High Republic Reading Order: 3 Ways to Read | Star Wars

If you’re like me, you squealed with joy when Disney announced their newest Star Wars Book series: The High Republic. That joy quickly turned into confusion as dozens of books were released in varying age brackets. So what is the best High Republic reading order?

That’s what we’re here to answer.

The Old Republic has always been my favorite Star Wars era, thanks to Knights of the Old Republic and the EU novels that followed, especially Revan and the Darth Bane trilogy. So when Disney announced The High Republic, I was all in.

Below, we’ll go over the three different High Republic reading orders and help eliminate any confusion.

Jump to:

• High Republic Reading Order by Release Date
• High Republic Reading Order by Age Range
• High Republic Books in Chronological Order
• What is The High Republic Era?
• High Republic Books FAQ

High Republic Reading Order by Release Date

If you’re like me, you want to read everything Star Wars to get the biggest picture and soak in the most amount of lore. Even if a book wasn’t directly written for your age.

The High Republic books cover a broad scope of these age ranges including Adult, Young Adult, Middle Grade, and Children’s books.

To make this more clear, as we list out the High Republic books in publication order below, I’ve labeled them based on their target demographic.

1. Light of the Jedi (January 5, 2021) — Adult
2. A Test of Courage (January 5, 2021) — Middle Grade
3. The Great Jedi Rescue (January 5, 2021) — Children
4. Into the Dark (February 2, 2021) — Young Adult
5. The Rising Storm (June 29, 2021) — Adult
6. Race to Crashpoint Tower (June 29, 2021) — Middle Grade
7. Out of the Shadows (July 27, 2021) — Young Adult
8. Showdown at the Fair (October 5, 2021) — Children
9. The Fallen Star (January 4, 2022) — Adult
10. The Battle for Starlight (February 1, 2022) — Children
11. Midnight Horizon (February 1, 2022) — Young Adult
12. Mission to Disaster (March 1, 2022) — Middle Grade
13. Tempest Runner (March 15, 2022) — Adult
14. Path of Deceit (October 4, 2022) — Young Adult
15. Quest for the Hidden City (November 1, 2022) — Middle Grade
16. Convergence (November 22, 2022) — Adult
17. The High Republic: Starlight Stories (December 6, 2022) — Adult
18. The Battle of Jedha (February 14, 2023) — Adult
19. Cataclysm (April 4, 2023) — Adult
20. Quest for Planet X (April 4, 2023) — Middle Grade
21. Path of Vengeance (May 2, 2023) — Young Adult
22. Tales of Light and Life Anthology (September 5, 2023) — Young Adult
23. The Eye of Darkness (November 14, 2023) — Adult
24. Escape from Valo (January 30, 2024) — Middle Grade
25. Defy the Storm (March 5, 2024) — Young Adult
26. The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment (April 2, 2024) — Adult
27. Temptation of the Force (June 11, 2024) — Adult
28. Beware the Nameless (August 27, 2024) — Middle Grade
29. Tears of the Nameless (September 24, 2024) — Young Adult
30. Into the Light (April 1, 2025) — Young Adult
31. A Valiant Vow (May 6, 2025) — Middle Grade
32. Trials of the Jedi (June 17, 2025) — Adult
33. The High Republic: Survivors of the Stormwall (June 30, 2026) — Adult

High Republic Reading Order by Age Range

But maybe you’re not like me, and you’d rather only read the books that fit your reading level. In that case, we’ll break the books out into separate age buckets so you can see book development and story arcs a little easier.

Star Wars: The High Republic Adult Books

1. Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (January 2021)
2. The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott (June 2021)
3. The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray (January 2022)
4. Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott (March 2022)
5. Convergence by Zoraida Cordova (November 2022)
6. The High Republic: Starlight Stories (December 2022)
7. The Battle of Jedha by George Mann (February 2023)
8. Cataclysm by Lydia Kang (April 2023)
9. The Eye of Darkness by George Mann (November 2023)
10. The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment by George Mann (April 2024)
11. Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton (June 2024)
12. Trials of the Jedi by Charles Soule (June 2025)
13. The High Republic: Survivors of the Stormwall (June 2026)

Star Wars: The High Republic Young Adult Books

1. Into the Dark by Claudia Gray (February 2021)
2. Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland (July 2021)
3. Midnight Horizon by Daniel Jose Older (February 2022)
4. Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton (October 2022)
5. Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott (May 2023)
6. Tales of Light and Life Anthology (September 2023)
7. Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland (March 2024)
8. Tears of the Nameless by George Mann (September 2024)
9. Into the Light by Claudia Gray (April 2025)

Star Wars: The High Republic Middle Grade Books

1. A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland (January 2021)
2. Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel Jose Older (June 2021)
3. Mission to Disaster by Justina Ireland (March 2022)
4. Quest for the Hidden City by George Mann (November 2022)
5. Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton (April 2023)
6. Escape from Valo by Alyssa Wong & Daniel Jose Older (January 2024)
7. Beware the Nameless by Zoraida Cordova (August 2024)
8. A Valiant Vow by Justina Ireland (May 2025)

Star Wars: The High Republic Children’s Books

1. The Great Jedi Rescue by Cavan Scott (January 2021)
2. Showdown at the Fair by George Mann (October 2021)
3. The Battle for Starlight by George Mann (February 2022)

High Republic Books in Chronological Order

For our final list, we’re just going to include the main, primary novels, which are the adult and young adult books.

