Star Wars: A Test of Courage is a Star Wars: The High Republic junior novel written by Justina Ireland (Lando's Luck, Spark of the Resistance).
Vernestra Rwoh is the youngest Jedi Knight ever at the age of 15, and her first mission as a newly minted is to escort the daughter of a senator, Avon Starros, and the son of an ambassador, Honesty Weft, aboard the cruiser Steady Wing to the opening of the brand new station, Starlight Beacon. However, when the Great Disaster strikes, the escapees find themselves stranded on a remote jungle moon.
It was released on January 5, 2021.
Tropes in this book include:
- Aerith and Bob: In the High Republic era, we have Jedi named Avar, Loden, Sskeer, Stellan, Elzar, and... Douglas.
- Call-Forward:
- Avon Starros and her mother Senator Ghirra Starros are from the Starros clan, ancestors of Sana Starros from the Star Wars (Marvel 2015) comics.
- Vernestra's lightsaber is also a lightwhip. Imri notes that the Nightsisters are well known for using lightwhips (as we see in The Clone Wars), and Vernestra says that Jedi also used lightwhips back during the Sith Wars (first mentioned in canon by Thrawn in Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising).
- Continuity Nod:
- Honesty and his father are from Dalna, which was first mentioned in Dooku Jedi Lost. Dooku: Jedi Lost was written by The High Republic writer Cavan Scott.
- When Vernestra continuously rebuffs Avon asking to hold her lightsaber, Imri explains to her that a Jedi's lightsaber is very personal, bringing to mind Obi-Wan explaining to Anakin that "this weapon [lightsaber] is your life"... though Imri goes the other way, comparing it to "kind of like asking to borrow someone's underclothes".
- Death World: Wevo, the jungle moon of Dalna that our protagonists get stuck on following the escape from the Steady Wing, is pretty rough for non-native species, between lightning storms, heavy downpours of acid rain, and toxic water. That said, the species that do thrive on Wevo are well-adapted, with the plants dissolved by acid rain quickly growing back and animals using native fruit as a non-toxic water source.
- Deserted Island: The escapees from the Steady Wing stranded on a remote jungle moon after the Great Disaster, and have to find a way to call for help and/or escape from the moon.
- Mythology Gag: According to Vernestra and Imri, lightwhips were used by both Jedi and Sith during the Sith Wars. In Legends, the only depiction of lightwhips being used before the Skywalker Saga was by Sith Lady Githany in the New Sith Wars section of the Darth Bane novel and its immediate sequel, the Jedi Vs Sith comic. Both stories take place at the end of the Old Republic era.
- No Biochemical Barriers: Discussed when the group learns that the native primates of Wevo consume fruit for water sustenance, but note that it could be potentially toxic to non-native species. As such, Avon has J-6 run an analysis on one of the fruits to see if they are safe for human (and Mirialan in Vernestra's case) consumption.
- Simultaneous Arcs: By way of being about the Great Disaster, A Test of Courage is this with Light of the Jedi, Into the Dark, The High Republic comic, and The High Republic Adventures.
