Lucasfilm Unveils First New EU Star Wars Novels

[Fanghawk]

Lucasfilm Unveils First New EU Star Wars Novels

Star Wars' New Expanded Universe will launch four new novels by 2015, including a Rebels prequel and the origin of Grand Moff Tarkin.

Right now, many Star Wars fans are feeling incredibly conflicted about <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/134034-Lucasfilm-Makes-It-Official-Star-Wars-Expanded-Universe-Is-Dead>the end of the original Expanded Universe. I'll even admit to being one of them, not because I'm against the prospect of reboots, but because there's a wealth of quality material there that might get swept under the rug. That's why the first EU stories Lucasfilm produces will be crucial; they'll either refute or confirm the fears of die-hard fans while acting as an introduction to the upcoming Episode VII. On that note, Lucasfilm has revealed the first four novels that will make up Star Wars new canon. Starting with a prequel to the Rebels TV series, we'll also get tales of Sith Lords, Luke Skywalker as a newly-minted Jedi, and the origins of Grand Moff Tarkin.

The appropriately titled Star Wars: A New Dawn, written by John Jackson Miller, will kick off the new Expanded Universe. The novel introduces Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/131665-Star-Wars-Rebels-Will-Go-to-Dark-Places>two central characters of Star Wars Rebels, depicting how they first joined forces to fight against the Empire. As the writer behind Dark Horse Comics' Knights of the Old Republic series, Miller's connection to the old EU might placate quite a few fans moving into the new.

The other books have no plot descriptions just yet, but they still look quite promising. Kevin Hearne's Heir to the Jedi should present the first adventure of post-Episode VI Luke after proving himself as a Jedi Knight. Paul S. Kemp's Lords of the Sith highlights Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine, with a cover heavily implying they're about to go Force Unleashed on their enemies. The final book is Tarkin, a deceptively simple title with huge significance to classic Star Wars fars. Presumably author James Luceno is retelling the history of everyone's favorite Grand Moff, something covered extensively across the EU and Clones Wars TV series.

A New Dawn and Tarkin will reach physical and digital booksellers on September 2 and November 11 respectively, while Heir to the Jedi and Lords of the Sith launch in early 2015. I suspect a great many fans will be watching these novels very closely, even if just to see whether EU landmarks like Mara Jade survived the transition to Lucasfilm's official canon.

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Source: Bleeding Cool

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[TheSYLOH]

Beleive it or not, I consider Grand Moff Tarkin my favorite Star Wars side character.
Screw Boba Fett.
Tarkin was one of two people who could boss Vader around, and he couldn't throw lightning from his hands.
He can push Vader around with nothing but the force of his gravitas!

Then again, still hurting from the loss of the old EU, so I think I'll pass.

 

[Tahaneira]

So... not only is the EU being discarded... it's being replaced? I really hate sounding like a whiny fanboy, but dammit, I have boatloads of nostalgia tied up in that thing. I quite literally grew up with it.

They damn well better bring Zahn in for a few books, that's all I'm gonna say right now.

 

[Shiftygiant]

Heir to the Jedi's cover looks crap.

I do wonder why they had to dis-continuity everything. I understand getting ride of EU stuff past New Hope, but to replace everything pre-Hope seems to be creating more work that people won't care about. That said, I'm interested by the Tarkin book.

 

[MCerberus]

Tarkin huh, that's the wrong moff for me to care about.
Call me when there's Chiss.

 

[Altorin]

considering how massively bloated the EU actually was, this is all probably a good thing.

 

[Nowhere Man]

A Tarkin novel sounds very interesting. Also, is there any symbolism behind Luke using Anakin's old lightsaber again? How did he recover it? Did he go back to Cloud City and find it at the bottom of that endless looking shaft (possibly still attached to his old hand?) D:

 

[Zontar]

considering how massively bloated the EU actually was, this is all probably a good thing.

They could have at least given it more then just a single day for us to go from "the EU is dead" to "the EU is dead and we're replacing it".

 

[TehAardvark]

considering how massively bloated the EU actually was, this is all probably a good thing.

It's 20+ years of history(only counting the popularity of the books in the 90s and on otherwise it's 30-40) so yes it's bloated. Anything that maintains 20 years of real-life continuity spanning thousands of years in canon is going to get bloated. I'd still prefer my bloated universe with Bounty Hunter Wars, Thrawn Trilogy, & X-wing series over a complete reboot.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

A Tarkin novel sounds very interesting. Also, is there any symbolism behind Luke using Anakin's old lightsaber again? How did he recover it? Did he go back to Cloud City and find it at the bottom of that endless looking shaft (possibly still attached to his old hand?) D:

Actually, it was found by a cloned Jedi Master, who then used Luke's severed hand to make a clone of Luke--no, wait. According to Disney, none of that happened now. Thanks a lot, guys...

