In this gripping sequel to Star Wars: The Rising Storm, the light of the Jedi faces its darkest hour.
Time and again, the vicious raiders known as the Nihil have sought to bring the golden age of the High Republic to a fiery end. Time and again, the High Republic has emerged battered and weary, but victorious thank to its Jedi protectors—and there is no monument to their cause grander than the Starlight Beacon.
Hanging like a jewel in the Outer Rim, the Beacon embodies the High Republic at the apex of its aspirations: a hub of culture and knowledge, a bright torch against the darkness of the unknown, and an extended hand of welcome to the furthest reaches of the galaxy. As survivors and refugees flee the Nihil's attacks, the Beacon and its crew stand ready to shelter and heal.
The grateful Knights and Padawans of the Jedi Order stationed there finally have a chance to recover—from the pain of their injuries and the grief of their losses. But the storm they thought had passed still rages; they are simply caught in its eye. Marchion Ro, the true mastermind of the Nihil, is preparing his most daring attack yet—one designed to snuff out the light of the Jedi.
Across the galaxy, Jedi take action against Nihil vessels in a coordinated effort to capture and stop the threat they pose to the republic. Padawans Bell Zettifar and Burryaga Agaburry accompany Jedi Nib Assek and Indeera Stokes on a successful mission, while elsewhere Jedi Regald Coll mistakingly captures Chancey Yarrow and Nan, believing they still work for the Nihil. Despite the Jedi's efforts, however, it is revealed on the Nihil starship Gaze Electric that all of these captured or destroyed ships were loyal to Lourna Dee. Marchion Ro, the Eye of the Nihil is unfazed by the Jedi effort, and revels in the misguided attempt by the Jedi and the High Republic to capture Lourna Dee, falsely believed to be the Eye of the Nihil.
Jedi Master Stellan Gios is now Marshal of Starlight Beacon space station after Jedi Master Avar Kriss left to hunt Lourna Dee. His tenure as Marshal begins with Starlight Beacon's response to the cyclone disaster on the planet Eiram, to help rebuild infrastructure vital to the planet's water supply and help the injured. After turning to the Dark Side of the Force during the attack on the Republic Fair on Valo, Jedi Master Elzar Mann has been placed under the tutelage of Jedi Wayseeker Orla Jareni to learn to control his emotions and his draw towards darkness. After meditation in the ocean on Ledalau, Mann decided to limit his access to the Force to protect himself and others from the Dark Side. Deeming Mann ready to leave the planet, Jareni leads Mann to meet the crew of the starship Vessel, composed of Geode, Affie Hollow, and Leox Gyasi. Together, they set out towards Starlight.
As Starlight Beacon orbits Eiram, Marchion Ro begins his carefully orchestrated plan to destroy the station—first through a coordinated attack on worlds throughout galactic space, and then, by sending three loyal followers, Cale, Werrera, and Leyel, under the disguise of workers. This causes an influx of refugees to Starlight Beacon from across the outer rim, all fleeing Nihil attacks. The chaos and confusion allows Cale, Herrera, and Level to arrive on Starlight unnoticed and unquestioned, with a dangerous cargo: seven Nameless.
In the midst of this conflict, the crew of the Vessel take action to disrupt Nihil attacks on civilians before jumping to Starlight. Zettifar and Burryaga setup residence in the med-tower on Starlight to help refugees, while Stellan Gios tries to coordinate the Republic response.
The novel, the third in the Del Rey adult novels, that had started with Charles Soule's Light of the Jedi and was followed by Cavan Scott's The Rising Storm, was announced at Lucasfilm's Publishing Panel for Comic-Con@Home in July 2021, along with Justina Ireland's Mission to Disaster, Daniel Jose Older's Midnight Horizon, and Soule's Eye of the Storm comic miniseries. It was originally written with Starlight Down as a working title, which was changed as to not spoil the events of the novel.
Author Claudia Gray cited her love of disaster films as an influence for writing the novel, specifically 1972's The Poseidon Adventure. She also collaborated closely with fellow High Republic author Cavan Scott, whose comic series was set in the same timeline as the novel. Since the events of the novel and the comic would overlap, they figured out a way to grow the story so that Gray could tell the story she wanted and Scott could tell his, and each could reference the events of the other. Prior to the start of the High Republic, Gray and Scott had collaborated in a similar fashion on the novel Master & Apprentice, and the audiodrama, Dooku: Jedi Lost, since both stories had shared newly-created characters.
- ISBN 9780593355398; January 4, 2022; Del Rey; US hardcover
- ISBN 9780593497791; January 4, 2022; Del Rey; US hardcover, Barnes & Noble Exclusive Edition
- ISBN 9780593355404; January 4, 2022; Del Rey; eBook
- ISBN 9780593499122; January 4, 2022; Del Rey; US paperback, export edition
- ISBN 9780593355411; September 27, 2022; Del Rey; US paperback