Ok, so people on here have mentioned Children of the Jedi and The Chrystal Star as the worst EU book they have read. I have missed both of them. Apparently I have had the good fortune of reading only "good" EU books.

I asking for folks here to post the absolute worst star wars book they have ever read. If you have a small list, share it. I intend to read bad books. My only request is, if you post it here, you have to have read it yourself first. I want to share in this group experience.

Crystal Shard and Children of the Jedi are terrible.

I also think the ones by Kevin J. Anderson are all equally horrible.

Jim

The Truce at Bakura

Didn't like the whole concept of the Ssi-ruuk.

I liked some of the books by Kevin J. Anderson.

Having read the Dune prequels, I dont have a lot of respect for Kevin Anderson. I am still reading his stuff because... you know... Star Wars.

Having read the Dune prequels, I dont have a lot of respect for Kevin Anderson. I am still reading his stuff because... you know... Star Wars.

Reading all his Star Wars novels is why I won't touch his Dune books.

Jim

Didn't particularly care for Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu.

I haven't read all of the EU books, but I will say with absolute certainty that the Timothy Zahn books do NOT belong in this category. They are, IMHO, the best SW fiction books out there, bar none.

And yeah, I don't even think I finished the Crystal Star.

The zombie one (Death Troopers?) was pretty bad.

Is it bad that although I've read a most of them, I'm not a fan of the star wars x-wing series by Michael Stackpole?

Is it bad that although I've read a most of them, I'm not a fan of the star wars x-wing series by Michael Stackpole?

There were three "Lando Adventures" books, Tomkat. Did you get to read either of the others?

The Truce at Bakura

Didn't like the whole concept of the Ssi-ruuk.

I was always put off by "Jedi are the best, the galaxy revolves around them and their drama" books, so I have a lot of Star Wars books I dislike, just this one I couldn't even finish.

Recently read Truce at Bakura. It wasn't good. It read like mediocre fanfiction, it utterly mischaracterised... all the characters pretty much, the bad guys made no sense (still don't know why and how they were meant to be a big threat, just that they were because the author said so). Luke's romantic interest reeked of author self insertion. It also referred repeatedly to Luke and Leia's kiss, like it actually meant something to anyone.

I have read the Children of the JEdi... but cannot remember much about it. I do remember the Crystal Star being terrible.

Is it bad that although I've read a most of them, I'm not a fan of the star wars x-wing series by Michael Stackpole?

See, I really enjoyed Stackpole's "I, Jedi" and based on that I considered him one of the better authors. I've not read his preliminary Xwing stuff, but that is supposed to be where Natasi Daala was created, so I meant to check it out.

There were three "Lando Adventures" books, Tomkat. Did you get to read either of the others?

Nope, just that one. Bought it at a yard sale when I was eight or so. Very formulaic and more 'magical' than I like in my Star Wars.

A friend of mine once told me, that the X-Wing books are great. But not the first 4, just 5+. And I thought "OK, I'd have to read 4 really crappy books to understand some interesting other books?"

See I prefer the old magical Star Wars over the modern SciFi Star Wars.

Anybody know what's up with this whole "Callista" thing? I know Mara Jade, but this whole "ancien ghost inhabiting a dead body is Luke's love interest" thing is *really throwing me off.

I never read Fate of the Jedi, But this article alone brings up a great anger in me knowing it was once considered even a part of Star Wars:

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Abeloth

I asking for folks here to post the absolute worst star wars book they have ever read. If you have a small list, share it. I intend to read bad books. My only request is, if you post it here, you have to have read it yourself first. I want to share in this group experience.

Um... all of them? <ducks in trench>

Yeah, even the Zahn stuff that's held up as the EU Holy Grail is pretty bad. And I used to really love them and I used to be the first one to defend them. And then I re-read the Thrawn trilogy about a year ago. It does NOT hold up in any way. It's a bit sad really, I wrecked my own fond memories of those books.

OTOH, that experience made me cease regretting the nuking of the old canon. I'm actually quite happy about that these days, so I guess you could call that succesful shock theraphy.

I asking for folks here to post the absolute worst star wars book they have ever read. If you have a small list, share it. I intend to read bad books. My only request is, if you post it here, you have to have read it yourself first. I want to share in this group experience.

Um... all of them? <ducks in trench>

Yeah, even the Zahn stuff that's held up as the EU Holy Grail is pretty bad. And I used to really love them and I used to be the first one to defend them. And then I re-read the Thrawn trilogy about a year ago. It does NOT hold up in any way. It's a bit sad really, I wrecked my own fond memories of those books.

