Phase II of The High Republic has been very good the last few stories. Convergence, The Battle of Jehda and Cataclysm have created a very good focus for the story lines which left me with a lot of excitement for what was next in this series. Sadly Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton brings that narrative momentum to a grinding halt. Set after the The Battle of Jedha and concurrent with Cataclysm, Gratton follows up on some story threads from Path of Deceit and Quest for the Hidden City. This is frustrating because they have been two of the most disappointing books in this phase to date.
While this book does have a couple nice themes, personal glory verses the greater good and communication’s ability to break down barriers, the story cannot escape the reality that it has little bearing on the overall plot of the series. Even more vexing, is that the story is so lackluster, you’re less than interested in the characters. Stories should always be character driven and yet this book lacks compelling characters or plot elements neither seem to matter. In a series, you never want to feel the book you are reading could be skipped completely and have no bearing on your understanding of the rest of the story, but that is Quest for Planet X in a nutshell. Since this is the case, it is rated 1.5 out of 5 stars.
This review was completed using a copy of Quest for Planet X provided by Disney Lucasfilm Press.
