EUbits: Drew Karpyshyn takes on Darth Revan

Revan will be Karpyshyn’s Old Republic novel. The third novel tie-in to Bioware’s Old Republic MMO will feature the Sith Lord from Knights of the Old Republic, SWTOR.com announced today. Other characters from the KOTOR games, including Canderous, T3-M4, the Exile and Bastila Shan, will also appear.

Upcoming. Dan Wallace is currently working on an updated Essential Guide to Characters.

Art books. Abrams will follow up last year’s Star Wars Visions with Star Wars Art: Comics.

Interview. Sci-Fi block talks to comic writer Tom Taylor.

Opinion Lightsaber Rattling makes a point for Star Wars eBooks.

Brief blurb for Fate of the Jedi: Ascension, plus reveal dates for Karpyshyn TOR novel

The Random House Fall catalog is out, and there’s a brief blurb at hand for the eighth Fate of the Jedi novel, Christie Golden’s Ascension. For the sake of politeness I’ll black-bar it (highlight to read) but it’s really, terribly vague. Have at it:

In this penultimate novel in the bestselling Fate of the Jedi series, Luke Skywalker, his son Ben, and the Sith girl Vestara are in hot pursuit of the dread power called Abeloth, who has joined forces with the Sith in a bid to take over the galaxy. The leadership of the government is uncertain, torn apart by power struggles and infiltrators, while the Sith have a terrible secret that could shake the Jedi Order to its core…

(Must admit I burst out laughing at ‘dread power’. Oh, Del Rey.)

Also taking up space in the catalog is Drew Karpyshyn’s Old Republic tie-in. We learn that the title will be announced April 15th and cover will be revealed at San Diego Comic-Con. Also, breaking news: “STAR WARS GAME TIE-IN NOVELS ARE POPULAR.” Oh, is that why they keep publishing them? I had no idea.

Ascension is due out August 16; The Karpyshyn is currently slated for October 18. (via)

EUbits: When the Sith are away…

Sith check. Paul S. Kemp’s Old Republic novel, Decieved, drops two weeks from today, so naturally there’s a book trailer.

Kemp has been making the rounds: He appeared on TOR-Talk and an interview with Fictional Frontiers will surely be appearing soonish. And those audiobooks he was giving away last time? The winners are up.

Weird facts. Who’s written the most Star Wars (adult) novels? The answer may surprise you.

Recently… John Jackson Miller has Knight Errant novel answers.

Details, details. Dan Wallace on how the trade paperback Jedi Path will differ from the fancy box version. The answers will… Probably not surprise you.

Interview. There’s not a whole lot of Star Wars talk here , but if anyone deserves a link without that pesky fact, it’s our pal Mike Stackpole.

New blurb for The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance

Random House (as spotted by Eddie) has posted a new summary for Sean William’s The Old Republic tie-in. Even omitting the intro filler, it’s a lengthy one, so strap in:

Tassaa Bareesh, a matriarch in the Hutt crime cartel, is holding an auction that’s drawing attention from across the galaxy. Representatives of both the Republic and the Sith Empire are present, along with a Jedi Padawan sent to investigate, a disenfranchised trooper drummed out of the Republic’s elite Blackstar Squad, and a mysterious Mandalorian with a private agenda. But the Republic’s envoy is not what he seems, the Empire’s delegate is a ruthless Sith apprentice, the Jedi Padawan is determined to do the right thing and terrified that he can’t, the trooper hopes to redeem her reputation, and the Mandalorian is somehow managing to keep one step ahead of everyone.

None of these guests—invited or uninvited—have any intention of participating in the auction. Instead they plan to steal the prize, which is locked inside an impregnable vault: two burned chunks of an exploded star cruiser, one of which may hold the key to the wealth of an entire world.

But the truth about the treasure is dangerous and deadly. And in the end, Sith and Jedi, Republic and Empire, must do something they’ve never done before, something that all the agents of good and evil could never make them do: join together to stop a powerful threat that could destroy the galaxy.

The current release date for the novel is July 20

Random House summer catalog brings our first The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance blurb

PLEASE NOTE: FOR SOLICITATION ONLY. FINAL COVER TO COME.Random House’s Summer 2010 catalog has surfaced, and naturally, it contains some Star Wars items. Mostly old news, like for Fate of the Jedi: Allies (page 81,) but the listing for Sean William’s Old Republic novel (page 89) has a summary:

Smuggler Jet Nebula has stumbled across a treasure richer than he ever dreamed. The Hutts want to auction it to the highest bidder, be it the Republic or the Empire, both of whom hope to bolster their chances in the coming conflict. But the Sith are interested, too, and they don’t bargain with anyone; the Jedi High Council is sending someone to investigate; a mysterious Mandalorian is chasing something connected to a long-forgotten crime; while a spy plays every side at once. What Jet has unearthed will surprise all of them, and leave none of them unchanged.

(‘Jet Nebula’? Really?)

There’s also a cover for the book, but don’t get too excited. It’s ‘for solicitation only’ and the art looks like a still from the MMO’s trailer. And given that the listing doesn’t use the full title (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance) its possible that some of the catalog info may already be outdated.

Also making a showing is Star Wars Generations (page 91) and Clone Wars Gambit: Siege (page 97.)

EUbits: It’s art week for Star Wars fans

hughes-maraNamesake corner. Topps is saluting the ‘Women of Star Wars‘ in their Galaxy 5 line. And since you can only have so many slave Leias before the theme gets tired, there’s an Adam Hughes Mara Jade card. Granted, it’s Adam Hughes and thus total cheesecake, but we’re used to that.

Visions peek. I can’t believe there’s, like, war and battle and stuff in the Star Wars art book. Ugh. (P.S. If we’re going there, I would love something ROTJish in the style of The Death of General Wolfe. And prints, because I would so totally buy prints of that if it was done with a stylistically straight face.)

Would you like some false hope with that? IGN has ‘thoughtfully’ compiled all the leading candidates for the totally nonexistent, never-going-to-happen (except for probably that bounty hunter thing in the live action series) additional Star Wars movies. Basically, what I am saying is, no matter how good the effects on Avatar are, don’t hold your breath. (Yeah, I am a little sick of this topic and Dark Empire? Are you kidding me? …Sorry.)

Crosscurrent. Check out chapter two of Paul S. Kemp’s upcoming paperback. Meanwhile, the first review has surfaced over at Stomping on Yeti.

The Old Republic. NJOE’s Rogue77 found a brief summary for Sean William’s The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance.

StarWars.com confirms Williams’ Old Republic novel

Sean Williams’ The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance will indeed be a July hardcover. (Though I suspect that date may still be subject to change pending word on the release of the actual game.) But that’s not the only upcoming Expanded Universe work set in the era: The site has announced another Old Republic novel from Paul S. Kemp and a StarWars.com short story from Threat of Peace scribe Rob Chestney.

UPDATE: Kemp has confirmed that his TOR novel is not the Crosscurrent sequel. Given that Crosscurrent sounds like it’s going to playing with timelines, I’m not sure whether this is the Crosscurrent sequel” Kemp announced a few months ago or a third Star Wars book from him… With things still in the “the early planning stages” it could very well be either. But on a more solid note, an excerpt from Crosscurrent did surface today.