Every Star Wars novel coming out in 2020 (so far)

Star Wars movie releases may be slowing down, but the expanded universe is still growing. There will be no shortage of new reading material this year.

Now that the Skywalker saga has ended, it’s time for the Star Wars expanded universe to shine! With both The Clone Wars and The Mandalorian returning on Disney+ this year, the fandom is already getting more content than anyone could have imagined in a single year a decade ago.

And that’s not including the books and comics set to release in 2020.

The Rise of Skywalker novelization

Release date: March 17, 2020

There’s only so much story a movie can tell. And since this is the end of an over 40-year saga, there’s no better place than a novel adaptation to expand upon the mere two and a half hours we got from The Rise of Skywalker in December 2019.

Next month, Rae Carson (Star Wars: Most Wanted) will return to Star Wars publishing and take on a huge (but likely worthwhile) challenge: Filling in the gaps left by the film’s many limitations and making an already epic conclusion even better.

Queen’s Peril

Release date: June 2, 2020

Those who have wondered about Queen Amidala’s life before coming face-to-face with the Trade Federation won’t want to miss this young adult novel, now set to release in early June of this year.

In this prequel to Queen’s Shadow, E.K. Johnston (Ahsoka) will build upon what we already know about Padmé Amidala and her ever-faithful group of handmaidens. This book will take place prior to the events of Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall

Release date: June 23, 2020

Alexander Freed’s Alphabet Squadron introduced readers to a reluctant group of fighter pilots assigned to seek out and destroy what remained of the Galactic Empire after the Battle of Endor. Now the squadron is back — and in even more danger than before.

Yrica and her fellow pilots return in June to fight against the man she once considered a mentor and leader. Whether or not her loyalty will stay on the side of her new allies remains to be determined.

Poe Dameron: Free Fall

Release date: August 4, 2020

We’ve seen hotshot pilot Poe Dameron in action plenty of times at this point, both onscreen and in his own solo comic series. But there’s still not much we know about his life before he joined Leia Organa’s Resistance.

Star Wars newcomer Alex Segura will take us back to explore Poe’s origins. When the sudden death of his mother sends him on a quest to find his true purpose in the galaxy, chaos ensues. There may or may not be illegal spice running involved.

Thrawn: The Ascendency Trilogy — Chaos Rising

Release date: October 6, 2020

Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of few characters that has successfully and seamlessly migrated from legends to canon material. We know him well from his first canon trilogy, as well as his appearances in Rebels. This October, it’s time for yet another prequel trilogy.

Timothy Zahn returns yet again to flesh out the story of the character he originally created back when Star Wars books were still relatively new and lesser-known. This trilogy will focus on Thrawn’s life before joining the Empire.

Surprise book announcements aren’t uncommon these days, so we may have more updates for you as the year goes on. Stay tuned!

At the time of writing this roundup, the details of Project Luminous have yet to be revealed! Check back on February 24 for updates on this top-secret publishing initiative, which will likely include even more books to add to your pre-order list.