The High Republic: Escape From Valo Review

spoilers ahead!!

"Ram and the others will have to band together to face their fears and protect the people of Valo as only the Jedi can!"

Escape From Valo by Daniel José Older and Alyssa Wong was the first middle-grade book I read that takes place during the high republic, and it delivered in all the ways that it was supposed to. The story takes place on Valo, the site of the Republic Fair from the novel The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott. Ram Jomaram, a Valo native, is fighting out against the Nihil occupation in any way that he can, taking on the moniker of "the Scarlet Skull" (a fun callback to a similar deception that takes place in Midnight Horizon by DJO). While fighting, he discovers that three Jedi younglings have also survived the Nihil assault, and are lashing out against the raiders as well. Taking the trio under his wing, Ram and the others fight to protect their home planet from the treacherous Nihil.

I was very impressed by the character writing in this book. While Ram has been fleshed out in several other stories, the introduction of three new youngling characters, as well as a few plot-important pirates was extremely well. The plot was also shockingly high-stakes at times, and the authors didn't shy away from moral complexity. Niv Drendow Apruk, a teenage Nihil scientist who becomes one of the main antagonists in the book, genuinely struck fear into my heart for what he could do to the characters.

My favorite part of this book was the unabashed queerness of it all. Having been familiar with Wong's work in the Doctor Aphra (2020) comic series, I was prepared for some gay shit (a term that is loving + non-derogatory), but I was pleasantly overwhelemed by just how far the two authors went. Zyle Keem, a pirate who the four Jedi meet up with, is non-binary, and the decendent of Saya Keem, a queer pirate from the Phase II High Republic Adventures comic run. Gavi, one of the younglings, has feelings for Kildo, who reciprocates those feelings (isn't that the dream). Tep Tep, the youngest of the younglings, is transgender, which marks the largest role in a Star Wars story by a binary trans character (outside of my Dark Disciple Quinlan Vos she/her-truther headcanon). Wong's portion of the dedication (and part of their acknowledgement) is dedicated to queer kids looking for family, and isn't that just the sweetest thing. I'm not ashamed to admit that reading about Tep Tep made my tear up (though I'll give some of the credit to my out-of-whack hormones).

Obviously with this story being targeted at a younger demographic, it doesn't have the kind of plot complexity that I usually prefer in my Star Wars books. Despite this, I thought that the book had great pacing, a story that delivered in being (at least somewhat) relevant to the overarching story of the high republic, and expertly crafted characters that gave the book an immense amount of heart. It was a very quick read, and I'd certainly recommend it to anyone who loves Ram Jomaram, queer Star Wars, or anyone who wants to get the entire story of the High Republic. 8.5/10, great read!!