Lit General Help! I am quite overwhelmed

So, I have been a fan of the universe, lore, characters, etc for quite a while, but everytime I want to start reading the books I get very overwhelmed by the sheer number of them. I could really use some guidance on what are the best books to read. I am very interested in the Sith, the books that revolve around the movies, before/after The Force Awakens books, and the best books involving Darth Vader. Any help would be great! Thanks!

 

Hmmm...

If you are interested in canon The Force Awakens prequels, you would read the installments of the Journey to the Force Awakens series.

Sith/Vader: the Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpshyn, Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, the Rise of Lord Vader trilogy (I believe sold as a bind up paperback?), and Lords of the Sith.

Realistically, the best place to start is the non canon Thrawn trilogy by Tim Zahn. Though they are non canon, they are still great SW adventures and lay down the framework for the literary universe at large, which is already either intentionally or unintentionally influencing the new Era of films under Disney.

 

If you are looking for canon info about the Sith the best places to look are Lords of the Sith and Tarkin. Lords of the Sith isn't quite as focused on the Sith as the name implies, but you do bet a bunch of sections where Vader and Sidious are together on a mission. Tarkin has a lot of cool stuff about the relationship between Vader, Sidious, and Tarkin. There are a few descriptions of Sidious' long term goals that are particularly fascinating.

 

Also, if you're open to it, there are plenty of great comics out there both new and old covering pretty much everything you asked about.

 

If you want Cannon I'd go for this:

The JTTFA stuff is really good for the most part. The YA stuff is really good and fun too!
For Darth Vader I'd go for the Marvel ongoing, Lords of the Sith, and Tarkin to a lesser extent.
For post-TFA stuff we haven't got much to go with yet except New Republic: Bloodlines in May. I'm hoping for more but who knows how much they want to save for the films.

Other people will be able to help better on Legends material, but that's where we stand on Cannon now. Happy New Year!

 

If you don't care about canon, I think you'd like Darth Plaguis and Cloak of Deception. Both are lead in to TPM and do a good job at setting up the state of the galaxy. Theven latter portrays the Sith really well and the former develops Obi-Wan'so relationship with Qui-gon

In terms of canon books...

I'd say A New Dawn is a good place to start. It doesn't directly tie into the movies, but it gives insight into how the Empire has formed. If you have seen Rebels, it involves Kanan and Hera. Ino terms of canon it's important because it introduces Rae Sloane who has become a recurring Imperial character. If you get the Rise of the Empire Edition you get this book, Tarkin, and three short stories. Tarkin is decent and a fun read but not fantastic. However I highly recommend this set because it's a great deal and all of the stories add to the universe.

The Servants of the Empire series (4 novels but they're short since they are young reader) is another I'd highly recommend. It's another Rebels tie in. It has great characters and is a well written story. It also demonstrates the Empire's evil.

Battlefront: Twilight Company is set between ANH and ESB; it ends a monthird after Hoth. This book is about Rebel soldiers and explores the brutality of the war. While it doesn't include any main characters it shows a good view of what happens in between movies. I enjoyed the new characters.

Lost Stars explores the OT timeline and ends a year after Endor. It follows two new characters. It gives a good overview if the Galactic Civil War and portrays the Empire well.

Aftermath takes place three months after Endor and is the first book in a trilogy. It includes Rae Sloane and a cast of new characters. I liked all of the characters in this book and am looking forward to continuing their story. I thought the novel captured the feel of Star Wars well. Aftermath includes interludes that show what's happening in other parts of the galaxy. I feel like this trilogy is going to be important to understanding the time immediately after Endor.

If you want something tied directly to the new movie, I'd recommend Before the Awakening. It's composed of three short stories from the perspective of Finn, Rey, and Poe. I've only read Finn's so I can't speak to the quality of the others, but I did enjoy his story. I have heard Poe'a was really good also. This book sets up what the galaxy is like in the new movie so ithat is an important read.

