Max Nocerino 
“George Mann is an excellent storyteller, and I didn’t expect him to go all Jonah and the Whale on us in Tales Of Enlightenment New Prospects Part 2,” says Max Nocerino
Star Wars Insider is officially in the Tales of Enlightenment Era, telling stories from Phase II of The High Republic initiative. For those unfamiliar, Phase II actually precedes Phase I chronologically by 150 years.
Disney is throwing us a curveball to be sure, but it follows the winning Original-Prequel-/?? Sequel formula so it’s a winner in my book. New Prospects Part 2 kicks off right where we left off as hyperspace prospector Saretha is continuing her tale of monsters, Jedi, and pirates. The main character, a young man working at the Jedha temple Keth has paid for her drinks in exchange for the story. He is a likable relatable fellow, and the rest of the bar soon becomes entranced with the story.
TALES OF THE JEDI
While I find a whole bar of people gravitating toward one story a little childish, this is Star Wars after all. And tales of the Jedi always draw crowds due to their mysterious nature. Saretha takes Jedi Master Lee Harro to the wild jungle world of Vexos as he is pursuing research. Harro is a typically mysterious Jedi whose unorthodox methods of achieving his goals remind me a lot of Qui-Gon Jinn. He doesn’t say much. But his actions speak volumes and his plan to get swallowed by a giant worm to reach his destination actually made my eyes widen. Even Qui-Gon would have a problem with that.
The story is very utilitarian but the whole swallow-by-a-worm motif did impress me. George Mann is an excellent storyteller, and I didn’t expect him to go all Jonah and the Whale on us. Lee Haro has a deep connection with nature and unexpectedly gives Saretha a “reward” for helping him reach his goal. Though she did not realize it at first. Let’s just say, she has the means to repair her ship and buy drinks for her newfound bar friends. A whimsical fun tale that sheds a positive light on the sometimes-hypocritical High Republic Jedi.
7.6 out of 10 Death Stars.
Subscribe to Star Wars Insider by Titan Magazines, if you haven’t already done so. You will get tons of non-findable info and original fiction every few months or so. Insider 215 goes on sale December 6th, with a brand-new Enlightenment tale. Subscribe today!
Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