Anyway, these are the titles we're going with? I mean, did they even try? Heir to the Jedi? Really? I already had Heir To The Empire and Heirs to the Force. And Lords of the Sith? I have to say, these titles are not filling me with confidence. The first sounds like a ripoff and an attempt to get 'Old' Star Wars fans on board with the new EU (hey, maybe if we make the title sound like that other really popular one, people will buy it...) and the second one just seems like they're phoning it in. Like those generic action movie posters where you have the hero just standing in front of an explosion or something.
And why, again, are most of the stories being set during the time period between III and IV? I am so tired of that time period. I mean, I get that you can't write books set after Return of the Jedi anymore, but come on. Just how much stuff are we going to cram into this spot on the timeline so that it seems like everyone and their mother is somehow connected to The Rebellion?

I'm sorry if this seems a bit harsh, but I'm still in mourning over the fact that books and characters I grew up with over the past 20-plus years have suddenly been given the shaft, and these new stories aren't doing much to make me feel better.

 

[PrinceOfShapeir]

Heir to the Jedi actually takes place between 4 and 5.

 

[Kenbo Slice]

But what about Legacy of the Force? Those books were fucking awesome. Or the books about Darth Bane, which were badass.

 

[Khrowley]

After reading this my mind goes to when the Republic starts to notice that the peace they fought for is quickly being replaced with tyranny and despotism...........

 

[Fdzzaigl]

Well, these books don't look that bad as far as Star Wars books go, at least at first glance.

Can't say I've read many of them though. I remember reading this one book about an Imperial recruitment / brainwashing ship in the New Republic era. Can't remember the name cus I thought it was very bad.

 

[Ichigo]

Wait all the old awesome stuff is not valid any more. Grand Admiral Thrawn, Kyle Katarn and Mara Jade are gone if Disney isn´t using them for something? That is Bullshit.

 

[KikReask]

I never read any of the books but isn't the Thrawn trilogy loved by so many people? This really sucks to see the current Expanded universe being replaced, especially when I grew up on the Dark Horse comics. But if you're going to replace the current EU, can you get rid of The Force Unleashed while you're at it?

So, Tarkin huh? This may sound stupid but as a kid I was really happy to see Tarkin make a brief appearance in Revenge of the Sith. He was like the Mr Burns of the first film and seeing him in the last prequel just showed he had a strong presence. But Tarkin also appeared in the Clone Wars cartoon which was nice to hear that there was more origin to tell. ... Hey is the Clone Wars cartoon retconned out of existence too?

 

[VoidWanderer]

considering how massively bloated the EU actually was, this is all probably a good thing.

They could have at least given it more then just a single day for us to go from "the EU is dead" to "the EU is dead and we're replacing it".

Seems like the old "The King is dead, long live the King." Mentality.

AS long as it could be used to patch the moronic decisions GL has made, namely the reason for midichlorians, then I won't mind.

 

[phoenixcalm]

I feel a boycott coming - notice how every ip GoodGame Abram touches dies.

 

[Altorin]

I feel a boycott coming - notice how every ip GoodGame Abram touches dies.

yeah

http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Star-Trek

completely dead

 

[leviticusd]

I'm surprised how quickly they made the announcement as well. But I guess there is no reason to delay. I just counted up my collection and I have 138 "Legend" novels on my shelf that I'be bought over the last 15 years or so. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, especially figuring those novels cost me about $1300 dollars all together, (plus the video games, cards, heck I even bought the soundtrack for the Shadows of the Empire novel...look it up...that book has a soundtrack!) but when I was looking at the timeline I realized one thing...

That story was finished.

Every character was accounted for for pretty much every moment from directly after the Battle of Endor and for the next 40 years. Outside of Luke permanently turning over the Jedi to a new council or Grandmaster there really isn't much else to tell. Luke's son's interaction with Vestara is interesting and unfinished and Jaina's soap opera life still has some play in it, but really who cares? I'm actually cool with saying this story is done closing the book on it. I enjoyed it (mostly...there are some really bad books), but I think I can be satisfied and not hold a grudge going forward.

It's not the first time I've had this happen before either, though not even close to this scale. The Splinter Cell books did this. The first couple had a certain tone with Sam Fischer and then I bought what I thought was the next book and it was like the others never happened. Bugged me at first but I got over it.

The Diablo novels seem to have the same issue. They did a bunch originally, then did some more that were completely inconsistent with the first group which I thought was setting up the Diablo III story, but then they changed the game so much even those ones don't fit anymore.

Guess I will get a new bookshelf to start my next generation collection of EU novels....