This has been a fantastic year for Star Wars content! There have been so many great books, comics, and TV shows. I try my best to keep up with all the content, and I’ve enjoyed most of it this year. Of course, I’ve enjoyed some things more than others. The end of the year presents the perfect opportunity to reflect on what worked for me and what didn’t. So, here is my annual ranking of the Star Wars novels released this year.

DID NOT READ – The Princess and the Scoundrel by Beth Revis

I’m a bit disappointed that I didn’t make it to this one because I really like Han and Leia. It was released at a time when I was drowning in ARCs, and I never got a chance to go back for it. Hopefully, I’ll be able to read it early next year.

#11 – Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher

If you had told me a year ago that this book would be my least favorite Star Wars book of the year, I wouldn’t have believed you. There were some incredible scenes in this book and some wonderful character moments for legacy favorites. However, the plot was a hot mess, and it tried so hard to make some of the sequel plot points make sense that it led to the book being ridiculously convoluted at times. See all my thoughts in my review.

#10 – The Fallen Star by Claudia Cray

This was another shocking disappointment for me. I’ve loved almost every entry of The High Republic, but this culmination of the first phase fell flat for me. I think it was mostly because of my expectations. The first two adult novels were expansive and included lots of galactic-wide incidents and politics. This book felt insulated and largely one-note, and I just got a bit bored with it up until the very end. See more of my thoughts in my review.

#9 – Mission to Disaster by Justina Ireland

Now we’ve reached the middle of the road. I didn’t dislike this book, but I honestly don’t remember much about it. I love these characters, though, and I remember enjoying it when I read it. It just wasn’t super memorable. (my review)

#8 – Queen’s Hope by E.K. Johnston

When reading this book, I would have thought it’d be ranked a bit higher than this. I really enjoyed the quiet moments with Anakin and Padme. Looking back, though, the plot was a bit meh, especially in comparison to many of the other Star Wars books this year. So, it lands toward the middle of the pack for me. See all my thoughts in my review.

#7 – Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott

I liked this audio drama. It added some depth to a major player from the first phase of The High Republic, and the story was interesting and enjoyable. See all my thoughts in my review.

#6 – Quest for the Hidden City by George Mann

This was a really good middle grade entry of the latest phase of The High Republic. It introduced some new characters, species, and locations. The story was good, but it felt a bit tangential without many connections to the larger story of the second phase. However, it did a good job of standing on its own.

#5 – Padawan by Kiersten White

Obi-Wan is one of my favorite Star Wars characters. So, I was very excited about this book. It had big shoes to fill, though, because I loved the Jedi Apprentice series as a kid. All in all, it was a good read. The story was interesting, and the world Obi-Wan visited was a fascinating one that taught an important lesson about the environment. Given that the book is titled Padawan, I was expecting a bit more of him being a Padawan. Obi-Wan is largely solo in this one, and that was a bit of a let down because I love reading about his dynamic with Qui-Gon. See all my thoughts in my review.

#4 – Brotherhood by Timothy Zahn

I love the prequel era. So, I was over the moon when this book was announced. There were some great Obi-Wan/Anakin and Padme/Anakin moments in this one. I liked the plot involving the mystery, but the resolution of it fell a bit flat and had some holes in it. That didn’t stop me from loving the ride, though, and I appreciated the depth this book added to my understanding of Neimoidian culture. (my review)

#3 – Convergence by Zoraida Cordova

I enjoyed this book so much. In general, I’m loving this second phase of The High Republic so far. The state of the galaxy is one of expansion, and it allows for the exploration of some interesting themes. The dynamic between the main characters was fun to read, and I loved seeing how they pushed each other to grow. See all my thoughts here!

#2 – Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland

I loved this book, and it worked wonderfully as the introduction to phase two of The High Republic. The exploration of cults and how they manipulate seemingly good people to do bad things was fascinating. The story was a bit slow, but the character development and focus on the philosophy of the Force more than made up for it. I didn’t see the ending coming at all, and I’m very curious to see what happens with these characters from here. (my review)

#1 – Midnight Horizon by Daniel Jose Older

We finally get to my fave of the year! I ADORED this book, and it has become one of my favorite Star Wars books ever. This is the type of finale I was expecting from The Fallen Star. Some of the writing felt a bit juvenile, though, especially at the beginning of the book. However, the plot was fantastic, and it included so many of my favorite characters from phase one. The end alone would have been enough to make the book epic, and I loved getting to return to Corellia. It also doesn’t hurt that the cover is giving off some major vibes and just has me wanting to stare at it all day. Oh… and there is great LGBT rep in this one, probably my favorite in all of Star Wars at the moment. So, if you haven’t picked this one up because it is YA, go read it now (but obviously read the rest of The High Republic Phase One first). (my review)

There you have it! My ranking of all the Star Wars books released this year. What was your favorite Star Wars book this year? Let me know in the comments!