The first season of The Mandalorian, which launched with the Disney+ streaming platform
in 2019, has proven a huge success with both critics and audiences.
As its eight episodes rolled out, the Star Wars franchise seemed to achieve something
it hasn't had in years: a unified fanbase.
Being near-universally beloved is not something that comes easily for Star Wars anymore.
The Force Awakens was a crowd-pleaser, but faced criticism for its adherence to the classic
Star Wars formula.
The Last Jedi proved bitterly divisive among fans who either loved or hated it.
And then there's The Rise of Skywalker…
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
Rise of Skywalker instantly took the dubious distinction of being the worst-reviewed of
all the live-action Star Wars movies.
On top of all that, there are still the ongoing debates as to the merits of the prequel trilogy
and the expanded universe canon.
All of this is to say that The Mandalorian's success is important for the franchise's good
name, and for the fans.
And that means those fans want more Mandalorian and they want it ASAP.
Unfortunately, one new adventure for our lone hunter and cub just got delayed.
In June 2020, Disney and Lucasfilm revealed a full line-up of Mandalorian-related books
designed to sate the appetite of fans eagerly awaiting season 2, which is set to arrive
in October 2020.
Among the promised titles are in-depth tie-ins like The Art of The Mandalorian and The Ultimate
Visual Guide, a junior novelization for young adults, a pair of kids' storybooks, and an
as-yet untitled Mandalorian original novel.
Many of these might seem insignificant to the average adult reader, but we're talking
about Star Wars here.
Every Star Wars background player and location inevitably gets its own action figure or playset
because fans are obsessed about understanding every square millimeter of the universe.
Even a junior novelization might hold some teeny detail for fans to salivate over and
speculate about.
Obviously, though, the two big titles there are The Art of The Mandalorian and that untitled
original novel, both set for a December 2020 release.
As of now, the art book is still on schedule, but on August 3, 2020, Del Rey Publishing
tweeted that The Mandalorian novel's release date has been moved back to the fall of 2021.
There isn't a lot known about the original Mandalorian novel so far.
Its author, Adam Christopher, has written books for several other pop culture licenses,
including Stranger Things, Dishonored, and Elementary.
Christopher has also written for Star Wars before, as one of the authors of Star Wars:
"From a certain point of view."
"A certain point of view?"
Yes, Luke, Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View - a short story anthology retelling
the events of the original Star Wars movie from the perspectives of various supporting
characters.
As to exactly why the book is delayed, unfortunately, we don't have an explanation.
While many might jump to the conclusion that the release was stymied by the ongoing pandemic,
there's been no indication that that's the case.
Christopher's comments regarding the alteration were simple, as he tweeted:
"Fear not, fellow Covert members!
THE MANDALORIAN will hit the shelves next year, and you will *not* be disappointed."
Fortunately, there are other Star Wars books still coming out between now and fall 2021.
In addition to The Mandalorian art book, there's Alex Segura's Poe Dameron: Free Fall, released
on August 4.
Segura's book focuses on a teenage Poe, the strained relationship he has with his father,
and the early adventures that lead to his relationship with Zorii Bliss.
Popular Star Wars novelist Timothy Zahn is returning to the character who made him such
a popular author with Star Wars: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising, Book 1, slated to arrive on
September 1, 2020.
The new novel, much like Segura's Poe Dameron adventure, is set in the past, long before
Thrawn became a famed general.
The story follows his first command.
And, of course, early 2021 will see the release of Star Wars: The High Republic, a major new
initiative that will span both across books and comics featuring stories set some 200
years before the Skywalker Saga.
Basically, there's plenty to chew on in the land of Star Wars books.
And furthermore, The Mandalorian's second season is just a scant few months away, set
to stream on Disney+ in October 2020.
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