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BANTAM book help

Discussion in 'Literature' started by TheNewEmpire, Jun 13, 2011.

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  1. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2007
    I'm working my way through the Bantam Imperial Remnant era and have gotten as far as I, Jedi.

    Please could you rate the following books, and tell me which ones are completely unnecessary and which ones are essential for continuity...

    PLEASE: NO SPOILERS!

    1. Children of the Jedi
    2. Darksaber
    3. Planet of Twilight
    4. The Crystal Star

    5. The Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy

    6. The New Rebellion

    7. The Corellion Trilogy
     
  2. The Loyal Imperial

    The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2007
    Define unnecessary and critical. Black Fleet Crisis is worth reading, but mostly because they're good. The rest, not so much.
     
  3. ATimson

    ATimson Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2003
    1/2/3, and 7, are heavily referenced by later works and should be read. 5 is good on its own merits (don't remember how essential it is). 4/6 might be lightly referenced but can be skipped.
     
  4. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

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    Aug 12, 2007
    In terms of the larger overall continuity. I don't want to find characters talking about events later on in books i haven't read.

    Are any of those books so poor that they arn't worth reading?
    Personally, I found The Corship of Princess Leia quite bad, but read it because its essential to the continuity.

    I'll read any book, no matter how bad, as long as its necessary for the overall coninuity.
     
  5. The Loyal Imperial

    The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2007
    I'd say everything on that list but the Black Fleet Crisis and the Corellian Trilogy are poor enough to not be worth reading, but if you want to know every story ever referenced in later books, only The New Rebellion is probably skippable.
     
  6. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

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    Aug 12, 2007
    Was The New Rebellion a later addition then, like Tattoine Ghost? I'll read it if its good though, but it needs to be really good... is it?
     
  7. The Loyal Imperial

    The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 19, 2007
    Not a later addition: it's from 1996. Better than Crystal Star, maybe, but certainly not a quality book. There's a pretty good reason nobody references it much anymore.
     
  8. DarthBoba

    DarthBoba Manager Emeritus star 9 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2000
    Thrawn Trilogy, Black Fleet Crisis, and the Rogue & Wraith Squadron books. Also Hand of Thrawn. The rest can be left unread as nobody mentions anything from them anymore.

    I've never read CoPL all the way through and I'm not very concerned about it.
     
  9. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    1. Children of the Jedi - Introduces two characters, both of which go through relative periods of import, relatively necessary reading for 2.

    2. Darksaber - If you've read the Jedi Academy Trilogy, this ties off it, and 1 adds to it.

    3. Planet of Twilight - Ties off 1 and 2 as a 'semi-trilogy'. Not particularly necessary, but ties up some loose ends, and creates some more which are picked up later on (much later on).

    [3.5 X-wing 9: Starfighters of Adumar - READ IT!]

    4. The Crystal Star - Unnecessary. Really unnecessary.

    5. The Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy - Introduces a plethora of new ideas, has a decent A and B plot with Leia and Luke, introduces concepts and cast members that are used later on. I'd say its the most essential of the 7, and the most enjoyable, too.

    6. The New Rebellion - Not important, really, but it does carry on Brakiss' story. If you found him interesting in I, Jedi, go for it.

    7. The Corellion Trilogy - Unfortunately necessary to some degree due to a few plots and introduced technologies, but the third book summarises enough of the time consuming first two books for you just to pick it up from there. Or Wookiee it.

    [8. Hand of Thrawn Duology - READ IT!]
     
  10. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    The Crystal Star-isn't really ever referenced at all in the subsequent books and can be easily skipped.

    COTJ/DS/POT- DS connects more to the Jedi Academy trilogy (though it continues a storyline of a character introduced in COTJ) while POT is pretty dull, it does wrap up that character's storyline (for the time being) and ties up another character's status until a later appearance. (Extremely minor Conviction spoiler: The main planet from POT is also featured heavily in one book in the current Fate of the Jedi series).

    The New Rebellion isn't referenced heavily, though the planet it primarily features is used again in another Fate of the Jedi novel later one.

    The Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy is probably the best of the books you've listed. It's political/military A-plot featuring Leia is pretty good (and connects to one New Jedi Order book later on). The Rendezvous With Rama-esque B-plot with Lando is also good, but is unconnected to pretty much anything else. The C-plot with Luke is kinda weak, but a group introduced here, along with their Force abilities, are utilized multiple times in later books like the NJO & FOTJ.

