'A Valiant Vow': A 'Star Wars' High Republic Book Review
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The final middle-grade book for The High Republic Phase 3, A Valiant Vow tells a good story that brings many elements from across all three Phases together, gives an exploration of some underserved characters alongside newer, more explored figures, and also helps suggest the sorts of threats the Jedi will face after the ongoing crisis with the Nihil ends. While there are some flaws, it is still a great piece by Justina Ireland, who is sadly retiring from Star Wars writing this year with the release of her final Star Wars stories.
WARNING: This review contains LIGHT spoilers for A Valiant Vow.
A Valiant Vow is intriguing as a novel since it picks up in the immediate aftermath of the fall of the Stormwall that shielded Nihil space from major Republic and Jedi missions for over a year. This event has appeared in many of Phase 3’s recent comics, suggesting it is a plot point for the upcoming Trials of the Jedi. But, there are few spoilers to be had about that novel because of the current chaos and because most characters are children or people who are far from up-to-date news sources. Everyone is scrambling amidst the changes, but both new and old threats are still afoot. A diverse web of characters, including Jedi Knight Imri Cantaros, Youngling Tep Tep, and Churo the Hutt, end up coming together as a mystery unfolds on the world of Aricho.
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We won’t speak further about the plot, but instead switch to that diverse cast of characters. It is great seeing Ireland both return to some of the characters she helped originate years ago, now, like the aforementioned Imri Cantaros or the Shani scientist Glenna Kip. While Ireland gets more time with others, seeing her get to explore these creations has a great deal of meaning in the greater context of this being one of her farewell stories. The focus on Imri is particularly positive after Phase 3 spent limited time on him due to circumstances at the end of Phase 1 and into the beginning of Phase 3. He has truly matured and grown into a strong, independent Jedi Knight, able to control his emotions and ability to sense the emotions of others.
The rest of the cast comes from across Phase 3 and features characters like Churo the Hutt and Tep Tep. Many of these are characterized well in how they appeared in previous stories, but again, like the recent Seeds of Starlight audiobook, Tep Tep ends up feeling off here. She is shown as lighthearted, kind, and capable of connection, but with few to no animals for parsecs around, her key trait of connecting to animals is lost. This story does suggest her ability of connection has extended to people, but without her own POV, we are left a bit wanting in this aspect of her character. There is also a moment at the end of the story where the absence of thought or concern for Gavi and Kildo, her two best friends from Valo, is strange and surprising given the context of a choice Tep Tep makes.
Despite some drawbacks, A Valiant Vow still makes use of a lot of great elements and creations from across Ireland’s Star Wars career for this, one of her final stories. With a thorough exploration of a host of characters, new and old, in a plot with a mystery that unfolds fairly evenly, it should absolutely be picked up alongside the novel Wayseeker, also from Ireland, with each story complementing the other in satisfying narrative ways.
Rating: 8/10
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Source(s): A Valiant Vow
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