Dragon Con has come and passed and we were there. We've got an Interview with New Dawn and Kenobi author John Jackson Miller! We've got our very own panel discussing the Star Wars Special Editions! We've got stories! We've got pictures! We've got hangovers! Dragon Con is the best. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on all the action. Join our book club as ...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 33 min
We continue our quest into understanding the Sequel films with Claudia Gray's excellent Bloodline. An excellent appetizer before you watch The Force Awakens again, this novel tells the tale of Leia Organa's final days in the senate and the founding of her Resistance. It'll help the movies make a little more sense, we promise. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to ...
Aug 17, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 55
Did The Rise of Skywalker confuse you? That's okay. It confused J.J. Abrams, too. This week, we cover the brand new canon novel Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher. Focusing on Luke and Lando in the years before the sequels, this book answers several questions about Rey and her family and things like that, but it also raises some new questions we're not sure it mean to. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, a...
Aug 03, 2022•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 54
Hey Star Wars fans. Chad here. Turns out, I have another podcast. It's called a Feat of Lunatic Daring and it's about Jim Henson and The Muppets. We are currently watching the fourth season of The Muppet Show and have reached the episode guest-starring The Stars of Star Wars and I thought maybe you'd like to check it out. Our second guest star is the incomparable Christopher Reeve, and, since I'm guessing if you like Star Wars there's a good chance you like Superman, I thought you might enjoy th...
Jul 21, 2022•1 hr 8 min
TIE Fighters are the disease and X-Wings are the cure in Michael A. Stackpole's Legends masterpiece Rogue Sqadron. Hear us drool all over this classic tale of Wedge Antilles and his daring dogfighthers 'cause man can Stackpole write some space combat. Plus, we talk about some of our favorite scenes in all of Star Wars. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on...
Jul 20, 2022•59 min•Ep. 53
Well, Obi-Wan Kenobi (the show) has come and gone and we sit down with friend of the show Gary Mitchel to look back and discuss what went right, what went wrong, and whether or not this ambitious new chapter in Star Wars jives with what's come before. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on all the action. Join our book club as we run down the best that cano...
Jul 06, 2022•1 hr 47 min
Let's be honest here. Anakin Skywalker? Wizard Podracer. Clone Wars Hero. Secret husband. Jedi not-Master. Betrayer of the Republic. Slayer of younglings. He's never quite worked, has he? Oh, we love him on the Clone Wars, and he's making a little mini-comeback on Disney+, but we have to call a spade a spade: Anakin Skywalker is a little bit of a dud. We gab about that for a few minutes before getting into Mike Chen's new Obi-Wan/Anakin novel, Brotherhood. Will it attempt to solve Star Wars' Ana...
Jun 22, 2022•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 52
EXTRA! EXTRA! HEAR ALL ABOUT IT! Star Wars Celebration happened in Anaheim and Ryan helps us break down all the hottest news from the convention. Then, we discuss the Windu-centric legends novel Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover. It's the first of the original Clone Wars books and MAN is it dark. Brutal, depressing, pessimistic. Compelling, but not exactly fun, you know? Now reach in there and grab my lightsaber. It's the one that says "bad motherf@#ker". The Skywalker saga may be over, but there a...
Jun 08, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 51
HAPPY BIRTHDAY STAR WARS!!! You don't look a day over 40. This time on Execute Chapter 66, Ryan breaks down that Vanity Fair article for us and we finish out the original Thrawn cycle with The Last Command. With rumors of a live-action adaptation swirling around, how does this venerated series hold up today? Listen and find out. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up ...
May 25, 2022•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 50
So Attack of the Clones wasn't great. And the Anakin/Padme relationship was kind of a dud. Well, along comes EK Johnston to finish off her Amidala trilogy with the novel Queen's Hope (a.k.a. The Handmaidens' Tale), in which we hopefully get a little more insight into the awkward courtship of Jedi and Senator. As the series comes to a close, we talk about the character of Padme and whether or not this trilogy has done a good job fleshing her out as a three-dimensional person and not a just sequen...
May 11, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 49
After re-reading Heir to the Empire, we couldn't keep ourselves from continuing the original Thrawn saga, so this week we're talking Timothy Zahn's Legends classic Dark Force Rising. Plus, a brief discussion about our favorite Star Wars video game characters, including the man himself, Dash Rendar. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on all the action. Join...
