History Literature / StarWarsBrotherhood

* MilestoneCelebration: Just as Martha Wells' ''[[Literature/StarWarsMasterAndApprentice Master and Apprentice]]'' tied into the 20th anniversary of ''The Phantom Menace'', this novel celebrates the 20th anniversary of ''Attack of the Clones'' (and was released a week prior to the film's original release date).

* SecretKeeper: Chen offers his own take on why Obi-Wan, despite clearly having figured out what Anakin and Padme were to each other by ''Revenge of the Sith'', never openly confronted him before Episode III. [[spoiler: Obi-Wan saw his own would-be relationship with Satine Kryze in theirs and reflected on how it had shaped both him and Satine for the better in the years since. He hoped Anakin and Padme would be able to do the same for one another, yet still accept Anakin's future was with the Order.]]

* UniwttingInstigatorOfDoom: [[spoiler: Satine Kryze of all people unknowingly and unwittingly derails Obi-Wan's planned confrontation with Anakin over his suspicions about his ex-Padawan's infatuation with Padme. While working up the courage for the talk to come, Obi-Wan checks in on current events and sees Satine's formal declaration of the Council of Neutral Systems. The shock of this announcement makes Obi-Wan reflect on their own shared history and how it forged both of them into the people they are today: Jedi Master and leader of a peaceful Mandalore. Obi-Wan decides to postpone the confrontation until after they return to Coruscant, then ultimately abandons it after concluding (and hoping) Padme and Anakin can help one another grow as people just as he and Satine did for one another.]]

* FreudianExcuse: While Ketar raises justifiable anger about the Republic’s disdain, [[spoiler: the revelations from Obi-Wan’s Trial late in the novel make it clear Ketar's grief and anger at the death of his parents is what’s realty driving his anger and anti-Republic zealotry.]]

* TragicVillain: [[spoiler: Ketar.]]

** At one point, the Jedi Initiates discuss [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS5E7ATestOfStrength Huyang]] (who was voiced by Creator/DavidTennant). According to their stories, the Gathering's Professor arrived at the Jedi Temple centuries earlier...by crashing into it in a [[Series/DoctorWho blue box]].

* OutsideContextProblem: ''Brotherhood'' is the very first chronological encounter between Asajj Ventress and Anakin and Obi-Wan in the Disney-era canon. So they end up being this to one another as neither party is yet used to dealing with the other at this point.

* YouWereTryingTooHard: During the novel, Obi-Wan comes to understand that this was a key mistake he made as Anakin's Master. Obi-Wan wanted to honor Qui-Gon's dying wish and be the best Jedi he could be for this desert urchin. However, thanks to distance and hindsight, Obi-Wan now realizes he was overcompensating and trying too hard to emulate ''his'' definition of an ideal, best Jedi. It never occurred to Obi-Wan to consider or even ask what ''Anakin'' considered to be ''his'' definition of an ideal Jedi (i.e. Qui-Gon) or to adjust his thinking and teaching style accordingly. The revelation fills Obi-Wan with genuine regret and sadness, as he wonders how much of 10 years of friction and conflict between them could've been avoided if he'd had this epiphany sooner.

* ForegoneConclusion: Following Coleman Trebor's death at the Battle of Geonosis, his Jedi Council seat is temporarily filled by placeholders (including Obi-Wan), until Yoda and the others can approve a permanent successor. The seat will ultimately become Obi-Wan's (and does).

* DidntThinkThisThrough: [[spoiler: Ketar's FatalFlaw. Ruug calls out her cadet on this multiple times throughout the novel, from handing 'evidence' of Obi-Wan's 'guilt' to their superiors without even notifying her first (wherein she could've determined if it was authentic or a plant) to believing Ventress' claims that Dooku will honor Neimodian neutrality (this is a galactic war and promises can be easily broken or honored as the situation develops).]]

* TeethClenchedTeamwork: A variation. This ''is'' the norm for Anakin and Obi-Wan at this point in the timeline...and they ironically have just as many difficulties (initially) working together with one another as Jedi equals as they did working together as Master and Apprentice.

* BigDammHeroes: [[spoiler: Anakin and Obi-Wan in the epilogue when they rescue Ruug.]]

* BigDamHeroes: [[spoiler: Anakin and Obi-Wan in the epilogue when they rescue Ruug.]]

* tragicVillain: [[spoiler: Ketar.]]

