If this rating were based purely on cover art, it’d be a solid 6 out of 5 starts. In fact, this beautiful rendition of a young Obi-Wan Kenobi is the only reason I’ll be keeping it displayed on my shelves. As for the content…well…my first book of the year was a disappointment, to say the least.
Rating: 2.75 out of 5
I’m new to the Star Wars Expanded Universe. This is my second book about a galaxy far, far away and the first that marks my decision to read through chronologically, handpicking a combination of Legends & Canon that pique my interest. Kiersten White's Padawan seemed like the perfect place to start considering my favorite character is Obi-Wan. If only that had been enough to make me like this book.
I want to save discussing what I liked about Padawan for the end of this post so we end on a good note. So, let’s start with the plot. The reader follows a 16-year-old Obi-Wan who, struggling with his relationship with both Qui-Gon Jinn and the Force, embarks on an (unauthorized) solo trip to the lost planet, Lenahra. On it, he finds a small group of teens and kids surviving on their own, consuming something called the ‘Power’ that is Force-like in nature but anything but. Cue a deranged Uncle and murderous planet and chaos ensues.
The first issue I had with the plot is that nothing happens. Of course, there is a basic structure presented that’s clearly intended to be thought-provoking and plot-twisty, but it falls completely flat and leaves you wondering what exactly the point of reading 400 pages was. Tie this in with the one-dimensional side characters and you’ll find yourself not caring; the worst thing that can happen to a reader.
I think some of the characterization issues stems back to age, relevance, and caricatures. It’s stated that Obi-Wan is 16 during this adventure and it can be inferred that the three most prominent secondary characters – Audj, Casul, and Zae-Brii – are similar in age. I take issue with this because the narrative makes them all feel as if they’re 13 or 14. Padawan is a YA book, definitely aimed towards the younger side of the genre, which isn’t an issue per-say. Except that when you’re introducing 16 year-old characters, I’m expecting a more mature tone throughout.
There's also the writing. It's not great by any means, but there are some places where it's downright cringeworthy. I just had to write down this line to share in this review:
"It cut through the tension like a lightsaber through a block of cheese."
Literally what? Why on earth (or Corrusant if you get the pun) was this line allowed in the final version? It's cheesy (another pun) and takes the reader out of the story because of how ridiculous it is. And don't even get me started on the amount of times the chapters ended the same exact way, with Obi-Wan's self-pitying of "maybe I'm the only thing wrong with this planet" and "I don't belong in the Order." It was a useful characterization the first time but lost its meaning somewhere around the fifth or sixth time.
When writing a story, you want to make sure each character has a purpose and is relevant to the plot. This didn’t happen in Padawan. While it was explicitly stated why each character was introduced, half of them disappeared for the majority of the novel before being brought back in at the end, and somehow, the author expected us to care about them. For instance, we’re introduced to Shush, Trill, and Whistle (yes those are their real names, except as Obi-Wan tells us, their names are the sounds associated with those words) soon after our young Padawan lands on this mysterious, lush planet. It’s revealed that their species needs to live in water. However, due to the volatile nature of the planet, they’re confined to a small barrel they must share, which makes their existence both sad and painful. It’s a story beat that had the potential to make the reader care and sympathetic, but failed when they disappeared, overshadowed by others, only to be mentioned at random periods throughout. At least I remembered them, though, because there were quite a few name drops towards the end that I thought huh about and never determined why they were actually included in the book.
As for caricatures, each of the side characters was clearly meant to fill a certain role. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and in fact often works in books (especially YA), but White left them underdeveloped, relying too heavily on what we’re told about each. Audj is the gritty provider for the clan, Casul the skeptic (who shockingly betrays Obi-Wan and his clan before realizing what he’s done [sense the sarcasm]), Zae-Brii who is too understanding; the list goes on. Like I mentioned, these aren’t bad characteristics to have, but none of the characters develop past these basic qualities we’re more often told about than shown.
Before we move onto what I enjoyed, it’s worth mentioning that Padawan is marketed as a story about Obi-Wan and his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. We already have Claudia Gray’s Master and Apprentice (which is next on my list) that has received praise, but I don’t know anyone opposed to more Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon adventures. So the fact that Qui-Gon appears in maybe 3% of the book is disheartening and extremely misleading.
There were two things I enjoyed in this story: Obi-Wan’s questioning of his place in the Jedi Order and the concept of the planet, Lenahra. In shows and movies alike, the audience is used to a wise, steadfast Obi-Wan. He’s loyal to the Order and certain of his trust in the Force, even when Anakin, who's as good as his best friend and brother, betrays him and the Order they swore to defend. But in Padawan, he experiences the opposite. He’s not feeling the Force and expresses doubts and insecurities about his place in the universe, let alone as a future Jedi Knight. It was a fresh take on an already well-rounded character that I’ve also heard bleeds into Master and Apprentice. Above all, it’s relatable, especially for someone like me who values their religion above all else but still has moments of hesitation. With this depiction of Obi-Wan, we learn that faith is a contentious journey with various stages.
Lenahra is a unique planet because it is sentient, relying on its ecosystem to keep it balanced. When it’s disrupted by Audj and her clan stealing the 'Power' – orbs of sort – it becomes volatile, attempting to destroy the intruders. Seeing the way this planet paralleled the notion of the Force was interesting and probably the most exciting component of the entire novel.
Overall, if you’re looking for more Star Wars content, particularly Obi-Wan, I recommend skipping over this one as the little it does have to offer is significantly outweighed by everything else. You’re better off (re)-watching the Clone Wars or scrolling through Pinterest than diving into Padawan.
Blogs are posted weekly on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. To stay up to date, follow me on Instagram (@bethannewrites) and/or join my newsletter to receive access to exclusive content.