Amazon and Random House Digital have a surprising deal on the opening tale of the current Star Wars novel series, Fate of the Jedi. Entitled Outcast, the eBook version of the novel is currently available for $1.99! That’s 93% off of the usual $27 price — an excellent deal for the Star Wars Expanded Universe addict.

Also, being so close to the holiday season, it would make a pretty good cheap gift for someone who is just getting into the whole Kindle scene.

May the Force be with you all! Geeks of Doom will be posting a couple of Star Wars articles today, May 25, for Universal Day of the Jedi, which celebrates the anniversary of the release of the first Star Wars movie.

This year, Universal Day of the Jedi also celebrates the anniversary of Timothy Zahn‘s novel, Heir to the Empire. The initial release of this novel 20 years ago this month is significant, because it was quite literally groundbreaking: its impact would open the floodgates for an amazing deluge of Star Wars novels and comics – turning the Expanded Universe into an EXPANDING Universe.

Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy, of which Heir to the Empire is the first part, is widely regarded by many fans as one of the best series of Star Wars books to ever have been released. Some fans even consider the trilogy to be the equivalent of the closest we may ever get to a Star Wars Sequel Trilogy. Timothy Zahn has continued his journeys into the Expanded Star Wars Universe through the years – exploring deeper into the history and legacy of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the continual growing relationship between Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade, and also the mysteries behind the enigmatic Outbound Flight.

I figured with this month being the anniversary of Zahn’s masterpiece, and also with today being Universal Day of the Jedi, it would be a good opportunity to take a look back at some of the finer examples of Star Wars novels over the years.

Star Wars: X-Wing
Written by Aaron Allston
Book 5: Wraith Squadron
Book 6: Iron Fist
Book 7: Solo Command
Del Rey Books

The second part of the X-Wing series of Star Wars novels, and the second last set of books from which I’ll be reviewing, we are introduced to Wedge Antilles’ idea of a flying-commando group. While Rogue Squadron turned out to be fliers who might be able to do other things, Wedge wanted a group of specialist commando’s who, just probably, could fly.

And thus, Wraith Squadron was born, and with it some of the greatest characters you could ever hope for.

Only Wedge is brought over from the first four books for Wraith Squadron, and he is joined by Wes Janson, a character that appears very briefly in Empire Strikes Back. Together, they choose a bunch of misfits and outcasts, most on their last chance in the New Republic military, but that have specific skills, to join their new Wraith Squadron (Wes is Wedge’s number 2).