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[LordOfLore]

Link.

When Star Wars: A New Hope was first released in 1977, part of its appeal was that the world it presented felt alive. Landspeeders and starships were dirty. Droids broke down. And it was filled with cool, weird, and really weird background characters. (Really, just take a look around the Mos Eisley cantina.) Never mind Han, Luke, Leia, Darth Vader, and Obi-Wan. Who were these other guys? What was their story? Just seeing them brought up questions for fans that sparked the imagination.

In celebration of Star Wars’ 40th anniversary, Del Rey is going to shine the spotlight on those unsung weirdos, heroes, and villains with a unique, new anthology. Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View, coming October 2017, will bring together more than 40 authors for 40 stories. Each will be told from the perspective of background characters of A New Hope — from X-wing pilots who helped Luke destroy the Death Star to the stormtroopers who never quite could find the droids they were looking for. There’s never been a Star Wars book like it, and you can get a first look at the cover below!

The author lineup is a selection of Star Wars all-stars, many of whom have been teasing this announcement with #OperationBlueMilk on Twitter. (Which would be an amazing hashtag, with or without this book.) The current list, with more authors to be announced closer to publication, includes:

Ben Acker & Ben Blacker
Renee Ahdieh
Tom Angleberger
Meg Cabot
Rae Carson
Adam Christopher
Zoraida Cordova
Delilah S. Dawson
Paul Dini
Alexander Freed
Jason Fry
Christie Golden
EK Johnston & Ashley Eckstein
Paul Kemp
Mur Lafferty
Ken Liu
Griffin McElroy
John Jackson Miller
Nnedi Okorafor
Daniel José Older
Mallory Ortberg
Madeleine Roux
Gary D. Schmidt
Cavan Scott
Sabaa Tahir
Glen Weldon
Chuck Wendig
Gary Whitta
And more!

All participating authors have generously forgone any compensation for their stories. Instead, their proceeds will be donated to First Book — a leading nonprofit that provides new books, learning materials, and other essentials to educators and organizations serving children in need. To further celebrate the launch of this book and both companies’ longstanding relationships with First Book, Penguin Random House has donated $100,000 to First Book, and Disney/Lucasfilm has donated 100,000 children’s books — valued at 1 million dollars — to support First Book and their mission of providing educational resources to children in need. Over the past 16 years, Disney has donated more than 57 million books to First Book.

So if you’re a fan of the desert-searching stormtroopers of the galaxy and the scum and villainy gathered in a Tatooine watering hole, you’re in luck — even if Obi-Wan might not believe in it. Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View is available for pre-order now.

Sounds nice.

 

[Faiz]

So this is Operation Blue Milk? Ok.

Not sure what I was expecting to be honest.

 

[Cross-Section]

So basically a nuEU version of the "Tales" novels.

I can dig it.

edit: Also, fucking Griffin McElroy contributing to an official Star Wars work. REALLY curious in seeing what comes out of that.

 

[Seductivpancakes]

I'm sure the Jedi are evil in one of those views.

 

[peppermints]

This is a really neat idea. I'm sure not all 40 will be winners, but it will be fun to go through.

 

[GrizzNKev]

Griffin writing actual star wars lore.

YES

 

[Tertullian]

Oh God. So we're diving head-first back into the old EU holding pattern of "see that guy in the corner of the frame for half a second in the cantina? He was actually Grand Moff Tarkin's nephew who had an affair with Mon Mothma, invented the ATAT, and had his consciousness transported into a droid who then nearly destroyed the Death Star."

 

[Linkura]

I spy GARY WHITTA

 

[adj_noun]

Who were these other guys? What was their story?

I'm still salty about that goddamn IG-88 thing.

 

[Cross-Section]

Oh God. So we're diving head-first back into the old EU holding pattern of "see that guy in the corner of the frame for half a second in the cantina? He was actually Grand Moff Tarkin's nephew who had an affair with Mon Mothma, invented the ATAT, and had his consciousness transported into a droid who then nearly destroyed the Death Star."

Given how much of a meme that's become in the intervening years, I would hope that at least most of these stories would avoid that cliche.

Like I'm certain that it won't completely be avoided (I can easily imagine a "This X-Wing pilot took a hit intended for LUKE SKYWALKER" story from the description alone) but again, I would hope that some self-awareness would be present in regards to this project.

 

[MadLaughter]

Psyched that star wars was able to pull in a true 30 under 30 media luminary

GRIFFIN MCELROY

 

[adj_noun]

Given how much of a meme that's become in the intervening years, I would hope that at least most of these stories would avoid that cliche.

I give it three years before everybody's met Han Solo at least once.

 

[ghst]

"There's never been a Star Wars book like it"

there are hundreds of star wars books like that. at least there were before disney ceremonially burned them all.

 

[sphagnum]

Oh God. So we're diving head-first back into the old EU holding pattern of "see that guy in the corner of the frame for half a second in the cantina? He was actually Grand Moff Tarkin's nephew who had an affair with Mon Mothma, invented the ATAT, and had his consciousness transported into a droid who then nearly destroyed the Death Star."

Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away already started doing stories for background characters from TFA, including one poking fun at this concept where Bobbajo secretly was the real one who blew up the Death Star.

