Personal Top 3 Legends Expanded Universe Novels and Comics

[Leklor]

As mentionned in another thread discussing Legends, I propose that everyone interested posts here their list of 3 comics and 3 novels from said continuity.

I've noticed that while many of us have read books from the Legends EU, most of us haven't read it all (Let's face it, it'd be crazy to read absolutely everything) and since Legends is often derided as a side-project (Which it kinda was but let's not delve into that topic) and sometimes drags the reputation of being terrible, I offer you all a chance to speak and present to everyone your favourite stories from there! Lastly, please don't use this thread as a mean to bash the new canon, that isn't its point. Also, while I encourage you to discuss each other's entries, the point is also not to start fights over who is "right" or "wrong" since you are presenting your preferences and not an objective truth.

Your top 3 can be ordered by quality or by preference (You'll understand reading mine ^^)

I'll start with the comics:

 

3) Star Wars Legacy: Taking place over 200 years after the Original Trilogy, this long running series of comic by Dark Horse follows the latest descendant of the Skywalker family who happen to be a Death Stick addict and pretty much a space pirate. The series had a pretty rocky start and it may not be easy to get into a timeframe where it seems like nothing Luke and the New Republic did ever mattered but over the course of the 50+ issues, John Ostrander manages to "rebuild" Star Wars and give hope that his wasn't all for nothing. Even Cade Skywalker felt like a likeable and entertaining character in the end.

 

2) Star Wars Clone Wars (The "Republic" sub-series): As one of the main parts of the original Clone Wars multimedia project, this continuation of "Star Wars Republic" dealt into the conflict set-up by Attack of the Clones. Just like Filoni's serie would later manage, this comic manages to make me care about Anakin far more than any of the Prequel films (That I don't hate but find myself struggling to be emotionally invested in.). It also develops quite a large cast of Legends characters that have become icons of the EU: Ayla Secura, Quinlan Voss, Asajj Ventress. And the art is pretty good too.

 

1) Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic: Nope! Not the game about Revan! This is a 10 volumes comic series by John Jackson Miller set during the Mandalorian Wars (Revan makes a short, faceless appearance) that deals with the adventures of Zayne Carrick (Yes, if you didn't know, he gave his name to Carrick Station), a former Jedi Padawan hunted by his masters after they slaughtered his comrades, fearing one of them would become a powerful Sith lord who would bring the Jedi Order to its knees. Miller surrounds Zayne with really entertaining characters such as Jarael, Gryph or even a fellow named Alek whom you'll probably recognize if you've played KOTOR the game. My only real complaint regarding this comic is the "Vector" arc which is the first part of a multi-era arc that covers Kotor, Rebellion and Legacy and sadly sets up the finale of the Jedi Covenant story-arc (The first major arc of Kotor) therefore can't be skipped. And the art in "KotoR: Vector" is pretty bad too. But it's overall a minor inconvenience and I warmly recommend getting your hands on the Marvel-published "Legends Epic Collection: The Old Republic Parts 1 and 2" which contain the entire Jedi Covenant arc. Hopefully the final arc will come soon.

 

Moving on to novels!

 

3) Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover: This book is the s****! Did you ever want to see Mace Windu be a massive ****** while at the same time explore the duality of the Force, deepen the ideas that make Master Windu such a unique Jedi? Were you ever curious as to what a Star Wars version of "Apocalypse Now" would look like (Yes, I know, AN is already an adaptation of "Heart of Darkness")? Then look no further. This is a one-shot by the talented guy who took the best of the Prequel movies (Revenge of the Sith) and made it into a heartbreaking tale of broken friendship and shattered hope. And when he tackles Mace Windu, you're in for a wild ride. You know, I'm kind of lying. This isn't a Mace Windu book. This is actually a Star Wars novel starring Samuel L. Jackson disguised as Mace Windu. The power of this story is hard to describe but it shook me deeply through it's violence and raw energy, it's really a worthy read.

 

2) Not going to surprise many with this one but: The Darth Bane Trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn. This is the tale of how the Sith of old collapsed and how one man, Dessel, a space miner rose through the ranks of the Sith Army, training to become a lord then reforming the Sith into the form know into the movies through a simple idea: The Rule of Two.

That's mostly the first book though as the following two depict Bane trying to find a worthy apprentice to carry on his legacy then show his belief in his own philosophy waver as he believes he may never find the right person to take up his work and surpass him.

