of High Republic storytelling, and that makeup alone emphasizes that this book is not only the finale of the line of adult novels:

This is the finale of an entire initiative of storytelling.

There are chapters that focus on the interpersonal relationships between the Jedi, some that zoom in on the trapped Republic Defense Force during the Battle of Eriadu, others that delve into the depravity of what remains of the Nihil, and still more that describe the plight of the everyman just trying to keep their family alive as their world crumbles around them. This level of narrative complexity could easily force the entire story to break apart into overly ambitious nonsense, but although the relative timeline does get a bit confusing at times, Soule is able to achieve a massive scope and scale without sacrificing intentionality and clarity of story.

One of the most interesting parts of Soule’s first Star Wars novel, Light of the Jedi, was the way that it redefined the Force from the point of view of the Jedi. The High Republic’s respect for the inner workings of the mystical arts has been clear ever since, but Trials brings that to an entirely new level as the story progresses.

Random House Worlds

Certain story beats are reminiscent of stories like the Mortis arc from The Clone Wars or The World Between Worlds from Rebels, and this inclusion further embeds the story in the very fabric of the Star Wars universe. This is not just a story about battles - it’s a story about how the very galaxy will survive and press on despite the overwhelming powers of darkness.

That being said, there is another question that has been consistently posed about Trials of the Jedi in the leadup to release…will it really be an ending? No matter what fandom you’re a part of, most people can remember times where they’ve been promised “the final chapter” or “the last battle” only to receive yet another cliffhanger courtesy of a studio afraid to say no to yet another sequel, but thankfully, Trials of the Jedi does not suffer such cowardice.

Yes, there are doors left open for future stories within this time period - it is a sprawling galaxy, after all - but the story that began all those years ago with the destruction of the Legacy Run does, in fact, receive its final chapter.

And it’s hard to imagine it could have been managed any better.

Characters

Since its inception, The High Republic has been known for its stellar cast of characters, and Trials of the Jedi shows us all of them. There are over 20 unique POVs throughout the story, and every main character receives a stunningly complete character arc – emphasizing how vitally important everyone is to conquering the forces of darkness.

We are all the Republic, after all.

The vast lineup is unquestionably dominated by The Nine. As previously mentioned, they arrive from a variety of stories (and even phases in the case of Azlin Rell), and this diversity allows Soule to touch every corner of the Initiative with ease. Every major arc of Phase 3 flows through a member of the team, and they’re each able to complete their own stories in incredibly satisfying ways.

Random House Worlds

While previous novels generally have two or three standout characters, it’s remarkably difficult to narrow down the stars of Trials of the Jedi. Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann could be argued as the main protagonists with their relationship and duty to the light facing their toughest challenges thus far. Reath Silas continues his journey as one of the best Jedi in the history of the Order, and you can’t help but get a bit emotional realizing that this kid who used to be afraid to leave the library is now leading a mission for the salvation of the entire galaxy.

And then there’s Bell Zettifar attempting to avoid the dark side of vengeance despite wanting it more than anything, Burryaga who wants nothing more than to save his friends once and for all, and Azlin Rell…well, he gets to write the final chapter one of the more fascinating and chilling character arcs in the last four years.

Random House Worlds

Because the team is so perfectly constructed, each of these storylines feels exciting and important throughout the entire mission, and they all undertake stunningly emotional journeys by the time the final page is turned. Although it’s clear that Soule, like any other writer, has his favorite toys (like Porter Engle who receives some exceptionally epic scenes and one-liners), he nails every single voice with clinical perfection.

However, The High Republic has always been about more than just the Jedi. In fact, the first chapter of the entire Initiative is about Captain Hedda Casset of the Legacy Run before its horrific destruction. Soule once more employs this tactic by bringing in characters like Joss and Pikka Adren from the Star Wars Insider short stories as well as a brand new family that progressively runs from the Blight through a series of interludes.

By focusing on these characters without laser swords or deep, mystical powers, Soule reinforces who the Jedi and the Republic are fighting for. These are the people who are most affected by the darkness sweeping through the galaxy, and by continuously popping back into those realities, Soule creates a sobering sense of the true stakes.

Everyone can be a hero in the world of The High Republic, and after spending hundreds of pages with all of them one last time…it’s hard to fathom how much I’ll miss them.

Writing

The High Republic began with the words of Charles Soule.

Back in 2021, Light of the Jedi started the story of the Jedi, the Nihil, and the Nameless, and it instantly became one of the most impactful Star Wars books ever written as well as our Book of the Year. Since then, however, High Republic fans wouldn’t be crazy to think that Soule has been a bit less present in the initiative than we had initially assumed by his strong debut.

Since then, his prose work has been solely composed of The Endless Vessel, an original novel of his from 2023, and Jedi Brave in Every Way, a children’s book he co-authored with his daughter, Rosemary. The rest of his time has been spent writing tons of comics which have all been spectacular, and it’s clear that he has an intense passion for crafting stories alongside his artists.

