Star Wars: The High Republic: Tempest Runner
The Nihil storm has raged through the galaxy, leaving chaos and grief in its wake. Few of its raiders are as vicious as the Tempest Runner Lourna Dee. She stays one step ahead of the Jedi Order at the helm of a vessel named after one of the deadliest monsters in the galaxy: herself. But no one can outrun the defenders of the High Republic forever.
After the defeat of her crew, Lourna falls into the hands of the Jedi—but not before she hides her identity, becoming just another Nihil convict. Her captors fail to understand the beast they have cornered. Just like every fool she’s ever buried, their first mistake was keeping her alive. Lourna is determined to make underestimating her their last.
Locked up on a Republic correctional ship, she’s dragged across the galaxy to repair the very damage she and her fellow Tempest Runners inflicted. But as Lourna plans her glorious escape, she makes alliances that grow dangerously close to friendships. Outside the Nihil—separated from her infamous ship, her terrifying arsenal, and her feared name—Lourna must carve her own path. But will it lead to redemption? Or will she emerge as a deadlier threat than ever before?
Author: Cavan Scott
Published: 1st March 2022
ISBN: 9781529150179
Length: 592 Pages
The name The High Republic has become synonymous with quality storytelling and Cavan Scott’s novel The Rising Storm and his near perfect Marvel comic series are arguably the high points. Tempest Runner had a lot to live up to. It did not disappoint. Originally released as a full cast audio drama in August 2021 this follows the format laid down Scott’s own audio drama Dooku: Jedi Lost and Sarah Kuhn’s Doctor Aphra by being released physically the following year in hardcover script format. Us Star Wars fans don’t truly believe something is canon until we can put it on a shelf next to our Hot Wheels TIE Fighter and original R2-D2 figure with the sticker half peeled off.
This is the first High Republic release that breaks the crazy momentum and looks backwards, giving us the origins for a number of its key players. It succeeds on all fronts and more. Focusing on the frighteningly captivating character of Lourna Dee, one of the main antagonists of the High Republic and leaders of the Nihil, this story is so engrossing for the same reasons Scott’s previous adult works Dooku: Jedi Lost and The Rising Storm are, no matter what earth-shattering events are happening it never loses sight of the most important thing; character.
As with the Darth Bane Trilogy, Tarkin and Lords of the Sith, stories that follow the villain can stray into dicey moral territory. You needn’t worry here. Scott puts Lourna’s villainous nature upfront, contextualising it but making sure you know that’s she’s inherently bad and then glorifies her acts of goodness. Think more Kylo Ren being tempted by the light rather than Anakin being seduced by dark. I can honestly say Scott’s characterisation has cemented Lourna Dee as one of the best and most compelling characters in the High Republic. That’s not to discredit any of the other author’s interpretations, Scott just seems to strike that balance between survival, sadism and humanity that makes up Lourna Dee.
The audio production is still my recommended version of this story but this is definitely worth picking up. The story is great and the book is gorgeous. I do have to warn you to clear some self space though because the book is huge! Anyone that picked Zahn’s Lesser Evil will know what to expect.
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