Even to this day, the number of Star Wars stories that follow vilains, especially non-movie/TV ones are rare. Yet Karpyshyn does a great job at humanizing Bane while still making him a ruthless and cruel individual for whom none may truly root. He makes you understand his path, his motives but deep down, Bane remains a vilain. That's what I consider to be this series' greatest achievement. Also, massively expanding Sith Lore and clearing up the "Is the Republic 20.000 years old or only 1.000?" question with the most absurdly complex justification ever.

Also, Drew Karpyshyn is a great guy and a terrific author if you know what you're signing up for.

 

1) This one will probably surprise many and ties back to my point from the beginning about not necessarily ranking the entries by quality, because this series is not "the best", the most artfully written/plotted Star Wars novels series but it holds a special place in my heart. Here goes:

"Jedi Apprentic" by Jude Watson. This is a 20-books series for young readers chronicling Obi-Wan Kenobi's apprenticeship with Qui-Gon Jinn, from his initial rejection to one of their last mission before heading to Naboo and the end of their time together.

The writting is simple and pretty straightforward but this serie has something that I often find missing in a lot of fiction, not just Star Wars: It has heart.

The master-student relationship between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon is deep despite the young age of the readers and you'll truly feel the affection that these two people share, from their best moments to their worst. You'll see Qui-Gon's failures and successes, you'll see him love and hate, you'll see Obi-Wan doubt and triumph and always the author does all she can to make you feel those moments deep down.

"Jedi Apprentice" was my first EU serie. I read it when I was 10 and I loved it. I read it again when I was 20, I loved it again. And I'm pretty sure that if I read it again when I'm 30, I'll love it still.

Note:The final two books, titles "Jedi Apprentice: Special Edition" are split between the Obi-Wan/Qui-Gon timeline and then a second part with Obi-Wan and Anakin set months after Episode I, when they still barely know each other and have yet to learn how to work together and interact. Their story is continued in "Jedi Quest" that didn't stay with me as much as "Jedi Apprentice" but is still pretty good. Then one of the characters of "Jedi Quest", Ferus Olin, got his own series in "Last of the Jedi", chronicling his attempts at esacping Order 66. Finally that long storyline ended in "Rebel Force" by Alex Wheeler set weeks after "A New Hope" and starring Luke, Han and Leia. There are also two one-shots titles "Secrets of the Jedi" (Dealing with love between Jedi and following the same format as the "Jedi Apprentice Special Editions" and adding a Clone Wars section.) and "Legacy of the Jedi" which shows periods never seen before: Dooku's apprenticeship with Master Thame Cerulian, Qui-Gon's own time as Dooku's apprentice then the previously mentionned pairing, this time dealing with the consequences of Dooku's first mistake as an apprentice, a mistake with consequences spanning as far as the onset of the Clone Wars.

 

I think that covers it. I was pretty wordy but nothing forces you to be so!

Now, it's your turn!

[annabethchase]

I really think to get much out of the novels, you need to read the vast majority of the adult novels in the order they were published, starting with Heir to The Empire from 1991. The ones before that don't really count to me as they weren't really intended to be part of a canon universe. There are entirely too many teen and lower novels and they are hard to track down so I wouldn't worry about those to start.

 

That said, if you're just going to pick the best, here are 3 recommendations:

 

Best novel that most people hate - Vector Prime - I think it's not going to "trigger" people anymore with a certain character's death because it's no longer the real canon. It's now ok to enjoy this novel for the exciting new story it tells and not get hung up on how "unforgivable" it is to kill off ______. Plus, now maybe people will think about how cool this scene was.

 

Best novel that most people don't remember - Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn - This book came out in 2006 so 15 years after Zahn's Heir to the Empire. This book is somewhat of a prequel to that series and it would be interesting to read from the perspective of someone who hasn't yet read Heir to the Empire and Zahn's subsequent novels. And how many novels feature both Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker?

 

Best overall - Star by Star - I consider this to be the height of the New Jedi Order in power and how interesting it was to read. It's the top of the mountain of the novels to me. If you're only going to read one, pick this one.

Edited December 31, 2017 by annabethchase

[JediAkemi]

Ok, that's going to be a tough act to follow.

 

Can't really speak to the comics as I never really read them.

 

I have to wholeheartedly agree on Shatterpoint. That was a fantastic book.

 

The Thrawn Trilogy is a given. Even though parts of it were overruled by the prequels (mostly timing, and whose side the clones were on, though that was later fixed), Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy added some of the most amazing characters to the old EU. Thrawn and Pellaeon made a wonderful 'Holmes and Watson' style pairing. Mara Jade had a deep conflict and I found her wonderfully compelling. The heroes of the Original Trilogy were portrayed appropriately. All in all, I just loved it.

