Format: Paperback
Published: 11th October, 2016
Age: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: 4/5 Stars
This is not my first Star Wars book, but I think of the ones I’ve read it’s the one I’ve enjoyed most so far! I need to also explain I have never seen Star Wars’ Clone Wars or Rebels. My main exposure to Ahsoka’s character comes, instead, from the live action TV series. At some point I will get around to watching the animated shows, but I think it’s worth pointing this out as I am aware there are a lot of references in this book I missed, or moments which don’t hit as hard as they may have if I’d followed Ahsoka as a character throughout.
This book takes place between Ahsoka’s last appearance in Clone Wars and when she appears in Rebels, and bridges a gap between the two to show how she became the Rebel operative Fulcrum. After fleeing the planet where she’s made her home, Ahsoka finds herself on a moon that really has little to offer except farming and a community, one which Ahsoka slots into quite well. Until the Empire turn their attention to the moon and take over the farming. Ahsoka has a choice to make; help the community fight back and risk exposing herself, or flee once more.
Of course, Ahsoka stays, and tries to help where she can, but with the community being unexperienced and distrustful of the timing of her arrival, they don’t always listen to her, causing issues that she then has to step in to resolve. This book is like the hopeful almost counterpoint to Andor – it shows the reach of the Empire, the targeting of seemingly insignificant planets, and how a small group can kickstart a rebellion, as well as the sacrifices made along the way, to the point I wouldn’t be surprised if this had some inspiration for the show.
Ahsoka is a great character, and it’s painful at times as she ruminates on fellow Jedi, believing them – including Obi Wan & Anakin – to be totally lost during Order 66. She helps where she can, small acts of kindness to try and make the galaxy a better place, while doing her best by the people she’s closely connected to. It’s a wonderful book, and definitely a great addition to Star Wars as a whole, accessible for any Star Wars fan no matter what shows they have or haven’t watched.
There’s also a sapphic subtext – presumably, Johnston wasn’t able to, in 2016, make this more explicit, especially with such a core SW character as Ahsoka, but there is another character she befriends who clearly has a crush on her and it’s very sweet to see it unfold!
If you’re wondering if you’ll enjoy this without having seen the animated series’, then I would say yes! Though now I definitely need to go and watch both Clone Wars and Rebels after falling in love even more with Ahsoka.
Reading Challenge
Musicals Reading Challenge 2026
Prompt: 1970s: The Rocky Horror Show – Science Fiction/Double Feature – Sci-Fi
Progress: 7/24, +1 Bonus
Unwrapping Words 