| Title | : | Quest for Planet X (Star Wars: The High Republic) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1368082874 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781368082877 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 278 |
| Publication | : | First published April 4, 2023 |
Despite rumors of conflict between the Jedi and the Path of the Open Hand, two of the Republic’s most powerful prospecting families announce a contest to chart new hyperlanes.
Under the guise of joining the competition, Dass Leffbruk and Sky Graf recruit Jedi padawan Rooper Nitani, only to reveal their real plan: find the mysterious and legendary Planet X. The trio’s quest takes an unexpected turn when they meet members of the Path of the Open Hand, forcing the heroes to put their goals aside to help the Jedi—and the galaxy—before it’s too late.
Quest for Planet X (Star Wars: The High Republic) Reviews
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Quest for Planet X is a fun, action-packed, adventurous Junior Star Wars novel set in the era of the High Republic; known as the golden age of the Jedi.
If you aren't aware, the High Republic materials take place hundreds of years before The Phantom Menace and explore the set-up and development of the galaxy.
This is Canon and is part of Phase II of the High Republic materials release. Specifically, Phase II takes place 150-years prior to the first release from Phase I,
Light of the Jedi.
This is a time before the Republic has fully developed it's vast communications network. Planets and various star systems aren't as connected as they one day become. It's really the Wild West time in space exploration.
This story mainly follows three characters: Dass, Jedi Padawan Rooper and Sky. They enter the great Hyperspace Chase with the goal of mapping a course to Planet X.
Planet X is a mysterious planet that many do not believe exists. 12-year old, Dass, has been there before with his Dad. In fact, their ship, the Silverstreak, is still there. Dass would like to reclaim it.
15-year old, Sky, will captain their mission. They have their own reasons for wanting to find Planet X, which is slowly revealed over the course of the story.
Dass convinces Padawan Rooper to join them on the mission for two weeks. He feels like Rooper's Jedi status will only help them on their way; perhaps keep them safe.
It's a stressful adventure from the start as it becomes clear that their ship, the Brightbird, was perhaps taken from Sky's brother, Helis, by less than upfront means. Helis claims Sky stole the ship and he wants it back, by any means necessary.
The kids are flying against the odds, but nevertheless they are determined to find Planet X. The stakes get higher though when they have a run in with members from the ominous shadow group, The Path of the Open Hand.
The members of The Path are Force-Users who oppose the Jedi. They try to get Rooper to join their cause, claiming the Jedi are corrupt.
There is so much happening in this story. The characters are great and I loved that amidst all the chaos, we really got to know them and their motivations.
While they were all trying to forge their own path in the best ways they know how, I liked that they grew to trust and rely on one another. They showed great personal growth and teamwork over the course of the story.
The fun thing about Middle Grade, or Junior, Star Wars novels is that it is really one event start to finish. You see the problem and solution. While it doesn't add as much to the building of the world as say the Young Adult, or Adult novels, it's still a satisfying and engaging read.
Don't get me wrong, you do learn things in here that contribute to the larger picture, it's just lesser in scope than the more advanced novels.
I listened to the audiobook of this story and again was struck by the overall production. If you have never listened to a Star Wars novel released by Disney Audio, I highly recommend it. It's an entire listening experience.
The narration is always phenomenal and don't even get me started on the music and sound effects. It's so freaking fun, truly bringing the stories to life.
Thank you so much to the publisher, Disney Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. This was a ton of fun. I have been loving the High Republic materials and am looking forward to picking up many, many more. -
This is part of the second phase of The High Republic series and is a children's book. In this one we have a group of three young adults that decide to make a trek to find a world that is off the charts. It doesn't go as planned.
If I was reading this book as a child and the target audience I would probably give this an easy four star rating. Unfortunately those days are long past and as an adult I had some minor issues with this offering and made me rate this as a three star rating. The most positive aspect about this book and what I really enjoyed was the message. It was subtle and did not beat you over the head with its intent. I liked how it showed how the younger characters are trying to figure out what to do with their lives and working this out with their family. It also touched upon dealing with grief which is not easy at that age or any age. As for the journey it works but there are plot holes that I did notice. These holes did not detract much from my enjoyment. What affected my enjoyment was the characters. I am not a fan of the padawan Rooper. She was introduced in an earlier offering and I hate how she sees the force. I also thought the other two characters suffered no reparations for their actions in this book and for me it was a flaw. I believe the younger audience will enjoy this outcome. Once again I am showing my age (when did that become a thing?)
