Search

Book News: Fate of the Jedi updates:
Posted: 30th September
Sue Rostoni's revelations regarding the publishing schedule for the next three years (on her StarWars.com Blog) has not only confirmed the expected release dates for the first three books in the Fate of the Jedi series, but also confirmed that the two pre-Fate of the Jedi novels by Elaine Cunningham and Paul S. Kemp are actually more post-Legacy of the Force than pre-Fate of the Jedi.
Also Sue referred to Paul's book as being set during The Great Hyperspace War, an event that took place almost 5,000 years before even Fate of the Jedi or Legacy of the Force, but Paul has updated his own blog (http://paulskemp.livejournal.com) saying: "I don't want to give away major plot points, but in an effort to lessen some of the confusion, I will say this: The novel does contain a scene or scenes that take place during The Great Hyperspace War, and scenes that take place in the present, post Legacy of the Force period, and the plot of the novel turns on the (I hope interesting) way that past and present intersect".

Book News: Del Rey's publishing schedule up to 2011:
Posted: 30th September
In her StarWars.com Blog, LucasBooks' Sue Rostoni, has released a publishing schedule for Del Rey's new books up to the ninth and final Fate of the Jedi book by Troy Denning due in 2011. She has cunningly revealed a few tantalising details including:
No Prisoners, the third The Clone Wars novel, will feature the stars of the movie but no prisoners! The third Fate of the Jedi novel will feature the Hapans; Joe Schreiber's as yet untitled book, will be set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back and "should be read under the covers with a flashlight"; and Alex Irvine's Old Republic novel will feature the return of Nomi Sunrider!
You can read the full schedule on Sue Rostoni's blog.

Media News: New Hyperspace short story:
Posted: 30th September
Members of StarWars.com's Hyperspace can download a new short story by Knights of the Old Republic writer John Jackson Miller. Interference is set "a few weeks after the surprise attack by the Mandalorians on the Republic. It takes place between Daze of Hate, Knights of Suffering and Vector of Dark Horse's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series".
You can download/read Interference here.

Books News: Dark Horse Comics' plans for 2009:
Posted: 29th September
TheForce.net are reporting their findings with Dark Horse Comics' Director of Publicity Jeremy Atkins and Editor Scott Allie's appearance at Baltimore Comic-Con. First both Dark Times and Rebellion comic series' will return in 2009 after their short hiatus to make way for The Clone Wars comic and Quarterly series'. The current The Clone Wars mini-series, Slaves of the Republic, will end after six issues with no plans for another (although they would like to see the series continue). Secondly, the new Star Wars Adventures digest-sized graphic novel series (see our news report of 29th August) will begin in 2009 and will be set during the Original Trilogy period. And lastly, there are no definitive plans for Crimson Empire III...full story at TheForce.net.

Book News: Lost Marvel stories coming to Omnibus?:
Posted: 27th September
Writing in Dark Horses' latest masterpiece, Luke Skywalker: Last Hope for the Galaxy, Star Wars' Holocron Keeper Leland Chee inimated that Dark Horse Comics is planning to collect many of the "lost" Marvel stories that where originally only available either in the UK or published in Pizzazz Magazine. Although some have been republished by Dark Horse Comics as Devilworlds, Leland writes "Dark Horse is planning a collection of these "lost" stories and others in the near future." One suggestion is an Omnibus edition of these "lost stories".
More details as we get them.
(Source: StarWarsTimeline.com)

Book News: New information on Rebel Force:
Posted: 26th September
Affiliate StarWarsTimeline has uncovered solicitation texts for the first two books in Scholastic's new youth series Rebel Force. It confirms that the series will be set just after A New Hope and features Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and the droids in all new adventures. Both books, Target and Uprising, are scheduled for release in the New Year.
(Source: StarWarsTimeline.com)

Media News: The Clone Wars on DVD and Blu-Ray confirmed:
Posted: 26th September (UPDATED: 27th September)
StarWars.com have confirmed the US release date for The Clone Wars DVD and High Definition Blu-Ray as November 11th. The DVD will be available as either a single-disc or 2-disc Special Edition, while the Blu-Ray version will be the first time a Star Wars film will be available in High Definition. Both the 2-disc Special Edition DVD and Blu-Ray versions will include a rake of extra features including deleted scenes and webdocs (all in High Definition on the Blu-Ray version) as well as "a digital copy of the movie to watch on the go". US consumers will also be able to purchase retailer exclusive covers from Target and Best Buy...full story at StarWars.com.

