I'm surprised I haven't mentioned these before.

Many people write the EU off as glorified fan-fiction. While I have many bones to pick with how the EU was handled, I think handwaving it all away as fan-fiction is disingenous. But these stories -- these three lameass wastes of ink and paper -- they are glorified fan-fiction -- bad fan-fiction, the fan-fiction a diehard PT fanboy would write if he got the chance to rewrite the OT.

Oh, look -- Boba Fett's in Lando's office, sitting in Lando's chair, with his helmet off! Kewl!

Wow -- Vader survived the events of ROTJ! Do the Rebels imprison him pending a trial for war crimes? No! He just dyes his armour white and the Rebels embrace him like they're goddamn Care Bears!

There is so much story potential to be found in "what if" scenarios, and it is a horrible shame this trilogy of tripe is the franchise's only foray into the subject.