I was not expecting much from this book but it actually won me over for the most part. It had a lot working against it so this was a pleasant surprise. I am not a huge fan of The High Republic series. I am just not connecting with the characters and that continued for this book. Everything else was enjoyable. -
okay this was so action packed and space opera fun! loved Sky being introduced they’re such a good character. i need all of them back immediately omg
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2.75 stars.
“The Force connected everything, and so, apparently, did Planet X.”
Quest for Planet X. was everything a middle grade story should be, a fun, fast-paced, coming-of-age adventure that leaves you some good messages. It certainly accomplished its purpose well.
With the returning cast from Quest for the Hidden City, we venture into another little adventure, if admittedly a bit less action-packed, where our characters can find their places in such a vast galaxy and the value of friendship.
It became glaringly clear, pretty fast, that I was not the target audience for this particular story - something that can be more or less obvious depending on the middle grade story - but I could enjoy a nice, fast pace that kept me engaged and turning the pages all the way to the end.“A lightsaber could be used to attack or defend; it was flexible and adaptable. But the shield was always a shield. A shield was devoted to being itself.”
While this was a fun and nice adventure to go on it is nothing that will be on my mind further than when I finish writing this review. There is nothing noteworthy in here and even the implications for the bigger picture felt a bit small, though I did appreciate the connection.
Mostly, its strong point is the way they present how different people, with different ideals and goals, can come together and leave their differences aside in order to coexist and even form strong and meaningful friendships. And it is a beautiful and well-executed message.
Coupled with the permeating message of finding yourself and we have a very nice, easy-going, and fun story.“This was all Sky’s guts and genius, plus Dass’s courage and Rooper’s certainty.”
As for the characters, well, I certainly like Rooper quite a bit, and having her back was a treat, but I did not connect with either Dass or Sky one bit and that did make the story drag a little bit.
It was a bit disconcerting, though, the way the plot went. It was not what I was expecting. While in the end it all worked out well I am still a bit dissatisfied about that.
For what it was, I quite enjoyed it and appreciated having a fun, little break.“Know yourself, and you’ll find your own confidence.”
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That was fine. I enjoyed my time if nothing else.
RTC.
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With everything currently going on in this series I have no idea what this middle grade story could even be about; if nothing else, the name sounds fun and adventurous, which is something.
Considering how fresh and fun Quest for the Hidden City was I can only hope this one will resemble it and be a quick and entertaining read.
Plus, seeing Silandra and Rooper again is going to be fun. -
A friend of mine once said the hardest review to write is one where you didn’t hate the book, but also didn’t find yourself falling head over heels for it. Not bad, not great. Just ok. With Quest for Planet X, that is largely how I feel with one added caveat, this book is not meant for me. It is always an interesting thing having to review a book in which you are not the intended audience. You have to transport yourself back to when you were younger and think, what would I think of this book.
Putting all that aside, I mostly enjoyed Quest for Planet X. It largely centers around three characters, Padawan Rooper Nitani, Dass Leffbruk, and the new addition to the bunch, Sky Graf. And as the title says, it revolves around the journey to find Planet X. For each of these characters, they hold a different reason for wanting to go. Dass wants to go back to find his old ship (for those who don’t recall, they left it there after Sunshine Dobbs ditched them on Gloam). Sky wants to go there to hopefully find his father, who was searching for Planet X before going missing for just about a year. And for Rooper, she is there to protect Dass and hold the peace. And as the synopsis says, Fel Ix (from Path of Deceit) also joins the team halfway through, not by choice though.
In terms of our new protagonist, Sky Graf, I can’t say I found them very riveting. I found them more annoying than anything else. Regardless of how I feel about their character and development, I must applaud Tessa Gratton including a Non-Binary character as the lead. For Star Wars, it was very much a revolutionary first step in this type of representation for this type of medium.
