The show takes place after the rise of the Empire but several years before the events of "A New Hope," so Kanan's comic series delves into how he survives Order 66 and the extermination of the Jedi Order.
That may not jive with people looking for some more Jedi action, but the story is well-worth the read and sets the stage for a galaxy that is now bigger than anyone could have imagined. This story was written in collaboration with Forbes Finds. Lando’s Luck captures the titular character’s voice perfectly, and you’ll find yourself laughing out loud at the dialogue between the charming rogue ad his droid co-pilot L3-37.
These are set after the original trilogy, and in these books, Leia is married to Han Solo and expecting twins. She encounters familiar faces from the prequel trilogy and learns about her grandmother Shmi Skywalker. Ostensibly a video game tie-in novel, it was the start of Karen Traviss’ long-term development of Mandalorian culture as followed by the clone troopers. The story follows Kanan primarily, as he has spent the past decade on the run from the Empire. These are the average guys who give it all they have. Lost Stars, described as a Romeo and Juliet story in space, it could have been a dull grab at the YA romance market. We’re cheating a little here since we’re recommending an entire series of 18 books here, but you should read them all! Shadows of the Empire wasn’t just a novel.
I didn’t love the prequel movies, but have really loved the novelizations.
Combine that with the cross-overs from comic books and TV shows in the franchise, and there is a lot of ground to cover. In this novel, we see Padmé after she ends her reign as Queen Amidala of Naboo and begins her position as a representative in the Galactic Senate. Want to know where to start with Star Wars books? They eventually enroll in the Imperial Academy, which was a dream of both of theirs. For those who aren't familiar with him, Kanan was just a Padawan when Sidious' infamous order was given. After the Empire fell, the Guards were hunted down and exterminated due to the combination of their unshakeable loyalty to Sidious and their lethal skills.
Vader struggles as he transitions into the infamous villain fans know.
17. This book centers Leia and is set around six years before The Force Awakens. This is a romance of sorts, but because it’s Star Wars we also get plenty of world-building, interwoven stories, and action. The... Ahsoka. By submitting your information, you agree to our, From Thrawn to A New Dawn: We count down the 31 best Star Wars books, Science fiction cinema doesn't exist without Sean Connery, Hocus Pocus reunion fundraiser summons many famous faces, James Bond actor Sean Connery memorialized by Daniel Craig, George Lazenby, and more 007 vets, How two anthology shows made a new generation of horror fans, WIRE Buzz: neXT and Filthy Rich end, Joey King joins The Princess; New Witcher Footage, All the genre TV and movies coming to streaming in November 2020, Alabama comics shop owner out to make history and a good first impression, Giant mech comic GIGA reinvents the relationship between man and machine, WIRE Buzz: Clive Barker exec producing Hellraiser series; Scott Derrickson answers Black Phone; more, See you on the Otherside: Everything you didn't know about Silent Hill, Why Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns is still the most influential comic, Catch up and rock out with our Back to the Future franchise rap-up, Traveling through time with the Bill & Ted production designer, The fiercest Black female vampires: A spooky season retrospect, Look of the Week: Aya Cash's spooky Scare Me sweater, Share From Thrawn to A New Dawn: We count down the 31 best Star Wars books on Facebook, Share From Thrawn to A New Dawn: We count down the 31 best Star Wars books on Twitter, Share From Thrawn to A New Dawn: We count down the 31 best Star Wars books on Reddit, No kriff: The Mandalorian just put a Star Wars 'book only' character on screen to continue their story, The Mandalorian S2 premiere Easter eggs throw back to Star Wars prequels, original trilogy. Aside from Thrawn from Heir to the Empire, no Expanded Universe villain is more loved than Darth Revan of Knights of the Old Republic fame. Tracking down survivors of Order 66 plays an intricle part in Vader’s journey to the Dark Side. Traitor shows Jacen Solo’s descent into the underworld, a deep dive into the morality of the Force. The people of the Galactic Alliance don’t exactly trust the Jedi after what happened with Jacen Solo, leading to Luke Skywalker’s arrest and eventual exile. As incredible as the Thrawn Trilogy novels are, their Dark Horse Comics adaptation by writer Mike Baron really brings the story to life in a whole new medium. While it isn’t the first book to feature Imperial Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, it does establish the fan favorite’s career as a key part of the post-Galactic Civil War galaxy. It was written as a way to ramp up the release of The Old Republic MMO, and as such leaves a lot of the loose ends unresolved. The X-Wing series by Michael A. Stackpole and Aaron Allston is another staple in Expanded Universe fandom. The Republic and Separatists are fighting over a plant called Bota that leads to a struggle with the dark side for Barriss.
These books follow classic heroes like Luke and Han while also introducing new and memorable characters all on their own. He was fighting against a world that seemed to tear away at him as though it was pushing him into the Dark side of the Force. When Han learns Leia is considering the marriage proposal of Hapan Prince Isolder it kicks off a series of events that result in a journey to the planet Dathomir and a confrontation with the warlord Zsinj. One is Captain Rae Sloane, who frequently recurs in other new canon novels. "Star Wars: Crimson Empire," written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley with art from Paul Gulacy, follows Kir Kanos, a former imperial guard trying to make his way through the world after the fall of the Empire. TARKINGET IT NOW: $8.99 | READ IT ON KINDLE: $9.50. The book follows the main character from the first game, as they try to uncover more about their past and the strange nightmares that haunt them. There have to be some stories there. If you buy something using a link on this page, Forbes may receive a small share of that sale. The plot alone is enough to make this series worthwhile.
Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi get involved as trouble brews for Valorum and around the Trade Federation. This is the story of Leia Organa as a teenager, going through the process of preparing to prove her worthiness as the heir to the throne of Alderaan. It follows Shara Bey of the Green Squadron, who escapes the destruction of Death Star II, spends a romantic evening with her husband, Kes Dameron, during the celebration on Endor, and goes on to fight the remnants of the Empire, which seems to be doing quite well despite losing their Sith Lord emperor. This standalone novel lands on the list for several reasons. That’s made even more difficult by the distinction between the official Disney canon books and the original Legends line of novels.
Thank you for signing up! Quinlan and Asajj make a great team; Their relationship is complex, captivating one. Even Sidious doesn't approve of it. All of these are in my TBR pile, and from what I hear, there may be some important information to learn in these books before seeing Episode IX. As Star Wars fans today, through everything from films to novels to comics to animation to video games, we’re enjoying some of the absolute best Star Wars stories ever told. Yup, another one. It’s a different Darth Vader readers than the ruthless one we’re used to in the movies. After Return of the Jedi, that was presumably the end of Star Wars content for the foreseeable future. It’s an adventurous book driven by memorable characters — we won’t soon forget the image of the team toasting to the Empire’s health with Alderaanian wine — made all the better by knowing that Iden will eventually up seeing the error of her ways.
However, that’s a small complaint for a book that otherwise has so much going for it. The book also draws very real (if not overly subtle) parallels to real world political problems, particularly in the United States. Other major cast characters are notably absent. However, for fans of the characters and world of Knights of the Old Republic, you’ll be more than pleased by this book. For me, it falls within my general attitude about the fandom: if you love it, you do/like/read/play whatever you want. Naturally, Darth Vader appears on the planet and Luke and Leia must race to acquire the crystal before he does. While most of them center on epic space battles or lightsaber duels, Plagueis takes a surprisingly political tone that emphasizes the scheming relationship between Sith master and apprentice. Things get more complicated when Vos and Asajj develop a romantic relationship and Vos is enticed by the dark side. You’ll find that there are plenty of books to discover outside of the movies. That's why comic like "X-Wing Rogue Squadron" are a must if you're into those explosive battles. Set close after Revenge of the Sith, this novel follows Darth Vader as he came into his own in his new role as a deadly Sith Lord. That's where the 2015 five-issue miniseries "Star Wars: Princess Leia" comes in. Ask any Star Wars fan who the best—and most prolific—writer is for the series, and almost all will tell you it’s Timothy Zahn.
When it comes to choosing which Star Wars book to read, there is a mind-boggling amount of options. 15. This book shows us what happened during that mission. Heir to the Jedi is the new canon book focused exclusively on Luke Skywalker. Fate of the Jedi series by Aaron Allston, Christie Golden, and Troy Denning.
Obi-Wan, Anakin Skywalker, Luminara Unduli and Barriss Offee try to settle a conflict and keep the planet from leaving the Republic. Even though she’s now working as a smuggler, she finds herself on a collision course with Luke Skywalker, as a shadowy new Imperial commander threatens the New Republic. Obi-Wan and Skywalker have been sent to aid the Republic in the attack, but Obi-Wan soon meets his apparent demise at the hands of Jabiimi rebels, leaving Anakin to lead a small squad of masterless Padawans.
While Lucasfilm was an independent company, it oversaw a significant amount of Expanded Universe content, especially in books. Another interesting component of the book is the moral grayness and fresh context the books provides about the Empire and the Rebellion. Originally appearing in The Clone Wars as Anakin Skywalker’s Jedi apprentice, she returned in Star Wars Rebels and has appeared in a multitude of tie-in media. These stories delve into both sides of the world that is Canto Bight, and if you’re looking for something different in Star Wars, this might be just what you need. All of the books now now cover the prequel, original, and sequel trilogies. Zahn is wonderful at constructing the Star Wars universe, and we get a whole array of dynamic characters, including my favorite of the EU, Mara Jade.
That includes Hera, the other lead featured in Rebels.
Get the best of Den of Geek delivered right to your inbox! Despite fans knowing they don’t succeed since Dooku isn’t killed until Revenge of the Sith, the novel still manages to keep the attention of the reader with its interesting storyline. These aren’t in chronological order, nor are they in any ranking. The plots are interwoven in such a way that many of the characters never really meet face to face. Even if you haven’t played the Battlefront video games, you might find something to enjoy in Twilight Company, which emphasizes the war in Star Wars.
Emperor Palpatine is in charge, and it is the Age of the Empire—this book is set between Episodes III and IV—and dissent is rising. The book is a lot darker in tone than Star Wars fans may be used to, but that doesn’t take away from the adventure of it. That familiarity certainly helps translate the book’s characters and the particular moment this book is based in. 9.