Before 'Eyes Like Stars', We Had These 5 'Star Wars' Romance Stories
Image Source: Wookieepedia
Eyes Like Stars is not the first Star Wars romance novel, though it will be the first to bear a cover page banner proudly proclaiming its link to that particular genre. Indeed, Legends had its star-crossed romances, and Star Wars canon in particular has a number of romance novels and stories written well before the upcoming experiment in branding by Lucasfilm Publishing. Just in time for Valentine’s Day, we have here a list of five Star Wars stories with a focus on romance big enough to count them in the romance novel genre from the past decade or so of Star Wars storytelling.
5. ‘Lost Stars’
Image Source: Wookieepedia
Written by Claudia Gray, Lost Stars tells the story of two young people who, while initially both part of the Empire, friends, and both from the same planet, wildly diverge in life in the years after the destruction of the First Death Star. Ciena Ree, who remains with the Empire, and Thane Kyrell, who joins the Rebellion, are some of the few Star Wars characters to have enough significance to get a manga adaptation of their story, and their romance across enemy lines is both heartwrenching as it is concerning given the nature of the Empire. We won’t spoil the story, but a follow-up to Lost Stars remains in our top seven stories we wish Star Wars would follow up on all of these years later.
RELATED:
4. ‘A Crash Of Fate’
Image Source: Wookieepedia
Probably tying with #5 for least known story on this list, A Crash of Fate was Zoraida Córdova’s first Star Wars novel and opened the pathway to her eventual substantial contributions to The High Republic. Set on the planet of Batuu, we’re introduced to a young Izal Garsea who, in the middle of the night, is hustled off the world for mysterious reasons by her parents. Gone for years, the best friend who she left behind, Jules Rakab, is startled one day to find “Izzy” back in town, seeking to make a delivery shrouded in secrecy.
He tries to rekindle their friendship, and what follows is a heartwarming, tense and interesting story of reconnection as the two navigate the intersection of their lives, with Izal’s recent past in hot pursuit of her. The YA story was part of the storytelling push when Galaxy’s Edge was first opening to fans of the franchise, and remains an enjoyable story set in the Sequel Trilogy, zoomed in on one small corner of the galaxy and helping paint what everyday life is like for what are likely millions of similar people across the galaxy. The romance is also sweet, and we urge people to give it a read if they have the time!
3. ‘Path Of Deceit’
Image Source: Wookieepedia
The first novel of Phase 2 of The High Republic, Path of Deceit, is a YA romance novel that touches on a wide range of subjects and features, at its core, a doomed romance. This is a Romeo and Juliet story for the Star Wars ages, and it takes many twists and turns as Padawan Kevmo Zink and his master Zallah Macri investigate the mysterious Path of the Open Hand operating on the planet Dalna. Broadly stonewalled by more senior cult members, Kevmo ends up forming a connection with Path member Marda Ro, and the two begin to fall hopelessly in love, despite the fact that the Path believes that using the Force is fundamentally wrong. Elsewhere, Marda’s cousin Kor and her romance has its own complications, and we unfortunately can’t say more than the fact that his novel got Phase 2 off to a thrilling start!
2. ‘Out Of The Shadows’
Image Source: Wookieepedia
One of the stranger choices on this list, Out of the Shadows from Justine Ireland is an overlooked High Republic novel from Wave 2 of Phase I. Featuring several characters from the first YA and middle grade novels of The High Republic, the novel’s main character is instead Sylvestri Yarrow, a woman who believes her mother Chancey Yarrow to be dead as a result of a Nihil attack. After another Nihil attack sees her lose her ship, and strands her crew, Sylvestri goes to Coruscant to report the incident and try to pull her life back together, only to be told by the mysterious Xylan Graf that her mother may still be alive! Sylvestri’s story takes her into contact with Senators, Jedi and her ex, Jordanna Sparkburn. We won’t spoil the novel’s story, but the romance and extensive narrative given over to Sylvestri as a civilian in the galaxy far, far away is worth reading, and has several enjoyable elements, such as Jordanna’s giant electricity-generating cat!
1. “Reflection Day” From ‘Star Wars: Life Day Treasury’
Image Source: Wookieepedia
A short story probably set sometime before the fall of the Jedi, yet after the events of The High Republic, “Reflection Day” explores the journey of a young man to the Holy Moon of Jedha with the intention to view the great Kyber Mirrors found in the Dome of Deliverance. Along the way, he makes an unexpected acquaintance, and suffice to say, the short story is a sweet, yet thoughtful exploration of life’s many little mysteries and coincidences when it comes to love. We can’t recommend it, and the other stories in the Life Day Treasury enough, as the collection stands out from the other myths and fables books of Star Wars canon by instead being written as factual events, connected to firm periods of time and featuring characters familiar and new.
CultureSlate: Made by humans, for humans.
Please consider supporting our AI-free content via our Patreon page.
READ NEXT:
Disclosure: We hope you like the items we recommend! Culture Slate has affiliate partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from your purchase. This won’t affect the price you pay and helps us out.
Source(s): Lost Stars, A Crash of Fate, Path of Deceit, Out of the Shadows, Life Day Treasury
Latest News
Featured
