Tag: novels

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Out this week: Heir to the Empire 20th Anniversary Edition and more

On Sale Today!Today is the release day for the 20th anniversary of Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. As Erich points out on Facebook, this new edition contains:

  • Special annotations from author Tim Zahn and editor Betsy Mitchell
  • Crisis of Faith, Zahn’s new novella featuring Thrawn
  • Foreword by Lucas Licensing President Howard Roffman, an Afterword by Betsy Mitchell, and an introduction by Zahn

Also out today: Paperback version of Sean Williams’ The Force Unleashed II.

Comics: Out this week (check your store for possible Labor Day-induced shipping delays): Dark Times: Out of the Wilderness #2

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Chat highlights with Fate of the Jedi: Ascension author Christie Golden

Del Rey hosted a chat on Facebook with Fate of the Jedi: Ascension author, Christie Golden, this afternoon on her new novel and writing Star Wars in general. First, some spoiler-free highlights:

  • On the challenge of sandbox writing and characters that can’t die: “It’s never really bothered me, as I actually started out with tie-in work. It’s just part of the whole picture. You can, however, make them suffer, have them have major setbacks, or lose something precious to them…which is sometimes harder for a person to bear.”
  • On capturing the right feel: “I rewatched the movies (oh, twist my arm!) and really just tried to “sit” with the feel of it. Also tried to pay attention to what Troy [Denning], Karen [Traviss] and Aaron [Allston] were doing with LOTF [Legacy of the Force], so that it would feel a believable continuation from that as well.” and “I try hard to make things feel “bigger” than just the events of the series. There’s 40 years of history here to mine. For instance, I needed a planet in a certain area…I researched it…Klatooine not only fit the bill but had that amazing fountain of glass–how perfect! I think everyone feels that way–this is a big universe and there’s a lot to play with.”

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Updates on Knight Errant, Lost Tribe of the Sith and more from John Jackson Miller

While it has been previously announced that John Jackson Miller’s ebook novella series, Lost Tribe of the Sith will be collected in a print anthology, more details emerged about the series in an author chat hosted by Del Rey’s Star Wars Books Facebook account. Both Miller and Del Rey reps confirmed the following schedule for the (free) digital releases:

  • Part Six: “Sentinel” – Februray 21, 2011
  • Part Seven: “Pantheon” – July 19, 2011
  • Part Eight: “Secrets” – March 8, 2012
  • Print collection – August 2012, and it will contain an additional “long” story.

The concept of the overall series is that the first four form the Founders tetralogy (how the lost tribe started from some stranded “middle-managers in the cause of evil”), and the second four fit into the Darker Times, while the new material will help show how the tribe evolved from to closer to what is encountered in the Fate of the Jedi series.

And in very early phases of Knight Errant, there might have been some sort of Twilighty romance between Kerra Holt and Lord Daiman, but scrapped as the characters developed – since Daiman’s really only in love with himself, and Kerra is just way too busy trying to stay alive and help those around her. Pitched from Dark Horse to Miller as a “lone female Jedi”, Miller envisioned Kerra traveling solo like the Lone Ranger, even without a sidekick or droid Tonto.

Going back to Miller’s work on the Knights of the Old Republic, he mentioned that the charming con artist Gryph was originally supposed to be an Ortolan, like Max Rebo, before being changed to a Snivvian. Zayne Carrick’s last name connects back to Miller’s college dorm room.