The Golden Globe

Star Wars: Junior Jedi Knights #1

by Nan Fischer, Nancy Richardson

Anakin Solo is now eleven - and headed for the Jedi Academy! The Force is very strong with him - he can feel it. And his uncle Luke thinks it is time for him to start his training...

On his first day at the Jedi Academy, Anakin makes a new friend named Tahiri. The Force is with her too. Soon they find out that together they can accomplish feats that suprise even their teachers!

But the teachers don't know what else Anakin and Tahiri do together. Every night, they both have the same dream of going down the river by the academy on a raft. In the dream, they are drawn by the Force...but for all they know, it could be the dark side!

There is only one way to find out for sure. They have to go down the river all by themselves - for real!

Genres: Star Wars, Science Fiction, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Middle Grade, Young Adult

116 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

About the author

Welcome to my author page!

Here’s a bit about my books...

Novels under the name Nan Fischer:

The Book of Silver Linings (Berkley Publishing, August 15, 2023)

Some Of It Was Real (Berkley Publishing)

Novels under the name Nancy Richardson Fischer:

The Speed of Falling Objects (HarperCollins/Inkyard Press).
When Elephants Fly (HarperCollin/Inkyard Press.

Novels under the name Nancy Richardson:

Middle Grade:
Junior Jedi Knights Trilogy for LucasFilm (Berkeley Press).

Sport Autobiographies:
Feel No Fear, The Power, Passion and Politics of a Life in Gymnastics (Hyperion).
Riding For My Life (LIttle Brown)
Monica: From Fear to Victory (HarperCollins)
A Journey: The Autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno (Simon & Schuster)
Nadia Comaneci: Letters to a Young Gymnast (Basic Books)
Winning Every Day with Shannon Miller (Bantam Books).

If you'd like to learn more about my novels, events, or sign up for my newsletter, please visit www.nancyrichardsonfischer.com

Reviews

[T.R. Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, the old expanded universe. Not great, but miles better than what has been done to the franchise by Disney. I love Anakin, Jaina and Jacen so much. Anything with them in it gets a high rating from me. The fact that they have been erased from existence (or so says Disney. To which I say 'screw you') is so disappointing. It has its faults, but the overall arc from these stories over the years is truly something special.

This is just a short fun book. If I ever have children some day, there is no doubt I will be reading them the expanded universe stories. They will know of Anakin and Tahiri.

[Chris Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED these books when I was young. To this day, Ikrit is one of my top 5 favorite Jedi Masters.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would have loved this when I was about 8-9.

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first ready this book 20 years ago. Reading it again today, I was filled with the same sense of wonder that I had when I was a kid. It's not super complex or a great work of literature by any means, but it's a nice little story that I really enjoyed.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars only because after what just happened to Tahiri in Fate of the Jedi, I NEED happy, innocent baby Tahiri.

Well, Jude Watson’s a much better writer. The writing in this book was very simplistic, even for a children’s book, and it seemed like Nancy Richardson wrote it with the assumption that her readers wouldn’t be super familiar with the Original Trilogy, Jedi, or the Force. Don’t know why you’d be reading it if you weren’t, but whatever.

Anyway, I read it because I wanted to see Tahiri before Anakin died and Jacen ruined her life, and I wanted to actually get to know Anakin Solo in the flesh, so for that it’s good. And I want to wrap my babies in bubblewrap and protect them from everything that’s coming. Because apparently if you’re a part of the Skywalker clan or associated with them, you’re not allowed to be happy.

Oh, and I’m sad these and Young Jedi Knights were written before Hand of Thrawn because that means I probably won’t be seeing any of Aunt Mara. But I like the Solo kids (well, not Jacen) and Tahiri. Even if their lives later on break my heart.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked these books, but I got bored part way through. And when a book is this small, it's kind of a big deal! I also read these as a kid and recent returned to them, but I only ready two of this series. I will most likely return to them to finish the series.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already love Anakin and Tahiri so much!!! If anything happens to them I will cry

[elef · Rating 4 out of 5]

anakin solo öz evladım

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Tahiti and Anakin Solo. I reread NJO book Conquest. I wanted to go back to a time where the characters personalities were being explored. Also, I wanted to put a little bit more rereading these books before Star by Star.

