Usually the rush of big video game releases has slowed this late into the year, but
Star Wars: The Old Republic
is keeping the industry buzzing all the way through the holidays. This
MMORPG explores a massive war between the Jedi Knights of the Old
Republic and the invading Sith Empire several centuries after the events
of the Knights of the Old Republic games.
The Old Republic already features an immense amount of content for
gamers to delve into, but the mythology extends well beyond the game
itself. That's why we've put together a handy guide to all of the tie-in
projects that have appeared on the market, both comics and novels.
Whether you crave more of the story or just need something to occupy
yourself during those annoying server queues, these books will keep you
busy.
Writer: Alexander Freed | Artist: David Ross
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $15.99
What it is: Though published as Volume One of the Old Republic
comics, Blood of the Empire was actually the second storyline released.
This series focuses squarely on the Sith Empire in the period leading up
to the game. The story is specifically told through the eyes of an
ambitious but troubled trainee named Teneb Kel. Kel is charged with
assassinating the Emperor's apprentice. Success means one final chance
at redemption in the eyes of his superiors. Failure will make Kel one
more casualty in an increasingly deadly war.
Should you read it? The Old Republic has added a number of
memorable new characters to the Star Wars mythology, and Kel is no
exception. Blood of the Empire reinforces the notion that the Sith can
be just as compelling protagonists as their Jedi enemies. While in
general the plot isn't vital to understanding the events of Old
Republic, this comic does introduce the secretive Sith Emperor.
Even better, Blood of the Empire was originally serialized as a web
comic on Bioware's Old Republic website. That means interested readers
can experience the story without having to fork over any cash.
Writer: Rob Chestney | Artist: Alex Sanchez
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $15.99
What it is: The first of the Old Republic comics to actually see
print, the Threat of Peace takes place roughly a decade before the
events of the game, during the Sacking of Coruscant seen in the
"Deceived" trailer. This story features a wide cast of Jedi, Sith, and
bounty hunters on both sides of the conflict, including recurring Old
Republic villain Darth Angral.
Should you read it? Unfortunately, Threat of Peace is one of the
weaker Old Republic tie-ins. The comic has a habit of throwing numerous
characters at the reader with little introduction. The fact that so many
of these characters recycle popular personality traits and appearances
of other Star Wars icons doesn't help the confusion. The art is also
rough and poorly suited to the tone of the Old Republic setting.
Like Blood of the Empire, Threat of Peace was originally serialized as a
web comic. As uneven as this comic is, the simple fact that it's
available on the Internet for free means there's nothing to lose by
giving it a read. In some ways, the original serialized format makes for
a better reading experience.
Writer: Alexander Freed | Artists: David Daza, George Freeman, & Dave Ross
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $2.99/issue
What it is: Lost Suns is the first of the Old Republic comics to
debut in print and not online. This slightly longer saga focuses Theron
Shan. Theron's name might be unknown, but you might recognize his mother
Satele as the powerful Jedi who plays a major role in the game and
wields the double-bladed lightsaber in several of the Old Republic
trailers.
In this mini-series, Theron seeks out his mother's former mentor, Ngani
Zho. The duo eventually battle the Black Sun crime syndicate and a Sith
Lord named Darth Mekhis.
Should you read it? Lost Suns retains the creative team from
Blood of the Empire, which makes it a return to from after the
disappointing Threat of Peace. The fact that this story was created
specifically for print also ensures that it reads better in collected
form than the previous two books.
Like Threat of Peace, there are some very familiar qualities to the main
characters, but with a more limited cast and intimate focus, the story
is able to better differentiate Theron and Zho from characters like Luke
Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Lost Suns isn't hugely vital to the
overall picture, but it does shed more light on the Shan family dynamic,
something that also factors heavily into the main game.
Writer: Sean Williams
Publisher: LucasBooks | Price: $7.99
What it is: The first of (currently) three novels tying into the
Old Republic, Fatal Alliance is another tale set during the height of
the Jedi/Sith war leading up to the game. Various Force wielders,
soldiers, and bounty hunters all attend a Hutt auction with the
intention of claiming a rare relic, but find much more than they
bargained for in the process. What sets this particular conflict apart
is that it forces the various factions to form a temporary alliance to
combat a greater threat.
