Next wave of Star Wars Essential Legends includes Death Troopers, Darth Maul, Rogue Squadron book 3

Star Wars is once again asking fans to make some room on their bookshelves. The next wave of Star Wars Essential Legends paperbacks has just been announced, and it includes Death Troopers, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, and Rogue Squadron book 3: The Krytos Trap.

Here’s a first look at the titles releasing on Aug. 2.

Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

Death Troopers, along with its subsequent prequel Red Harvest, fuses Star Wars and horror and is set about a year before the events of A New Hope. There’s a broken down Imperial prison barge, a creepy, seemingly abandoned Star Destroyer, and a horrifying contagious disease that essentially turns stormtroopers into zombies.

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is set right before the events of The Phantom Menace. The book follows Darth Maul during his apprenticeship to Darth Sidious, who orders him to hunt down a Neimoidian whom the Sith lord believes betrayed him. It also follows a Jedi Padawan and a man who now holds one of Sidious’ most dangerous secrets.

The Krytos Trap: Book 3 of Rogue Squadron

The Rogue Squadron series is one of the most popular and action-packed of the Legends group. The first two books in the series — Rogue Squadron and Wedge’s Gamble — have already been rereleased as Essential Legends.

The third book, The Krytos Trap, brings back Rebel heroes Tycho Celchu and Corran Horn. This time, however, Tycho is on trial and being accused of murdering Corran, who’s actually still alive but captured by ruthless Imperial leader Ysanne Isard.

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter and The Krytos Trap will also get new unabridged audiobook editions on Aug. 2.

Over a year ago, Star Wars book publisher Del Rey announced the Essential Legends Collection — a collection revamping some of the most popular Legends stories with new trade paperback formats and new cover art.

The rerelease schedule has been a way for longtime Star Wars book lovers to add to their collections and revisit the (no longer canon) expanded universe. And, of course, to attract new fans to some of the richest storytelling in the galaxy.

Here’s what has been rereleased so far in the Essential Legends Collection:

• Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
• Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn
• The Last Command by Timothy Zahn
• Darth Bane: Path of Destruction by Drew Karpyshyn
• Darth Bane: Rule of Two by Drew Karpyshyn
• Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil by Drew Karpyshyn
• Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover
• Rogue Squadron by Michael A. Stackpole
• Wedge’s Gamble by Michael A. Stackpole
• Kenobi by John Jackson Miller
• Darth Plagueis by James Luceno

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