Honestly, even if you don't read anything else from the old EU, you should read Timothy Zahn's books.

'Allegiance' and 'Choices of One' follow the Rebels shortly after A New Hope; explaining how Han went from being largely independent to fully throwing in with the Alliance, Mara Jade investigating disloyal Imperial officers, and the adventures of a group of stormtrooper deserters trying to right wrongs and protect the Empire's forgotten citizens.

I'm still annoyed that I've never been able to get my own copy of the Hand of Thrawn Duology; the only Zahn Star Wars books I'm missing

 

The New Jedi Order.

Yeah, controversial, I know.

Honestly, I really enjoyed the majority of the New Jedi Order saga. At 19 books, it is a bit daunting, and the Yuuzhan Vong aren't for everyone. Nearly all the characters were done in such a way that I cared about them (especially Tahiri Veila, Mara Jade, and Jaina Solo). I freely admit that it isn't perfect. I find that the Force Heretic trilogy near the end suffers from pacing issues, for instance.

 

Yoda: Dark Rendezvous.

Set six months before Revenge of the Sith. One of the most apt descriptions of this book I have seen is "What Shatterpoint was to Mace Windu, this book is to Yoda". The focus is on Yoda and two very different Padawans; one who is a prodigy 'just slightly below Anakin' and the other who is only minimally Force Sensitive and makes up for it with raw determination and mundane skill. It has some great scenes like the Jedi apprentice tournament, Dooku and Yoda trying to turn each other, and evidence that not all of Yoda's impishness in ESB was an act. A good mix of funny and serious scenes even if the ending is a foregone conclusion.

 

I also highly recommend 'Labyrinth of Evil' and 'Dark Lord: the Rise of Dark Vader' by James Luceno. They form a fantastic trilogy with Stover's novelisation of 'Revenge of the Sith'. The former concerns the Jedi hunting for Darth Sidious in the immediate run up to the Confederacy attack on Coruscant. The latter details Anakin's growth from broken whiny wreck towards the terrifying Darth Vader we know and love, while also following some Jedi who escaped Order 66.

 

Ok, yeah, that's more than 3. I also agree that the Darth Bane trilogy is well worth reading.

[JediAkemi]

I really think to get much out of the novels, you need to read the vast majority of the adult novels in the order they were published, starting with Heir to The Empire from 1991. The ones before that don't really count to me as they weren't really intended to be part of a canon universe. There are entirely too many teen and lower novels and they are hard to track down so I wouldn't worry about those to start.

 

That said, if you're just going to pick the best, here are 3 recommendations:

 

Best novel that most people hate - Vector Prime - I think it's not going to "trigger" people anymore with a certain character's death because it's no longer the real canon. It's now ok to enjoy this novel for the exciting new story it tells and not get hung up on how "unforgivable" it is to kill off ______. Plus, now maybe people will think about how cool this scene was.

 

Best novel that most people don't remember - Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn - This book came out in 2006 so 15 years after Zahn's Heir to the Empire. This book is somewhat of a prequel to that series and it would be interesting to read from the perspective of someone who hasn't yet read Heir to the Empire and Zahn's subsequent novels. And how many novels feature both Thrawn and Anakin Skywalker?

 

Best overall - Star by Star - I consider this to be the height of the New Jedi Order in power and how interesting it was to read. It's the top of the mountain of the novels to me. If you're only going to read one, pick this one.

 

Yep, with you on all three of those.

[Seireeni]

1) This one will probably surprise many and ties back to my point from the beginning about not necessarily ranking the entries by quality, because this series is not "the best", the most artfully written/plotted Star Wars novels series but it holds a special place in my heart. Here goes:

"Jedi Apprentic" by Jude Watson. This is a 20-books series for young readers chronicling Obi-Wan Kenobi's apprenticeship with Qui-Gon Jinn, from his initial rejection to one of their last mission before heading to Naboo and the end of their time together.

The writting is simple and pretty straightforward but this serie has something that I often find missing in a lot of fiction, not just Star Wars: It has heart.

The master-student relationship between Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon is deep despite the young age of the readers and you'll truly feel the affection that these two people share, from their best moments to their worst. You'll see Qui-Gon's failures and successes, you'll see him love and hate, you'll see Obi-Wan doubt and triumph and always the author does all she can to make you feel those moments deep down.