Should you read it? Looking at the Old Republic tie-ins in
specific and the Expanded Universe in general, the best stories are the
ones that focus at least as much on character as they do plot and
action. Unfortunately, Fatal Alliance devotes itself mainly to the
latter. Many of the main characters show interesting qualities, but the
novel never has space to explore them much despite the 450-page length.
As with the Threat of Peace comic, there are too many players for the
story to grow organically.
Fatal Alliance features another appearance by Satele Shan, but the fact
that it was published so far in advance of the game is testament to how
little relevance it has to the overall Old Republic mythology. Fatal
Alliance's one real advantage is that it's the only Old Republic novel
currently available in paperback format, making it a cheaper read than
the others.
Writer: Paul S. Kemp
Publisher: LucasBooks | Price: $27.00
What it is: "Deceived" is also the name of the first of three CG
teaser films Bioware released for The Old Republic. That's no mere
coincidence. The novel focuses heavily on Darth Malgus, the Malak-like
Sith Lord who has appeared in all three teasers so far. The book even
chronicles the same battle depicted in the "Deceived" teaser.
But alongside Malgus and his Twi'lek servant Eleena, the book divides
its focus among a revenge-fueled Jedi named Aryn Leneer and a smuggler
named Zeerid Korr. The book follows all three characters as they
encounter hardships and make a series of difficult and fateful
decisions.
Should you read it? Only a handful of Expanded Universe
characters can truly stand alongside the film favorites in terms of
popularity. Malgus is already being celebrated as a new addition to
those ranks. Some have even gone so far as to label him the greatest EU
villain since Grand Admiral Thrawn. While that may be pushing it a bit,
there's no denying that all the main characters in this book make fine
additions to the EU mythology.
Most Star Wars tie-ins are heavily plot-driven, with characterization
much less of a focus. Deceived breaks that trend by focusing on the
characters first and foremost. Malgus, Leneer, and Korr all avoid the
usual tropes and become fully realized protagonists. And given Malgus'
central role in the game, this is one worth reading.
The Old Republic: Revan
Writer: Drew Karpyshyn
Publisher: LucasBooks | Price: $27.00
What it is: Ever since the release of the Knights of the Old Republic video game, fans of
Darth Revan
have wondered about the fate of this compelling villain-turned-hero.
Where did he disappear to at the end of the game? What mysterious threat
was he trying to uncover? This novel finally answers those questions.
Taking place both between the two KOTOR games and after, it reunites any
of the major players and continues the saga of Revan and the Jedi
Exile. It also introduces several key figures who will play a central
role in The Old Republic.
Should you read it? If you're intrigued by Revan – and most Star
Wars gamers are – you'll want to give this book a shot. It focuses not
just on him, but also KOTOR favorites like Bastila Shan, Canderous Ordo,
Meetra Surik, and even faithful T3-M4. The book also provides the first
real glimpse of the Sith Emperor, the central villain behind the events
of The Old Republic.
That said, the novel has elicited a mixed reaction from fans. In a way
it does diminish the villains of the two KOTOR games as it reveals their
connections to the Sith Empire. It also lacks a truly satisfying
finish, instead paving the way for The Old Republic. But still, Drew
Karpyshyn continues Revan's story well, and the book sheds much more
light on what the character's role in this new game will be.
Writers: Various | Artists: Various
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics | Price: $24.99 each
What it is: The Old Republic takes place some 3500 years before
the Star Wars movies. However, the comics have explored even further
back in the timeline. The various stories collected in the two Tales of
the Jedi Omnibuses explore the early clashes between the Jedi Order and
the Sith as far back as 5000 years before the films. These books debuted
some of the earliest heroes in Star Wars mythology, including the Sith
Lords Naga Sadow and Exar Kun and the Jedi Ulic Qel-Droma.
Should you read it? There's no direct tie between these comics
and The Old Republic, as these were created in the early '90s when the
Expanded Universe was still in its infancy. However, much of the
mythology present here forms a foundation for the events of The Old
Republic. These stories provide a clearer picture of what led to the
downfall of the Sith Empire and why they remained hidden for 1000 years.
The omnibuses collect a variety of interconnected mini-series set over
the course of 1000 years. With various creative teams responsible for
the stories, it goes without saying that some are better than others.
And in general, the art quality (particularly the coloring) doesn't
quite measure up to current standards. But as a glimpse of a little
explored portion of the Star Wars timeline, these omnibuses are
essential.
Courtesy --- comics.ign.com
