STAR WARS: THE ACOLYTE

Two Padawans represent the Jedi and the Republic in a fierce coming-of-age tournament during a fraught diplomatic mission in this novel inspired by the TV show Star Wars: The Acolyte.

A cloud of pink and violet vapor engulfs the planet Siline as Jedi Padawans Jecki Lon (who’s half Theelin and has white skin) and Yord Fandar (a dark-skinned human) arrive with their masters for a delicate meeting with the planet’s War Council; Siline is on the cusp of joining the Republic. The negotiation plans shift with the eruption of the red diamond geysers, an event that signals the start of the Crowning Convocation, a planetwide competition for Silinese youth, many of whom train for years to compete. The tradition has a violent history, but the controversial rules now forbid killing. Jecki and Yord receive an unexpected invitation to participate, thrusting them into the spotlight, but during the competition, they can’t use lightsabers or the Force. The two Padawans aren’t the only non-Silinese competing. Lio Graf, a human with dark skin and crystalline body modifications, intends to prove they belong on Siline and secure their future at any cost. The fast-paced chapters alternate among Jecki’s, Yord’s, and Lio’s third-person perspectives as they team up with Sitia and her genderfluid younger sibling, Rhos, two Silinese teens from a powerful family. In the midst of the suspenseful, high-action competition, the characters grapple with questions of identity, relationships, belonging, and ambition.

A tense and absorbing adventure.