I read the Steve Perry novel many years later and I feel that it doesn’t get quite the attention it deserves.
I concur. It’s a bit strange because it was more-or-less the centerpiece of the whole multimedia project next to the video game. But the comics, figures, soundtrack, etc. were tied directly to the novel if I’m remembering correctly.
I could also be a bit biased because SOTE was my first proper experience with the EU back in the '90s, but I gladly recommend it to anyone wanting to delve into the EU as a kick-start point.