Star Wars Stories Read By The Author!

Here's a fun pair of recent videos for young Star Wars fans!

Best-selling author of numerous YA adventure series (Viking Academy, The Elskar Saga, The Ære Saga, Alfheim Academy), S. T. Bende has also written several stories for Star Wars anthology books.

Stories by Bende have appeared in The Prequel Trilogy Stories (2017), 5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back (2017) and Galactic Adventures Storybook Collection (2018).

Like most of the world, authors are staying home these days too, and Bende decided to share a couple of her Star Wars stories with everyone at home. If you already have a copy of 5-Minute Star Wars Stories Strike Back you can read along with her in these videos, or you can just enjoy them as read by the author!

The first video is her reading "Mission to Maz", inspired by Rey's first meetings with Maz Kanata and Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens!

The second video is a reading of "Adventure in the Arena", based on the exciting and scary battle arena scene on Geonosis in Attack of the Clones!

If you want to know more about this author, her website is www.stbende.com and on twitter she's @stbende

Also featuring stories by S. T. Bende:

 

Read, You Must: Queen's Shadow

Paperback available March 20, 2020

What do you do when you're a teenager and your reign as Queen of Naboo has finished? Well if the Chancellor of the Galactic Senate asks you to serve, you become one of the youngest senators in the galaxy.

Now available in paperback, Queen's Shadow is a Young Adult novel from Disney-Lucasfilm Press that details Padmé's transition from Queen to Senator. 

From her awkward first days on Coruscant to backroom meetings and uncertain alliances, the story covers this period between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. It's not an easy life for Padmé with all eyes on her and powerful enemies working against her. She continues to surround herself with her handmaidens and security staff, the few she can trust.

Written by E. K. Johnston (author of Star Wars: Ahsoka), this novel fills in part of the 10 or so year gap between Episodes 1 and 2.

Fans of the political intrigue of The Phantom Menace will enjoy the strategic moves required as the young senator learns the delicate dance her new job requires.

Fans of the larger Star Wars saga will appreciate reading of Padmé's first meetings with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma, and The Clone Wars fans especially will appreciate the introduction of characters like Mina and Lux Bonteri, Rush Clovis and others. This story interweaves many key characters from earlier in their careers than has ever been depicted before.

Original hardcover design (2019)

It's hard to say what the plot here is, exactly, as much of the book feels like the first part of a much larger story. Johnston seems to be working very hard though the entire book to set up for whatever comes next. And sure enough, coming this summer is the follow-up novel, Queen's Peril. It's not clear if that was the plan all along, but it feels that way.

As Padmé navigates the tricky waters of politics, Johnston also strategically sets up the pieces in place for the next book. At times this can be a bit slow, but for those who enjoy the political maneuvering, this is quite an enjoyable story in its own right.

Along the way there is espionage, attempts at character assassination and even romance. That element is pretty tame by YA standards but still a little more adult than a middle-grade novel would ever have.

Also along the way are many, many wardrobe and hairstyle changes. Due to the nature of the handmaidens often playing decoy, these are a necessary security measure.  

As The Clone Wars returns with new episodes on Disney+, it’s a lot of fun to revisit the “prequel” era of Star Wars. For Young Adult fans who grew up with a fascination for Padmé Amidala and her tragic part of the Skywalker saga this story is a welcome way to flesh out her tale.

(Publisher’s Recommendation: Ages 12 and up)

Also by E. K. Johnston

The High Republic: A New (Old) Era in Star Wars!

Earlier this week Lucasfilm announced a brand-new era of Star Wars books and comics that will be arriving soon: The High Republic. Set approximately 200 years BEFORE The Phantom Menace, this era has never before been properly explored. Now it will be the time-frame for numerous books and comics!

“Star Wars: The High Republic features the Jedi as we’ve always wanted to see them — as true guardians of peace and justice. This is a hopeful, optimistic time, when the Jedi and the Galactic Republic are at their height. But of course, into this glorious new era something wicked this way comes,” says Lucasfilm publishing creative director Michael Siglain. “This initiative will give readers young and old a new corner of the galaxy to explore through rich, meaningful stories. Plus, readers will learn what scares the Jedi.”

So far only the first wave of stories has been announced but already there's plenty of cause for excitement for young Star Wars fans:

Into the Dark (Disney/Lucasfilm Press)
From Claudia Gray (Lost Stars) comes the mysterious Young Adult novel of Padawan Reath Silas, stranded on what appears to be an abandoned space station...at first.

A Test of Courage (Disney/Lucasfilm Press)
From Justina Ireland (Spark of the Resistance, Lando's Luck) comes the middle grade novel about a teen Jedi Vernestra Rwoh, a young Padawan, an audacious tech-kid, and the son of an ambassador who are stranded on a jungle moon where they must work together to survive both the dangerous terrain and a hidden danger lurking in the shadows.

