In 1997, just when Star Wars: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight the game had come out, a trilogy of novellas by William C. Dietz was authorized by LucasArts and Dark Horse Comics to bridge the gap between Dark Forces and Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight. Set around the rebel agent and mercenary Kyle Katarn, Soldier for the Empire tells how Katarn graduated the Imperial Academy and eventually joined the Rebel Alliance. Synopsis: is a decorated graduate from the Imperial Military Academy who would forfeit his very life for the Empire. But he wouldn't forfeit his father's life, and that's what the Empire has taken. Kyle is willing to do anything to avenge his father's death which is what the Rebel Alliance is counting on. Join Kyle Katarn in this brand-new, fast-paced tale of adventure and suspense. Based on the popular Star Wars: DARK FORCES and Star Wars: JEDI KNIGHT interactive games, this novella-length prose-story is written by acclaimed author William C. Deitz (The Final Battle) and illustrated by award-winning artist Dean Williams (Tarzan: The Lost Adventure).
The novel opens with the farmer Morgan Katarn (Kyle's father) leaving the Katarn estate to fix a relay pump that failed. Incidentally, the Empire launches a campaign to take Sulon (the moon of Sullust), lock down their geo-thermal tap power, and let the SoroSuub Corporation roll in and bankrupt the planet. This is overseen by the Dark Jedi Jerec (once a Jedi Knight) and Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo (a.k.a. Thrawn). Morgan escapes the initial assault, but when the Sulon Resistance goes to defend the G-Tap, the Empire--disguised as the Rebel Alliance--destroys them. Morgan is taken captive, and, after refusing to answer Jerec's questions, is executed, his head placed on a spike in Barons Hed--Sulon's capitol. Meanwhile, during an graduation mission on Asteroid AX-456, cadet Kyle Katarn and his team of stormtroopers hold out against the Rebel Alliance. The Rebels manage to evacuate the asteroid, but Katarn notices something about their leader, Jan Ors. During the fight, Kyle's knocked out.
Days later, back on Carida, Katarn attends his graduation ceremony with his friend Meck Odum and the sniveling brat, Nathan Donor III (son of Governor Dol Donor II of Derra IV). At the ceremony, Jerec awards Katarn the Imperial Medal of Valor, while General Rom Mohc presides over the graduation ceremony; Jerec tells Kyle that he (Kyle) has a very special future and should he wish to take it, Jerec will be there. Later, Kyle learns that the rebellion killed his father. Kyle, angry, leaves for Sulon, but is waylaid by Nathan on the Haj Shipping Line vessel Star of the Empire. Kyle meets Governor Donor II, and Kyle tells Donor II why he's heading home and that he's looking for payback against the Rebels; Donor II lets slip about a "special something" the Empire has planned for the Rebels. During a game of sabacc between the governor and Lando Calrissian, spots Jan. He tails her, but her associates Rosco Ross and Ris Waller. They want to kill Kyle, but Jan orders them not to, stating that there's something different about Kyle.
Jan and Kyle end up talking about their different views on the Rebels, and she introduces him to a holorecording droid named A-Cee; she shows him unedited, real footage of the Battle of the Sulon G-Tap. Kyle notes how organized the Rebels are and learns that the Empire killed his father. Kyle rips off the Medal of Valor. He asks Jan to take him to the Rebels because he wants to avenge his father by killing the Empire, to which Jan agrees. This conversation is overseen by bounty hunter Slyder who informs Donor II. Donor II wants blood, but Nathan suspects that Kyle might've simply fallen for Jan. A fight ensues and during the escape, A-Cee is captured by Donor II and his party. Kyle, Jan, Waller, and Rosco flee the Star of the Empire, but not before Governor Donor II's ship blows up, killing the governor, Slyder, and Nathan because they tried to tamper with A-Cee's programming. At the Rebel Fleet, Kyle meets Mon Mothma, the political leader of the Rebellion.
She tells him about the Death Star plans being located on Danuta, and to prove his allegiance, he must steal them. Kyle sees footage of Meck Odum on Danuta, but when Mon Mothma inquires, he passes it off as just needing more intel. Mon Mothma knows he's lying, and after he leaves, assigns Jan to kill Kyle should Kyle be an Imperial Agent sent to destroy the Rebellion. Kyle is issued Moldy Crow for his ship. Jan follows Kyle to Danuta, notes him meeting with Meck Odum, and draws the conclusion that he still serves the Empire. Kyle, during his meeting with Meck Odum, asks his friend for help in getting into the facility to steal the plans. Meck agrees because his religious beliefs are against that of the Empire's. The first opening level of Star Wars: Dark Forces is written out, only faster paced because Deitz has run out of time. Kyle infiltrates the facility while Jan distracts the Imperial forces. Kyle fights his way inside, and, at one point, notes how slow the stormtroopers are (this is because Kyle has the Force) and punches Meck Odum, and both hope that footage looks good enough for to keep the Empire from executing Meck. Kyle steals the Death Star plans and joins Jan as they escape Danuta in Moldy Crow.