    The Corellian Trilogy isn't bad, but is probably the most relevant to the later books of the titles you've listed. They're particularly connected to at least one or two NJO books (and an ebook short story) as well as a recurring character introduced in that series, as well as introducing elements central to several Legacy of the Force novels (and, indirectly, FOTJ).
     
  11. The Loyal Imperial

    The Loyal Imperial Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

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    Nov 19, 2007
    Crystal Star was, technically, referenced in Millennium Falcon.
     
  12. KissMeImARebel

    KissMeImARebel Force Ghost star 5

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    Nov 25, 2003
    The Black Fleet Crisis isn't really essential, although it's probably come up here and there, and it's decent entertainment.

    Children of the Jedi is often frowned upon, but I rather liked it in it's own campy way. It introduces at least one reappearing character.

    The Crystal Star is probably the crackiest Star Wars novel out there, and that alone makes it worth the read IMO, but I'm probably in a minority on this one.
     
  13. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 12, 2007
    I've read 1-4 of the X-wing books and found them to be lacking. In every way they are an inferior read other books i've read in the EU.

    I keep hearing great things about the series, but feel reluctant to go on. I enjoyed Stackpole's I,Jedi and NJO books, but I feel he was wasn't as good a writer back then...
     
  14. timmoishere

    timmoishere Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 2, 2007
    I hate to say this about someone else's opinion, but you are quite frankly wrong here. The X-wing books are among the best of the EU. This is an indisputable fact.
     
  15. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

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    Oct 16, 2008
    5-7 and 9 are all by Allston rather than Michael Stackpole, so they're not quite the same. Starfighters of Adumar isn't number 2 on the review rankings here for nothing, behind only ROTS. I don't know if you've read Allston's LOTF or FOTJ books, but this is him at his peak, IMO, and it's why everyone is so excited for his next wraith squadron book.
     
  16. Malachi108

    Malachi108 Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Aug 8, 2009
    Well, in that case you should be interested to know that books 5-7 and 9 are written by Aaron Allston, who is one the best authors in EU overall and his "Wraith Squadron" novels are really worth reading. I don't know any Start Wars fan who read them and didn't enjoy them. Book 8 is again written by Michael Stackpole, but follows a plot not connected to any of the other novels (it is connected to comics instead). And book 9, Starfighters of Adumar by Allston is... a masterpiece. It's easily in my top 10 SWEU novels ever list. And its plot isn't that heavily connected to other X-wing novels either.

    Seriously, READ IT! It's a treat not to be missed.
     
  17. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

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    Aug 12, 2007
    Ok, I can except that. I also don't like Lawrence of Arabia either, so...

    I'm not saying that I hated the books, its just that they didn't hold up like the Thrawn or Jedi Academy trilogies. The characters good and bad, seemed shallow (except for Corran)and not as interesting frankly. I mean, the battle for Coruscant - while good, wasn't as epic as I would have liked.

    Anyway, I have so many Bantam books to read, I'll try to return to them in the future but i'm trying to connect I'Jedi to Vision of the Future in my star wars book collection at the moment... Back in the day, i refused to read anything other than Zahn lol
     
  18. Mechalich

    Mechalich Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 2, 2010
    The Children of the Jedi/Darksaber/Planet of Twilight pseudo-trilogy is flawed, but readable, and is substantially referenced in later material and also has a great deal of insight into Luke's character, which is always important. Darksaber is the weakest of the three but actually has the events that are most significant to later works (like most KJA events, these are unfortunate things that probably never should have happened, but we're stuck with them).

    The Crystal Star is very strange. Not good or bad really so much as very weird. it has ties to the events of the video games Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy (in one of the few truly awesome cases of retcon convergence). There are also a few scenes in this book with Jaina and possibly Jacen as viewpoint characters, which may be the first point in the chronology this happens. Still, it's not essential and almost never referenced.

    The Black Fleet Crisis is actually three highly disconnected plotlines masquerading as one story. Two of them, which involve Luke and Lando adventuring about the galaxy are interesting but fairly irrelevant, though the Luke plotline has some modest connections to later works (nothing you couldn't pick up in a paragraph of summary though). The political plotline is actually very much worth reading simply because it represents the most complete look at the nature of galactic government we have seen post-ROTJ. This is very helpful to understand the Hand of Thrawn duology and portions of the NJO and provides a framework for even some things in LotF and FotJ (since those series do not provide the groundwork the Black Fleet Crisis does and you may end up assuming, well I suppose it was kind of like that).