 
The High Republic comic series from Marvel Comics will begin written by Cavan Scott, one of our favourite current Star Wars writers! He has written several of the Adventures in Wild Space books, as well as the Choose Your Destiny titles, numerous Star Wars Adventures comics and Dooku: Jedi Lost!

For younger comic readers comes The High Republic Adventures (IDW Publishing)! These will begin with stories by Daniel José Older author of the Solo: A Star Wars Story tie-in novel Last Shot.

Details are still pretty sparse at the moment but other titles will be announced soon from this exciting new era!

Read, You Must: Ahsoka

What happened to Ahsoka?

Fans of The Clone Wars TV series were left wondering what happened to Anakin Skywalker’s apprentice Ahsoka Tano ever since her unceremonious departure from the Jedi Order at the end of Season 5. 

There were more planned stories involving the skilled, young Togruta but the show was (also unceremoniously) cancelled before those and the rest of the tales bridging Episode II and III could be told. 

Viewers were speculating if she’d turn to the Dark Side, if she’d disappear entirely, or if she could somehow come back to face Anakin. Little did she know about HIS future!

When Star Wars Rebels re-introduced Ahsoka at the end of Season 1 she was a mature Rebel leader, far more serious than she’d been years earlier.

So what happened to her in those 14 or so years in between The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels? 

Author E.K. Johnston (A Thousand Nights, The Story of Owen) and Disney/Lucasfilm Publishing takes Star Wars into the world of Young Adult (YA) fiction for a second time with Star Wars: Ahsoka and answer many of those burning questions. 

Not her, apparently.

Ahsoka tells the story of the former Jedi on the run from Empire. When the book begins Order 66 has already happened, the Republic has become the Empire and the Jedi Order is widely considered traitorous and dangerous.

It is a dark time when it was not safe at all to use the Force in public, let alone wield a lightsaber (or two).  Moving from town to town, planet to planet, Ahsoka must hide her true identity or be hunted by Imperials. She adopts the name Ashla and befriends a local farmers on the planet Raada.

Author E.K. Johnston

As the Empire’s control of Raada grows, “Ashla” must decide if she can help the locals or if her presence puts everyone in danger. Does doing the right thing mean running away? Ahsoka’s conscience conflicts with her Jedi training here but nothing could’ve prepared her for the heartless acts of the Empire.

Ahsoka from The Clone Wars

The story builds in steps as Ahsoka builds her new life. It starts somewhat slowly with her getting her bearings on a new planet, making new friends and even setting herself up a fix-it shop for droids and equipment. As she learns more about the Empire’s dealings on Raada she knows she cannot sit idly by. She’s no longer officially a Jedi but the Jedi code is deep within her so of course she fights the Empire - but not without cost. 

The pace picks up throughout the book and the story ends with plenty of dramatic Star Wars action. It also sets up the Ahsoka we see in Star Wars Rebels very well. 

Like Claudia Gray’s Lost Stars, Ahsoka is accessible to fans of a wide age range but written primarily with "young adult" (aka teen) readers in mind. There is nothing particularly inappropriate for younger readers here but the slow build may not be of interest to some younglings. 

Ahsoka as she appears in Star Wars Rebels

Ahsoka fans of any age will find satisfactory answers to many of their bigger questions of what happened to her between The Clone Wars and Rebels in Ahsoka.

Now if we could just get a book like this about Rey….please!

Who will be in Star Wars Rebels Season 2?

With Season 1 of Star Wars Rebels complete, those "new" characters of Ezra, Hera, Kanan, Sabine, Zeb and Chopper now feel like part of the Star Wars galaxy!

Season 1 also featured many familiar characters too: Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared as a hologram, Yoda appeared as a voice, and C-3PO, R2-D2, Bail Organa, Lando Calrissian, Governor Tarkin and even Darth Vader all directly or indirectly encountered the crew of the Ghost. Then there's Fulcrum, the elusive guide to the Rebels, finally revealed in the season's end!

With all those well-known Star Wars characters it certainly makes you wonder who else could appear. Remember, Star Wars Rebels takes place between the movies Episode III and Episode IV, just a few years before the Rebel Alliance took on the first Death Star.

Do I look like a hateful guy?

Here's just a few possibilities...

Luke Skywalker would be about the same age as Ezra Bridger, working on his Aunt and Uncle's moisture farm on Tatooine. A big part of Luke's story was that as a teen he longed to get away from the boring farm life and to seek adventure somewhere else. It seems unlikely that Luke saw any rebellious action before getting that infamous message of  "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi..." from Princess Leia.