[Trevor Williamson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first in the Junior Jedi Knights series, The Golden Globe features all-new adventures for Anakin Solo and his new friend Tahiri, a Force-sensitive girl from Tatooine. In this first junior novel, Nan Fischer begins a mystery for younger fans of Star Wars to dig into and begin their journey into the broader fiction of the franchise's extended universe.

As far as youth novels are concerned, The Golden Globe doesn't really manage to accomplish very much. The one prominent theme in the book is a question of lineage and destiny versus choice and individual action, and while the book plays at these themes through Anakin Solo, it doesn't offer much by way of plot to keep a narrative hook moving forward. The book's central mystery, which has to do with a series of precognitive dreams Tahiri and Anakin have together, is not settled by the conclusion of this thin volume, and even the story's other questions aren't resolved until the final three pages of the book. The story itself feels less like a fully-contained adventure and more like an hour of aggressive throat-clearing before it can effectively set the stage.

I don't think it's fair to judge a book by the merits of a general audience novel when the primary audience is children in middle grades, but I do find this book to be structurally imbalanced and deeply repetitive in spite of being fairly short. Its main premise--the plot driving the story forward--feels too anemic here, with not nearly enough action to get the story moving forward. The creative hook to sell the series doesn't come until the last chapter, which just feels way too late.

If I weren't reading all Star Wars in order of publication, I likely wouldn't even bother to track down the rest of this series, but I do hope that future volumes provide a more fleshed out adventure than this first story. As a preamble to a larger series, it might serve its purpose, but as a stand-alone adventure, it fails to capture much imagination.

[Jordan Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing like going back to the original EU (or “Legends”) to see how far Star Wars has fallen off the map while under the iron fist of the House of Mouse.

In no way, shape or form is The Golden Globe great reading, but it highlights that at a time, way back before Disney came in and destroyed the franchise, there were some original ideas in the novels (or at least some kind of heart).

The Golden Globe shifts readers from the twins of Han and Leia to Anakin Solo, their 3rd and final child. This takes place long before he is killed in the Yuzhaan Vong invasion of the New Jedi Order timeline so he’s just an innocent 11 year old fledgling Jedi, navigating his way through the Jedi Academy and trying to avoid getting into trouble with his uncle who now runs the place. Since his is a Solo, it’s only a matter of days before he’s off in the jungle, with a new found cohort, finding abandoned ruins and discovering there is still the dark side’s presence on the planet.

I suppose I have to be partial since this was written for younger fans that weren’t quite ready for Kevin J. Anderson’s Young Jedi Knight Series, so from that lens, there isn’t really anything terrible about this book. It’s juvenile and has some silly moments that would only really appeal to a 8 or 9 year old fan of Star Wars, but honestly, it’s readable and accessible. It also places an actual emphasis on story instead of the modern Disney tales, which try their hardest to cram identity politics into every thing.

Obviously this book, and the entire series, are not requisite reading to fully understand the universe of Star Wars after Return of the Jedi, however if you want a taste of what things were like before Bob Eiger and Kathleen Kennedy decided to torch the legacy of Star Wars, well, this is a decent place to start.

[Nate Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun to reread this as an adult. It’s crazy that I still remember some of it. Hoping to pick up the rest of the series one day

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a short fun story about Anakin Solo.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A re-read from my childhood. It's a solid little adventure novel which was my introduction into the Star Wars EU. Probably the best way for young readers to be introduced into the EU.

[Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Even for a juvenile book, this novel feels very basic. Richardson repeats a lot of details, like she's not sure the readers will understand them unless they're beaten into the brain, and there's almost no story here. She's setting the stage for this six-book series, sure, but so little happens here that it's hard to stay engaged. Plus, what EU details there are were already covered in previous books, so there's a lot of rehashed histories for anyone who's reading the books in order.

