Tag Archives: Aaron Allston

PSA: Drop What You’re Doing Right Now And Go Buy Mercy Kill

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It’s Tuesday.

Do you know where your copy of X-Wing: Mercy Kill is?

Is it in your possession? On a UPS truck to your doorstep? If it’s not, stop what you are doing. Log off of your computer, turn off your phone, and get yourself to the nearest bookstore and purchase the first X-Wing novel in thirteen years. If you’ve got a Kindle, buy your copy here. Nook, here.

If you’ve got any interest in the series, the author, or the book at all, go get yourself a copy. We’ve talked about this on the blog and the podcast before, but we’re at a rather critical juncture in Expanded Universe publishing. How well Mercy Kill sells now could very well determine whether or not we get more books like this moving forward. A solid showing in its first week of sales could mean a continued run of X-Wing novels and books from Aaron Allston.

The majority of the early reviews so far have been positive. From all accounts this is the sort of fun and grand adventure the Expanded Universe has been missing for years. Let’s make sure we don’t have to wait another thirteen years between X-Wing books, go buy Mercy Kill now.

X-wing Retrospective: Starfighters of Adumar

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People have asked me what my favorite Star Wars book is before. They’ve asked me what the best Star Wars book is. Those ideas always change for me, depending on what I’ve read most recently and what the newest Tim Zahn book is.

But if anyone ever thought to ask me which Star Wars book was the most fun, the answer would have to be Starfighters of Adumar, hands down. Click on the jump for more from our final X-wing retrospective as we gear up for Mercy Kill.

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Mercy Kill is coming…

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Tomorrow, folks: tomorrow (!!!) marks the long-awaited return to the X-Wing series with X-Wing: Mercy Kill by fan-favorite author Aaron Allston. And, understandably, the EU blogosphere has been very excited. We here at Tosche Station have been looking back on the classic novels in preparation for tomorrow’s release. Look for our final retrospective on Starfighters of Adumar by Emily later today. If you want to start your own retrospective, you can purchase a nine-book bundle of the classic novels, available for Kindle and other ebook formats.

For those of you who just can’t wait until tomorrow, Suvudu released the first 50 pages of Mercy Kill as part of their 50 Page Fridays feature. (I am resisting and haven’t read it yet, although that might change today.) And, of course, the Star Wars Books Facebook page has given us several mini-excerpts throughout the summer. This month’s Star Wars Insider also has an interview with Aaron Allston as well as a short story (with art!) featuring Myri Antilles, written by Karen Miller.

Early reviews have been popping up as well. Check out reviews from Knights Archive, Lightsaber Rattling, Big Shiny Robot, and the Star Wars Report. They’re mostly spoiler-free and mostly positive. Roqoo Depot also has a nice summary of one of Mercy Kill‘s main characters, the scientifically-altered Gamorrean named Voort saBinring, also known as Piggy.

And if you really can’t wait for the novel, go back and check out our interview with Aaron Allston, where he reveals some insights about what it was like to return to Wraith Squadron after 13 long years.

Amazon tells me that my copy is in the mail. I’ll probably also buy the Kindle version so I can sneak peeks during breaks at work tomorrow. I’m so excited! Are you? These guys are:

Latest ‘Mercy Kill’ Mini-Excerpt Takes a Shot at the Hutts

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We’re less than a week away from Mercy Kill’s release and the return of the X-Wing franchise from a 13-year hiatus. Star Wars Books has released one more mini-excerpt to lead up to the August 7th release.

“Besides . . .” Myri suddenly sounded cheerful. “Did you hear what Trey said? You’re going to Si’klaata Cluster. That’s Hutt space. I can stay here, wallow in the mud, and eat worms all day, and I’ll still be in a cleaner, nicer place than you two will.”

Have you pre-ordered your copy yet?

X-Wing Series Bundle On Sale Today

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Have we convinced you to read the X-Wing books yet? We Have? Then good news!

You can buy the original nine novels in an eBook format bundle today for $56.99, a 20% discount over buying them individually. If you’re considering picking these books up for the first time or are long-time fans that simply wish to save your poor paperback copies wear-and-tear, you can get the bundle for Amazon’s Kindle or Barnes and Noble’s Nook.

While you’re at it, why don’t you pre-order X-Wing: Mercy Kill as well?

