Enjoyable read from Shut Up & Sit Down. Worth a read especially for those on the fence about "competitive" X-wing.

Also, this article reminded me that I have never read any of the X-wing novels. Any advice on where to start on those? Would love to have a bit more back story on some of the pilots from this game. I have only read the Thrawn trilogy and (unfortunately) some of the Vong stuff. (I remembered liking RA Salvatore back in middle school and made a mistake...)

Good read, definitely! I will say this though: Given an hour, Soontir Fel can beat Chewbacca.

The Stackpole X wing novels are good fun. Not gonna win a Hugo, but definitely entertaining. Just start with Rogue Squadron. It's obviously all completely incompatible with new canon.

Rogue Squadron Comics are the only EU I've read, and they were great. Pick up the Omnibus on Amazon if you can.

Other than that, great article, on a great website. You ninja'd me to posting it.

Really good read... someday it would be fun to play that guy!

The Stackpole X wing novels are good fun. Not gonna win a Hugo, but definitely entertaining. Just start with Rogue Squadron. It's obviously all completely incompatible with new canon.

I tried listening to them on audiobook, but....it just didn't capture my attention. All the different names and such just made it harder to keep track of. I wanted to like them....

The Stackpole X wing novels are good fun. Not gonna win a Hugo, but definitely entertaining. Just start with Rogue Squadron. It's obviously all completely incompatible with new canon.

I tried listening to them on audiobook, but....it just didn't capture my attention. All the different names and such just made it harder to keep track of. I wanted to like them....

that was a great read.

I like the 'Dark Empire' audio books, but only because it's a full-cast production (very few returned to reprise their rolls, though - I think just Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels, actually, and they had rather bit parts in the story). Story is okay - not great, although definitely better than anything Stackpole has done (those X-Wing novels are really, really dreadful).

And otherwise I'd say the Thrawn trilogy, which you mention you've already read.

Of course, all of it, yeah, totally chucked out with the new overlords - although that is, at least in part, covered by dialog established in the new movie that much of what happened in this period is legends and mythology anyway, so...it could be seen to be as true as anything else, from a certain point of view...

I agree, the Stackpole and Allston X-Wing novels are a personal favorite. Rogues and Wraiths FTW!

I've read the first 6 X-wing books so far, and Allston is, in my opinion, far and away a better writer than Stackpole. That said, I enjoyed Stackpole, and you should definitely start there, but if you're like me, and start wondering about book 4 whether or not you want to continue reading the same storyline again, push through to Wraith Squadron, and you'll be hooked!

Good read.

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that love to compare Interceptors to Velociraptors. Bait with one, flank with the two others. Clever girls indeed.

in the new movie

Thanks for the spoiler... ***

First one I've seen on this forum.

in the new movie

Thanks for the spoiler... ***

First one I've seen on this forum.

Uhhh...you mean the reference that was in the very first trailer, and has been in every single trailer since?

That ending was so sweet.....

Enjoyed that, good form!

I'd put the X-Wing novels just behind the Thrawn Trilogy in terms of best Star Wars novels.

I was always really disappointed that they never made a TIE Fighter series...

Haha, I came looking for another analysis on the merits of a Shield Upgrade vs a Stealth Device, but am not leaving disappointed. Great write up

I'd put the X-Wing novels just behind the Thrawn Trilogy in terms of best Star Wars novels.

I was always really disappointed that they never made a TIE Fighter series...

That is something I didn't even know was I was missing, until now.

I much preferred the Wraiths to the Rogues. Better storyline, less Corran. That said, they are not award worthy books, but they are certainly fun. Cared more about the characters in the Wraith series though...

That was fabulously poetic.

And if you're an X-wing novel fan, and haven't read the wonderful stand-alone Starfighters of Adumar, you're missing the most fun novel of the bunch.

I am trying to get a buddy into X-Wing. He's down, but we need to find the time to play. I just sent this text:

"Ok, so here is an article about tournament a dude went to for X-Wing. It's kind of like an Esport. You like those, right? http://www.shutupandsitdown.com/blog/post/stress-focus-x-wing-tournament-diary/ "

(The joke here is that he makes a living producing Esports tournaments.)

I've read the first 6 X-wing books so far, and Allston is, in my opinion, far and away a better writer than Stackpole. That said, I enjoyed Stackpole, and you should definitely start there, but if you're like me, and start wondering about book 4 whether or not you want to continue reading the same storyline again, push through to Wraith Squadron, and you'll be hooked!

Exactly this. The characters of Wraith Squadron were a whole lot more fun than the Rogues.