Space Opera Fans discussion

So I want to begin wading into the Star Wars book universe, but I don't have a clue where to start. My preference is to begin on one of the most highly rated series, because if it's just an alright book I'll get turned off from it and not bother with any others.

Hey Jonathan, I'll put this link from the other Star Wars forum.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

From that list it appears that Heir to the Empire and Path of Destruction seem to be the series that the most people in that pool seem to like. Where to start? Well that is a difficult question. Some would always say from the beginning. But when there is this much material, I'm still thinking of just starting with The Thrawn Trilogy and Darth Bane series, maybe also read Rogue Squadron since it will be getting a movie next.

Appreciate the recs. I'm gonna stay away from Rogue Squadron. movies can never equal a book, so watching that movie after reading the book would suck.

No! Don't skip Rogue Squadron! They're great books.

Also with Rogue Squadron, I don't believe the movie is based on any of the books. Disney is making a clean break of things and creating new canon based on movies that have been or will be released, the Clone Wars movie & subsequent series, Rebels, and a new release of novels from Del Rey.

The novels so far are in no real order:
1. *New Dawn* by John Jackson - prequel to Rebels between Revenge of the Sith & New Hope

2. *Tarkin* by James Luceno - between Revenge of the Sith and New Hope

3. *Heir to the Jedi* by Kevin Hearne - immediately after New Hope written in 1st person as Luke

4. *Lords of the Sith* by Paul S Kemp - between Revenge of the Sith and New Hope

5. *Dark Disciple* by Christie Golden (releases July) between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith

6. *Aftermath* by Chuck Wendig (releases Sept) immediately after Return of the Jedi

All of the other novels are now considered Legends. I'm not saying they aren't worth reading, but know going forward events in movies or print may not click with what's been written in the past.

I'm like you and just starting my Star Wars reading journey. I'm currently reading *Lords of the Sith* as part of another Goodreads group book of the month, but to flesh things out for me, I also have been recommended the Dark Lord trilogy: Labyrinth of Evil, Revenge of the Sith, and Dark Lord, plus Kenobi.

I don't know if I'm helping or hurting at this point so I'll stop here.

I had very much the same thought even though I've read several of the Star Wars books. But most of the ones I've read stand alone pretty well.

Kenobi is def. good! My first foray into Star wars was the Zahn trilogy mentioned in list req. But I did love the Clone Commando books by Traviss.

Plus I liked Courscant Nights. Oh and Death Troopers.

As for the rebooted side: I am going to read New Dawn at some point.

James wrote: "Also with Rogue Squadron, I don't believe the movie is based on any of the books. Disney is making a clean break of things and creating new canon based on movies that have been or will be released,..."

Yeah, I heard about Disney wanting to go in another direction than what was out there. Controversial sure, but to be expected. It's too giant of a story line to do anything with. And I don't really care about Legends not being cannon, I read the Star Wars books every now and then, and those books do their own thing most of the time.

Fiannawolf wrote: "Kenobi is def. good! My first foray into Star wars was the Zahn trilogy mentioned in list req. But I did love the Clone Commando books by Traviss..."

I want to read Death Troopers. Saw it at a store at the Magic Kingdom. The cover is what caught my eye.

"Kenobi" is basically a Star Wars/Western mashup.

I, for one, applaud their decision to discard the Expanded Universe stuff. Yes, some of the books are brilliant and many of them are passable, but there's a lot of contradicting dreg as well.
By discarding it all they not only get to take the film in the direction that they feel works best, they also open up the world for new authors and new story lines without worrying about contradicting some awful piece of dreg that was written thirty years ago.

I want to bring my kids to the animated musical movie they make starring Leia as a Disney Princess...

[*not*]

[*ducks lobbed rotten tomatoes*]

Christian wrote: "I, for one, applaud their decision to discard the Expanded Universe stuff. Yes, some of the books are brilliant and many of them are passable, but there's a lot of contradicting dreg as well.
By di..."

This, what I keep hoping is going to happen is they trash all the old canon but copy paste anything good from it that would fit. Ohh Admiral Thrawn that's a good new villain *YOINK.

Of the new canon novels, I can recommend New Dawn and Tarkin which are both excellent. Heir of the Jedi was less so and I struggles a little to get through it. I will also recommend Kenobi which is not new canon but was really good.

Aaron wrote: "Christian wrote: "I, for one, applaud their decision to discard the Expanded Universe stuff. Yes, some of the books are brilliant and many of them are passable, but there's a lot of contradicting d..."

My inner fanboy wants to agree with you, but the trouble is that the only way to include the Thrawn trilogy is to make it into a film. There's really no way you could defend a film that deals with the second existential threat to the New Republic without first doing something about the first one. Because that's what Thrawn is. The first well written and believable threat to the New Republic's very existence.
Also, since none of it is canon anymore it's now perfectly okay to stick your fingers in your ears and go la-la-la-the-New-Jedi-Order-doesn't-exist-la-la-la, which is a serious benefit all on its own.

library had Death Troopers, starting that tonight. Of course they didn't have Rogue Squadron.

Yay! Death Troopers! Hope you'll like it.

Legends or not, you SHOULD read Zahn's trilogy...he's an excellent writer.

the library didn't have any of Zahn's Star Wars books, but I'm gonna check out one of his books next. That's how I determine if I should buy more books from the author, if they have more than one book. If I liked the book I checked out from the library I'll buy it and any more from that author I that I read.

Jonathan wrote: "the library didn't have any of Zahn's Star Wars books, but I'm gonna check out one of his books next. That's how I determine if I should buy more books from the author, if they have more than one b..."

His works are a bit of a mixed bag really. Some of it, such as the Thrawn Trilogy, is fantastic while other parts, such as the second Cobra trilogy, is more suited for roof tiling.
The original Cobra trilogy was quite good and I also like his recent collaboration with David Weber, A Call to Duty.

I meant the Thrawn trilogy.

Christian wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "His works are a bit of a mixed bag really. Some of it, such as the Thrawn Trilogy, is fantastic while other parts, such as the second Cobra trilogy, is more suited for roof tiling.
The original Cobra trilogy was quite good and I also like his recent collaboration with David Weber, A Call to Duty. "

I'll agree with you on the last couple of the Cobra books I read as well as the how good the first trilogy was. I always recommend The Icarus Hunt as a good book by this author. You can also download the first Cobra book in Kindle format now for free. http://amzn.com/B00XLTZTIK

If we are talking about starting with the new canon I highly recommend Battlefront. It is so much more than a video game book and in my opinion the best book of the new stuff published so far. It really opens up a part of the star wars saga which hasn't really be looked at. Unless you include the Republic Commando series by Karen Travis which had already been decanonized before Disney purchased the rights.