Mercy Kill and Scoundrels Aims to Bring Back Lapsed Expanded Universe Readers

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Perhaps you were once a devoted Expended Universe reader, but fell away at some point. It could have been the killing off of a young and useful character in Star by Star or dropping a moon on Chewie in Vector Prime. Maybe you had enough when Mara Jade was killed off in confounding, out-of-character fashion in Sacrifice. Perhaps you just haven’t picked up a book since Vision of the Future.

Well, lapsed readers, Del Rey and LFL want you back. Pop Culture Shock writer (and all around awesome person) Bria lays it out.

If you thought that the Star Wars universe was limited to six films and the Clone Wars cartoon, you’ve been missing out on a vast number of books, comics, and video games that comprise what is known as the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Ever since a little novel called Heir to the Empire was published by author Timothy Zahn and Bantam Spectra about twenty years ago, the Expanded Universe has grown and expanded to the point where it could take a new reader years to catch up on all the novels alone, never mind the countless comics and video games.

However, some readers have drifted away from the books over the past few years, often because of mega-series fatigue. Originally, story arcs were kept to standalone novels or trilogies. The one exception to this was the X-Wing series, which could more accurately be described as a four book arc, followed by a three book arc, followed by two standalone novels. Everything changed with the New Jedi Order series, a 19 book epic written by multiple authors and published over the span of five years. Since then, the major storytelling in the continuing timeline has been contained in one trilogy and two nine book series, the latest of which was published entirely in hardcover. The first of these series, Legacy of the Force, saw the controversial deaths of two major characters and the second, Fate of the Jedi, stirred the Internet into a flurry of anger and debate every other book. In short, the Expanded Universe has not been easily accessible to new or more casual fans as of late.

2012 is the perfect year to either delve into the Expanded Universe for the first time or to return to it from a self-imposed hiatus. In August and December, Del Ray will be publishing two stand-alone novels by well-respected Expanded Universe authors: Aaron Allston and the aforementioned Timothy Zahn.

Be sure to read the rest of the article, especially if you’re someone that needs more convincing that 2012 is the year you get back into the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

X-Wing Retrospective: Solo Command

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Everything comes to a head for the Wraiths in Solo Command, the final entry in the three-book Wraith Squadron arc by Aaron Allston. Do the Wraiths survive? Will Lara be unmasked? What will be the fate of the illustrious Lieutenant Kettch the Stuffed Ewok?

Most importantly, can a book succeed when the reader knows going into it that the villain will live to fight another day?

Our X-Wing retrospective continues with a look back at Solo Command below the jump. Beware of spoilers!

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Don’t Mess With Myri Antilles in the Latest ‘Mercy Kill’ Mini-Excerpt

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Another week, another mini-excerpt from Aaron Allston’s upcoming X-Wing: Mercy Kill. Myri’s back and she’s not taking crap from anyone!

The trooper caught up with Myri after three steps, seized her arm, and swung her around to slam her into the side of a building. She couldn’t see his features in the deep shadow, but his voice was suddenly full of anger. He jabbed a forefinger at her. “You do not insult the—”

She put one hand on the back of his and seized his index finger with her other hand. She bent his finger up, a sudden, all-out effort, and bones snapped.

He started to look at his stricken hand, started to make a pained noise, but she immediately drew her blaster, thumbed its side switch to make sure it was still set on stun, and fired into his stomach. The stun bolt briefly illuminated the alley and his shocked expression. Then he fell.

She looked down at him and holstered her weapon. “Sorry, Army. My heart belongs to Starfighter Command.” Then she stepped over him and returned to the street.

Mercy Kill is set to hit bookshelves on August 7th.

 

X-Wing Retrospective: Iron Fist

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Iron Fist is my favorite novel of the Wraith Squadron trilogy, for many reasons. It’s funny, heartwarming, touching, and intriguing. The characters continue to be flawed, fascinating creatures, and you root for them to both survive and thrive. In the meantime, you know that this is war and not everyone will make it out unscathed, both physically and mentally.

This is book has one of my top moments of the entire Expanded Universe. And yes, I warn you now: there will be spoilers. If you’ve already read this book, I’m sure you can figure out what for.

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35 Page Excerpt and Dramatis Personae From ‘Mercy Kill’

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Over the weekend, Random House quietly put the first thirty-five pages from Aaron Allston’s upcoming novel X-Wing: Mercy Kill online. Included in the preview is the novel’s dramatis personae and a heartfelt note to fans.

There are a few very interesting names listed in the DP for this book. Those of you familiar with the X-Wing novels might find one name in particular to be a pleasant surprise, but I’ll refrain from writing that down here for those of you choosing to remain completely unspoiled until the novel releases on August 7th.