Star Wars: Brotherhood
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker must stem the tide of the raging Clone Wars and forge a new bond as Jedi Knights in a high-stakes adventure set just after the events of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones.
The Clone Wars have begun. Battle lines are being drawn throughout the galaxy. With every world that joins the Separatists, the peace guarded by the Jedi Order is slipping through their fingers.
After an explosion devastates Cato Neimoidia, the jewel of the Trade Federation, the Republic is blamed and the fragile neutrality of the planet is threatened. The Jedi dispatch Obi-Wan Kenobi, one of the Order’s most gifted diplomatic minds, to investigate the crime and maintain the balance that has begun to dangerously shift. As Obi-Wan investigates with the help of a heroic Neimoidian guard, he finds himself working against the Separatists who hope to draw the planet into their conspiracy—and senses the sinister hand of Asajj Ventress in the mists that cloak the planet.
Amid the brewing chaos, Anakin Skywalker rises to the rank of Jedi Knight. Despite the mandate that Obi-Wan travel alone—and his former master’s insistence that he listen this time—Anakin’s headstrong determination means nothing can stop him from crashing the party, and bringing along a promising but conflicted youngling.
Once a Padawan to Obi-Wan, Anakin now finds himself on equal—but uncertain—footing with the man who raised him. The lingering friction between them increases the danger for everyone around them. The two knights must learn a new way to work together—and they must learn quickly, to save Cato Neimoidia and its people from the fires of war. To overcome the threat they face they must grow beyond master and apprentice. They must stand together as brothers.
Author: Mike Chen
Release Date: 10th May 2022
ISBN: 9780593358573
Set straight after Attack of the Clones we find a newly knighted Anakin Skywalker coming to terms with his new freedom, secret marriage, new cybernetic arm and the emotional aftermath of his slaughtering of the Tusken Raiders that kidnapped his mother. Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the other hand, has been temporarily appointed to the Jedi Council and becomes embroiled in a potential diplomatic crisis following a terrorist attack on Cato Neimoidia whilst trying to solve the enigma of his former padawan and the shift in their complicated relationship.
I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this book. I enjoyed Mike Chen’s short story in From A Certain Point of View but was naturally a little apprehensive as this is his debut Star Wars novel. I was also a little worried that this would be just another low stakes Jedi adventure with little substance. Oh boy was I wrong. This is a thrilling and vital character piece that gives us the deepest insight we’ve gotten into who these two characters are and their inner turmoil’s and motivations since the Revenge of the Sith novelisation by Matthew Stover. It’s clear that Chen is a fan of that work since there are multiple references to it throughout the book. The humanity and fierce love and compassion we get to see in Anakin here adds more to the tragedy of his fall than any of the movies or TV shows ever did. You get such a clear sense of his goodness here and how much love he has to give that he’s almost endearing. Bravo Mr Chen.
It’s strange to say but this book feels like the sequel to Attack of the Clones that Revenge of the Sith never was. It’s an extremely clever transitional story that’s intelligently well considered. You can absolutely see Anakin and Obi-Wans journey here from the fractured and petulant pairing of Episode 2 to the more settled and mature brothers they were in The Clone Wars. Chen revels in building on the themes and using characters unique to that film and its an extremely fitting celebration for it’s 20th anniversary. It also works as a rewarding thematic continuation of Claudia Gray’s work in Master & Apprentice. The books are both light in tone but heavy in stakes. They’re fascinating companion pieces as the two central relationships are so different but inform and reflect each other. There’s a clear lineage on display here which really makes me admire the care that Chen has put into the way he has handled these characters.
This book also serves as the canon introduction for fan-favourite Asajj Ventress who just oozes charisma and practically slithers off of each page, weaving her sith magicks and dark side machinations to undermine Obi-Wan and the Republic in their quest for peace. There’s also two fantastic original characters in Neimoidian spec ops-turned-guard Ruug Quarnom and Jedi Initiate Mill Albreith. Both are used to act as our heroes surrogate partners, as they are separated for the majority of the book, but end up stealing every scene they’re in and becoming fully realised but flawed avatars for the reader. Their journeys are just as compelling as our Jedi Knights and I would absolutely love to read more on them in the future.
- Hardcover Book
- Chen, Mike (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 05/10/2022 (Publication Date) - Random House Worlds (Publisher)
It’s strange to say but this book feels like the sequel to Attack of the Clones that Revenge of the Sith never was. It’s an extremely clever transitional story that’s intelligently well considered. You can absolutely see Anakin and Obi-Wans journey here from the fractured and petulant pairing of Episode 2 to the more settled and mature brothers they were in The Clone Wars. Chen revels in building on the themes and using characters unique to that film and its an extremely fitting celebration for it’s 20th anniversary. It also works as a rewarding thematic continuation of Claudia Gray’s work in Master & Apprentice. The books are both light in tone but heavy in stakes. They’re fascinating companion pieces as the two central relationships are so different but inform and reflect each other. There’s a clear lineage on display here which really makes me admire the care that Chen has put into the way he has handled these characters.