I know I recently made a thread about science fiction book recommendations, but I think Star Wars is more fantasy than pure science fiction. With that out of the way, what are some must read Star Wars books? Btw, I own and have read the original Thrawn trilogy.
I found Splinter of the Minds Eye to be interesting from a historical perspective. It was written AIRC after the original movie came out, but before Empire, and as such has none of the later lore and pretty much stands alone as another direction Star Wars could have gone.
It’s not great, but is a kind of fun romp. It reads I think more like an episode of Star Trek.
The Han Solo triology wasn’t bad. At least I enjoyed it when I was in high school.
Splinter of the Mind’s Eye was written with the intention that it could be adapted into a low-budget sequel film to Star Wars, in case the first movie was not terribly successful. That’s why it’s set on a misty swamp planet (cheap sets), and why Han Solo isn’t in it (Harrison Ford hadn’t signed a contract for a second movie at that point).
As we know, Star Wars was a MASSIVE hit, justifying a very high budget for the sequel, and the franchise went another way. Splinter is an interesting artifact of what might have been. It does feature the first mention of kyber crystals (spelled Kaiburr in the novel), which would become a big part of lightsaber lore. Also features sexual tension between Luke and Leia, Leia wielding a lightsaber, and the first instance of a Luke vs. Vader saber duel. There are also some faint hints of what would become Raiders of the Lost Ark, with the “hunting for a lost artifact in an ancient temple” plotline.
I don’t know if it’s a must-read, but it’s fun for what it is.
I read a lot of the “Expanded Universe” novels in the 1990s and 2000s; most of them were pretty rote, but I really enjoyed the “X-Wing” series by Mike Stackpole and Aaron Allston, which featured Wedge Antilles and Rogue Squadron
Back when Lucasfilm was still under George’s control, the Expanded Universe books were all considered, by Lucasfilm, to be “B-tier” canon: they were canonical for Star Wars, unless they later were contradicted by “A-tier” canon (i.e., the movies). But, when Disney took control of the franchise, they de-canonized all of the old EU stuff.
Children of the Jedi by Barbara Hambly was a pretty good book. Creepy in parts, and it introduces a new character to the Star Wars universe in Callista Ming.
I haven’t read a lot of them, but the Ahsoka book was great and so were the Chuck Wendig Aftermath books.
Except for the stuff they kept.
When I learned this, I gave up reading all of the published tie-in fiction. What was the point when any bit of the lore I had absorbed from reading the tie-in fiction could be invalidated at the whims of later writers? The B.S. line of “it’s canon until it isn’t” meant that it WASN"T canon, and never could be. So all of it effectively became professorially written fanfic in my eyes. I’d had a similar epiphany some years before this with Star Trek books.
As far as I know, the only major TV or movie franchise that treats the published tie-in novels as canon is Babylon 5.
When that happened I said “called it!” They just explicitly confirmed what I already knew was true.
I believe the newer novels, since Disney took over Star Wars, are considered more reliable canon, even though they can also be overwritten, as they have a dedicated Story Group making their best effort to keep things under a modicum of control, while also not stifling creativity.
The easiest way to avoid stepping on future filmmakers’ toes has been to create a new era to play in, hence The High Republic, ~300 or so years earlier than the movie trilogies, and where most current novels (and comics) are being set. This might be a good way to reintroduce yourself back into Star Wars fiction.
That’s my understanding, as well, though I admit that I don’t pay a huge amount of attention to it these days.
The newer novels (and comic books, which are now being published under Disney’s Marvel group) seem to be being treated by Disney as at least quasi-canonical, whereas the older ones, from before Disney’s control, have been relegated to “Legends” status.
Even the movies aren’t necessarily canon forever. Who shot first, Han or Greedo?