SWBC: Join the Space Wizards Book Club Chat
Plus: A peak inside the "Star Wars: Dark Forces" novellas and a first look at "The Acolyte."
Introducing: Space Wizards Book Club Chat!
Buddy reads, book reviews and discussions, and connecting with fellow Star Wars nerds just got a whole lot easier.
Substack recently launched the Chat function on the app, and the Space Wizards Book Club just opened an introductory thread. To join the Chat and threads, download the Substack app and click on the little message bubble icon on the bottom menu.
Our Chat is exclusively for Space Wizards Book Club subscribers — a group chat, live hangout space, and the perfect place to ask me questions and connect with other readers. I’ll post prompts, photos, reading updates, and any Star Wars books-related thoughts that come my way.
There will be plenty of threads open to all subscribers, but I also plan to launch a few chats for paid subscribers only. And most importantly, I want to hear what YOU would like to see in the new Chat — Buddy reads? Spoiler threads for books and shows? Chats about non-Star Wars books?
Head on over to my first thread and let me know!
Star Wars: Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire
It finally happened — I found a Star Wars book that I had never heard of before. And it turned out to be a treasure I found at the thrift store.
Star Wars: Dark Force: Soldier for the Empire is the first in a trilogy of novellas that tie into the Dark Forces and Jedi Knight interactive games. The series follows Kyle Katarn, a decorated stormtrooper who graduated from the Imperial Military Academy but defects from the Empire after the devastating death of his father.
He vows revenge against the Empire, and the opportunity comes when the Rebellion sends him on a mission to steal the Death Star plans from the facility on Danuta.
The second novella, Rebel Agent, sees Kyle race to discover and claim a massive source of power in the Valley of the Jedi before the Empire and the Inquisitor Jerec get there first. The book also continues to follow Kyle on his quest for vengeance against the Empire and uncover why his father was killed.
The third and final novella, Jedi Knight, follows Kyle after his discovery of the Valley of the Jedi’s location and his righteous mission to sneak onto the planet and stop the Empire before it takes over. And it wouldn’t be a Star Wars story without someone discovering their true potential in the Force, so this mission becomes the prime opportunity for Kyle to prove himself as a true Jedi.
While these novellas are formatted like a trade paperback collection of comics, they’re actually prose stories accompanied by full-color illustrations. There are also appearances by legendary characters like Thrawn, Mon Mothma, and Luke Skywalker.
After snagging the first volume at a thrift store, I searched for copies of the other two only to discover how rare this collection is. And expensive — specifically the second and third books.
Still, what a great find.
Do you own these books or have read them? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
First look at The Acolyte
We finally, finally got the confirmed full cast list for Star Wars: The Acolyte — an original series coming to Disney Plus in the (hopefully) not-too-distant future.
Previously, Amandla Stenberg was the only actor officially confirmed to star in the series. Now, joining them are Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), Manny Jacinto (Nine Perfect Strangers), Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim), Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Anna), Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll), Dean-Charles Chapman (1917), and Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix).
Lucasfilm also gave a bit more detailed description:
“The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
With The High Republic set hundreds of years before the Skywalker Saga, and this series set during the era’s final days, it’s unlikely we’ll see beloved characters from the first two phases of The High Republic storytelling. However, there is a chance (and hope) that future phases of High Republic books will lead us into the events and characters of The Acolyte.
Now is the perfect time to dig into The High Republic era of storytelling. There really is something for everyone — adult, YA, and middle-grade books, several comic series, kids’ books, short stories, and manga.
The High Republic is so far broken up into two phases — Phase 1 occurs 200 years before The Phantom Menace, and Phase 2 is set 150 years before Phase 1.
I’ll have a full guide to the completed Phase 1 soon. Phase 2 is currently in progress with two books released, one publishing in two weeks, and many more slated for next year.
Covering Andor
ICYMI: I’ve been reviewing Andor every week for WinterIsComing.net, which is part of the same network as Dork Side of the Force but covers entertainment franchises from Game of Thrones and Doctor Who to Marvel and Star Wars.
Here’s where to find my reviews for each episode:
Episode 8: Explores cruel inhumanity of Imperial prison labor
Episode 7: Ensemble cast feels the ripple effects of Rebel victory
Episode 6: A heartbreaking victory for the rebels of Aldhani
Episode 5: “The Axe Forgets” is a slow, paranoid bridge episode
Episodes 1-3: Andor takes its time with searing 3-episode premiere
Star Wars books and comics out this week
Nov. 8
On StarWars.com: Interview with author Kristin Baver on bringing The Art of Star Wars: The High Republic to life
Nov. 9
The High Republic #2
Hyperspace Stories #3
On StarWars.com: A sneak peek inside The High Republic #2
Coming soon
Review of The High Republic: Convergence
Review of The High Republic Phase II, Wave 1 books and comics
For Supercluster: The deep history of politics in Star Wars
Holiday gift guides for Star Wars nerds
Pumped for the holiday gift guide! 👏🏼 I also cannot wait for The Acolyte. I’m calling it now: I bet Yoda makes an appearance!