A source has forwarded me some very troubling information about the upcoming books. It seems that LFL and Del Rey (yes, Del Rey will be back) have been paying attention to the most extreme whining about LOTF and even the NJO, and they’re taking steps accordingly. I hate to assault the eyes of an unprepared audience, so details are below the cut: Enter at your own risk.
The first disturbing reaction is the acceptance of a ‘fluid,’ more fanfic-inspired continuity. While not formally throwing the current canon out the window, they are opening up ‘alternate’ timeframes and other such nonsense. The second? Well…”We’re taking the war out of Star Wars,” said our Bothan spy. “Exhaustive lunchtime research has shown that the fans are getting fed up with depressing storylines, so we’re going for a different feel. To that end, we’re bringing back some previous authors whose work captured the spirit of fun and adventure.”
Indeed.
Here are some of the books that are currently in the planning stages:
The first release under the new program “pairs classic authors Kevin J. Anderson (Darksaber) with Dave Wolverton (Courtship of Princess Leia) to tell the story of Jacen Solo, torn between his love for Hapan princess Tenel Ka and his lifelong dream of running an animal sanctuary.” At right, a cover mockup. Not the only ‘up’ I’m feeling at the moment, but if I stop for snark I’ll never get this done. Moving on…
In the outline stage is a third Star Wars novel from Drew Karpyshyn “linking fan-favorite Waru with the ancient Sith.”
Also well on the way is a pair of books described as “Gossip Girl with politics” exploring the early lives of Leia and Padme. LucasBooks is developing these with 17th Street Productions, the book packaging unit responsible for Sweet Valley High and Gossip Girl. “LFL really wants to make an outreach to young girls,” says our source. “The YA books are a big push for expanding the audience.”
There are also rumblings that Derek J. Reda’s long-shelved Bib Fortuna and the Rise of the Dark Falls might finally see daylight, but even the Bothans have heavy doubts on that front.
Release dates are still not set, but the Anderson/Wolverton collaboration and YA novels are likely to be out in time for Christmas.
I think I have to lay down now.
ETA: Followup, and another cover!
Oh my GAWD! I just knew it! I just KNEW that Lucasfilm would finally appreciate my work!!!!
I wonder where I could send them my fanfic so I can write one of those books.
(And that picture of Jacen? Oh my GAWD. He’s HAWT!!)
ZOMG april fools
The word on the street is that they’re actually reaching out to some of the Harlequin Sillhouette stable for talent; and they might even have snagged some of the big guns in romance. I can just see a Jayne Ann Krentz EU novel; it would be sooo hot!
The title kinda reminds me of that Loverboy song “Hot Girls In Love.”
I am so pissed. PISSED. They’re going to do a book on that peabrained sithling Jacen? No. No. No. I want the Courtship of General Kenobi.
Honestly, if they’d just wise up and appreciate the MATURE women in their target market.
Yes!! About time someone realized that KJA RAWKS! Always in the shadow of that nerf-herder that everyone thinks is so great just ’cause he was “First”. Dicerning readers know beeter!
Can’t wait for the new books! Off to update my Facebook page with this Sweetness!
Smart Girlz Untie!
Qwi
He he. By using the names of the least popular of all the Star Wars authors, you will probably rile quite a few people up today. :)
This was funny. “Gossip girl with politics” *snicker*
OMG!!!!!11 Why didn’t they do one like that for Luke? Not with that Mara *#*@#, though, cuz he’s MIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!!!!
“torn between his love for Hapan princess Tenel Ka and his lifelong dream of running an animal shelter”???? Come on!!! And the early life of Padme and Leia? They were princesses with normal parents, etc. Why not write a book about Mara’s early life! That would be interesting! And romance is great, but without action it’s not sci-fi.
Get your hands off my man, or I will haunt you forever.
Awesome! With Mr. Anderson writing again, maybe we will get a special edition of “Darksaber’ with more hawt Luke/Callista scenes.
ZOMG! Wasn’t Darksaber the best evar!!!!!11!
ya think that maybee Jacen will get cauht btwn TenelK’s muskular thighs too? Juz like Luke did? i cant wait!!!!!!! oh oh myabe like hot stuff on a Rancor? “You can’t keep men in caves and mate with them whenver you plz!” Jacen as Tnel’s love slave?!!!! ya think?+
Gossip Girl meets Star Wars? AWESOME!
This sucks. Who’s gonna read this chick crap?
I wanna read about Gonk, dammit.
hahaha that’s brilliant!
Makes me wish we DID publish Star Wars bodice rippers!
OMG! Finally they realize the mistake of leaving the only true Jacen, the one in the YJK books, to create that JINO and parade him around. I told you so! Now we get to see what REALLY happened instead of that intolerable NJO and Legacy crap.
I’m hoping the rumors I’ve been hearing regarding an Anderson/Wolverton follow-up about the forbidden love between a promising Jedi padawan and his master’s wife (who is also his aunt!) turn out to be true. I’ve been waiting for an impressionistic take on that material for a while.
OMG! That’s like so grooooosssssss. Luke is gonna be so mad when he sees what Jacen and Mara are doing on the cover of that book. Ewwwwwwww.
George Lucas would never allow this! Ever! Has he lost his mind? We’ve got to start a petishun! there’s no s_x in Star Wars. Ever! We’ve got to tell him and stop this and to fire those morons who would dare to use our Star Wars this way. I’m never bying another SW book again. Ever. I’m going to go put a petishun on my LJ.+
You guys almost had me fooled until I read the part about the animal sanctuary, then it went downhill in believability. I wouldn’t put it past Lucas Arts to do something like that. Though you can also tell it’s false because Tenal Ka’s missing forearm is on the wrong side (that is, unless she was actually drawn with two arms, it hard to tell in the picture). Sources show that it is clearly her left arm that was severed and the picture show her with her arm still intact. And she deffinatly looks too old in that picture for it to have been before the incident.
Ahahahahahaha! That cover is brilliant. WE SHOULD CAMP OUT FOR THIS Y/Y?
Young Jedi in Love?! That is more wrong that the rebels fighting the Empire!
Oh!!!!!!!!!!
I just LURVE LURVE LURVE Jacen and TenelKA. THis will be AMAZING because KA stands for Kevin ANdersen and he will rite it sooooo good!
OOO I wonder if they will have BABBIEZ!!!
SO time for some real romance in this series . . . but that is (those are?) the *wrong* *Jedi*!!!
I’m laughing… but dammit, this would get half my family hooked on SW!
Make it happen, Lucas Books!
zomg – i hope there is a series of 20 books or more spanning the entire chrono. retcons galore here we com!
Hehehe this was classic, I loved it! So glad it was a bunch of BS though. :-)
Where did you get that cover? Lol
Photoshop. The original image is from the Galaxies trading card game.
Great work in Photoshop!
But you posted the wrong original image link…
Doh. I was thinking of the wrong April Fools. ‘Jacen’ and ‘Tenel Ka’ are from some real romance novel – I don’t have the original any more, sorry.