The Road to Episode Infinity: A New Dawn Book Review

John Jackson Miller’s 2014 novel, “A New Dawn” is aptly titled considering it was the first story in the Star Wars Disney Universe. The novel also introduced fans to Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla a whole month before the launch of Rebels Season 1.

The Death of a Universe

April 2014 represented a changing of the guard for Star Wars. Disney announced that the old expanded universe was being dismantled in favor of the new Disney Universe. This meant that 35 years of comics, novels, and video games were no longer canon would be rebranded under the Star Wars “Legends” line. Dark Horse Comics lost its license to produce Star Wars comics and Disney-owned Marvel Comics started working on brand new titles. The final season of Clone Wars (Season 6) had been released to Netflix, and Rebels was to premiere later that Fall. “A New Dawn” was announced to be Disney’s first Star Wars novel and serve as introduction to its first Star Wars television show.

Kanan & Hera

Six years before the events of Rebels Season 1, Kanan Jarrus met Hera Syndulla on a planet called Gorse. Kanan was working as a freighter pilot, hauling resources from Cynda, Gorses lone moon. Hera was working for the Rebellion and investigating an Imperial named Count Vidian, whose secret plan to mine more thorilide from Cynda included blowing up the moon entirely. Kanan and Hera decide to team up to stop Count Vidian. These two have always been my favorite characters in “Rebels” and this book covers the very beginnings of their partnership or relationship or whatever it is.

Captain Sloane

John Jackson Miller created the character of Rae Sloane for the book “A New Dawn”. Though Sloane is fresh out of the academy in this novel, she begins to learn the competitive nature of the Imperial Navy. Throughout New Dawn and the Aftermath Trilogy, Sloane slowly works her way up the ladder. Shortly after the Emperor is killed on Endor, Sloan becomes the highest ranking officer in the Navy. It has been said that Rae Sloane is actually the founder of “The First Order”.

The Bottom Line

“A New Dawn” is not my favorite Star Wars novel, but it does provide some great set-up for things to come. Herein we see the very beginnings of the journey of Kanan and Hera- a journey which will probably conclude with Rebels Season 4. My guess is that things won’t turn out too well for Kanan and Hera’s relationship. We know that Hera will survive the Season 4 finale and live on to fight in the Battle of Scarif. Yet I have a bad feeling about the fate of Kanan Jarrus.

“A New Dawn” can be found in a library near you.
Happy reading Star Wars fans!