Heir to the Empire anniversary hardcover is coming

NJOE has discovered a listing for a special reissue of Timothy Zahn’s Heir to the Empire coming out next year. This is unconfirmed of course, but LFL has been hinting that something special is coming for the 20th anniversary of the book that jump-started the modern Expanded Universe.

Sue Rostoni confirms:

Yes, there are plans for a 20th Anniversary Issue of HEIR TO THE EMPIRE, coming out next June. It’s a hardcover — and that’s all I can reveal at this time.

Let’s hope the details emerge soon – and that they’ll include better cover art.

New Zahn novel gets yet another title change; Kemp teases Riptide on Twitter

Sue Rostoni just posted that she’s received Timothy Zahn’s manuscript for his upcoming Star Wars novel – and that the book, which we’ve known as Choices and Hand of Judgment, now has yet another title: Choices of One.

Criticizing the titles of Star Wars novels is like shooting fish in a barrel and Hand of Judgment wasn’t some great prize, but… Choices of One? Really? It just makes me think of a crossover between Wheaties and those lame army commercials. Meh.

Meanwhile, Paul S. Kemp has tweeted a brief peek at his upcoming Crosscurrent sequel, Riptide:

“Indeed,” Grandmaster Skywalker said. “The dark side is at work through more than the clones. Be careful, Jaden.”

New from Sue: Darth Plagueis novel resurrected

You will never watch the opera scene with a straight face again.This morning, NJOE posted about a listing they’d found for a James Luceno Darth Plagueis novel scheduled for 2012. I was doubtful (after all, the book was canceled) but it was brought to the VIP thread, where Sue confirmed that the book has indeed risen from the dead:

Yes, apparently a database has leaked this upcoming hardcover that will follow Palpatine’s rise to power and his Master, Plagueis. “Not Yet Published” should have read: “Not Yet Announced.”

I’m very hesitant about this: I believe that Palpatine’s backstory, like Yoda’s, is one the EU should give a wide berth, and I can’t fathom that it’s possible to do that effectively with story of his Sith Master.

(Of course, given what I really want out of this story, it’s probably for the best that I don’t make these decisions.)

Sue also said this book is not the replacement for Imperial Commando #2 (we might hear more on that next week) and that no more adult Clone Wars novels are planned through the end of the current contract.

EUbits: The Jedi Path falls to Earth in September; Your Imperial Commando is dead, son.

First look. The Jedi Path comes in a vault. What? Yeah. Or: “Passed down from Master to Padawan, the pages of this venerable text have been annotated by those who have held it, studied it, and lived its secrets.” Since we’re living in the real world, I like Dan Wallace’s explanation: ” It’s supposed to look like an in-universe artifact that fell through a rabbit hole from the galaxy far, far away.” It is an interesting concept, but mostly I just fear what the Jedi Church will make of it.

Hey hey hey, goodbye. Yes, it’s official: There will be no Imperial Commando 2. (It was probably a lose-lose sans Traviss anyway.)

Namesake corner. Sideshow is teasing about a Mara Jade figure again. They like the Adam Hughes painting! (Sigh.) At least she’s not doing laundry?

Comics! Preview the October solicitations, including Knight Errant #1. Which just so happens to be on the cover of August’s Previews.

Interview. Paul Kemp (Crosscurrent) on Fictional Frontiers

Second Imperial Commando book on the chopping block – again

UPDATE: Look, Googlers: There will be no more Imperial or Republic Commando books. Aaron Allston is writing a Wraith Squadron book that took RC #2’s publishing slot. It’s over.

The book was looking likely to survive Karen Traviss’ departure by getting a new author, but now Sue says that they’re “seriously considering abandoning” the second (and final) book in the series:

The time between the two books is going to be years and we’re not sure enough people will still be interested in it to warrant the writing. We have something else in mind, though, something that I know many of you have been wanting for years. So hopefully you’ll be happy with the change. As soon as I can, I’ll give you more details.

Something that many have “been wanting for years?” What’s your guess?

Sue reveals two new Essentials, updated schedule

So I finally do an EUbits and then we get more news? Such is the life. But Sue Rostoni posted an updated book schedule today – and revealed two new reference/nonfiction books – so no sitting on/twittering this, thank you very much. Here’s what’s new:

  • Jason Fry is taking on The Essential Guide to Warfare – previously known as The Essential Guide to the Military. Folks have been clamoring for this for a while, so good to see it finally get pinned down. It’s due in June 2011
  • Meanwhile Internet Rockstar/Man Who Never Sleeps Pablo Hidalgo will be penning The Essential Reader’s Companion. And I am forced to devolve into aged memes. (I hate you, Pablo. Okay, not really.) Seriously now, Sue describes this as “a non-fiction guide to fiction, with side-bars calling out related comics and events.”
  • We also get a timeframe for Visions: November!

Meme or no meme, our schedule is updated, so go check out a new sneak peek at The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. (Holy heavy metal!)

EUbits: Inside The Making of The Empire Strikes Back

Nonfiction StarWars.com offers up a peek at J.W. Rinzler’s The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. The book’s release was recently pushed back to October, but there’s little doubt that it will be worth the wait.

Street date shuffle. On that note, our book release schedule has been updated. The most notable change: A double shot of Fate of the Jedi paperbacks as Omen and Abyss are moved up to spring.

Podcastery. Star Wars Action News talked to Paul S. Kemp earlier in the month, while the ForceCast caught up with John Jackson Miller at C2E2.

The blogside. Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff on the end game and the last period.

Morsel. Sue Rostoni says that Joe Schreiber’s Black Orchid is getting a new title because some people thought it sounded like a romance novel. Personally I think old school Neil Gaiman/Dave McKean

Toys. Rebelscum reports that the Legacy Collection’s Expanded Universe action figures (the wave that includes Jacen and Jaina) have begun showing up at Toys “R” Us stores.