What a great time to be an avid Star Wars book reader! Disney Lucasfilm Press and Del Rey have been releasing information about upcoming Star Wars books for months. It looks like we’re going to have a lot of stories to keep us immersed in the galaxy far, far away. Let’s update our calendars as we take a look at these upcoming titles.
William Shakespeare’s The Merry Rise of Skywalker: Star Wars Part the Ninth
If you are a fan of Shakespeare and Star Wars, then Ian Doescher’s upcoming William Shakespeare’s The Merry Rise of Skywalker Part the Ninth should be a must-have for your collection. Written in the “authentic meter and verse” of the Bard, this book retells Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. And in true Shakespearean fashion, there will be numerous character monologues that will shed light on the motivations and aspirations of these characters. You can read an excerpt here and, if you’re like me, then you’ll enjoy reading all of Kylo Ren’s lines in Adam Driver’s voice.
William Shakespeare’s The Merry Rise of Skywalker Part the Ninth is available for pre-order and will be released on July 28, 2020.
Star Wars: Dark Legends
What happens when you combine Star Wars with horror? You get seven dark and eerie fables. Star Wars: Dark Legends is a follow-up to 2019’s Star Wars Myths & Fables and is intended for younger readers. Still, George Mann’s writing combined with Grant Griffin’s superb artwork is enough to add this book to the shelf regardless of age.
Star Wars: Dark Legends is available for pre-order and will be released on July 28, 2020. You can read more about the book here.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark
The Clone Wars may have ended a few months ago, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more stories to tell. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark, 11 authors – Lou Anders, Jason Fry, Yoon Ha Lee, Preeti Chhibber, Sarah Beth Durst, Rebecca Roanhorse, Zoraida Cordova, Greg Van Eekhout, Tom Angleberger, E. Anne Convery, and Anne Ursu – retell 10 classic The Clone Wars stories and a new Nightsister tale. These stories are inspired by episodes such as Season One’s “Dooku Captured” and “The Gungan General,” Season Four’s “Crisis on Naboo” story arc, and Season Five’s “The Lawless.”
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Stories of Light and Dark is available for pre-order and will be released on August 25, 2020. You can read more about it here.
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Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising
Grand Admiral Thrawn is undoubtedly one of the most intimidating minds in the galaxy. Even though we never saw him in the Skywalker Saga, we have witnessed his calm, calculating demeanor in Star Wars Rebels, the Thrawn limited series comic and numerous books. He was first introduced in Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. However, those original stories are now considered to be old canon (Legends). His new canon books are still going strong with Zahn at the helm. In Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, Zahn takes us to the beginning of Thrawn’s story as he rises within the Chiss Ascendancy.
Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising is available for pre-order and will be released on September 1, 2020. You can read an excerpt from the novel here.
From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
To celebrate the Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’s 40th Anniversary, this anthology includes 40 stories from 40 authors. Drawing from Obi-Wan’s famous “from a certain point of view” line, these authors will be retelling iconic scenes through the eyes of supporting characters. You can read more about the Dagobah cave that Luke enters, experience the life of a naturalist caring for tauntauns on Hoth or fly through space in pursuit of Han Solo. Authors include Austin Walker, Martha Wells, Gary Whitta, Christie Golden, Cavan Scott, Daniel José Older, Amy Ratcliffe, and Jason Fry.
From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back is available for pre-order and will be released on November 10, 2020. You can learn more about this book here.
The Jedi Mind
Mindfulness is the process in which we draw awareness to the present, while being cognizant of our thoughts, feelings, and sensations. It’s about living in the moment. Or as Qui-Gon Jinn once told a young, impatient Obi-Wan Kenobi, “Be mindful of the future, but not at the expense of the moment.” In The Jedi Mind, author Amy Ratcliffe explores the idea of mindfulness. She combines lessons learned in the Star Wars universe with real-world daily practices. For instance, taking the idea of gratitude as something we see between Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker and turning it into a daily gratitude journal.
The Jedi Mind is currently available for pre-order and will be released on November 10, 2020. You can read more about it here.
The Mandalorian
As we patiently wait for Season Two of The Mandalorian, the further adventures of Din Djarin and The Child are coming to print with a new series of novels, comics, magazines, activity titles and Little Golden Books. Novels slated for release are:
- The Art of The Mandalorian (Season One) by Phil Szostak
- The Mandalorian: Original Novel (title TBD) by Adam Christopher
- The Mandalorian: The Ultimate Visual Guide (DK) by Pablo Hidalgo
- The Mandalorian: Allies & Enemies – Level Two Reader by Brooke Vitale
- The Mandalorian: 8×8 Storybook (title TBD) by Brooke Vitale
- The Mandalorian: Junior Novelization (title TBD) by Joe Schreiber
The Art of The Mandalorian is currently available for pre-order and will be released on December 15, 2020. The Mandalorian: Original Novel is also available for pre-order and will be released on December 1, 2020. The rest of the titles will release sometime between Winter 2020 or Spring 2021.
Doctor Aphra Audiobook
Following her introduction in Marvel’s Darth Vader comic series, archaeologist Doctor Aphra (Emily Woo Zeller) returns in this extended adaptation. This audiobook, written by Sarah Kuhn, will have a full cast and additional scenes. The story will follow Doctor Aphra’s incredible journey after making a deal with Darth Vader (Marc Thompson). Along the way she will encounter Maz Kanata (Carol Monda), Boba Fett (Jonathan Davis), Luke Skywalker (Sean Patrick Hopkins), Leia Organa (Catherine Taber), Sana Starros (Nicole Lewis), and The Emperor (Euan Morton).
Doctor Aphra is available for pre-order and will be released on July 21, 2020. You can find out more information about this audiobook here.
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Additional Books
If you are looking for even more books to add to your Star Wars library, here are our recent recommendations:
- The Rise of Skywalker Expanded Edition by Rae Carson (released March 17, 2020)
- The Art of the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by Phil Szostak (released March 31, 2020)
- Shadow Fall by Alexander Freed (released June 23, 2020)
2021 Book Releases
There will also be two new High Republic novels out on January 5, 2021: Charles Soule’s Star Wars: The High Republic, and Justina Ireland‘s middle grade novel Star Wars: The High Republic: A Test of Courage. Claudia Gray’s Star Wars: The High Republic: Into the Dark will release on February 2, 2021.
These three books will be our first look into the High Republic era. This was a time when the Jedi were at their peak. Set 200 years before the prequel trilogy, this era will show us a different, peaceful side of the Jedi Order.
How do these titles sound to you? Let us know in the comments and keep an eye on Geek Girl Authority for more Star Wars updates.
This article was originally published July 12, 2020.
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