The Living Force Is the Perfect Prequel to the Star Wars Prequels
A spoiler-free review of John Jackson Miller's Star Wars: The Living Force.
The Galactic Republic isn’t what it used to be — and neither is the Jedi Order.
Many years ago, Jedi were stationed in outposts across the galaxy to better serve the worlds and communities most in need. Now, many of these outposts are closing. And it’s becoming rare for members of the Jedi Council especially to find a reason to leave the temple on Coruscant.
A year out from the events of The Phantom Menace, are the Jedi really serving the galaxy as they vow to do? This is the question John Jackson Miller presents at the start of his brand-new novel, Star Wars: The Living Force.
The book follows all 12 members of the Jedi Council — and Qui-Gon Jinn, plus padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi — as they embark on a special mission to a Jedi outpost they plan to shut down. As you might imagine, chaos ensues the moment they arrive.
Those who call Kwen home could use some help from the Jedi. But the Jedi are about to discover that they, too, can learn a lot from those they are helping.
One of many things Miller does well in his Star Wars books is making you care not just about the main players, but also the supporting characters as well. I may have a new favorite Star Wars character, and they’re a very small part of the story — but they also fit so well into the overall message the story is telling that they are, at least to me, just as important as the Jedi Masters we follow throughout the book.
This book actually did make me laugh, and cry, but it made me think deeply about our world (and the worlds of Star Wars) as well. One question the book prompts in particular has stuck with me since I finished it over a month ago: Is purpose found in a place, a role, a community? Or do we find our purpose within ourselves, and carry that purpose with us wherever we go?
Not everyone reads Star Wars for philosophical reasons, and that’s okay! That’s why this book is also laugh-out-loud funny at points. And as usual, Miller also writes an unforgettable villain who is just as compelling as the story’s heroes. I sometimes struggle to connect with villains in Star Wars books, but not this time.
The Living Force is a book many different fans will love. It’s set before the prequels, and there aren’t many of those in Canon so far (outside of The High Republic series). But it also ties nicely into the prequels, especially The Phantom Menace. It’s also a fun read for High Republic fans — it doesn’t rely heavily on anything from the era, and you don’t have to have read THR to enjoy The Living Force, but it’s fun to see the small connections between that era and this one, and compare the Jedi of then to those of “now.”
And if you want to hear more about The Living Force from the author himself — and a more in-depth look at the author’s Star Wars stories over the years — our Now This Is Lit interview isn’t all you’re going to get. Stay tuned …
The Living Force by John Jackson Miller is available now wherever you get your Star Wars books.
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