STEVE PERRY

THATS NO MOON. Obi-Wan Kenobi The Death Stars name says it all, with bone-chilling accuracy. It is a virtual world unto itselfequipped with uncanny power for a singularly brutal purpose: to obliterate entire planets in the blink of an eye. Its annihilation of the planet Alderaan, at the merciless command of Grand Moff Tarkin, lives in infamy. And its own ultimate destruction, at the hands of Luke Skywalker, is the stuff of legend. But what is the whole story, and who are the players, behind the creation of this world-killing satellite of doom? The near extermination of the Jedi order cleared the way for Palpatinepower-hungry Senator and Sith Lordto seize control of the Republic, declare himself Emperor, and usher in a fearsome, totalitarian regime. But even with the dreaded Darth Vader enforcing Palpatines sinister will, the threat of rebellion still looms. And the Emperor knows that only abject fearand the ability to punish dissent with devastating consequencescan ensure his unchallenged control of the galaxy. Enter ambitious and ruthless government official Wilhuff Tarkin, architect of the Emperors terrifying dream come true. From inception to completion, construction of the unprecedented Death Star is awash in the intrigues, hidden agendas, unexpected revelations, and daring gambits of those involved on every level. The brightest minds and boldest egos, the most ambitious and corrupt, the desperate and the devious, all have a stake in the Death Starand its potential to control the fate of the galaxy. Soldiers and slaves, loyalists and Rebels, spies andavengers, the innocent and the evilall their paths and fates will cross and intertwine as the Death Star moves from its maiden voyage to its final showdown. And a shadowy chapter of Star Wars history is stunningly illuminated in a thrilling, unforgettable adventure.

Mientras las Guerras Clon desatan el caos por toda la galaxia, la situación es desesperada en el mundo de Drongar, donde las fuerzas de la República libran una lucha feroz contra los separatistas... La anunciada ofensiva del enemigo empieza cuando los separatistas lanzan al ataque sus legiones de droides. Las tropas de carne y hueso de la Republica no son rivales para el duracero de los droides de combate, por muchos refuerzos que tengan. En ninguna parte resulta eso mas crudo que en la caldeada selva de Jasserak, donde los medicos y enfermeras de una pequeña unidad medica afrontan una situacion imposible. Cuando los muertos y los heridos empiezan a amontonarse, los cirujanos Jos Vandar y Kornell Uli Divini se dan cuenta que se les acaba el tiempo. Hasta las habilidades Jedi de la padawan Barris Offee se ven forzadas al limite. Le espera una prueba que bien podria llevarla a su muerte, y a la de incontables seres.

La Guerra civil entre la República y los separatistas se recrudece en la galaxia, pero en ningún lugar se lucha con más fiereza que en el mundo pantanoso de Drongar, donde una asediada unidad médica libra su propia e interminable guerra. Un medico que disimula su desesperacion con sarcasmos Otro que mira de frente a la muerte y al sufrimiento, desahogando sus emociones tocando musica Una enfermera que pone el corazon en su trabajo, mientras pone los ojos en otro de ellos Una padawan Jedi sin su Maestra, desplazada hasta alli en una mision humanitaria Estos son los principales miembros de una pequeña unidad medica que sirve en el mundo de Drongar, donde se libra una batalla por la explotacion de una valiosa planta nativa. Alli, cerca del frente, una interminable procesion de aeroambulancias transporta heridos y moribundos de todas las especies conocidas, si bien la mayoria son soldados clon. Mientras los medicos trabajan desesperadamente para salvar vidas, hay quien piensa obtener un beneficio de esa guerra, ya sea traficando en el mercado negro o manipulando los mismos acontecimientos de la guerra. Pero, al final, todos deberan afrontar una prueba personal, y solo los de corazon compasivo y espiritu fuerte sobreviviran para volver a luchar al dia siguiente

At the end of the twenty-fourth century, war is fought in a civilized manner: Each side hires mercenaries to engage in combat in specifically designated areas. To the victor go the spoilswhatever they may be After a couple of assignments involving more intrigue and skulduggery than the Cutter Force Initiative ever wanted, the unit is looking forward to being part of a straight-up, short-term industrial war on Earth. Cutter agrees to a support role offered by an old Army comrade whos now a general in a larger military force. The pay is good, the unit happy. All they have to do is basic ranger stuff: sneak and peek, shoot and scoot. But what starts out as a corporate fight to occupy a valuable piece of contested territory quickly goes sideways, and once again Cutter and crew find themselves in the middle of situations in which things arent as they seem, and the unit must determine the truthor lose more than just a battle.

After their old headquarters were demolished by a competing security firm, the Star Risk, Ltd. team moved into swanky new offices. Unfortunately, there havent been any customers to impressuntil the Reverend Josiah Williams drops by. He represents a group of oppressed union workers from the planet Aretegal, and he would like the team to put a stranglehold on all shipping in the area. He also offers them a check for one million credits, which doesnt hurt. But where Star Risk goes, trouble follows. And before long, the rogues of Star Risk are forced to ask; what good are a million credits if you arent alive to spend it?

At the close of the twenty-fourth century, a series of revolutions has caused the galaxy to descend into chaos. With the Galactic Union Army stretched thin, mercenary units have arisen for those who have the needand the meansto hire them Kay, the alien member of the Cutter Force Initiative, has returned to her brutal home world of Vast on a mission of mercy. Before she joined the merc team, she was a great healer. And now her skills are sorely needed. Hundreds of Vastalimiincluding her blood-kinare dying mysteriously. But is the plague a work of nature? Or is it a bioengineered virus, purposefully unleashed? Kay and Doc Wink will have to find out the hard way. With the Cutter Force light-years away, the two find the odds against themand on a planet like Vast, where violence abounds and life is cheap, they may be facing a foe they cant defeat

Shadows of the Empire illuminates the shadowy outlines of a criminal conspiracy that exists in the background of the events in the movies, ruled by a character new to us. Prince Xizor is a mastermind of evil who dares to oppose one of the best-known fictional villains of all time: Darth Vader. The story involves all the featured Star Wars movie characters, plus Emperor Palpatine and, of course, Lord Vader himself.Features a bonus section following the novel that includes a primer on the Star Wars expanded universe, and over half a dozen excerpts from some of the most popular Star Wars books of the last thirty years!