John Jackson Miller is writing a new Star Wars novel

Star Wars author John Jackson Miller is writing a brand-new novel set in a galaxy far, far away — and the release date for the new Star Wars book isn’t as far away as you think.

The upcoming novel, called The Living Force, is set one year before the events of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It will feature all 12 members of the Jedi Council at the time, including Yoda, Mace Windu, Yaddle, and more.

“A grand adventure featuring every member of the Jedi Council in the year before Episode I,” the author wrote on Twitter to accompany the announcement.

John Jackson Miller has written books and comics set in the Star Wars universe for over a decade. The tenth anniversary of Star Wars: Kenobi was celebrated at the end of August 2023. He also wrote A New Dawn, featuring Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla, published in 2014. He is also responsible for the Knights of the Old Republic comic series by Dark Horse.

Until now, E.K. Johnston’s Queen’s Peril novel was the closest story to The Phantom Menace in canon, in terms of books — the book overlapped some of the events of the film from the handmaidens’ and Queen Amidala’s perspectives.

Not many books or comics in canon have touched the timeline between The High Republic era and The Phantom Menace, so this story will likely tie together many elements of both eras when telling a new story from the perspective of Jedi Masters.

Since The High Republic era is slowing down its release schedule in 2024, it will be refreshing to mix in more books set at different points throughout the ever-growing Star Wars timeline.

The Living Force by John Jackson Miller is set to release in April 2024.

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