Tag: nonfiction

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New book will explore connections between Star Wars and history

Publisher John Wiley & Sons is compliling a book that will explore parallels between world history and the movies, the New York Times reports.

“George Lucas is a history buff, and his fascination with history greatly influenced the plot and themes explored in the Star Wars universe,” Connie Santisteban, associate editor for general interest books at Wiley, wrote in an e-mail. “Being able to work closely with Mr. Lucas on this and other books will give fans an inside look at the real science, history and political science that informed ‘Star Wars’ while also providing readers with an educational tool.”

The book is being compiled by history professors Nancy Reagin and Janice Liedl, who have done books in the same vein about Harry Potter and Twilight. (I wonder if it goes anything like this. Minus the snark and animated GIFs, naturally.) The book even has Lucasfilm’s blessing, says a spokewoman, including Lucas’ “notes and input.”

Wiley will also produce additional books focusing on “science and politics within the Star Wars saga.”

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EUbits: Inside The Making of The Empire Strikes Back

Nonfiction StarWars.com offers up a peek at J.W. Rinzler’s The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. The book’s release was recently pushed back to October, but there’s little doubt that it will be worth the wait.

Street date shuffle. On that note, our book release schedule has been updated. The most notable change: A double shot of Fate of the Jedi paperbacks as Omen and Abyss are moved up to spring.

Podcastery. Star Wars Action News talked to Paul S. Kemp earlier in the month, while the ForceCast caught up with John Jackson Miller at C2E2.

The blogside. Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff on the end game and the last period.

Morsel. Sue Rostoni says that Joe Schreiber’s Black Orchid is getting a new title because some people thought it sounded like a romance novel. Personally I think old school Neil Gaiman/Dave McKean…

Toys. Rebelscum reports that the Legacy Collection’s Expanded Universe action figures (the wave that includes Jacen and Jaina) have begun showing up at Toys “R” Us stores.

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Random House summer catalog brings our first The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance blurb

PLEASE NOTE: FOR SOLICITATION ONLY. FINAL COVER TO COME.Random House’s Summer 2010 catalog has surfaced, and naturally, it contains some Star Wars items. Mostly old news, like for Fate of the Jedi: Allies (page 81,) but the listing for Sean William’s Old Republic novel (page 89) has a summary:

Smuggler Jet Nebula has stumbled across a treasure richer than he ever dreamed. The Hutts want to auction it to the highest bidder, be it the Republic or the Empire, both of whom hope to bolster their chances in the coming conflict. But the Sith are interested, too, and they don’t bargain with anyone; the Jedi High Council is sending someone to investigate; a mysterious Mandalorian is chasing something connected to a long-forgotten crime; while a spy plays every side at once. What Jet has unearthed will surprise all of them, and leave none of them unchanged.

(‘Jet Nebula’? Really?)

There’s also a cover for the book, but don’t get too excited. It’s ‘for solicitation only’ and the art looks like a still from the MMO’s trailer. And given that the listing doesn’t use the full title (Star Wars: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance) its possible that some of the catalog info may already be outdated.

Also making a showing is Star Wars Generations (page 91) and Clone Wars Gambit: Siege (page 97.)

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EUbits: Art, comics, blogs and a very dead parrot

Pictures! We’re not exactly big gamers ’round these parts, but the Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game is noteworthy for providing us with new Expanded Universe art, and The Nightsister’s Revenge expansion is no exception.

Comics: StarWars.com has Dark Horse’s spring 2010 solicitations. Don’t get too excited, though: There are only two things on there. But they are both Legacy. Could the rest of spring be under wraps? In the more immediate future, previews for Legacy #43 and Knights of the Old Republic #48.

The blogside. Drew Karpyshyn explains (Spoilers!) the end of Dynasty of Evil, while Dan Wallace talks about some of his work on George Lucas’ Blockbusting.

Pining for the fjords. A summary for Karen Traviss’ second Imperial Commando novel -Remember? The one that’s pretty much cancelled? – has appeared on Amazon.co.uk. You live the dream, Amazon. (via)

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Complete Vader delayed until October 2011

That’s what Sue Rostoni has said on StarWars.com:

There was a printing error — the printer used an ink that backfired and made some of the pages stick together, so the book was recalled after it was released. It will be reprinted using a more stable ink and will be released in October 2011. Many of the books found their way to market, so if you have one and the pages stick to the point that you’re not comfortable with it, you can return it and get the new one when it comes out.

I guess it’s kind of hard to get a new printing slot this close to the holidays?

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Wallace book for DK spotted on Amazon

Eddie found a listing on Amazon.com for a Star Wars Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle, a Dan Wallace hardcover for DK Children. The blurb:

Celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back in style!

Four decades of Star Wars history come together for the first time in a highly illustrated year-by-year format. Star Wars Year by Year pulls together a vast array of information from the films, comic books, novels, merchandise, and computer games. Star Wars Year by Year provides fans with everything they need to know about the phenomenon that is Star Wars, from the first Star Wars release in 1977 through the most recent plot twists in the animated television show Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

The book is chronologically arranged from 1973 to 2009, and includes stunning chapter openers for each decade, highly illustrated articles for each year that delve into important events in the creation of the movies and comic book art, and fascinating facts about the influence of Star Wars in the real world.

The release date is given as July 19, 2010.