Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice is the first in a series of young reader novels that chronicle the adventures of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker between the events of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. Narration for the audio version was performed by Jonathan Davis.
Publisher's summary
Master and apprentice.
Chosen by fate. Destined for conflict.
Fourteen-year-old Anakin Skywalker is strong in the ways of the Force. His lightsaber skills are exceptional, and his piloting is legendary. He should be an ideal Jedi apprentice. And yet, there is so much he still has to learn.
It is up to Obi-Wan Kenobi to teach him these things. But on a mission to a planet threatened by toxic disaster, Obi-Wan and Anakin are separated. Anakin and three other apprentices—one of them his rival—must work together in order to survive. Anakin's instincts are clear…but are they right?
Anakin Skywalker's destiny will determine the future of a galaxy. These are the events that form his fate
Plot summary
Anakin Skywalker, now apprenticed to Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, continues his Jedi training on Coruscant while struggling with the discipline and emotional control expected of a Jedi. Tensions rise when he is constantly compared to Ferus Olin, the talented and composed Padawan of Jedi Master Siri Tachi. The rivalry between the two intensifies during a sparring match in the Temple, drawing attention from instructors and fellow Padawans alike. Soon after, the Jedi Council receives a distress call from the planet Radnor, where a deadly biotoxin has been released, splitting the planet into two sectors: the uncontaminated Clean Sector and the still-infected Containment Sector. Four Master–Padawan teams—Kenobi and Skywalker, Tachi and Olin, Ry-Gaul and Tru Veld, and Soara Antana and Darra Thel-Tanis—are sent to assist in the planetary evacuation and investigate the origins of the virus. Upon arrival, the Masters and Padawans split up to cover more ground. The Masters head to the Clean Sector to coordinate with planetary authorities, while the four Padawans are tasked with a dangerous mission into the Containment Sector to assess the situation and recover valuable research data from a scientist’s lab that may lead to a cure. Anakin is reluctantly placed in charge of the Padawan team, which deepens the conflict with Ferus, who believes Anakin is reckless and unsuited for leadership. Inside the Containment Sector, the Padawans don environmental suits and navigate the desolate ruins of the city. Along the way, they rescue a group of surviving scientists and uncover evidence suggesting that the release of the virus was not accidental. Further investigation confirms that the virus was deliberately engineered and released by a radical scientist, V-Tan, who intended to test its effects in a live environment. His motivations are linked to extremist beliefs about planetary purity and a desire to reshape Radnor’s society. The Padawans also face internal challenges: Ferus frequently questions Anakin’s judgment, while Anakin becomes increasingly frustrated with Ferus’s calm superiority. Despite this, Anakin develops a friendship with Tru Veld, who shares his interest in mechanics and supports his leadership. As they reach the laboratory, they retrieve the research data needed for a cure and narrowly escape a collapsing building, showcasing their teamwork and bravery under pressure. Meanwhile, the Masters in the Clean Sector confront civic unrest and prevent panic while coordinating the planetary evacuation. Once the Padawans transmit the data, the Jedi work with the remaining scientists to synthesize an antidote, allowing for decontamination and the eventual repopulation of the Containment Sector. After reuniting, the Masters commend the Padawans for their courage and success in the mission, though tensions remain unresolved between Anakin and Ferus. Siri and Obi-Wan privately discuss Anakin’s behavior, with Siri warning that Anakin’s emotional instability could lead to dangerous consequences. Obi-Wan continues to hope that Anakin will mature in time, though doubts linger. The novel ends with Anakin feeling both validated and unsettled—he has proven himself in action, but the rivalry with Ferus and the expectations of the Jedi Order continue to weigh on him. The mission to Radnor becomes a formative experience, offering both a test of leadership and a foreshadowing of the internal struggles that will shape Anakin’s path in the years to come.
Media
Editions
- ISBN 0439339170; April 23, 2002, Scholastic, 160-page paperback
- ISBN 0807208299; April 23, 2002, Random House Audio, Unabridged cassette
- ISBN 3897485567; September 2002, Dino Entertainment, 160-page German paperback
Cover gallery
This is a gallery of the different cover variations of Jedi Quest: The Way of the Apprentice.
Appearances
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Sources
Scholastic's New Young Heroes on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)- Young Anakin and Boba Adventures on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
- "Bookshelf" — Star Wars Insider 60
