Lit Book catalogue for 2018 (so far)

Hi,
Here is a list of all the books we can look forward to in 2018. As someone whose favorite medium of Star Wars is books, this is a delight for me. Its January and we should look ahead. Here's what we have:

1.) Forces of Destiny: Daring Adventures: The Leia Chronicles (already came out)

2.) The Last Jedi (novelization)

3. The Last Jedi (junior novelization)

4. Forces of Destiny: Daring Adventures: The Rey Chronicles

5. Thrawn: Alliances

6. Han Solo YA book

7. Chewbacca Middle Grade Novel

8. Padme Amidala YA book (hopefully)

9. Solo: A Star Wars story novelization (likely)

10. Solo: A Star Wars story junior novelization

11. Join the Resistance 3

So far it looks like we have 11 books with more to be announced as the year progresses. 2016 had 15 books (being a anthology movie year) and 2017 being a TLJ year had 19. Based on this, I think we can expect a few more. The Forces of Destiny will likely have 2 or 3 more entries. Lando might get something. If we can get to 14 or 15, it will be a good year.

What books do you want to see in the upcoming year.

 

Is there nothing on a Solo adult novelization yet? I'd actually be thrilled if DR passed on that but I don't dare to dream.

 

It seems weird that the TLJ novelization is coming out well after the film.

 

You can add in a Solo prequel novel in spring. Also, if we're (un)lucky, Join the Resistance 4 (the final one!) is also out in 2018, but maybe they'll prolong our suffering into 2019.

And don't forget the US edition of Adventures in Wild Space 6: The Rescue out in April.

And no, @CooperTFN, no word on a Solo novelisation yet, but I doubt it'll be simultaneous with the film. I doubt Del Rey will pass on that opportunity, though. Adaptations are an easy way to get out of making new content and looking at the 2018 slate of books and comics so far, I see lots of adaptations.

 

Yea I gotta agree about the join the resistance series. Whilst the second book was better, they are comfortably the worst in the new canon in my opinion.

Page turners, they were not

 

I usually don't read the novelizations (making an exception for TLJ, obviously), but I don't begrudge them for existing.

 

Rogue One and ROTS are both essential, in my opinion. You really get into the characters' heads in a way the films couldn't do.

 

I tend to not bother with novelisations but will in exceptional instances - ROTS, R1 and TLJ all qualify.

 

By the way, I wasn't complaining about the novelisations - Rogue One's has been great and I have nothing but confidence in Jason Fry's skills for The Last Jedi - but given the Thrawn comic, the Forces of Destiny books and comics, the Smuggler's Run comic, the Cinestory comics and a few unannounced adaptations of TLJ and Solo, there are way too many adaptations this year...

 

Yes it is odd. I get called out on this blog for being a pessimist and conspiracy theorist, but why are they re-hashing things they already made? Where is the flow of original content? I can't believe they are running out of ideas.......

 

Now that we're getting one film per year I do mildly begrudge the novelizations for taking one publishing slot per year away from original stories, but I'm happy to admit RO was great and I'm very excited for TLJ, a movie that's overflowing with depth. Solo, I suspect, less so.

 

I'm probably in the same boat: I wish that adaptation slot was given to a different novel instead. But I think, looking back in 2017, I don't feel like anything was "missing" by having an adaptation rather than a novel. Maybe that was because Rogue One was fantastic, and if Solo's is bad, I'll rethink my opinion.

And, really, if Solo's adaptation comes in the later October (FACPOV) or December slot (Canto Bight), then 2019 will be adaptation free. We'll see if that means the overall number of novels is increased or, without an adaptation, they don't fill that slot. That may be the deciding factor on their weight in the publishing schedule in my eyes.

I'm curious: without Rebels after this Spring, where will the overall direction take us? I'd love to stay in the Solo era for a while. If we can't have stories in the ST set after TLJ, let's just stay around Solo's time. Depending on where its set, I want to see some Solo/Rebels/Rogue One overlap in terms of characters. We're in a prime spot, following RO, Solo, and TLJ to start mixing these characters around. Let's see Holdo interact with Cassian or Hera, perhaps? Maybe mix in a few Solo characters related to Lando? Seems like with the gap between films, this is the time that would be perfect to capitalize on the past few.

If they let us explore the post-Endor galaxy, then let's leave Solo behind.

 

I don’t plan on getting TLJ novelization, but I would be very interested to hear what insights it will provide into the story.

 

Really disappointing at this stage to see only 1 original adult novel on the horizon

Rogue One was fine, but still not the same as an original story.

funny you mention that, I wonder if they'll use the extra time to add in a few extras to explain the "plotholes" that have been getting thrown around the internet

 

Hopefully they'll add an original adult novel. A Luke Bloodline lets say, and I can die a happy fangirl.

After Stover's beautiful ROTS (that brought me to tears on a few occasions), I'm definitely in the pro-novelization camp. I skipped TFA as I disliked the movie, but loved the R1 one; it added lots to the story and characterizations.

 

Small clarification. "Publishing slots" is not really a thing. Novelizations don't take up the "slot" of another novel.

Novelizations can alter the publication window for other books, which is no different from how books affect each other normally.

 

Gee, I wonder why,

 

This list is pretty disappointing sans Thrawn Alliance and the Padme YA. I'm hoping we get something more interesting. It is only Jan though so I expect it'll get better.

 

Not every fandom can plan two years ahead (2019, 2020) on what novels come out. We likely won't know about 2019 releases until mid-year or last quarter of the year.

 

TFA's was horrendous. R1's was great though as you say.

 

Considering it has taken me three years to write Chapter 21 of my own novel and have yet to complete the remaining 6. Sometimes planning to have a great story will take years without a timetable.

 

Don't know if you want to include reference books in your list as well, but I think its safe to assume we will also get Solo Visual Dictionary, Cross-Sections and Art of book.

I would also love to have Making of Solo book, but I don't think Lucasfilm/Disney wants us to know all the behind the scenes information when it comes to their movies