UPDATE #1: Affiliate JediNews.co.uk have reported that The Clone Wars TV series will be shown in the UK exclusively on Sky Movies Premier in October...full story at JediNews.co.uk.

UPDATE #2: Affiliate ThePrivateUniverse.co.uk have reported the possibility that Cartoon Network UK may still yet broadcast The Clone Wars TV series but not until Spring 2009 after its first season run on Sky Movies Premier...full story at ThePrivateUniverse.co.uk.

Book News: Fate of the Jedi introduction from Random House:
Posted: 25th September
In their Spring '09 catalogue (currently available as a PDF), Random House introduce the new Fate of the Jedi series thus: "Fate of the Jedi launches a huge story arc, with heroic roles for the galaxy’s most beloved characters — Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa Solo, and their surviving children, Ben Skywalker and Jaina Solo. While Luke and Ben set off on the journey of a lifetime — of discovery and hardship, of obstacles and victories—the others remain in more familiar territory, dealing with the aftermath of the civil war that rocked the galaxy in the Legacy of the Force." They further intimate that James Luceno's Millennium Falcon novel (due for US release on 21st October) will contain an excerpt from the first Fate of the Jedi novels, Outcast (due itself on 24th March 2009); and that there will be a "free PDF sampler giveaway" and an "original prequel short story".
(Source: RandomHouse.com (19Mb PDF) via ClubJade.Net)

Book News: New books from DK for Summer 2009:
Posted: 24th September
Affiliate StarWarsTimeline have discovered several listings on amazon.com for new books from children's publisher Dorling Kindersley. They include four The Clone Wars tie-in books featuring two new Reader books: Forces of Darkness and Padawan in Training; a new The Clone Wars sticker collection: Ultimate Battle Sticker Collection; and most interestingly of all from DK: Ultimate Battles, a 144-page hardback that may be similar to their The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide.
Also discovered was a listing for a Rebel Edition of their excellent Blueprints collection - possibly blueprints of a X-Wing, or a Y-Wing perhaps?
All titles have a provisional US release date of 20th July 2009.
(Source: via StarWarsTimeline.com)

Book News: Paul Kemp slips a Jedi's name:
Posted: 20th September
Writing on his LiveJournal blog about his forthcoming pre-Fate of the Jedi novel, author, Paul S. Kemp writes: "I am allowed to mention that my Star Wars novel will feature the Jedi Jaden Korr as one of the lead characters." Jaden Korr was the lead character in the videogame Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy and appeared in the novel Fury assisting Jedi Master Kyp Durron, Valin Horn, Dr. Seyah and several other Jedi on a mission to destroy Centerpoint Station during the Second Galactic Civil War.
(Source: Paul S, Kemp via ClubJade.net)

Book News: First two Rebel Force books titled:
Posted: 20th September
Amazon Canada have updated their listings for the first two Rebel Forces books, the new youth series from Scholastic Books, with titles: book 1 is Target, while book 2 is Uprising. Both books are scheduled for release on 1st January 2009 and will be written by Alex Wheeler.
(Sources: Amazon.ca (Target), Amazon.ca (Uprising) via StarWarsTimeline.com)

