The Approaching Storm

"He's just returned from a border dispute on Ansion."
―Mace Windu[5]

The Approaching Storm is the Star Wars Legends prologue novel to the prequel trilogy film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones. It was written by Alan Dean Foster and first published by Del Rey in hardcover on January 29, 2002. The first paperback edition was released in January 2003.

Publisher's summary

Hardcover

Back cover

While the entire galaxy watches and waits, two Jedi and their apprentices battle impossible odds to protect the Republic….

Inside flap

In the years since the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the Republic has continued to crumble, and more and more, the Jedi are needed to help the galactic government maintain order. As Star Wars: Attack of the Clones opens, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker have just returned from a mission on a world called Ansion. Written by beloved Star Wars veteran Alan Dean Foster, and starring a new character from the upcoming movie, The Approaching Storm tells the story of that daring mission.

The Republic is decaying, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was elected to save the galaxy from collapsing under the forces of discontent. On the tiny but strategic planet of Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the growing secessionist movement. The urban dwellers wish to expand into the prairies outside their cities—the ancestral territory of the fierce, independent Ansion nomads. If their demands are not met, they will secede—an act that could jump-start a chain reaction of withdrawal and rebellion by other worlds of the Republic.

At the Chancellor's request, the Jedi Council sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, to resolve the conflict and negotiate with the elusive nomads. Undaunted, Obi-Wan and Luminara, along with their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, set out across the wilderness. Many perils lie waiting to trap them. The Jedi will have to fulfill near-impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies to complete their quest, stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the negotiations collapse and the mission fail….

Paperback

The Republic is decaying, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, who was elected to save the galaxy from collapsing under the forces of discontent. On the tiny but strategic planet of Ansion, a powerful faction is on the verge of joining the growing secessionst movement. At the Chancellor's request, the Jedi Council sends two Jedi Knights, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luminara Unduli, along with their Padawans Anakin Skywalker and Barriss Offee, to stabilize the planet's population. To succeed, the Jedi will have to fulfill near impossible tasks, befriend wary strangers, and influence two great armies, stalked all the while by an enemy sworn to see the negotiations collapse and the mission fail….

Plot summary

The otherwise unremarkable world of Ansion finds itself at the center of a multitude of treaties and alliances. Should it secede from the Republic, it would bring dozens of influential worlds with it into the growing Separatist movement. This is precisely the outcome being cleverly engineered by Shu Mai, president of the Commerce Guild, on behalf of former Jedi Count Dooku. In response, the Jedi Council dispatches Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee to make sure the world stays in the Galactic Republic rather than joining the growing powers of the Separatists.

After an attack on the two female Jedi by a group of mercenaries, they are instantly saved by Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his apprentice Anakin Skywalker. The four Jedi begin a journey to meet with Ansion's government and win their loyalty by settling a long-standing board dispute. However, their attempts become a bit more complicated with the machinations of Ansion's residing Hutt, Soergg Vosadii Bezhin, who has been secretly contracted by the Separatists to disrupt the Jedi mission. He tasks two clanless Ansionian underlings – Kyakhta and Bulgan – with kidnapping the Padawans. Their addled nature makes their motives and actions difficult for the Jedi to detect, and the duo succeeded in capturing Barriss. She uses her healing talents with the Force to restore their fractured minds, nonetheless, and gains their loyalty.

The Jedi and their newfound Ansionan allies set off into the prairies on a mission to convince the nomadic Alwari people to cede half of their land to the city dwellers of Cuipernam to allow for the expansion of developed territory. After tangling with a variety of wildlife and several Alwari tribes, the Jedi make contact with the Borokii overclan and convince them to make peace with the civilized Unity. During their journey back they narrowly avoid assassins hired by Soergg. The four Jedi present the treaty resolving the border dispute to the ruling Council of Ansion. The planet votes to remain in the Republic, and the Separatists decide to bide their time just a little longer.

Continuity

The events of The Approaching Storm are referenced in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones when Mace Windu mentions that Obi-Wan Kenobi had just returned from a border dispute on Ansion.

Both Mirialans are referred to as Humans throughout The Approaching Storm. Barriss even refers to herself as a Human more than once.

Luminara Unduli, already a Jedi Master in Cloak of Deception, is referenced as a Jedi Knight.

There is a spelling mistake on page 60 of The Approaching Storm: "wore" is misspelled as "were". Also, "Tatooine" is misspelled as "Tattooine" on page 127.

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Cover gallery

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Appearances

By type
Characters Organisms Droid models Events Locations
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Characters

Organisms

Droid models

Events

Locations

Organizations and titles

Sentient species

Vehicles and vessels

Weapons and technology

Miscellanea

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 StarWars.com Approaching Storm Interview and Excerpt on StarWars.com (original site is defunct)
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 PenguinRandomHouse-Logo The Approaching Storm: Star Wars Legends on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link) (Paperback)
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 PenguinRandomHouse-Logo The Approaching Storm: Star Wars Legends on Penguin Random House's official website (backup link) (eBook)
  4. ↑ The Essential Reader's Companion
  5. ↑ Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
  6. ↑ The Approaching Storm, Science Fiction Book Club edition

External links