Apr 27, 2022•55 min•Ep. 48
Oh boy oh boy is this a good one. First, we have a special guest. Don't miss our exclusive interview with Star Wars: Crimson Reign artist Steven Cummings! What's it like to work on a Star Wars comic? Yeah, we wanted to know, too. Then, stay tuned for our discussion of Daniel Jose Older's Midnight Horizon, the final chapter of the High Republic's first phase, and we break down our thoughts on this new era's entire first act. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star ...
Apr 13, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 47
Happy Birthday to us! Can you believe we've been doing this nonsense for a full two years now? We can't. To celebrate our anniversary, we're reading the Big Bang of the Expanded Universe, the ground zero for one of Star Wars' greatest villains, Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. Yeah, I know we read a lot of Zahn but there's a lot of Zahn to read. Plus, we take a look back and choose our favorite books from our second year. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star...
Mar 30, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 46
On this episode of Execute Chapter 66, we talk about John Jackson Miller's A New Dawn, the prequel novel to Star Wars: Rebels. It tells the meet-cute story of the galaxy's second-best couple, Kanan and Hera. Also, we talk a bit about Rebels, why it was so cool, and relive some of its greatest moments. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on all the action. J...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 44
This week on Execute Chapter 66, instead of reading (or listening to) a book, we watched one! And brought in some friends to talk about it. Listen to Beth, Ryan, and Chad talk about The Book of Boba Fett with special guest stars Gary, Arian, Pete, and Keith. Yes, that's a lot of people, but what the hell. It was fun. How much does Ryan love Boba Fettt? (not at all) What did Pete think of the scooter gang known as The Mods? (nothing good) And why did the show become something completely different...
Feb 16, 2022•1 hr 38 min
Holy kriff it's here! The final wave of the first phase of The High Republic. First, we talk about the middle reader book, Mission to Disaster , which you should totally read BEFORE you get to The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray, which is a book full of death, destruction, and heroism. Did I mention the death? What is the Nihil's plan? Who will make it out alive? Will the Starlight Beacon fall? The answer to the last one is yes. It's in the title and everything. Man, we love the High Republic. The S...
Feb 02, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 43
We're back! Did you miss us? Happy New Year and boy is it because we're starting off 2022 with a big one (all 550 pages worth): Timothy Zahn's finale to the Thrawn Ascendancy Trilogy: Lesser Evil. Not gonna lie. This is a lot of book. Like, a lot of book. The gang also discuss what they're looking forward to or hope to see from Star Wars in the coming year. We got some cool stuff coming up, so make sure to stay tuned for more Execute Chapter 66. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enou...
Jan 19, 2022•1 hr 24 min•Ep. 42
Well, the holidays are here, and the Execute Chapter 66 crew have the spirit. First, we discuss the Star Wars LEGO Special on Disney+ and then, as our main course, the Star Wars Life Day Treasury. Not gonna lie. Wasn't so sure about doing this book but it turned out to be delightful fun. Anyway. Enjoy! Happy/Merry winter holiday of your choice! The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series...
Dec 22, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 41
We got a good one this week. First, we're returning to our favorite author, James Luceno, for his canon novel Tarkin , about... well... Tarkin. We're also joined, yet again, by special guest star Gary Mitchel. And in the wake of the Marvel show, we play a fun game of Star Wars "What If?". Well, it starts off fun. Then Ryan ruins it. This is a good one. Promise. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have...
Dec 08, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 39
This week on Execute Chapter 66: Beth, Chad, & Ryan discuss the Disney+ anime anthology Star Wars: Visions , and, to go with it, the Visions novel Ronin . We got space samurai, we got Astro Boy with a lightsaber, we got Sith witches, and we got very little knowledge when it comes to the animes, but we do our best. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on ...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 40
This week we wrap up the Darth Bane trilogy with the final volume: Dynasty of Evil. Bane has created and cultivated the legendary Sith Rule of Two. But, when it comes time to pass the baton to the next generation, Bane finds himself less-than willing to give up his power... or his life. Plus, we have a quick discussion about trilogies in genre media, and why Star Wars seems hellbent on fitting everything into tidy groups of threes. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to ke...
