Photo Credit: Lucasfilm
Admiral Holdo. New to films, making her on-screen debut in The Last Jedi, the character is not unique to the storyline.
Leia and Holdo worked together while members of the Apprentice Legislature when they were both in their awkward teenage years. Leia described Holdo as “odd’, but the two formed a peculiar, but valuable friendship, which would stand the test of time.
Holdo even learned of Organa’s family being hidden Rebels, yet did not rat them out or the location of their hidden Rebel outpost, Crait.
Holdo and Leia do not see eye to eye, but they balance each out very well. Their relationship over 30 years later in The Last Jedi will be intriguing, seeing if they still have some differences. Those “disagreements” could result in a friendly alliance, spelling certain doom for the First Order.
Speaking of Crait.
"Crait is a mineral world dusted by a layer of white salt, reflecting the planet’s sunlight. It was once the site of a Rebel Alliance outpost, and has become a haven for the fleeing Resistance forces."
Bail Organa, during the era of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, used this world as a secret Rebel base.
Like her “father” before her, Leia used this resource for the Resistance, 35 years after the events of the novel. Crait is likely where the Resistance flees to once DaQar’s invaded by the First Order military, possibly at the beginning of The Last Jedi.
Holdo and the secret world of Crait, will both be major players in The Last Jedi, so this novel is vital to the film itself. Of course, the connections to Rogue One (Saw Gerrera) and with Panaka, are extra icing on the cake.