Highlights of the EU

[TheSpaceman?]

So it seems like this so far:

Definite pile-The Rogue Squadron books, I Jedi, Courtship of Princess Leia(because it ends the Zsinj storyline), Hard Contact, the Han Solo Adventures and Lando Adventures(?).

Maybe pile-Hand of Thrawn, NJO, Jedi Academy?, some Marvel Star Wars, Corellian Trilogy?(because it appears to factor heavily into NJO).

Man, it's confusing having to wade through all the crap to find the gems.

[Batman]

'I, Jedi', the Jedi Academy and 'Courtship of Princess Leia' only if you like to suffer. Yes, the last DID end the Zinj storyline but that storyline was worth reading DESPITE that book.
The Wraith Squadron books are a worthy read. The Rogue Squadron books, while not exactly at the bottom of the pre-NJO pile, aren't really spectacular either.
What I've read of the NJO seriously stunk. Up to that I thought the Black Fleet Crisis storyline was a good example of the New Republic being complete and utter morons.

[Ghost Rider]

I always love these because the poster who starts them wants a common kinda consensus from a crowd that has to deal with retcon after retcon and weird rationale from all sources streaming from George Lucas to popular fan theories.

You want to start with the Expanded Universe? Go to a library and pick an author that you saw on Wookiepedia or whatnot, and start that one. If the time period is not to your liking try another. The only ones people will not say good on this board are Kevin J Anderson's work, Crystal Star, and a couple Travis bits. You will find fans of the rest in some form or fashion and each can make a compelling if vague reason why it is good, because you've given no fucking qualifiers of what you are seeking.

[TheSpaceman?]

I gave no qualifiers because I have none, I'd just like to hear what books/comics/whatever people like around here. Mainly because it seems like the people here actually have an opinion about how worth-while something is compared to the "You should just read everything with the Star Wars label" stance that it seems many take on TFN.

[DesertFly]

I gave no qualifiers because I have none, I'd just like to hear what books/comics/whatever people like around here. Mainly because it seems like the people here actually have an opinion about how worth-while something is compared to the "You should just read everything with the Star Wars label" stance that it seems many take on TFN.

Really if you want to gain a complete understanding of where people are coming from when they debate and talk Star Wars on here then you're going to want to read as much as you can get your hands on. Start with any that people have recommended, and if you like it, then go with other stuff by the same author, or stuff that's in the same time period. You can find stuff that's all over the map as far as quality in any era, so usually you just give it a shot and eventually you'll start to get a feeling for who you'd like, what kind of stories are usually better (you can easily find summaries (like on Wookieepedia)), and where you'd like to concentrate.

And if you start a book and really don't like it, don't read it! There's always something else to read, and if you need to know what happened in a certain story, or what characters/locations/droids/vehicles/whatever appeared in it then things like Wookieepedia will also help.

[Darth Fanboy]

In my opinion, the EU set prior to the OT is far better than the EU set post Endor. There are obviously several exceptions, but if you're looking to indulge yourself in a lot of material then you're safe with Clone Wars era comics and novels so long as they don't say "Karen Traviss" on them, and even that isn't entirely true because Hard Contact was not a bad story, unfortunately she followed up a halfway decent book with utter crap.

If you want the "Best of the Best", i'd recommend the following:

-"Labyrinth of Evil"/RoTS Novelization/"Dark Lord", these three books for a loose trilogy chronicling events surrounding Revenge of the Sith. Stover's take on the movie is very well done and the other two books are written by James Luceno, who is an excellent author who knows how to write for the established characters quite well.

-"Clone Wars Comics" and "Dark Times", but i'd skip over as much of the Quinlan Vos stuff as possible. But it's not as avoidable if you're reading the compilations as opposed to individual issues.

-"Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter", Medstar Duology, Coruscant Nights Trilogy(third book of this trilogy is being released in less than two weeks), and the Death Star novel. These books were written either by Michael Reaves, Steve Perry, or both and stretch from before TPM to the events that take place in ANH. And although they do not form one long series, elements from each story play a part in subsequent books (Death Star to a much lesser extent.)

[TheSpaceman?]

Really if you want to gain a complete understanding of where people are coming from when they debate and talk Star Wars on here then you're going to want to read as much as you can get your hands on. Start with any that people have recommended, and if you like it, then go with other stuff by the same author, or stuff that's in the same time period. You can find stuff that's all over the map as far as quality in any era, so usually you just give it a shot and eventually you'll start to get a feeling for who you'd like, what kind of stories are usually better (you can easily find summaries (like on Wookieepedia)), and where you'd like to concentrate.

And if you start a book and really don't like it, don't read it! There's always something else to read, and if you need to know what happened in a certain story, or what characters/locations/droids/vehicles/whatever appeared in it then things like Wookieepedia will also help.

Yeah, Wookiepedia is why I figured I should only try to read quality books rather than anything. That's kinda the point behind this thread.

