I mentioned it Brash, and good to know it's awesome, because it's the next on my list of reads.

You will love it. It is a novel associated with the game SWTOR, but other than some characters being in it, it takes place years before the events in the MMO. It is really way more about Revan and what happened to him.

I would also like to state… under no circumstances should anyone read the Red Harvest book. It was horrible. Everybody wants to do Zombies… Marvel, etc. I did not really need a Star Wars one… thank you. It is not written well either… just bad all around.

lol. Noted! I'll be sure to give Revan a look at the earliest opportunity.

The Heir to the Empire series by Zahn, as others have mentioned, is great. In fact it is the only Star Wars book series that I have read that I would really judge worth the while. However, it is set 5 years after the original trilogy, so not terribly relevant to the setting of the RPG.

Things I personally like about it:

No "super weapon of the week". There was a spate of books with super weapons in the early 90s. Firstly, this was totally unoriginal, just copying the film series by having a threat that can destroy life on a massive scale. Secondly, it totally undermined the impact of the Death Star. Apparently planet destroying super weapons were almost churned out on a production line. Thirdly, there was a lot of "one-up-manship" with them too. There was the Galaxy Gun, which could fire a missle that could destroy planets across the entire galaxy. Then there was the Sun Crusher. This could destroy entire star systems! And it was barely bigger than a starfighter! And it was near invulnerable! Then there was Centrepoint station. Which could fling planets around from the otherwise of the galaxy, and shut hyperspace off around itself so people couldn't get to it. The Heir to the Empire series didn't have any of this. There were a couple of bits of tech which were out of the norm, but they were relatively low key, and used in a way that made their big impact believable.

It is smaller scale than the modern interpretation of Star Wars. Current Star Wars had millions of ships, with trillions of soldiers, able to travel across the galaxy spanning empire in hours . Things in his books moved more slowly, and a small number of ships and men made a big difference. The entire fate of the galaxy is down to the action of a few hundred ships. Star Destroyers were things to be feared, not common escorts which no one bats an eye-lid at. Much preferred it like this, and it fits much better with the presentation of Star Wars in the original trilogy.

Grand Admiral Thrawn. Cool bad guy.

It just got the feeling of the setting right. Better than George Lucas himself does.

Things I didn't like so much:

The ending. Too… sudden. It isn't quite out of the blue, as it is built up to, but it just didn't feel quite right to me.

The Nohgri. Find every chapter dealing with them a bore. They are a bit too perfect at what they do as well.

Grand Admiral Thrawn. Bad guy who is a bit of a Mary Sue.

Of his other novels the only one I have read is his one about the Outbound Flight (which is actually an event first mentioned in the Heir to the Empire trilogy. Unfortunately, by that point the prequel films had come out, and the universe had been wrecked by George Lucas.Wasn't so keen on it, but that wasn't Zhan's fault.

I am not going to be a loved here, but I cannot stand the Zahn books.

They are slow plodding and even Han Solo is falling asleep from boredom in some scenes (seriously that happens).

Star Wars is supposedly be action packed like the old pulpy serial films. The Heir series is like a low budget 1980's BBC version of Star Wars. I don't even believe the main villain and the heroes even ever meet. Just a bunch of boring "intrigue". (By that I do not mean that intrigue is boring only that this is not very intriguing.)

Plus there are the stupid anti-force space monkeys (which aren't as bad as the even dumber Anti-force Hellraiser-bondage looking Vong race that show up in later series).

Okay enough being an jerkface. I'm not looking to start an argument I just want to warn the guy that although most people love the books don't go into them with high expectations.

Books that I liked.

I remember liking Shadows of the Empire, but I was about 14 years old so I'm not going to say it is the best thing ever. I remember sort of liking Dash Rendar even though he is obviously a Han Solo clone because there is no Han Solo in the book. I liked how it sets up the events to Return of the Jedi and introduced a weird little villain.

Even better though is Tales from Jabbas Palace and if you are looking for game ideas this is the one to read. It is a short story collection the catch is that each story is about someone you see in Jabba's Palace all roughly during the time Luke shows up to rescue Han Solo.

The stories range from humor to mystery to action. There are definitely some bad ones, but even those should have a decent hook to steal for a game. My favorite is humorous story about the dumbest Gammorean Guard that wants to be friendly.

I know they put out a similar book Tales of Mos Eisley, but I have not read that.

