The Force is everything. A single life connected to all life. All things connected to all other things. This is what the Jedi believe, and this is why they fight. For life…and the light.
For too long, the light has been threatened by Marchion Ro, a sinister despot who will stop at nothing in his quest for power. The conflict with Ro and his marauding Nihil forces has left scars across the galaxy and held the Republic hostage. Countless lives have been lost, beacons of hope have fallen, and the collective courage and resolve of the Republic have been tested like never before. Through it all the Jedi Order has endured, an unwavering candle against the encroaching darkness.
But the Jedi have yet to solve the mystery of the Nameless creatures who feed on the Force. Ro has loosed them upon the galaxy, striking fear into the heart of even the most stalwart Jedi. And yet with every life saved and world freed from Nihil control, the all-consuming blight, which devours everything wherever it appears, threatens to wipe it all away.
Everything now depends on nine brave Jedi, led by Avar Kriss and Elzar Mann, who embark on a treacherous journey to the Nameless homeworld. Their quest: to finally solve the mystery of the Nameless and their connection to the Force, and to stop the blight before its damage becomes irreversible.
But a final confrontation with Marchion Ro awaits. Ro, who is willing to sacrifice everything he’s achieved to secure a final victory against the Jedi and carve his name into the very stars for all time.
Nothing less than the fate of everything, perhaps even the Force itself, is at stake.
Author: Charles Soule
Artist: Grant Griffin
Editor: Tom Hoeler
Release date: June 17, 2025
Pages: 448
ISBN: 9780593723524
We’re near the release of Star Wars: The High Republic: Trials of the Jedi on June 17th, the final adult novel in the three-phase publishing event that has spanned comics, Manga, audio dramas and of course novels. Thanks to Random House Worlds, I had the opportunity to read an advance copy of Trials of the Jedi, and that means we get to share our spoiler-free thoughts two weeks ahead of the novels release.
Initially I struggled with how to approach this task. There’s SO MUCH in this novel to delve into, so much heart and emotion. It has a lot to accomplish, and the expectation from fans that have devotedly engaged in the content is sky high. So, there were two questions that I decided to both ask and answer here (rather than screaming all my spoiler-filled thoughts and reactions to you!)
First: Can you read this book if you haven’t completed all of The High Republic content up until now? Absolutely yes you can. With interludes centered around the experiences of one family, writer Charles Soule keeps the reader updated on the current state of the galaxy and the threats it faces. There’s a tremendous balancing act at play in this book that isn’t dependent on knowing every character’s past experiences. Despite that, you still get a clear picture of the motivations and struggles of each individual character.
Second: For those of us that have been here since Light of the Jedi in 2021 – the shippers, artists, musicians, the internet community that brought everyone together and allowed The High Republic architects to share and play with us – can we possibly be satisfied with one final story to encapsulate and end over four years of beloved content? The answer is yes. Absolutely YES.
There’s a level of mastery in this novel that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before. Charles not only manages to synthesize information that Star Wars has given us about the nature of the Jedi and the Force, combined it with the storylines of the past four years of The High Republic content from himself and the rest of the architects, and combined it with his personal style of storytelling. The story takes us on an adventure that makes you forget what you know about the eras of storytelling that come after it. The stakes are that high in this story.
I was immensely satisfied with every aspect of this book. For those of us who have had the time and resources to engage with all the content, there are several wonderful moments that make you feel like that famous meme of Leonardo DiCaprio pointing at the TV when you catch a reference woven into the story. Also, I’m so excited to see how The High Republic community reacts to this book. As always, I’m grateful for the Force bringing together such an amazing team of writers and creators to this initiative. Stories are so desperately needed in these times, stories that can bring such healing and inspiration, and Charles Soule has given us so much of that in this book.
May The Force Be with You. For Light and Life. Always.