James Luceno: Lyra is the person who keeps the genius Galen grounded. Who is she and how does she fit into the story? : Another key character that you have is Lyra Erso, a scientific expedition leader who is Galen’s wife and Jyn’s mother. When Krennic is brought into the Death Star project, he thinks of his old buddy Galen. James Luceno: In a sense, they are college buddies who were separated, went on different paths, but Krennic keeps careful track of what Galen was up to. Years have elapsed from their time together in that program and when they come together during the Clone Wars.

They were friends in what I call the Futures Program, which was a program developed by the Republic to find beings of genius and bring them into the fold. So the way I structured it, they go back to before the Clone Wars, when Krennic was working for the Republic and Galen was a research scientist. I had to figure out when these guys first met and what the nature of their relationship was. James Luceno: This is what I had to give most thought to because Star Wars just starts off in the midst of things. They have a long history together - what is their relationship like? : Two of your main characters are Galen Erso and Orson Krennic, who are two of the key characters in Rogue One. The book is set much earlier than the film, so for me, it was just getting a handle on the characters rather than the plot of the film. I was shown art and then got to see some early footage that informed some of the book. I read the treatment, and then read the shooting script and had a couple of meetings with the Story Group to discuss various ways to go about writing this prequel. I was brought in fairly early, going back to 2015. James Luceno: The book and the film were coming together in parallel because the book is very character-driven and so are great parts of the film. : Since Catalyst is the lead-in to Rogue One, how much of the Rogue One story were you given to use as the basis for the novel? called Luceno to learn more about what Catalyst is all about and how it connects to Rogue One.

This novel from Del Rey helps set the stage for Rogue One, introducing some of the film's characters at a key period of time earlier in their lives - during the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire. On sale today, Catalyst is written by James Luceno, New York Times bestselling author of Tarkin and Darth Plagueis. What is it called when some person or happening precipitates a larger event? Why, that’s a catalyst, and the new Star Wars novel, Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel is exactly that in relation to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. speaks with the acclaimed author about Galen Erso, Orson Krennic, and much more.

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