"Jedi Apprentice" was my first EU serie. I read it when I was 10 and I loved it. I read it again when I was 20, I loved it again. And I'm pretty sure that if I read it again when I'm 30, I'll love it still.

 

Now you are making me feel nostalgic. ;____; Jedi Apprentice series, or at least those books that were translated to Finnish, were some of the first Star Wars novels I have read, along with the Jedi Quest, and I loved it for the same reason you did -- I found it heartwarming. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan clearly didn't start as best friends (iirc Qui-Gon didn't even want Obi-Wan as padawan at first), but they grew closer together as the series went on. I also remember liking the villain they had at the start at least -- Xanatos, was it?

 

I'm pretty sure our local library didn't have 20 books of it, though. I'm guessing they stopped translating them halfway through, not the first time that has been done... Maybe I should consider tracking down the rest of them in English, now that I know more of them exist.

 

I'm not really into comics, so I won't list my favorite EU comics, since I haven't read that many. It would most likely just be Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand 3 times. When it comes to books, I think my top 3 are all from the same author, but hey, that wasn't forbidden, so here we go...

 

3. Hand of Thrawn -duology (Specter of the Past + Vision of the Future) by Timothy Zahn.

I haven't read this in ages, I probably should make plans to reread it sometime next year... Anyway, these books have always impressed me because

1. They're very Star Wars-y, yet they avoid the "This very evil faction is fighting this very good faction"-plot and instead dip into how complex the galactic politics actually are. Factions of the Empire are disagreeing with each other, factions of New Republic are disagreeing to the point that people fear there's gonna be another civil war, those two still fighting each other, and that's before we bring Hand of Thrawn or Jorj Car'das into the picture...

2. They really hammer it home how big of an impact Thrawn had on the galaxy. Everyone seems to have some sort of strong reaction to hearing that he might be back...

3. I always liked Mara and Luke as a couple, so, Vision of the Future had some great moments for me.

 

 

2. Survivor's Quest, by Timothy Zahn

It has loads of Chiss (and Chiss culture) and Mara and Luke as a couple. The first and I believe only appearance of General Prard'ras'kleoni "Drask", who is probably my second favorite Chiss character right after Thrawn. Very Zahn-like plot, as usual. I admit I'd probably love it less if it didn't have so much Chiss stuff in it, but hey, I can't help it if I love them. I started playing this damn game because I was able to make a chiss character.

 

1. Outbound Flight, by Timothy Zahn

I get it -- it's not a piece of art that's gonna move people generations from now, but it's still probably the best damn book I have ever read simply because it made me feel more than any other book before or after it. This is the book that made me fall in love with the Chiss, Thrawn and Timothy Zahn -- all of which are things I now like so much that it's a borderline obsession. I thought the Chiss were cool, and somewhat jerk-ish, but in a way that made clear that they had culture and values that were completely alien to us. As for Thrawn, I had read the Thrawn thrilogy before, but only found him to be an interesting villain there. Outbound Flight showed me just how many shades of grey there were in Thrawn, and he quickly became my favorite character in not just Star Wars, but in all of fiction. As for Zahn, Outbound Flight was the first but certainly not the last time he delivered a ending twist that came completely out of the blue for me -- but, when I thought back, I realized that was perfectly foreshadowed and the only thing that made sense and I should have seen it coming. And I loved it. The only thing that's wrong with this book imo is that the stuff dealing with the jedi is not nearly as interesting as the stuff dealing with the Chiss. I keep skipping those parts when re-reading this book.

 

Now, I'll be here, waiting for the inevitable moment when someone sends assassins after me for making a list of best Star Wars books, all written by Timothy Zahn, and not including the Thrawn Thrilogy.

[JediAkemi]

Now, I'll be here, waiting for the inevitable moment when someone sends assassins after me for making a list of best Star Wars books, all written by Timothy Zahn, and not including the Thrawn Thrilogy.

 

No assassin, but I will hug a fellow Zahn fan

 

*hugs*

[AlienEyeTX]

I'll keep it brief:

 

The Thrawn Trilogy

Star Wars: Legacy

Tales From The Mos Eisley Cantina

 

Legacy was a bit out there, but definitely entertaining. Thrawn Trilogy felt like a natural extension of the OT. The last was just a great set of short side stories that added depth and character the galaxy.

