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Wing Commander Books
By Ben Lesnick
v1.0
This guide is divided into three sections. Official Guides are those authorized by Origin Systems, Inc. Origin published at least one strategy guide for every Wing Commander game, excluding Wing Commander Academy. Novels include the two series of officially authorized Wing Commander fiction - Baen Book's seven book run and HarperCollins' three book movie spinoff series. Unofficial Guides are hint books published without corporate approval. They were especially popular around the release of Wing Commander III and IV... their quality ranges from excellent to being the most awful book ever published.
Two unpublished Wing Commander strategy guides were assigned ISBN numbers - which has confused many online vendors into believing that they exist. The "Veteran Pilot's Guide to Wing Commander III" (Bernie Yee) and "Origin's Official Guide to Wing Commander Prophecy Gold" (Chris McCubbin, 0761517723) do not exist.
If you have any information you believe should be added to this guide, please contact me at news@wcnews.com.
Novels
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Wing Commander: Freedom Flight
Author: Mercedes Lackey & Ellen Guon
Publisher: Baen Books (1992)
ISBN: 0671721453
Pages: 275
Notes: The very first Wing Commander novel! For a time it was rumored that Ellen Guon was at work on a direct sequel, titled "Freedom Run". This project never materialized. Freedom Flight had two print runs, the first in December 1992 and the second in ???.
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Wing Commander: End Run
Author: William R. Forstchen & Christopher Stasheff
Publisher: Baen Books (1994)
ISBN: 067172200X
Pages: 310
Notes: End Run contains two stories: the short story "Wing Commander: Milk Run" (by Christopher Stasheff) and the titular novel (by William R. Forstchen).
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Wing Commander: Fleet Action
Author: William R. Forstchen
Publisher: Baen Books (1994)
ISBN: 0671722115
Pages: 296
Notes: Fleet Action had two print runs, the first in March 1994 and the second in May 1995. The second printing does not have the raised 'Wing Commander' lettering on the cover. Fleet Action was included in Origin's Wing Commander III: Premiere Edition, and was also bundled with some copies of the regular Wing Commander III game in Canada.
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Wing Commander: Heart of the Tiger
Author: William R. Forstchen & Andrew Keith
Publisher: Baen Books (1995)
ISBN: 0671876536
Pages: 373
Notes: Adaptation of the Wing Commander III FMV script. Heart of the Tiger had two print runs, in April and May 1995.
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Wing Commander: The Price of Freedom
Author: William R. Forstchen & Ben Ohlander
Publisher: Baen Books (1996)
ISBN: 3404232186
Pages: 345
Notes: Adaptation of the Wing Commander IV FMV script.
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Wing Commander: Action Stations
Author: William R. Forstchen
Publisher: Baen Books (1998)
ISBN: 0671878559X
Pages: 345
Notes:
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Wing Commander: False Colors
Author: William R. Forstchen & Andrew Keith
Publisher: Baen Books (1999)
ISBN: 0671577840
Pages: 470
Notes: False Colors marks the end of the Baen Books' line of Wing Commander novels. Andrew Keith, who died unexpectadly shortly after the books publication, had tentetive plans for a pair of sequels to False Colors (involving Prince Murragh's return to power and then a war between the Landreich and the Confederation). More information (including an interview with the authors and a preview chapter!) can be found here.
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Wing Commander
Author: Peter Telep
Publisher: HarperCollins, Inc. (1999)
ISBN: 0061059854
Pages: 244
Notes: Adaptation of the Wing Commander feature film.
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Wing Commander
Author: Peter Telep
Publisher: HarperCollins, Inc. (1999)
ISBN: 0061065560
Pages: 244
Notes: "Young Adult" adaptation of the adaptation of the Wing Commander feature film. The book is edited to remove technical details and any sexual aspects (violence, of course, is left untouched).
