Category: books and comics

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Out this week: Allies paperback, comics

The paperback reprint of the fifth Fate of the Jedi book, Christie Golden’s Allies, will be in bookstores tomorrow. (Be sure to check out Erika’s review when you’re done.) And while you’re buying, keep an eye out for Star Wars Insider #125, which features a brand-new Vestara Khai short story from Golden, ‘First Blood.’

Meanwhile, comic fans will have a few things waiting for them on Wednesday. Both Legacy: War #5 and Darth Vader and the Lost Command #4 made the shipping list.

StarWars.com also lists a few trades that may be making their way to the bookstores… But I wouldn’t count on seeing them in the comic shops until Diamond lists them.

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“You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.” Canon, continuity, and the Expanded Universe

There’s been a lot of talk about continuity and canon in fandom lately. Well, there always is, but this latest round was prompted by the tail end of The Clone Wars S3 and the Petition of the 2000.

I mentioned the petition – and the reaction to it – in my last opinion piece on civility in fandom, but I didn’t really address the actual issues that prompted it. Mostly because, quite honestly? The whole thing bores the hell out of me, but the lack of casual/moderate voices bugs me even more. Go figure.

I’ve been reading Star Wars books and comics for nearly 20 years now: They have never been been perfect, and expecting them to be at this point strikes me as just plain naïve. The Expanded Universe is kind of like Millennium Falcon: It more than does the job, and many of us are awfully fond of it, but it’s not without flaws. Big, honking, flaws. And sometimes? It just flat-out sucks. Continue reading ““You came in that thing? You’re braver than I thought.” Canon, continuity, and the Expanded Universe”

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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.

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Heir to the Empire annotation #6: Pellaeon

Our sixth preview of Tim Zahn’s Heir to the Empire annotations features the origin of Gilad Pellaeon’s name:

Pellaeon, by the way, was named after Pelleas, an idealistic young knight in the King Arthur mythos.

Although Pellaeon was never as flashy a character as Thrawn or Mara, he did go on to be a staple for much of the post-ROTJ EU.

As for those who fear that they’re burning off all the annotations on Facebook before the book is even out, Del Rey’s David Pomerico says in the comments that there will be nearly 200 in the whole book – and I believe we’re only getting 14.

Heir to the Empire: 20th Anniversary Edition will be out in hardcover June 28.

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Cover for Zahn’s Choices of One tweaked

Is it improved? Yes, quite a bit. (Click the image above for a closer look.) Is it still very obviously a ‘head pasted on yay’ Photoshop job? Yes. But at least the head itself is slightly better? For Mara, anyway. Overall: Meh.

Remember those neat painted covers we were getting for a while? Can we please get more of those? At least for Zahn? (via)

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New blurb for Fate of the Jedi: Ascension

The Random House digital catalog has a new – and probably final – summary for Christie Golden’s Ascension, the eighth Fate of the Jedi novel. (via) Being a full blurb, I’ve black-barred it… Highlight to read.

How long can the Jedi remain in power?
How far will the Sith go to rule supreme?
What chance do both stand against Abeloth?

As Luke and Ben Skywalker pursue the formidable dark-side being Abeloth, the Lost Tribe of the Sith is about to be sundered by an even greater power—which will thrust one Dark Lord into mortal conflict with his own flesh-and-blood.

On Coruscant, a political vacuum has left tensions at the boiling point, with factions racing to claim control of the Galactic Alliance. Suddenly surrounded by hidden agendas, treacherous conspiracies, and covert Sith agents, the Jedi Order must struggle to keep the GA government from collapsing into anarchy.

The Jedi are committed to maintaining peace and ensuring just rule, but even they are not prepared to take on the combined threats of Sith power, a deposed dictator bent on galaxywide vengeance, and an entity of pure cunning and profound evil hungry to become a god.

Ascension is due out in hardcover on August 16.

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Rostoni says goodbye to StarWars.com forums

LucasBooks editor Sue Rostoni bids farewell to the official forums (which are going away) but refrains from stating whether she’ll return in another venue.

I want to thank you all for welcoming me here. I’ve so appreciated our conversations and the fun we’ve had, and will really miss you all. It’s been a lot of fun getting to know you and having this forum be a part of my work-life. I’ve appreciated having a direct connection between the books and the readers — something most editors never get to experience in this way. I’m grateful to you all for your openness, your humor, and for staying with the adventure.

As far as keeping in touch via other sites — the future is hazy; outlook unclear.

Fans don’t exactly lack for places to mingle with Expanded Universe VIPs – both continuity guru Leland Chee and the Star Wars folks at Del Rey have active Facebook pages – but the casual question-and-answer format that evolved in TOS’s Expanded Universe VIPs thread was a great resource. We’ll certainly miss Sue, and hope she finds a place to keep in touch with fans in the future.

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Heir to the Empire annotation #5: Rogue love

In our fifth peek at the annotations from the 20th anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire, Timothy Zahn talks about Wedge and the Rogues.

Rogue Squadron was half convenience and half a throwaway line — a unit I could move around wherever I needed it, with Wedge in command because anyone who can survive three Star Wars movies is welcome in my book any day. I would never in my wildest dreams have guessed how well and how far Mike Stackpole and, later, Aaron Allston would run with the whole idea.

The new edition’s release date was pushed back to June 28 earlier this week.