Fate of the Jedi blurb from the Random House

Random House has posted their spring catalog as a PDF, and it includes a blurb (though no cover) for Fate of the Jedi!

Fate of the Jedi launches a huge story arc, with heroic roles for the galaxy’s most beloved characters — Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, and their surviving children, Ben Skywalker and Jaina Solo. While Luke and Ben set off on the journey of a lifetime — of discovery and hardship, of obstacles and victories—the others remain in more familiar territory, dealing with the aftermath of the civil war that rocked the galaxy in the Legacy of the Force.

Some of that is familiar from early rumors but it’s good to have some sort of official confirmation. (When are the print catalogs sent out, exactly? Could it be the source of the early leak? Plus there are a few recently-revealed things missing, like the title of book 1, Outcast.) We can also expect a seven-city author tour, a “free PDF sampler giveaway,” an “original prequel short story” and a live chat (that’s been a while) on StarWars.com. (No, FateOfTheJedi.com isn’t live yet!)

Millennium Falcon also gets a page, which touts that it will have an excerpt from Outcast. Excerpts in hardcovers? That’s new…

Poll: So we already know you want FOTJ…

The response to our Fate of the Jedi poll was pretty clear: Most of you (58%) are sure to be reading it, 24% are waiting to hear more before you decide, and only 19% have given up entirely (and/or were never big EU readers to begin with.) I’ll make a pretty pie chart after we finish our latest poll, though: Which of the other upcoming novels tickle your fancy the most? Vote below the cut or on the sidebar. Continue reading “Poll: So we already know you want FOTJ…”

EU newsbits: Details from Irvine, YA, interviews

More new contract fallout: Alex Irvine details the timing of his ‘ancient Jedi’ novel on his blog:

…Yours truly is going to be writing a novel set just before the Knights of the Old Republic storyline. Since I am one of those guys who saw the movie (you know, The Movie; you know the one I mean) a dozen times the summer it came out, this is kind of a dream come true. Viva la Geek! Plus, there are some interesting open spaces in the continuity from that period, which give me a lot of room to work.

Isn’t that what the comics are doing? Oh well: I won’t even pretend to be an expert on that time period. (Some have speculated that this could be related to the still-rumored KOTOR MMO, but aren’t direct game tie-ins handled by separate contracts?)

The next three years in Star Wars publishing

Well, after starting an avalanche of reveals last week, StarWars.com gives us a lowdown of the new publishing contract (so far.) Some of it we already know: Fate of the Jedi, Blood Oath, The Clone Wars. As for reveals…

  • Blood Oath features… Zekk! Still not dead.
  • Christie Golden’s Star Wars debut in summer ’09 will be titled Fate of the Jedi: Enigma.
  • Karen Traviss’ Imperial Commando series will be in paperback, and the first book is 501st, also due next summer.
  • Winter ’09 brings another (horror!?!) standalone from a new author, Joe Schreiber.
  • And a guide to Vader published by Becker & Mayer, who handled last year’s Vault.
  • Drew Karpyshyn’s third Bane novel (hardcover, natch) will appear in early 2010, as will Kemp’s standalone.
  • Fall 2010 bring a Star Wars craft book by Bonnie Burton.

  • And another new-to-us author, Alex Irvine, tackles the ancient Jedi.
  • For 2011 expect Traviss’ Boba Fett standalone in paperback.
  • And another PB from Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff.

Matthew Stover is a classy dude

When asked for his take on the Expanded Universe’s use of the themes he introduced in Traitor, this is what he had to say.

…due to my privileged position as a Star Wars novelist, my opinion would be given more weight by the fans than it actually deserves — it would tend to tip the perceptions of, at least, my particular fans, and even others would be tempted to end arguments with “Well, Matt Stover says . . .” I’ve decided I just have to keep it to myself.

Yes, some fans will angst at not having that clarification/ammunition, but hats off to you, Mr. Stover.

Poll: Fate of the Jedi and you

Our latest poll is about the big post-LOTF series that was (finally!) annouced last week, Fate of the Jedi. Featuring authors Aaron Allston, Christie Golden, and Troy Denning, FOTJ will be the first major Star Wars series to come out entirely in hardcover since Zahn’s Thrawn trilogy back in the early 90’s. The first book, Allston’s Outcast, is due next spring. Will you be reading? Vote on the sidebar or under the cut. Continue reading “Poll: Fate of the Jedi and you”