Nov 10, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 38
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! To celebrate, we discuss the new Disney+ special, Lego Star Wars Terrifying Tales! Then we head back to Drew Karpyshyn's Darth Bane Trilogy, with volume 2, Rule of Two. Now that Bane has eliminated the rest of the Sith, and found himself an eager (and evil) new apprentice, it is time to put the Dark Lord's new philosophy to the test. One to embody the power; one to crave it. We'll see how that works out. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star War...
Oct 27, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 37
Back to the High Republic with a brand new audio drama: Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott. This twisty tale lays out the life of Nihil all-star, Lourna Dee. It's a little bit Solo , a little bit Orange is the New Black , and at times very, very confusing. Beth, Ryan, and Chad have a few questions about this project, the foremost being: "why?". Also, we break down our favorite (and least favorite) alien species from that wacky faraway galaxy we love so much. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there ...
Oct 13, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 36
This week we start a deep deep dive into the Dark Side with the Darth Bane Trilogy. We discuss the first book, Path of Destruction, how awesome it is, whether or not the Rule of Two makes sense, and decide which evil Force users belong carved into Mount Sithmore. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. Chad, Ryan, and Beth have started a series to keep you up to date on all the action. Join our book club as we run down the be...
Sep 29, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 35
We sally even further forth into The High Republic with Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland. The book is apparently controversial, but we thought it was pretty great. We also try to get to the bottom of what the hell is going on with hyperspace these days. Not sure we do a very good job. Also, Ryan's report from Dragon Con! Audiobook excerpts read by Keylor Leigh. Used in good faith. The Skywalker saga may be over, but there are enough books to keep Star Wars fans satisfied for years to come. ...
Sep 15, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 34
With a title like that you might be expecting some grand story along the lines of Heir to the Empire. Prepare to have your expectations disappointed. This is a fairly unique book that takes place entirely from Luke's point of view, but it isn't grand or epic. While it isn't terrible, it does feel like a series of fetch quests with only occasional (and out of character) glimpses into Luke's feelings. Most of his feelings involve noodles and a "fridged" love interest though, so prepare yourself fo...
Sep 01, 2021•1 hr 22 min•Ep. 33
This week we go for a little more of the "beyond" in our "canon, legends, and beyond" with a wrap up of Season 1 of The Bad Batch. A special episode requires special guests, and this time we're joined by the very special Arian Gulick and Gary Mitchel. Tune in as we settle a debate for the ages: is it O-MEG-a or O-MEEG-a? Do you wish The Clone Wars could never end? Well lucky for you Disney+ found a way to help. The Bad Batch is in the exact same animation style, and features many of the same cha...
Aug 25, 2021•1 hr 32 min
Time for another set of High Republic books. First up is The Rising Storm. The Nihil are still rampaging through the galaxy, and the Drengir are destroying all life on any planet they land on. What does the chancellor decide to do? Why throw a huge and expensive galactic fair of course. Because there's no way that could go wrong. Shockingly it goes really wrong, and it's up the Jedi to try and save the day. But not all of them come out unscathed. It's probably time for the Jedi to rethink their ...
Aug 03, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 32
This week we have an EC66 first! Fan and friend of the show Gary Mitchel, fresh from ConGregate 7, brings us an exclusive interview with the founder of the Expanded Universe, New York Times Best-Selling Author and Grand Admiral Thrawn's daddy, Timothy Zahn. Yeah, that's right. An actual interview with an actual Star Wars person. And not just any Star Wars person. Tim. Kriffin'. Zahn. Big time right here, son. You might have noticed that Rogue One leaves us with a pretty big gap in Jyn Erso's lif...
Jul 21, 2021•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 31
This week we're going back to our favorite Star Wars author, James Luceno, with Catalyst: A Rogue One novel. The backstory on the design and construction of the first Death Star is a perfect story for Luceno to be telling. Like his other works it might be light on the action, but it makes up for that in character building, political in-fighting, and the overall general wormy sneakiness that is Orson Krennic. How did the Ersos meet Saw Gerrerra? Why is Galen such a sucker while Lyra seems to be s...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 30