Anyway, does anyone know any specific Marvel Star Wars things I should read? I don't think I'd wanna read all of 'em, just the good ones. And thanks for all the replies so far.

[000]

Mainly because it seems like the people here actually have an opinion about how worth-while something is compared to the "You should just read everything with the Star Wars label" stance that it seems many take on TFN.

You must not be very familiar with TFN.

Anyway, does anyone know any specific Marvel Star Wars things I should read?

I assume you'd be reading from Dark Horse's Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... collections, yes? Or do you have access to the individual issues?

[TheSpaceman?]

Mainly because it seems like the people here actually have an opinion about how worth-while something is compared to the "You should just read everything with the Star Wars label" stance that it seems many take on TFN.

You must not be very familiar with TFN.

Maybe not. But I just hear so many bad things about Darksaber yet everyone still acts like it's worth a read, I see people complain about LotF and DN and they still recommend them, etc.

Anyway, does anyone know any specific Marvel Star Wars things I should read?

I assume you'd be reading from Dark Horse's Classic Star Wars: A Long Time Ago... collections, yes? Or do you have access to the individual issues?

Yeah, if I read any of 'em it'll be from those collections. I doubt I could get access to individual issues.

[Coiler]

I'm different from many others on this board in that I like Mike Stackpole. I find his books range from "good, light fun" (his X-Wing books), to "awesome" (I, Jedi). Allston's X-Wing books are also very good, and in my view even better than Stackpole's. If you don't mind oddball stories, the Tales from Jabba's Palace is a good book.

On the other hand, I found Shadow Hunter to be total crap.

[TheSpaceman?]

Speaking of which, what's up with the overlap of JAT and I, Jedi? I hear really bad things about one of them, really good of the other. Is it better to just read I, Jedi, or will I really get the most worth out of reading both?

[Coiler]

Just read I, Jedi. The JAT isn't worth it, unless for some reason you actually like KJA's writing.

[Batman]

I'd skip both since you can reasonably easily catch up with the events of the JAT (or 'I, Jedi' for that matter) elsewhere but if you feel you have to read one of the two, read 'I, Jedi'. You'll get a sufficient rundown of what happened in the trilogy (in fact its failings notwithstanding 'I, Jedi' was IMHO FAR better at telling the JAT than the JAT was) and you won't be inclined to throw yourself, the JAT or preferably KJA off a really tall building.

[TheSpaceman?]

Wow, that's interesting. I had been concerned that I'd be lost if I didn't read JAT. And Batman, I know you said I, Jedi isn't good, but I've heard mainly positive stuff about it and I figure I should probably read at least one version of those events simply for the fact that Luke starting the academy seems integral to much of the EU that comes after it.

[DesertFly]

Wow, that's interesting. I had been concerned that I'd be lost if I didn't read JAT. And Batman, I know you said I, Jedi isn't good, but I've heard mainly positive stuff about it and I figure I should probably read at least one version of those events simply for the fact that Luke starting the academy seems integral to much of the EU that comes after it.

I haven't read most of the NJO, the rest of the EU that is set after the Jedi Academy Trilogy doesn't reference much past "Luke started an academy (his "Praxeum") on Yavin, and it had a bit of a rocky start".

As for Daala...well, she was a psychotic bitch with delusions of grandeur she got from screwing Tarkin. That's all you really need to know.

[Batman]

Thanks for mentioning yet one another reason NOT to read the JAT
A shoved-off to a forgotten research installation nonentity with a force of a grand total of four Star Destroyers and the military acumen of a used kleenex (Daala actually makes Starfleet look moderately competent by comparison...) somehow winds up a credible (or at least nontrivial) threat to the New Republic.

[000]

Maybe not. But I just hear so many bad things about Darksaber yet everyone still acts like it's worth a read, I see people complain about LotF and DN and they still recommend them, etc.

TFN (and by TFN I assume you mean its lit forum) has a very number of posters (for an EU board) representing a fairly broad section of the fandom, so everything's going to have its fans.

That said: I've seen very few people recommend anything written by KJA. : P

Yeah, if I read any of 'em it'll be from those collections. I doubt I could get access to individual issues.

In that case...

If I had to pick only one of them, I'd highly recommend Volume 2 (Dark Encounters); it contains the entirety of the Tagge arc, which is generally well-regarded and probably my favorite. Bear in mind that it's best approached with an open mind; be prepared for silliness like the omega frost superweapon, which freezes starships in blocks of ice.

Yeah.

Really, though, it's worth it simply for Vader; the arc centers around the Dark Lord systematically dismantling the Tagge family for presuming to challenge his place in the Empire.

There's a handful of one-shots in that volume, too, including a random adventure from Luke's boyhood on Tatooine and one (rather dated) story about Kenobi during the Clone Wars. The first four issues wrap up an arc from the preceding volume, though, so you might need the first if you want to read them...

