I've been reading through the Han Solo adventures, written back in 1979 by Brian Daley: Han Solo at Stars' End, Han Solo's Revenge, and Han Solo and the Lost Legacy. They are from Han Solo's adult life before the movies. There is a massive amount of inspiration in these three little novels, more than enough to inspire several full canpaigns, and each one is less than 200 pages. You can pick up the omnibus for almost nothing these days. These books really encapsulate what Edge of the Empire is all about.

I've always meant to read these...maybe I should.

I haven't read them in years, but I remember them fondly. A couple of head scratcher things, but over all great fun and inspiration. Now I need to find them again.

The Han Solo novels are great fun. There are a couple of things in them that don't quite mesh with the Star Wars universe as we know it, but you have to consider they were written before even ESB was released. The three Lando Calrissian novels are also good, but suffer somewhat from the same affliction.

The Han Solo novels are great fun. There are a couple of things in them that don't quite mesh with the Star Wars universe as we know it, but you have to consider they were written before even ESB was released. The three Lando Calrissian novels are also good, but suffer somewhat from the same affliction.

Can you think of any examples? Just curious.

It's been quite some time since I've read them, so it's hard to name specifics. The way the Force is handled in the Lando Calrissian series always seemed a little "off" to me - it reminded me more of outright sorcery than the Force we've come to know. But again, I can't recall specific things. Don't get me wrong, there weren't any huge discrepancies or anything, just that feeling that (in retrospect) something is different.

The Han Solo novels really are fun, and I might have to track them down again since they are good fodder for EOTE stories. I didn't enjoy the Lando Calrissian books as much; I felt that they introduced too many elements that fit better with other science fiction than they did with the Star Wars setting.

I believe that WEG did a sourcebook based on those novels, too, though I can't recall the title.

I believe that WEG did a sourcebook based on those novels, too, though I can't recall the title.

The Han Solo and the Corporate Sector Sourcebook covered material from all three of Daley's novels. WEG never did a sourcebook on the Lando Calrissian novels, but there was a questionnaire in the back of the Star Wars Gamemaster Handbook that asked readers to rank such a sourcebook among other possible future titles.

I read most of the Star Wars novels, but I have to say that I find most of them mediocre. Even a lot of the "good" ones don't really feel enough like Star Wars to me.

Having said that, I read the Han Solo books as a kid, loved them and go back and re-read them every few years. They're quick reads, and tons of fun. I'm 100% convinced that Joss Whedon read the books -- and probably forgot them on a conscious level -- because Mal Reynolds is very close to this rendition of Han Solo in many ways.

The Lando books are equally fun, but a bit... trippier. They definitely feel a little off from Star Wars, but no so far off that they're not recognizable. Good reads all, and the nice thing is that they move fast (which is more than can be said for a lot of the newer ones).

Although it's a little off-topic for EotE, I'm also a big fan of some of the young adult stuff, especially the series of series that include Ferus Olin. I do most of my book shopping online these days, but when those were coming out, I'd tell me wife I was going to be home late, hit the store, and then read the book in one sitting at the local mall food court.

The Daley novels did a good job, I think, of devising exciting adventures that didn't overshadow the films--something that some of the other novels did not do. It felt a little strange having the Corporate Sector Authority running the local scene instead of more recognizable Imperials, but it's been well integrated into the Expanded Universe. There was the matter of stasis containers for prisoners, but otherwise I think the technology holds true to the canon.

The Lando Calrissian novels, by L. Neil Smith, are some of my favorite to read. They do diverge from a typical Star Wars feel, however, in a variety of ways.

1. One planetary system is covered in structures that are impermeable to any incursion, except the use of a special artifacts.

2. At one point the physical size of the characters is altered.

3. In the Oseon System there's a constellation known as the Silly Rabbit.

4. The last book introduces two massive and ancient civilizations that are just on different scales from the rest of the galaxy.

Keep in mind, of course, that I enjoy these novels; they just have a different feel from everything else.

-Nate

I just read the Daley han solo books just before starting my EotE games. Great enjoyable reads. I never cared for the Lando Calrissian books tho, they were rather contrived. The AJ Crispin Han solo books were good also.

Not to mention Tales from Jabba's Palace and Tales from Mos Eisley cantina in the short story format added a lot of color to characters you only see for a few frames. did you know the Cantina Band song is a Upbeat redition of "Mad about me"?

Those were fun reads, and the WEG sourcebook still gets some use from me. It has a lot of good information about The Corporate Sector.