I’ll start, I like the ancient Sith and Starkiller.
I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe.
Star Wars has 3 eras: The eras are 1977-1983(pre Expanded Universe), (1983-2014) expanded universe, or (2014- now) Disney-bought version. Each are valid.
My movie reviews aren’t AI, they’re just written by someone who’s Neurodivergent. If you don’t like them, then simply don’t read them.
assuming you mean the “old” EU…
the Shadows Of The Empire multi-media project
the X-Wing book series and its characters
the Republic comic series
Knights Of The Old Republic
Mara Jade and Trawn
Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars
the basic idea behing The New Jedi Order (the execution didn’t always work for me)
assuming you mean the “old” EU…
the Shadows Of The Empire multi-media project
the X-Wing book series and its characters
the Republic comic series
Knights Of The Old Republic
Mara Jade and Trawn
Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars
the basic idea behing The New Jedi Order (the execution didn’t always work for me)
Yes and fantastic choices!
I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe.
Star Wars has 3 eras: The eras are 1977-1983(pre Expanded Universe), (1983-2014) expanded universe, or (2014- now) Disney-bought version. Each are valid.
My movie reviews aren’t AI, they’re just written by someone who’s Neurodivergent. If you don’t like them, then simply don’t read them.
I like the idea of Jedi having families and children like normal people, especially since it makes their extermination by Vader a thousand times more tragic.
You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)
I like the idea of Jedi having families and children like normal people, especially since it makes their extermination by Vader a thousand times more tragic.
I actually never knew that this was a thing.
I’m just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe.
Star Wars has 3 eras: The eras are 1977-1983(pre Expanded Universe), (1983-2014) expanded universe, or (2014- now) Disney-bought version. Each are valid.
My movie reviews aren’t AI, they’re just written by someone who’s Neurodivergent. If you don’t like them, then simply don’t read them.
I like the idea of Jedi having families and children like normal people, especially since it makes their extermination by Vader a thousand times more tragic.
I actually never knew that this was a thing.
I only read of it in Children of the Jedi, an otherwise underwhelming book.
Most of the old Thrawn trilogy works for me (sans Luuke), and I really liked the inclusion of truly alien Celestial technology in Corellia’s Centerpoint Station for example. Really, the old EU had a lot of stock and unremarkable stories but was built on the foundations of a more interesting universe than the new EU.
You probably don’t recognize me because of the red arm.
Episode 9 Rewrite, The Starlight Project (Released!) and ANH Technicolor Project (Released!)
I like the idea of Jedi having families and children like normal people, especially since it makes their extermination by Vader a thousand times more tragic.
I actually never knew that this was a thing.
I only read of it in Children of the Jedi, an otherwise underwhelming book.
It’s also in the Tales of the Jedi comics.
And since I brought it up, add TOTJ to my list. It’s far from perfect, but the series did a far better job fleshing out the Jedi & Sith than the PT+ ever did.
Nomi Sunrider
Ulic Qel Droma
I like Tales of the Jedi. But to be honest i haven’t read it since its first publishing, much like Dark Empire. Or the Boba Fett books which i liked. and the droids comics. All 1990s Dark Horse stuff. My favorite was Classic Star Wars by Al Williamson. Which at the time i had no idea was just newspaper comics reprinted and reedited and colorized.
I’m not sure if the first EU book i read in the 1990s was Heir to the Empire in paperback, but it might have well been. I do remember making a trip to the bookstore to pickup a copy of Splinter of the Mind’s Eye By Alan Dean Foster, and the Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley
The 1990s pre prequel era is the era i remember the most fondly. Reading the books and comics, playing Super Star Wars games, watching the video cassette tapes in my VCR.
The 1990s pre prequel era is the era i remember the most fondly.
Same.
I wish I could visit the universe where Lucas abandoned plans on making the PT and gave the EU writers free rein to expand the SW Universe as they saw fit. A SW Universe with no Darths, no virgin births, no Mini-Jango, no Jake Skywalker, etc.
the original Marvel Star Wars comics
Al Williamson classic newspaper strips and collected color dark horse comics of same .
Tales of The Jedi series ,dark lords of the sith and it’s audio drama ,the sith war and redemption
truce at bakura
original thrawn trilogy
droids animated series and Boba Fett cartoon from the holiday special
Rebel Mission To Ord Mantell audio drama and original Han Solo novels , as well as the A.C. Crispin Han trilogy
both Clone Wars animated series
original radio dramas of the ot , on par with the films and sometimes even better
Hand of Thrawn duology and Outbound Flight novel
x-wing rogue squadron novels and comics ,the phantom affair being the highlight .
Dark Empire 1 ,the other 2 were terrible imo . I could accept the emperor coming back once ,but it got ridiculous after that ,and I thought it was handled far better in DE 1 than TROS.
Crimson Empire comics and audio drama
The New Jedi order novels . After these novels , the main EU story beyond the films became too over bloated for me and I had a hard time following it . When I need to read a dramatis personae on every character before starting to read , it gets a bit too much . I know the new jedi order started the trend , but it got way too over blown for me after that .
I thought John Cygan made a decent Luke Skywalker in the radio drama for Dark Empire. I also liked him as Canderous Ordo in Kotor.
I liked the Kyle Katarn series of games. Starting with Dark Forces.
I also really liked Tie Fighter and X-wing games. They were on floppy disc. If i could find a computer with a floppy drive i wonder if they would even still work at this point.
I figured this thread would be a good place to post this.
