Author Topic: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Cash_Fendar  175 posts
Registered: Apr '09
6242_2-1B
Date Posted: 10/30 9:13pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!

Darth_Pheonixdude posted:
Another question. Who has read The New Jedi Order series? Is it any good? I own all novels of this series, but I am intimidated by the size of the entire series. What do you people think?





I started reading them a couple of months ago, and have gotten halfway through Rebirth. The first book was awesome IMO, but the next two kinda fell flat for me because Han is out of the picture. I took a break from the NJO after that and read the Han Solo Trilogy. Then I picked up the Jedi Eclipse books, and have not stopped since. The pace has been reestablished with the re-emergence of Han, and I've gotten into the pattern of going out and buying the next book in the series prior to finishing the preceding just because there's momentum now. They've all been pretty good reads (with the exception of he Dark Tide stuff), and I'm glad I decided to give them another try. What sucks now is the "My God you're such a dork" look I get from my wife when I rush out to get another SW paperback!

 

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Cash_Fendar  175 posts
Registered: Apr '09
6242_2-1B
Date Posted: 10/30 9:21pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!

The2ndQuest posted:
The movie forums would probably be the best place to follow/ask in about video releases for the films (outside of The Clone Wars, in which case try LACWAC).

So far, nothing announced for a BRD release.




Agreed, I looked in the movie forums for a related topic, but could not find a "FAQ" thread per se, so I figured his would be the next best thing.

 

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"Tracy my cap is luke."
"Luke warm Chris?"
"No f@#kin Luke Skywalker you inbred!"
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Manisphere  2931 posts
Registered: Aug '07
44127_Darth Krayt
Date Posted: 10/31 6:57am Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Cash_Fendar posted:
They've all been pretty good reads (with the exception of he Dark Tide stuff), and I'm glad I decided to give them another try. What sucks now is the "My God you're such a dork" look I get from my wife when I rush out to get another SW paperback!


Wha? Why do half the NJO fans dislike Dark Tide? Is it the darkness part? It seems to split fans in two. It's Stackpole, Cash. Stackpole! Maybe it's the extreme lack of humor in those books that might throw fans off. Without Han, there isn't really any comic relief.


 

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Xicer  778 posts
Registered: Aug '08
48419_Imperial Sentinel (51209)
Date Posted: 10/31 7:02am Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
I love Dark Tide. Ruin is one of my five favorite NJO novels. They made me respect Corran Horn again, and of course seeing Elegos in the spotlight is always a plus. Shedao Shai was one of the few Vong villains I really liked (I much preferred him over Tsavong Lah) and his duel with Corran was pretty epic.

 

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Cash_Fendar  175 posts
Registered: Apr '09
6242_2-1B
Date Posted: 10/31 7:29am Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here! - Date Edited: 10/31 7:37am (2 edits total) Edited By: Cash_Fendar
Manisphere posted:
Wha? Why do half the NJO fans dislike Dark Tide? Is it the darkness part? It seems to split fans in two. It's Stackpole, Cash. Stackpole! Maybe it's the extreme lack of humor in those books that might throw fans off. Without Han, there isn't really any comic relief.




I just didn't like them. It wasn't that I found them particularly dark or anything like that. Tell you the truth, I didn't even notice that they WERE darker than most. The thing I didn't like about them (besides the lack of Han) was the pointlessness of Corran's heroics. There was this big build up for the battle between Corran and Shai, and in the end what did it change? Nothing!! I understand they were trying to show that the Vong were ruthless, and did not bargain and all that, but still, I just didn't like the books, all Stackpole aside.

 

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"Tracy my cap is luke."
"Luke warm Chris?"
"No f@#kin Luke Skywalker you inbred!"
-The Kids in the Hall:Brain Candy-
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Plaristes  384 posts
Registered: Jul '07
8068_R5-D4
Date Posted: 11/2 6:27am Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
According to the Mustafar page on wookieepedia, the planet became a volcanic world in 3,996 BBY. However, that page isn't sourced well at all, so does anyone know what the source of this date is? Related question: the first part of the short story Lost Treasure takes place sometime before Mustafar became volcanic. Does anyone know approximately when the story takes place?

 

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Plaristes  384 posts
Registered: Jul '07
8068_R5-D4
Date Posted: 11/4 12:15pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Plaristes posted:
According to the Mustafar page on wookieepedia, the planet became a volcanic world in 3,996 BBY. However, that page isn't sourced well at all, so does anyone know what the source of this date is? Related question: the first part of the short story Lost Treasure takes place sometime before Mustafar became volcanic. Does anyone know approximately when the story takes place?


So no one knows? confused

 

-----signature-----
"Adaption" is not an English word.
Ahsoka is annoying; seeing "Ashoka" typed is even more annoying.
"Begs the question" does not mean "raises the question"
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CJBOOK520 
Registered: Sep '09
Date Posted: 11/4 2:35pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
I've read a lot of posts asking questions like, "Should I read the Zahn books first or the Stackpole X wing books?" Or, "Should I read the Dark Nest or do I need to read the NJO to really understand it?" I think it's great that peolle are reading the books at all, but I'm a strong advocate of reading them in chronological order. When I discovered the EU back in 2002 and started reading I began at the beginning and filled in the gaps as new books were released. I think it made for a much richer experience. I got to watch Luke grow to be the Grand Master of the Jedi Order that he developed. I watched Jacen Solo go from a thoughtful teenager to Sith Lord who murdered his aunt. The rise and fall of the New Republic. This is the only way to fully enjoy these books, in my opinion.

