The Living Force Review

Help one person.

It’s remarkable how often such simple mantras are forgotten in the midst of overly complicated dogma. Throughout the history of Star Wars, the Jedi Order has evolved so many times that their core principles have sometimes been forgotten altogether.

Fans have seen them at the height of their powers and on the brink of destruction, and because of the amount of times we’ve witnessed them dispense justice through the blade of a lightsaber, it can be hard to remember that the Order was founded on this simple premise. To help others. To do good.

To trust the Living Force.

The Living Force by John Jackson Miller returns this basic principle of service and empathy back to the forefront of the Jedi’s mission. By highlighting every member of the Jedi Council in the years before The Phantom Menace, Miller creates a story that not only enhances the character of every single master but also reinforces the importance of every single life within the fabric of the Force, itself.

Plot

When this book was first announced, it was pitched to the audience as a sort of road trip for the Jedi Council. That promise delivers in spades as the book finds all the members of the Prequel Council joining forces to head to the planet Kwenn after learning about a Jedi outpost that is about to be decommissioned.

Along the way, a devious plot arises by a pirate attempting to seize control over that sector of space, and the two missions intersect at a number of times throughout the story. Add in five different gangs, an undercover Jedi, and a kid who’s in a bit too over her head, and you have a tale that is undoubtedly fun and entertaining but also feels a bit too convoluted from time to time.

Throughout The Living Force, it is clear that the overall plotting of the book is mainly a device to group the various Jedi together, and while that device does cause the overall narrative to fall a bit short in the grand scheme of the story, it does allow a lot of smaller tales to emerge. Because Miller separates the various council members into pairs and sends them all on individual adventures, we get to witness a score of mini missions that exemplify all the ways that the Jedi Council serves the galaxy.

There are moments of action, meditation, diplomacy, and compassion, and once the inner workings of the larger conflict become evident in the latter half of the book, the story proves to be an incredibly fun ride that ultimately succeeds in telling a number of intimate stories despite the occasional stumbles of the larger narrative.

Characters

The Living Force features some of the best character work Star Wars publishing has seen in years.

From the first page, Miller captures the voice of every single character perfectly. Even characters that have received relatively little screen time in their history like Saesee Tiin and Even Piell are somehow unmistakable whenever they arrive on the scene thanks to the remarkable characterizations that Miller creates.

This is especially impressive due to the massive ensemble that’s employed throughout the story. When creating a cohesive world, composing a cast of characters this large can be inherently risky due to the often unavoidable favoritism that causes some characters to fade into the background as the book goes on. Thankfully, Miller avoids this trap continuously and uses The Living Force to showcase exactly why every single Jedi presented is a valued member of the Council.

For years, there has been a rather critical examination of the history of the Jedi. Their role as peacekeepers turned soldiers during the Clone Wars has often clouded the ideals that they historically upheld, and The Living Force does a sensational job reminding us just why these masters were so lauded in the first place. These are Jedi that are fallible, yes, but they are also compassionate, driven, and frankly brilliant. The only potential downside to the beautiful work that Miller applies to every single Jedi is that the new villains are slightly dimmer by comparison, but when the bar is set so high, that is more than understandable.

There’s a reason that the legend of the Jedi lasted long after their downfall, and The Living Force shows us exactly why they inspired heroes across the galaxy for centuries.

Writing

John Jackson Miller is no stranger to Star Wars books. Despite his forays into the-other-scifi-franchise-who-must-not-be-named, it’s always a treat when he returns to a galaxy far, far away. And in part because of that history, there is no way to deny that the man simply knows how to write a Star Wars book.

The Living Force, however, may be some of his best work to date as a technical writer. As previously mentioned, the characters are far and away the highlights of the book, but none of those relationships have a chance to work without the measured care and craft Miller brings to the project. In addition to myriad quotable lines and extended passages, Miller brings a level of complex vocabulary and syntax that never seems forced but rather elevated in a way that speaks to his vast experience with the series.

However, at no point is Miller content to sit back and rely on his old tricks. While fans of his work may recognize some of his trademark humor scattered throughout the pages, The Living Force is a showcase for how much he has evolved as an author over the years - especially when it comes to his mastery of flow. Reading or listening to this book is essentially effortless with how well Miller spins the story. Seamless transitions between complementary tones and characters prove that his greatest strengths as a writer match up perfectly with the greatest strengths of the saga.

With such a massive cast, location changes, and a perpetual balance between the comradery of friends and the responsibility of leaders, The Living Force could have spiraled into indiscernible chaos at any moment, but luckily, we have a master of our own leading the way.

Entertainment

The Living Force may be described in moments as delightfully ridiculous.

Where other Star Wars books rely on cataclysmic space battles or unrelenting ground assaults to provide their entertainment value, Miller instead relies on interpersonal connections and emotionally varied excursions to create a book unlike any we’ve ever seen in Star Wars publishing. While this approach may not necessarily hit the mark for every reader, the merit for those that are open to a book that revels in the smaller moments are in for quite a treat.

That is not to say, however, that this book is devoid of action set pieces. Far from it. The Living Force is, after all, a celebration of what makes the Jedi magnificent, and in addition to charity, empathy, and connection, there is a reason that they carry those laser swords at their sides. 

Where The Living Force sets itself apart is in the fact that all of these moments feel equally important. To properly serve the Force, the Jedi must acknowledge the importance of holding someone’s hand as they experience grief right alongside that of leading a charge across a battlefield, and that dichotomy drives home a point that is too often forgotten against the backdrop of galactic conflict.

Verdict

In a year when we are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of The Phantom Menace, nostalgia is at the forefront of the fandom’s focus. Too often, it can be easy to either observe the past with rose colored glasses or to treat those events with a level of harshness that is completely blown out of proportion.

With The Living Force, John Jackson Miller chooses instead to honor the stories of the past by expanding their stories and adding more depth and compassion to their heroes than we’ve seen in years. And while not every reader may completely connect to the larger narrative or the multitude of isolated adventures that compose its pages, every fan will absolutely leave with a greater respect and love for the Masters that paved the way for the galaxy we love so dearly.

The Living Force is available now wherever books are sold and on Audible where it is narrated by Marc Thompson.