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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Help me decide what SW books to give for Christmas

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Mirax Terrik, Dec 5, 2012.

  1. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2011
    It's that time again. It's time for me to recommend Death Troopers.

    It got my brother back into EU, and he's very picky. Also, it was a good standalone read.
     
  2. jacktherack

    jacktherack Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 2008
    the perfect book to start someone off with his shadows of the empire. period. it's a book that is most like the movies. plus once the sequel trilogy comes out it's one of the few post episode 3 books that is not going to get roasted.
     
    Manisphere likes this.
  3. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    Even though SotE takes place between ESB and RotJ, and therefore is immune by default. :p
     
  4. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Sep 2, 2012
    Oh please, the only reason SotE is immune is because George Lucas is such a massive fan of it and no one has the guts to tell him no when he is wrong.
     
  5. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2011
    Good thing, too. I liked the comics and have been working on adapting them to audio, off and on. No major work, yet, just looking over scenes and figuring out how I would adapt them.
     
    Zeta1127 likes this.
  6. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I loved the book, so I wasn't saying Lucas was wrong about SotE, just that I am very frustrated with Lucas and his lackeys at LFL screwing up everything because they have been programmed to believe anything by Lucas is superior, and Del Rey's failure to properly continue the story after the NJO and the excellent conclusion in TUF.
     
  7. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2011
    Indeed. I'd like to think that had I worked at Lucasfilm and served as some sort of liaison with Lucas, that I would have had the guts to say "No, we can't do that and we won't do that, no matter what you say."

    Of course, I can reasonably assume with a fair amount of certainty that had I done so in this hypothetical situation, I would be promptly fired.
     
    Zorrixor and Zeta1127 like this.
  8. Mirax Terrik

    Mirax Terrik Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    jacktherack, like I said, I'm looking purely from a story basis. Episode VII is still a long ways away.

    Also, being more like the movies may be good for people like you or me who have seen the movies and know parts by route, but it won't if you're the average person that's gone to some movies, once, maybe twice.
     
  9. jacktherack

    jacktherack Jedi Master star 4

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    Mar 19, 2008
    if you've only seen the star wars movies once you most likely wouldn't be willing to read the eu. heck i'm sure some people who have seen them 5+ times aren't.
     
  10. darthjulian777

    darthjulian777 Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2008
    Well I am inclined to agree with everyone here, the Thrawn Trilogy represents the new era of Star Wars seeing as it was the first new Literature really written for the EU.
     
  11. Mirax Terrik

    Mirax Terrik Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    jacktherack

    Except the part where she said she would if I got her some. I guess she could be lying to me so I'd stop babbling about Star Wars for a minute.

    Thanks for your help, guys.
     
  12. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2011
    Does she have any favorite characters? Favorite groups of characters? Does she like the Jedi? Is she into the Sith? Empire? Rebellion? A lover of the scum that are the bounty hunters and smugglers? You could always base a book purchase on her likes.
     
  13. The-Eternal-Hero

    The-Eternal-Hero Jedi Knight star 4

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    Nov 3, 2012
  14. Mirax Terrik

    Mirax Terrik Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    This is the best suggestion, ever.
     
  15. Grey1

    Grey1 Host: 181st Imperial Discussion Group star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 21, 2000
    I once gave the Han Solo adventures to my girlfriend, and she liked them. She's one of those women who really likes Han, Artoo and Obi-Wan. ;) Back then I planned to give her Shadow Hunter later on, but since we moved in together, there was no need for that. Actually, right now I'm finally getting her hooked on Stover since she finally started ROTS.

    Other than that, Thrawn is good. Right now, I'm getting a few people hooked on it by playing them that new German audio drama version. It's also a great chance to get Thrawn out there now since the ST will likely make it harder to get into for many people.

    I agree on Shadows and Labyrinth, although the latter can be a bit tedious when it tries to explain the movies. But both are firmly tied in with their respective trilogy. Controversial as it is - I think Hard Contact might be a good start for people who are more interested in the military stuff, just as Rogue Squadron is quite self-explanatory if someone is interested in airforce stuff. Oh, and let's not forget Dark Rendezvous for people who adore Yoda!