    The New Rebellion is the worst book of the Bantam run. I would strongly recommend against reading it actually. Everything you need to know (which isn't much) will be mentioned at the beginning of Hand of Thrawn.

    The Corellian Trilogy is funky and has a number of highs and lows (and a book throwing technical error involving consistently refering to 'laser cannons' as 'turbolasers'). However, much of its material is referenced later, and it's also the only real chance pre-NJO to see the Solo children in action if you do not intend to read Young and Junior Jedi Knights.


    Given this I would say, read Children of the Jedi, and if you like where Hambly is going, finish the rest of the trilogy, otherwise jump past. Ignore Crystal Star. At least give the Black Fleet Crisis a look, but if the appeal isn't there, you can move on. Ignore New Rebellion. Try to read the Corellian Trilogy, it does matter (though I suggest small doses).

    And regarding the Allston X-wing series: it is worth at least starting Wraith Squadron. Allston is a journeyman writer in terms of literary ability (though this puts him in the upper zone of Star Wars novelists), but he is capable of good characterization and extraordinary humor. If you find Allston's humor funny, you will love the wraith squadron and adumar books, if you don't, you'll probably not like them much. Starfighters of Adumar is practically 'The Hangover' of Star Wars novels.


     
  19. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

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    Aug 12, 2007
    So what if I went from I,Jedi to Vision of the Future?

    Would that work? Would it connect or would I be totally lost?
     
  20. ATimson

    ATimson Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2003
    You would be totally lost; you need to at least read Specter of the Past first. ;)

    You could probably make the IJ->SOTP past clean enough, though obviously there would be references you'd miss out on.
     
  21. EBSaints

    EBSaints Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    May 29, 2002
    I read the JAT, I Jedi and New Rebellion (I actually think I read New Rebellion before I Jedi) and then jumped to Specter of the Past and Vision of the Future and am now reading the NJO and I think I've been fine in understanding everything. I read the first four Stackpole X-wing books, but none of the other X-wing ones yet and skipped COTJ, Darksaber, POT, TCS and BFC trilogy so far.

    With a paragraph or a few sentences referencing some of these past events, I don't think I've missed too much of the larger story by skipping around.

    I didn't think New Rebellion was as bad as it's been slammed here. Maybe I just haven't read enough EU, but I didn't mind it.
     
  22. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

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    Jan 27, 2000
    Stackpole and Zahn aimed to make I, Jedi & Hand of Thrawn function as an unofficial trilogy to some degree, so reading them that way probably works decently (though, as mentioned above, there'll probably be some references to other stuff).
     
  23. Darth_Foo

    Darth_Foo Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 24, 2003
    Personally, I love TNR. It was the first SW book I read and yes there are some logic gaps but overall it is a good story. Much better than Darksaber, PoT, and CS. (but then again that isn't saying much [face_worried])
     
  24. TheNewEmpire

    TheNewEmpire Jedi Master star 3

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    Aug 12, 2007
    I'm happy to read the The Black Fleet Crisis and Corellion Trilogies, but from what I've been hearing, I really don't won't to read Children of the Jedi,Planet of Twilight, or The Crystal Star.

    I'm interested in Darksaber though - although many say its bad, they also said the same for the Jedi Academy trilogy and I really liked that...



    So What if I went:

    I,Jedi > Darksaber > The Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy > The Corellion Trilogy > Spector of the Past.

    How would that work?

    How much would I really be missing by skipping COTJ, POT, and TCS?
     
  25. The2ndQuest

    The2ndQuest Tri-Mod With a Mouth star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jan 27, 2000
    You wouldn't miss too much (for the time being)- basically Callista's introduction in COTJ (but Darksaber's exposition should cover that) and her arc's semi-conclusion in POT (just reading Darksaber will leave her on a more dangling plotthread) but Darksaber is focused more as a sequel to the JAT than COTJ anyways so it works.

    There are elements to POT that would be relevant way down the road towards the end of LOTF/FOTJ, but they can certainly be skipped for a very long time without missing them, IMO.
     
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