But then again, Luke seems quite aware of the Rebel Alliance when he excitedly says to C-3PO "You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?"

Then later he tells Obi-Wan Kenobi "It's not that I like the Empire - I hate it". Why does Luke "hate" the Empire?

From the looks of things in A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, the Empire barely exists on the Outer Rim planet of Tatooine except in the town of Mos Eisley. Perhaps something else DID happen? Maybe Luke knows other farmers who were treated as badly as the Imperials treat Lothal farmers. Maybe something big happened on Tatooine that Luke witnessed?

Pairing up the inexperienced and innocent Luke with the street-wise, independent teens Ezra and Sabine could make some interesting dynamics. We'll have to wait and see, of course, but while it seems far-fetched to imagine Luke Skywalker on Star Wars Rebels, we're not going to rule it out.

Who me? On Rebels? Mayyybe!

Princess Leia Organa seems like a safer bet than her (spoiler alert!) twin brother Luke. First of all, her adoptive father Bail Organa of Alderaan has already been on the show twice and has direct contact with other Rebel cells. She is also of course the same age as Luke and Ezra, and her mother Padmé was already a Queen of Naboo by that age!

When Leia encounters Darth Vader and Tarkin in Episode IV, it seems like they've already met and Vader acknowledges she's been running "mercy missions" prior to their meeting then. We're going to say probably to the thought of seeing Leia on Rebels.

Han Solo & Chewbacca seem like they've been flying around the galaxy in the Millennium Falcon for years by the time they meet Luke. So it's likely that's what they are already doing when Ezra meets the crew of the Ghost. Since the Rebels have met Lando Calrissian, it's not hard to imagine they could meet other scoundrels and smugglers. Chewbacca already made an appearance in The Clone Wars fighting alongside then-Padawan Ahsoka Tano. There's already been many wookiees in Star Wars Rebels: Spark of Rebellion.

Yes, "Fulcrum", we can deliver that package for you!

Who else could show up on an episode of Rebels? Who would you like to see? Jabba the Hutt? Boba Fett? Darth Maul? Comment below...

Star Wars Journeys into Young Adult

Coming September 4, 2015

Coming this fall, Disney Book Group/Lucasfilm Press will enter Star Wars into the very popular world of Young Adult fiction.

YA, as it’s known, can be simplified as “fiction for teens” but there’s more to it than that. Current YA can be as edgy and challenging as “adult” fiction but generally has young protagonists deal with meaningful-to-teenager issues, regardless of how fantastical the storyline or setting may be. But YA isn’t just about teens: good YA novels really speak to teens.

Arriving September 4^th, 2015 among several other titles under the exciting “Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens” banner is Lost Stars by best-selling YA novelist Claudia Gray. Gray is known for supernatural stories that never shy from romance like her Evernight series and Spellcaster trilogy. Be sure to read her website's fun post about getting to write a Star Wars book!

Here’s the publisher’s description of Lost Stars: This thrilling Young Adult novel gives readers a macro view of some of the most important events in the Star Wars universe, from the rise of the Rebellion to the fall of the Empire. Readers will experience these major moments through the eyes of two childhood friends - Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell - who have grown up to become an Imperial officer and a Rebel pilot. Now on opposite sides of the war, will these two star-crossed lovers reunite, or will duty tear them-and the galaxy-apart?

Author Claudia Gray

Star Wars “adult” novels have always been mostly PG to PG-13, so why does Star Wars need to be in Young Adult too? Can’t young readers just go from the kids' novels straight to the Del Rey series?

Sure, they can, but they may not want to.

Teens may want to read about what teens really do in the Star Wars universe, and that’s an area where Star Wars fiction has seldom gone. Traditionally Star Wars books focusing on teen characters are intended for kids 8-12, known as "middle grade" readers to the publishing world.

Imagine if Sabine could share her true thoughts with no frowning adults or impressionable children around, or if farmboy Luke could really unload about his frustrations with Uncle Owen. What about that Paolo guy Padmé spoke about? That’s the kind of thing that could be in Star Wars YA. Not your thing? You’re likely not a teenager then! Lost Stars and future Star Wars YA novels could become meaningful entry points for teenage fans wanting to get into Star Wars fiction.

While Star Wars Kidscast blog & podcast usually focuses on Star Wars stuff for children, this new expansion into teen readership will be something we, to paraphrase Senator Palpatine, will watch with great interest!

Learn more:

Author Chuck Wendig , no stranger to YA, will also have his first Star Wars novel published this fall by Del Rey (entitled Aftermath). On his site terribleminds.com he has a terrific breakdown explaining modern YA. Fair warning: the article contains some foul language but if you can’t handle a few curse words then tread carefully into contemporary young adult fiction!