I really want to start reading the novels and get my canon knowledge up. I have to say that X-Wing has really sparked my interest in the rebellion and the factiods I hear when playing/theory crafting - like the fact that torpedoes were a big deal and Ties don't have shields because they were dispensable.
Where should I start? I know nothing about the books, so please be specific and gentle
Thanks, guys
Assuming you only want to read the new canon, there's not a lot to choose from yet though it's growing quickly. I haven't read any of the new canon myself to give any input there.
There's a lot of good stories in the old canon/Legends. But just remember they likely don't have any place in the current canon anymore.
Wherever you want. Take a look in your local book stores in the Scifi section. If you see something that jumps out at you, take a look. If it's in a series, try finding the first book, and if it isn't go for it. The Star Wars Expanded Universe (and Canon EU) are VERY easy to jump into.
But if you're interested solely in Canon, it's not a bad idea to check the publication date of the work. Anything before April 30, 2014 is non-canon to the new continuity (with a handful of exceptions). Anything after that is Canon in the new continuity.
Interesting.
I had no idea there was new and old canon...
I guess armed with that knowledge, I'd probably be more interested in the Old/EU. But I think you're right and I love the idea - I'm going to just walk into a used book store near work and grab one.
If any series stick out as "must-reads" be sure to post them.
Thanks, yinz.
I mean, the golden standard is usually The Thrawn Trilogy (Heir to the Empire/Dark Force Rising/The Last Command) and the X-wing series.
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
I'd recommend starting with th-
Aw, Sithborg beat me to it!
Anyway, I will add that both series are good, but they have very different feels. The Thrawn Trilogy will give you a feel more similar to the movies, with the focus being on the main characters (Luke, Han, Leia, etc.)
The X-Wing series, on the other hand, focuses on Wedge Antilles and his squadron(s). The main characters from the movies make appearances, but the series isn't really about them. I'll also say I rather like the sense of humor in this series, particularly after Wes Janson is introduced.
Interesting.
I had no idea there was new and old canon...
I guess armed with that knowledge, I'd probably be more interested in the Old/EU. But I think you're right and I love the idea - I'm going to just walk into a used book store near work and grab one.
If any series stick out as "must-reads" be sure to post them.
Thanks, yinz.
Be careful with the EU stuff. There is a lot of it that is not good. The Thrawn Trilogy is the best of the EU stuff. It's not bad. I enjoyed it. It's not great, though. Personally, I couldn't get into the X-wing series at all. Shadows of the Empire is OK, and has Xizor. I found the Bounty Hunter Wars disappointing.
Out of the new stuff, I'd recommend Lost Stars as the best I've read so far. I enjoyed Tarkin. I also really liked A New Dawn.
I did not like the new Luke novel. I dropped it 1/3 of the way into it.
Aftermath is middling. A lot of people hated it, but I listened as an audio book with my son. It was a bit disjointed, but we thought it was alright. The second one is supposed to be better.
I hear Bloodlines is almost required to have a decent understanding of what the heck is going on with Ep 7. I want to read that one next.
I, Jedi is an old favourite of mine. A loose part of the x-wing series starring Corran Horn. Yes, he was briefly a Jedi trainee and was a strong force user. He even made himself his own lightaber out of a speeder bike handlebar.
Hearing some disappointing but useful motifs. Sounds like the EU is quantity over quality
I will probably seek our Thrawn and the X-Wing series. If I can't get into those, it's on to this new canon!
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
There I was one morning in late July.
I had put some coffee on, and decided to read the newspaper. Which. To me meant...some internet forum browsing.
And then...i came across a link in the off topic area of the ffg x wing forum.
I clicked it. Though I will forever wish I had not.
But I had.
And because I read the wookiepedia entry it led to.
I immediately died as my soul was shredded by the incredible amount of jagged "WTF" that was swirling around the kitchen.
Is it because of this sentiment: "It should also be remembered that all of these stories are simply that—stories. There are numerous errors that inevitably arise between the stories simply because different authors have their own ways of telling the story and may not have the time and resources to perfectly align the details"?
Hearing some disappointing but useful motifs. Sounds like the EU is quantity over quality
I will probably seek our Thrawn and the X-Wing series. If I can't get into those, it's on to this new canon!
If you have a Kindle or the Kindle app, the X-Wing series, at least, is on there.
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
There I was one morning in late July.
I had put some coffee on, and decided to read the newspaper. Which. To me meant...some internet forum browsing.