Book News: Book publishing schedule for next three years:
Posted: 19th September
Following the announcement of Del Rey's extended books contract, StarWars.com have published a tentative publication summary for the next three years. While it confirms many speculated rumours, it also confirms more new authors to the Star Wars galaxy in the next three years.
New books learned from this summary include: in 2009: Blood Oath will feature "Zekk that is set soon after the events of the Legacy of the Force"; the second Fate of the Jedi novel will be entitled Enigma and written by Christie Golden; Imperial Commando: 501st. will be the first in Karen Traviss's new series; Troy Denning will pen the third Fate of the Jedi novel; while another newcomer, Joe Schreiber, will write a new standalone novel; and there will be "a non-fiction guide to everything Darth Vader."
2010: Confirmation of both Karpyshyn's third Darth Bane novel and Paul S. Kemp's standalone paperback; another newcomer Alex Irvine, "has a standalone hardcover novel set in the time of the ancient Jedi Knights".
2011: Karen Traviss returns with a Boba Fett original paperback novel; "Michael Reaves and Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff team up to write a new original paperback novel."; plus more non-fiction Essential Guides.
(Source: StarWars.com)

Book News: Authors announce two new books:
Posted: 16th September
Writing on their respective blogs, authors Drew Karpyshyn and Paul S. Kemp, have said that they are both writing Star Wars books due for release sometime in 2010.
Drew Karpyshyn says he is writing his third (and final) Darth Bane novel and expects it to be published late 2010. While possible Star Wars newcomer Paul Kemp (author of Forgotten Realms) claims "I'll be writing a novel in the Star Wars line from Del Rey. I'm both honored and excited to be a part of Star Wars. The novel, currently untitled, will be a standalone, occurs after the events of the Legacy of the Force series, and will feature a Jedi who has been mentioned by name only a handful of times in previous Star Wars novels." Paul expects his book to be available early 2010.
(Sources: Drew Karpyshyn, Paul S, Kemp - contains adult content)

Book News: Blood Oath to be pre-Fate of the Jedi:
Posted: 16th September
Writing in her Livejournal blog, Elaine Cunningham (author of the forthcoming Blood Oath - April 2009) has hinted that her new book will be "after the events of Legacy of the Force, during the early days of the period covered by upcoming series, Fate of the Jedi", "is a self-contained story, rather than an episode within a larger tale" and will be "an adventure shadowed by political intrigue, with a bit of humor and maybe a hint of romance."
However, Blood Oath will be released one month after the first Fate of the Jedi book, Outcast, and could confuse fans trying to break into the new multi-book series.
(Source: Elaine Cunningham via NJOE.com)

Media News: The Force Unleashed available from today:
Posted: 16th September
After waiting for more than two years, The Force Unleashed videogame is finally "unleashed" today in the US.

Book News: Encyclopaedia release date slips again:
Posted: 14th September (UPDATED 26th September)
Random House, publishers of the anticipated The Complete Star Wars Encyclopaedia, have amended their release date of this massive tome from 18th November to 9th December. This is yet another slip in the publishing history of this updated reference work.
Hopefully we can still expect it before Christmas.
(Source: RandomHouse.com)

UPDATE: StarWars.com have just published cover images for each of the three volumes of The Complete Star Wars Encyclo-
paedia as well as confirming its US release of 9th December.
(Source: StarWars.com)

Book News: The Clone Wars Annual 2009 at WHSmith:
Posted: 13th September
Looking for suggestions for Christmas stocking fillers for the younger Star Wars fan, then check out your local WHSmith as they have both the Star Wars Annual 2009 and Star Wars: The Clone Wars Annual 2009 available on their Buy 1 Get 1 Half Price. The Star Wars Annual 2009 features character and location profiles from all six movies, quizzes, puzzles and activities. The Clone Wars Annual 2009 contains a children's story adaptation of The Clone Wars movie featuring photographic stills taken from the animated movie. Interspersed with the story are character profiles, puzzles, quizzes and activities for younger readers. Plus included with The Clone Wars Annual 2009 is The Clone Wars Winter Activity Annual featuring 26 pages of more puzzles, quizzes and activities for the younger fan.