All in all, despite its 127 pages, a few of which are depicted in art, William C. Deitz creates one heck of a backstory for Kyle Katarn that lines up neatly with both games. The first of a trilogy of novellas surrounding the Dark Forces games, the other two being Dark Forces: Rebel Agent and Dark Forces: Jedi Knight both of which tell the tale of Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight just split into two stories. This novella captures the greatness of Star Wars while creating new and exciting characters, using old ones to their best degree, and is better written than most other game tie-ins like the Force Unleashed novels and the Old Republic ones. If you can find a copy of this, and not the audio book version, I'd recommend it.
Up next: Star Wars: Dark Forces: Rebel Agent by William C. Deitz, with art by Ezra Tucker.
The novel opens with the farmer Morgan Katarn (Kyle's father) leaving the Katarn estate to fix a relay pump that failed. Incidentally, the Empire launches a campaign to take Sulon (the moon of Sullust), lock down their geo-thermal tap power, and let the SoroSuub Corporation roll in and bankrupt the planet. This is overseen by the Dark Jedi Jerec (once a Jedi Knight) and Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo (a.k.a. Thrawn). Morgan escapes the initial assault, but when the Sulon Resistance goes to defend the G-Tap, the Empire--disguised as the Rebel Alliance--destroys them. Morgan is taken captive, and, after refusing to answer Jerec's questions, is executed, his head placed on a spike in Barons Hed--Sulon's capitol. Meanwhile, during an graduation mission on Asteroid AX-456, cadet Kyle Katarn and his team of stormtroopers hold out against the Rebel Alliance. The Rebels manage to evacuate the asteroid, but Katarn notices something about their leader, Jan Ors. During the fight, Kyle's knocked out.
Days later, back on Carida, Katarn attends his graduation ceremony with his friend Meck Odum and the sniveling brat, Nathan Donor III (son of Governor Dol Donor II of Derra IV). At the ceremony, Jerec awards Katarn the Imperial Medal of Valor, while General Rom Mohc presides over the graduation ceremony; Jerec tells Kyle that he (Kyle) has a very special future and should he wish to take it, Jerec will be there. Later, Kyle learns that the rebellion killed his father. Kyle, angry, leaves for Sulon, but is waylaid by Nathan on the Haj Shipping Line vessel Star of the Empire. Kyle meets Governor Donor II, and Kyle tells Donor II why he's heading home and that he's looking for payback against the Rebels; Donor II lets slip about a "special something" the Empire has planned for the Rebels. During a game of sabacc between the governor and Lando Calrissian, spots Jan. He tails her, but her associates Rosco Ross and Ris Waller. They want to kill Kyle, but Jan orders them not to, stating that there's something different about Kyle.
Jan and Kyle end up talking about their different views on the Rebels, and she introduces him to a holorecording droid named A-Cee; she shows him unedited, real footage of the Battle of the Sulon G-Tap. Kyle notes how organized the Rebels are and learns that the Empire killed his father. Kyle rips off the Medal of Valor. He asks Jan to take him to the Rebels because he wants to avenge his father by killing the Empire, to which Jan agrees. This conversation is overseen by bounty hunter Slyder who informs Donor II. Donor II wants blood, but Nathan suspects that Kyle might've simply fallen for Jan. A fight ensues and during the escape, A-Cee is captured by Donor II and his party. Kyle, Jan, Waller, and Rosco flee the Star of the Empire, but not before Governor Donor II's ship blows up, killing the governor, Slyder, and Nathan because they tried to tamper with A-Cee's programming. At the Rebel Fleet, Kyle meets Mon Mothma, the political leader of the Rebellion.
She tells him about the Death Star plans being located on Danuta, and to prove his allegiance, he must steal them. Kyle sees footage of Meck Odum on Danuta, but when Mon Mothma inquires, he passes it off as just needing more intel. Mon Mothma knows he's lying, and after he leaves, assigns Jan to kill Kyle should Kyle be an Imperial Agent sent to destroy the Rebellion. Kyle is issued Moldy Crow for his ship. Jan follows Kyle to Danuta, notes him meeting with Meck Odum, and draws the conclusion that he still serves the Empire. Kyle, during his meeting with Meck Odum, asks his friend for help in getting into the facility to steal the plans. Meck agrees because his religious beliefs are against that of the Empire's. The first opening level of Star Wars: Dark Forces is written out, only faster paced because Deitz has run out of time. Kyle infiltrates the facility while Jan distracts the Imperial forces. Kyle fights his way inside, and, at one point, notes how slow the stormtroopers are (this is because Kyle has the Force) and punches Meck Odum, and both hope that footage looks good enough for to keep the Empire from executing Meck. Kyle steals the Death Star plans and joins Jan as they escape Danuta in Moldy Crow.
All in all, despite its 127 pages, a few of which are depicted in art, William C. Deitz creates one heck of a backstory for Kyle Katarn that lines up neatly with both games. The first of a trilogy of novellas surrounding the Dark Forces games, the other two being Dark Forces: Rebel Agent and Dark Forces: Jedi Knight both of which tell the tale of Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight just split into two stories. This novella captures the greatness of Star Wars while creating new and exciting characters, using old ones to their best degree, and is better written than most other game tie-ins like the Force Unleashed novels and the Old Republic ones. If you can find a copy of this, and not the audio book version, I'd recommend it.
Up next: Star Wars: Dark Forces: Rebel Agent by William C. Deitz, with art by Ezra Tucker.