So I'd also recommend Volume 3, although for only three of the issues in particular. "The Third Law" is a really goofy off-the-wall one-shot involving Leia and Vader vying to secure a bank loan on a planet that doesn't allow weapons of any kind. The art kinda sucks, and the plot's random as hell (think: assassins who can shape-shift into butterflies) but it's worth it for Vader being a devious bastard and the awesomely corny punch line.

Come to think of it, you might easily hate it. It helps if you've a weakness for screwball humor. : P

The other two issues are a two-parter involving Luke and Leia attemption to sabotage the Tarkin, a kind of mini-death star... but that part's boring. The arc's worth it for Vader's involvement, including what might well be the most awesome Vader moment ever.

As to the rest of the series... honestly, I really only read it for Vader, so, anything he's in. : P



If you're not a Vader fanboy, then I suppose I'd use the wook to browse through the series and see what interests you. I don't care for the first or last twenty or so issues, although your opinion might differ; aside from them, most of the series is worth reading, if only for novelty value.

Oh, yeah, wait: be sure to read "The Apprentice" from volume 5. The story's not really all that interesting, but Vader's in it and there's an unintentional prequel reference at the end that'll blow your mind.

[Bob the Gunslinger]

So it seems like this so far:
Definite pile-The Rogue Squadron books, I Jedi, Courtship of Princess Leia(because it ends the Zsinj storyline), Hard Contact, the Han Solo Adventures and Lando Adventures(?).
Maybe pile-Hand of Thrawn, NJO, Jedi Academy?, some Marvel Star Wars, Corellian Trilogy?(because it appears to factor heavily into NJO).

How the hell did Hand of Thrawn end up in the same pile as the NJO and Jedi Academy?

Also, if you're thinking of reading the whole book of the Courtship of Princess Leia for one scene, then you definitely read the Hand of Thrawn books for the many great scenes in it.

Also, the Rogue Squadron books and I, Jedi are pretty much filler and so-so at best... but that probably still puts them near the top of the pile as far as the SW EU is concerned. They at least have their moments.

[DrMckay]

Well, I just finished Death Star. Interesting read if a little repetitive, Though a damn sight better than the NJO.

I cannot Reccomend Allston enough- Iron Fist and Starfighters of Adumar are probably his best works.

Zhan's Hand of Thrawn Duology is pretty good too.

[TheSpaceman?]

In that case...

If I had to pick only one of them, I'd highly recommend Volume 2 (Dark Encounters); it contains the entirety of the Tagge arc, which is generally well-regarded and probably my favorite. Bear in mind that it's best approached with an open mind; be prepared for silliness like the omega frost superweapon, which freezes starships in blocks of ice.

Yeah.

Really, though, it's worth it simply for Vader; the arc centers around the Dark Lord systematically dismantling the Tagge family for presuming to challenge his place in the Empire.

There's a handful of one-shots in that volume, too, including a random adventure from Luke's boyhood on Tatooine and one (rather dated) story about Kenobi during the Clone Wars. The first four issues wrap up an arc from the preceding volume, though, so you might need the first if you want to read them...

So I'd also recommend Volume 3, although for only three of the issues in particular. "The Third Law" is a really goofy off-the-wall one-shot involving Leia and Vader vying to secure a bank loan on a planet that doesn't allow weapons of any kind. The art kinda sucks, and the plot's random as hell (think: assassins who can shape-shift into butterflies) but it's worth it for Vader being a devious bastard and the awesomely corny punch line.

Come to think of it, you might easily hate it. It helps if you've a weakness for screwball humor. : P

The other two issues are a two-parter involving Luke and Leia attemption to sabotage the Tarkin, a kind of mini-death star... but that part's boring. The arc's worth it for Vader's involvement, including what might well be the most awesome Vader moment ever.

As to the rest of the series... honestly, I really only read it for Vader, so, anything he's in. : P



If you're not a Vader fanboy, then I suppose I'd use the wook to browse through the series and see what interests you. I don't care for the first or last twenty or so issues, although your opinion might differ; aside from them, most of the series is worth reading, if only for novelty value.

Oh, yeah, wait: be sure to read "The Apprentice" from volume 5. The story's not really all that interesting, but Vader's in it and there's an unintentional prequel reference at the end that'll blow your mind.

I am a bit of a Vader fanboy, so those sound right up my alley(at least, Volume 2 does. I'm torn on Volume 3 though.) But I'm curious, what did you dislike about the later issues? Lumiya and Flint sounded interesting for their connections to Vader and Palpatine.

How the hell did Hand of Thrawn end up in the same pile as the NJO and Jedi Academy?

Also, if you're thinking of reading the whole book of the Courtship of Princess Leia for one scene, then you definitely read the Hand of Thrawn books for the many great scenes in it.

Well I also thought I might check out CoPL because I like Luke and he's supposedly written well and has cool moments in it. But HoT's really that good, huh? I hadn't heard too much about it, that's why it was in the maybe pile. I'm wondering, what's good about HoT? I was worried it would be uneventful/boring except for the end of the GCW.