Ossus Library Index Star Wars Timeline

DARK FORCES

1. SOLDIER FOR THE EMPIRE
    ***+ Feb/00
2. REBEL AGENT
    ** Feb/01
3. JEDI KNIGHT
    * May/01
ALL TIMELINES


CLASSIC ERA


BEFORE STAR WARS
-17 YEARS

CORUSCANT NIGHTS
1.  JEDI TWILIGHT
2.  STREET OF SHADOWS
3.  PATTERNS OF FORCE

-10 YEARS
BRIDGE NOVEL
 DEATH STAR
HAN SOLO TRILOGY
 1. THE PARADISE SNARE
 2. THE HUTT GAMBIT
LANDO CALRISSIAN ADVENTURES
 1. MINDHARP OF SHARU
 2. FLAMEWIND OF OSEON
 3. STARCAVE OF THONBOKA

-5 YEARS
HAN SOLO TRILOGY
 3. REBEL DAWN
HAN SOLO ADVENTURES
 1. AT STARS END
 2. HAN SOLO'S REVENGE
 3. THE LOST LEGACY
DROIDS ADVENTURES
 1. KALARBA ADVENTURES
 2. REBELLION

-1 YEAR
PLAGUE
 1. DEATH TROOPERS

-0 YEARS
BOBA FETT
 SALVAGE
 ENEMY OF THE EMPIRE
DARK FORCES
 1. SOLDIER FOR THE EMPIRE
UNDERWORLD
 THE YAVIN VASSILIKA
X-WING: ROGUE SQUADRON
 0. ROGUE SQUADRON PREQUEL
EMPIRE
 1. BETRAYAL
 2. DARKLIGHTER
 3. THE IMPERIAL PERSPECTIVE
 4. HEART OF THE REBELLION
BRIDGE NOVEL
 THE FORCE UNLEASHED
 THE FORCE UNLEASHED II

----YEAR ZERO----
EPISODE IV
 A NEW HOPE

AFTER STAR WARS
+0 YEARS

STAR WARS TALES
 1. MOS EISLEY CANTINA
GALAXY OF FEAR
 1. EATEN ALIVE
 2. CITY OF THE DEAD
 3. PLANET PLAGUE
 4. NIGHTMARE MACHINE
 5. GHOST OF THE JEDI
 6. ARMY OF TERROR
CLASSIC COMICS
 VADER'S QUEST
JABBA THE HUTT
 THE ART OF THE DEAL
EMPIRE
 5. ALLIES AND ADVERSARIES
 6. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THEIR FATHERS

+1 YEAR
NEWSPAPER STRIPS
 1. THE EARLY ADVENTURES
 2. IN DEADLY PURSUIT
 3. THE REBEL STORM
 4. ESCAPE TO HOTH
GALAXY OF FEAR
 7. BRAIN SPIDERS
 8. THE SWARM
 9. SPORE

+2 YEARS
EPISODE IV BRIDGE
 SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE
GALAXIES
 THE RUINS OF DANTOOINE
GALAXY OF FEAR
 10. THE DOOMSDAY SHIP
 11. CLONES
 12. THE HUNGER
EPISODE IV BRIDGE
 ALLEGIANCE
 CHOICES OF ONE
 WINNER LOSE ALL

+3 YEARS
EPISODE V
 THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
STAR WARS TALES
 2. THE BOUNTY HUNTERS
EPISODE V BRIDGE
 SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE
BOUNTY HUNTERS
 SCOUNDREL'S WAGES

+4 YEARS
EPISODE VI
 RETURN OF THE JEDI
STAR WARS TALES
 3. JABBA'S PALACE
BOUNTY HUNTER WARS
 1. THE MANDALORIAN ARMOR
 2. SLAVE SHIP
 3. HARD MERCHANDISE
MARA JADE
 BY THE EMPEROR'S HAND
ALL TIMELINES

SOLDIER FOR THE EMPIRE

An illustrated novel by William C. Dietz and Dean Williams (1998, Dark Horse Comics)
Dark Forces, book 1
Just before Star Wars: A New Hope

Kyle Katarn graduates from the Imperial Academy, but then deserts to the Rebel Alliance.

