‘Star Wars: The Glass Abyss’ Revealed; New Novel by Steven Barnes Finds Mace Windu Honoring Qui-Gon’s Legacy
The Phantom Menace is celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. Therefore, cue Lucasfilm’s foolproof promotional strategy of new books. StarWars.com has announced that Mace Windu will headline a new novel titled Star Wars: The Glass Abyss. Coming August 6, 2024, the novel will be written by Steven Barnes, returning to the Star Wars-fold for the first time since 2004’s The Cestus Deception.
Taking place immediately after The Phantom Menace, The Glass Abyss will send Mace Windu on a mission to fulfill Qui-Gon Jinn’s final request. The twist? This request is specifically for Mace, only to be received after the fallen Jedi Master’s death.
Barnes spoke to StarWars.com and had this to say about returning to a galaxy far, far away:
“I was thrilled to be asked to write The Glass Abyss, with an opportunity to explore Mace Windu… I was busy with television work…but how could I pass THIS up? A chance to wield the purple lightsaber? Hah! So, with the support of a great team, I crafted a story of mystery, adventure, betrayal, and romance on a new planet, Metagos, a seething criminal cess-pool that was once a thriving and beautiful world, a place where a single supreme warrior, willing to risk all, can make the ultimate difference. At all times I remembered there is only one goal in writing such a book: to be true to the mythos, and thrill the fans. To give them the fun, suspense, and heart-stopping action they’ve come to expect from one of our greatest mythologies, and create more of an inner world for one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy. I can’t wait to share The Glass Abyss with the fans. Heck…I can’t wait to read it myself.”
Check out the cover and synopsis for Star Wars: The Glass Abyss below:
Jedi Master Mace Windu travels to a dangerous, remote planet on a mission that challenges even his deadly prowess—all to fulfill Qui-Gon’s last request.
The Jedi are reeling from Qui-Gon Jinn’s sudden death at the hands of a Sith. Jedi Master Mace Windu’s feelings about Qui-Gon have always been complicated, and have not been made any simpler in death. While they often disagreed, Mace valued Qui-Gon’s unique perspective, and their shared dedication to the Force made them allies. Without Qui-Gon and his unorthodox views, Mace feels out of balance.
While considering his fallen friend’s legacy, Mace is surprised to receive a final message from Qui-Gon, marked to be delivered to Mace on the event of Qui-Gon’s death. The message contains a last request: a plea to help the Outer Rim planet of Metagos.
Many years ago, a violent solar flare transformed the surface of the desert planet into a landscape of irradiated glass—as beautiful as it is dangerous. Now most of the surviving inhabitants live underground, where rival clans fight to control the planet’s limited resources. As a young Jedi, Qui-Gon protected the Sa’ad farming clan from the planet’s less scrupulous factions. The Sa’ad practice the art of dream-weaving, retaining their waking minds upon sleep in order to communicate and coexist with the wild creatures around them. Qui-Gon vowed to return if they ever required his aid, but now it falls to Mace to fulfill that promise. The Sa’ad’s leader, KinShan Nightbird, has begged for the Jedi’s help in freeing Megatos from the crime lords who threaten to eradicate her people’s way of life.
Intent on fulfilling Qui-Gon’s final wishes, Mace travels to Megatos and infiltrates the enemies of the Sa’ad. But as the Jedi Master investigates the intricate web of adversaries and allies, Mace finds himself pushed to the boundaries of the Jedi code, challenging his beliefs and his relationship to the Force itself.
The Glass Abyss isn’t Mace Windu’s only profile in 2024. Kicking off in February is Marvel’s four-issue Mace Windu miniseries. You can find more information about issue #1 here. Mace will also be prominent in April’s The Living Force, written by John Jackson Miller. That novel takes place one year before The Phantom Menace and is being described as a “road trip” with all 12 Jedi Council members. You can read more about The Living Force here.
Star Wars: The Glass Abyss is being published by Random House Worlds. The adult novel will be released on August 6, 2024 and is available for pre-order now.
Nate uses his love for Star Wars and movies in general as a way to cope with the pain of being a Minnesota sports fan. When he's not at the theater, you can usually find Nate reading a comic, listening to an audiobook, or playing a Mario video game for the 1,000th time.