 

[Strangelove77]

I wonder how many of these characters retroactively sacrificed themselves so the main characters of the movie could live.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

Paul Dini? Cool!

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Paul Dini? Cool!

yeah, that was the name I zeroed in on.

(Griffin McElroy is cool, though. Blacker/Acker is a good pull, too)

 

[Ogodei]

This is exactly the sort of thing that made the old EU break essential. Well, that and the very detailed experiences of Luke and co post RotJ.

 

[MadLaughter]

Griffin McElroy is posting excerpts from his story on Twitter.

Such a beautiful addition to the Star Wars saga.

 

[Affeinvasion]

My favorite one of these from the old eu was definitely the stuff printed on the original xwing computer game strategy guide which really only made it so that the main character from the game was the guy in the ywing after the rebels blew up the death Star.

 

[PeskyToaster]

Sounds super cool and for charity

 

[Dan]

Paul Dini and Ken Liu stand out to me. I lost most of my active Star Wars interest during the late prequel period, but there could be some fun in this.

 

[BrokenFiction]

Alexander Freed's Battlefront tie-in is the best written of the new canon. Most excited for him.

 

[KingDirk]

Goddamn Griffin, moving up in the world. Looking forward to the Sarlacc's big gulp.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

My favorite one of these from the old eu was definitely the stuff printed on the original xwing computer game strategy guide which really only made it so that the main character from the game was the guy in the ywing after the rebels blew up the death Star.

I believe the new canon has decided that rebel pilot is this woman standing behind Leia

Her name's Evaan Verlaine

 

[Metalmarc]

All participating authors have generously forgone any compensation for their stories. Instead, their proceeds will be donated to First Book

Okay cool, don't care about the Quality of the Stories, will buy because of this alone.

 

[Boem]

Griffin McElroy is posting excerpts from his story on Twitter.

Such a beautiful addition to the Star Wars saga.

So this is a parody right? This is not actually in a book that's going to be published?

Or is this a parody book?

 

[Bobby Roberts]

he's goofing on twitter. Those are probably not real excerpts from the story he wrote.

 

[George Oscar Bluth II]

I believe the new canon has decided that rebel pilot is this woman standing behind Leia

Her name's Evaan Verlaine

I have this problem with the comics in that I can never buy that these events actually happened in between movies. It's weird.

 

[ryseing]

I have this problem with the comics in that I can never buy that these events actually happened on between movies. It's weird.

I found the Darth Vader ones to be very believable with the exception of the Vader Down annual, which was compromised by having to tie in with the main book.

You really should give them a shot. They're some of the best things in the NewEU.

 

[Dryk]

Oh God. So we're diving head-first back into the old EU holding pattern of "see that guy in the corner of the frame for half a second in the cantina? He was actually Grand Moff Tarkin's nephew who had an affair with Mon Mothma, invented the ATAT, and had his consciousness transported into a droid who then nearly destroyed the Death Star."

I'm worried too, but I'm also hoping that the existence of Story Group will temper it

 

[GeeTeeCee]

Adam Christopher

Yeah, okay, Empire State was pretty alright.

Paul Dini

You have my attention.

EK Johnston & Ashley Eckstein

Possible Ahsoka story? Please?

Griffin McElroy

Okay, you win, where's my wallet at?

 

[Doctoglethorpe]

Canon?

 

[limlark]

Mallory Ortberg

YEEESS. I'm in this for her now. There's gotta be an Ortberg Appreciation Society on GAF, right? I'm not the only one?

 

[sphagnum]

Canon?

Yes, except where it may contradict the films.

 

[Jacce]

Possible Ahsoka story? Please?

Ahsoka wasn't in A New Hope so no. All the stories are about background characters from that film.

 

[sphagnum]

You know what background character was in ANH who interacted with Ahsoka though?

Wulff Yularen.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Ahsoka wasn't in A New Hope so no. All the stories are about background characters from that film.

There's always time for a new special edition.

 

[Puck Beaverton]

I want to know more about Bib Fortuna.

What is his deal? Does he know things?

 

[purseowner]

I want to know more about Bib Fortuna.

What is his deal? Does he know things?

I need a Max Rebo Band underdog story about how they got the gig at Jabba's palace.

 

[sphagnum]

This is out today by the way. There are spoilers floating around of course as well.

 

[Fancyarcher]

Sounds like an awesome set of stories. Paul Dini, you have my attention.

 

[DrForester]

Listening to the audiobook for this on a trip. It's quite entertaining.

Holiday Special is canon (well Bea Arthur's character is).

 

[Real Hero]

those old books about the creatures in the cantina and jabbas palace are the only good star wars books

 

[DrForester]

Finished it up. There were some nice stories in there, and some really, really, really weird ones....

I'm glad they kind-of remembered Skippy, even if he isn't a Jedi anymore.

But I have to ask, if they're going to make the

Spoiler

Trash Compactor Monster

(hilarious spoiler) force sensitive, why not Skippy.

Tarkin was totally the one

Spoiler

getting it on with the Stormtrooper

Liked the Obi-Won and Yoda chapters.


All in all a good read, even if not all of them are hits.