EUbits: Amazon still breaking all the TOR novelization news

Don't get too excited, this is just TOR game concept artStill nothing official, though. An extended title for the unconfirmed novel by Sean Williams was spotted on Amazon: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance. (The release date remains listed as July 2010, but we still don’t have a date for the actual game, so count on nothing at this point.) Wonder if this means we’ll get some kind of official announcement soon?

The blogside. Drew Karpyshyn is going on about the Sith again, while Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff writes about filk.

Authors. Aaron Allston is on Twitter. Sort of.

Hyperspace: Go obscure with The Forgotten War: The Nagai and the Tofs by James McFadden.

Observation of interest on the Expanded Universe…

Naturally, Star Wars novels net a mention in Charlie Jane Anders’ complete history of tie-in novels over at io9. (The ‘complete’ is a bit of a misnomer, but it’s decent enough as a basic overview.) As someone with only a token interest in the prequels and a enduring puzzlement towards the appeal of fill-in-the blank stuff like The Clone Wars and Shadows of the Empire I though this bit makes some good points:

The really breathtaking thing about the Expanded Universe novels, starting with the Zahn books, is the fact that they’re the only continuation after Return Of The Jedi we’ve got. Most people, in George Lucas’ shoes, would have insisted that only they should be allowed to tell the authoritative story of what happens to Luke, Leia and Han Solo after the third movie of the trilogy — but Lucas seems to be totally content with letting the novels be the final word on those characters’ fates, reserving for himself the right to go back and annotate the stuff that happened before Luke came of age in increasing detail. At times, it feels like Lucas’ Star Wars movies and Clone Wars cartoons are occupying the space that’s normally reserved for tie-in novels — filling in backstory — while the tie-ins forge ahead answering the question, “What happens next?”

And some don’t get why folks keep wondering when they’re going to make Thrawn trilogy movies…

Fate of the Jedi: First blurb for Golden’s Allies

NJOE spotted a blurb for Fate of the Jedi: Allies – the fifth book in the series, and second by Christie Golden – on Amazon.co.uk. The second half sounds like it could be a bit spoilery for Backlash, so highlight to read.

In the middle novel of the bestselling nine-book “Star Wars” series “Fate of the Jedi”, an uneasy – and unprecedented – coalition of Jedi and Sith enter the dark and treacherous area of space known as the Maw to search out the strange being that has been reaching out to Luke Skywalker during his journey to retrace the travels of his late nephew, Jacen Solo. Forced to wait on the planet Klatooine for reinforcements from Lando Calrissian, this already fragile alliance is threatened by the presence of the Hutts, and while Leia, Han, Jaina, and Jag walk a fine line between obeying the law of the Galactic Alliance and supporting Luke, Jedi Ben Skywalker and Sith Apprentice Vestara Khai may be the ones to lead the mission to triumph – or disaster.

Allies is due out May 25.

EUbits: February comics, Backlash datage, Karpyshyn, Bohnhoff, and Schreiber

Has Zayne always been wearing TCW Anakin's clothes?Comics of an upcoming nature. StarWars.com has Dark Horse’s February 2010 solicitations, including the final issue of Knights of the Old Republic. People also seen to be awfully excited about seeing The Old Republic webcomic in print, but let’s not forget Legacy #45, the Dark Times: Blue Harvest TPB, and a Boba Fett omnibus. Okay, feel free to forget that last one. (I kid. Maybe.) Want a taste of something coming out a little sooner? Darkhorse.com has previews for Knights of the Old Republic #47 and Legacy #42.

Street date shuffle. SWBooks.co.uk spotted that April 13, 2010 is the new date for Fate of the Jedi: Backlash. That’s just a little under a month from the last date of March 9th.

The blogside. Drew Karpyshyn blogs to remind us that Dynasty of Evil is out next month… And tease The Old Republic. Meanwhile, Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff has what goes on in a writer’s head, the casting call, and when characters fall in love.

Interviews. NJOE went round robin with Death Troopers author Joe Schreiber.

Dark Horse’s Randy Stradley on the past, present and (maybe) future of Star Wars comics

TheForce.Net talks at length with Dark Horse editor Randy Stradley about Star Wars, comics and the always ‘popular’ issues of continuity and canon. I particularly like this bit:

But, writers, know this: I am not interested in “stories” that plug or explain holes in existing continuity. Your goal is to tell a tale that moves, inspires, challenges, or at the very least entertains the readers, not to fill in perceived omissions or pave over “errors.”

And is that a vague confirmation that John Jackson Miller is working on another Star Wars comic I see? Head on over to speculate for yourself.