Brotherhood, a mature-themed novel, was penned by Mike Chen. Del Rey released it to the public on May 10, 2022. The narrative primarily revolves around Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker during the era of the Clone Wars. Simultaneously, an audiobook version, presented in its complete and original form, was also made available.
As the Clone Wars escalate, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are tasked with solidifying their bond as Jedi Knights while battling the rising tide of conflict.
The Clone Wars have erupted, and battle lines are forming across the galaxy. The Jedi Order's ability to maintain peace diminishes with each planet that aligns itself with the Separatists.
Following a devastating explosion on Cato Neimoidia, a Trade Federation stronghold, the Republic is implicated, jeopardizing the planet's delicate neutrality. The Jedi Council sends Obi-Wan Kenobi, renowned for his diplomatic skills, to investigate the incident and restore the balance that is teetering dangerously. While investigating with the aid of a valiant Neimoidian guard, Obi-Wan faces opposition from Separatists seeking to draw the planet into their scheme, and he detects the ominous presence of Asajj Ventress lurking in the shadows.
Amidst the growing turmoil, Anakin Skywalker achieves the rank of Jedi Knight. Despite Obi-Wan's orders to travel alone—and his former master's insistence on being heeded this time—Anakin's unwavering resolve compels him to join the mission, accompanied by a promising but conflicted youngling.
Anakin, once Obi-Wan's Padawan, now stands as his equal, yet their relationship remains uncertain. The underlying tension between them amplifies the risks for everyone involved. The two knights must discover a new way to collaborate effectively—and swiftly, to protect Cato Neimoidia and its inhabitants from the ravages of war. To overcome the challenges ahead, they must evolve beyond their master-apprentice dynamic and unite as brothers.
During its creation, Brotherhood was initially known as "Playground Fight." StarWars.com announced its upcoming release on October 7, 2021, alongside other titles. Throughout the development process, Chen collaborated closely with E. K. Johnston, another Star Wars author, whose novel Queen's Hope takes place slightly before the events of Brotherhood. The two authors worked together to ensure their narratives were synchronized and interconnected. Chen drew inspiration from Kira Nerys from Star Trek for the mannerisms, voice, and attire of the character Ruug Quarnom. The name of the Korgee beast was inspired by the corgi dog breed.
The novel's mission to Cato Neimoidia is the same event initially referenced in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. A 2021 issue of De Agostini's Star Wars Encyclopedia series, "Anakin Skywalker," previously indicated that Kenobi and Skywalker engaged in an operation on Cato Neimoidia shortly before the Battle of Yerbana, which it identified as the event mentioned in Revenge of the Sith. The encyclopedia's depiction closely aligns with the Star Wars Legends continuity's portrayal of the event in the 2005 novel Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno. Due to his admiration for Labyrinth of Evil and the fact that his book is set much earlier in the timeline, author Mike Chen has said fans can still view the events in Labyrinth as "that business," suggesting the two stories can coexist.
Another connection to a Legends novel is a tie to the Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover: while that novelization presents a mission to an unidentified dead star system from Anakin Skywalker's perspective, Chen included a re-canonization of the scene, but now from Kenobi's perspective. The image of Anakin and Obi-Wan running together on the inside cover of the book originates from the cover of the 2002 Legends comic book Practice Makes Perfect.
Driven by a desire to incorporate as many references as possible, Chen also included several nods to the Star Wars: Clone Wars microseries. Chen considered that the microseries could be interpreted as dramatized HoloNet versions of actual events—implying that while liberties were taken for entertainment purposes, the core events remained accurate. He believed this was partly due to the stylized action sequences in the Clone Wars series feeling disconnected from the films. The author also mentioned that his personal approach helped him effectively reconcile the events of the films with those of the series during the novel's planning phase.
The line "Like fire across the galaxy" is taken from Clone Wars. Windu's participation in the fighting on Dantooine and Grievous's battle with Ki-Adi-Mundi were also referenced in the novel. Chen deliberately alluded to the duel on Yavin 4 between Skywalker and Ventress depicted in Clone Wars, but with "some caveats," as he put it. The mention that agents of Count Dooku had previously targeted Skywalker was a reference to this duel. Assuming that the Clone Wars duel took place in a dark, rainy environment, Chen suggested that Skywalker could have fought Ventress before without recognizing her or getting a clear look at her. Skywalker also assumed he had defeated the enemy. However, he recognizes her Ginivex-class fanblade starfighter, while Ventress is fully aware of the Jedi's identity. The book did not elaborate further to avoid excessive exposition.
The cover art for Brotherhood portrays Kenobi and Skywalker in designs reminiscent of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, with Skywalker's design updated to include his gloved right hand. However, the novel itself mentions "his once-short hair" beginning to grow out, suggesting a transition between his Attack of the Clones hairstyle and his Star Wars: The Clone Wars style, meaning his hair would be longer than depicted on the cover. In the novel, after Padmé Amidala comments on his growing hair, Skywalker considers letting it grow even longer, foreshadowing the longer hairstyle he will adopt by the time of The Clone Wars. Kenobi's hair in the novel is also described as having grown out since Attack of the Clones, despite its appearance on the cover.
The conclusion of Brotherhood depicts Kenobi and Skywalker adopting appearances that align with their Star Wars: The Clone Wars designs, including Kenobi cutting and parting his hair to match his The Clone Wars look, and both examining pieces of body armor, which they both wear by the time of The Clone Wars. This suggests that any appearances closer to their Attack of the Clones designs occur before Brotherhood, while the The Clone Wars-inspired designs appear after the novel. However, the novel also states that it is the first time Kenobi and Amidala have seen each other since the Battle of Geonosis. This would imply that the events of Hyperspace Stories 1—where Kenobi and Skywalker, who is a Jedi Knight based on his lack of Padawan braid, are closer to their Attack of the Clones designs—must take place after Brotherhood due to Kenobi and Amidala's interactions.
Furthermore, Hyperspace Stories 5 portrays Skywalker as familiar with Ventress, placing it after Brotherhood despite using the Attack of the Clones inspired design. "Practice Makes Perfect" depicts Kenobi with his longer hair and Skywalker with a shorter haircut than normal during Ahsoka Tano's apprenticeship to Skywalker. Therefore, Kenobi and Skywalker must change their clothing and hairstyles multiple times during the Clone Wars. Indeed, the book concludes with Skywalker noting that he only wants to try the armor as a trial period instead of committing to it full time as he has by the time of The Clone Wars. The claim that Kenobi and Amidala had not seen each other since the Battle of Geonosis would later be contradicted by Star Wars: My First Comic Reader 1, which, based on Skywalker's Padawan braid, is set during his apprenticeship to Kenobi. As the events of Brotherhood begin sometime after Skywalker's apprenticeship ends, Kenobi and Amidala cannot meet for the first time since Geonosis during the novel.
- ISBN 9780593358573 ; May 10 , 2022 ; Del Rey ; US hardcover [1]
- ISBN 9780593358580 ; May 10, 2022; Del Rey; eBook download [1]
- ISBN 9780593499153 ; May 10, 2022; Del Rey; US paperback, export edition [28]
- ISBN 9780593358597 ; May 16 , 2023 ; Random House Worlds ; US trade paperback [29]