Final update on my readings before TFA:
Donald Glut’s The Empire Strikes Back was a pretty big letdown. It’s utterly devoid of any sort of interesting insight beyond what is on screen. It’s pretty much just a description of what happens in the film. I can’t hate it because it’s still an amazing story and he doesn’t ruin it by any means, but he adds exactly zero to it. Of all the adaptations of all the Star Wars books, this is easily least well done. Still, as I said, it’s Empire, so it’s a fun read.
Next, Steve Perry’s Shadows of the Empire, a story I’ve been meaning to read for awhile. It’s more or less exactly what I hoped, a Star Wars adventure between Empire and Jedi nicely shows the character changes between the two films and sets up everything that needs to be set up for the trilogy’s conclusion. I must say I’m not a huge fan of Xizor (he’s just a total d-bag in every way) but seeing him get his just desserts makes me very happy. I also question why Perry felt the need to create Dash Rendar. He’s nothing but a more cocky Han Solo, which just strikes me as completely unnecessary. Just because Han isn’t around doesn’t mean he needs to be around. Lando’s already a sort of Han replacement, but he works because he’s got some notable differences. If Perry wanted to add a character, I just wish he had done something new. Otherwise, I really love the book. Exactly what you want from a Star Wars story, and well written too.
Finally, I read James Kahn’s Return of the Jedi. After Glut’s Empire adaptation, I expected the worst (doesn’t help that Jedi is my least favorite of the trilogy). But Kahn’s interpretation blew me away. The book was quite honestly everything I hoped for and more. A fun retelling of the film, with added insight into character motivations and some real depth and emotion - more so than even in the film. Like the prequel adaptations, I’d actually say this novel was, in some ways, better than the film. Obviously the spectacle isn’t quite there in written form, but, as a story, I felt it lived up to Empire. Even though because it had to follow the film not much could be changed, the additions really helped to make it a fuller story and a more satisfying sequel and conclusion (with an unexpectedly beautiful ending). If you haven’t read this adaptation, please do yourself a favor and check it out.
Now, a sad admission. I started reading Star Wars books this spring to get me prepared for TFA and to introduce myself to the EU. Part of my goal was to read the best of what the EU had to offer, so obviously the Thrawn trilogy was high up on my list. But I made the decision to read chronologically, which meant the Thrawn books were to come at the end. But I became pretty busy within the last few months, and didn’t get to do as much reading as I wanted to. So, even though I read 13 full Star Wars novels this year (maybe more books in a single year than ever before in my life), none of them were the best that EU has to offer, the Thrawn trilogy. Sad face.
I am reading Heir to the Empire right now but am only about a quarter of the way through and and will certainly not be done before TFA. But it’s great so far and I’ll definitely have it done at some point!