Recently I got a Star Wars Novel called 'The Jedi Academy Trilogy (Jedi Search, Dark Aprentice and Champions of the Force) and I got interested in SW Books so I found on the internet that there are lot of SW Books wriiten so far. I also downloaded some from Kazaa, 3 or 4 (couldn't find more).
My question is - has anyone read some SW Books and can you recomend some titles to me? What about this book - The Jedi Academy Trilogy, has anybody read it? And what do you think - does Lucas read the books before they are published?

Besides these Illustrated Encyclopedias I don't own no SW book. I read some SW comics some time ago ...

I guess there is kind of a check if SW books fit in the timeline of the SW universe ... but I don't think GL will do that. He needs his 24h to count all his money :D

First Off, the Jedi Academy Trilogy is great. Other ones that are particularly good as I remember....

Darksaber(8 yrs post ROTJ
The Han Solo Trilogy(before ANH)
The Thrawn Trilogy(5 yrs post ROTJ)
and Courtship Of Princess Leia(4 yrs post ROTJ)

AVOID THE BLACK FLEET CRISIS!!!!

And if Lucas reads them to check... I don't know. It doesn't matter. The books are all checked against each other, and the majority don't dwell on anything other than what happens outside the main SW storyline of Luke and Anakin, except after ROTJ where they can go nuts, kill characters, etc....

I liked the Black Fleet crisis. Not the best one though.

Havent read the Jedi academy, but Anderson is alright as a Star Wars writer. I like Stackpoles books. Shadow of the Empire is very good, and so are the fisrt few books of New Jedi Order. "I, Jedi" is also a very good one. And The 5 Thawn books is also good (a tad slow but good).

I recoment I, Jedi and Shadow of the empire to start with. And they are single books, not trilogys like many others

Welcome to the Star Wars Expanded Universe as we fans like to call it. Any reader of the Star Wars novel would wise to start with the three novels that started the entire re-establishment of Star Wars in the culture's mind.

In 1991 Timonthy Zahn became the first author to recieve permission from the Lucasfilm to write a novel in the Star Wars universe. The three books he created are called:

Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

The events in this trilogy take place five years after ROTJ. One could very effectively call them episodes 7,8 and 9 and not be very far off. All three books were NY Times bestsellars. There outstanding success prompted Lucas to allow other authors to bring their visions to the Star Wars universe. In turn Lucas himself went back to redue his orginal trilogy and eventual the PT.

So basically you can thank Tim Zahn and his books for everything Star Wars during the last ten years. :)

But if you want to read Star Wars novels I suggest you start with those three. They really are the best, and so is (as was mentioned before) Mike Stackpole's work.

In more recent years Lucasfilm has turned authors away from the the older Empire vs. Rebellion stories and into a new story ark that involves a new enemy race (more powerful then the force itself) and there assualt on the New Republic. This new stage in the the SWU is entitled "The New Jedi Order." These events take place 25 year after ROTJ and all Star Wars authors must now place their stories in this age or concern themselves with the events pre-Phantom Menance. The first novel of this series is called Vector Prime (by Michael A. Stackpole) and the series now runs about 14 full novels.

Aragon, I'm just curious - what happens with Han, Leia and Luke in the 'The New Jedi Order series'. Are they still there, they should be around 60+ years old (if you've read the books)?

everyone dies!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Kn'thrak
everyone dies!!!!!!!!!!

OMG ... you ruined everything for me... have to cancel my order over @ amazon :D

Originally posted by Kn'thrak
everyone dies!!!!!!!!!!

Are you serious? Well, i gues they die because of old age, not in fight, right?:(

Aragon is right, The Heir To the Empire trilogy is proberbly the best way to jump into the Star Wars books world. I personaly dont think that they are the best ones, but they really give u the "star wars" feeling, and thats what its all about really, or u could go read "usuall" sf books.

And the New Jedi Order. The old characters are all there. Well most of them... not everyone survives all the way :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

However me personaly like the "non original" characters alot. Those that has been created over time by all the different star wars authors. Coran Horn is one of the better, found first in the X-Wing books by Stackpole and later in many others, all the way u to New Jedi Order.
Of Course most of the original characters show up often, but after reading alot of these books its fun to see that many of the "new" characters show up in many books, giving all the books a more connected feel, and not just thrugh the "STAR WARS" on the front cover.

If u like star wars and like reading, i recoment the Star Wars books, most of them are well written and fun to read, and when u got 10-15 of them under ur belt and u have gotten to know more then just Leia, Han and Luke it gets more fun.
I guess The New Jedi order could be fun to jump right too, I know i wanted too, but I wanted to read some of the older ones first and i did. So when i got to The New Jedi Order I knew many of the characters all ready and that storyline got alot more intrestig.


Im not sure how many there is but there is alot of them, so u can even be picky =)

I did a little 'research' on the net and here are most of the titles in chronological order, starting from the "A New Hope" period. Books concerning events during "The Phantom Menace" and Episode II are not included in this list.


