REVIEW: ‘Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence’

Phase 2 for The High Republic Era of Star Wars has now been in full swing for over a month now. Through a junior novel, youth novel, and comic series, fans have begun to learn more about the galaxy as it was 380 years before the Battle of Yavin. As the phase progresses, the hype around this time period continues to grow after the smash success of Phase 1. One of the staples of The High Republic storytelling has been adult novelizations, so it is no secret that the excitement for Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence is at an all-time high.

Published by Del Rey, Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence is written by Zoraida Córdova. While Córdova did not take the helm for any of the publications in Phase 1, she is no stranger to the franchise. With credits in From a Certain Point of View and The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark as well as a tie-in young adult novel in A Crash of Fate, Córdova is primed to make her presence felt in the larger Star Wars mythos.

Unlike the Galaxy Far, Far away that we know today, The High Republic era is still very much in a time of exploration. In Phase 1, fans saw an era where the Jedi were much more prominent figures rather than myths and legends. Hyperspace was much more complex to traverse and the Outer Rim was even more unruly than in the Skywalker Saga. Further, phase 2 takes fans back even further than that to a time when communication wasn’t as easy as popping up a holo device. As the exploration continues, the Jedi Council sends Jedi Pathfinders to the far reaches of the galaxy to maintain balance. Convergence follows one such Jedi, Gella Natti, who volunteers to settle a dispute between two planets in forever war.

At this point in the timeline, the galaxy is at relative peace. The differences between planets and even the two acting Chancellors have been the primary conflict thus far. As always, darkness and villainy are always lurking, but largely unseen to the powers at be. In Convergence, the primary conflict is between Eiram and E’ronoh, two planets that have been at war for generations and generations. When an assassination plot on the two heirs of the royal planetary families, it is up to Gella Natti to protect the two people who may finally bring the two warring planets to peace. However, she has to do with Axel Greylark, the son of Supreme Chancellor Kyong Greklark who is not certain if the Jedi are the pillars of morality they are made out to be.

Convergence shines in its ability to run the theme of dichotomy and the search for a middle ground. This is largely done with the backdrop of two warring planets but writer Córdova expertly brings themes down to its characters. Phan-tu Zenn, the prince of Eiram, and Xiri A’lbaran, the princess of E’ronoh, have prominent roles in the story as they try to break the generational cycle of war despite their difference. Axel and Gella but heads on more than one occasion and given his ideals and his prominent role in the sister book, Star Wars: The High Republic: Cataclysm, it’s safe to say those differences may not be as easily resolved as their banter suggests.

Further, Gella also provides yet another interesting look at how different the Jedi of this era are compared to the Jedi of the Skywalker saga. Her age puts her on a different stage than the young padawans and Jedi Masters that are typically the focus of other Star Wars stories. Her search for what home means as a Jedi is refreshing and makes one of my favorite Jedi to be introduced in Phase 2.

While the plot may not be as complex as others in the franchise, the characters and themes make Convergence fly by page after page. Córdova’s writing blends charm, humor, tension, and action together in a way that makes every chapter have substance. If you are coming off reading Path of Deceit or Quest for the Hidden City, there are enough connections to add to the world-building. However, Convergence is largely contained to the story that is trying to tell. For some, this may be a bit jarring compared to the other iteration in The High Republic. Convergence doesn’t have the same kind of galaxy-shifting events that were seen in the early novels in Phase 1. I would be lying if that wasn’t my expectation going in. So much has been made about the lingering darkness that is going to emerge to be the major conflict of this time period. By the end of Convergence, there isn’t a whole lot gleamed about these threats.

After sitting with Convergence, I think that is a great addition to the ever-expanding lore for Star Wars. This time period is a time of peace. While I was hoping for more scale and world-building in the conflict, Star Wars at its best is not about the conflict between the Light and the Dark but about the characters that inhabit the galaxy and the stories they tell. Córdova nails that. The characters are compelling; not as black and white as the premise may lead on. The conflict is important to the inhabitants of these two worlds and deserves to be told.

The galaxy is and always has been about more than just the lightsabers and politics. While it may not be the shock and awe of Light of the Jedi, everything great about the High Republic is represented in Convergence and Córdova’s writing.

Star Wars: The High Republic: Convergence is wherever books are sold.