The plot of the story had me sort of shrugging by the end. The theme of fatherhood looms large throughout this whole book. Dass and his father, Sky and their missing father, and Fel Ix and his children. And while those themes are explored nicely, it doesn’t really resonate that well with coming to a fully formed plot. It was rather erratic. I couldn’t help but feel like the book was rather wayward by the end of it. In fact, that was the first thing that popped into my head by the end of the book. In Phase I, I felt like A Test of Courage and Mission to Disaster came more full circle, but they also had the benefit of Out of the Shadows in the middle.
That being said, this book is not meant for someone my age. It is meant for a middle grade audience and I think they will be enthralled by this book. It has action, it has heart, and it has that classic Star Wars chaos. Giving this book 3.5 stars out of 5. -
After the heights of the Phase 2 Projects thus far, I was eagerly anticipating Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton. The plot did not stick out to me, so it wasn't a priority to read instantly, but I was interested in it.
Unfortunately, this book is really "mid".
This book follows Dass Leffbruk and Jedi Rooper Nitani (both featured in the previous middle grade book "Quest for the Hidden City"), as well as newcomer Sky Graf. The three of them go on an adventure to try to discover an unknown planet that might change the course of history: hence the title "Quest for Planet X".
On the plus side, I liked seeing all of the High Republic connections. They did a great job of connecting this novel with the other High Republic projects. If you're following everything, you will appreciate the nods and references in this book. Especially if you appreciated the way "Race to Crashpoint Tower" connected with "The Rising Storm".
Unfortunately, the plot for this book stumbles in the end. Many Middle Grade SW books, particularly the Young Jedi Knights, had plots where the characters ended up where they started. This only works if the overall plot of the series has moved forward and if you are emotionally connected with the characters. Unfortunately, this book moves the plot barely, if any, at all, and I was emotionally connected to Vernestra Rwoh and Imri Cantaros in Phase 1. I am not really that connected with the three leads in this book.
The main characters also make a ton of ill advised (dare I say "stupid") decisions throughout the book, especially regarding things they should know. That's frustrating when its in any novel.
Overall, this is a weaker Star Wars Middle Grade book. Much like Race to Crashpoint Tower, it is easily forgettable, and not nearly as memorable as the other three books thus far. 5 out of 10. -
A much more mature story than phase 1, and much easier to follow along than the last middle grade from phase 2.
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I already miss Phase II 💙💙💙
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Are the frog people safe? Are they alright? Yes, they are.
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Not great, not terrible
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This is my favorite middle grade High Republic installment so far! (Full review to come.)
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Quest for Planet X is the second and last middle grade novel part of The High Republic’s phase 2. Written by Tessa Gratton and illustrated by Petur Antonsson, Quest for Planet X balances a light adventure with age appropriate themes of loss, identity, and maturity.
Central to the story are Jedi Padawan Rooper Nitani, prospector pre-teen Dass Leffbruk, and roguish teenager Sky Graf. The novel takes place following the events of The Battle of Jedha and, while the galaxy is full of uncertainties during this time, this motley crew comes together amidst conflicting priorities to track down the mysterious Planet X. Sky Graf has unearthed a family relic, one he believes with a Jedi’s help, can aid them in their search for the planet. The three teenagers go on a galaxy spanning adventure, pick up a member of the Path of the Open hand along the way, deal with deep issues related to grief and suffering, and end their journey in ways none of them expected.
Like most Star Wars middle grade books, Quest for Planet X tackles issues that younger readers likely will connect with. Rooper, Dass and Sky all have emotional baggage that they bring to the novel, which Gratton handles both delicately and beautifully. Issues such as identity, loneliness, bravery and acceptance are explored yet balanced with adventure and humor. While each individual character is distinctive in what they bring to the book, Gratton also shows how vastly different beings can come together when they all have a common goal. All of these themes and lessons are appropriate for younger readers (started at age 10 I’d say) but will likely hit adults in meaningful ways too.
Quest for Planet X fits nicely in with the storylines and events of The High Republic phase 2, but for readers who are hungry for easter eggs, I’d recommend looking elsewhere. Sure there are references and characters present that will be familiar (Dalna, Silandra Sho, The Path of the Open Hand), but this book doesn’t exist solely to add another piece to the High Republic puzzle, and to me that’s a good thing. I think that Star Wars readers can often hungrily consume each and every book and race to connect story points, and if that’s your goal in picking up Quest for Planet X then I’d invite you to instead sit back and enjoy this book for what it actually is: a well-paced, well-written exploration into how a group of teenagers band together amidst a galaxy in turmoil and find new ways towards peace and understanding.
