For those of you old enough to remember the greatness of the game Elite – one of the best-selling computer games of the 1980s – on your favourite computer (mine was the ZX Spectrum and I still have my boxed copy) you are no doubt extremely excited for the forthcoming game Elite: Dangerous. Even if you’re not that old you’ve more than likely seen the rather amazing images of Elite: Dangerous, perhaps caught a video or two of what’s to come and now you rabidly want in on this Universe.
Well to keep you going until it finally hits the shelves from Frontier Developments plc and Gollancz comes three tie-in novels set in the world of Elite: Dangerous. Frontier has been actively involved to ensure in-game continuity within these three tie-in novels. Each will have a different style and tone but will all feature subtle links for the fans.
ELITE: WANTED, by Gavin Deas, is a rip-roaring space epic told from two points of view – the hunted, and the hunter. When a routine bit of piracy goes wrong, the crew of the Song of Stone realise that there’s a bounty hunter on their tail. One who might, finally, be able to outclass them. The Dragon Queen is feared across space, and for good reason. But even the bounty hunter doesn’t realise what she’s been hired to do. Or what is in the container she’s been sent to retrieve. And she’s not the only hunter in the game…
ELITE: NEMORENSIS, by Simon Spurrier, tells the story of an unlikely pair of star-crossed lovers who steal a spaceship and go on the run, attacking at random and revelling in the fame and glory their violence brings them. Celebrated by the jaded youth of the Federation and urged on to ever more flashy acts of destruction, they know it won’t be long before they are caught and killed. But someone is following the couple. Someone who knows why they are so obsessed with each other. Who knows where they are heading. Who knows why. Someone who knows more about them than they do themselves. And has another plan for their deaths…
ELITE: DOCKING IS DIFFICULT, by Gideon Defoe, humorously explores what life in the future is really like. On what might be the worst planet in the universe, a young man dreams of the stars. Adventure! Lasers! Women! And the ultimate goal – to become Elite! Unfortunately, Misha has to do his chores first. And learn how to talk to Phoebe, the beautiful customs officer. And leave the planet. But the death of a famous author unexpectedly drags Misha and Phoebe into a system-wide conspiracy, complete with smuggling, international art thieves, multi-system corporations, canapés and exploding pigs. This is Misha’s chance to prove he has what it takes! After all, surely anyone can be Elite if they dream…
The Elite: Dangerous novels are released on the 30th October 2014 priced Hardback £9.99 / eBook £5.99 .
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
Originally published October 23, 2014. Updated April 13, 2018.
