@Esteban  
Well, I don’t want to come of as rude, but I must again repeat myself here - both Rising Stars are named the same, and both are students of Crystal Prep - if Hasbro annoces he is a different character, it would be blatant damage cotrol via (also very visible) as*pull. Especially that is would the first time FiM/Equestria Girls, has two characters of the exactly same name.
 
There is also the fact Dance Magic contradicts the rest of this books premise. Especially that it seems to be depicting the first major meeting of Sci-Twi with her old classmates, something allready happened in Dance Magic, and I explained bellow how it alos wouldn’t work if the book took place before Dance Magic.
 
So as Dance Magic is first tier canon, it arguably renders Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks impossible to be canon, especially when coupled with the Rising Star contradiction.
 
Unless Hasbro animates it, but then it probably be a trainwreck (but YMMV), and would quite mess up continuity…
 
[EDIT]
 
And it’s just what we got from the summary, as even if that already shows the book’s whole premise is based on two contradictions with canon, and that’s it’s allready that visible in the books summary, it’s fairly probable the book will have far more contradictions with canon (including possibly ones also crucial to the book’s central story…).

@BackgroundLoL  
Yeah I see, it is kind of a contradiction. But seeing how this is the first time i hear about him, he was kind of a BG character. Also we don’t know if this Rising Star is the same character, maybe it’s someone with the same name because the writer didn’t pay attention.

@Esteban  
Well, as I wrote bellow, Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks explains that While Twilight Sparkle loves science, she’s nervous about seeing her old classmates again-that is, until she discovers that she’s been partnered with a charming new Crystal Prep boy named Rising Star.. What’s the problem with this? It directly states Rising Star is a new student, and and indirectly pretty much states Sci-Twi meets him for the first time, and Rising Star joined Crystal Prep in her absence. Only that Friendship Games directly shows Rising Star allready then being a student of Crystal Prep, and even depicts Sci-Twi seeing him (the guy in sun glasses):  
>>927849t (merged)  

 
You may say he is just a background character here, but he is a quite visible one, as the movie goes out of it’s way to show him as one of the Shadowbolts, including being explicedly shown as the member of the Shadowbolts in multiple Group Shots of them:  
>>927849p (merged)  
>>927845p (merged)
 
And in a second one:  

 
This, seeing he is with the cool kids, kinda implies Rising Star was meant to be among the popular kids that at best ignored or scorned Sci-Twi. So yeah he would be quite a calming influence, if not the book completelly forgetting he was befoe in Crystal prep.
 
The second one is that Sci-Twi in the book’s summary is stated to be nervous to meet other kids from Crystal Prep.
 
Only Sci-Twi and other girls did make peace with the girls from Crystal Prep in Dance Magic, became friends, and went of in quite good relations, so it doesn’t make that much sense Twilight is so nervous about this, that only the charming new Crystal Prep boy named Rising Star calms her down.
 
And Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks also wouldn’t make sense, if it took place before Dance Magic - Twilight states in Dance Magic she “hadn’t heard much” about people from her old school, and attending “the first-ever Canter-Crys science fair organized by both Canterlot High and Crystal Prep Academy”, is kinda hearing much about her former school.
 

 

 
Rarity, would also be at this event, seeing her personality, and I can bet she will be in the book.
 
I mention also this, as some stated this book could take place before Legend of Everfree, to make the Rising Star x Sci-Twi scenario seem less awkward, but it fit’s even less in such placement in the timeline.

@BackgroundLoL  
So… what exactly is this summary contradicting?

@Esteban  
Yeah you’re right. And as Background Pony #DD15 wrote, the comics seem to have evolved into it’s own, kinda separate canon.
 
Still (as I mentioned before), I find it “impressive” this book is contradicted by canon/contradicts canon as of it’s summary, and the whole story being founded on what is essentially a contradition of canon/a storyline contradicted by canon XD
 
(As most books and comics are contradicted by canon some time after their release, not months before it’s publishing XD)

@MaresFillies  
They already openly contradicted the comics with Shadow Play two parter being very different on how Starswirl defeated the Sirens in the Sirens backstory comic of Fiendship series.

@MaresFillies  
Many of the comics are explicitly non-canon, by being contradicted by canon, animated works.
 
This book is contradicted by canon as of it’s summary. Not that, it’s very plot is based on contradicting canon.
 
(And in general, it seems the comics as of now, aside from few like Legends of Magic, exist in their own canon.)
 
So no, this book seems non canon (seemingly via the writers incompetence or lack of care), rather than optional canon.

This will be optional canon just like the comics. XD

@Alexlayer  
The thing with Rising Star in the book and in Friendship Games, it’s very visible they are meant to be the same person - both eve go to Crystal prep, and it would be a very visible as*pull by Hasbro, if they declared them separate characters, especially that they never done such thing in past.
 
 
@Esteban
 
@Background Pony #180E
 
Well, as Background Pony #180E points out, as opposed to most novels, the very foundations of Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks story look incompatible with things we saw in canon, and it’s allready visible in the novels summary.
 
