Commencement (Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Vol. 1)
Grade 10 Up—On the opening page of this compilation, readers are reminded that "The events in this story take place approximately 3,964 years before the Battle of Yavin." Even though the action occurs before the traditionalStar Wars saga, those familiar only with the firstStar Warscharacters won't feel lost: these stories are peopled with characters that represent the same worlds and situations laid down in the original framework. Zayne Carrick is one of five padawan who are about to take part in a ceremony to see which of them will be knighted, and Zayne thinks he has no chance because he is totally inept. The Mandolorian War is heating up and the Jedi council is split on whether to join or not. It is an exciting time and about to get more so. The "Knights of the Old Republic" stories explore the motives and reasoning that add a gray area to the black and white, good and bad, of Jedi versus Sith that the original stories lack. The artwork is colorful and kinetic. This book is a thrill ride not to be missed, a nonstop action story that will captivate readers.—Dana Cobern-Kullman, Luther Burbank Middle School, Burbank, CACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.