Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion (Daniel Abraham) Books in Order

Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck wrote Honor Among Thieves as James S. A. Corey, adding a fast-moving standalone adventure to the Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion line. It is set after the destruction of the first Death Star, while the Rebel Alliance is still trying to find secure footing and the Empire is pushing back hard.

Han Solo gets a job that should have been simple.

The Rebels need a strange and valuable device recovered before it falls into Imperial hands. Han, Chewbacca, Leia Organa, and an unlikely group of allies take the assignment, but the mission becomes much more complicated once it leads them toward old secrets, hostile forces, and a problem that could trap far more people than the crew expected.

This is a Han-and-Leia story at heart. Han brings the quick thinking, caution, and complaints expected of him, while Leia keeps her attention on what the Rebellion needs and who might be hurt if the mission goes wrong. Their contrast gives the book its energy. They are not always happy about being on the same plan, but they are reliable when the pressure is highest.

The setting is familiar Star Wars territory: battered ships, risky jumps, criminals, Imperials, hidden technology, and planets where nobody can be fully trusted. The book sits comfortably beside the original film trilogy without requiring a detailed knowledge of the wider Legends continuity. Luke, Chewbacca, and other familiar faces appear, but the story has its own problem to solve.

Readers coming from The Expanse may recognize the authors' interest in crews, logistics, and the awkward work of building trust. The scale is different and the tone is more playful, but the suspense comes from the same question: can a small group keep moving when every side wants something from them?

It is a one-book detour.

Read Honor Among Thieves whenever you want a self-contained Rebel-era adventure. It works best after seeing the first Star Wars film, but it does not demand a larger reading order or a commitment to a long series.