DVD Corner

Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware The Nameless Book Review

“Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware The Nameless” is essentially a side quest story. 

Written by Zoraida Córdova (with a few illustrations by Petur Antonsson), “Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware The Nameless” is a new Young Adult novel. The plot kicks off with Ram Jomaram venturing to the Nihil invaded Mynos Three with a crew of Jedi and Republic Defense Coalition members to help people, but that’s not the story the author focuses on. Instead, the action takes place on the planet Palagosal where several characters wind up. Among them are Churo The Hutt (a young Hutt who was tasked with stealing an egg but winds up crash landing on the planet), Haze (a dangerous Nihil member looking to collect on a bounty on 2 missing Nameless), Jedi Younglings Jamil Sollis, Tep Tep and Kildo (who accidentally stowaway on Ram’s mission), and Zenny Greylark (who is looking for her sister Lexi). When Churo sends a distress call after crash landing, the Younglings, Zenny, Ensign Welga and Jedi Master Carro travel to Palagosal to investigate with the hopes that maybe they will find Lexi. The group finds Churo, but they come across so much more including Nameless, Nihil, and maybe, just maybe the whereabouts of Lexi.

As Phase 3 of The High Republic continues on, readers and fans get what is basically a side quest story which seems to be par for the course for many of the YA novels. While it doesn’t further the plot all that much, the story does end with a potentially significant development in terms of the Nameless (assuming this cliffhanger of sorts has real impact) along with a new tidbit on the Blight plotline. Outside of that bit, the story is largely an adventure offering up further characterization on returning characters (particularly with the Younglings who were featured in “Star Wars: The High Republic: Escape From Valo”) and introducing new characters like Churo (a science loving Hutt who is pressured into joining the “family business”). 

‘Beware’ does contain a fair bit of goofiness that may have some readers groaning. Churo the Hutt is an entirely ridiculous name, but it was amusing to see a misprint that actually said Churro The Hutt at one point. Star Wars is known for creatures, but the Turtles felt like lazy creatures. It didn’t help that the line “I love Tortles” pops up at one point. Yes, this book may be for a younger audience, but come on.

“Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware The Nameless” is by no means an essential High Republic novel, but if you’ve been reading them all up to this point, you’ll find some nuggets to treasure here. 

August 18, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Book review | Jedi, Nameless, Nihil, Star Wars Books, Star Wars: The High Republic, Star Wars: The High Republic: Beware The Nameless Book Review