An audio drama about the bad guys – Lorna Dee and the Nihil.

The Nihil. More than just a gang of thugs, Marchion Ro has turned them into a true threat to the galaxy. Going beyond even his father’s dreams, the current Eye of the Storm has nefarious plans within plans. Where it is all headed is part of the mystery. The other part? Who are these Nihil? If you’ve been reading The High Republic series and have been dying to know more about them, you will want to listen to Star Wars: Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott. Cavan reveals the backstory for perhaps the most famous of the three Tempest Runners – the fearsome Twi’lek, Lorna Dee. How she got to her position in the ranks of the Nihil, what happened to her to get her there, and what motivates her to be who she is are all questions answered by this full cast drama. Did you know she was once a princess? It’s not likely she’ll get her own float in a Disneyland parade any time soon.

Audio dramas like this one are fun because its written in a style different than a narrative. More like the audio dramas of the past when radio was the primary source of entertainment, this story is told through the voices of the characters, and unlike a regular audiobook which is usually read by one voice, this has a full cast of seasoned readers (some of whom do multiple voices). And as always, the sound engineers who put it together do a great job of adding music and special effects to bring the voices to life in an even richer way. At the beginning it was difficult to know what was always going on. Transitions happened from the present into the past very quickly and it wasn’t always clear what was going on, but after listening for a while, you learn to pick up on the cues and it becomes easier to follow.

Overall, Cavan tells an interesting story and it’s hard not to listen to it without feeling SOME sympathy for Lorna Dee – no matter how despicable she has been so far in The High Republic. Through her story, the history of the rest of the Nihil is also explored. We learn more about Marchion Ro’s rise to power as the Eye and Lorna’s relationship with her fellow Tempest Runner, Pan Eyta. The story gives you a better idea about the power structure of the Tempests and how much people like Pan Eyta despise the Ro family. At the end, the status quo remains unchanged. This is a story that reveals the past more than advances Lorna’s story in the present, but it does reestablish her position as a fierce Tempest Runner. How that happens? You’ll just have to listen and find out.

• Thanks to Del Rey / Penguin Random House for providing a review copy of this audiobook.

Title: Star Wars: Tempest Runner
Author: Cavan Scott; portrayed by a full cast
Cost: $7.95 on Audible
Age: 18+
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audiobooks
Genre: Star Wars