And then...i came across a link in the off topic area of the ffg x wing forum.
I clicked it. Though I will forever wish I had not.
But I had.
And because I read the wookiepedia entry it led to.
I immediately died as my soul was shredded by the incredible amount of jagged "WTF" that was swirling around the kitchen.
Once Skippy has his claws into your psyche, he's there forever.
This is a very subjective topic as it really comes down to personal tastes.
For myself, the only EU books I read that I actually enjoyed enough to re-read a decade later were the X-Wing series by Michael Stackpole. The Aaron Aliston sequels lost me. For me, it adhered to my personal canon, that is, what I thought SW was. They also enrich the X-Wing game a little as the books are more focused on the fighters than mystic Jedi powers. You will see some pilots and crew from the X-Wing game in these books and very little Han, Luke and Leia.
Another favourite on these boards is the Thrawn Trilogy by Zahn. They have been mentioned above. Personally, I didn't care for them, but like the Gunboat, many do.
Books shops are a great place to start but seriously, depending on your age, reading level, interests, etc. you might find much of the EU to be total dross. Swing by your local Library and see what they have. Many libraries now have ebook collections that don't even require you to step out of your front door.
But I'd recommend getting out and visiting your local Library .. you might even find a Pokemon there.
Get the Thrawn Trilogy! I read it to my wife to get her into Star Wars. It worked!
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
Nah, Skippy is awesome. Read the actual comic, not the wookiepedia entry. It is humour!
The "Star Wars Tales" comics were great that way. Some stories were really serious and explored the concepts at the root of star wars, like, what was Vader's post RotS jedi purge like? What is the "living force"?. Other stores, like Skippy, had fun with the universe and were really light-hearted.
Having said that, I found most of the EU annoying or poor storytelling. I support the votes for Zahn's trilogy (which basically re-lauched Star Wars fandom in the 90's) and the X-wing series (Stackpole writes great space combat scenes).
Don't discard new canon, by the way, Tarkin is my favourite book there so far. Lords of the Sith is pretty awesome, too. Vader boarding a freighter by crashing his ship into it? Hell yeah!
I like the new canon, as well.
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
Nah, Skippy is awesome. Read the actual comic, not the wookiepedia entry. It is humour!
The "Star Wars Tales" comics were great that way. Some stories were really serious and explored the concepts at the root of star wars, like, what was Vader's post RotS jedi purge like? What is the "living force"?. Other stores, like Skippy, had fun with the universe and were really light-hearted.
Having said that, I found most of the EU annoying or poor storytelling. I support the votes for Zahn's trilogy (which basically re-lauched Star Wars fandom in the 90's) and the X-wing series (Stackpole writes great space combat scenes).
I did read the comic but sometimes humor is prone to being silliness and missing the mark and Skippy was that way for me. I am by no means a purist or even truly hardcore fan (I like the prequels!) but there was too much in the EU that took irreverence to a new level and I didn't love it.
I personally struggled with as much of the EU as I liked. And then I met Skippy the Jedi Droid and I was done with it.
As Sithborg says, the Thrawn stuff is good and there are pockets of stuff I liked, but too little of it really "felt" like Star Wars to me.
Nah, Skippy is awesome. Read the actual comic, not the wookiepedia entry. It is humour!
The "Star Wars Tales" comics were great that way. Some stories were really serious and explored the concepts at the root of star wars, like, what was Vader's post RotS jedi purge like? What is the "living force"?. Other stores, like Skippy, had fun with the universe and were really light-hearted.
Having said that, I found most of the EU annoying or poor storytelling. I support the votes for Zahn's trilogy (which basically re-lauched Star Wars fandom in the 90's) and the X-wing series (Stackpole writes great space combat scenes).
Yeah! Skippy ranks right up there with the Holiday Special!
I actually rematched the Holiday Special not too long ago...certainly wasn't as cool as I remembered it being as a kid.
It was horribly actually.
*embarrassed and ashamed that it was a glorified train wreck I could not stop watching*
Edited by rymI actually rematched the Holiday Special not too long ago...certainly wasn't as cool as I remembered it being as a kid.
It was horribly actually.
*embarrassed and ashamed that it was a glorified train wreck I could not stop watching*
Watch the Rifftrax version. At least then there's some entertainment!
If we're talking straight authorship, old or new canon? I'm a twenty something with a few notches in my reading/writing belt and appreciate a well-written author. Even if the story isn't as nostalgic as I was originally hoping for, I'd rather it be sufferable in the reading department lol