* YouWereTryingTooHard: With the benefit of hindsight and distance following Anakin's elevation to Knighthood, Obi-Wan comes to understand that this was a key mistake he made as Anakin's Master. Obi-Wan wanted to honor Qui-Gon's dying wish and be the best Jedi he could for this desert urchin. With the benefit of distance and hindsight during this novel, Obi-Wan now realizes he was overcompensating and trying too hard to emulate ''his'' definition of an ideal, best Jedi. It never occurred to Obi-Wan to consider what ''Anakin'' considered to be ''his'' definition of an ideal Jedi (i.e. Qui-Gon) or to adjust his thinking and teaching style. The revelation fills Ovi-Wan with genuine regret and sadness, as he wonders how much friction and conflict between them could've been avoided if he'd had this epiphany sooner.

** Obi-Wan and Ruug become friends over the course of the Neimodian investigation. [[spoiler: It's part of why he and Anakin rescue her from her jailbreak in the climax.]]

* WhateverHappenedToTheMouse: [[spoiler: The ultimate fates of Ruug, Ketar, and Mill following the events of the ''Brotherhood''. Ruug is rescued from a BolivianArmyEnding by Obi-Wan and Anakin in the epilogue, but's unknown if she survived the Clone Wars. It's also unclear if her deep space assignment away from the front lines will save Mill from Order 66. Ketar's post-Clone Wars fate is the most ambiguous.]]

Mill is on a deep space assignment,

* ContinuityOverlap: ''Brotherhood'' runs in tandem with E.K. Johnsons’s ''Queen’s Hope''.

* FireForgedFriends: A variation. Despite being Master and Apprentice for a decade, Anakin and Obi-Wan's relationship has always been one of tension and bickering. A key part of ''Brotherhood'' is showing how Anakin and Obi-Wan transition out of their strained working relationship into the comfortable brotherly camaraderie and bond of ''The Clone Wars'' cartoon and the final Prequel film.

* SimultaneousArcs: More or less with E. k. Johnson's ''Queen’s Hope''. Chen specifically stated in the Afterword that he and Johnson were in close contact during pre-production to ensure their respective timelines synchronized.

* UnwittingPawn: [[spoiler: Ketar becomes this to Ventress.]]

* ActorAllusion: A variation. The Jedi Initiates discuss [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS5E7ATestOfStrength Huyang]] (who was voiced by Creator/DavidTennant). According to their stories, the Gathering's Professor arrived at the Jedi Temple centuries earlier...by crashing into it in a [[Series/DoctorWho blue box]]. Also doubles as a ShoutOut.

* ShoutOut: In the Afterword, Chen cites [[Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind Nausicaa]] as the inspiration for Mill Alibeth.

* SurprisingRealisticOutcome: Anakin has just been outfitted with his prosthetic right arm and is struggling to adjust it and to re-calibrate his fighting style.

* RememberTheNewGuy: Jedi Initiate Mill Alibeth, who is the novel's tritagonist and forms a bond with Anakin, yet is never mentioned during the ''Clone Wars'' era. [[spoiler: Due to her empathic abilities, Mill chooses not to pursue Jedi Kighthood. Instead, she joins a deep space mission focused on medial and spiritual treatment of war-wounded Jedi

* ForegoneConclusion: Following Coleman Trebor's death at the Battle of Geonosis, his Jedi Council seat is temporarily filled by placeholders including Obi-Wan in this novel, until Yoda and the others can approve a permanent successor. The seat will ultimately become Obi-Wan's (and does).

* MirrorCharacter: Ketar Norn is very much one for Anakin. He's young, idealistic, chafing at the tutelage of his older, experienced mentor. [[spoiler: Like Anakin, he gives int his rage and it nearly leads to the same kind of bloodbath Anakin inflicted on the Tusken Raiders'' -- though ''unlike'' Anakin, he's stopped in time.]]

The novel is set shortly after the events of ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Attack of the Clones]]'', covering the early days of the Clone Wars, Anakin's promotion to Jedi Knight, and him and Obi-Wan learning how to transition from working together as Master and Apprentice to working together as Jedi Equals.

The novel is set shortly after the events of ''[[Film/AttackOfTheClones Attack of the Clones]]'', covering the early days of the Clone Wars, Anakin's promotion to Jedi Knight, and the reconciliation between him and Obi-Wan in the Disney-era canon.