    I'm actually not sure about Stover's other books - Shatterpoint might be a bit much darkness, and with Mindor I'm not sure if you really enjoy it if you know nothing beyond the movies. The premise of the holodrama is quite out there if you've just seen the movies, you suddenly get Shatterpoint characters in there, the Mandalorians and especially Shysa's bigger role only make sense if you know more than just that bounty hunter. Even the fact that Cronal has some kind of backstory is a bit complicated - Mindor was a book for EU fans who wanted to connect dots, not for Luke fans who wanted one more adventure. And Traitor - well, I'm still of the opinion that Traitor is the ideal gift for people who don't actually want to read all of that EU, since it's such a good read that would otherwise only pay off if you read something between 10 to 20 books before.

    OMG where can I get this?
     
  16. jacktherack

    jacktherack Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 19, 2008
    honestly i'm a huge star wars eu fan, (only on vision of the future due to years of trying to figure out what order to read them in, btw it's better to read the timeline circa 1998.. anyway i have a copy of a book with all 3 han solos and a book with all 3 lando's, i tried reading the han solo's but i just couldn't get into it. anyway for somone who is just starting reading the eu you should probably due shadows of the empire since it's a stand alone book.
     
  17. LAJ_FETT

    LAJ_FETT Tech Admin (2007-2023) - She Held Us Together star 10 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    May 25, 2002
    I think I have those same omnibus books of the Solo and Lando trilogies. They were both weird (especially Lando's) but I did finish them.
     
  18. SithLord_1270

    SithLord_1270 Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2008
    I recommend that you read Darth Plagueis.
     
  19. Mirax Terrik

    Mirax Terrik Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Mar 11, 2000
    SithLord_1270 Would I be getting a lot of Sidious in Darth Plagueis?
     
  20. SithLord_1270

    SithLord_1270 Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Nov 5, 2008
    I think so. It tells of the rise of Palpatine, the future Emperor. I found the Political intrigue & manipulation interesting. A little slow in parts but gives a good look into how events get set up for the PT.

    I also recommend Dark Lord: the Rise of Darth Vader. A good look into what Vader was feeling & thinking shortly after RotS. Also about how Vader & Palps felt about each other.
     
  21. Mirax Terrik

    Mirax Terrik Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    Cool. I love intrigue and spy stuff. Thanks.
     
  22. djemsostylist

    djemsostylist Jedi Knight

    Registered:
    Mar 8, 2012
    I got started in the EU on X-Wing when I was like, maybe 13 or so and I loved the hell outta them. Of course, I was 13, so, you know. But I mean, if you are going for hilarity, I say that or I, Jedi. Realistically, what really got me into it was Revenge of the Sith. (Back when I hated the main three.) And then Mindor, of course, and Shatterpoint. I've never read Thrawn (I flipped through it once but I just couldn't handle it), but it all kinda depends.
     
  23. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    Jar Jar's psychotic smile spooked me when I clicked over from another tab. I was not expecting to see him staring into my soul. Well done.
     
  24. RC-1991

    RC-1991 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2009
  25. Grey1

    Grey1 Host: 181st Imperial Discussion Group star 4 VIP

    Registered:
    Nov 21, 2000
    I'm not sure if Darth Plagueis is a good book for new readers. It hits you over the head with details. Books like that might work better if you don't know anything at all about the universe it's referring to, but with Plagueis, I suppose it's just weird to have all kinds of stuff being mentioned without the knowledge whether its important for the plot. Kind of what I was saying about Mindor, that it tries to connect so many dots in the EU that you get lost when you've never seen a dot before. Maybe that's the best reason why Thrawn and Shadows work for new readers - there wasn't any EU to reference back then, so both are a natural step forward from the movie experience.

    Also, Plagueis has the Episode 1 reinterpretation, which might confuse more than the added Episode 1 backstory might enlighten.