The official Star Wars website just released an exclusive excerpt from Aftermath: Empire’s End featuring everyone’s favorite princess and scoundrel duo.
Leia startles at the sound of a furious pounding on the door, her knee banging into the table above which a glittering star map is projected. The map flickers, and when the voice comes through the door—“Leia! Leia!”—she struggles to stand swiftly, almost forgetting the tremendous living weight around her midsection. The child inside her kicks and tumbles as she endeavors to get upright. Calm down, little angel. You’ll be free soon enough.
“Mum,” says her protocol droid, T-2LC. “It appears as if someone is at the door.”
“Yes, I hear that, Elsie.” She winces as she moves out from around the couch. That couch was supposed to be comfortable—but all it does is swallow her up like a devouring sarlacc. “It’s just Han.”
“Is he in danger, mum? He sounds like he’s in danger. Should I open the door? I don’t want to let the danger in, but—”
“Leia, damnit, the door,” Han says from the other side. His voice is followed swiftly by more thumps and thuds. He’s kicking the door, she realizes.
“I’m coming!” she yells back. To the droid she says: “I’ll get it.” “But your condition, mum—”
“I’m not dying, I’m pregnant,” she snaps back, then opens the door. Han wastes no time in almost falling through it, his arm cradling a lumpy, uneven bag of something.
Rae Sloane
“Took you long enough,” he says, smirking as he juggles his footing and skirts past her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek as he does. “Don’t you know,” she says, shooting T-2LC a dubious look, “I have a condition.”
“Elsie, I told you, Leia doesn’t have a damn condition.” But then, more seriously and in a lower register, he says to her: “You do need to slow it down a little bit.” He gestures toward the star map. “For instance.”
“I am in command of my own body, thank you very much.”
“Tell that to the little bandit,” he says, dropping the sack of whatever down on the counter in the kitchen. The little bandit is what he’s taken to calling the child currently wrestling inside her belly.
“You mean the little angel.” She follows him into the kitchen, and T-2LC’s whining servomotors behind her indicate he’s following closely behind because someone (Han) told the droid to keep close to her in case she falls. Never mind the fact the droid stays so close to her, she’s nearly tripped on his metal feet half a dozen times already. “What did you bring?”
Han winks, thrusts his hand down into the bag, and pulls it out again, gripping a jogan fruit. “Look.” He gives it a lascivious squeeze.
She sighs, crestfallen. “Is that . . . whole bag full of jogan fruit?” “Yeah. Why?”
“I cannot possibly eat that much jogan fruit.” “Sure you can.”
“Let me rephrase: I don’t want to eat that much jogan fruit.” “It’s good for you.”
“Not that good.” “The doctors—”
“Dr. Kalonia said to incorporate jogan into my diet, not to replace everything with jogan fruit.”
Norra Wexley
He sweeps up on her, cradling her face with his rough hand. He strokes her cheek gently. “All right, all right. I’m just trying to do right by you two.”
“I know, Han.”
“If I think I can help, I’ll always help. With whatever you or our son needs. You know that, right?”
She laughs. “I know.”
It’s been hard for Han. He won’t say it out loud, but she can see it on his face. Her husband needs something to do. He’s bored. Chewbacca’s back home, looking for his family. Luke’s searching the galaxy for old Jedi teachings. Han Solo’s got nothing to smuggle, nowhere to gamble, no foolish Rebellion to fight for.
He’s like the Falcon: retired to a hangar somewhere, waiting for something, anything, to happen.
So he buys fruit. Lots and lots of fruit.
And, of course, he worries about her. He turns her toward the table and the star map. “You’re not still on this, are you?”
“What?”
“Leia, Kashyyyk was a fluke. We got lucky.”
For the full excerpt make sure to go to StarWars.com.
Empire’s End will be released on February 21. Stay tuned for our spoiler free review on that day.
Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.
Jordan Pate is Co-Lead Editor and Senior Writer for Star Wars News Net, of which he is also a member of the book and comic review team. He loves all things Star Wars, but when he's not spending time in the galaxy far far away, he might be found in our own galaxy hanging out in Gotham City or at 1407 Graymalkin Lane, Salem Center, NY.
first of all, i love those posters! but second, is luke going to appear in any of these post jedi books? kinda weird that the most powerful person in the galaxy is absent from these important events.