[Leklor]

I don't have any Zahn books like many of you in my top but it's not because I don't like them, it's mostly that I only read them during the last two years so they haven't had time to stick with me as much as my personal top 3 ^^

 

If I had to pick some honorable mentions, those would be:

-Republic Commando: Hard Contact. Basically, I hate Republic Commando with a fiery passion. I thought Karen Traviss failed utterly at making the Mandalorians relatable and most of her main characters barely qualify as archetypes... But, that being said, "Hard Contact" is a stellar novel. Tightly plotted and pace, with a rather small cast of characters (4 commandos, one living Jedi, a Mandalorian mercenary and a Separatist scientist) contrary to the later books where the Dramatis Personae spreads over three pages every time. It's one of the few Legends stories I wish were used as base for an anthology film. A single-film story about Darman and Omega Squad being cool and completing their missions despite overwhelming odds.

-Darth Plagueis by James Luceno. Again, a bit of a surprise for myself since I was always in the camp that it was more interesting to not know whether Plagueis was real at all when watching the Palpatine/Anakin scene (Imagine how tragic the scene and Anakin's downfall is if Plagueis was a total lie and never existed at all?). But this novel is such a fascinating insight in recent Sith history and the machinations of Palpatine and Plagueis are so entertaining to read that I enjoyed every second of this rather massive book. Give it a try if you want to discover the backstage of Episode I and make it a better film just from that.

-Anything Zahn really, but mostly the Thrawn Trilogy and Hand of Thrawn. I don't think I need to repeat what has been said above, do I?

 

I'm still annoyed that I've never been able to get my own copy of the Hand of Thrawn Duology; the only Zahn Star Wars books I'm missing

 

Well I don't know about where you live but I managed to get a copy of both novels from the French Amazon branch, in English about two years ago. They did have a "Legends" banner though (As have my Thrawn Trilogy books)

 

I'm pretty sure our local library didn't have 20 books of it, though. I'm guessing they stopped translating them halfway through, not the first time that has been done... Maybe I should consider tracking down the rest of them in English, now that I know more of them exist

 

Yeah, my mom was buying the in French back in the day. She always got annoyed since I read them in a single day every time. But Jedi Quest and the rest were never published.

Right now, I'm using ebooks version to keep them all (And the following series) but they're not really from "legal" sources if you know what I mean (Come on, I own the originals, don't judge)

If you happen to have an e-reader on hand and are interested in Jedi Apprentice... (I'm not saying anything, this would be all your interpretation )

[Ylliarus]

Multiple stories from Legends have a very special place in my heart and will, in my mind, always be part of the Star Wars continuity. That said however, I have absolutely no qualms about combining my love for Legends with my love for the new Canon, because both are amazing in their own right. And just as Legends has stories that make you cringe, the new canon has as well.

 

Top 3 Legends novels:

 

1. The Old Republic: Revan - Yes, the Revan novel was the first Star Wars novel I read and since then has sat on the top of my list of Star Wars novels. The book simply took ahold of my heart in a way I didn't think was possible. The story, the characters, the nostalgia, I absolutely loved everything about it and still do. I have read the book so often that it's falling apart a bit and if I want to reread it again I usually go for the audiobook out of fear my copy of the novel will completely fall apart.

 

2. The Bane Trilogy - I know it's a set of three books, but you can't just take this series apart. The story of Darth Bane is simply amazing and unwaveringly stands just below the Revan novel in my list and heart. The atmosphere of the tale, the way it tells the story of Bane, it is simply expertly done in my opinion. It tells a true Star Wars story in my opinion and for once the good guys don't win at the end of the narrative, albeit one could argue "good is a point of view" and if you view the Sith as the good guys... In any way, the Bane trilogy really expertly gives you the unique and epic Old Republic feeling while also having touches of the movies. It is simply a masterpiece of a Star Wars story and I hope so fiery we will see a movie trilogy of the books for once.

 

3. Plagueis - It's no surprise a masterpiece like this book is on the well-deserved third spot on my list of favourite Star Wars novels. I think I am not the only one who gained an immense fascination with the character of Darth Plagueis after having read this book. Like the Bane trilogy, the Plagueis novel gives an unique and sensational atmosphere and feeling, hitting the well-known Star Wars feeling already on the first pages. I always saw it a bit as an epilogue to the Bane trilogy because despite the fact it's written by two distinct but masterful authors the books fit with one another seamlessly.

 

Top 3 Legends comics:

 

1. The Old Republic comics: Threat of Peace, Blood of the Empire, The Lost Suns - It is no secret that my favourite bit of Star Wars story and continuity is this game and this era. Nothing as of yet has managed to top the stories and feeling of this game and I have read much of the Legends stories. It is therefore no surprise that these are my favourite comic books in the Legends continuity. The imagery, the stories, the characters, it simply takes ahold of my heart from the very first page and doesn't let go.

