Book Review: 'Beware The Nameless'
Image Source: Wookieepedia
Beware the Nameless is the latest High Republic book to be released as part of Wave 2 of Phase 3. This middle-grade reading level story features many new faces and some returning ones in a small narrative set far from the galactic core with an unexpected course that ends up saying a lot while unfortunately not moving the broader plot forward much. CultureSlate is here to break down and review the book in full!
Beware the Nameless features three new protagonist characters and one new antagonist, with many of the chapters being set from their point of view. We have Churo the Hutt, the biology-loving black sheep of his crime lord family, Zenny Greylark, a descendant of the same family we met in Phase 2 of The High Republic and currently seeking any chance to search for her missing sister, Jamil Sollis, a Jedi youngling desperate to become a Padawan, and in the antagonist role, Haze Delik, a Nihil operative seeking a big score. More familiar characters who appear are Ram Jomaram, Tep Tep and Kildo from Escape from Valo, and finally, Master Ada-li Carro, a member of the Jedi Council.
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Image Source: Michael Siglain on X.com
Each new character brings something to the table and helps a reader understand ways of handling a host of personal difficulties. Churo struggles with anxiety and family, often terrified and unable to fit in with everyone else around him. By the end of the story, thanks to the help of his friends and his experiences on this unexpected adventure, his worries have subsided, though his family is more complicated. Zenny, meanwhile, has anger issues and has been lashing out recently due to the disappearance of her sister, causing her to clash with her mother and come off as rude to others. Zenny ultimately learns to better control her outbursts for the sake of herself and the new friends who surround her. Lastly, Jamil is an overachiever and a rule-follower who has anxieties about success and status in the social order. Unexpectedly dragged along for this mission, Jamil ends up opening himself to the unexpected aspects of life, coming to understand that he should spend more time living in the present instead of seeking advancement.
The novel is perfect for all sorts of readers, given its approachable discussions about each of these struggles, and the overall plot is intriguing, too, if a little crowded. Much of the story focuses on a small mission that goes big as two Nameless are encountered roaming wild on a frontier world evacuated months prior. However, Churo is keeping a secret, and there is a ticking clock on two fronts for the Jedi and their allies, though they don’t know it. Tension builds as the story progresses, and avoiding spoilers, reaches a suitable crescendo at the end, with a final burst of action that is ultimately resolved.
Image Source: Michael Siglain on X.com
However, if there is one critique of this novel, it would be that it is ultimately a side-story. With The High Republic initiative nearing its end, the introduction of so many new characters and the relatively small size of the adventure makes it a strange book when compared to Escape from Valo. That story had plenty of new characters, but it built on lore from The Rising Storm and addressed important information regarding the Nameless while also looking to the future of Phase 3. This novel, while it includes some details on the Nameless that are intriguing, does not seem to contribute to the slow climb toward Wave 3 and the last trio of books releasing next year. The familiar characters are not given many opportunities to present their perspectives on events, and there are also some critical questions glossed over in the text that feel relevant to people who have been following the books and comics. Perhaps some of these issues will be resolved by the comics, as there are still plenty to come for all age brackets.
Even with this critique, though, Beware the Nameless is a fun, meaningful story perfect for the young and old, with plenty of unique characters and a fun setting to enjoy!
Review: 8/10
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