The Rising Force by Dave Wolverton is the first in a series of young reader novels called Jedi Apprentice.

The series explores the adventures of Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi prior to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

[1] At the end of those four weeks is his thirteenth birthday, and by then he would have passed the cut-off age for apprenticeship, and be forced to leave the Jedi Temple.

Master Yoda informs Obi-Wan that Qui-Gon Jinn is going to be visiting the Jedi Temple in search of an apprentice.

The two must dodge Whiphids and Hutts on a mining ship, which is eventually hijacked by Offworld Corporation, a rival faction to the group Obi-Wan is joining.