I disagree, but I will accept some bits are plodding. As I said, I find the whole storyline about the Nohgri (particularly the bit on Kasshyk and their home planet) an utter drag. However, I like the rest of it. As I said, the more down to earth nature of it is something I actually enjoy.

Also: Jedi are not WTF POWN in it as well. Luke is a significant warrior in his own right, but you don't get the sense that he could hold off hundreds of guys all by himself like they insist on doing in the prequel stuff. Normal people actually have a purpose!

*puts on flame proof clothing*

I actually really liked the Vong books (I own the whole series), the Swarm War trilogy, and the New Jedi Order series.

I also like the classics - X-Wing, Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron, the Lando Calrissian and Han Solo novels, as well as the Truce at Bakkura.

borithan said:

And that is excellent.

I am definitely in the minority, because a lot of people love those books.

And I agree I'm not into the books where Jedi are like the old Steven Segal movies where he doesn't get a scratch and wades through hundreds of enemies.

But for prepping a game I just don't remember a lot of stuff you can borrow from the Heir books except for a lunatic Jedi.

MILLANDSON said:

It's fine that you like the Vong, just not my thing. As a player I wouldn't care if the Vong showed up, but as a GM I would never use them. It's kind of a cheap shot.

It's the D&D equivalent telling the Wizard player that for this story he can't use magic. It's okay for a book to take the heroes powers away, but not lot of fun in a game, unless your running a Call of a Cthulhu style game where the players are always powerless against the villains.

Also I do remember liking a Rogue Squadron novel. Don't remember which one though.

Shakespearian_Soldier said:

The only Zahn novels set in the Rebellion Era are Allegiance and Choices of One . They both deal follow the stories of Mara Jade and a group of rogue Stormtroopers, also touching on the films' protagonists from time to time. They are set directly after the Battle of Yavin and deal lots of fringe elements, so like I and others have said, seem to be very much along the lines of what the devs of Edge of the Empire were thinking.

Malifer said:

Oh man… good call! I forgot about that. Shadows is AH-Mazing. I always felt they should have turned that into an Episode 4.5 animated movie. I felt that was really the only way they could make it due to ages of some of the cast and some not wanting to do it perhaps. Really REALLY good book.

MILLANDSON said:

Yeah, I could never get behind the concept of Sadomasochistic-Force-Immune-Environmentalist-Invaders-From-Beyond!!! in Star Wars. I just never felt a need to mix Hellraiser and Star Wars. Not to mention the single lamest death of a character ever.

BrashFink said:

Are you a Happy Jacks listener?

ItsUncertainWho said:

There were a number of lame deaths in that series. In my Alt-U NJO campaign, we are at the threshold right now of the first of those character deaths and my plan is to allow the players to thwart that death and in doing so change the course of the war

awayputurwpn said:

I like the sound of those books. I'll definitely have to look them up and give them a read. Thanks for the input.

awayputurwpn said:

…especially if Edge of the Empire is all about making the core characters utterly incompetent and unlikable and any character Zahn has created into a superhero. :-P

One more vote for Zahn.

Thrawn books are great and classics, while Allegiance and the other one are not bad at all.

Other than that I liked Shadows of the Empire and the Dark Forces series (with Kyle Katarn), and more recently Coruscant Nights and the Republic Commando series. Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is also quite good.

I'd also check out the comics from Dark Horse, especially Star Wars Tales, Legacy and Empire series.

Wulfherr said:

Yes, definitely check out Star Wars Tales.

Especially #21.

: looks around innocently :

No reason.

:-P

KjetilKverndokken said:

Definitely The Crystal Star by… no, sorry, I can't do that with a straight face. Note me down as a +1 for the Thrawn Trilogy.

The five first Zahn books, hands-down, they are perhaps the best of the 70-odd books I've read in the star wars universe. His book Allegiance (I think) was also kind of fun stormtrooper action (a bit more slap stick than the Republic Commando books, but good).

Republic Commando books are great, unless you have such a love for elitist jedi that you find it insulting to have books bad mouthing them from a mandalorian perspective. Karen Travis is a good author and she has created a depth to the mandalorian culture I can only admire, sadly the clone wars series has messed the whole thing up and she cancelled her last book of the series, so it ends abruptly. without closure.

Michael Stackpole's "I, Jedi" and his x-wing books are great, too. I mean, the X-wing series is great, all of them (although sadly one of the plots is finished in "The Courtship of Princess Leia" I think, which is not a great book, but fun enough).