Having said that, Quest for Planet X really aligns well with the other stories from phase 2, and is truly the partner novel to Quest for the Hidden City by George Mann. Kudos to Tessa Gratton for crafting a novel that can be enjoyed for Star Wars fans of all ages. -
I waffled over even assigning this one a rating since I'm quite clearly not the target demographic but ultimately it was an entertaining-enough space yarn featuring the dynamic between a quartet of young people caught up in the events shaking up the Outer Rim during and immediately following
The Battle of Jedha.
Probably the most intriguing of the new characters introduced here. -
Quest for Planet X was the unsuspected surprise Phase II of The High Republic had in store for me at a time where I was struggling to grasp the bigger narrative of this Phase. Although it is a middle grade novel, it feels mature due to the topics it addresses and will make for an intense yet fun read for young and old alike.
Not only does this novel include some of the best non-binary representation I've seen in Star Wars or sci-fi/fantasy middle grade novels generally, it also handles grief with care, uncertainty with understanding and teenage identity crises with gentle guidance, leaving you both emotional and safe, as if the book itself had embraced you. It is the right mix of chaos, fun, scientific information (and dangerous curiosity!) and philosophical debate.
I also want to highlight the narrative intelligence woven into the storytelling of Quest for Planet X. Tessa Gratton alternates between four point of views and takes great care in truly telling the chapters from each perspective. While one character might have had a revelation, another may not know of that yet. Not only does this create tension between the characters, it often also gives the reader an advantage over them, thus making every chapter feel like a discovery and every perspective worthwhile.
My only complaint about this book is that after Quest for the Hidden City, I expected Amos and Kam as well as Dietrix to make a comeback. It's truly a shame they were kind of forgotten about after QftHC, though I understand and still appreciate the focus of this book. Additionally, this story didn't advance the overall plot of the Phase much, but that is more a general Phase 2 problem than anything I would attribute to a single book. This novel still feels like a continuation of Rooper's story, the character origanically having switched from Mann's writing to Gratton's.
Generally, I would say Gratton's works are among the - scratch that - they are THE best works from this Phase. I can't wait to see what the author is going to come up with for Phase 3, and only thinking of that fills me with anticipation and the usual mixture of hype and dread. No pressure, Tessa! I, for one, am glad Gratton was added to the High Republic team and can fully recommend Quest for Planet X to everyone who likes Rooper and Dass and is looking for heartfelt representation or a deeper time than the age tag might suggest. -
very cute very fun i love rooper
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A fun middle grade novel that continues to expand the world and tension of High Republic Phase II. Something I love about this phase is the way that each of the three groups of novels are really building out their characters. The adult novels have a main cast that they have been developing and following, and the same goes for the young adult and middle grade plot lines. This also fits nicely with the synced titling for each group, and the general sense of close-knit cohesion within this phase.
With my previous comments in mind, this story was definitely very character based. While the plot was fun and adventurous, this story was really a study of the main characters Rooper, Dass, Sky, and Fel Ix, and how they interacted with each other and the world around them. Because it is intended for a younger audience, it could be a bit heavy-handed at times with the intended lessons each character had to learn, but this didn’t make it any less enjoyable for me as an adult reader. Again, reading these middle grade Star Wars books really makes me feel like I would have loved to have met these characters when I was a young reader. I’m excited for kids today to get to read these kinds of stories and happy I get to read them myself! -
“Quest for Planet X” is the second junior-grade novel of Wave 2 of “The High Republic” initiative’s Phase II set of novels (man, how’s THAT for a confusing sentence? LOL). As a novel geared towards younger readers, it’s suitably exciting, telling a nice, one-in-done story that should appeal to most age levels, while also – surprisingly – ALSO managing to tie in nicely to the broader narrative of Phase II (High Republic completionists will DEFINITELY want to give this one a read). It may not be as consistently page-turning as “Cataclysm” or even “The Battle of Jedha” but as a quick bite-sized addendum to the High Republic’s core ongoing story, this is good stuff.