The High Republic books have been released in phases.

Phase 1 came first, beginning with Light of the Jedi. Path of Deceit began Phase 2, and The Eye of Darkness kicked off Phase 3.

Phase 2 actually takes place several generations before Phase 1, hence the need for a High Republic chronological reading order.

1. Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
2. Convergence by Zoraida Córdova (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
3. The Battle of Jedha by George Mann (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
4. Cataclysm by Lydia Kang (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
5. Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
6. The High Republic: Tales of Enlightenment by George Mann (~382 BBY) (Phase 2)
7. Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (232 BBY) (Phase 1)
8. Into the Dark by Claudia Gray (232 BBY) (Phase 1)
9. The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott (~231 BBY) (Phase 1)
10. Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland (~231 BBY) (Phase 1)
11. Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott (~231 BBY) (Phase 1)
12. The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray (~230 BBY) (Phase 1)
13. Midnight Horizon by Daniel Jose Older (~230 BBY) (Phase 1)
14. Tales of Light and Life Anthology (~382 to ~230 BBY)
15. The Eye of Darkness by George Mann (~229 BBY) (Phase 3)
16. Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland (~228 BBY) (Phase 3)
17. Temptation of the Force by Tessa Gratton (~228 BBY) (Phase 3)
18. Tears of the Nameless by George Mann (~228 BBY) (Phase 3)
19. Into the Light by Claudia Gray (~228 BBY) (Phase 3)
20. Trials of the Jedi by Charles Soule (~228 BBY) (Phase 3)

What is The High Republic Era?

The High Republic is a Star Wars era set roughly 200 years before The Phantom Menace, when the Jedi Order is operating at its peak and the Galactic Republic is confident, ambitious, and expanding. It has a “golden age” vibe on the surface, but the stories make it clear that stability is fragile.

During this time, the Republic pushes deeper into the Outer Rim, and the Jedi are at the center of exploration, diplomacy, and crisis response. Big symbols of progress like Starlight Beacon help frame the era as forward-looking, hopeful, and built around the idea that the galaxy can actually get better.

That optimism gets tested early and often. Catastrophic events, rising chaos, and new enemies force the Jedi to respond across multiple worlds and multiple fronts, and the conflicts feel different from the familiar Sith vs Jedi rhythm people expect.

Because it’s a modern publishing initiative, The High Republic also comes in a lot of formats and age ranges, including adult novels, YA, middle grade, comics, and audio storytelling. That variety is part of the fun, but it also explains why readers keep looking for a clean High Republic reading order.

High Republic Books FAQ

What order should I read The High Republic books in?

Most readers start with publication order because it matches how the story was originally revealed and avoids accidental spoilers. A chronological timeline read can be fun, but it tends to work best after you’ve already read at least the core Phase I adult and YA novels. For a first-time read, publication order is the safest and smoothest experience.

Where should I start reading The High Republic?

Start with Light of the Jedi. It’s the true kickoff, introduces the era’s tone and stakes immediately, and sets up the major players and threats that ripple through the rest of Phase I. Starting anywhere else usually makes the opening events feel less impactful.

Do I need to read the YA and middle grade books, or can I stick to the adult novels?

You can follow the main spine with the adult novels, but the YA books add major character arcs and context that the adult line assumes you know. Middle grade is more “optional,” but it still fills in important events and introduces characters who later matter in bigger story moments. If you want the fullest story with the least confusion, read adult + YA, then treat middle grade as bonus depth.

Do I need to read the comics to understand The High Republic story?

Not strictly, but the comics are not just side quests. Marvel and Dark Horse both carry plot threads, villains, and Jedi arcs that connect back into the novels, especially within each phase’s larger conflict. Skipping them won’t break the story, but you’ll miss context that makes certain reveals and character moments land harder.

Is The High Republic canon, and does it connect to the movies?

Yes, The High Republic is canon and sits on the official timeline about 200 years before The Phantom Menace. It’s designed to stand on its own with mostly new characters, but it also lays groundwork that makes later Star Wars feel more lived-in, especially around how the Jedi operate and how the Republic sees itself. You don’t need to watch anything first to follow it.

Looking for more books in order?

If you want more science fiction authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Science Fiction Books in Order index.

• Books in Order (Full Index)
• Dune Books in Order
• Warhammer 40k Books in Order
• The Expanse Books in Order