Star Wars: Aftermath

Star Wars: Aftermath
Author Chuck Wendig
Cover artist Christopher M. Zucker
Country United States
Language English
Series Star Wars: Aftermath trilogy
Genre Science fiction
Publisher Del Rey Books
Publication date
 September 4, 2015
Media type Print (Hardcover)
Pages 379 (first edition, hardcover)
ISBN 978-0-345-51162-1 (first edition, hardback)
Followed by Aftermath: Life Debt

Star Wars: Aftermath is a Star Wars novel by Chuck Wendig, published on September 4, 2015 by Del Rey Books. Set soon after the events of the 1983 film Return of the Jedi, Aftermath is the first of a planned trilogy that will explore the time period between that film and 2015's The Force Awakens.

The novel is one of 20 projects in "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens", a 2015 Star Wars publishing initiative to connect The Force Awakens with previous film installments. The Aftermath series features the characters Wedge Antilles, an X-wing fighter pilot from the original Star Wars film trilogy, and Imperial Admiral Rae Sloane, introduced as a captain in John Jackson Miller's 2014 novel A New Dawn. Wendig also introduces several new characters, including ex-Rebel pilot Norra Wexley, her teenage son Temmin "Snap" Wexley, the Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari, and the Imperial turncoat Sinjir Rath Velus, one of the first gay characters in Star Wars canon.

Plot summary

Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine have fallen and the second Death Star has been destroyed, but the Rebel Alliance—now calling itself the New Republic—has yet to fully subdue the scattered forces of the Empire that remain. Stumbling upon a hub of Imperial activity on the Outer Rim planet Akiva, Rebel pilot Wedge Antilles is captured by Admiral Rae Sloane. Meanwhile, his wartime comrade Norra Wexley has also arrived on the planet to reunite with her teenage son Temmin. Former Imperial officer Sinjir Rath Velus, living quietly on Akiva following the disastrous Battle of Endor, is unhappy to find the Empire at his door, and Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari's latest contract leads her to a wealth of valuable targets.

Publication

The "Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens" publishing initiative, consisting of "at least" 20 novels and comic books from multiple publishers intended to connect The Force Awakens with previous film installments, was announced by Disney Publishing Worldwide and Lucasfilm in March 2015.[1][2][3] Among the first releases, Aftermath was subsequently described as being set between the films Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.[4][5] The Hollywood Reporter called the novel "arguably the centerpiece of the Journey line.[6] In July 2015, Del Rey confirmed that Aftermath would be the first novel in a planned trilogy.[7] Aftermath was published on September 4, 2015,[5] and the titles for the other installments—Life Debt (2016) and Empire's End (2017)—were announced at the New York Comic Con in October 2015.[8]

The Aftermath series features the characters Wedge Antilles, an X-wing fighter pilot from the original Star Wars film trilogy, and Imperial Admiral Rae Sloane, introduced as a captain in John Jackson Miller's 2014 novel A New Dawn.[9] Wendig introduces several new characters in Aftermath, including the Zabrak bounty hunter Jas Emari, the Imperial turncoat Sinjir Rath Velus, ex-Rebel pilot Norra Wexley, and Norra's teenage son Temmin "Snap" Wexley.[5]

Critical reception

Aftermath debuted at #4 on The New York Times Best Seller list,[10] and #4 on USA Today's best seller list.[11][12]

IGN's Jared Petty awarded the novel a score of 5.9 out of ten, saying "Star Wars: Aftermath is a well-written but ultimately disappointing first look into the post-Endor galaxy."[13]

Acknowledging lesbian Moff Delian Mors from Paul S. Kemp's 2015 novel Star Wars: Lords of the Sith as the first openly gay character in the Star Wars canon, Anthony Breznican of Entertainment Weekly calls Aftermath's Sinjir Rath Velus "the first major gay hero" in the franchise.[14] After receiving some fan backlash, Wendig defended the inclusion of the character on his blog, writing "If you can imagine a world where Luke Skywalker would be irritated that there were gay people around him, you completely missed the point of Star Wars."[15]

References

  1. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (March 9, 2015). "Star Wars to release 20 books in Journey to The Force Awakens". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  2. ↑ "'Journey To Star Wars: The Force Awakens Publishing Program Coming Fall 2015" (Press release). StarWars.com. March 10, 2015. Retrieved March 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ Lussier, Germain (March 12, 2015). "Plot Descriptions of Upcoming Star Wars Novels Reveal New Characters". /Film. Retrieved December 8, 2015.
  4. ↑ Truitt, Brian (March 17, 2015). "Aftermath novel adds to Star Wars saga". USA Today. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Breznican, Anthony (September 4, 2015). "How Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath novel sets the stage for The Force Awakens". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  6. ↑ McMilian, Graeme (August 22, 2015). "Star Wars: A Guide to The Force Awakens Tie-In Novels, Comics". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  7. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (July 10, 2015). "Chuck Wendig's Star Wars book Aftermath gets the trilogy treatment". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  8. ↑ "NYCC 2015: Star Wars Aftermath: Life Debt, Empire's End Revealed". IGN. October 11, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2016.
  9. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (July 16, 2015). "Star Wars: Aftermath novel reveals tragic, violent uprising after Return of the Jedi". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Best Sellers: Hardcover Fiction". The New York Times. September 20, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Aftermath: Star Wars: Journey to Star Wars: The Force Awakens". USA Today. September 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2016.
  12. ↑ Hart, Benjamin (September 11, 2015). "Aftermath Debuts At #4 On NY Times & USA Today Bestseller Lists". The Star Wars Underworld. Retrieved May 8, 2016.
  13. ↑ Petty, Jared (September 4, 2015). "Star Wars: Aftermath Review". IGN. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  14. ↑ Breznican, Anthony (September 4, 2015). "Star Wars: Aftermath: Gay hero introduced in new story". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  15. ↑ Flood, Alison (September 11, 2015). "Star Wars novelist strikes back at gay character slurs". The Guardian. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
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