 

2. Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison - Not only does this tale feature Lord Vader in a very curious and interesting way, the story is simply breathtaking. I read it with such an incredible sensation of suspense that I'd dare say I sat at the edge of my seat when devouring (figuratively) the pages. Everything about this comic felt unique but at the same time giving off the typical and traditional Star Wars atmosphere. If you love Vader and love reading about him I can absolutely recommend this story to you.

 

3. Dark Empire, Dark Empire II and Empire's End - I love Palpatine and it was great to see him featured in this series. The story here featured him in a unique way that made me really even more intrigued by the character. There were a few things that made me frown at a few moments, yet nonetheless the overall story just managed to captivate me and still has captivated me even today.

Edited December 31, 2017 by Ylliarus

[Seireeni]

No assassin, but I will hug a fellow Zahn fan

 

*hugs*

 

Awww, thanks! *hugs back*

 

Yeah, my mom was buying the in French back in the day. She always got annoyed since I read them in a single day every time. But Jedi Quest and the rest were never published.

Right now, I'm using ebooks version to keep them all (And the following series) but they're not really from "legal" sources if you know what I mean (Come on, I own the originals, don't judge)

If you happen to have an e-reader on hand and are interested in Jedi Apprentice... (I'm not saying anything, this would be all your interpretation )

 

They translated the books that dealt with Xanatos to Finnish, but I think they stopped there, but then picked it up from Jedi Quest -- though I wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly stopped translating those, too. They did the same thing to a young adult series called Animorphs, which I also used to enjoy as a kid. They translated the first 20 books and stopped there -- even though 20th book ended in a cliffhanger!

 

I don't currently have an e-reader, but I'll certainly consider what you're not saying if I do end up getting one sometime soon.

[Rebamcfan]

I haven't read much of Legends books, but there are few that are my favorites.

1) Thrawn-trilogy by Timothy Zahn. I remember reading it as kid in Finnish, and how I didn't understand much of it back then. Now, as an adult, and having the read the books in English, they are most excellent writing. Zahn carefully builds his character and enviroment in interesting way, while giving us point-of-view characters through whose eyes we see the story in different angles. Thrawn is probably my favorite character in Star Wars ever, in Legends at least, though he's getting fast there to become my favorite with Canon too (Lars Mikkelsen does fantastic job in voicing him in Rebels).

2) The Jedi Quest series (if it was named as that) by Jude Watson. I was in my preteens when I read them, and what I remember of them is that they were compelling and full of interesting characters, like Janna Zan Arbor and Granta Omega or Siri Tacchi and her apprentice. It also gave us a nice show on how Anakin grew over the years and how he and Obi-Wan worked as team. Yaddle also died there while saving Anakin, still remember that detail.

3) Maul: Shadow Hunter. Now this was an interesting novel, giving background to Maul while also bringing out interesting events just before the Phantom Menace began. The character of Darsha Assante was cool, and how she protected that man who uncovered Trade Federation's plot.. If I remember it correctly, it's been so many years since I read it.

[FlameYOL]

Most from what I know about legends comes from Wookieepedia but thankfully some Star Wars books got translated to Portuguese making it easier to buy them. So far honorable mentions to:

Darth Plagueis- This novel is so far my favorite one, the way Luceno writes the Dark Side is absolute amazing. Plagueis managed to captivate me thanks to all the midichlorian shenanigans and character development, it was also very nice to see how Plagueis and Sidious thought of the final stages of the Sith grand-plan as well as their execution.

 

The Thrawn trilogy- A worthy sequel to the OT, Thrawn was amazing, the way he handled the new republic threat was really something, his tactics weren't orthodox and he wasn't your usual imperial commander who'll just blindly deploy SDs in the hopes that enough numbers will crush the republic, his ability to predict some events or at least theorize them was also nice. Another thing I like about this is how it deals with The New Republic establishment their government and the troubles that come with it, as well as some strife between the higher ranking members.

Borsk Fey'lya and Admiral Ackbar for instance

 

 

Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan- While I see a lot of criticism of this novel I'm actually quite a fan of it, it was an interesting set-up for the game. Lord Scourge started out as an average Sith for me but over the course of the novel his character development made me appreciate him more as a character, Revan's character development was also done well IMO, Meetra could've definitely been done better IMO but it wasn't a deal breaker. Overall I'd say my biggest complain about this book is

the lack of mention to the fate of KOTOR 2 companions, we know what happened to Big-Z,Mission ETC but we get now word on Meetra's companions, I know Kreia gives you some visions about what happens in the end of KOTOR II but it'd be nice if we'd have something factual to rely on.