At some point in the near future I plan on doing an extensive read-through of most pre-Prequel Trilogy content. I’ve had the strong desire to read the books informed solely by the Original Trilogy, to experience the franchise as from a time that was a bit before my own time. The Phantom Menace came out when I was only 8 years old and I hadn’t even become modestly well-read until I was probably 23. Also, being that I consider the Original trilogy the only true Star Wars story of the films, it makes sense to me not include any post-EP 1 released content, even if set around A New Hope or onwards. I don’t want anything where the author heavily considered any of the prequels during the writing process their book. The list of novels I tentatively will be reading is as follows:
Han Solo Trilogy:
The Paridise Snare
The Hutt Gambit
Rebel DawnDark Forces: Soldier for the Empire
Splinter of the Mind’s Eye
Shadows of the Empire
The Truce at Bakura
X-Wing:
Rogue Squadron
Wedge’s Gamble
The Krytos Trap
The Bacta WarThe Courtship of Princess Leia
Thrawn Trilogy:
Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last CommandI, Jedi
Children of the Jedi
Darksaber
Planet of Twilight
Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy:
Before the Storm
Shield of Lies
Tyrant’s TestThe New Rebellion
The Corellian Trilogy:
Ambush at Corellia
Assault at Selonia
Showdown at CenterpointThe Hand of Thrawn Duology:
Specter of the Past
Vision of the Future
The reason I’m posting this is that I know there some books here less warmly received than others and I’d really appreciate any Star Wars veterans to give me a bit of advice on what I should maybe skip (and what they’d consider essential). These are all pre-Phantom Menace, but it’s still quite a sizable amount of books to buy and read through and I’d like to maybe not waste as much time and money as I might. I should maybe note that there is “skippable bad” and “it’s bad, but some really important stuff happens in this book” and I’d prefer to not miss anything that’s maybe too important for the setup of other stories, even if the quality of the book is on the poor side.
Vision of the Future
The reason I’m posting this is that I know there some books here less warmly received than others and I’d really appreciate any Star Wars veterans to give me a bit of advice on what I should maybe skip (and what they’d consider essential). These are all pre-Phantom Menace, but it’s still quite a sizable amount of books to buy and read through and I’d like to maybe not waste as much time and money as I might. I should maybe note that there is “skippable bad” and “it’s bad, but some really important stuff happens in this book” and I’d prefer to not miss anything that’s maybe too important for the setup of other stories, even if the quality of the book is on the poor side.
I’m in the same place - I’ve read the Thrawn trilogy, The Truce at Bakura, and Shadows of the Empire, as well as SOTME and 2 Revenge of the Sith era novels. I’m particularly interested in the post-Endor period, so a few days ago I ordered the Dark Empire collection (I hear 1 and 2 at least are good)
I’ve love some advice on what the most beloved legends books are. I often go quite easy on SW content, so I expect to like most of it.
“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”
Shadows Of The Empire
Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars
The Han Solo Adventures
The Lando Calrissian Adventures
Only EU material I actually enjoy. The rest I could care less about/disslike heavily.
Use the Force, Joh Yowza.
in no particular order
The Heir to the Empire trilogy
the Mara Jade comics
Dark Empire is fascinating, even though it’s kinda off the rails
so is Crimson Empire, even though it’s dated
2D Clone Wars
never finished Hand of Thrawn, only fully read the first book, was ok
Dawn of the Jedi comics!
reylo?
Thanks both for your replies, I really appreciate it! (If anyone else sees this and also wants to share your favourites, please do, I’d still like to see them) It’s a shame it’s so hard to get comics at a reasonable price online - there aren’t many good comic shops near me either, pretty much only Forbidden Planet International which used to be good at stocking SW comics and now isn’t. I need to look out for more vintage sales on locally.
“Remember, the Force will be with you. Always.”
If it came out before the prequels and wasn’t written by KJA, chances are I don’t dislike it. Things get more complicated after that.
Tag and Bink
The Boba Fett comics. Twin Engines of Destruction, Death Lies and Treachery. And Enemy of the Empire.
The Dark Horse comics Droids.
Anything by Al Williamson but especially Crimson Forever. The newspaper strips reprinted in the Russ Cochran 3 volume set.
Jango Fett Open Seasons.
Star Wars Republic
Knights of the Old Republic comic.
Star Wars Dark Times comic.
Star Wars Legacy. and Legacy II.
Knight Errant.
Crimson Empire I and II.
Dark Empire I and II.
The Star Wars.
Star Wars Tales.
Star Wars Rebellion
X-wing Comics.
Mara Jade by the Emperor’s hand.
It was pretty extensive and detailed, and it organically explored tons of far-flung eras in galactic history. Hopefully the New EU gets to that level, but when it comes to that I’m worried it might live in the Old EU’s shadow.
“SO DIE ALREADY!!”
After being beaten and battered by prequel hate, I promise not to be that to the next generation.
The 1990s pre prequel era is the era i remember the most fondly. Reading the books and comics, playing Super Star Wars games, watching the video cassette tapes in my VCR.
I’m right there with you Jaded. TPM sort of marked the end of an era. Or perhaps it would be better said that it was the first nail in the coffin for Old Star Wars.
But what I liked most? That one is easy: Jedi could have children and families.
I always envisioned the Jedi as more Knights rather than Monks. Kind of like these guys: https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Imperial_Knight
“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord
I always wondered how Jaina left the order to found the Imperial Knights. Now we will never find out. It is one of the left over threads from the EU that will never be explored since they erased the EU from canon.
As a huge swordsmanship junkie, I like the various “styles” of lightsaber combat that were introduced (Shien, ataru etc.)
“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord
In my opinion the best EU works are:
The Tales of the Jedi comics;
Knights of the Old Republic I & II;
Star Wars: The Old Republic;
The Republic comics;
Tartakovsky’s Clone Wars;
Labyrinth of Evil;
The Force Unleashed;
The Thrawn Trilogy.
In general, my favorite eras of the Star Wars universe are the Prequel Era and the Old Republic Era.
«This is where the fun begins!»
(Anakin Skywalker)