Only Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire trilogy really captured the atmosphere of the original films, though at times it was a bit... off. Though that was more him adding his own interpretation to it so it works. Mostly.
The only things I don't really agree with is
1) all the Jedi that come out of the woodwork despite the films setting it up that Luke is *the* last fully trained Jedi, for real, no exceptions, no passing go, no collecting $200.
2) Zahn underestimates the industrial might of the galaxy when he suggests that 600 relatively small and obsolete warships could tip the balance of power in Thrawn's favor.
But other than that, practically the only Star Wars EU material that's worth reading.