Star Wars: "The Last of the Jedi" is a happy surprise. I wasn’t expecting it, but I suppose everything comes from somewhere.

The story starts with Kenobi on Tatooine watching over Luke when he hears there’s a Jedi in trouble. His interest is piqued, but with his duties, he feels he should stay put. Qui-Gon makes an appearance, and we’re off on an adventure.

The book’s structure feels a lot like the Clone Wars series, with serial arcs that could easily span two, three, or four episodes. On this adventure, Kenobi encounters new characters, including a younger guy named Trevor, who’s a bit all over the place but still a cool addition. It even calls back to the Padawan/master dynamic.

The pacing is solid, and the action that exists lands well. The story definitely harks back to earlier installments of the Young Jedi series. That said, you could also pick this book up and jump in anywhere, and it flows fairly well.

Overall, this book was a happy surprise. It feels like an extension of the prequel era. It’s good, though a little slow and heavy on setup. 3/5

#starwars