Book News: Del Rey's contract continues to 2013:
Posted: 12th September
StarWars.com have announced that Del Rey's book contract will continue through to 2013. In their statement they say: "LucasBooks and Del Rey are slated to publish another 45 Star Wars titles from 2009 through the end of 2013. The titles will include 35 novels and 10 nonfiction books."
They have also confirmed the much speculated Fate of the Jedi series as being a nine-book, three-author series  "following directly in the footsteps of the Legacy of the Force series" and "the first multi-book Star Wars series to be published all in hardcover". The first book, in April 2009, will be Outcast by Aaron Allston with two other authors joining him in this series: Star Wars veteran Troy Denning and newcomer Christie Golden.
(Source: StarWars.com)

Book News: Order 66 in paperback only for UK (confirmed):
Posted: 4th September (UPDATED 11th September)
Order 66 by Karen Traviss will be released in hardback in the US on 16th September, but since this book was changed from a paperback to a hardback edition, there has been little or no information regarding a UK release.
This title will be published by Orbit Books (the UK license holder for the Republic Commando series), but with the change of edition in the US they have not issued a UK release date for either a hardback or paperback edition. Online book retailers, Amazon, Borders, Waterstones and WHSmith have all listed it as a paper-
back edition with release dates fluctuating between 17th July and 4th September.
However Orbit's parent company, Little, Brown Book Group, have for sometime listed Order 66 with a release date of 2nd October in paperback. This week they confirmed a price of GBP6.99 and added the ability to pre-order it from their own online book store. They have not supplied a cover image as of yet.
Updates as we get them.

UPDATE: Orbit Books have included the paperback release in their UK Release Schedule for October 2008 with the US hardback cover.

Comic News: Star Wars Comic serialises The Force Unleashed:
Posted: 10th September
The latest issue of the Star Wars Comic #37 (published in the UK and Eire by Titan Comics) features the first instalment in the serial-
isation of The Force Unleashed comic story. Previously only available as a trade paperback graphic novel, this will be the only serialisation of this story anywhere.
Star Wars Comic #37 is available from 11th September and includes The Clone Wars poster, badges and tattoos as well as gaming tips for The Force Unleashed videogame.
(Source: Titan Comics)

Media News: The Force Unleashed demo smashes records
Posted: 10th September
As reported by StarWars.com: "the demo for the highly anticipated title Star Wars: The Force Unleashed has crushed download records since its release on Aug. 21 on the Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Eager to experience over-the-top Force powers and a brand-new Star Wars storyline that bridges the events between the two movie trilogies, fans downloaded the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed demo more than 1 million times in just eight days, topping the previous record by an entire day. In addition to the record-breaking downloads on Xbox LIVE Marketplace for Xbox 360, the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed demo is also available on the PLAYSTATION Network, and between them has been downloaded more than 2.3 million times worldwide to date."
(Source: StarWars.com)

Book News: Sean Williams' Australian book tour:
Posted: 10th September
Writing on blog, The Force Unleashed novel writer Sean Williams, will be touring his native Australia next week promoting his novel. Full details of his schedule are available on his blog.

Book News: Karen Miller to write last The Clone Wars novel instead of Traviss:
Posted: 9th September
StarWars.com have announced that the fourth and last TV series novel due to be written by Karen Traviss will now be written by Karen Miller because of "clashing deadlines" in Traviss's schedule.
(Source: StarWars.com)

Book News: New author for Rebel Force series?
Posted: 8th September (UPDATED 10th September)
Further to our report of 18th August, affiliate StarWarsTimeline has discovered two listings on Barnes & Noble for Rebel Force 1 and Rebel Force 2, i.e. possibly the first two books in a new youth series from Scholastic. Both books are slated for release on January 1st and given writing credits to Robin Wasserman. Wasserman is not new to the youth book market as she successfully penned Scholastic's Chasing Yesterday and Seven Deadly Sins series.
Updates as we receive them.
(Source: B&N.com / B&N.com via StarWarsTimeline.com)

UPDATE: Barnes & Noble have updated their listings for both these books reinstating Alex Wheeler as the author.

