Justina Ireland Finishes High Republic Strong with A Valiant Vow, Wayseeker
Book reviews for The High Republic: A Valiant Vow and The Acolyte: Wayseeker.
Justina Ireland began her Star Wars writing journey in 2018, and helped launch The High Republic series with A Test of Courage in 2021. Today, we celebrate the release of two books from this incredible author: A Valiant Vow and Wayseeker. Spoiler-free reviews for both titles are below.
While Ireland does have one final graphic novel releasing, she currently isn’t working on any other Star Wars projects. Her work throughout a galaxy far, far away has changed Star Wars publishing for the better, and she will be sincerely missed. But I do hope that while we celebrate her final bows, you also — as I will — plan on following her future work outside of this franchise.
Check out my interview with the author from last week, and be sure to let her know how much you appreciate her stories and contributions to Star Wars canon. And never forget: No one’s ever really gone, in a manner of speaking.
And now, onto some reviews.
The High Republic: A Valiant Vow
In the very beginning of The High Republic — in Justina Ireland’s middle-grade novel A Test of Courage — we met Imri, a Jedi-in-training learning to harness his unique sensitivity to those around him. By the end of that story, Vernestra took on Imri as her Padawan. Her younger age, compared to most Jedi Knights tasked with teaching, made it easier for the two to connect. Thus began a shared journey that, three years later, now comes full circle.
Imri is now a Jedi Knight stationed on the distant planet Aricho. He has finally found a place he dares to call home, having made stable connections to his surroundings and the beings inhabiting them. But the news that the Stormwall has fallen — and imminent dangerous storms — brings with it the revelation that Imri is expected to leave. But he does not want to go.
The Force quickly takes care of this, however, as a ship, then another, crashes in the distance in need of Jedi aid. Little do Imri and his friends know that these crashes are no coincidence. Trouble is coming. The war may soon be over, but the Nihil haven’t given up just yet.
This book also welcomes the return of senator’s daughter Zenny, Jedi youngling Tep Tep, and — best of all — the brilliant, plant-loving Huttlet Churo. Zenny, stubborn as ever, is determined to reunite her family once again. But her friend Churo might be in trouble, and it’s up to her and Tep Tep to rescue him. To Aricho, they must go.
Every character in this book must learn an important lesson — what the concept of “home” really means. Perhaps, at the end of it all, home isn’t a place, but a purpose. Not a destination, but rather, who accompanies you on that journey. If family and friends are worth dangerous treks across the galaxy to save, maybe what matters most isn’t how far you go, but who you take with you along the way.
Vernestra has a small role in this story, having “aged out” of middle-grade so to speak to accompany other Jedi on their equally dangerous adventures. Centering this final piece of Ireland’s High Republic journey on Imri creates a heartwarming conclusion to a story that began over four years ago — a story not about war or tragedy or fear alone, but even more importantly, a tale about a boy who doesn’t believe his tribulations could ever be a gift.
And yet here we stand, after all this time, watching Imri fully grown into the Knight he was always destined to be. Young and adult readers alike, after all, can always benefit from stories reminding them that just because one’s journey to greatness is long, and not always linear or smooth, does not mean greatness is untouchable. To thrive is to struggle — to struggle is to believe that it takes effort, courage, and help to become who you have always wanted to be.
The High Republic is filled with heroes of all ages, shapes, and sizes. Each one of them has played a role, big or small, in the ending we’ve been speeding toward all this time. What an honor to have followed these characters for all these years. What a privilege to see them overcome all odds to save the galaxy from a terrible fate. Not because of any one individual action, but because of a collective commitment among all — Jedi and otherwise — to never give up. To always believe in the light, even fully obscured by the clouds.
The Acolyte: Wayseeker
The Acolyte series on Disney+ introduced Star Wars fans to a number of new characters—Jedi Master Indara; Sol; “The Stranger—the list goes on. But the show also brought a book character to life, introducing wider audiences to a Jedi named Vernestra Rwoh.
Vernestra, of course, originated in The High Republic series, and was much younger than her over-100 years in The Acolyte when first introduced. Even though the series hasn’t ended yet, fans have still had plenty of questions about how the Mirialan went from fighting Nihil pirates to keeping secrets bound to the Temple on Coruscant.
Enter Wayseeker—an adult novel by Justina Ireland that works to fill in at least some of these gaps in story and time. Set many decades after the end of The High Republic, but before the show, the book follows Vernestra and Indara on a dangerous mission to track down the maker and manufacturer of a weapon that could plunge the galaxy into irreversible chaos.
Vernestra Rwoh has been a Wayseeker for 10 years, traveling the galaxy at will, spreading light and saving innocent populations from harm. Indara, after returning to Coruscant following a mission gone wrong, has stayed planetside for over a year, nestled comfortably in the Jedi Archives where it’s safe.
Both are seemingly content right where they are. Which is why the Jedi Council immediately steps in, sending Indara alone to retrieve Vernestra from her Wayseeking and bring her back to the Jedi Temple. But along the way, the pair discovers there’s something bigger going on that needs investigating — and despite their differences, they’ll have to work as a team to save the galaxy from certain turmoil.
This book is filled with mysterious hyperspace visions, cameo appearances from High Republic favorites past, and essential lessons about what calling oneself a Jedi — or not — really means. But it’s also a story that can be enjoyed whether you’re familiar with The High Republic and The Acolyte or not. It can stand alone. But as always, if you do have the background those stories provide, this one becomes even better.
One of the most interesting elements of this story is getting to see Vernestra through Indara’s eyes. Many readers will come into this book knowing Vernestra better than Indara does, a sort of “we know more than you know” situation. But it turns out there’s also a lot we don’t know. The most obvious of them all being how Vernestra’s story ends in Trials of the Jedi, because, as of this review and book release, none of us have read the book yet.
Vernestra has lived a long life at this point in the timeline, and the pain of losing so many she loved — because she has outlived them in years and otherwise — bleeds through every page of her chapters. It’s possible that she is the most interesting she’s been yet in this book, and she’s been quite a compelling one to follow throughout The High Republic. After all this time, even she has more room to grow.
And getting to know a younger Indara in this book was a delight. She is so much like Reath Silas, hesitant to embrace adventure despite knowing deep down her true duties as a Jedi Knight. But she also constantly reminds Vernestra of Imri, and if that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, I’m not sure what will.
Wayseeker is a classic Star Wars adventure with the usual Justina Ireland flair — humorous, thought-provoking, and highly critical of the consequences of letting people in power harness too much of it. But also, deeply emotional — especially for High Republic fans.
This author has added so much greatness to Star Wars as a whole, and to close it all out with a book as profound and captivating as this one feels right, no matter how bittersweet.
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