OTOH, that experience made me cease regretting the nuking of the old canon. I'm actually quite happy about that these days, so I guess you could call that succesful shock theraphy.

Read Kenobi by John Jackson Miller and then tell me that the EU is completely bad.

The Black Fleet Crisis.

Worst. Trilogy. Ever.

Edit: Can we nominate current canon books?
Aftermath - for Chuck Wendig referring to a planet as an Exo-planet (isn't any planet in Star Wars not in our solar system and thus an Exo-planet?)

I have only read The heir to the empire trilogy and Revan. Both of them were bad books. It never got exciting or adventures.

And dont get me started on Trawn, the most boring character in Star Wars. Its easeir to belive in the force than beliving that you can find out your enemies battle strategy by examining their art collection.

They were also badly written, like the Harry Potter books they feel very much like amateur work.

Because of these books I have stayed clear of the EU and never considered them to be canon at all.

The zombie one (Death Troopers?) was pretty bad.

See I absolutely loved Death Troopers until the famous smuggler and wookie showed up. Then it was two characters who you knew would survive. Overall still a good novel though. Didn't care for the sequel.

I do love Stackpole to death though I have to admit my friends and I made a drinking game out of doing a shot anytime there was a "azure beam" in his Battletech books. Still an awesome writer though.

...the Timothy Zahn books do NOT belong in this category. They are, IMHO, the best SW fiction books out there, bar none.

signed!

I asking for folks here to post the absolute worst star wars book they have ever read. If you have a small list, share it. I intend to read bad books. My only request is, if you post it here, you have to have read it yourself first. I want to share in this group experience.

Yeah, even the Zahn stuff that's held up as the EU Holy Grail is pretty bad. And I used to really love them and I used to be the first one to defend them. And then I re-read the Thrawn trilogy about a year ago. It does NOT hold up in any way. It's a bit sad really, I wrecked my own fond memories of those books.

OTOH, that experience made me cease regretting the nuking of the old canon. I'm actually quite happy about that these days, so I guess you could call that succesful shock theraphy.

I re-read them a couple of years ago, and I think they... may be oversold, but they are not bad. I think the main problem is one storyline (that involving the Noghri and Leia) is dull as ditchwater, and the end is... well, I found it unsatisfying, maybe even bad. However, I found most of the 1st and 2nd books still worthwhile, and I still don't think anyone I have read (or seen films of) that felt that it genuinely followed on from the original films so well. It felt like the same universe, which is actually surprisingly down to earth if you look it only from the original films.

I have only read The heir to the empire trilogy and Revan. Both of them were bad books. It never got exciting or adventures.

And dont get me started on Trawn, the most boring character in Star Wars. Its easeir to belive in the force than beliving that you can find out your enemies battle strategy by examining their art collection.

They were also badly written, like the Harry Potter books they feel very much like amateur work.

Because of these books I have stayed clear of the EU and never considered them to be canon at all.

I haven't read Revan, so can't comment, but I disagree on Heir to the Empire trilogy. I liked it as an adventure (Leia's stuff aside... which as I said was dull). And while I can agree that Thrawn is a bit Mary Sue-ish, I disagree that he was boring. The art thing... yes, was a little ridiculous (though maybe it was an odd expression of some latent force talent?), but he felt a genuinely intelligent adversary and I liked that this was a character you could see why people followed him. He has qualities that you could admire, a motivation that was understandable, but then he would reveal a side to him which made clear "No, he is still a bad guy, the villain." And Zahn was very careful to make sure it was clear that he wasn't perfect. He makes mistakes. The only thing is I would have rather he was defeated in a more straightforward manner.

Hmm... going to have to disagree on the Harry Potter books as well. None of them are great literature, but they are generally competently written (and do remember that Harry Potter is written for children... t). For amatuer feeling work, read the previously mentioned "Truce at Bakura." That really felt like reading mediocre fan fiction.

[spoilerS]

I actually thought the Leia/Noghri part of the Zahn books was the best. Actually, that Leia's parts were superior in general, maybe not the Noghri bit specifically. Because she's cast in an investigative rather than action role she gets the best plot points, kind of well thought out thrillery stuff, rather than the standard Star Wars deus ex machina action/combat. She gets to figure out Thrawn's "leak", the Noghri's slavery, and to take on an interesting duality in her investigation of her father's legacy. Plus her growing relationship with the unborn twins is great.

I've not read any other EU, though I started Kenobi this morning and have been enjoying it.