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I'm rounding this up from 2.5 stars, for the easy writing style and some well-drawn characters...but I'm afraid at this stage, the naïve idiot Jedi of The High Republic era have poisoned the well for me, in terms of plot & story.
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“I want to serve the Force. Help bring light to the galaxy, especially out here. I want to be strong, and good. Helpful. I want to make friends, and – I want my master to be proud of me.”
Quest for Planet X follows three kids - Padawan Rooper Nitani, Dass Leffbruk who dreams of becoming a Pathfinder, and Sky Graf, a member of the notable hyperspace prospector clan - who team up to find the mysterious Planet X, a place rumoured to have healing properties, strange nature and all kinds of strange, fantastical things. While they try to find their way to the planet, the kids grow and learn, and start to figure out what they want to be and do as they grow up.
I really enjoyed this novel, just like I enjoyed the previous middle grade novel where we first met Rooper and Dass. Tessa Gratton's prose is engaging, fun and endearing, and I just loved the action-packed, classic adventure vibes with strange creatures, daring plans and kids just doing their best in a weird situation. I also appreciated how she incorporated some more heavy topics, such as loss and weight of family expectations, which are themes many of us, including the target audience aka kids, can relate to. This book also tied nicely to the other books of Phase 2, including nods to Cataclysm, Quest for the Hidden City, Path of Deceit (FINALLY SOMEONE MENTIONED KEVMO!!!) and The Battle of Jedha.
The characters were all delightful. Rooper is a sweetie pie who always tries to be the best Jedi she can be and figure out her place in the Force, and Dass is someone who is very brave and competent despite their young age and their tendency for nerves and fear. I like seeing a character who is scared at times and has no shame in verbalising it, but is also able to overcome those fears when needed. Fel Ix, the Path member we follow a good chunk of the book, was also an interesting character. He is a devout member of the Path but he is not hostile to the Jedi and he does not want violence. His conversations with Rooper about faith, the Force and all that were wonderful to read. I liked how this book explored whether it is possible for people with different ideologies to co-exist and respect one another any way.
My favorite character of the book was Sky Graf. First of all, their whole look is fabulous. Gotta love a fashion icon. Sky was funny, sassy, super smart and they had a wonderful arc over the course of the book, the strongest of all the main character arcs, in my opinion. I also loved finding out why they were so hellbent on finding Planet X and seeing more of the Graf family though the eyes of someone who is, at this point in time, seemingly one of the only decent, good Grafs. They know their family is shady, and I love how they use their family name to get by and how they their vulnerabilities under this laid-back, selfish, cool Graf persona. They also were allowed to be very human, as in, they were not as calm and collected as Rooper, so determined to always do the selfless thing. Sky was allowed to be a bit messy, a bit selfish, and none of this was used to demonise them: they are just human, a teen. I wish Sky would've been introduced earlier in this Phase, as I would've happily read tons of stories with them in it. They are definitely one of the standout characters of Phase 2 for me.
From a representation point of view, Sky is also very important: they are a non binary character and in their chapters there are actual mentions of chest dysphoria and chest binding, which was super cool to see in Star Wars! I have heard many trans and non binary people talking about how awesome this was, and I'm just so happy Tessa Gratton gave us Sky! I also appreciated that Fel Ix is in a polyamorous relationship with two partners (one of them is a fellow dude), as this is also something not often seen in Star Wars!
While these middle grade novels tend to follow smaller groups of characters with less galaxy-shattering events taking place, I do still highly recommend picking them up. They are just good, fun Star Wars, and even if the stakes aren't as big, who cares? If you wanna fun, exciting adventure with loveable characters and awesome queer representation with some important conversations surrounding carving your own path, learning to see other people's point of views and finding your place in life peppered throughout the story, read this book! -
Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
Star Wars: Die Hohe Republik: Auf der Suche nach Planet X
Einige Monate ist es nun her, seitdem wir von der Zweiten Phase auf Deutsch gehört haben. Schön, dass @starwarspaninide
nun gleich zwei Bände in Folge liefert. Zunächst möchte ich euch den zweiten YA-Roman näher bringen. Denn der kann Einiges!
