SWBC: 'The Battle of Jedha' review; Star Wars books to read and reread in 2023
Plus: All the Star Wars books and comics arriving in January, and some resolutions for the Space Wizards Book Club.
Happy New Year, bookish friends, and welcome to the first Space Wizards Book Club newsletter of 2023🎉
Politics and religion collide in The Battle of Jedha
The Battle of Jedha was one of my most anticipated releases for The High Republic phase two — mainly because it’s an audio original, which Star Wars does so well. It certainly lived up to expectations and provided a few surprises.
Reminder: The Battle of Jedha was released yesterday as an audio original from Penguin Random House Audio. The story is mostly dialogue and sound effects performed by a full cast of actors. The physical script book will arrive on Feb. 14, 2023.
Some snippets from my review for Dork Side of the Force:
“At its core, the audio original is an action-packed, sometimes shocking tale about attempts at peace and coexistence going terribly wrong.”
“Like with previous Star Wars audio originals, The Battle of Jedha (about 5 hours and 28 minutes) is a masterclass in full-production audio storytelling. The full cast of actors and stellar sound effects make these stories like movies in your ears.”
“The Battle of Jedha, in particular, does a great job of showing the consequences of merging religion and politics even with the best of intentions. With those intentions thwarted at every turn, and talks of peace between Eiram and E’ronoh in shambles, The Battle of Jedha sets up a sure-to-be catastrophic and heartbreaking second half of phase two.”
Star Wars books I want to read and reread in 2023
Besides all the new releases coming this year, there are (so far) 10 previously-released Star Wars books I’d like to read or reread in 2023.
For the new-to-me books:
Thrawn: Treason: I’m so ready to finally say I’ve read all of the Thrawn trilogies. And I’m ready to reread the Ascendancy trilogy after finishing Treason.
Aftermath: It’s past time to see what the fuss is all about with this Chuck Wendig-penned trilogy that prepped us for The Force Awakens.
The Clone Wars: This one’s a must for a prequel girlie like me.
Spectre of the Past: After all the Thrawn trilogies, it’s time to move to the Hand of Thrawn duology.
Shadows of the Empire: With Battle Scars arriving in March, 2023 is the year I finally get into Star Wars gaming stories.
The Krytos Trap and The Bacta War: The X-Wing series has become a comfort series, and I can’t wait to catch up as the books become part of the Essential Legends Collection.
For the rereads:
Light of the Jedi: I’ve read this twice — once physically and once via audiobook — but it’s become a comfort book and one that I want to revisit to remind me of the core values of The High Republic era.
Dark Disciple: I’m ready to be hurt again.
Lost Stars: I’m ready to be hurt again, part two. Also, this is the book I recommend to anyone new to reading Star Wars.
Star Wars books and comics coming in January
A new year of Star Wars books started off with a bang with the release of The Battle of Jedha audio original. On the same day, The Book of Boba Fett junior novel came out — likely the only novelization we’ll get of the Disney+ series.
Later this month, there are a few comic omnibuses coming as well as the 30th issue of both Star Wars (2020) and Darth Vader (2020). For The High Republic, we’ll get The High Republic Adventures #2, The High Republic #4, and The High Republic: The Blade #2.
Speaking of comics, my pal and fellow Star Wars nerd Jessica just launched The Cosmic Comic Collective — a bi-weekly newsletter with comic reviews and the latest releases as well as nerdy news from fandoms like Star Wars, Marvel, DC, and more.
Star Wars books coming in 2023 so far
ICYMI: I published a running guide to all the Star Wars books set to be published in 2023.
The Battle of Jedha kicks things off with the audio original this week and the physical script book coming on Feb. 14. Then, the next big release is Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars, a tie-in novel that bridges the events of Jedi: Fallen Order and the upcoming Jedi: Survivor video games.
So far, through September, there are more than a dozen new Star Wars books expected to be published — from new stories and reference books to new additions to the Essential Legends Collection.
The High Republic phase two also continues in the first half of the year with The Battle of Jedha, Cataclysm, Quest for Planet X, and Path of Vengeance.
The Space Wizards Book Club in 2023
A new year means new resolutions and goals. And while I have my own personal ones (buy fewer books, use the library more), I also have a few goals for the Space Wizards Book Club and my Star Wars and bookish social media content.
Keep going and growing: This is pretty straightforward, but I want this newsletter to keep adding new subscribers. Last year was my first year, and I cannot believe more than 300 of you signed up to get weekly Star Wars book newsletters. Think we can get to 500 in 2023? With a dozen paid subscribers?
Sync social media content with the newsletter: Many of you know I talk about books on Instagram and TikTok, but in 2023 I want to be better about cross-promoting my posts and the newsletter. Ideally, the Space Wizards Book Club should be a multimedia project with multiple ways to get nerdy content.
Author interviews: I really want to chat with Star Wars authors and share profile stories and Q&As in the newsletter this year. Star Wars authors and publicists, if you’re reading this, let’s do it!
Share more of my journalism work: Many of you also know that beyond geeking out over Star Wars and books, I’m a freelance journalist based out of the Tampa Bay area in Florida. While I do write a lot of entertainment news, I also cover local features and theme parks. This year, I want to share more of that work on a consistent basis.
What are some of your personal or professional resolutions and goals for 2023?
Share them in the comments!