Expanded Star Wars Universe

powderfinger · #1 11-20-2012, 11:48 AM

So I never got around to reading any of the SW Expanded Universe novels, but with the new series supposedly in the works, my interest in SW is up a bit... again (it waxes and wanes every couple years). I know there were a set of novels by Timothy Zhan that came out after Return of The Jedi, that basically continue the story from Return of the Jedi onward. I believe these are considerd SW cannon? Yes?

Are these titles worth a read? Are there anymore SW novels that go further into the future? I know there are clone wars novels, and some that go way into past. Any recommendations.

Tractorr · #2 11-20-2012, 11:55 AM

I read the Timothy Zahn books and really liked them when they came out. I sort of felt like many of the other books written after his are sort of riffing off him as opposed to off the movies if that makes sense. Like he showed other writers what a Star Wars book should be. There were a couple other Star Wars books before his but they weren't very good.

I stopped after awhile but from what I understand they go a ways into the future. Luke establishes a new Jedi Academy and the like.

Besides the Zahn novels I would recommend the anthologies. They revolve around one particular place or group like Tales from the Mos Eisley Cantina or bounty hunters or something to that effect. They are fun because they tell the back stories of some of the characters you see in the background in the original trilogy.

I have toyed with reading the other books that were written before the new trilogy and if I get some time maybe I will.

Jazz Ad · #3 11-20-2012, 12:27 PM

The expanded Universe is huge and expands over several medias.
To know what's cannon and whatnot, Wookieepedia is a good source.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_adult_novels
If you want a straight follow up to the movies, the Marvel Star Wars comic books are a good place to start. #45 and up.
Jedi Prince series are very good. I tend to enjoy old republic and pre republic era stories more, especially Lost Tribe of the Sith.

Illini10 · #4 11-20-2012, 01:12 PM

Zahn's trilogy was pretty good. The X-Wing Series was a fun read (Stackpole and Allston). The New Jedi Order was decent (overall). Jedi Academy Trilogy was bad. Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy was okay. Corellian Saga was pretty good. Hand of Thrawn was great. I gave up after the Dark Nest Trilogy. It was horrible. Most of the one-offs were bad, though "The Courtship of Princess Leia,""The Truce at Bakura" and "I, Jedi" were good.

powderfinger · #5 11-20-2012, 01:44 PM

Thanks guys. I think I may start with some of the back story novels. I'd love to read the back stories of the bounty hunters. Besides seeing them in the background, most of them, sans Boba Fett, did very little, but just stand here. Oh, and I had all their toys too (SW made a toy for every single minor character). Also, the Cantina one sounds great too. Hopefully Greedo had better luck drawing first in the past...

Darth Handsome · #6 11-20-2012, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powderfinger

Thanks guys. I think I may start with some of the back story novels. I'd love to read the back stories of the bounty hunters. Besides seeing them in the background, most of them, sans Boba Fett, did very little, but just stand here. Oh, and I had all their toys too (SW made a toy for every single minor character). Also, the Cantina one sounds great too. Hopefully Greedo had better luck drawing first in the past...

Don't get your hopes up.

Tractorr · #7 11-20-2012, 01:55 PM

If you are interested in the short stories collections there is also a Jabba's Palace, Empire, and New Republic ones as well. I read the two I mentioned earlier and Jabba's Palace. The stories are written by different authors so they vary in quality. A nice thing is that many of the authors also wrote full length novels so if you dig their style check out one of their books.

nutso42 · #8 11-20-2012, 02:35 PM

Timothy Zahn is the best writer of Star Wars novels. Read them.

rr5025 · #9 11-20-2012, 03:55 PM

I've read everything up to new Jedi order. I liked the thrawn trilogy and the hand of thrawn ones the best. The best out of the njo is star by star IMO.

I say start with thrawn then god from there. I just stopped reading them because it got damn expensive and honestly I don't have time to read anything fun anymore.

iamlowsound · #10 11-20-2012, 06:37 PM

I read the Zahn ones, the X-wing ones (my favorite), the young Jedi ones (the first few were good) and a bunch of others. One that was really cool was one that took place between episode I and II, but I don't know who wrote it or what it was called. It was really well done, so it might have been Zahn.

lowsound

Illini10 · #11 11-21-2012, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamlowsound

I read the Zahn ones, the X-wing ones (my favorite), the young Jedi ones (the first few were good) and a bunch of others. One that was really cool was one that took place between episode I and II, but I don't know who wrote it or what it was called. It was really well done, so it might have been Zahn.

lowsound

By episode 1 and 2 do you mean "Menace" and "Clones?" That book was "Rogue Planet." If you mean "New Hope" and "Empire" that one was "Splinter of the Minds Eye."