Let’s get one thing out of the way first. Star Wars Rebels is a kid’s show. A New Dawn is not a kid’s book, which was a surprise and provided a bit of interesting cognizant dissonance while I read it. It is not necessary to be familiar with both to enjoy either, but both of them do inform each other.
If you enjoy the character of Kanan in the television show, you’ll probably enjoy this look at his backstory. My favorite Jedi are not the ones who are black and white, and Kanan definitely has some shades of gray, especially during the time period this novel is set.
Hera is the only other familiar face from the crew in Star Wars Rebels to make an appearance. Though she and Kanan are definitely a couple in the show, A New Dawn is not their courtship or love story. I appreciated this representation of Hera has a character in her own right, and not just appearing as Kanan’s love interest.
As a writer, I found Miller’s language clear and the pacing very well done. I was very impressed with his ability to write Kanan and Hera as adult characters that still felt very true to the way they are portrayed in Rebels. As a Star Wars fan, I found the plot of the novel and Kanan’s journey within in it, even as part of the “new canon,” to be in the same spirit as the novels that came before.
Rating: 4 (out of 5) stars.
Cross-posted to Amazon and Goodreads.
I’d really like a Sabine Wren novel now, though. She’s my girl.
I also enjoyed this novel. I found Kanan the last Jedi comic series also very good. Great insight on Kanan’s early years.