TRANSFORMERS - THE VEILED THREAT

A Del Rey Mass Market Original

Written by Alan Dean Foster

Copyright 2009 by Hasbro



Set between Transformers  and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, in The Veiled Threat by Alan Dean Foster, captain Lennox and tech sergeant Epps are now part of the classified agency NEST and are in alliance with the Autobots in searching for Starscream and the Decepticons.

Based out of NEST headquarters, Lennox, Epps, and the Autobots - who have sworn to protect the humans - go around the world searching for Starscream and the Decepticons as the Decepticons search for various power sources. The question now is why do the Decepticons need the power?

The events from the book lead to the start of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. As more Autobots and Decepticons arrive on Earth from space, the battles between them are intense enough that there are losses of both Decepticons and Autobots. Although Lennox and Epps are major characters in the book, there is more characterization with Russian AI specialist Petr Andronov and Asian cyberneticist Kaminari Ishihara than with Lennox and Epps.

Pancho
All people smile in the same langauge.

STAR WARS - DARK NEST III - THE SWARM WAR

A Del Rey Mass Market Original
Written by Troy Denning

Copyright 2006 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpt from Star Wars: Republic Commando: Triple Zero copyright 2006 by Lucasfilm Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

In The Swarm War, at the Chiss-Killik border space, the alien insect race Killiks are at war with the Chiss. The Jedi try to stop the war, although the Chiss do not like their interference while almost Joiners, Jedi Knights Jaina Solo and Zekk assist the Killiks. Meanwhile, Jacen Solo believes that in order to stop the Killiks, they need to kill their old friend Raynar Thul.

When Jaina and Zekk refuse to return home to the Jedi Academy when Jedi Grand Master Luke Skywalker calls them, you know they are basically Joiners and you are concerned for them as they are in the trenches fighting with the Killiks. Luke wants the Jedi to be focused on committing to put the Jedi Order first instead of being distracted by other concerns which is driving the Jedi apart. Jacen being so cold blooded as to wanting to kill the leader of the Killiks, his old friend and former Jedi Raynar Thul, shows Jacen's slow path to the Dark Side of the Force. Luke, of course, disapproves and would rather search for another way, as killing is a last resort to the Jedi. Although Raynar has been unknowingly influenced by the Dark Jedi Queen Lomi Plo to control the Killiks for her own agenda, Raynar's stubbornness and forceful will is annoying and you almost agree that the only way to stop him and the Killiks is by killing Raynar.

The excerpt of Triple Zero by Karen Traviss shows Kal Skirata first encountering the Null clones children on Kamino and his basically adopting them away from the Kaminoans clonemasters who want to destroy them for being defective. It is rather touching to see mercenary Skirata's heart breaking as he sees these determined children protecting each other in order to survive.

Pancho
All people smile in the same language.