I don’t think we’re going to see Luke in any of the new books until we have his back story explained to whatever degree will be done in Last Jedi and the IX if he makes it that long.
its really starting to look that way. i get why they want to keep the stuff about kylo and luke’s exile under wraps but do they need to hide the rest of the 30 years too? seems a tad excessive.
I concur. It’s how they setup the new stuff, getting us excited for connecting material but then it gives us subpar stories that circle around the big three.
Either just give us new characters/events that are compelling and ignore the original cast or write about the damn original cast.
Exactly, I’m getting a little frustrated by it. It seems so out of character for Luke to leave the New Republic on his own private mission when there is still a war to be won, but I guess that is what he did in TFA
agreed, but the current books are in the timeline of their prime, and they refuse to focus on them…sure at some point switch and have them in the background but not in their prime.
Re: “Haven’t read any of the new books”
Think I’ve read just about all of them, excluding maybe some *shorts* & 1 or 2 of the young adult novels… & I think it’s safe to label Chuck Wendig is the worst of the new batch of authors.
Will have to look-up Kevin Anderson now. Don’t recall reading any of his stuff from old day/EU.
I’d have to argue that Vonda McIntyre, Troy Denning, Barbara Hambly, & Kathy Tyers all put out some pretty awful Star Wars literature. Calling Anderson the worst is really saying something. He had his hand all over the EU though and I agree he really took the Star Wars franchise in some weird directions. Not a big fan. The best authors in the EU in my opinion were Luceno and Zahn and they’re both back to working in the official Canon so no complaints there. It’d also be cool to have Drew Karpyshyn back for an Old Republic tale eventually. He put out some pretty good stuff too. Especially with the Darth Bane trilogy.
To be fair, the EU had a lot more content coming out at once. But yes, the new canon should not be represented by Wendig. Claudia gray is a much better author.
Sounded like Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood having a conversation….Not Han Solo and Princess Leia in my opinion. I just dont picture Han Solo yelling and kicking at the door. and cursing every 2 sentences, staggering in with a bag of fruit lol…and it’s STAR WARS why is he beating on the door to his own home?.Surely they have voice recognition, or a damn hand or retina scanner at their home? a code pad? something. (shrug)
Perhaps but these characters aren’t going to sustain anything. Life debt was only able to right the ship because of the return of han and Leia. If they had continued in the same path as aftermath the series would have tanked.
No, I think the whole thing was better written and plotted out. The new EU isn’t going to be like the same and this is telling the story through different character’s eyes. I have no issue with that, if done well. Which, it has mostly.
respectively disagree…and believe you may be in the minority in regards to this book series. Between his style and lack of substance and the main characters becoming a fleeting glimpse, this has been a rough series to read through.
Re: “Lefe Debit is…okay”
Agree… I found it a far cry from “very good”.
I think that Claudia Gray’s a much better writer than Wendig (at least as far as SW stories) & hope she continues more gigs writing for the SW universe.
sure they are..your on enough sites to see the complaints about them not being in the stories. And the sales numbers are usually high for the first week and then drop sharply unlike SW books of the past.
give me some time on the sales side…been a few months since I was reviewing it. But it was some really interesting stuff. I was amazed at the revenue that the EU books had created.
Agree on them saving the galaxy and not suggesting they always should but, right after Endor, they were still the primary players.
To add….
Have a cliff hanger but answer and address this in the next series / movie
Several series later I’ve been frustrated, annoyed and forgotten all about it to the point I don’t really care any more!
Omg, whine about the big 3 not together. Here is the real problem. Whiney, spoilt rotten from the EU. There are years of those stories plus the OT.
TFA was not a mistake without them being together. It wasn’t about THEM. When are you gonna get it? Never I assume. New story, new characters, that’s just the way it is. Go cry over it in your spilled bluemilk.
I understand the big 3 aren’t in there…however the storytelling from Aftermath is abysmal at best…the author is defended as a patron saint by the publisher, but his writing style would fail a high school grammar class, not to mention his unrealistic presentation of characters from the universe and over-politicization. Don’t get me wrong, I love character development, the political overtones to a story, and love most of the cannon I’ve read so far, but these need to go he way of the EU fast!
If Han had listened closely to Leia’s belly, he would have heard…
https://youtu.be/rfWd1F3Et70
Awesome post. Winner of the internet today.
