“Star Wars The High Republic Path of Vengeance” is a young adult novel by Cavan Scott. The story intersects with the other material that chronicles the battle of Dalna, such as “Cataclysm” and at some point “Quest for Planet X” as you can read on those reviews.
This time it’s the story of Marda Ro and her return to Dalna, the encounters with Alecia “the Mother” and the simultaneous path that Jedi Padawan Matthea “Matty” Cathley takes along with Jedi Knight Olivia Zeveron, both protagonists of “The High Republic” Marvel comic series, also penned by Cavan Scott.
On Dalna, Marda Ro must walk a tight rope balancing her future with the Path of the Open Hand, and her individual future. She starts seeing all the preparations for an all-out war against the Jedi that has driven the Mother and the entire Path into a belligerent path, along with her cousin Yana Ro.
As part of that journey, Marda enlists herself in a dangerous mission to Planet X, the fabled home of the nameless creatures that turn Jedi into ash statues. She will survive but with a great cost.
Upon her return, the battle begins in Dalna and chaos erupts when several teams of Jedi arrive on the planet, until a tremendous revelation shows the true nature and purpose of the Mother.
And Marda will take the only remaining path, so to speak. To the stars.
The novel is fantastic and finally gives closure to one of the strangest eras. There are a couple of things still belonging to Phase II of The High Republic, but this is the final main link before Phase III starts in the final quarter of 2023.
Highly recommended if you’ve been following the High Republic initiative.