 

 

Star Wars The Old Republic: Deceived- This book is a must have for any Imperial player here, it deals with the sacking of Coruscant and it shows the nuances of Sith politics as well as give Malgus really good character development. Out of all the SWTOR novels this is probably my favorite one thanks to Malgus' character development, nuances of Sith politics with Malgus and Lord Adraas it makes me appreciate Malgus as a character and understand what made him rebel against the Empire on Ilum.

 

Star Wars The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance- I'll be honest I wasn't very thrilled about this book in the beginning, it wasn't bad but it was kind of boring at first. However as the book progresses things get more intense and interesting and the end of the day it was a good read, I really wished some of the characters like Eldon Ax would've been mentioned here in the game but oh well.

 

Star Wars The Old Republic: Annihilation- This novel is a must have for any fans of Theron, it deals with his SIS shenanigans. While Darth Karrid wasn't that interesting as a villain her superweapon was an unique and interesting thing that I kind of wished could've been explored more, The Ascendant Spear sounds like it could be very useful. It's also nice to see how far Theron would go to protect the Republic as well as his relationship with his parents, overall Drew really nailed the character here.

 

As for comics I have the KOTOR Epic Legends collection and it started out very intense and so far I've enjoyed, Zayne isn't your average Padawan and it is refreshing to see a main character who isn't a complete and utter paragon of light. I've also read the SWTOR comics. Threat of Peace was kind of nice, seeing how the Republic dealt with the sacking of Coruscant as well as set up some characters like Darth Baras and Darth Angral, Blood of the Empire was my favorite because it sets up the plot points for both Chapter 3 of JC and Chapter 2 and 3 of SI

I really enjoyed learning the only Apprentice The Emperor ever took would become a child of the Emperor,

and it was nice to see Thanaton's backstory and how much of it is similar to that of The Inquisitor.

And Lost suns, lost suns goes really well with Annihilation as it deals with Theron and more SIS shenanigans as well as set up some character development that comes up Annihilation.

[Neltronluur]

I have say that my favorite Legends novel was Plagueis. It was one of the most well written books in the entire EU and I love how it connects the Darth Bane Trilogy with the events of the Phantom Menace. I enjoyed almost all of the Old Republic era novels with exception of Revan. I also enjoyed X-Wing: Star Fighters of Adumar because of the New Republic and Empire trying to kiss up to the Adumari Government. Edited January 3, 2018 by Neltronluur

[MadDutchman]

In no particular order:

 

X-Wing series up to Wraith Squadron. I found it started lagging after that but the Rogue Squadron cycle and Wraith Squadron were brilliant

 

Darth Bane trilogy.

 

Thrawn trilogy

[JediAkemi]

X-Wing: Iron Fist is another one that I'm annoyed that I never found, as I loved Wraith Squadron (the squadron and the novel).

[Leklor]

X-Wing: Iron Fist is another one that I'm annoyed that I never found, as I loved Wraith Squadron (the squadron and the novel).

 

I think they still print it but it will have the "Legends" banner that kinda ruins the cover art.

I managed to buy The Thrawn Trilogy and The Hand of Thrawn for their normal retail prices not 3 years ago and my local Amazon lists the book you are looking for as available "new".

[JediAkemi]

I think they still print it but it will have the "Legends" banner that kinda ruins the cover art.

I managed to buy The Thrawn Trilogy and The Hand of Thrawn for their normal retail prices not 3 years ago and my local Amazon lists the book you are looking for as available "new".

 

*hugs*

Iron Fist, Hand of Thrawn duology, and Champions of the Force (Jedi Academy book 3, which I was also missing) all ordered.

 

Oh, that reminds me. Another one I highly recommend is 'I, Jedi' by Michael Stackpole

[MadDutchman]

*hugs*

Iron Fist, Hand of Thrawn duology, and Champions of the Force (Jedi Academy book 3, which I was also missing) all ordered.

 

Oh, that reminds me. Another one I highly recommend is 'I, Jedi' by Michael Stackpole

 

I forgot about I, Jedi, that one is fantastic

[Leklor]

*hugs*

Iron Fist, Hand of Thrawn duology, and Champions of the Force (Jedi Academy book 3, which I was also missing) all ordered.