Sadly, there are no winners on the Internet.
You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.
first of all, i love those posters! but second, is luke going to appear in any of these post jedi books? kinda weird that the most powerful person in the galaxy is absent from these important events.
Gotta find that first Jedi Temple.
well sure, but isn’t that closer to TFA? i’m curious what he was up to after endor.
I guess it took him 30 years to find the Temple.
damn, where is nathan drake when you need him? 😉
Look for the marvel comic book Empires End i believe is the name.
You get a glimpse at luke kicking major ass
I will, thanks.
I don’t think we’re going to see Luke in any of the new books until we have his back story explained to whatever degree will be done in Last Jedi and the IX if he makes it that long.
its really starting to look that way. i get why they want to keep the stuff about kylo and luke’s exile under wraps but do they need to hide the rest of the 30 years too? seems a tad excessive.
It appears so. It may be central to his story arc. We’ll have to see.
if they don’t lose their audience first…new stuff has gotten pretty stagnate.
I concur. It’s how they setup the new stuff, getting us excited for connecting material but then it gives us subpar stories that circle around the big three.
Either just give us new characters/events that are compelling and ignore the original cast or write about the damn original cast.
Absolutely!
Re: “is luke going to appear in any of these post jedi books?”
They don’t want to spoil the surprise, hinted at in TFA, that he’s become mute. 😉
j/k aside… agree completely that it’s weird he’s absent.
Really hope to hear more from him in post RotJ book(s).
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kdhhQhqi_AE
Exactly, I’m getting a little frustrated by it. It seems so out of character for Luke to leave the New Republic on his own private mission when there is still a war to be won, but I guess that is what he did in TFA
I really dislike the direction they are going with the posters and story…unfortunately.
they are trying to hard to kick the big 3 to the curb and push these weaker characters on us.
You’re not going to have them forever. At some point they have to live in the past and they have to move on.
agreed, but the current books are in the timeline of their prime, and they refuse to focus on them…sure at some point switch and have them in the background but not in their prime.
Then they shouldn’t have made the big three such big parts of the ST. They set the expectation.
It’s so weird, especially since zahn showed us 25 years ago that you can have both the old and the new. Oh well.
And speaking of Han Solo, this minor bit of news just broke…
http://money.cnn.com/2017/02/14/news/harrison-ford-plane-mishap/index.html
exclusive leaked footage of the incident:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdHBsWXaHN8
“That couch was supposed to be comfortable—but all it does is swallow her up like a devouring sarlacc.”
Hey guys, REMEMBER RETURN OF THE JEDI?????????
Chuck Wendig is a hack.
I clapped when he said it!!! 😉
He looks exactly how I pictured him. The textbook definition of a snowflake.
Snowflakes are often white.
yeah, he’s a real douche-bag and the worst SW author ever…but Delray and Disney defend him vehemently!
A big reason they brought Zahn back is to try and get the Books back on track. The sales numbers aren’t half of what the EU was making.
“worst SW author ever”
Haven’t read any of the new books, but I still feel confident in saying Kevin J Fucking Anderson still wears the crown there.
Never heard of him. what did he do that could possibly be worse than Chuck Wendick?
Darksaber. Jedi Academy trilogy. Admiral goddamn Daaaa…aaaa..aaaaaaaaaaaaaaalah. Appalling writer.
Oh God….
Re: “Haven’t read any of the new books”
Think I’ve read just about all of them, excluding maybe some *shorts* & 1 or 2 of the young adult novels… & I think it’s safe to label Chuck Wendig is the worst of the new batch of authors.
Will have to look-up Kevin Anderson now. Don’t recall reading any of his stuff from old day/EU.
I’d have to argue that Vonda McIntyre, Troy Denning, Barbara Hambly, & Kathy Tyers all put out some pretty awful Star Wars literature. Calling Anderson the worst is really saying something. He had his hand all over the EU though and I agree he really took the Star Wars franchise in some weird directions. Not a big fan. The best authors in the EU in my opinion were Luceno and Zahn and they’re both back to working in the official Canon so no complaints there. It’d also be cool to have Drew Karpyshyn back for an Old Republic tale eventually. He put out some pretty good stuff too. Especially with the Darth Bane trilogy.