For a game set in the rebellion era, one should also perhaps have a look-see on the Tales from the Empire book, lots of short stories set between ESB and ROTJ. Not all superbly written, but nice stuff in case one needs inspiration for characters, plots and general empire vs fringe fun. Tale from Jabba's Palace might also be good, but I haven't read that one.

Of post-saga books most are mediocre at best. The NJO series is hated by many, and I understand the sentiment, me however, I liked the series. Even though many of the books are crazy and some authors focus way too much on the sado-masochistic side of what was originally one a small part of the invading Vong. They killed the family dog and people got scary, some died other didn't, it was epic. The ending was a bit disappointing in some levels, considering its a 20 book series, but it wasn't all bad… like the Jedi Academy series, which is just basically one of the worst written and most horrible portrrayals of Jedi and the force in SW history (I mean even GL did a better job in those film he calls "prequels").

Legacy of the Force series is ok, if a bit simpler. The Swarm War is a waste of ink and paper, Troy Denning should never be allowed to write more star wars books because, to put it simply, he stinks at it. Both the Legacy series and the more recent Fate of the Jedi series were good(-ish) … but both disappointed in the end, because Denning doesn't know how to write, create suspense and climactic and epic drama, he just ruins everything (all right, rant turning off now).

The Bane trilogy, set 1000 bby is great stuff, well written and good for a bit of sith lore.

Death Troopers is fun, plain fun.

The Han Solo books are also interesting, good fringe information (but so is the Thrawn trilogy).

The Black Fleet crisis was an odd experience, I don't remember much, but it had some fun events and scenes, but its low on the list, like Children of the Jedi and some of those other nameless books I have wasted time reading.

The Crystal Star…. *shudder*

Malifer said:

No, do they say that? I got it from Alex Albrecht who is on the Video Podcasts "Diggnation" and "Totally Rad Show". He also used to be on G4/TechTV's "Screensavers" when Kevin Rose was on.

Era isn't hugely important, to be honest, at least not with regards to preparing for an EotE game: the first campaign I plan on running with EotE will be a follow up to my current, WEG storyline, and so characters and plots will simply carry over - no need to start from scratch. I do, however, have a sizable Star Wars novel itch that needs scratching…

Zahn trilogy of course, often credited as single-handedly reviving interest in the franchise in the 90s. It's one of the most perfectly-crafted trilogies to run around under the SW banner.

AC Crispin's Han Solo trilogy is also really good - I don't really reckon much to the first installment, but the final two books are tremendous, and definitely fit the theme of Edge of the Empire. Coming near the end of the Bantam run, too, they have the luxury of affording lots of continuity nods that I like

The New Rebellion is an often-overlooked wonder, I feel. And parts of the Black Fleet Crisis, I think it's the Leia-specific storyline that deals with the actual Yevethan crisis, is superb. Even if Leia is a little bit off-character, but then, pressures of office, etc.

I can't really think of any decent stuff Del Rey has put out in the eras following the classic trilogy. I mean, I like the NJO, LotJ etc, but I just can't say I'd recommend them. Del Rey seems better with the stuff before the classic trilogy. Cloak of Deception is a beautiful book, and up there in my top five. Labyrinth of Evil also. Basically, I feel James Luceno is like George Lucas' parent, always trying to explain young George's mistakes and flights of fancy. He does a magnificent job, but CoD isn't exactly your action-packed novel that most folks go for. The beauty lies in its subtlty. Same for LoE, really, though that does, lamentably, have Anakin as a major protagonist.

The comics can also be well worth investigating - someone mentioned the Empire run earlier in this thread, and Betrayal cannot be recommended enough! Awesomeness on paper, that one! A lot of the comics I like, though, are Clone Wars-era, so probably of the wrong sort for inspiring a fringe game in the galactic civil war. But pretty much anything involving Ostrander/Duursema and Quinlan Vos is definitely sure to please! Actually, on the subject of Ostrander, the recent Agent of the Empire looks like it could be amazing, though I've only read the first issue at the minute.

Which is a good point…excuse me while I finish that story…

I'll second the Darth Bane trilogy. Good stuff.

And add in Knight Errant - a pretty cool story on its own, set about a generation or two before the Bane Trilogy. Really neat take on what a Sith Empire would look like as it fractures up.

right now I am actually listening to the star wars radio dramas, its like listening to a 5 hour extended version of a new hope.