Book Review: Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

 

 

Star Wars: The Living Force by John Jackson Miller

432 pages, Hardcover
Published April, 2024 by Random House Worlds

 

This may seem beside the point of this book review, but In my day job as a teacher working with kids with autism, I have a student, and the only time I could get him to engage with reading was Star Wars novels. I would bribe him to work by offering to read Star Wars books out loud for him. I read local author Kirsten White’s Padawan novel that way. When I was walking around school carrying the Living Force that same student pointed at the cover and named all the members of the Jedi Council. I guess I am not the SW nerd I thought I was. I knew all their faces from the prequels but not their names. The ultimate question about John Jackson Miller’s The Living Force is this? Do you need to be one of those folks who knows all those names to enjoy it?

 

This novel is indeed a novel about the Jedi Council, the concept is designed narratively speaking to involve the entire Jedi Council. Set a year before the events of Phantom Menace, (what does a year mean the Star Wars universe?) Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are on a mission and discover that the Jedi Outpost leftover from the era written about in the High Republic novels is going to be closed on the planet Kwenn, Qui-Gon Jinn is worried about the increasing disconnection and isolation of the Order. Mace Windu came up with a bold plan: all Jedi Masters on the council will go to Kwenn as a sign of goodwill to help the planet and a reminder that the Jedi are here to serve.

 

Qui-Gon challenges the council in one of the most important scenes “We know our work touches billions. We stop menaces, some before they even develop. We save whole star systems at a time.” He focused on the empty spot on the floor. “and yet, when was the last time one of us counseled someone who was bereaved? Helped someone overcome self-destructive behavior.” He looked up. “Told anyone that their lives are important.”

 

Opening the novel on a brief adventure with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan gave me the impression that the novel would focus on them. As a fan of Several of John Jackson Miller’s Star Trek novels, I trusted him and didn’t read any plot stuff ahead of time. I follow JJM on Facebook. I remember when he announced this and was excited about it for the whole time. I should have known the POV would go often between members of the council. It is a smart narrative choice to open the book on one of the most well-known members of the council and his padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

 

The majority of the first act is centered around Master Depa Billaba (The Padawan of Mace Windu), she is mostly a background character in the movies, and as a fan of the Clone Wars show I am not even sure she got much airtime there either.  Billaba is undercover trying to counter Riftwalker gangsters that are creating a foothold in this region of the outer rim. In many ways, she is very important to the novel, and was surprised looking back that she got little mention in the back cover. It would have been tempting to give the whole council sword-wielding opponents in this novel, but it would not have made sense in the Star Wars universe so I think it is good JJM avoided this mistake.

 

The novel is long for a Star Wars novel, getting in about 70 or 80 pages more than most but it is tightly packed with more than enough time devoted to each Jedi in the council.  I didn’t feel anything needed to go, and I worry about longer books having a little drag. All the narrative twists and turns were all there for a good reason. Yoda and Mace Windu being powerful characters make sense to get a little time on the page, but John Jackson Miller obviously spent tons of time on Wookiepedia and it shows. If you were worried about Oppo Rancisis and Eeth Koth getting attention then don’t worry.

 

The Living Force is a fun piece of Star Wars work, but it plays a role in highlighting the Jedi Council trying to fulfill its mission as a team just before the Republic starts to fall apart. These dying moments of the golden age make for interesting stories for sure. 

 

I admit a list of the Jedi Council with pictures up on my computer screen to look at as I was reading at one point helped me know who the characters were. I didn’t NEED that, but it helped the book come together. I think super SW nerds MUST read this one and the casual SW fan looking for a read will enjoy it.  It adds to the prequels in a few ways but for me it is a deeper understanding of the Jedi council. It certainly doesn’t hurt the prequels and has added a little weight to Qui-Gon’s rep with the council as someone who pushed them.  

 

I liked it very much, but I feel some Star Wars novels expand the universe in ways that I can’t separate from the movies and shows. Even more rare are times when they transcend the tie-in and just become great stories regardless of what galaxy or how long ago they are set. JJM did that in the Star Trek novel Enterprise War, a novel I think about all the time when I watch Strange New Worlds, despite it being a set-up for Discovery season two.  I suspect this novel will come back into my memory next time I watch Phantom Menace. Only time will tell on that front

Generally, I listen to SW novels on audiobook, but it was good to do work on mental translation required for reading by myself. Big Thumbs up.  I think Yoda would say. Be a super nerd you must not be, enjoy it you will.