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Lit Most important Star Wars novels

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Green Gogol, Feb 11, 2014.

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  1. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    I originally listed Outbound Flight and Survivor's Quest but removed them.
     
  2. Green Gogol

    Green Gogol Jedi Knight star 1

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    Feb 11, 2014
    Ok thanks, that is a great starting point.
     
  3. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    I only listed Revenge of the Sith and Return of the Jedi because those are the two best film novelizations IMO, and I feel like Return of the Jedi, Shadows of Mindor, and Dark Empire make up a really good arc for Luke.
     
  4. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

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    Jun 3, 2013
    Agree. DE is only good if you don't mind Luke falling to the dark side (which I don't like at all). But ROTJ and SOM are amazing.
     
  5. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    Well, if you consider feigning to be the Emperor's apprentice to sabotage his war effort and his cloning tanks and then giving into despair when you fail to kill him in a duel to be falling to the dark side. :p
     
  6. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

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    Jun 3, 2013
    Well, yeah, there's that. But the Emperor coming back isn't pleasing to me either. ;)
     
  7. Tim Battershell

    Tim Battershell Jedi Master star 5

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    Sep 3, 2012
    I would include both Outbound Flight and Survivors' Quest on my list; but heavily advise reading SQ first, because 'Spoilers'!

    SQ is a semi-detective story but does showcase Luke's and Mara's developing Force-bond and partnership - also Luke's ability to think on his feet and come up with ingenious improvisations.
     
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  8. _Catherine_

    _Catherine_ Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Jun 16, 2007
    If we're talking bare-bones essential I think for the prequel era you could get away with reading just Darth Plagueis, Rogue Planet, and Revenge of the Sith and not really miss any significant inter-trilogy events. Most of the best PT-era books aren't what I would call "essential," though, so if that's all you're interested in you're going to miss out.
     
  9. Gorefiend

    Gorefiend Chosen One star 5

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    Oct 23, 2004

    Though honestly you could just not watch the PT and not miss out anything essential for the SW saga and then just read Shatterpoint for the fun of it. ;)
     
  10. Kenneth Morgan

    Kenneth Morgan Chosen One star 5

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    May 27, 1999
    "Han Solo at Stars End" by Brian Daley. It, along with Daley's two other Solo books, is the basis for Han's character in pretty much all subsequent EU books. While ANH shows Han as a cynical, wise-cracking smuggler, it's Daley's books that give his backstory (at least in general terms) and shows him as a lapsed idealist, with a heart of gold that he's almost embarassed to admit he has. They also develop his bond with both Chewie and the Falcon.
     
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  11. Kenneth Morgan

    Kenneth Morgan Chosen One star 5

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    May 27, 1999
    Oh, and Daley also was the first to really expand on many elements that would be featured in the later EU, from the Corporate Sector to repulsorlift to how the Falcon's quad-mounts work to the Corellian Bloodstripe.
     
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  12. Ackbar's Fishsticks

    Ackbar's Fishsticks Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Aug 25, 2013
    I never thought of it that way. Interesting. I read the Han Solo Adventures after reading the Han Solo Trilogy and mostly thought of it as pulpy fun (same with the Lando Calrissian Adventures) - enjoyable read, but nothing really new about the character. Never occurred to me that that was the beginning of the "Han as fallen idealist" story.
     
  13. Gaarland

    Gaarland Jedi Youngling

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    Feb 22, 2014
    This is exactly the thread I was looking for, thanks!
     
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  14. Garrett Atkins

    Garrett Atkins Jedi Knight star 4

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    Feb 11, 2013
    Anything by James Luceno, really.
     
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  15. jacktherack

    jacktherack Jedi Master star 4

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    Mar 19, 2008
    If i had to pick one novel it would definitly be Shadows of the empire. I know the significance of Heir to the empire, but honestly i didn't think it was that great.
    also i wouldn't say these are the most important but the Michael Reaves Books are really good.
    Darth Maul shadow hunter
    Medstar book l and ll
    Coruscant Nights I II and lll
    and The last Jedi
     
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  16. JediKnight75

    JediKnight75 Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Feb 15, 2011
    I don't agree with Shadows of the Empire; I didn't think it was that great. The dialogue was good and I enjoyed the plot, but something about the writing style bothered me. It's been a few years, so I can't remember what; I just know that I didn't feel it was very good. Nor did it really at anything to the period between ESB and ROTJ. But the books Perry wrote with Reaves are among my favorite.
     
  17. Green Gogol

    Green Gogol Jedi Knight star 1

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    Feb 11, 2014
    I tried Darth Plagueis last week. Stopped after part 2. I was just not interesting. Didn't like the way it was written. It felt more like reading a summary than an actual novel. Read Jedi Apprentice 1, great fun there. I finished Heir to the empire yesterday. Last time I read that was 10 years ago. It was also great fun.
     
  18. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

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    Jul 19, 1999
    If you really like HTTE, seek out the 20th Anniversary edition - I doubt it's ever going to get released in paperback!
     
  19. JediKnight75

    JediKnight75 Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Feb 15, 2011
    A lot have people have said that about Plaguis; when people don't like it, that's usually why. Don't give up on Luceno though, his other books are more narrow in focus (albeit usually full of EU references). I'd suggest reading some of the other prequel books we suggested and then giving Plaguos one more try. The books takes it for granted that you have read the books and comics in this era. If you have, you get to see how everything is connected and it is pretty fun. It gives you a glimpse of what was happening behind the scenes in these stories and how the Sith manipulated the galaxy leading up to Episode 1. If you haven't readthese things prior to this book it would just seem like summaries. If you want a Luceno book that reads like a standalone try Cloak of Deception. He writes it as if it is the first Star Wars story ever, which is a cool feature. This is not to say it's weighed down in explanations, it isn't. The novel is very readable and flows well.
     
  20. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

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    Jul 19, 1999
    I wouldn't recommend Plagueis as a starting point, its the end of the Lucenoverse after all.
     
  21. imiller

    imiller Jedi Grand Master star 4

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    Apr 26, 2004
    I strongly recommend the X-Wing series, particularly the Wraith novels and Starfighters of Adumar. At least if you are looking for humor, Star Wars tech, and great stories with great characters. They are a bit different than the films, since they don't focus on the Big Three, but I think there's a reason they remain beloved today.

    Are they "essential?" No, they don't really cover galaxy shattering events (though the Rogue books do cover the taking of Coruscant). But they stay with you for a long time afterwards.
     
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  22. Green Gogol

    Green Gogol Jedi Knight star 1

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    Feb 11, 2014

    When I said summary, I wasn't talking about events that I don't understanding. It's the writing style. There is something missing. I find it kind of lifeless. When I read it, I don't feel like a witness of the scenes, but rather like someone else is decribing the scenes to me. I don't know how to explain it better than that.
     
  23. Binary_Sunset

    Binary_Sunset Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 28, 2000
    Thrawn Trilogy:
    Heir to the Empire
    Dark Force Rising
    The Last Command

    Dark Empire Trilogy:
    Dark Empire
    Dark Empire II
    Empire's End

    Hand of Thrawn Duology:
    Specter of the Past
    Vision of the Future

    The above is what I think of when I think of the "grand arc" of the EU. I think Vision of the Future is a nice ending to the EU saga.
     
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  24. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    I think Return of the Jedi, Vision of the Future, and The Unifying Force are the three best endings in all of Star Wars.
     
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  25. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    Revenge of the Sith.
     
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