Jumping into the Expanded Universe of Star Wars, whether Legends of Canon, can be quite overwhelming. Indeed, part of the reason it took me so long to star reading Star Wars books and comics was because there was just so much content out there, often with different fan or critical reception, it was so very hard to know where to begin.
One of the very fun things about Star Wars though is that there is no particular place you have to start. There are many jumping on points for fans and often times I think this has a lot to do with what you do or don’t enjoy about this fantastic franchise.
For most people, Star Wars begins with the audio visual medium; whether that be the films, television shows, or maybe even the games.
With that in mind I have compiled a little bit of a list of stories people might enjoy if they gravitate towards one era of the galaxy far, far away:
(Please note, I will only be recommending books or comics that I have read. Also, these recommendations are based on my own enjoyment of said pieces of literature, I completely respect that they are not for everyone.)
The Original Trilogy:
Canon: Marvel’s Star Wars and Darth Vader titles from 2015. These comics, particularly the Darth Vader one are really great reads. The flagship title features all of your favourite Original Trilogy characters, including a few stories about Obi-Wan on Tatooine, and even one on Yoda. Then, once you get deep into the Vader comic, I’m sure you’d like to give Doctor Aphra a go too (it’s one of my favourites).
Legends: I don’t think you can talk about the Star Wars EU without mentioning the Thrawn Trilogy. It really is a fantastic follow up to the Original films. It has great characters, action, galaxy sprawling adventures, and introduces fan favourite villain Grand Admiral Thrawn, the first character to be revived into Canon from Disney’s understandable purge of the old EU.
Canon: The Aftermath Trilogy is a little divisive amongst the Star Wars community, but I quite like it. I have some nit picks about some of the descriptions and references to our world as oppose to being from the Star Wars galaxy, but even the best of Star Wars writers slip and do this as well. This is a really fun trilogy and if you are looking to bridge yourself over to characters outside of the big three (Luke, Leia, and Han) this is a good transition.
Legends: X-Wing is one of the best series of Star Wars books. The stories are so well written, the characters so engaging and entertaining that despite the fact there are ten of them, you’ll find yourself wishing there were more. Stackpole and Allston became something of a staple in Star Wars fiction for quite some time and after their work in this series, it is not hard to see why.
The Prequel Trilogy:
It goes without saying that if you like the Prequels, you should definitely check out The Clone Wars. It’s just a no-brainer.
Canon: Master and Apprentice is a must if you are looking for more content with everyone’s favourite Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The book is so brilliantly written by Claudia Gray (though I must admit I didn’t fully appreciate it until I read it a second time). Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s relationship is so interesting, and despite the fact I felt that Obi-Wan was a little old to still be having these conflicts with his master, it is a great book.
Legends: Jedi Apprentice is essentially the EU version of Master and Apprentice, though it came first obviously. If you can pick up this series, I would highly recommend you do. Despite the fact it is aimed at a younger audience, it really feels like Star Wars and gives a nice insight into what the galaxy looked like before the Sith reared their ugly heads.
Canon: One story I will always recommend regardless of the time period or genre you enjoy is Dooku: Jedi Lost. I must admit I’ve only listened to the audiodrama, so I’m not sure what it would be like just reading the script, but I think think the audiodrama is the way to go. Definitely one of my favourite Star Wars stories, but definitely fits nicely within the Prequel Trilogy in terms of feel. It’s got Jedi, it’s got action, it’s humerous, and it’s also political. It’s just... it’s just so beautifully done!
The Sequel Trilogy:
Canon: Claudia Gray strikes again on this list with Bloodline. A fantastic novel about when the galaxy found out that Leia was Vader’s daughter. This seems to just be common knowledge in the old EU, but I think it’s interesting that it was kept a secret in canon. The tone and plot of this book makes it something that could easily go on the “recommended for Prequels fans” list, as there is some interesting policies discussions going on in the New Republic Senate that feel very much like The Phantom Menace.
Legends: It’s a bit hard to recommend books from the old EU for Sequels fans because the worlds at this point in time are very different from one another. That said, I recently finished listening to the Fate of the Jedi series and couldn’t recommend it more highly. Like any of the long form series in Star Wars (X-Wing excluded), the books can feel like a bit of a slog if read one after the other, but this series is probably better than the New Jedi Order (which I am yet to finish).
Canon: I am going to recommend Phasma here, but partly so that you can get to know Vi Moradi and then read Black Spire, the superior semi-sequel. That said... if you wanted to skip Phasma, I’m sure you could.
Legends: After reading The Old Republic comics (always recommended from me) I decided to go to the other end of Star Wars Legends and dive into Legacy. I do feel like there is something in there for Sequel Era fans, villains in charge again, Jedi ousted from their perch as guardians... Definitely some similarities to hold onto.
To be continued...