Comic News: Stradley denies Crimson Empire III:
Posted:  7th September
Following the report (posted 29th August) that Dark Horse Comics were working on Crimson Empire III, Randy Stradley, Dark Horse's Star Wars Editor, has denied any hopes for Crimson Empire III. Writing on DarkHorseBoards: "despite Mike's untimely mention of the project, it doesn't actually exist, no work is being done on it, and it is not on Dark Horse's Star Wars publishing schedule."
(Sources: DarkHorseBoards via ClubJade.net)

Book News: New novel from Elaine Cunningham next year:
Posted: 5th September (UPDATED 9th September)
Del Rey Online have listed a new Star Wars novel from Elaine Cunningham (author of Dark Journey) due for release in April 2009. Not much is known about this novel only that it is titled Blood Oath and will be a 352 page paperback. Updates as we get them.
(Source: RandomHouse.com via EUCantina.net)

UPDATE: Affiliate EUCantina have contacted Ms Cunningham regarding this book and she replied: "I’m not sure when the Del Rey announcement will be made. My editor told me it’s possible that it may be this week, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there are further delays. The info on the Del Rey catalog page looks about right. This will be a very different story from Dark Journey. Obviously, I can’t give any details at this point, but I can confirm that it’s a stand-alone book, rather than an episode in a larger story arc."

Comic News: Free The Force Unleashed graphic novel :
Posted: 4th September
As reported by affiliate The Private Universe: "Gamestation are giving out a free copy of the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Graphic Novel, by Dark Horse when you pre-order the game. You can expect stocks of this in stores to be limited so get your order in. The game is released on the 19th."
(Source: Gamestation.co.uk via ThePrivateUniverse.co.uk)

Comic News: Dark Horse reveal cover for The Clone Wars #1:
Posted: 4th September
Dark Horse Comics have published the cover for the first issue of their The Clone Wars comic series, due later this month.
(Source: DarkHorse.com)

Media News: First two The Clone Wars TV series episodes revealed:
Posted: 2nd September
ComingSoon.net have listed the first two TV series episodes, including titles and brief summaries. Warning - MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
(Source: ComingSoon.net via TheForce.net)

Book News: The Clone Wars #3 novel is titled:
Posted: 2nd September UPDATED: 6th September
Following our recent report that Karen Traviss's second The Clone Wars novel will be released on May 19th 2009. Amazon.com are now reporting its title as The Clone Wars: No Prisoners. As of yet, no confirmation from Del Rey.
(Source: Amazon.com via StarWarsTimeline.com)

UPDATE: Random House's Online Catalogue is now listing this title with a release date of May 19th 2009 (the 10th Anniversary of the cinematic release of The Phantom Menace in the US).
(Source: RandomHouse.com via StarWarsTimeline.com)

Media News: Cartoon Network trailers The Clone Wars:
Posted: 1st September
Cartoon Network have published a trailer for The Clone Wars TV series and announced that their weekly episodic broadcast will begin on October 3rd at 9pm (E/P). As yet, there are no broadcast details from Turner's European subsidiaries or TNT.
You can view the trailer here.
(Source: CartoonNetwork.com)

Comic News: Next Omnibus discovered:
Posted: 1st September
Although at present unconfirmed by Dark Horse Comics, listings on various online book stores have been discovered for the next Omnibus edition.Titled Emissaries and Assassins it said to be released on 1st April 2009 and will feature material created by Timothy Truman, Ryder Windham and Mark Schultz. We expect that this volume may contain such stories as Emissaries to Malastare, The Hunt for Aurra Sing, and/or Last Stand on Ord Mantell, the latter never before published as a graphic novel.
(Sources: Borders.com & Chapters.Indigo.ca via StarWarsTimeline)

© SWBooks.co.uk

advertisement