Inhalt:
Eigentlich wollte Padawan Rooper auf Batuu auf die Rückkehr ihrer Meisterin warten. Doch da hat sie die Rechnung ohne ihren neuen Freund Dass (siehe "Die Suche nach der Verborgenen Stadt") und ihren noch neueren Freund Sky gemacht. Die überzeugen (oder überreden) die Jedi stattdessen zur Hyperraumjagd, um auf dem mysteriösen Planeten X, eine alte Prospektortenlegende, zu landen. Spannung, Spaß und Ärger sind vorprogrammiert...
Meine Meinung:
Mann macht dieses Buch viel Spaß! @tessa.gratton gelingt es die bestehenden Figuren aus @georgemannauthor 's "Die Suche nach der Verborgenen Stadt" zu übernehmen, zu erweitern und mit ihren eigenen Ideen in Harmonie zu bringen. Sky Graf ist ein wunderbarer Charakter, der bezeugt, dass man nicht alle über einen Kamm scheren sollte. Nicht alle Grafs sind so wie wir sie kennen. Die Autorin stellt auch eine schöne Verbindung zu den Hauptbüchern her, wobei diese nicht so stark ist wie in Phase 1. In seinem Kern bietet das Buch jedoch viel mehr - es geht um Verlust und Zweite Chancen. Sehr erwachsene Themen die wichtig zu vermitteln sind. Der Spagat zwischen Abenteuer und Ernst gelingt. Die Sprache ist bekannt einfach und anschaulich.
Fazit:
Tolles Werk mit einer Vielzahl an wichtigen Themen und liebevoll gestalteten Figuren!
Werbung: Vielen lieben Dank an @paninide / @starwarspaninide für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionexemplares! -
This book was cute and an easy read, but to be honest it was very hard to find the motivation to continue reading it! Still a fun high republic adventure
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There are 4 characters that travel to Planet X together, at least for some time, and I will comment on everyone separately.
Rooper, the Jedi Padawan, is looking for her place (what a surprise for a middle grade novel) in the force. At the beginning of the novel, she doesn't know what the force wants from her, then she just goes through the doors that open up before her, and because of the things that happen to her and that she has to do because of that, she realizes that she wants to be a shield, not a weapon, like her master. I like her conclusion, but I don't like how she got there. It feels like a very christian way of thinking to me. Christians often have the problem that god does not speak to them directly (I wonder why) so they just do how they feel like and see everything that happens to them as subtle guidance by god. And then they tell everyone how god amazingly spoke to them and guided their way, while they should realize that there is no one talking. I understand that the Jedi are a religion, so it's understandable that they act like real world religious people, but the Jedi religion is kinda based. The force really exists in the galaxy far, far away. It can speak to the Jedi. So why does Rooper act like a religious person whose god cannot speak to them?
Dass is looking for his place (wow) in the galaxy. By the end, he knows that he wants to join a pathfinder team as a pilot. He also has to reconcile with his dad and let past things in the past. I didn't feel like his arc was that fleshed out, but maybe I missed it.
Sky of the hyperspace prospecting family Graf is very prominent in this novel. They have to deal with grief and learn that it's good to do the right thing. This one was well executed in my opinion. Also, the page where it is described how they got their first binder was great for me. It's important that queer representation is not just a side note in a character sheet. The unique experiences of queer people have to be included to make it great representation. And it wasn't just a page of representation inserted into a book, the paragraph had a purpose in the story. It showed why the relationship between Sky and their dad was so good, so healthy, so intimate.
Fel Ix from the Path of the Open Hand joins the crew later, but he's a very interesting character. He's a good person with a good faith in a bad religious institution. By the end, he keeps his faith, but leaves his religious institution. Generally, I agree that while religious institutions always have to be criticized, there has to be freedom of religion and faith can be good and helpful for some. And he proves that. But would have wished for a little more deconstruction of his faith.
All in all, solid middle grade novel, I enjoyed reading. -
Pathfinder Dass Leffbrook, Jedi Rooper Nitani, and prospector Sky Graf set out to win the Hyperspace Chase and be the first to map the way to the mysterious Planet X. But hyperspace prospectors might not be the only ones seeking the same goals…
Tessa Gratton takes us on an adventure through a galaxy that will surprise our heroes at every turn along the way!
