Star Wars: The Old Republic – Revan

Thanks to the fantastic ‘Knights of the Old Republic’ [KotOR] game [fun fact: it’s the main reason I got into and love gaming], my favourite era of Star Wars is the Old Republic. Yes, the seven films are great, but the Old Republic and Taris and Carth and Bastila and so on is where it’s at.

[This review contains major plot spoilers for the games as well as this book.]

I’ve stayed away from all extended universe Star Wars novels before as I’d heard mixed things – some really good and a lot of really bad ones. With hundreds out there I’ve never bothered figuring out which were good plus Disney nuked a lot of it anyway turning it into legends which is even more confusing. Additionally I’ve stayed away from this book particularly as I know that my choices in KotOR are non-canon. My Revan is female and about as light side as they come and Bastila is too stuck up and I much prefer Carth, though that could be because of the excellent voice actor – Raphael Sbarge [he’s the reason I really liked Mass Effect 1’s Kaiden Alenko, too].

I didn’t think I would want to read about a male Revan toying with the dark side.

Recently I read the Knights of the Old Republic comic book series which had been on my list since the first one was released, however, I never got around to it. It’s the first time I had read a comic book series and, truth be told, I found it challenging. The story was all over the place and I found myself skimreading a fair bit of it. Luckily I had the whole lot and didn’t have to wait a week for another issue as if that was the case I wouldn’t have lasted beyond maybe issue three. However, I do think a lot of this is due to the fact that I just don’t understand how comic books work as I haven’t come across one where the art style kept me interested. I did end up finishing the series purely because I wanted to see who pops up and what I’d recognise and it was lovely to see younger versions of Mission and Carth [he was even awesome in comic book form!] And seeing more of Taris. Over ten years later and I’m still not over what happened to Taris!

Knowing that this book was written by Drew Karpyshyn who not only wrote a lot of KotOR, but is also one of the key architects of the Mass Effect universe, as well as the writer of several Mass Effect tie-in books, cemented the fact that I should really look aside my ideas of canon and read it.

Reading about a male Revan was weird, but reading about a male Revan who is kind and nice and handsome and married to freaking Bastila was all kinds of weird and cringeworthy for about the first few pages. After that it got sweet and lovely and I wanted them both to ride off into the sunset [again]. The story itself was nothing like I’d imagined particularly for the really depressing outcome. The Exile – dead. Bastila – alone with a child that may never meet his father [what is it with Star Wars and father issues?]. Revan – tortured for years, witness to the Exile’s death, and then stuck in stasis in some Sith force thing for decades, perhaps even ever, in direct communication to the emperor? None of this is where I wanted the book to go and I’m unhappy about it all.

But equally – as much as I am unhappy about the deaths and mental anguish, I really enjoyed reading a book I couldn’t predict in a universe I know and love. It reminds me a bit of Wil Wheaton’s 2010 PAX keynote during which he talks about having had a free evening and was debating playing Dragon Age or rewatching Lord of the Rings for the umpteenth time. Dragon Age won and he talked about how much he enjoyed the experience of a universe that was familiar yet unknown that he could explore and be surprised by. As an aside, his keynote has made me want to pick up again Dragon Age as I don’t think I gave the game enough of a chance and practically hated my playthrough, though to this date I haven’t done so!

This book was a similar experience. I know Star Wars and could name lightsaber colours and fighting styles and could probably name about ten force powers without breaking a sweat. In the Old Republic I could talk about bounty hunters, planets, key players, and more. But this book was something new and fresh. And I love and hate it at the same time. And even felt conflicted enough to review it with a very non-review!

Also [this was probably the version I had], the book ended at 64% with the rest of it filled with excerpts of other books. Not only did I not expect that, but also I didn’t like the fact that it gave me hope of a solution or a better ending. Drew Karpyshyn – manipulator of emotions making me afraid to read any more books written by him!

4/5 – It’s interesting, even though the book isn’t a 5/5, it’s definitely one that’s been staying with me.

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