Bantam Books - star wars publisher

Bantam Books is an American publishing house that was established in 1945. The company was known for publishing a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction titles, including popular novels, mysteries, and science fiction. In the late 1970s, Bantam Books acquired the license to publish Star Wars novels and began releasing a number of tie-in books to the original trilogy.
Under Bantam Books, the Star Wars expanded universe began to take shape with the publication of several novel series, including the popular Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn, which is widely considered to be one of the best Star Wars book series ever written. Other notable Star Wars books published by Bantam Books include The Jedi Academy Trilogy by Kevin J. Anderson, The X-wing Series by Michael A. Stackpole, and The Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy by Michael P. Kube-McDowell.
Bantam Books also published a number of standalone Star Wars novels, such as Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry, which was set between the events of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, and The Truce at Bakura by Kathy Tyers, which takes place immediately after the events of Return of the Jedi. These books helped to expand the Star Wars universe beyond the scope of the original trilogy.
In addition to novels, Bantam Books also published a number of Star Wars reference books, such as The Essential Guide to Characters by Andy Mangels, which provides detailed information on the various characters in the Star Wars universe, and The Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels by Bill Smith, which provides information on the various ships and vehicles in the Star Wars galaxy.
Bantam Books continued to publish Star Wars books until 1999, when the license to publish Star Wars novels was transferred to Del Rey. However, the company's contributions to the Star Wars expanded universe helped to shape the franchise and provide fans with some of the most beloved and enduring stories in the series.