| What is a good StarWars Book to start with? | |
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ioshee - Student  |
I have never read any of the Star Wars novels. Mostly because there are an overwhelming amount of them and I don't want to stand in the bookstore too long looking at them. Especially when there is this cute girl checking out the romance novels and we keep exchanging glances. Anyway I was wondering if some one could tell me a good book or series to start with. Or maybe just share your favorite authors and why. Thanks. _______________ One of the Belouve boys |
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Buzz - Student 
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Java Luke also started down the dark path in Return of the Jedi. Shouldn't he have continued down the path as well? There actually is a and explanation/realization by Luke in one of the novels. Once you go to the darkside it still affects you even if you manage to return from it. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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Ash - Eats Babies 
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i have a bunch of the old marvel comics still in mint condition. then again i have alot of old comics in mint condition. _______________ "We keep odd hours...." ----------------------- They Live, We Sleep |
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JavaGuy - Student 
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I thought the vast majority of them were awful. Simply awful. With some exceptions. The Han Solo books that came out back in the 70s I really enjoyed--Han Solo at Star's End, and three others. They were about Han and Chewie back before they met Luke. Also, I don't know if anyone here is old enough to remember the old Marvel Comics series that started with the original movie adaptation in 1977 and continued from there, but I read them religiously, and they have recently been reprinted in book form. From where the first movie ends it takes a while for the story to pick up and start getting good, so be patient and try to ignore the talking rabit (he's not as bad as Jar Jar, and he _does_ go away forever after a few chapters, I promise). There are a few continuity problems, like the fact that Jabba is portrayed as a bipedal humanoid, but that couldn't be avoided because they didn't know at the time that he wouldn't be. Some of the stories are truly great, others not so great, but, taking the entire series as a whole work, the Marvel Comics series was one of my favorite "EU" works. I've read a little bit of the newer comic books--the Republic series and the Empire series--and going back and looking at the original Marvel series I am delighted to find that the newer series draw upon some source material from Marvel's. There's a corrupt senator named Greyshade who has a change of heart and actually dies a hero's death in the old Marvel series--in the new Republic series we see him in his bad old days as a real bastard. I didn't like most of the novels for a variety of reasons, mostly because they were just cheesy. In one novel they meet a Hammerhead, like the one who was in the cantina on Tatooine, and--guess what--he just happens to be the very same one! *roll eyes* Also, characters in the EU novels turn to the Dark Side and come back with relative facility. Think about this. According to Obi Wan the Jedi were the guardians of peace and justice for a thousand generations, if I recall correctly. Depending on the culture that's anywhere between fifteen thousand and thirty thousand years. Human civilization on Earth is barely ten thousand years old. According to Yoda, once you start down the path of the Dark Side it will forever dominate your destiny. Not once you are far enough gone, mind you, but as soon as you start down the path. Yoda and Obi Wan were unanimous in their opinion that Vader could not be saved. If there had been a single case in the long, long history of the Jedi where someone had turned to the Dark Side and come back, Yoda probably would have known about it. He wasn't aware of any. As far as he was concerned, the Dark Side was a one-way ticket. When Vader turned back, this was a once-in-history kind of thing. Anakin was such an extraordinary individual, the confluence of events so unusual, that this historical event was possible. The prequels throw in the shockingly cheesy and utterly unnecessary "prophecy" to bolster this point; he was one of a kind, and his redemption was a historical first. In the EU novels everybody who is anybody has turned to the Dark Side and come back. Well sorry, but I don't buy it. Anakin/Vader was the most powerful ever of the Jedi and had the most unique inner character. Nobody could do what he did. Nobody. The Dark Side refers to the Dark Side of the Force, not merely the dark side of human nature. Any bozo can fall into a pattern of anger and hatred, but he can also see the error of his ways and find his character. If he uses the Force, though, giving in to his dark side will give him over to the Dark Side, which will control him, twist his mind and manipulate his thoughts forever. The Dark Side is supposed to be overwhelmingly powerful and Really Scary. In the EU novels it is anything but. Okay, my son is calling for a bath, so that cuts my rant short.  _______________ My signature is only one line. You're welcome. |
