Star Wars with occasional sarcasm
No books, but there are comics. Invasion: Revelations #3 and The Old Republic: The Lost Suns #4 will both be beaming into your local comic shop on Wednesday.
Also keep an eye out for Star Wars Insider #128, which features a Dash Rendar story from Michael Reeves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff and “five storytelling faux pas” from Timothy Zahn.
Every year, the publishers try to come out with fun books that the long-suffering relative of a Star Wars fan can grab as a nifty gift. Since the holiday shopping season starts earlier and earlier each year, it’s no surprise that you can start getting a few of them right now.
How to Speak Wookiee is a really cute board book with sound board. You get a Wookiee-shaped sound board with ten phrases that you can use to get on everyone’s nerves by playing them over and over. The illustrations by JAke are adorably cute with lots of funny details. And the write-ups by Wu Kee Smith made me laugh out loud. Knowing bookstores, they’re probably lurking in the childrens’ section, but it’s worth the hunt.
Darth Paper Strikes Back is the follow-up to the surprise hit The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. The adventures of our intrepid middle school students (from Ralph McQuarrie Middle School) continue with a case study of Dwight’s suspension from school, as told by various witnesses. Adults should not blow off this book because it’s set in middle school. It’s very cleverly written. Always funny. And it will have you hurtling back to your own middle school days in no time. (Okay. Maybe that’s not really selling this.)
The Jedi Path has been released in book form without the nifty bells and whistles of the “vault” presentation box and its various trinkets. But you really don’t need the extras. This book is really well done, with a nice combination of serious background information and hilarious written notes from its various owners over the years. If you missed the high-end one, don’t miss this one!
It’s just the beginning of the onslaught. And while you’re there, don’t forget your Star Wars calendars!
Entertainment Weekly has an brief interview with Timothy Zahn to celebrate the re-release of Heir to the Empire. They do refer to Mara as “crimson-haired,” which makes my 17-year-old self wince, but I’ll forgive them. Just this once. If only because they’re not trying to cast the thing.
Suvudu has no such excuse. It’s no secret that faux-casting games drive me batty, so I’ll just point you at theirs: Captain Pellaeon, Talon Karrde, Joruus C’baoth, Wedge Antilles and, finally, Mara Jade. Remember, what goes on at Suvudu stays at Suvudu, kids: No casting games here, or you’ll make me redo this. Only worse.
As a palate-cleanser, Wired also has a tribute to Heir.
It’s been just over 11 years since the release of Dark Tide: Ruin, Michael Stackpole’s last Star Wars novel. With a new X-Wing novel by Aaron Allston on schedule for next spring, naturally thoughts have turned to thoughts of seeing Stackpole return. As many of us witnessed at Dragon*Con last weekend, he still has his share of fans – right up there with Allston and Timothy Zahn, both of who have been steadily producing Star Wars novels over the past few years.
‘Will you return to Star Wars‘ was one of the top questions he was asked at the con, and some dedicated fans have started a petition. Want to go on record? Now’s the time.
Today is the release day for the 20th anniversary of Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. As Erich points out on Facebook, this new edition contains:
Also out today: Paperback version of Sean Williams’ The Force Unleashed II.
Comics: Out this week (check your store for possible Labor Day-induced shipping delays): Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #2
While a lot of talk this week has been focusing on the changes coming in the Star Wars Blu-ray release, there’s also been some news and chatter in the world of the Expanded Universe:
Shadow Games: Del Rey has posted two mini-excerpts from Shadow Games on the Star Wars Books account on Facebook. The novel, by Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, comes out at the end of November.
Mini-excerpt #1 (from last week):
“Confidence,” Dash retorted, annoyed at being pulled out of his pleasant reverie. “The Outrider is twice the ship the Falcon is.” As far as he was concerned Solo’s boat was a scow compared with Dash’s heavily modified YT-2400.
“Then where am I supposed to come by these steely-eyed, laser-toting…characters?”
A smile curved Kendara Farlion’s lips and her teeth showed, white and even in her face. “I never thought I’d say this, but there are advantages to being from Mos Eisley. I know exactly where to look for that kind of character.”
Comics:
Favorite Scenes: Del Rey asked fans on Facebook to identify favorite scenes from the novels. A lot of deaths pop in: Anakin Solo, Ganner, Chewbacca (I guess fans have mellowed a bit on that) and Thrawn, as well as scenes from the X-Wing (both comedic and action scenes), Republic Commando, and Darth Bane series. Did not see any mentions of Waru or the Black Fleet Crisis, and that makes me sad.
Fact mirrors Star Wars fiction: Discovered: A real life “Crystal Star” (well, a crystallizing former star) – Formerly a white dwarf star, this planet is believed to be turning into one giant diamond. At 4,000 light-years away, it’ll take a while for this rock to be a girl’s best friend. Also, did not see any mentions of Waru, and that makes me sad again.
Pete Morrison has posted his review of the Heir to the Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition. It’s spoiler free (well, assuming one can spoil a 20-year old book that forms the basis for so much of the modern EU) but for the the brand-new novella as well. The book will be out next Tuesday.
Wednesday brings a new Star Wars Adventures digest, Chewbacca and the Slavers of the Shadowlands, featuring a tale from the youth of our favorite Wookiee.
And, not so much: If you were waiting for Sean Williams’ adaption of The Force Unleashed II to come out in paperback, it’ll be in stores next Tuesday.
As the new edition of Heir to the Empire approaches, so does a flood of excerpts and extras and the like. Today we have an excerpt from the audiobook (via) and a text one featuring actual pages. (And a chance to win an actual copy.)
Knights Archive was (again!) first to spot that a blurb from James Luceno’s Darth Plagueis has gone up at Random House.
Darth Plagueis: one of the most brilliant Sith Lords who ever lived. Possessing power is all he desires. Losing it is the only thing he fears. As an apprentice, he embraces the ruthless ways of the Sith. And when the time is right, he destroys his Master—but vows never to suffer the same fate. For like no other disciple of the dark side, Darth Plagueis learns to command the ultimate power . . . over life and death.
Darth Sidious: Plagueis’s chosen apprentice. Under the guidance of his Master, he secretly studies the ways of the Sith, while publicly rising to power in the galactic government, first as Senator, then as Chancellor, and eventually as Emperor.
Darth Plagueis and Darth Sidious, Master and acolyte, target the galaxy for domination—and the Jedi Order for annihilation. But can they defy the merciless Sith tradition? Or will the desire of one to rule supreme, and the dream of the other to live forever, sow the seeds of their destruction?
I remain, as ever, deeply skeptical about this book, but we’ll have to wait until December 27 to see if Luceno pulls it off.