Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (novel)
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| Author |
George Lucas (characters) Steve Perry (novel) John Wagner (comic) |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Canon C |
| Subject | Star Wars |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Publisher |
LucasArts (video game) Bantam Books (novel) Dark Horse Comics (comic) |
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Publication date
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December 20, 1996 |
| Media type |
Paperback, Computer and video games: Nintendo 64, Windows |
| Shadows of the Empire | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publishing company | Dark Horse Comics |
| Subject | Star Wars |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| Release date(s) | 1 May 1996 - 1 October 1996 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Number of pages | 32 each |
| Expanded Universe | |
| Era | Galactic Civil War |
| Canon | C |
| Preceded by | The Water Bandits |
| Followed by | The Darker |
| Script writer | John Wagner |
| Cover artist(s) | Hugh Fleming |
| Penciller(s) | Kilian Plunkett |
| Inker(s) | P. Craig Russell |
| Colorist(s) | Cary Porter |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo Power Magazine |
| Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album to the novel Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire by Joel McNeely | |
| Released | April 23, 1996 |
| Recorded | City Hall; Glasgow, 1996 |
| Genre | Classical |
| Length | 51:27 |
| Label | Varèse Sarabande |
| Producer | Robert Townson |
| Soundtrack | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
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| SoundtrackNet |
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| FilmTracks |
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| Soundtrack-Express |
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| iTunes |
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Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire is a multimedia project created by Lucasfilm Ltd. in 1996. The original idea was to create a story set between the films The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi (a time no Star Wars novel had explored before), and to explore all commercial possibilities of a full motion picture release, without actually making the film. The venture paved the way for the theatrical release of the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition in the following year, and the later releases of the prequel trilogy.
Several products were released, including a novel, a Junior novelization, comic book series, video games, trading cards, a soundtrack, role-playing games, toy figurines, vinyl dolls, a series of Micro Machines toys, statuettes, model kits, a series of action figures and vehicles, and so on. The entire Shadows of the Empire project, along with The Force Unleashed, though not technically a film, can be collectively considered the closest project to a film in the Star Wars official continuity, without actually being a film. This story is significant in that Lucas reportedly said he would have made a story like this into a movie if he had had the time and effort to do so back in the early 1980s.
The main plotline is told in Steve Perry's novel, Shadows of the Empire, published by Bantam Books. It introduces Prince Xizor, the alien overlord of the largest criminal organization in the galaxy. His goal is to take Darth Vader's place at Emperor Palpatine's side. The novel also resumes the storylines of the usual characters. Han Solo is still frozen in carbonite, being taken to the gangster Jabba the Hutt by the bounty hunter Boba Fett. It shows Princess Leia's secret search for Boba Fett, the construction of Luke Skywalker's new lightsaber and Darth Vader's search for his son. It introduces a new character to the saga, Dash Rendar, a Han Solo-type smuggler, who acts primarily as a replacement for Han Solo and as a part of the action sequences.
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Wikipedia