Star Wars Release Day: Life Debt By Chuck Wendig

Life Debt, the second book in the Aftermath trilogy by Chuck Wendig, releases in hardcover in stores today! Check out the cover, synopsis, and early reviews below.

War, adventure, and a little Han Solo swagger (okay, maybe a lot) are what you can expect in Life Debt, the second book in the Aftermath trilogy, by Chuck Wendig, which releases in hardback in stores today.

The trilogy takes place just shortly after the events of Return of the Jedi, with Life Debt  promising to show us a plethora of New Republic-era trivia goodies, including a pregnant Leia, a cameo from Maz Kanata, and a big reveal regarding a certain Imperial fleet admiral who remained curiously anonymous through the end of the first book.

Read the synopsis of Life Debt, from its listing on Amazon.

"It is a dark time for the Empire. . . . The Emperor is dead, and the remnants of his former Empire are in retreat. As the New Republic fights to restore a lasting peace to the galaxy, some dare to imagine new beginnings and new destinies. For Han Solo, that means settling his last outstanding debt, by helping Chewbacca liberate the Wookiee’s homeworld of Kashyyyk.Meanwhile, Norra Wexley and her band of Imperial hunters pursue Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and the Empire’s remaining leadership across the galaxy. Even as more and more officers are brought to justice, Sloane continues to elude the New Republic, and Norra fears Sloane may be searching for a means to save the crumbling Empire from oblivion. But the hunt for Sloane is cut short when Norra receives an urgent request from Princess Leia Organa. The attempt to liberate Kashyyyk has carried Han Solo, Chewbacca, and a band of smugglers into an ambush—resulting in Chewie’s capture and Han’s disappearance.Breaking away from their official mission and racing toward the Millennium Falcon’s last known location, Norra and her crew prepare for any challenge that stands between them and their missing comrades. But they can’t anticipate the true depth of the danger that awaits them—or the ruthlessness of the enemy drawing them into his crosshairs."

The buzz from early reviewers of Life Debt are positive. We’ve gathered some of them below to give you a taste of what to expect.

From Bria of Star Wars fan site and podcast hub Tosche Station:

"“Life Debt absolutely blew Aftermath away for me.  I enjoyed every last second I spent reading the book.”"

From Ross Johnson of B&N Sci Fi Fantasy Blog:

"“At the trilogy’s midpoint, we’re racing deeper into the mystery of those missing 30 years, even as the story continues to explore new corners of the galaxy and introduce diverse new characters. While it’s too soon to say where we’ll be come Empire’s End early next year, there’s no denying it: Chuck Wendig has changed Star Wars forever.”"

From Den of Geek (via Amazon):

"“The Star Wars universe is fresh and new again, and just as rich and mysterious as it always was.”"

More from Dork Side of the Force

• Daniel José Older named a High Republic Adventures character after someone special
• How animation changed Star Wars: Ewoks and Droids
• Kelleran Beq comes to Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
• The Mandalorian’s Pedro Pascal becomes No. 1 on IMDb’s Starmeter for 2023
• Unwrapping the Star Wars LEGO Advent Calendar: Day 7

The response to Aftermath from many a fan when it was released September 2015 was downright vitriolic due to a variety of different factors. Some simply didn’t feel comfortable with Chuck Wendig’s unique third person present tense (“he holds the lightsaber”) writing style. Others couldn’t accept the new story line Aftermath presented in an era where the Expanded Universe stories, now known as Legends, were the only canon for ten or twenty years before the Lucasfilm story group wiped the in-universe history books clean.

It’s hard to let go; but now that fans have had almost a year to absorb this new state of canon Star Wars resides in, Life Debt may be easier to swallow. The Force Awakens lends additional excitement to the prospect of reading Life Debt, because, as alluded to earlier, references to that film and time period are guaranteed to abound. If you liked Episode VII, Life Debt will be a can’t-miss story.

Next: 5 Questions We Need Answered In The New Rogue One Trailer

If you’re still not convinced you want to read it, keep checking Dork Side for our impending review. Otherwise, pick up Life Debt by Chuck Wendig at your favorite book store or online retailer in hardback or e-book format TODAY!