There hasn't been much dealing with the main characters from the OT. The best have been the Star Wars and Darth Vader comic series. Also the Journey to the Force Awakens has a book from the perspective of Liea, Luke, and Han. Of these the Leia book, Moving Target, is the best and I highly recommend it. However they all were good.

 

Thank you, I will very much start looking into your recommendations! JediKnight75

 

JediKnight75

 

I do agree the YA (short) trio are the best so far of the OT3 that I've read. They aren't together but still great reads separately. I thought A New Dawn was good, but more helpful if you watch Rebels, which is good. As a fan I love seeing the original characters but find it just as interesting to see new ones introduced, I think it gives depth to a GFFA. That being said, Aftermath is good for its main characters and the new ones (mostly) in every Interlude.

 

Maythe14thBeWithYou thank you! what would be good for post ROTJ, prior to TFA

 

No problem! I hope you enjoy them! Let us know what you think

 

Marvel did Shattered Empire, but it's just okay. It takes place right after Endor and gives the state of affairs roughly but not much else. It introduces you to Poe's parents however but not a must read by any means. Like JediKnight75 said Before the Awakening is good to introduce the new trio but as far as RIGHT after ROTJ Aftermath and Lost Stars to a lesser extent (due to time, not quality). There are some short stories out there as well you can pick up but they're cheap. I'm personally not interested in spending $2 multiple times but I do believe most of them plus others will be released in April (unless things change) in a compilation called Tales from a GFFA. The Perfect Weapon however will not to my knowledge be in that collection but is about Bazine Netal and all of those I believe take place prior to TFA, don't know the exact time period.

 

If you're looking for Sith books, the Darth Bane books are well regarded by many - it's not my cup of tea, but it does show you the birth of the Sith order as it exists in the movies (which they predate by a millennium or two). Also, my discovery over the Christmas holidays was "Knight Errant," from the same general era, and I'd recommend that one too. It's a pretty stand-alone story, but it's interesting in giving you a look at what a Sith society operating out in the open, as close to "stable" as possible (different lords are warring amongst themselves, but there's no real alternative to Sith rule in that part of space for the time being). Also a look at the various ways of getting drunk on dark side power.

(Those are all "Legends" books, now decanonized, but since they're set a thousand years or more before the movies or anything the new continuity overrules, does it really matter?)

And finally, "Plagueis" (old canon) from the prequel era. Gives you most of the background to the politics and intrigue going on behind closed doors that ultimately led to the Republic being brought down, including Palpatine's rise as a Sith lord.

Vader books - "Lords of the Sith" (new canon) is a good one, so was "Dark Lord" (old/Legends canon). Also, a lot of people find "Shadows of the Empire" to be kind of weak, but I think even most of them admit that the book has an absolutely badass portrayal of Vader.

Books around TFA? Sadly, not much at the moment. But I'm sure that'll be changing.

 

Oh, did someone make a "General Help" joke already?

 

Admiral Assistance and General Guidance have also been despatched.

 

I hope we all read "I am quite overwhelmed!" in C-3PO's voice.

 

I love it! And have Artoo make some snarky comment.

 

If you're a Vader fan, the new Marvel comic series is awesome. Actually scratch that, he's great in the ongoing Star Wars comic as well.

 

It's probably the best Sith material we currently have and showing Vader as he should be, a scheming, brutally powerful master of the dark side with just the hints of internal conflict that led to him being redeemed. Lords of the Sith was ok for the sections where we see Vader's inner thoughts, particularly about Palpatine and the past. We also see him in action but the Sith aren't focused on as much as the title suggests and when they are the action scene drags on a lot. Still worth reading if you're interested in Vader/Sith though.

 

Just watch out for Major Spoilers. He's a bit of a killjoy.

 

I like it, because Vader is shown as powerful, intelligent, brutal, but every so often you see the cracks, even when he can't explain it himself. His shock that Sidious would try to replace him, him holding on to Padme's ship, his refusal to let Luke die when he realizes its his son. It's not nearly so hamfisted as some of those early post-Prequel stories which dove headlong into "Angsty Vader." Here we have the bad guy, but he's a bad guy we can root for.