Pre-Star Wars IV: A New Hope

1. The Han Solo Trilogy by A.C. Crispin
- The Paradise Snare
- The Hutt Gambit
- Rebel Dawn

2. The Lando Calrissian Adventures by L. Neil Smith
- Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu
- Lando Calrissian and the Flamewind of Oseon
- Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka

3. The Han Solo Adventures by Brian Daley
- Han Solo at Star's End
- Han Solo's Revenge
- Han Solo and the Lost Legacy

Star Wars IV: A New Hope

4. Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster

5. The Bounty Hunter Wars by K.W. Jeter
- The Mandalorian Armor
- Slave Ship
- Hard Merchandise

Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back

6. Shadows of the Empire by Steve Perry

Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi

7. The Truce At Bakura by Kathy Tyers

8. X-Wing, Series I by Michael A. Stackpole
- Rogue Squadron
- Wedge's Gamble
- The Krytos Trap
- The Bacta War

9. X-Wing, Series II by Aaron Allston
- Wraith Squadron
- Iron Fist
- Solo Command

10. The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton

11. The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn
- Heir to the Empire
- Dark Force Rising
- The Last Command

12. X-Wing, Series III by Michael A. Stackpole
- Isard's Revenge

13. The Jedi Academy Trilogy by Kevin J. Anderson
- Jedi Search
- Dark Apprentice
- Champions of the Force

14. I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole

15. X-Wing, Series IV by Aaron Allston
- Starfighters of Adumar

16. Children of the Jedi by Barbara Hambly

17. Darksaber by Kevin J. Anderson

18. Planet of Twilight by Barbara Hambly

19. The Crystal Star by Vonda N. McIntyre

20. Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy by Michael P. Kube-McDowell
- Before the Storm
- Shield of Lies
- Tyrant's Test

21. The New Rebellion by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

22. The Corellian Trilogy by Roger MacBride Allen
- Ambush at Corellia
- Assault at Selonia
- Showdown at Centerpoint

23. The Hand of Thrawn Duology by Timothy Zahn
- Specter of the Past
- Vision of the Future

24. New Jedi Order
- Vector Prime by R.A. Salvatore
- Dark Tide I - Onslaught by Michael A. Stackpole
- Dark Tide II - Ruin by Michael A. Stackpole
- Agents of Chaos I - Hero's Trial by James Luceno
- Agents of Chaos II - Jedi Eclipse by James Luceno
- Balance Point by Kathy Tyers
- Edge of Victory I - Conquest by Greg Keyes
- Edge of Victory II - Rebirth by Greg Keyes
- Star by Star by Troy Denning
- Dark Journey by Elaine Cunningham
- Enemy Lines I - Rebel Dream by Aaron Allston
- Enemy Lines II - Rebel Stand by Aaron Allston

Im waiting for this one to show up cheap somewhere

"4. Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster"

It takes place after A New Hope and was written BEFORE Empire Strikes Back was made, so its written when it wasent known that Luke and Leia is siblings, and abarently th eauther thought that those 2 would get together :eek: but as i said i havent read it yet

I used to think i was well read in SW... now i see all the stuff i missed. However, I think there's a mistake in your list. The Han Solo adventures by Daley can't happen after Crispin's books and before ANH: Crispin ends when Luke and Obi meet Han in the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Originally posted by blugh
I used to think i was well read in SW... now i see all the stuff i missed. However, I think there's a mistake in your list. The Han Solo adventures by Daley can't happen after Crispin's books and before ANH: Crispin ends when Luke and Obi meet Han in the Mos Eisley Cantina.

You are right about that. I found Crispin's book (Rebel Dawn) on Kazaa and it ends just as you said - with the meeting of Han with Luke and Ben. I found the list on www.theforce.net. You can check them here:
http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/novels_chrono.shtml
There is a review for every book from the list.

Also, on amazon.com I found other SW books that are not in this list, mostly "Tales from...", like "Tales From Jabba's Palace", "Tales From The Mos Eisley Cantina" etc.

I started reading "The Jedi Academy Trilogy" and so far I like it.
:D

Originally posted by Gaumont
Im waiting for this one to show up cheap somewhere

"4. Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster"

It takes place after A New Hope and was written BEFORE Empire Strikes Back was made, so its written when it wasent known that Luke and Leia is siblings, and abarently th eauther thought that those 2 would get together :eek: but as i said i havent read it yet

I have it.... very very good!

Originally posted by Jedi Master


I have it.... very very good!

aww damn now i got to go spend some more money

Originally posted by Jedi Master
I have it.... very very good!


finally got it, 2-3 weeks ago. But now ive lost it in my piles of books lol

Originally posted by Gaumont
finally got it, 2-3 weeks ago. But now ive lost it in my piles of books lol
I've read the first two parts of 'The Jedi Academy Trilogy', but then I went back to 'The Lord of the Rings' to read it again (and did it :cool: ) and now I read 'Indiana Jones & 'The Unicorn's Legacy'. Soon I plan to finish 'The Jedi Academy Trilogy', though I forgot some of the things that happened...

What about Indiana Jones novels...anybody read some of them?

http://lookinside-images.amazon.com/Qffs+v35leoW+RGkuo00/2F6i61hQ/Brb9yq+n/CLPf8tdiGtD86vYCFS/1xwbKYALp2MCkXzW8=

Why you bumbing old threads on the top ????

Originally posted by Matrix
Why you bumbing old threads on the top ????

cuz its fun to reread old threads.

Originally posted by Gaumont
cuz its fun to reread old threads.

Ok not my definition of fun but ok....:P

Originally posted by Matrix
Ok not my definition of fun but ok....:P


well when u've been here as long as I have, try it out.

Originally posted by Gaumont
well when u've been here as long as I have, try it out.

Ok I WIll try it....

I'm reading the Attack of the Clones novelization now. It's very interesting finding out the specifics of what went on with the capture of Shmi and the visit to Padme's relatives. I think it's awesome.

Originally posted by Aragon
...In 1991 Timonthy Zahn became the first author to recieve permission from the Lucasfilm to write a novel in the Star Wars universe....

are you sure about that...? Alan Dean Foster wrote "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" before Empire came out. (he also wrote the novelisation of Star Wars and Aliens)

http://www.theforce.net/books/images/sotme_.jpg


btw: i liked the Black Fleet Crisis. i thought it was good. though, i have nothing to base it on since i never read any of the expanded universe novels...so i could be full of air...