In what sounds like a name for a Star Wars villain-starring A-Team story, Inferno Squad is a newly announced novel set just after Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (thus during A New Hope) to be written by Christie Golden. Inferno Squad, who will hunt the remaining Partisans once led by Saw Gerrera, will heat up book shelves July 25, but until then check out the sparse initial details below and expect more news at Celebration Orlando 2017 in April.
Here’s the description released with the announcement:
“The Rebellion may have heroes like Jyn Erso and Luke Skywalker. But the Empire has Inferno Squad.
After the humiliating theft of the Death Star plans and the resulting destruction of the battle station, the Empire is on the defensive. In response to this stunning defeat, the Imperial Navy has authorized the formation of an elite team of soldiers, known as Inferno Squad. Their mission: infiltrate and eliminate the remnants of Saw Gerrera’s Partisans. Following the death of their leader, the Partisans have carried on his extremist legacy, determined to thwart the Empire — no matter what the cost. Now, Inferno Squad must prove their status as the best of the best and take down the Partisans from within. But as the danger intensifies and the threat of discovery grows, how far will Inferno Squad go to ensure the safety of the Empire?”
Several of the new canon novels have offered an unprecedented look at the galaxy through the eyes of the Imperials and Inferno Squad sounds like the closest thing we’ll get to a Twilight Company-like novel for the Empire’s troops. But even more exciting is the idea we’ll get to see inside Saw Gerrera’s Partisans, possibly learning some of its history too, as they’ve been left largely unexplained though the consequences of their more aggressive actions have been felt both in Rogue One and other novels (including Bloodline). The upcoming YA novel Rebel Rising, starring a younger Jyn Erso, will also give us an inside look at the Partisans (albeit at a much different time), but it’ll be interesting to see if there’ll be any connections between these two books (like say a Partisan member in Rebel Rising still alive by the time of Inferno Squad).
Christie Golden previously authored Dark Disciple to middling results, where the book was an exciting thrill ride thanks to being based on 8 unproduced The Clone Wars scripts, but it felt like it adhered way too closely to them instead of trying to adapt them more fully for a novel. Considering Inferno Squad will full of new characters and isn’t based on any scripts, Golden won’t be beholden to anything and allowed to flex her writing muscles a bit, which we’ll find out is a good or bad thing come July 25.
Consider me slightly optimistic about this novel, but there’s simply not enough details at this time to truly feel one way or another. Expect more info, along with other novel reveals, at April’s Celebration Orlando 2017, which I’ll be covering for the Manor!
UPDATE: The novel is now being called Battlefront II: Inferno Squad, as it is a tie-in for the upcoming game, while it’ll continue the story of the novel’s main character Iden Versio in its singleplayer campaign. More details here!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
SEE ALSO:
Rogue One Character Novels Expand Jyn, Chirrut, and Baze Backstories
You Can Read the Rogue One Comic Adaptation in April…the Captain Said So
Movie Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (by Ryan)
Canon Novel Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (by Chris)
Canon Novel Review: Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel (by Ryan)
Soundtrack Review: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (by Elliot)
Young Reader Review: Rogue One: Rebel Dossier (by Chris)
Canon Reference Book Review: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide (by Chris)
CANON NOVEL REVIEWS:
Aftermath | Aftermath: Life Debt
Bloodline
Battlefront: Twilight Company
Dark Disciple
Lords of the Sith
Tarkin
A New Dawn
Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (by Chris)
Heir to the Jedi
CANON YOUNG ADULT NOVEL REVIEWS:
Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure
The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure
Lost Stars
Before the Awakening
Ahsoka
LEGENDS NOVEL REVIEWS:
Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void
Kenobi