Speaking of that, I've been reading these books in chronological order instead of publication order, which has sometimes proven to be the wrong choice. That's the case here, since Tahiri, Anakin's friend who joins him for this adventure, is a prominent character in the New Jedi Order series, which is a bit later in the chronology. I think I'd understand her better had I read that series first; here, she just seems to be defined by her overpowering personality.

I think this book would be fine for young readers, but there are better series in the EU for this target audience. I suppose the writers can't all be as good as Jude Watson, though....

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another Star Wars middle-grade nostalgia trip so soon after reading the Jedi Prince series? I may have made a grave error. While the story telling seems more competent here than in Jedi Prince, this also feels like it might have been aimed at a much younger audience than even those books. I think I originally read these when I was eight, but I could be way off.

Very little happens in this first book. Honestly, what I thought was my memory of this book might actually be remembering the course of the entire series. I do appreciate the more reasonable scope of this series in opposition to the sprawling story of the Jedi Prince series. This seems like a manageable story to tell with proportionate stakes even if it is a bit slow.

[Sean · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first in a series of six starring Anakin Solo and Tahiri Veila about their time as new Jedi Padawans at Luke's Praxeum, it's a fun introductory to characters that go on to have much importance down the line. The writing is a little amateurish even for its target audience; just because it's a story for younger readers doesn't mean it has to be watered down to such a degree, people often underestimate their comprehension abilities. Nevertheless, there's an interesting theme of Anakin Solo dealing with carrying the name of Anakin Skywalker and is a fun little character exploration.

Four out of ten sparkly Sith globes.

[Declan O'Keeffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite parts of the recent Jedi Academy book have been Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin.

So an entire book series about young Anakin? A middle-grade book at that? I love these series so you know I'm in!

I enjoy how episodic these books feel, and this felt like a very fun first chapter, with a very tight focus on Anakin and his new friends on a very grounded and small adventure.

A very fun start to this series.

[Matt Allard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brought back memories. Not a good book, but not bad, and I loved it when I was younger.

Anakin Solo, the son of Han and Leia and the youngest of three, heads to Yavin 4 where his Uncle Luke is the headmaster of a Jedi School. He befriends Tahiri, and they soon become friends and go off on an adventure together.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I broadly consider the Legends young reader series to be better than the canon ones, so I was excited to start this one. It's nothing special, but it's still fun. I think it's adorable that Tahiri is characterized by being a chatterbox and that Anakin befriends her anyway and is always willing to listen.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly simple, of course, but I would imagine great for kids. Since I did spend quite a bit (of both time and money) tracking these books down, going to blaze through these in the run-up to NJO. But a decent start to the series, all things considered.

Don't think there'll be much of 'Holy Bantha!' from Tahiri in her later years though...

[Tibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Star Wars YA series I've read in my overall plan to read through every Star Wars book and comic. I'm going to review the whole series at once.

Considering this series was written for eight-year-olds, it's ironic that these books are better-written, more creative, and contain more interesting characterizations than a significant percentage of the Star Wars adult novels I've read -- especially from the Bantam era. They're still written for eight-year-olds so, in the end, they're a bit light-weight, but I though this series was a very charming read.

This series switched authors half-way through, and there's a pretty sharp divide between the first three books written by Nancy Richardson and the last three three written by Rebecca Moesta. Moesta's books are probably better overall -- she widens the cast and includes more details about the Jedi Academy, focusing more on how the characters learn about the force.

But my single favorite book in the series was #3, Promises. With the first two books, it felt like Richardson was still finding her footing, but with the third, she knocked it out of the park. It was easily the emotional high point of the series and contained some genuinely fantastic moments of writing. Richardson also didn't shy away from putting the two young protagonists in serious danger, which I appreciated. One thing I didn't like about Moesta's books is that they felt a little unserious. Book #6 ends with a giant action scene, but, since we know none of the characters (even the bad guys) are in in any danger, I mostly found it tedious.