But wow is it nice to have him writing Star Wars books again.

Charles Soule

If you’ve read his books outside of Star Wars, it’s so clear to see how his skill as a writer improves with every project, and this is easily his magnum opus. Every trademark tool of his that we saw in Light of the Jedi is present in Trials, but they each hit just a bit harder. From his impeccable one-liners to his exhilarating chapter endings, Soule is a master of craftsmanship just as much as he is of storytelling, and we are blessed to witness the marriage of the two.

Perhaps the most incredible feature of Trials of the Jedi is the way it handles pacing. Early on in the book, the chapters are longer with scenes of a slightly slower momentum, but as the book goes on and the stakes ramp up…so does the literal pacing of the novel. The chapters become shorter, the POV switches become faster, and Soule actively increases the heart rate of the reader right alongside the characters in a way that is undeniably intentional yet miraculous.

The way that he sculpts the book in this way demonstrates a mastery of control over his audience the likes of which few other authors so deftly achieve, and that same degree of specificity and skill spreads to every facet of the book. As mentioned earlier, Trials incorporates a somewhat heavy amount of intangible Force lore, and in the hands of a lesser writer, it could all become a jumbled mess…but we are not in the hands of a lesser writer.

Lucasfilm

It’s clear from page one that Soule knows exactly where he’s going and exactly how to get there, and that established trust gives him the freedom to utilize complex mythologies to tell precisely the type of story he needs. Occasionally, he’ll shift the tense. Occasionally, he’ll change to a brand new POV.

Occasionally, he’ll simply ask us to trust him. And we do.

However, Soule is required to attain yet another level of skill, because he’s not just writing the final book in a trilogy; he’s ending an entire initiative. As you may have already assumed, this means that he is responsible for ending some stories and sending some characters off into their own individual futures, and because the fan base is so utterly dedicated…he has to nail every single one.

He does.

Every final scene and moment is given the appropriate amount of respect and sentimentality without veering into self-satisfactory melodrama, and frankly, I have no idea how he accomplished such a feat. Trials of the Jedi may only be Charles Soule’s second full length Star Wars novel, but with two 10/10 masterpieces under his belt, it’s hard not to count him as one of the greats.

Entertainment

Trials of the Jedi is one of the most cinematic and exciting books in the entirety of The High Republic. So many moments over the last four years have been praised by fans for the way they elicit the feeling of being in the theater on opening night of a new film, and Trials delivers those once again in spades.

There are Force powers, planetside battles, galactic disasters, lightsaber duels, invigorating speeches, and so much more to keep you cheering, crying, and cackling all the way through. In a way, Trials feels the most Star Wars of almost any entry in the era, and even though The Eye of Darkness and Temptation of the Force were pretty entertaining in their own right…there’s no doubt that Trials hits an entirely new level.

However, as book readers, we don’t simply need cinematics to be entertained. There’s also nothing like the excitement of unravelling the connective tissue between projects, and Trials of the Jedi does that better than anything we’ve read before. There are references to nearly every project of every single phase, and although the rewards for completionists are unbelievable, Soule doesn’t sacrifice comprehension of narrative for the sake of needless cameos.

Everything is intentional, and the impact is marvelous.

Random House Audio

And somehow, this impact is felt even more intensely thanks to the best produced audiobook that Star Wars has seen in years. Legendary narrator Marc Thompson returns once again to round out his work on The High Republic, and aside from his fantastic performance, the audio is filled with more ambient noise and original music than any project we’ve seen thus far in the era - a tremendous choice by what is clearly a crew that understands the gravity of the moment.

While Trials of the Jedi may be one of the longest books in the High Republic, it definitely doesn’t feel like it as the chapters continuously melt away thanks to the adrenalizing momentum of the story. Entertaining is a word that doesn’t even come close.

Overall

Trials of the Jedi is a masterclass in character and craft. If you’ve stuck around The High Republic for this long, you’re going to love this book. Period.

That being said…it’s hard to believe that it’s actually over. For four years, the story of the Jedi and the Nihil has led the way in Star Wars publishing, and despite some slightly tumultuous waters as the years went on, it’s hard to imagine the ending could have been handled any better.

This book is a masterpiece, and while there are surely plenty of more stories to come, this era deserves its moment to shine as a beacon of what’s possible in Star Wars publishing. This was an impossible task that was undertaken by a team of creators who put their hearts into every word on every page, and now that the cover has been shut…we can simply say thank you.

To Charles.
To Cavan.
To Claudia.
To Daniel.
To Justina.
To Tessa.
To George.
To Lydia.
To Zoraida.
To Alyssa.
To Mike.

You have created light and life and changed our worlds forever. For one last time…we are all the Republic.

Lucasfilm

Rating: Masterpiece

Trials of the Jedi is available now.