Some of you might already have seen this but I wanted to share it nonetheless since I am very, and I mean VERY, excited about it: the blurb for Star Wars: Catalyst by James Luceno has been released! As we gear up towards the release of Rogue One this book couldn’t be more relevant!

War is tearing the galaxy apart. For years the Republic and the Separatists have battled across the stars, each building more and more deadly technology in an attempt to win the war. As a member of Chancellor Palpatine’s top secret Death Star project, Orson Krennic is determined to develop a super weapon before their enemies can. And an old friend of Krennic’s, the brilliant scientist Galen Erso, could be the key.

Galen’s energy-focused research has captured the attention of both Krennic and his foes, making the scientist a crucial pawn in the galactic conflict. But after Krennic rescues Galen, his wife, Lyra, and their young daughter, Jyn, from Separatist kidnappers, the Erso family is deeply in Krennic’s debt. Krennic then offers Galen an extraordinary opportunity: to continue his scientific studies with every resource put utterly at his disposal. While Galen and Lyra believe that his energy research will be used purely in altruistic ways, Krennic has other plans that will finally make the Death Star a reality. Trapped in their benefactor’s tightening grasp, the Ersos must untangle Krennic’s web of deception to save themselves and the galaxy itself.

Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel will be released by Century (in the UK) on the 17th of November, which should give all of us plenty of time to get to know the background to Rogue One. So let’s break down this synopsis real quick:

Catalyst seems very solidly set in the Prequel-era, with the Republic still in place and the Empire only a shadow on the horizon. This means I’m keeping my fingers crossed for random mentions of my favourite Prequel characters. It also means our thoughts about Rogue One as a “Prequel Sequel” aren’t completely off.  It will also be really interesting to see how characters such as Krennic fit into the already established narrative of the Prequels and the Clone Wars.

I’m also hoping we find out more about ‘Chancellor Palpatine’s top secret Death Star project’. As we know from the Prequels, the Death Star was a Geonosian invention, being developed there for Dooku and Darth Sidious. How much of the Death Star was already developed then? And what still needs to be done to it? It will be great to find out more about the role of Galen Erso in all this and I think that the idea of “clean energy” being abused for warfare is a very topical one. We now also have a name for Jyn’s mother, Lyra, who we haven’t seen in any of the Rogue One material so I fear for her in Catalyst.

So, who is excited for Catalyst?