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Wing Commander: Pilgrim Stars
Author: Peter Telep
Publisher: HarperCollins, Inc. (1999)
ISBN: 0061059862
Pages: 301
Notes: Pilgrim Stars is the second of two contracted "movie novels" - following the events of the Wing Commander feature. The third book, Pilgrim Truth, was completed but never published. Pilgrim Stars is, at this time, the most recent Wing Commander book.
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Official Guides
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Wing Commander I & II: The Ultimate Strategy Guide
Author: Mike Harrison
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1991)
ISBN: 1559581298
Pages: 286
Notes: This is both a strategy guide and a novel - it tells the story of Wing Commander I and II in a narrative form, while also discussing strategies for each mission.
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Privateer Playtesters' Guide
Author: Beth Loubet, Anthony Nichols & Kristen Vaughan
Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc. (1993)
ISBN: 0929373162
Pages: 96
Notes: The first of two Wing Commander entries into the "Playtesters Guide" series (others existed for the Ultima and Strike Commander series).
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Wing Commander Armada Playtesters' Guide
Author: Chris W. McCubbin & James Flores
Publisher: Origin Systems, Inc. (1994)
ISBN: 01781410058
Pages: 96
Notes: The second of two Wing Commander entries into the "Playtesters Guide" series (others existed for the Ultima and Strike Commander series).
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Origin's Official Guide to Wing Commander III
Author: Tuesday Frase, Chris McCubbin & Melissa Mead
Publisher: BradyGames (1995)
ISBN: 1566862876
Pages: 255
Notes: The first book in Origin's "Official Guide To..." series. This book came bundled with a copy of the "Wing Commander III: Behind the Screens" CD-ROM.
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The Authorized Combat Guide to Wing Commander III
Author: Blaine Pardoe
Publisher: BradyGames (1995)
ISBN: 1566862388
Pages: 232
Notes: Origin's second official guide to Wing Commander III - this one included information on 3DO release of the game. Written partially in a narrative style reminiscent of the Wing Commander I & II guide.
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Origin's Official Guide to Wing Commander IV
Author: Melissa Tyler
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1996)
ISBN: 0929373375
Pages: 223
Notes:
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Origin's Official Guide to Privateer 2: The Darkening
Author: Jennifer Sophrer
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1996)
ISBN: 0761509348
Pages: 283
Notes:
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Wing Commander Prophecy: The Official Strategy Guide
Author: Chris McCubbin
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1997)
ISBN: 0761512071
Pages: 249
Notes:
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Terran Confederation Handbook
Author: Chris McCubbin
Publisher: HarperCollins (1999)
ISBN: 0061075531
Pages: 128
Notes: An 'in canon' Technical Manual to accompany the Wing Commander feature film.
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Starlog Movie Hits Wing Commander
Author: McDonnell, David, ed.
Publisher: Starlog (1999)
ISBN: 0934551685
Pages: 89
Notes: An official magazine to accompany the Wing Commander feature film.
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Unofficial Guides
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Secrets of the Wing Commander Universe
Author: Mark Minasi
Publisher: Sybex (1994)
ISBN: 0782115055
Pages: 459
Notes: This book deals with all Wing Commander games released prior to 1994 (up to Privateer, but not including Righteous Fire). It's full of wonderful illustrations and is very well written.
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Wing Commander III: The Ultimate Strategy Guide
Author: Steve Kent
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1995)
ISBN: 1559586079
Pages: 288
Notes: This is, without a doubt, the cheapest Wing Commander book ever published - full of giant over-exposed screenshots and weird, meandering commentary that seems to have somehow escaped the editorial process altogether.
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Wing Commander IV: Unauthorized Secrets & Solutions
Author: Bart Farkas
Publisher: Prima Publishing (1996)
ISBN: 0761504001
Pages: 144
Notes:
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Totally Unauthorized Wing Commander IV Strategy Guide
Author: Blaine Pardoe
Publisher: BradyGames (1996)
ISBN: 1566864143
Pages:
Notes:
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