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Lord Vader - Ex-Student |
Splinter of the Mind's Eye. It was the book that started the long line of Star Wars books that we know today.(I know it sounds weird but it's the only novel I've ever read that has Leia fighting Darth Vader with a lightsaber.) _______________ Jedi Masters suck, but Sith Lords rule!!! |
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Crunchy - Ex-Student 
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You should buy Star Wars : The Essential Chronology by Kevin J. Anderson and Daniel Wllace IBSN 0-345-43439-0 published in 2000 It tells about everything from The Golden Age of the Sith to The resurgence of the Black Sun. Then you only have to read like 15-20 books to catch up to date. There might be a newer version but I don't think there is.  The only thing it doesn't cover is the New Jedi order. And if you can read more than a page a minute you should have read all of them in less than a month in your spare time. _______________ Windows95: <win-doz-nin-te-fiv> n. 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can't stand 1 bit of competition. |
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Rampage - Student 
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ugh ugh |
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Flamori Athena - Student 
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This might be off-topic, but TATOOINE GHOST ROCKS!! _______________ «±» 21st on the Midbie Council, Profile ID: 2027 «±» True wisdom is the knowledge that you know nothing. |
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Crunchy - Ex-Student 
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Read "Truce At Bakkura" then "Courtship of Princess Leia" so that you don't pick up one of the 30 books after those and go, "What the heck? Han and Leia are married? What? They have kids? When did this happen?" _______________ Windows95: <win-doz-nin-te-fiv> n. 32 bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16 bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4 bit microprocessor, written by a 2 bit company, that can't stand 1 bit of competition. |
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Buzz - Student
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Yeah I, Jedi is a good follow up to either the x wing novels or Jedi Academy Trilogy. It contains story and characters from both of these so you could be a little confused if you read it before them. I had read the Jedi Academy Trilogy and eventually got I, Jedi, and that made me get the X-wing novels. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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Hector Thrawn - Ex-Student 
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x-wing, but its gonna take a while to get them all done, then i, jedi is a good follow-up |
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Buzz - Student
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I'd go with the X-wing novels or the Jedi Academy Trilogy _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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ioshee - Student 
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I just finished my first three Star Wars books ever (the Thrawn Trilogy.) I was quite impressed. Now what? _______________ One of the Belouve boys |
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koushka - Student 
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Per someone in an earlier post I am now reading the Heir to the Empire series. It is pretty good. _______________ Faithful Padawan of {SKX}Dark Blade My profile pic is luke skywalker 
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MINDofSIN - Student 
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 _______________ Jedi Academy Holocron http://jaholocron.ryanmh.com/ Why should our government send our soldiers to foreign soil to protect freedom of speech, when our freedom of speech is being taking away everyday by the same government. |
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Buzz - Student
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One book I would recommend avoiding is the Crystal Star. You don't really need it to know what is going on with other story elements. You'll hear things in it mentioned in passing but not groundbreaking. You also don't "need" to read the books about Children of the Jedi, Darksaber, Planet of Twilight, or The New Rebellion. You won't miss a lot by skipping these. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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Hector Thrawn - Ex-Student
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actually MoS you have just stumbled upon one of the biggest problems with the NJO. if you dont read any other starwars books, it could be confusing, and you might miss some of the significance right away. however, if you go and read all the books neccesary to understand everything in the NJO it will take several years, and quite a few of them are really just bad. the ones you probably should really read first are: i, jedi (its fund, and somewhat important), the jedi academy trilogy (not bad, also really important), the courtship of princess leia (same as the JAT), and then the 5 books by timothy zahn (awsome reads anyway, but still important). i left out the x-wing series because its pretty long, however, if your a fast reader you defenitlly want to pick them up as well (including the wraith squadron books). |
