EUbits: Essential Reader’s Companion cover revealed

Cover art. Revealed on the official blog today is the finished cover for Pablo Hidalgo’s Essential Reader’s Companion. Clearly inspired by the Micheal Whelan piece used for the preliminary cover, the art was painted by Paul Youll.

Celebration VI. Del Rey has confirmed Aaron Allston, Troy Denning, Drew Karpyshyn, and John Jackson Miller will be at the con in August. And of course we already knew about Timothy Zahn.

Dawn of the Jedi. i09 has some interior pages and an interview on the upcoming series from John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, while Dark Horse gives us a look at some sketches.

The hype continues. On the off chance you haven’t heard of that Darth Plagueis book, there’s a trailer. Of course.

Chats. Author Paul S. Kemp did a Q&A with Reddit’s fantasy group the other day. There are a few questions about Star Wars scattered throughout.

Reviews. James takes a look at Knights of the Old Republic: War #1 and Agent of the Empire: Iron Eclipse #2.

Looks like Mercy Kill is Apocalypse sample chapter

Del Rey’s Erich Schoeneweiss tweeted the above tonight, which appears to be confirmation that the “extensive excerpt of book one of the next Star Wars series” in Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse will be from X-Wing: Mercy Kill. Though, given how far ahead that exact wording from the Spring catalog was written, I wouldn’t take it as gospel that Mercy Kill will be the first of a new X-Wing series. (After all, technically it’s not a book 1… Is it?!?) Stay tuned…

Fate of the Jedi: Apocalypse is due out on March 13, while X-Wing: Mercy Kill is currently on the schedule for August 7.

Allston to be Author Guest of Honor at Origins

Author Aaron Allston talks about attending this year’s Origins gaming convention, where he’ll be Author Guest of Honor. Of his scheduled events, this one on Thursday may be of particular interest:

Star Wars In Novels. “New York Times bestselling authors Aaron Allston, Timothy Zahn, and Michael A. Stackpole talk about their Star Wars books and about their future fiction plans in the galaxy far, far away.” Aaron Allston, Timothy Zahn, Michael A. Stackpole

All Aaron’s panels are worth attending, but we can guarantee that we’ll will make an effort to be at that one! Origins takes place in Columbus, Ohio from May 30 to June 3 this year.

X-Wing: Mercy Kill cover art, blurb revealed!

Star Wars Books and StarWars.com have released the cover and blurb for Aaron Allston’s X-Wing: Mercy Kill, one of next year’s most highly-anticipated novels. Here’s the blurb:

Outcasts and misfits, spies and warriors, pilots and troublemakers — they’re Wraith Squadron. Founded decades ago by ace pilot Wedge Antilles, this elite intelligence unit, disbanded at the end of a catastrophic civil war, is reunited by former leader Face Loran to find out whether one of the galaxy’s most powerful military officers is a traitor… and whether anyone can stop him if he is. To succeed in their mission, the Wraiths must become thieves, pirates, imposters, forgers, and liars, staying just one step ahead of their enemies and the law!

The cover art is by Mike Bryan. It’ll be the tenth novel in the X-Wing series, which was a staple of the 90’s Expanded Universe, and the first in more than a decade.

Mercy Kill, a hardcover, is currently on the schedule for August 7.

Essential Reader’s Companion prelim cover, blurb revealed in Random House summer catalog

Knights Archive was first to spot that Edelweiss has the Random House summer catalog items up. The highlight is a preliminary cover for Pablo Hidalgo’s Essential Reader’s Companion. Here’s the blurb:

A new, never-before-published entry in our extremely popular series of fully illustrated Star Wars Essential Guides. Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion is a book Star Wars fans have been asking for, and will be presented with astonishing full-color artwork throughout!

Star Wars: The Essential Reader’s Companion is the first Essential Guide devoted entirely to published Star Wars fiction, from the original movie novelization, to young reader’s books, short stories, eBook novellas, and the most recent adult novel. This book will cover all the fiction that has built the Star Wars Expanded Universe over the last thirty-five years.

Also appearing are X-Wing: Mercy Kill, which features a very vague ‘blurb’ with no cover, and The Millennium Falcon Owner’s Workshop, which we already know plenty of.

And while we’re on the topic of catalogs, both Mercy Kill and The Essential Reader’s Companion have made their appearances on Random House’s main online catalog as well. They’re currently due out on August 7, 2012 and August 21, 2012, respectively.

EUbits: A look at Essential Guide to Warfare art

Essential art. Del Rey’s Erich Schoeneweiss gave fans a first look at some of the art from The Essential Guide to Warfare. They include an “an ancient battle between the Rakatans and the Killiks” by Darren Tan, an OTish space battle by Paul Youll (who did the covers for the X-Wing novels), and a Dark Empire World Devastator by Stephan Martiniere.

Street date shuffle. Speaking of X-Wings, Schoeneweiss also gave us a solid date for Aaron Allston’s Mercy Kill: August 7. Our schedule has been updated.

Interview. Author Drew Karpyshyn talks Revan at Suvudu.

EUbits: Apocalypse blurb, Myri’s with the Wraiths

Fate of the Jedi. For those still on board with the most tedious series since the nigh-endless New Jedi Order, there’s finally a blurb for the final volume, Troy Denning’s Apocalypse. I haven’t the slightest idea how spoilery it is since I have yet to make it past the first chapter of Ascension, so head on over to the link to check it out.

X-Wing. In happier news, Erich Schoeneweiss confirms EUCantina’s report that Face Loran will be back – and Myri Antilles will be flying with the Wraiths – in Aaron Allston’s Mercy Kill.

Interviews. Roqoo Depot has an interview with Jeff Grubb, who’s writing next year’s Scourge.

Staffing. Editor Frank Parisi has moved from Lucasfilm to Del Rey.

Review. Our own JawaJames reviews Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #2 at Big Shiny Robot.