Yeah that was the best part of the novel. Kevin J Anderson's stuff isn't my favorite, but they're still better than Barbara Hamby's work.(she does write better ST fiction).
As for the EU being canon, I would've thought the prequels incorperating stuff from it(Coruscant, double-bladed lightsabers, etc.) would have removed all doubts. I guess its a case of "Personal Canon" or something to that effect.
Yes, I would say so. It's just people might not want Reborn Emperor or Yuuzhan Vong or anything for that matter that cannot be seen in the Force, they might want GL and crew to make Epi. 7,8,9 etc.....