Reading list for Star Wars EU

[Joben]

Always considered myself a big Star Wars fan, until I looked into reading the books. I was hoping to to read up some before the new movie came out, but I have no idea where to start. Any suggestions for where to start, and what is really not necessary to read. I figured there would be a few books or so but holy geez it is so overwhelming I have no idea where to start. I thought I should just start at the oldest book in the time line( I've only looked at the titles, so I have no idea how lengthy these stories actually are) but I think I should have started years ago to get caught up. Help me Obi Wan!

 

[JillyBean1899]

Always considered myself a big Star Wars fan, until I looked into reading the books. I was hoping to to read up some before the new movie came out, but I have no idea where to start. Any suggestions for where to start, and what is really not necessary to read. I figured there would be a few books or so but holy geez it is so overwhelming I have no idea where to start. I thought I should just start at the oldest book in the time line( I've only looked at the titles, so I have no idea how lengthy these stories actually are) but I think I should have started years ago to get caught up. Help me Obi Wan!

Are you wanting to read stories with characters you're familiar with? Or do you want to go farther back or into the "future" as it were?

If you don't have a good, well orgainzed timeline list, I'd recommend the one at Wookiepedia. It lists *EVERYTHING*. I have read a lot of the EU adult novels/books, but not really any of the young adult or manga/graphic novel type ones. The majority of the novels are "standard" book length, a few hundred pages. Nothing crazy like "The Stand" or "War and Peace"

 

[Joben]

My goal was to read about what the new movies might be about, but I did want to read all the "adult" novels through out the whole timeline. I did look at wookiepedia, and that was when I got overwhelmed. I do realize that a lot of those titles are not the adult novels though. I guess my question is should I just go ahead and start reading about the time after "return of the Jedi" or is it best that I go ahead and start with the oldest book in the timeline and just keep working my way through the years. Am I going to enjoy it better chronologically?

 

[disneydentist]

Honestly, I would read them in chronological order. Once in a while things don't make sense since the books were not written in that order but overall it works.

If you jump into the last series it will be confusing as all get out since you won't know the backgrounds for most of the characters.

 

[JillyBean1899]

From what I've read, Ep VII isn't going to follow the EU, so if you're wanting background on what will happen in the new movie(s), there really isn't anything.

I personally like the original trilogy era stories, they've got the familiar characters like Han, Luke, Chewie, Lando, Wedge, etc., but also introduce new characters like Mara Jade, Booster and Mirax Terrik, and new planets. The Darth Bane trilogy gives a good background on the "one master one apprentice" Sith law, and the two Force Unleased books actually end up tying into the formation of the Rebellion, which was kinda cool. The New Jedi Order books go further into the future, dealing with Han and Leia's kids as teenagers, but a major character gets killed off early in the first book Vector Prime, and a few other ones die during the whole story arc (which is about 20 books), so if you don't like the thought of seeing the characters die, I wouldn't recommend them.

 

[JediBonas]

I'd either start immediately after Episode VI (can't remember the name of that book but it starts I think the day after Return) or with the first Zahn series.

 

[khaleesi]

Tatooine Ghost is my absolute favorite EU novel.

 

[JillyBean1899]

I'd either start immediately after Episode VI (can't remember the name of that book but it starts I think the day after Return) or with the first Zahn series.

I think you mean Truce at Bakura for the one that starts right after RotJ ends. I don't think it's necessarily the day after, but it's shortly afterward.

The Zahn novels are the Thrawn Trilogy. Definitely a must read. Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of my favorite characters in the entire EU.