Lit GENERAL QUESTION THREAD (What to read? Where to start? What's canon? What's not? Duros, etc.)

Thanks Gorefiend!

Yea, I think I'm going to try and get my hands on the CW, Dark Times and KOTOR Omnibuses - they seem pretty essential. I've heard mixed reviews on the X-Wing series (mostly the books though) haven't heard much about the comics (that I can remember right now). The Quinlan Vos Omnibus is something I have a feeling I would love (I read through Wikipedia's bio of him several times) - I didn't know they had all of his stuff compiled - definitely gonna check that out! Thanks for that!

How about the Tales of the Jedi series or the "The Star Wars?" I know they're relatively new but any indication they'll be seen as an "essential staple" to the EU (well obviously not as much "The Star Wars" when it comes to canon, but in terms of great SW work?)

 

Tales of the Jedi is actually one of the first series made by Dark Horse, dealing with the origin of the Sith and the so called Great Hyperspace War and several later conflicts (5000 to 4000 years before the Battle of Yavin), which imho are all so outright silly and over the top that you could properly skip the series, since anything that comes from it is actually only made good by tie in material and expanded backgrounds provided in other places, like KOTOR. Though other people love it so maybe someone else might be better to talk of its merits.

The only reaction that series actually got from me was that I was glad that Lucas did not go with that script for his movies, because it is just weird and all over the place. Though the art is great and some of the alternative ideas rather nice.

 

Sorry...I meant Dawn of the Jedi...not tales.

 

Don't listen to Gorefiend when it comes to Tales of the Jedi Fives_Says_No_To_Sixes , I have not read all of the TPB:s but the one I have (Golden age of the Sith and the Sith War) are good with excellent world building and I do recommend them

 

I personally quite like Tales of the Jedi also. But opinions are definitely polarized among the forums. I would suggest giving them a shot and deciding for yourself.

 

I love Tales of the jedi, Got both the Omnibus. Dawn of the jedi is also a good series if you want to learn more about the Rakata and the origin of dark and light jedi
And yes, check it out for yourself, If you listened to everyone on this forum you would walk away never touching the EU and only watching the empire strikes back.

 

No, not ESB! that's where Lucas had his first retcon of overwriting established continuity. Vader was supposed to have MURDERED Luke's father, not BEEN Luke's father!! That was a complete and utter betrayal of the fans of the original movie and has left that atrocity completely unwatchable for many of us!!

 

lol would of made the PT interesting

 

Seriously though, no matter what you ask about on here, some people will love it, some people will hate it. Hence why I tend to recommend not on personal opinion, but on the major works that have implications in other works that were published later.

 

Don't listen to anyone because what one person hates another person loves--decide for yourself and give everything a try. Nobody seems to like KOTOR: War, but I like it.

But you still should listen to me and read Dawn of the Jedi.....

 

Still havent gotten to KOTOR, was wanting to buy the omnibus. Are revan and Malek in that?

 

You mean the KOTOR comics? No.

I only read things that have Rakata in them

but KOTOR: War is pretty good.

 

I Love the rakata.
Nevermind, Found KOTOR: War. Will check it out

 

Cool
more people should like them

KOTOR: War is a volume in KOTOR. it's about the main protagonist (Zayne Carrick) fighting on Republic and Mando sides.

 

Spoiler

Malak is in there a good bit. Just not as you know him. Revan is mentioned but seen a couple times.[spoiler/]

 

Awesome, did not know that---thought it was just about Zayne + friends

another reason I should read more things

 

Spoiler

Malak=Zayne's friend

 

...need to read more KOTOR for sure now.

I'm guessing the events happen before KOTOR (the game) though.

 

Dawn is pretty nice, though looks to be getting cut short with the loss of the license.

 

This is what I think I'm going to try and snatch up before the year's end (btw, Darth_Henning , I stole your list from your signature to make-up my list of what to buy):

Omnibi
Tales of the Jedi (Volume 1)
Tales of the Jedi (Volume 2)
Knights of the Old Republic (Volume 1)
Knights of the Old Republic (Volume 2)
Knights of the Old Republic (Volume 3)
Quinlan Vos: Jedi in Darkness
Clone Wars Volume 1: The Republic Goes to War
Clone Wars Volume 2: The Enemy on All Sides
Clone Wars Volume 3: The Republic Falls
Dark Times (Volume 1)
Dark Times (Volume 2)
At War with the Empire (Volume 1)
At War with the Empire (Volume 2)
Shadows of the Empire

Hardcovers
Dark Empire Trilogy
The Crimson Empire Saga
Legacy Book 1
Legacy Book 2
Legacy Book 3

TPBs
Dawn of the Jedi (Volume 1): Force Storm
Dawn of the Jedi (Volume 2): Prisoner of Bogan
Dawn of the Jedi (Volume 3): Force War
Lost Tribe of the Sith: Spiral
The Old Republic (Volume 1): Blood of the Empire
The Old Republic (Volume 2): Threat of Peace
The Old Republic (Volume 3): The Lost Sons
Purge
Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire
Dark Forces: Rebel Agent
Dark Forces: Jedi Knight
Invasion (Volume 1): Refugees
Invasion (Volume 2): Rescues
Invasion (Volume 3): Revelations
Legacy – Volume II (Book 1): Prisoner of the Floating World
Legacy – Volume II (Book 2): Outcasts of the Broken Ring
Legacy – Volume II (Book 3): Wanted: Ania Solo

I definitely want to read everything regarding the origins and beginnings of the Jedi/Sith and the Force in general so I decided on the DotJ, TotJ, KotOR stuff as a permanent choice - everything else is what I feel like is really important to the overall history/future(?) of the galaxy + the well known early EU works (Crimson & Dark Empire, SotE/Mara Jade, Dark Forces).

does this seem like it should be a decent collection of DH stuff to get my hands on based on IU and IRL significance?

 

The Clone Wars Volumes are pretty good.....Not sure if they are essential. Volume 2 has good stories IMO.
But what is essential I think will depend on someone's interests.

BTW, anyone know which of those mentioned titles have the most alien diversity in them? ie, characters not human that play a large part in the story?

 

Nothing will ever top Crossbones in that regard.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Starfighter:_Crossbones

Though of those mentioned, Dark Times is rather surprising in the large number of Alien characters that play central roles.

 

What Gorefiend said. Some DT arcs have non-humans as main characters.

 

Which arcs are recommended?

 

I've tried to read the first book in the Bounty Hunter Wars a couple of times and have made it to about the middle both times before I just lost interest. I feel like I'm running out of SW books to read that would interest me before "the end", and was wondering if the Bounty Hunter books are even worth the time? Has anyone else had trouble getting through the first book? Does it pick up at anytime? It would seem from the outside that these books would have almost everything an SW fan would want, and by that I mean a Boba Fett story, but if it aint gonna get any better, I would just as soon not waste my time.