The Empire Strikes Back turned 40 this year, which means it’s time for the film to get a book exploring side characters, the lives of space creatures, and the perspective of the cave on Dagobah where Luke Skywalker sees his face in Darth Vader’s helmet. (Seriously. It sounds kind of amazing.) In June, Del Rey announced the 40 authors participating in From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back, the follow-up to From a Certain Point of View: Star Wars. Today, the publisher shared a few more details about the characters and settings on which these new stories focus. And there are some real good ones.
Tracy Deonn writes from the perspective of that fateful cave in “Vergence”:
I still cannot believe they let me write a story from the perspective of THE CAVE OF EVIL ON DAGOBAH!
But you better believe I *ran* with it! This story is weird, dark & lyrical and I love it. Can't wait for y'all to meet this vergence in the Force.#FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack https://t.co/iuK0Jjrojt
— Tracy Demonn Hunter 😈⚔️🎃 On Hiatus (@tracydeonn) October 6, 2020
Even as a Force ghost, Obi-Wan Kenobi has some feelings about being caught up with the Skywalker family again:
The problem with Skywalkers is that they care too much. Obi-Wan knows. He’s always known. #StarWars #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/4PFHLY1esH
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
Mark Oshiro considers the wampa:
2- Did you ever hear the tragedy of the wampa on Hoth? @MarkDoesStuff #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/OK7mWcbM2e
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
Toryn Farr, who coordinated the evacuation from Hoth, gets her moment in Emily Skrutskie’s “Ion Control”:
FIRE!
My short story in #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack is about two things:
1. how hard it is to do your job when your crisis of faith is boiling over all at once
2. how hard it is to do your job when Han Solo and Leia Organa are in the same room https://t.co/nPZUwZywQi
— Emily Skrutskie 🚀 (@skrutskie) October 6, 2020
Catherynne M. Valente investigates the life of the space slug:
20 – A mind-bending, beautiful weird tale across the vast expanse of time and space, along the Road of All Moons.
This is the space slug. The exogorth.@catvalente #StarWars #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/fCzg2A4jCI
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
Tireless Imperial officer Rae Sloane is always having a bad day, and John Jackson Miller’s “Darth Vader Will See You Now” is no exception:
When Darth Vader thinks you've failed him, you can run — or you can be Rae Sloane.
I return to writing Rae by ruining her day in "Darth Vader Will See You Now" in FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK from @DelReyStarWars Nov. 10! #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack https://t.co/jWUJ7QmNEJ
— John Jackson Miller (@jjmfaraway) October 6, 2020
Daniel José Older—or is it Paraseen Parapa?—is here to profile 4-LOM and Zuckuss:
Parazeen has landed the magazine profile of a lifetime: Fabled bounty hunting duo 4-LOM and Zuckuss. But their editor has a few notes about the story.
@djolder #StarWars #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/p2IfM2kxaj
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
Lilliam Rivera delves into the world of Boba Fett superfans:
A wannabe bounty hunter, marooned on a city in the clouds, faces a choice. Follow the love of her life, or meet her hero that could make all her dreams come true.
Never meet your heroes. @lilliamr #StarWars #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/mTwFlIRQcN
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
Martha Wells explores the depths of Cloud City’s Ugnaught Town:
Discover what goes on beneath the gleaming corridors of Cloud City. @marthawells1 #StarWars #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/wwE6wmgfBz
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
And the Whills would like a word about how this story goes:
The problem with chronicling the story of #StarWars is deciding where to begin…or rather, continue.
Everyone’s got an opinion. #FromaCertainPOVStrikesBack pic.twitter.com/jfJ7J8gS3F
— Star Wars Books (@DelReyStarWars) October 6, 2020
More stories focus on everyone from Wedge Antilles to Luke’s droid doctor to the cook who had to prepare the intense Cloud City spread that Darth Vader loomed over (and presumably didn’t eat). From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back is out November 10th.