 

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The2ndQuest  40218 posts
Title: Manager:
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Registered: Jan '00
49624_H234: Samus
Date Posted: 11/5 9:19pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Reading everything in chronological order is likely optimal- but given finite time, resources and specific interests and preferences, more specialized approahces are often better introductions and experiences for the more casual reader not looking to indulge in 100+ novels.

And Plat- I don't know the exact answer, but I would presume that sources first establishing Mustafar's history and how it came to be to be your likely source candidates (maybe the cross-sections book or New Essential Chronology?). Or, if not that, the Atlas.

 

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white-lancer 
Registered: Aug '09
17650_Errant Venture
Date Posted: 11/7 3:13pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Manisphere posted:
Wha? Why do half the NJO fans dislike Dark Tide? Is it the darkness part? It seems to split fans in two. It's Stackpole, Cash. Stackpole! Maybe it's the extreme lack of humor in those books that might throw fans off. Without Han, there isn't really any comic relief.





To me, Dark Tide was one of the highlights of that series. I enjoyed NJO overall, but it definitely had its weak points (I always have to force myself through Agents of Chaos, Balance Point, and Force Heretic), and books like Dark Tide, Star By Star, Traitor, Enemy Lines, and The Unifying Force really made it enjoyable to me and put it head and shoulders about LOTF, IMO.

 

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Cash_Fendar  175 posts
Registered: Apr '09
6242_2-1B
Date Posted: 11/9 2:19pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
I just picked up Star by Star, and didn't realize that the "prologue" so its called, is an 82 page, previously unreleased e-novella...according to the backflap. I started reading it thinking, "have I missed something, no wait this doesn'take sense, hold on, this stuff happened like three books ago......" Yeah, then I had the idea to check the back cover and "duh", I'm reading the novella. I guess what I'm saying is, I was suprised that this already gigantic book has the nuts to slide a big-ass, previously unreleased in print prologue in there? I hope this book is worth it...

 

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"Tracy my cap is luke."
"Luke warm Chris?"
"No f@#kin Luke Skywalker you inbred!"
-The Kids in the Hall:Brain Candy-
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Manisphere  2931 posts
Registered: Aug '07
44127_Darth Krayt
Date Posted: 11/9 8:03pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Ha! That happened to me. I didn't realize it was a novella until months later. SbS is great though. Long and relentless but I think worth the read. For some reason SbS wasn't at the apex of my NJO list and I can't remember why. Good book though.

 

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Reww  52 posts
Registered: Nov '08
Date Posted: 11/9 9:51pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
I was wondering is there any literature with besides Visions of the Future(Which I am pumped that I finally finished!) where they give some insight about Thrawn and the Unknown Regions? And the threat that they talk about is it supposed to be teh Yuuzong Vong?

 

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Manisphere  2931 posts
Registered: Aug '07
44127_Darth Krayt
Date Posted: 11/9 10:12pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Well rumors of the Vong do come into play in Outbound Flight. It centers on the Unknown Regions and Thrawn as it's in the Chiss Empire. I simply loved the book.

Survivor's Quest, the prequel to Outbound also of course goes into detail about the Unknown Regions and the Chiss. I wasn't crazy about SQ. However it does take place just prior to the Vong Invasion. It's kind of strange. Though it's the prequel, it takes place decades after Outbound. So if you're devoted to knowing anything and everything about Thrawn and the rest, I'd read Survivor's Quest first.

 

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Temek 
Registered: Nov '09
40336_Luke Skywalker
Date Posted: 11/14 12:53pm Subject: New to the EU? What to Read? Where to Start? What's That Mean? Your Questions, Answered Here!
Hello, I have been a long time fan of SW, new to the forums, just recently decided to start with the novels of the EU. I started off with the OT book and just started reading TTT (just finished heir to the empire) and I am building a list of what novels to read next. Quoting Manisphere's suggested list:

-The "Thrawn Trilogy": Heir to the Empire
-The "Thrawn Trilogy": Dark Force Rising
-The "Thrawn Trilogy": The Last Command
-Dark Empire I (comic series)
-Jedi Academy Trilogy: Jedi Search
-Jedi Academy Trilogy: Dark Apprentice
-Jedi Academy Trilogy: Champions of the Force
-I, Jedi
-Darksaber
-Hand of Thrawn: Specter of the Past
-Hand of Thrawn: Vision of the Future

I really want to read all the novels, in an order that will prepare me for the LotF and NJO. I am willing to read any book (crappy or good) just to get more insight that might bridge some of the gaps that are found when jumping from one author to the next. I am also willing to pick up any comic series if it relates or provides adequate knowledge to the EU that leads to the NJO. I hear KotoR was a really good series, is there any other comics that should be read prior to that?

If I follow the list above, my question is where does SotE, TaB and the X-Wing series fall into place. Eventually, I will pick up the entire Jedi Apprentice series as I hear it is really good regardless that it was intended for younger readers. I do enjoy the backstory of Han Solo and want to read the Corellian Trilogy and anything with Han (Han Solo Trilogy) just to get a background of how he was before he met Leia.

Also, I hear the Dark Empire TPB is good but the other two, not so much. I think someone previously said that there was a version of DE II TPB that included the EE. I've searched on Amazon and so far I couldn't find an edition that had both DE II and EE. I have more questions but figure it will take me quite some time to read the list I posted above and will save it for a later time. Sorry for the long post and thanks for any advice that can be provided.

Temek

 

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