Master & Apprentice (Star Wars)

Claudia Gray

Apr 2019 · Sold by Random House Worlds

About this ebook

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An unexpected offer threatens the bond between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi as the two Jedi navigate a dangerous new planet and an uncertain future in the first canon Star Wars novel to take place before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master.

When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.

Ratings and reviews

This book is one of the best to come out of the new Star Wars canon. The pacing is done well and gets you invested to try and solve what exactly is going on. The insight into the thought process of the Jedi Council, as well as the relationship between a Master and Padawan are shown in great detail from different characters in this novel. Fleshing out the world and major/minor characters before the Prequels allows the reader to get a better understanding of motives. To see the seeds of light and dark present to characters and then having those characters processing which to choose is intriguing.

I thought the character development was pretty good, adding depth to characters from the prequels that were a little one dimension. The internal conflict within characters was nice. That said, I felt the main plot (Obi Wan and Jinn's development as master and padawan) got a bit lost in the secondary plot (planetary politics). I feel the secondary plot was a good way of developing Obi Wan and Jinn's relationship, but often times the two felt a bit unnecessary to that plot's development.

This book is my first introduction to the Star Wars novels after being a fan of the movies, tv shows, and video games forever. It is perfectly paced with great characters that have lots of depth to them. It is the perfect introduction to the world of Star Wars before the events of The Phantom Menace, and adds so much to already great characters such as Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Dooku. I started this book already a fan of Obi-Wan, and walked out having a new interest and love for Qui-Gon. If you are interested in giving the Star Wars novels a chance, this is the perfect stepping-off point.

About the author

Claudia Gray is the author of Star Wars: Bloodline; Star Wars: Leia, Princess of Alderaan; and Star Wars: Lost Stars. Her other books include Defy the Stars and the Evernight, Spellcaster, and Firebrand series. She has worked as a lawyer, a journalist, a disc jockey, and a particularly ineffective waitress. Her lifelong interests include old houses, classic movies, vintage style, and history. She lives in New Orleans.