Richardson's books are also more interesting in terms of aliens and sci-fi concepts. Book #2 is literally about mermaids, which was a lot of fun. It's a shame that it felt like she had to rush the ending of her Golden Globe plotline, shoving it in at the end of book #3. I would have been interested to see how that would have progressed over the other three books had she continued.

Tahiri was hands-down my favorite part of the series. She's loud and opinionated, which could have easily gone wrong and come across as annoying, but, somehow, she ends up coming across as charming and likeable, and basically being the heart of the series. Most of the supporting characters, Ikrit and Ulfric and Tionne, were great as well. It's a shame that Anakin Solo himself is such a wet blanket, by contrast. It's not that he's bad -- there's just very little there. He gets very little personality.

Like I said, these book are pretty light-weight, but for what they are, I thought they were fun. 7/10.

[Josh · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.5* Disappointing even for it's age group. The story has no real conclusion.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series is a fun read, good characterisation for Anakin and a good prelude to NJO.

[CAITLIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars - very short Legends story

[jaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made me cry especially since i read this AFTER njo

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know I'm an adult so take it with a grain of salt, but it's pretty repetitive and no conclusion

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this purely to get a feel for Anakin’s character, these books are approximately Charlotte’s Web length and a tad less complex. They’re bog standard for a Star Wars story geared for little kids, and while they might be good enough for a younger audience I found it to be a bit of a chore to get through. Luckily they’re short so it’s not a huge waste of my time to read them.

[Jaime K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here's the thing: This is a 3.5 star book. I love the premise and the overall story. I especially love the fact that Anakin Solo was set up with a friend his age. I don't blame Leia at all of wishing Anakin had a twin so he wouldn't be alone.

But Richardson just does not show full understanding of the Star Wars 'verse. From the beginning, she has Luke saying "young children and aliens."
Um. Aliens can't be young children?
Also, I'd have expected Anakin to understand R2 at least a little bit, as well as know SOME of the history of Yavin 4. I can't believe he and his parents have never been there to visit his siblings.

Anyway...
Anakin meets Tahiri, a girl about one year younger than him. She was orphaned at the age of four and was adopted by the Sand People. She hates shoes, sand, and the wrappings typical of the Raiders.
And she likes to talk.
She's stubborn, and grew up independent enough that some authority bothers her. But she doesn't fight back.
I love Tahiri.

The friendship between the two is obviously that of the Force. Tahiri understands some of Anakin's deepest concerns of his namesake, and she quickly warms up to his quiet demeanor. He in turn does not complain much when Tahiri's talking interrupts his thoughts.

That they plan on sneaking out on the THIRD day is crazy. But thinking of the way children are...it makes sense. I'm glad Tahri brings up the possibility of evil and is hesitant about fully trusting the voice Anakin hears and their shared dream.

Their excursion leads them under the Palace of the Woolamander to a crystal globe of golden glitter, and a death omen surrounding it should any adult learn of its existence.
Along with the globe is a strange creature that follows the children out.

Ikrit!

Again, I love the story and I think Richardson understands children, but oversimplifies some of the 'verse to make it sound just wrong.

[Jess Neuner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this series as a kid. It follows Anakin Solo, Han and Leia's youngest, when he's 11, first starting to learn to be a Jedi at his uncle Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy. I'd rather liked Anakin, who was quiet and preferred thinking over socialising. He meets his best friend, Tahiri, who talks his ear off, telling him her entire life story, including about her pet bantha (she's from Tatooine, raised by Sand People), before informing him that they're now best friends.

They're immediately presented with a problem that only they can solve (naturally) and that they can't tell Luke Skywalker about for some reason. So they have to break practically every rule Luke Skywalker has put in place in order to solve it and they worry they'll get kicked out of the Academy if (and when) they're caught at it. That seemed a bit silly to me - would Luke really not train his nephew because he sneaked out of the academy one time? But they are kids and at least Anakin is a bit of a rule-follower, even if Tahiri isn't so much, so perhaps it can be expected that they'd overestimate the amount of trouble they'd be in. Not one of the best Star Wars books out there, but a quick read and a fun story, especially for children.