Guardians of the Whills

Guardians of the Whills is a young reader novel written by Greg Rucka and put out by Disney Lucasfilm Publishing. It’s a nice little hardcover book (roughly 6″ by 7.5″) that comes in at 234 pages and includes some illustrations. If you’re looking for a deep dive, end all be all book on the Guardians of the Whills, this is not the book you’re looking for. Instead, this is a fun adventure set shortly before the events of Rogue One. It dives into the heads of Baze and Chirrut, touches on Saw Gerrera’s arrival on Jedha, and gives readers a small look at what the city of Jedha is like under the bootheel of the Empire.

The book starts by introducing readers to Baze Malbus and Chirrut Îmwe. We see them dealing with the small problems of the city, helping those they care about, and trying to get by. One of their vested interests is an orphanage, which becomes a central focus of the storyline later on. The Empire’s presence is there from the beginning, but it slowly becomes more and more impressive. Part of that is because of people like Baze and Chirrut who take it upon themselves to steal supplies from the Empire in order to help the orphans. Eventually Saw Gerrera shows up, and Baze and Chirrut end up joining him out of mutual interest. Through Saw, they see a way to keep helping the orphans. However, their involvement and Saw’s presence only worsens the conflict as the Empire escalates their retaliations. Chirrut is the first to notice this and to take concern. Eventually Baze and Chirrut have to make a decision and a big move in order to help the orphans, which serves as the climax of the story.

As far as revelations go, there aren’t many. The book doesn’t explore the history of the Whills, the Guardians, the Kyber Temple or any of the other religious doctrines on Jedha. Nor does it touch on the planet’s history. There are some interesting religious quotes at the beginning of each chapter showcasing all the various sects in Jedha, but the majority of the story focuses on the here and now of the story, not the past. This means Baze and Chirrut also remain a mystery as it does not explore how they met, how they become Guardians, or anything else about their past lives. The book does explore their attitudes on where they are now, which helps fans get an idea of their mindset heading into Rogue One. It’s also interesting seeing that they have a connection to Saw, which was not apparent in the film, but now adds a new angle to the events in the movie.

There might not be any big questions answered in the book, but nevertheless, it does spin out a fun tail that worth reading. Fans of Baze and Chirrut, no matter what your age is, will want to check this one out. It’s a quick read and an enjoyable one. Just don’t set your expectations too high on what you’re going to learn, and instead focus on experiencing a new adventure with two likeable characters. I give it a five out of five metal bikinis.

Reviewed By: Skuldren for Roqoo Depot.