Welcome back to Go/No-Go, Tosche Station’s regular feature where we offer our spoiler-free opinion as to whether or not you should spend your hard-earned money on a book, film, or other entertainment. Today on the launch pad: Kenobi. Just how much will the staff like this western about Obi-Wan Kenobi adjusting to life in hiding and the residents of a small community on Tatooine? To mission control for the ruling!

CAPCOM Brian’s thoughts: Kenobi is precisely the book we’ve been asking to get for years. First and foremost, it’s a character driven book that grabs you in no small part to the deep and fully realized original characters John Jackson Miller developed for this novel. It also boasts one of the best written female characters in the whole expanded universe. What is truly remarkable, however, is that this is a book that explores the depths of Ben Kenobi while still maintaining an aura of mystery. It’s a story that succeeds thanks to an intentionally small scope that doesn’t try to do too much.  This is a tale that simply feels like a Star Wars novel should and is one of the finest books in the entire Expanded Universe. Kenobi is an absolute must-buy and is very much a GO.

EECOM Nanci’s thoughts: Kenobi is the best Star Wars book I’ve read in a long time. Other books, like Choices of One and Mercy Kill, may have hit more of my buttons, but Kenobi is an absolutely fantastic novel and I’m hard-pressed to name a better one that’s come out in recent years. Like Darth Plagueis, Kenobi greatly enhances the prequel era, but it’s a great book on its own. The characters are fleshed out, the plot is perfectly paced, and it feels exactly like the Star Wars I know and love. Not since Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor has a book so eloquently captured the tone and spirit of Star Wars. If this is the type of book we can expect from John Jackson Miller, I hope Del Rey gives him a blank pass to write whatever he wants from this day forward. In other words: Go. Go buy it right now.

TELMU Bria’s thoughts: I had a lot of trouble writing a full review of Kenobi because I could really just boil my sentiments down to one simple sentence. It’s hard not to take a copy of this book, run up to people, shake it in their face and shout “IT’S SO GOOD I’M GONNA DIE” and then run off. Much like this:

It’s a book that hits right emotional chords at every turn while also presenting an excellent cast of characters who absolutely carry the story. It’s also a story set on much smaller scale than we’ve seen recently which a welcome relief but it doesn’t take away from the importance of this tale. John Jackson Miller knocked it out of the park with this one. Honestly, just buy this book. I promise you won’t regret it.

Flight Director’s verdict: Kenobi is GO for launch and you should definitely pick up a copy on Tuesday.