 

 

B++

Read 5th to 6th, 2000  
    I was wondering how they would turn a game into a series of novels.  Since this one represents the backstory to the game, I'm still hoping.  But based on the last chapter, which is the first level of Dark Forces, I have my doubts. 

  The story also started out weak.  It felt stilted, when dealing with Jerec and Kyle's father.  That, of course, is back story for a later book, probably Jedi Knight.  It seems that Kyle's father has force abilities, but is afraid to use them.  Jerec is a Dark Jedi, and wants Katarn alive.  But when he is captured as a Rebel leader on a raid, Jerec ends up killing him.

  His son, Kyle, is about to graduate from the Imperial Academy, on Carida.  We really get inside his head as he performs his first command mission, against a Rebel communications outpost.  There, he kills his first person, and learns to master the fear inside him.  He performs extremely well, but the mission is a failure anyway.  A third of his company is killed while breaking into the facility.  And he fails to kill all the Rebels when he gets the chance, feeling that there has been enough killing for one day.  But then the Rebel backup arrives, and only seven Imperials survive. 

  Kyle graduates with honours, then, even though he doesn't feel that he did anything honourable.  He receives word that his father was killed during a Rebel raid, and suddenly feels anger that he saved the lives of the Rebels on the communications base. 

  He goes off on a starliner (for time off for grief, I presume), and meets a fellow graduate, whose father is a Governor.  Lando Calrissian makes an appearance then, but it's nothing more than a cameo.  Kyle spots the Rebel woman, and gets ambushed while following her.  She is Jan Ors, the woman who will end up helping him on several missions. (I know, because I've played the first game!)  She lets him loose, but he asks her why the Rebels would kill an innocent craftsman like his father.  She shows him a video report of the actual raid, which was pulled off by Imperial soldiers.  To his credit, he doesn't go into a rage, but after a little thinking, he asks her if he can join the Alliance.  After a little escapade concerning a bounty hunter, she takes him to see Mon Mothma, who sends him on a dangerous mission. 

  But she also sends Jan to keep an eye on him, and kill him if necessary.  The mission is to retrieve a set of the Death Star plans.  And here is where the book becomes rather dull.  Kyle looks left, then goes through the door, is blocked, shoots some guys, goes up a lift, down a corridor, shoots some more troopers, and grabs a red key.  Down again, through more doors and corridors, and eventually gets the plans.  It was exactly like the game.  I played that level enough that I pretty much know it by heart. 

  But it was neat to see him bring in a former roommate to arrange for the chance to get into the complex.  That never concerned me while playing the game, but then, I never wondered too much about Kyle getting the Death Star plans, either.  Based on what Mon Mothma says, the Rebels are going after two sets of plans; the other ones are being stolen by Bria (from the Han Solo Trilogy), and beamed to Princess Leia's ship.  That sort of reduces the effect of Leia and the droids' sacrifice, but I guess it needed some explaining.

  I did really enjoy Kyle's frustrations during the attack on the Rebel communications centre, and his amazement during the graduation ceremony, and his nerve during the mission for the Rebels.  Not much traveling around, not too complex, this was a fun story to read. 

  It was nice to get into the mind of the character in the video game.  It gives it more depth.  And it gives the missions a nice sense of urgency, when it can be seen that there is more to the story than just shooting people to get to the goal.  I hope the trend continues in the second volume.  I expect to come face to face with the Dark Trooper, again.

 
   

Back to Top

All Star Wars material and covers are Copyright Lucasfilm Ltd and the publishers.
All reviews and page designs at this site Copyright (c)  by Warren Dunn, all rights reserved.