I recently read Tessa Gratton's Quest for Planet X, a book in the High Republic series. I really enjoyed it! It was a fun read with an interesting collection of characters on a great adventure. I really recommend it for anyone interested in the High Republic looking for a classic adventure read, filled with mystery, tension, and some classic Star Wars family drama!
Spoilers ahead for Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton!
Rooper Nitani was definitely the highlight of this book for me. I had read a bit of her before in Quest for the Hidden City (man, this girl goes on lots of quests). She's a padawan of Jedi Master Silandra Sho, a Jedi who I think really represents the Jedi code better than most others. But while I love Silandra, she's not in this book much, and Rooper getting to flourish without her master and be more independent. She's with two other characters on her quest, but as the only Jedi, she ends up taking some what of a leader role. Despite her young age, Rooper really shined and showed us what it means to be a Jedi, even when you're still learning and not sure.
I'm a big fan of the Path of the Open Hand. While I don't agree completely with the ideology they have, I find everything about them so compelling- from the varying amounts of fanaticism among its members, the Mother's manipulations, . Rooper and her travelling companions Sky and Dass come up against a member of the Path, Fel Ix. The trio are searching for the long-lost Planet X, believed to be a bountiful place filled with treasure. Though for Sky, it's where they believe they can find their missing father. However, they run into a number of problems along the way- a violent start to a hyperspace race, Sky's brother who's determined to get his ship back, and of course- The Path.
Fel Ix was sent to try to disrupt Republic communications to give the Path an advantage over the Republic, and he and his team cross path with the kids. However, through a mix of cunning and compassion, Fel Ix is captured, though persuaded to help Rooper, Sky, and Dass with undoing some of his damage to help them and the Republic in moments of danager. Reuniting Dass with his father who was worried about him after he left on his adventure, leaving Sky to reunite with their brother, and Rooper to reunite with her master.
Though Sky fails to find Planet X in this book, they are closer than before- and showed a lot of growth. They had the opportunity to find it, but turned around when realizing finding it would mean abandoning others to danger. I certainly hope that we are able to revisit the Phase 2 era of the High Republic in the future, and see Sky find Planet X- and their father.