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New sci-fi reads: Doctor Who & Star Wars

By Staff | Feb 28, 2013

Go for some new science-fiction stories from some beloved series with these new books!

First for fellow Whovians is “Doctor Who: The Silent Stars Go By” by Dan Abnett.

The Eleventh Doctor has promised his companions Amy and Rory a nice Christmas back in Leadworth. The problem is when they open the door to the TARDIS, they are on a strange planet with very chilly temperatures and the locals have an even chillier reception to strangers. Rory gets separated from Amy and the Doctor and encounters some strange creatures out in the woods. Meanwhile, Amy and the Doctor are immediately suspected of having a part in a missing girl’s disappearance. As they attempt to find both her and Rory, the Doctor’s old sometimes foes, sometime friends, the Ice Warriors show up. What do they want with the planet?

This was a very appropriate read one chilly evening, with a planet which is suffering from a permanent frost. The author gets the voice of the main characters just right and introduces them to an intriguing mystery in typical Doctor Who fashion.

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New York Times bestselling author Timothy Zahn tells an “Ocean’s Eleven”-type story set between “Star Wars: A New Hope” and “Empire Strikes Back” in “Star Wars: Scoundrels.” Han Solo has got to find a way to pay off Jabba the Hutt. A chance encounter with a would-be assassin at a cantina (where Han makes sure to loudly proclaim to the other patrons that obviously the assassin shot first) attracts the attention of a man named Eanjer, who was the victim of a large theft – to the tune of 163 million credits. If Han can get the credits away from a local gangster Villachor, he and whomever he gets to help him can split the credit with Eanjer. Han calls in a group of people all operating within gray areas of the law (or just plain breaking it): twin thieves Bink and Tavia, ship thief Dozer, pickpocket and slight-of-hand artist Zerba and intelligence expert Rachele. Mazzic sends Winter, a human recorder and Kell, an explosives and droid expert, in his stead. And Rachele calls up someone that Han doesn’t know if he can trust or not after a falling out – Lando Calrissian. The group has a perfect opportunity into Villachor’s compound – a celebration in which Villachor hosts.

With a take this big, an Empire agent or two, and a group of lawbreakers at his side, can Han pull it off? Or can he trust anyone?

This is a cool heist story set in the “Star Wars” universe, definitely different than your typical “Star Wars” fare. Zahn spins a great web of intrigue and sci-fi together.