# Star Wars: The Old Republic (novel series)
**Star Wars: The Old Republic** is a series of [Star Wars](https://www.edgepedia.org/star-wars) novels and short stories published by Del Rey that serves as tie-in fiction for the BioWare massively multiplayer online game *Star Wars: The Old Republic* and accompanies a comic series of the same name.[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic_%28novel_series%29) The series consists of four novels by three authors, published between 2010 and 2012, and its stories are set in the Old Republic era of the Star Wars timeline.[2](https://www.goodreads.com/series/48085-star-wars-the-old-republic)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Del Rey, in the United States[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) |
| Novels | *Fatal Alliance* (Sean Williams, 2010), *Deceived* (Paul S. Kemp, 2011), *Revan* (Drew Karpyshyn, 2011), *Annihilation* (Drew Karpyshyn, 2012)[2](https://www.goodreads.com/series/48085-star-wars-the-old-republic) |
| US release dates | July 20, 2010; March 22, 2011; November 15, 2011; November 13, 2012[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) |
| In-universe setting | 3954 to 3640 BBY, in the Old Republic era of the former Expanded Universe continuity[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) |
| Purpose | Tie-in fiction promoting the BioWare MMORPG released in 2011; each novel stands alone while presenting elements players can encounter in the game[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) |
| Lead author | Drew Karpyshyn, Principal Writer at BioWare and author of the *Darth Bane* novels, wrote two of the four books[4](https://www.swtor.com/info/news/news-article/20110422) |
| Current status | Part of the Star Wars Legends banner since the April 25, 2014 continuity reset[5](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Legends) |
## The four novels
**Fatal Alliance.** Sean Williams's *Fatal Alliance* opened the series. It was announced on the official StarWars.com site on November 30, 2009, and published by Del Rey in the United States on July 20, 2010.[6](https://www.ossus.pl/biblioteka/The_Old_Republic%3A_Fatalny_sojusz) Williams, who had previously written the *Force Heretic* trilogy of the New Jedi Order series and the novelizations of *The Force Unleashed* video games, described the book as set just before the beginning of *The Old Republic* game, capturing the tension in the galaxy not only between the Jedi and the Sith but among [Mandalorians](https://www.edgepedia.org/mandalorians), smugglers, soldiers, and ordinary citizens caught up in it. He said his intention was to write a story reflecting the nature of an MMO role-playing game, in which anyone can be a hero and anyone can play a major part in the ongoing story.[7](https://titanbooks.com/blog/sean-williams-discusses-old-republic/) Because the novel appeared early in the game's development, it is not based on the finalized version of the game's setting.[8](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic)
**Deceived.** Paul S. Kemp's *Deceived* followed on March 22, 2011.[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) The novel has remained part of the game's living culture: a 2026 executive producer letter for *The Old Republic* noted that a story update included nods to *Deceived*, and that the team enjoyed reading players' reactions to them.[9](https://www.swtor.com/info/news/article/20260701)
**Revan and Annihilation.** Drew Karpyshyn, at the time a Principal Writer at BioWare and the author of the *Darth Bane* series of Star Wars novels, wrote the third and fourth books.[4](https://www.swtor.com/info/news/news-article/20110422) *Revan* was published on November 15, 2011, and *Annihilation* on November 13, 2012.[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html)
## Chronology and reading order
The series is unusual among Star Wars book series in that its publication order and its in-universe chronological order diverge. In publication order the sequence is *Fatal Alliance* (2010), *Revan* (2011), *Deceived* (2011), and *Annihilation* (2012); reading guides list the chronological order as *Revan*, *Deceived*, *Fatal Alliance*, and *Annihilation*.[10](https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/star-wars/) In the former continuity's dating system the books fall between 3954 and 3640 BBY, with *Revan* set considerably earlier than the novels tied most directly to the game's launch period.[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html)
The game's own placement was clarified during development. One detailed fan chronology records that the game was at one point said to take place between 6 and 30 years after the Treaty of Coruscant, before BioWare's Rob Chestney clarified that the game begins less than 10 years after that treaty and unfolds over a period of a few years rather than a single moment.[11](https://starwarsfanworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SWTG56LegendsV1.pdf)
## Relationship to the game and comics
All four books were published to promote the MMO *The Old Republic*, created by BioWare and released in 2011. Their plots connect to the game, but each novel is self-contained and presents elements a player can encounter in the MMO.[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html) The novel line also accompanies a *Star Wars: The Old Republic* comic series of the same name.[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic_%28novel_series%29) Beyond the four novels, the line includes short stories, among them "The Last Battle of Colonel Jace Malcom" by Alexander Freed, published in 2012.[1](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic_%28novel_series%29)
## Legends status
On April 25, 2014, [Lucasfilm](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucasfilm) announced that in preparation for the sequel trilogy the Expanded Universe would be rebranded as Star Wars Legends and no longer adhered to, with a new continuity consisting of the six original films, *Star Wars: The Clone Wars*, and future material from that point onward.[5](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Legends) The Old Republic novels fall under the Legends banner. The era itself has remained active through the game: expansions and updates for *Star Wars: The Old Republic* are the Legends products still being consistently released.[5](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Legends)
Foreign-language editions appeared as well; the complete four-book cycle was published in Poland in 2012 and 2013 by the publisher Amber.[3](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html)
## References
1. [Star Wars: The Old Republic (novel series), Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic_%28novel_series%29)
2. [Star Wars: The Old Republic Series, Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/series/48085-star-wars-the-old-republic)
3. [The Old Republic (seria powieściowa), Biblioteka Ossus](https://star-wars.pl/Tekst/4191%2CThe_Old_Republic_seria_powiesciowa.html)
4. [Del Rey Books announcement, SWTOR.com news article (April 2011)](https://www.swtor.com/info/news/news-article/20110422)
5. [Star Wars Legends, Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars_Legends)
6. [The Old Republic: Fatalny sojusz, Biblioteka Ossus](https://www.ossus.pl/biblioteka/The_Old_Republic%3A_Fatalny_sojusz)
7. [Sean Williams discusses The Old Republic, Titan Books](https://titanbooks.com/blog/sean-williams-discusses-old-republic/)
8. [Star Wars: The Old Republic, Wookieepedia](https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars%3A_The_Old_Republic)
9. [Executive Producer Letter, Q2 2026, SWTOR.com](https://www.swtor.com/info/news/article/20260701)
10. [Star Wars Books In Order, BookSeriesInOrder.com](https://www.bookseriesinorder.com/star-wars/)
11. [The Star Wars Timeline Gold: Legends Timeline, Vol. 1](https://starwarsfanworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SWTG56LegendsV1.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Literature and written works › Creative written works and worlds › Adaptations, tie-ins, and fictional worlds › Tie-in and franchise novels › Star Wars novels and novelizations*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license