So I think it arguably comes of as less canon than the common novel (which is “impressive”, seeing it’s as I mentioned, allready viible from just the summary…)

@Esteban
 
Well yes, the books aren’t exactly canon, but have you seen other books literally go out of their way to be so visibly non-canon like this one?
 
I mean, holy cr*p, was there even an editor working on this?
 
There are continuity errors, and there is stuff like this - this upcoming book’s whole story and it’s foundation is essentially based on continuity errors or retcons. To the point it’s visible in the summary!
 
I mean, do you people even imagine how bad about continuity will be the book itself?! And how it probably will be written?

I dont think the books are canon, unless they are the book version of the upcoming episode.

@Alexlayer
 
@Hearthstone23
 
Also, the book in another way, is incompatible with the animated/primary canon - Sci-Twi in the book’s summary is stated to be nervous to meet other kids from Crystal Prep again.
 
Only that Sci-Twi and other girls did make peace with the girls from Crystal Prep in Dance Magic, and went of in quite good relations, so it doesn’t make that much sense Twilight is so nervous about this, that only the charming new Crystal Prep boy named Rising Star calms her down.
 
And Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks also wouldn’t make sense, if it took place before Dance Magic - Twilight states in Dance Magic she “haven’t heard much” about people from herold school, and attending “the first-ever Canter-Crys science fair organized by both Canterlot High and Crystal Prep Academy”, is kinda hearing much about her former school. Rarity also would attend this.
 
 

 

@Hearthstone23  
Yeah, at least as of now at least it seems guy in Frienship Games/Neon Lights is Rising Star.

@Alexlayer  
According to the wiki and various merchandise the book’s Rising Star is in fact Neon Lights.

@BackgroundLoL  
I read that, but… it’s entirely possible that they might introduce an entirely new character as the so-called Rising Star, despite there being a previous background character named such. That background character has only been named such either by the fandom or by supplemental material, neither of which hold much weight over Canon, so it is (sadly) possible that they might overlook that.

@Alexlayer  
Ok, I understand Alex.
 
But about this being canon, I noticed the book renders itself basically noncanon (and allready within it’s own summary) , so unless it has an animated counterpart, as animated works, override non-animated ones in terms of canon, Twilight Sparkle’s Science Fair Sparks is seemingly just a payed fanfic…XD

@BackgroundLoL  

 
Sigh… yeah, okay. I guess I’m a bit tense and stressed because I really dread this becoming Canon, but you’re right. I apologize, @SentryBronyPlatinum, for being rude. I do happen to believe most people won’t care about the possibility you brought up, but if you like Flash, all the more power to you. I’d personally believe EqG as a whole would be doing a lot better without him, but to each their own, I guess, and let’s agree to disagree.

@CaptainGrumpy  
Well, while I agree Alex was to harsh, and not exactly civil, that’s not what he wrote.
 
He wrote Hardly anyone cares for Flash or Timber (and those who do are largely just projecting) in other words, he sated people who like Flash or Timber, are either projectiing themselves into either Twilight’s role/character, or into Timber or Flash’s role/character. While it’s an unfair generalisation of a whole group of fans, Alexlayer didn’t write that “people who like what he’s doesn’t like are pretending”, are stating so is also wrong, as it’s at best also vast generalisation, or misinterpretation, or at worst a false accusation.

@CaptainGrumpy  
I’m not sure if you even read right what I wrote.

@BackgroundLoL  
I’m not playing a character on here, this is my honest opinion.

@Alexlayer  
“people who like what I don’t like are pretending”
 
you’ve said some strange shit before Alex but this takes the cake

@Alexlayer  
I’m a big Flash Sentry fan, I look forward to him playing a big role for once. Even if it’s in a book. Plus we haven’t had much Flash Sentry and Sunset Shimmer interactions since Legend of Everfree and Good Vibes.

Interesting thing that visibly indicates, this book being non-canonical, is that Rising Star was attending Crystal Prep when Sci-Twi did, ie during Friendship games, and is not really a new student, by any means, and Sci-Twi realistically should know him, seeing they saw each other.  
 
>>927849t (merged)
 
Although this may also mean the writer didn’t do research, which is quite probable, but yeah, we can still use this to allready show this book is not canon, unless it has an animated counterpart.
 
 
@Alexlayer
 
Thay’s a bit harsh Alexlayer - I can see why you feel so, but I think we should be at least somewhat accepting what people like, and not make hasty conclusions about them…  
…And SentryBronyPlatinum doesn’t seem to be even entirelly serious, and possibly made a joke about Rising Star, while being “in character”.

@SentryBronyPlatinum  
Who cares if Rising Star is like an evil Flash/Timber? Hardly anyone cares for Flash or Timber (and those who do are largely just projecting), so why would anyone care whether Rising Star is meant to be that?

@Alexlayer  
Huh?