Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray

So, I am notoriously bad at Star Wars. I really try, but I’ve only been initiated into the new trilogy, which means I’m basically clueless about everything. I gave this book a shot because it was by Claudia Gray, author of A Thousand Pieces of You.

A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice.
Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master. 

When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.

This book took a long time to build a feel for the characters. Even though Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon are beloved staples in the franchise, it doesn’t excuse them from character building. So, it took me far too long to actually become invested in these two and their complicated relationship, especially when it is literally the main point of the story.

The book also changes points of views randomly and without warning. It isn’t like each chapter has one narrator, it just switches from paragraph, with no clear demarcation.

The plot also stretches on, and there were long periods of time where nothing really relevant was happening. Something like this might work for a movie, with random battles in different locations just thrown in, but it was not really a blast to read. Constantly changing locations and a plethora of bad guys just made the book confusing instead of exciting. Credit where it’s due, the plot twist really shocked me. I liked it, but it was too little and too late. Master and Apprentice could have been saved if the plot was a bit more snappy and less convoluted, but this book failed to thrill me.