Path of Vengeance SPOILER REVIEW

 Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott REVIEW 

*Spoiler Heavy*

The final book of Phase II, although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the second part of Project Luminous, going into Path of Vengeance I did feel that it had a lot of heavy lifting to do to show why this detour 150 years in the past was needed. But if anyone could pull it off it’s Cavan Scott.

While the comics and books of phase I were interlinked and part of one story, this phase has taken this to a whole new level with books overlapping, seeing the same events from different angles and perspectives. Path of Vengeance takes place during the Battle of Jedha through Cataclysm, bringing together characters from Path of Deceit and the High Republic comics, as well as references to the middle grade books.

If you were wondering where Marda was in Cataclysm, the answer was right here. Clinging desperately to her beliefs despite all evidence to the contrary, she is the most devoted earnest follower of the Path, which leads her to take control. As much as Marda is everyone’s favorite I feel her cousin Yana gets overlooked and she may be my favorite character of this book. Our third protagonist is padawan Matty Cathley, who we know from the High Republic comic and she is utterly charming, I would have liked more of her friends Vildar Mac and Tey Sirrek here but I won’t hold that against the book.

Throughout this phase one of the big questions I’ve had has been what is The Mother’s beef with the Jedi? During this story it was obvious Oliviah had a connection to Elecia but I did not see the fact they were sisters coming! It goes to show that even in the High Republic era the Jedi are not perfect, just because a force sensitive like Elecia is not strong enough to become a Jedi doesn’t mean they should be left without guidance, she is really a cautionary tale.

There are plenty of dramatic moments and revelations, Marda is the one that creates The Path of the Closed Fist who become the Nihil, smearing the Open Hand markings into three lightning bolts, and her journey through the book is a crazy one. 

Path of Vengeance lays plenty of breadcrumbs for the future, as I felt it needed to. Cavan Scott takes us to the mysterious Planet X, the home of the Nameless, a planet rich in the force and to quote Luke Skywalker; “Powerful light, powerful dark”. As powerful as the Nameless are there are equally powerful creatures there that can take on the terrifying beasts. There are strong links to 

The High Republic Adventures comics of the first phase, which makes me want to go back and read them again. They’re Elder Tromak (a mere younglings in this era) Yoda somewhere and they disappear for most of the events of Phase 1, with Yoda only reappearing at the very end of Midnight Horizon, did they go to Planet X? Or did they go to find the Rod of Daybreak that Yana had in her possession at the end of Path of Vengeance?

But there are not only potential ways of combating the Nameless, but ways for the Jedi resisting them as Matty finds a way to fight through their effects, through the words of her master, Leebon.

“The trick is to acknowledge how you are feeling, and more importantly, understand why you are feeling that way. Then, and only then, will you be able to ask the questions that will help you control your emotions, to overcome the burden you bear” pg 455-456

By now you would expect to be used to the Nameless but Scott manages to find new ways to keep them terrifying, as Sunshine, Marda and company approach Planet X through the Veil, the force sensitive Calar is seemingly taken over by the Veil itself;

“The Force will be chained. The Force will die. The Force will be consumed. All will be consumed.”

“I didn’t know it before, but I know it now. They will come for us. The Nameless Horror. The Shrii Ka Rai. They will come for us all. The storm shall rise and the stars fall, all because you cross the Veil. Because of you. The Force will die. The Force no more.”

So did Cavan pull it off? Mostly. My only criticism of Path of Vengeance is that it had so much riding on it, that trying to spot the connections to the future of the High Republic became a bit distracting. It’s a thrill ride of a book, that gives answers to 90% of my questions and hints at possibilities for the final phase, Trials of the Jedi.

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗/5

Jonny O

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