 

Oh, that reminds me. Another one I highly recommend is 'I, Jedi' by Michael Stackpole

 

*Politely hugs back* (Not very good with people, doing my best to pass for a believable human being)

Glad you could find them.

My bookshelf is far too packed with long-running series to buy more Legends stuff but for a time I did wish I could have gotten my hand on the first 9 X-Wing books. Later maybe, if they're still in print...

[patricklee]

The Mandalorian Armors book trilogy, which continues the story of Boba Fett immediately after The Return of the Jedi.

 

Great story.

[juliushorst]

I have all EU adult books (actually completed the collection after decanonization... and I'm so glad I did, seeing how new post-RotJ canon is turning out) and most of the comic books, so here are my recommendations:

 

Books:

3. Cloak of deception and Darth Plagueis.

I know I'm cheating including two books, but they both deal with the same subiect: political behind the scenes of The Phantom Menace. If you want to give TPM another go and see it in a new, less-terrible light, give them a read.

2. Traitor

First thing - it's a part of New Jedi Order and it would be good to know what happened before it (either read the series - it's really nice - or do some Wookiepeedia research). Now you are ready for psychological version of Dante's Inferno (the book, not the game ) set in Star Wars universe.

1. Thrawn series (both trilogy and dulology)

It's a happy ending for Star Wars and by the end future looks really bright. If they ended the EU at this point, I wouldn't be so bitter about it.

 

Comic books:

3. Dark Empire

So controversial it's worth a read. Shows Luke's and Leia's growth as Jedi, introduces new planets like Nar Shaddaa or Korriban, Emperor's clone arc isn't as bad as people tend to say.

2. KotOR series (actually, first 36 issues)

Set some time before KotOR, gives nice overview on galactic politics around the time of Mandalorian Wars and on the conflict itself. Also explains why Pubs hang out on Carrick Station and why we had Jedi Convenant server

1. Legacy series

Great story about descendent of Luke Skywalker, set around 130 years after Endor.

[Atim]

Books:

3. Cloak of deception and Darth Plagueis.

I know I'm cheating including two books, but they both deal with the same subiect: political behind the scenes of The Phantom Menace. If you want to give TPM another go and see it in a new, less-terrible light, give them a read.

 

Glad I'm not the only one who enjoyed that one.

 

Top 3 novels for me would be:

 

3. Thrawn Trilogy - what else needs to be said.

 

2. Darth Bane: Path of Destruction - I like reading, but I can't think of another book I've read that sucked me in like this one. Didn't care for the other two in this series as much as this one.

 

1. Republic Commando: Hard Contact - I remember reading this on a family vacation when I was in highschool. I was a bit disappointed the game didn't include Delta Squad, and future RC novels just didn't measure up to this one but weren't terrible either.

 

Haven't read enough of the comics to really comment.

[JediMasterSkid]

The novels for me is

1) Darth Bane trilogy. I remember getting to pre-order the books one at a time all being roughly a boxing day release but through amazon getting them delivered Christmas eve. I was so happy that when i got each individual book it took me about 10 hours to read from start to finish. I did nothing at all those days but read.

 

2) The Thrawn trilogy. The BEST book series ever in Star Wars .

 

3)Tales from Jabba's palace. This was the first Star wars EU I read when it came out. I was about 10/11 years old at the time and re-reading it a couple of years ago it's refreshing to read other peoples story in the Galaxy away from the main 3 character in later novels.

 

Other honorable mentions for the novels are

Revan (is it me or the only downside to Revan was it was at least 100 pages too short?)

Medstar duology

Dark rendezvous

 

Comics

 

1) Legacy Comics

2) Knights of the old republic

3) Clone wars. For me this is canon with Durge, The battle of Jabiim, Quinlan Vos stroy arc the TV series was a good effort when it wasn't Political(padme Jar Jar crap) and just Jedi/Clones fighting it was enjoyable

 

Another honorable mention is the Tales of the Jedi comics with Nomi sunrider, Exar Kuun, Qel Dromer, Ludo kressh(My 1st server choice when SWTOR started) and Naga sadow

[JediAkemi]

Oooh, Medstar Duology. I quite liked those two. Barriss Offee before Clone Wars ruined her.

[MadDutchman]

Oooh, Medstar Duology. I quite liked those two. Barriss Offee before Clone Wars ruined her.

 

she annoyed me in those books so I guess Clone Wars keeping her annoying didn't hurt my feelings...