To be fair, the EU had a lot more content coming out at once. But yes, the new canon should not be represented by Wendig. Claudia gray is a much better author.
hehe… just replied to you above, before reading this, expressing same sentiments about C.Gray.
Not only a better author in general, but seems to get the SW universe/characters quite well.
absolutely agree about Claudia!
Sounded like Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood having a conversation….Not Han Solo and Princess Leia in my opinion. I just dont picture Han Solo yelling and kicking at the door. and cursing every 2 sentences, staggering in with a bag of fruit lol…and it’s STAR WARS why is he beating on the door to his own home?.Surely they have voice recognition, or a damn hand or retina scanner at their home? a code pad? something. (shrug)
Norra looks like that hipster Youtuber. I can’t remember her name but you know who I mean, She was on The Star Wars Show way back.
Hannah Hart.
This excerpt foreshadows Han and Leia’s separation very well. Han and Leia love each other but they couldn’t be more different.
I really want to see Luke finally pop up in this book. Even if its just for a second. Lucasfilm needs to give us a taste.
Worst SW books ever…story group has forgotten what was important and what is…the big 3!!!
That was one of the biggest missed opportunities in TFA…everyone wanted to see the 3 of them together again, one last time…now, we have no chance.
Give us new characters but tell us the stories of our Heros…not passing glimpses of them.
The new books and story line are just weak thus far….and everyone has the force now..smh…
The story in life debt was pretty good, but yeah the characters have been pretty forgettable. No thrawns or Mara Jades this time.
No, they are aware what is important, but here’s what you are missing:
The old EU was in place of movies.
Now that we are getting new movies, the books don’t have to feature the big 3 to sustain the franchise like before.
Perhaps but these characters aren’t going to sustain anything. Life debt was only able to right the ship because of the return of han and Leia. If they had continued in the same path as aftermath the series would have tanked.
No, I think the whole thing was better written and plotted out. The new EU isn’t going to be like the same and this is telling the story through different character’s eyes. I have no issue with that, if done well. Which, it has mostly.
respectively disagree…and believe you may be in the minority in regards to this book series. Between his style and lack of substance and the main characters becoming a fleeting glimpse, this has been a rough series to read through.
Always happy to be in the minority when it comes to opinions on the internet.
But the first book is bad, yes. The second is very good.
I’d say that Lefe Debit is…okay.
Re: “Lefe Debit is…okay”
Agree… I found it a far cry from “very good”.
I think that Claudia Gray’s a much better writer than Wendig (at least as far as SW stories) & hope she continues more gigs writing for the SW universe.
well, sometimes you are right about being in the minority and it being a good thing. We’ll just have to disagree on the books.
I understand but people are getting tired of the big 3 not being in the books and the sales are showing it.
No, they aren’t.
sure they are..your on enough sites to see the complaints about them not being in the stories. And the sales numbers are usually high for the first week and then drop sharply unlike SW books of the past.
“unlike Star Wars books of the past”
That’s a ridiculously broad statement that covers over three decades of content.
No, compare it to any of those 3 decades. Broad, with intent grasshopper.
Really? Show me proof of the sales, please.
The big 3 aren’t gonna be in many books. Having them save the galaxy every book was boring.
give me some time on the sales side…been a few months since I was reviewing it. But it was some really interesting stuff. I was amazed at the revenue that the EU books had created.
Agree on them saving the galaxy and not suggesting they always should but, right after Endor, they were still the primary players.
I think those stories will be told in time, at least Luke’s.
To add….
Have a cliff hanger but answer and address this in the next series / movie
Several series later I’ve been frustrated, annoyed and forgotten all about it to the point I don’t really care any more!
Omg, whine about the big 3 not together. Here is the real problem. Whiney, spoilt rotten from the EU. There are years of those stories plus the OT.
TFA was not a mistake without them being together. It wasn’t about THEM. When are you gonna get it? Never I assume. New story, new characters, that’s just the way it is. Go cry over it in your spilled bluemilk.
I understand the big 3 aren’t in there…however the storytelling from Aftermath is abysmal at best…the author is defended as a patron saint by the publisher, but his writing style would fail a high school grammar class, not to mention his unrealistic presentation of characters from the universe and over-politicization. Don’t get me wrong, I love character development, the political overtones to a story, and love most of the cannon I’ve read so far, but these need to go he way of the EU fast!