Star Wars: Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade

Delilah S. Dawson

Jul 2023 · Penguin Random House Audio · Narrated by Kristen Sieh

About this audiobook

When the Jedi Order falls, an Inquisitor rises.
 
Padawan Iskat Akaris has dedicated her life to traveling the galaxy alongside her master, learning the ways of the Force to become a good Jedi. Despite Iskat’s dedication, peace and control have remained elusive, and with each setback, she feels her fellow Jedi grow more distrustful of her. Already uncertain about her future in the Jedi Order, Iskat faces tragedy when her master is killed and the Clone Wars engulf the galaxy in chaos.
 
Now a general on the front lines contributing to that chaos, she is often reminded: Trust in your training. Trust in the wisdom of the Council. Trust in the Force. Yet as the shadows of doubt take hold, Iskat begins to ask questions that no Jedi is supposed to ask. Questions about her own unknown past. Questions the Jedi Masters would consider dangerous.
 
As the years pass and the war endures, Iskat’s faith in the Jedi wanes. If they would grant her more freedom, she is certain she could do more to protect the galaxy. If they would trust her with more knowledge, she could finally cast aside the shadows that have begun to consume her. When the Jedi Order finally falls, Iskat seizes the chance to forge a path of her own. She embraces the salvation of Order 66.
 
As an Inquisitor, Iskat finds the freedom she has always craved: to question, to want. And with each strike of her red blade, Iskat moves closer to claiming her new destiny in the Force—whatever the cost.

Ratings and reviews

I was excited to listen to this audiobook, but I was disappointed to find that it was more interested in pushing a feminist agenda than telling a good story. The book is set in the Star Wars universe after the fall of the Jedi Order, and the main character is a former Jedi Padawan who joins the Inquisitors, a group of dark side users who hunt down Jedi survivors. The book is mostly female characters, and the few male characters who are present are either incompetent or evil. The book's heavy-handed feminism ultimately undermines the story, making it preachy and boring. I would not recommend this book to anyone, even to fans of feminist fiction. The book is simply not well-written or entertaining.

Delilah's writing style is good, and the overall arch or the story is captivating. I love just about anything Star Wars, so I enjoyed most of this book. That being said... I couldn't finish it. About 85% of the way through, I grew too weary of the being able to see how the author's political leanings saturated her storytelling. If you're a man-hating feminist, you'll love this book for the following reasons (I could list more, but am trying to avoid spoilers): - Exactly zero positively portrayed male characters with more than a few sentences' presence in the story; and if one is shown in a good light then he is, of course, revealed to be a real jerk later. - Protagonist is uniquely powerful because... woman, I guess? Any fan with a fair knowledge of lore surrounding Vader will quickly identify how absurd her encounter with him is. No explanation for her raw power provided, at least in the first 85%. - Perfect, peaceful, utopian society discovered? Matriarchal, of course. Couldn't possibly happen with man-bastards involved, let alone in charge. Like I said, if you share the author's misandry, you'll love it. If not, maybe just stick to Timothy Zahn. I know I will.

A super emotional story, thank you for another fun Star Wars book Delilah!

About the author

Delilah S. Dawson is the author of the New York Times bestseller Star Wars: Phasma, as well as Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire, The Violence, Mine, the Hit series, the Blud series, the creator-owned comics Ladycastle, Sparrowhawk, and Star Pig, and the Shadow series (written as Lila Bowen). With Kevin Hearne, she co-writes the Tales of Pell. She lives in Georgia with her family.