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Buzz - Student
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Yeah MoS go ahead. You might end up asking a few times "Who the hell is that?" or "What the hell are they talking about?" But you'll still be able to enjoy the NJO books and get a feel for what is going on, just not as much of one as what went on before. _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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MINDofSIN - Student
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Think it would be fine to read the NJO books without reading any others first?  _______________ Jedi Academy Holocron http://jaholocron.ryanmh.com/ Why should our government send our soldiers to foreign soil to protect freedom of speech, when our freedom of speech is being taking away everyday by the same government. |
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Sared - Retired 
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Nah, not really, just the order I read them in. It all still clicked for me though. *shrug* _______________ I'm crazy, not stupid. |
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Buzz - Student 
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Sared I hope you aren't trying to make them read the novels in chronological order. If you are it would go like this Truce At Bakura X-Wing novels #1-7 Courtship of Princess Leia Heir to the Empire Trilogy X-wing novel #8 Jedi Academy Trilogy I,Jedi (Occurs before, during and after the academy trilogy) X-Wing novel #9 _______________ When you are going through Hell, keep going. -Sir Winston Churchill. Those who seek power and control of others, no matter the level, no matter the intentions, should never be given it. |
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Sared - Retired
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Okay, I am sorry, but if you want to get a good start then begin with Truce at Bakura (happens the day after the battle of endor) follow it up with the Courtship of Princess Leia, then top it off with the Heir to the Empire trilogy. AFTERWARDS, read the X-Wing series (yes, all nine of them) then read I, Jedi along with the Jedi Academy trilogy. After you read these then the storyline will be set in place for any others you plan on reading. Personally, (although I went through them in about 30 min apiece) read the Young Jedi Knights series just so you will have the knowledge about Jacen and Jania to build off of before reading the NJO series. _______________ I'm crazy, not stupid. |
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PlooKoon - Student 
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oops i mean not jedi acadmey series jedi apprentice _______________ Moo |
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PlooKoon - Student 
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I would have to agree with the guy who said the jedi academy saeries as its the easiest (to understand) and the start of the star wars book/film timeline and its exciting but if ur an adult read the others (thick books) or the newest series is The new jedi order. _______________ Moo |
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Rogue Lord - Ex-Student 
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Dont forget the StaR WarS Comic books From DARK HORSE
A really good one is Jedi vs Sith it takes place 1000 years before "a new HopE" it is only a 6 part series but it shows you a part of the jedi history u might never see otherwise... Anyway they were very EnjoyablE also look at anouther series by DarK HorsE called DarknesS (4 PART) it conserns A Jedi named Quinlan Vos and his mindwiped Padawan Aayna Secura... Again GOOD stuff
P.S. i started with the X_WING novels U gotta LUV WedgE
YUB YUB _______________ NONE SHALL PASS He welds the blade of a FalleN HerO, but now he is the HerO, and it is others who shall FALL.... There are only DancerS and the DancE... All is DancE.. ALL IS.. ~GanneRs LasT StanD. This comment was edited by Rogue Lord on Apr 10 2003 07:38pm. |
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Gantoris - Ex-Student 
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I think the Jedi Academy trilogy is one of the best. It gives you the feel the movies did. Its a mixture of action and drama, the Jedi battling the Darkside and the rebellion against the empire or remanents of the empire at least. I think this trilogy, if Lucas ever thought to, are great to continue the movies. Not one characer is focused on, its all of your old lovable character as well as a few really cool new ones(KYP DURRoN!!!)The new Jedi Academy also comes about.
Another book to check out is I,Jedi, by Michael A. Stackpole, he's my fav. SW and Battletech author. Check it out, its an all time fav of mine. _______________ "You believe in Failure...which is why you Fail! It is a never-ending cycle." |
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