If you love the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi, you are going to enjoy this book. I never experienced this when reading Kenobi, which is huge for me. I find myself thinking in caps, “LUKE WOULDN’T SAY THAT!” or “HAN DOESN’T ACT THAT WAY!”. I think that’s why I have such a hard time with post Return of the Jedi E.U.

Miller seeks to give the book a western feel, with the stranger in a strange land motif, and it accomplishes that quite well through episodic adventures connected by a common thread.įor the most part, the voice portrayed in Kenobi is strong I could hear Ewan McGregor/James Arnold Taylor every time I read any dialogue by Kenobi, and as I explained previously, I’m a hard sell on this. Obi-Wan now goes by “Ben”, and starts to build the reputation of being that “crazy old hermit” we first heard about in 1977, as he begins his mission to look after Luke Skywalker. In essence, Kenobi takes place after the tumultuous events that spiral out of Revenge of the Sith. John Jackson Miller delivers on every level, and Star Wars fans are going to enjoy what Miller comes up with for his first Star Wars hardback novel.

What it is supposed to be is captivating, exciting, and capable of evoking pathos for the character Star Wars fans know and love so well, Obi-Wan Kenobi. That’s not to say the that the prose is Shakespearian in scope. I am happy to write that Kenobi delivers. However, if you’re going to put Star Wars on the cover, then you are setting yourself up for either intense scrutiny or unbridled ebullience from our massive fan base. It’s really a daunting task to expect a book to reinforce those feelings of euphoria that we get from the characters on the silver screen from that galaxy far, far away. I expect sharp characterization and smart dialogue that harkens back to my experiences in the theater, and this rarely happens for me with E.U.

I’m a Star Wars fanatic for four generations, as well as a bibliophile for that amount of time, and I have certain expectations when I pick up a book with Star Wars on the cover. Perhaps that is why I have had a love/hate relationship with the Expanded Universe. You can’t make your life about Twain and Shakespeare, and not develop a proclivity towards powerful prose, enlightened, multi-faceted characters, and themes that resonate throughout generations. I really am it’s hard not to be when you teach Literature for a living. It’s only fair to start this out by saying I’m a book snob. Spoiler Free Review of Kenobi by John Jackson Miller

Star Wars by John Jackson Miller