Star Wars: The Acolyte – The Crystal Crown | Review

Tessa Gratton’s latest Star Wars young adult novel adds new depth to The Acolyte characters while offering a fun new Jedi adventure.

The second original novel tying into The Acolyte has arrived. While the previous release, the adult novel Wayseeker, put the focus on Vernestra and Indara, The Crystal Crown lets the younger characters, Jecki and Yord (who are both padawans at this point), have the chance to shine.

Both of these tie-ins are, by necessity, prequels to the streaming series. Something I enjoy in both of these books is how they manage to tell independent stories that don’t make overt connections to the show. It allows them to simply exist as tales within the galaxy far, far away without having to worry about setting the stage for events we already know are coming. While I enjoyed Wayseeker especially for this quality, I think Crystal Crown manages to be a tad more successful. It not only works as a standalone adventure, but adds nuance and depth to the characters in a way that enhances how we view them later on in the show.

Padawans Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar find themselves on a joint mission together to the planet of Siline. Following an incident with another Jedi ambassador, negotiations with the planetary leaders to join the Republic are in a bit of disarray. As such, Masters Sol and Elishe (along with their padawans, of course) are dispatched to try and smooth things over to get things back on track.

The timing of their arrival, however, ends up aligning with an ancient coming-of-age ritual the entire planet participates in. Think of it kind of like The Hunger Games, but a little less killing now that they’ve become more civilized and working to improve their status among the wider galaxy. When Jecki and Yord find themselves active participants, they’ll have to find ways to work together, make new friends, and stay true to their Jedi ideals. All of that while having to deal with forces working behind the scenes to disrupt the Silinese ritual…

I don’t wanna get into spoilers, so I’ll leave things there. For the most part it’s relatively straightforward, with the focus being more on the characters themselves and how they interact with the new circumstances. Being a prequel—especially set during the relative peace of the High Republic—the overall story isn’t designed to be super high-stakes. Rather it’s the character moments and heart that drive things forward. Don’t let that fool you, however, as it still manages to pack in a lot of great Star Wars action, from tight, personal, fights to more dramatic battles.

Jecki and Yord don’t particularly like each other. Their approach just about everything are vastly different, often putting them at odds with one another on their respective journeys to being Jedi knights. This ‘Odd Couple’ dynamic helps set the overall tone for the story, setting up a kind of constant tension that keeps things engaging even though the plot isn’t focused on world/galaxy ending events.

It also allows for some of the novel’s best character moments as these two are forced to expand their perspectives and trust. We see them immersed in this entirely new culture, one that’s more aggressive and warlike. Not only do they have to adjust to the norms of their people and come to an understanding, they must navigate it all without alienating their own Jedi ways. It can be a tough balance, but being able to open yourself to new ideas and cultures, letting go of your judgements while retaining your beliefs, is a key factor in growing as a person.

While Jecki and Yord are a little old for the typical “coming of age” story, this approach to their journey gives them the kind of growth we see out of these stories. We’re offered a glimpse of the Jedi they will (or would) become, even as some of the other side characters we meet along the way deal with the more straightforward coming of age arc.

The result is a surprisingly endearing character story that adds some great depth to the characters we already know. Like the best prequels (or tie-in novels in general) tend to do, The Crystal Crown manages to enhance the way I look at these characters in The Acolyte now. While reading, there were some ‘light bulb’ moments where I thought, “Oh, that’s why they were like that in the show.”

For Jecki in particular, we get a bit more in general on her training and relationship with Master Sol. This makes her ability to outfight Mae, and manage to hold her own—for a bit—against Qimir more understandable, as we get vastly more context on her skills. Even with Yord, we see how his meticulous/fastidious nature is something he’s always dealt with. But we’re also given a deeper look at how much he genuinely cares about helping people even when it doesn’t always show.

Combine that with a number of solid action beats, some fun references, and more relevant High Republic connections and there’s a lot to enjoy about The Crystal Crown. Tessa Gratton’s easy, flowing prose manages to paint a clear picture of all the action and this strange new world, without bogging things down in heavy exposition. Plus, she absolutely nails the characters and imbues them with a unique voice that makes them easily relatable to readers.

All in all, The Crystal Crown does a great job of fleshing out these characters and giving them new dimensions we can take with us into the show. The character driven story hits a number of emotional beats that range from humorous, lighthearted, and serious reflections. It’s very much a standalone story, so if you’re looking for massive revelations (not the best way to go into any story, really), I’d adjust those expectations. Regardless, it’s a worthwhile adventure with great themes, a writing style that keeps the pages turning, and plenty of heart.