Star Wars: The Old Republic: Annihilation Update from Drew Karpyshyn

Author Drew Karpyshyn posted a recent blog entry on his website updating fans on what he is up to.  Included in this update was some more details on his forthcoming SWTOR era novel.

Now, let’s talk Annihilation. This is my fifth Star Wars novel, and my second Old Republic novel.  The book comes out on November 13. Here’s the official summary:
Republic agent Theron Shan and his Twi’lek compadre, Teff’ith must contend with a Sith Empire counter-attack against the Republic, spearheaded by the lethal apprentice of Darth Malgus. Satele Shan and Jace Malcom co-star in what will be a fast-paced and tension-fraught tale based on the award-winning video game from BioWare and LucasArts.
It’s a bit vague, but that’s the problem when you try to stay spoiler free. But I think I can add a bit more without ruining anything. It’s a stand alone story – it has no connection to Revan, and it doesn’t tie in directly with any of the storylines from the SWTOR video game, though it is set in that era. It actually takes place just after the events of the game, and the novel will reflect the Empire and the Republic as they stand at the end of the game’s storylines. (I won’t say anymore to avoid spoiling people who play the game but aren’t finished.) 

The game features Theron Shan, a character who first appeared in the Lost Suns Dark Horse graphic novels, written by Alex Freed – my former co-worker at BioWare and the lead writer for SWTOR. 

Annihilation is a little different than my other Star Wars books. The Bane trilogy focused on Darth Bane, one of the most powerful Sith Lords who ever lived. Revan obviously focused on Revan, another incredibly powerful Force user. Annihilation is different, because the main character is not a Jedi or Sith. Theron Shan, despite being a descendant of Revan and Bastila, isn’t Force sensitive. That makes for a very different type of novel, and a very different type of main character. 

That doesn’t make Theron any less interesting, of course. My personal favorite character in the original trilogy is Han Solo, and I think he’s a good example of how you can be a hero and change the galaxy even if you can’t call on the Force at will. 

That’s not to say Theron is an “ordinary” guy: he’s a highly trained field agent working for Republic Strategic Information Services. He has a number of cybernetic implants, along with a host of customized weapons and gadgets, and he’s supplemented his SIS training with his own ecclectic and esoteric studies. Sort of like Batman. Or Jason Bourne. Or James Bond. But in Star Wars. 

So let’s call Annihiliaton an action-spy-thriller-sci-fi-epic set in the Star Wars universe. If that doesn’t make you want to buy it, nothing will.

Annihilation is set for release November 13, 2012 in hardcover.


SOURCE: DrewKarpyshyn.com