The only things I have really hated about the EU is the characters they killed off in the new jedi order and legacy series, really. That and now all the books have to be tied down by prequels bullshit, which was not the case prior to 1999. The more they stay true to the original trilogy pre special edition, and try to write the sequels to Return the Jedi lucas is not doing the better.
Overall del rey has done a good job despite for misgivings i have. Even though i have a soft spot for the bantam era there were a lot of flaws in those books too. But back then star wars did not have to be dark and realistic because it was the in thing to do. Star Wars to me is space fantasy adventure stories that are escapism in its purest sense. What I want are real heroes not Good guys who are realy bad guys or called "grey". These reluctant heroes and politics bullshit, and emo whiny bicthes have no place in star wars imho.
Yes i have read dark Lord and like the episode III novelization it is a good EU lead in to Star Wars 77 or Episode IV for saga fans. I have already said the novelizations were better than the films because they were written by people who could write and are actually writers, Unlike Lucas who took a lot of credit for Kasdens writing on the original trilogy.
Actually that is not really true or fair, Lucas could not spell and had a hard time writing but the scripts he put out and ideas despite being prototypes and unfinished were a hundred times better than the prequel drek. That 1974 rough draft script draws a lot on classic science fiction and fantasy and would in itself have made an interesting if very different film.
Axia up to a certain point i have bought and read all the sequel trilogy era novels set after return of the jedi and starring Luke. After all Luke was the character i most related to decades ago. And still is my favorite character. I would rather read about his and Han Solo's and Leia's adventures than read about Hayden Vader or anakin in the prequel as it finally shaped up to be in the films. Novels based on the real and true origins of the oot that disregard the filmed prequels I would read in a heartbeat.
Lucas should hand over his original notes and outlines to some novelists and have them shape the novels to fit the real original trilogy from 1977-1983. and also he can hand them over to filmakers and screenwriters that give a damn, and Have them reshoot the prequels. Then we can all pretend the prequels we have never happened or were a bad dream.
Hire good actors use traditional old school effects and stunts and little or no cgi, have dirctors who work with actors well and are capable of getting a performance.
Yeah i saw the prequels in the theaters and will shamefully admit i have them in my collection, and even enjoy some parts of them to a far lesser degree than the original trilogy. Did they live up to twenty years of anticipation, not one freakin bit. But neither did Crystal Skull. And i lowered my expectations and still was dissapointed. If they were even 50% as good as the originals i would forgive a lot. As is i say about 15% of the movies content is acceptable.