The Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland is the first book released in the 2nd phase of The High Republic Publishing initiative. The story takes place 150 years before the Great Disaster and other events told in The High Republic Phase I.
This is a Young Adult (YA) Novel but that doesn’t mean this book is for teenagers. It just means the focus lies on the personal relationships between characters just as much as it pushes the plot forward.
That being said this story feels “essential” on the surface because it provides the backstory of The Path of the Open and the characters that make this group significant.
High Republic: Path of Deceit Plot
In this story, there are two main groups involved.
- The Jedi: Kevmo Zink (padawan) and Zallah Macri (Master).
- The Path of the Open Hand: Marda Ro, Yana Ro, The Mother aka Elicia Zeveron, The Herald aka Werth, and Kor.
The book really kicks off when Kevmo and Zallah get an alert that important force-related artifacts have been going missing across the galaxy. Most recently, the Rod of Seasons is from a royal family on Hynestia Prime. The master and padawan are tasked with finding out who is stealing the artifacts but also, more importantly, why are they stealing them.
The one lead they have takes them to the planet Dalna, a lightly settled planet in the outer rim that is also the home of a force group called, The Path of the Open Hand. The Path, led by The Mother and her right-hand man, The Herald are a force group/cult that believe that the force is a gift that should not be manipulated.
That if you use the force for any reason you are taking from it and causing ripples throughout the galaxy that could have terrible consequences. So even if you are using the force for good, like the Jedi, you have no idea what damage that is doing somewhere else in the galaxy.
The force is only to be given to. Not taken from.
Aside from the Mother and The Herald the book largely focuses on a pair of Evereni sisters, Marda and Yana Ro. These two are the same species as the Eye of the Nihil, Marchion Ro, from Phase I and since they share a last name it’s safe to assume they are directly related to Marchion.
Side note: Marchion Ro’s first comic appearance was in Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures #2 from IDW.
Marda Ro is a sweet and kind hearted teenager who is in charge of the “littles” (essentially the younglings of the Path) and is steadfast in her faith in the mother and the Path of the Open Hand.
Her older sister Yana is one of the “The Children” who go out into the galaxy to spread the word of The Path and recruit new members. But that’s not all they do. In secret, they also are tasked with liberating artifacts that are strong with the force to avoid them from being misused and therefore causing the force to be unbalanced. In other words, they steal force artifacts from those who may use them.
Fun fact: Yana Ro and the Herald appear on the cover of Star Wars: The High Republic #4 (2022).
Marda Ro ends up meeting Padawan Kevmo Zink in the town square when she is handing out flowers with the “littles.” Kevmo uses the force in front of her (honestly to show off) and Marda is horrified at how he uses (takes from) The Force so freely. She feels he and the other Jedi are reckless and that they abuse The Force without care or worry about what consequences that may bring.
Over time they get to know each other better. This starts out as part of their duties. Kevmo and his master Zallah believe the Path of the Open Hand are responsible for the missing artifacts and want to get closer while Marda, unaware that the “Children of the Path” have been stealing artifacts, wants to show the Jedi that they have nothing to hide. And to potentially enlighten them with the Path’s teachings and philosophies.
Even though they both begin to develop sincere feelings for each other but their duties to their respective groups, the Jedi and the Path, cause this to be a tumultuous relationship full of tough decisions and inner struggle.
Final Spoiler Free Thoughts
Path of Deceit is like most of the adult and YA novels that we got in phase I of the High Republic. A good portion of the book is setting the stage, introducing and fleshing out the characters, and getting you to care about what is happening.
Parts of it are slow and others are repetitive. We’re repeatedly reminded of the Path’s philosophy and the group’s members routinely talk about their purpose. To accept and give gifts freely given. That the force should and will be free.
It can feel like filler from time to time but the authors absolutely stick the landing in the end. The payoff is well worth the wait and the last 75-100 pages are some of my favorite pages in all of the High Republic so far.
If you find yourself frustrated with the lack of story progression know that, in the end, it’s worth it.
Once I finished the last page I immediately knew that this was my favorite Young Adult High Republic book. It’s both beautiful and gut wrenching and a fantastic introduction to one of the main groups in the phase, The Path of the Open Hand.
Verdict: This book rules and you should read it.
Light Spoilers / Interesting Notes
If you are still waiting to read the book and want to go in without any spoilers then now is the time to run away. I won’t be breaking down the book chapter by chapter or anything but there are a few notable events and connections to phase I that I’m keeping an eye on. This connective tissue is what makes this publishing initiative so fun.
Here are a few things that I found interesting.
We learn the origin of the Gaze Electric. This is Marchion Ro’s personal ship and the flagship of the Nihil. It was originally created by The Path of the Open Hand as a traveling home with the goal of using their newfound mobility to spread their word across the galaxy.
One of the “littles” in the story is a Gran named Tromak. He is one of the Elders of the Path in Phase I that leads the group that Kriz Kamarat and Zeen Mrala are in at the beginning of the Star Wars: High Republic Adventures arc.
His involvement in the Path of the Open hand and his relationships with the Nihil make a whole lot of sense knowing that he spent his whole life in the Path of the Open Hand.
Marchion Ro wanted Tromak to tell him where a secret artifact was located that held some importance to him. Tromak eventually told Krix the location before escaping the Nihil.
Eventually meeting up with Master Yoda and being shot down above Vrant Tarnum. The same planet where Marchio Ro found the rod that controls the Levelers/Nameless.
This is the same rod that the mother assembled (and Yana took) that controlled the nameless at the end of Path of Deceit.
Elder Tromak’s first appearance is in The High Republic Adventures #1 from Phase I. See eBay listings.
Towards the end of the book The Mother was carrying around a large gem looking rock that radiated with darkside energy.
Eventually, the gem cracked open and we found out that it was actually an egg that carried a baby leveler. The baby leveler grew rapidly. Within minutes it was the size of a Charhound. While not full grown it was still enough to overwhelm and kill both Kevmo and Zallah.
At the end of the book Yana, not The Mother, had possession of the rod and therefore control of the leveler.
