8 Great Star Wars Novels About Obi-Wan Kenobi

Of the many members of the Jedi Order in the Star Wars universe, Master Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most prolific and intriguing figures in the canon. A general, a wizard, a scholar, a gentleman, a great negotiator, and a beloved teacher are just a few of the titles the character has acquired over his long and illustrious career.

With his own solo TV series set to premiere on Disney+, fans are definitely itching for more of Kenobi’s adventures before the first episode drops. Fortunately, the Star Wars book series is home to a wealth of various novels to satisfy fans until the next chapter in his journey arrives.

Rogue Planet By Greg Bear

Rogue Planet sees Kenobi during his early days as a Jedi Master, only having Anakin under his wing for a few years. Clinging to his old master’s prediction that his young student will bring balance to the Force, master and apprentice are sent on a rescue mission to save a missing Padawan on a mysterious planet.

Everyone needs to start somewhere, and that notion is a great way to describe this adventure by Greg Bear. Obi-Wan is still getting used to his new status as a Jedi Master, and Anakin is still freshly pulled from the pod-racing pits on Tatooine. It’s less of a dynamic adventure and more of a character study between one of the Star Wars series’ most famous duos.

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith By Matthew Stover

To some, novelizations of movies might come off as blatant cash-grabs to tie into the film’s release, and they are right to an extent. However, novelizations of the Star Wars movies are often the exception. Case in point, Matthew Stover’s adaptation of Revenge of the Sith.

Considered by many to be one of the best Star Wars novels, the book explores a great deal of internal conflict along with the events of the film. The relationship between Obi-Wan and Anakin is greater explored as his friend and former apprentice is seduced to the Dark Side. The two are ripped apart as one struggles to hold his heart and mind together and the other tries to keep the Force from being swayed into an age of darkness.

Secrets Of The Jedi By Jude Watson

This is a YA read to be sure, but one that explores a different side of not one but three Jedi Masters. As any fan of the series knows, Jedi are forbidden to have attachments, fear of losing them risks a brush with the Dark Side. But that doesn’t mean characters like Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker are made of stone.

The book is composed of a trio of stories, each dealing with a Jedi and their forbidden relationships. Although it might not be recognized as canon to some, it does grant a refreshingly human element to characters like Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan.

The Clone Wars: Wild Space By Karen Miller

Described by Youtini as a buddy-cop adventure between Obi-Wan and Bail Organa by Karen Miller, this character-driven adventure in the early days of the Clone Wars serves as a very user-friendly story to those dipping their toes into the extended universe of the galaxy far, far away.

Master Kenobi is ever the wily mystic while Bail Organa is the silver-tongued politician, making them an unlikely duo to embark on a mission to find a lost Sith Holocron. What transpires is an adventure that will forge a friendship that helps save the balance of the Force as the two work through their differences and learn to cooperate.

Clone Wars Gambit: Siege And Stealth By Karen Miller

An epic large enough to require two volumes, Clone Wars Gambit by Karen Miller sees both Anakin and Obi-Wan embark on a dangerous mission on the planet Lanteeb. Equipped with Jedi, Separatists, Battle Droids, and so on, it contains a little bit of everything one could expect from the Clone Wars, but there are things deadlier than an army of clankers to contend with in the Outer Rim.

The two books feature both Jedi on the hunt for a missing scientist behind a deadly bioweapon that could turn the tide of the war. With a determined Obi-Wan, an easily-excitable Anakin, and the fate of the Republic hanging in the balance, both novels will have readers clutching their copies in anticipation.

The Approaching Storm By Alan Dean Foster

Anything Star Wars with Alan Dean Foster’s name attached is typically a fantastic read, and The Approaching Storm is one that gives more structure and depth to Episode II. A companion novel to Attack of the Clones, the book takes Obi-Wan and Master Luminara with their Padawans, Anakin and Barriss Offee on an adventure to stop an entire planet from merging with the Separatist forces.

While Kenobi is often regarded as the galaxy’s Great Negotiator, it will take more than his Jedi Mind-Tricks to persuade a planet to remain loyal to the Galactic Republic. A character-driven story of the Clone Wars, it gives Kenobi a chance to work in his element with other Force-users, and maybe teach his Padawan a thing or two along the way.

Master And Apprentice By Claudia Gray

Taking place before the events of The Phantom Menace, Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray explores the relationship between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi during the early days of Obi-Wan’s Jedi path. With an ever-inquisitive Padawan, a master engrossed in questionable ancient teachings, and neither one wanting to fail the other, a brotherhood is forged in the ways of the Force.

When the two are given a mission to resolve political discourse in the court of Pijal, a more sinister plot is soon discovered that will test both Jedi in their faith, trust, and abilities as they overcome a new threat and visions of destruction. It’s a solid read for those looking to explore Obi-Wan’s early years.

Kenobi By John Jackson Miller

Of course, there is no Kenobi novel more pivotal than John Jackson Miller’s Kenobi. Set immediately after the events of Revenge of the Sith, an exiled Obi-Wan, now living as a hermit on Tatooine as he tries to avoid being captured by the Empire. However, his flight into the desert soon has him out of one fight and into another.

Caught in the midst of a deadly feud between moisture farmers and an aggressive tribe of Tusken Raiders, the former Jedi hero must come out of hiding to keep evil at bay. Even if that means exposing himself and the infant Luke Skywalker he’s trying to protect. It’s a heavy read, but one no Star Wars fan should miss.

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