Ancient navigation! Family bonds! Challenging beliefs! Batuu! And finding purpose, duty, and identity!
The story is beautifully crafted and deals with some remarkably deep themes in a very real and grounded way. There are moments where the characters find their ways and beliefs challenged. The adventure through the galaxy puts them to the test and sometimes the answers aren’t what they seem. The relationships are more than surface level and surprisingly layered and mature for what one might expect from a middle-grade book. As I’ve always said, just because there is a target audience for this story doesn’t mean those of us outside of that target can’t enjoy it as well! There is plenty of Star Wars action and exploration along with a few familiar places that I especially enjoyed.
This is a must-read for anyone out there feeling a little lost finding who you are. The characters learn, grow, and come to realize what’s really important. There aren’t many better lessons that Star Wars can give us.
Full review at
https://theroguerebels.com/2023/04/24... -
A surprisingly good sequel.
I went into this High Rebulic story with tepid expectations. While I enjoyed the LOST CITY for the most part, there was something that was missing in that story. And it dawned on me after reading QUEST FOR PLANET X, Dass actually has a personality this time around.
In the first book, Dass, who was a POV character, did not feel like an authentic character. His personality was very one-note but given the circumstances in which his character was in, i.e., surviving on a deadly planet, he did not have enough range in that situation to be any more interesting than he was.
Here, Dass is a fully fledge, 12-year-old frontiersmanboy. He demonstrates considerable skill as a pilot and know-how around the frontier that the other characters lack, which was refreshing to see. Given the fact that the other major characters of this book are a Jedi Padawan and a rich kid with a bunch of fancy toys trying to prove themselves. It was good to see Dass rise above the larger-than-life characters.
Sky was easily annoying at first, but they do get much better as the book progresses. I did enjoy how Rooper, the Jedi demonstrated the Jedi's principles while still being portrayed as very much a child trying to fight against peer pressure and its urgings to show off in front of others by reminding herself that she isn't showing off but more of just 'being with the Force' as she says.
Overall, these High Republic books have been sleeper hits and I've enjoyed them thus far. -
This book was mostly ok. Not bad, far from that, but not great either.
Although I love big, sprawling stories with subplots, for a book with this size and for this audience, it was nice to have a smaller cast of characters you could connect with, which is an improvement from the previous MG book.
But the important thing is that it was a fun adventure especially created for it's target audience (which is not 22-year-olds). -
I'm fully in my middle-grade/young readers era, and Quest for Planet X is my favorite Star Wars one so far. Thank you to Disney Books for sending a review copy!
Snippets from my review for Dork Side of the Force:
"The latest High Republic phase two story has all the best attributes of the middle-grade novels that came before it: heart, humor, dynamic struggles, and emotional growth that make it extraordinarily relatable to all ages. The High Republic: Quest for the Planet X also has quite possibly the best description of hyperspace science ever seen in a Star Wars book.
Oh, and a Jedi Padawan deflects starship cannon fire using just her two lightsabers and the Force – all while floating in space."
"Sky Graf's story is also a crucial moment for The High Republic era and Star Wars as a whole. Sky is non-binary, and their pronouns are immediately accepted by all and never questioned. They also explain their struggles with their own identity and how important their father was in guiding them through that — including buying them their first chest binder.
Their inclusion represents the largest part for a non-binary character in Star Wars we’ve seen so far. It cannot be overstated how important it is to have that LGBTQ+ representation in a book for middle-grade readers — kids ages 3-12. Especially at a time when so many books with LGBTQ+ stories and authors are being challenged and removed from library shelves.
Seeing yourself represented in a piece of fictional media like Star Wars is a beautiful experience. And I’m so glad to think about all the people who may see themselves represented in Sky and their journey in Quest for Planet X."
"Quest for Planet X is a can’t-miss Star Wars read, lively and fast-paced with all the right elements to add more depth to The High Republic phase two." -
Best middle grade book in The High Republic, by far! It's a fun and quick adventure that keeps your attention, as everything happens at a nice pace. The characters are well written and the way this plays into the other books in Phase 2 is a fun addition, too!
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3.5/5
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More high republic! More, I says!
