Strategic Decision: Star Wars To Dabble in Horror with Deathtroopers

By Kat
Staff Writer

January 30, 2009

Traditionally, Star Wars novels have been more deeply rooted in the science fiction and fantasy genres Joe Schreiber's Star Wars Deathtroopers, a paperback novel slated for release on October 27, 2009, will take readers into new territory--the realm of horror.

The Star Wars name alone sells books. Lucasfilm knows that. Still, shifting away from "safe" fantasy and science fiction tendencies is a gamble. Any change is. Some fans have rejected the New Jedi Order and Legacy of the Force series'.

As one fan describes, "If you want a big, depressing, out-of-character storyline, yeah, read NJO [New Jedi Order]."

Both series' have a darker tone than many of the films. But many fans were attracted to the Star Wars franchise in the first place because of the "fun" storylines. Think Han and Luke shooting down TIE fighters with the Millennium Falcon gun turrets--now that looks fun. Despite the darker tone of the novels and the criticism of some fans, the books have been a financial success, many earning the distinction of New York Times Bestseller.

The upcoming Deathtroopers will presumably take fans into darker territory yet. True, some fans won't buy the book because of the genre shift. But on the other hand, the new novel can introduce the Star Wars galaxy to horror novel fans and potentially revitalize the franchise with a refreshingly new angle, approach, and storyline. In short, Deathtroopers is calculated risk that the Star Wars franchise can afford to take.

Back to Articles