what's your top five favourite star wars books?

here's mine...


5. Jedi Apprentice, parts 1-3

a nice insight into how obi-wan became qui-gon's padawan. aimed at young readers but still good nevertheless.

4. Cloak of Deception

explains the events which lead up to Ep I. with some jedi action and assassination plots... good stuff.

3. The Last Command (part 3 of the thrawn trilogy)

the grand finale of a great story, dampened only by the death of the best EU character ever, Thrawn *sniff*

2. Heir to the Empire (part 1 of the thrawn trilogy)

great new characters and a great story... nuff said.


1. Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter

like Cloak of Deception, it leads up to Ep I and offers some more insight into the events you see in the movie.
but what makes this my favourite is the cat and mouse game between Darth Maul and 3 well-written characters, which includes I-Five, the second funniest droid (after HK-47). which even though the outcome was inevitable, was still entertaining to read.

*gasp* Siv posts in the EU forum? :p

Mine would have to be:

5: Vision of the Future:
Timothy Zahn's masterwork (at least thus far), a novel that neatly tied together almost every different storyline of the Bantam series of novels, and gave the reader a very pleasant surprise at the end: Luke and Mara Jade becoming engaged.

4. I, Jedi
Michael Stackpole's work of genius, and thus far the only Star Wars novel to be written in first person. The novel traces Force-sensitive New Republic pilot Corran Horn in his quest to become a Jedi and thereby save his wife, Mirax. This is one of the all-time greats in terms of seeing Jedi in action, learning about Jedi philosophy and abilities, and is also simply a very good read.

3. Shatterpoint.
Matthew Stover's second Star Wars novel, a dark and gritty book that is the All Quiet on the Western Front or Heart of Darkness of Star Wars novels. It's definitely not a read for kids, but the book is remarkable, and Stover's characterization of Mace Windu (the protagonist of the novel) leaves the reader dying to see: Mace Windu's highly publicized upcoming death in RotS.

2. Traitor
This is really a tie between this and my number one ranked book, but the number one book is far more involved, so I put this one at spot two. Traitor was Matthew Woodring Stover's first Star Wars novel, and (we EU fans are grateful) definitely not his last. The book is literally the turning point of The New Jedi Order's story arc, where the hero enters the enemies cave (for those of you familiar with Joseph Campbell's mythological hero outline) and comes out transformed. What Stover accomplished here in his characterization of Jacen Solo was literally sufficient to transform the face of Star Wars publishing forever.

1. The Unifying Force
The final book of the bestselling The New Jedi Order series of novels. Jim Luceno's grasp and command of the Star Wars universe is phenomenal, and the characters' decisions and actions are both perfectly in line with the characters we saw in the movies and with how those characters have since developed. Jacen Solo and Luke Skywalker are phenomenal: you want to see some Jedi action, you've got it here.

[list=1]
The whole NJO Series, I know, it isn't a book, but still...
The book, Survivor's Quest.
Hand of Thrawn Duology, not a book, but still...
Thrawn Trilogy, I know, not a book either.
Boba Fett Series...not a book either. Actually, tied with this is the Bounty Hunter Wars books...not a book either...
[/list=1]

:fett:

Originally posted by Master_Keralys
*gasp* Siv posts in the EU forum? :p

Yeah, Sivvy, bout time you pulled your finger out and did something in the EU forum, seeing that you're our honcho now :p
(nb. Im willing to assist you as EU mod if you dare :p)

Mine run along similar lines to keralys

1. Traitor - best SW characterisation novel ever !

2. I, Jedi - 2nd best SW charactersiation novel ever. Great first person perspective of Jedi Training at Yavin IV.....

3. The Unifying Force - great climax to a great series

4. Star by Star - awesome planning and execution of the mammoth NJO series, perfectly evidenced by this book. A testament to its author and contributors/planners

5. The Han Solo Trilogy by AC Crispin..... timeless SW EU from the moment it was written !


EDIT ! OMG !!!!! KERALYS I JUST READ YOUR POST ABOUT MACE in EP 3.... THANKS FOR NOT USING SPOILER TAGS :( :( :(

Poor Astro

mtfbwya

Trying to be spoiler free for Ep 3. :(

1. The Bacta War
2. Iron Fist
3. I, Jedi
4. Rogue Squardron
5. Thrawn Triogy (as one big epic)

EDIT ! OMG !!!!! KERALYS I JUST READ YOUR POST ABOUT MACE in EP 3.... THANKS FOR NOT USING SPOILER TAGS Totally sorry about that, man. I didn't think about it; everyone knows that; in fact, it's been common knowledge since shortly after Ep. 1's release, so it just slipped my mind. And my applause for being that spoiler free. I did go ahead and spoiler tag it for everyone else... really sorry, man.

Originally posted by Master_Keralys
Totally sorry about that, man. I didn't think about it; everyone knows that; in fact, it's been common knowledge since shortly after Ep. 1's release, so it just slipped my mind. And my applause for being that spoiler free. I did go ahead and spoiler tag it for everyone else... really sorry, man.

Yeah, Im being real finicky this time around.... I mean it is easy to assume that *what you said above* may happen, but to hear it confirmed is another thing too.... totally dissolves the mystery :(

I am still thinking about whether or not I will be able to resist the trailer(s) that come out..... Im thinking I may let myself see the mini teaser trailer that we get to see, but prolly not the main trailer, let alone the SW OT DVD content that may be related to Ep3....... :(

mtfbwya

1 - Traitor
2 - Rest of NJO
3 - I, Jedi
4 - Thrawn Duo
5 - any Wraith Squadron Book

1: Champions of the Force (part 3 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy)

2: Darksaber

3: Rouge Planet

4: Jedi Search (part 1 or 2 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy

5: Hard Merchandise (part 3 of the Bounty Hunter Trilogy)

The three Thrawn Trilogy books, Shadows of the Empire, and Truce at Bakura are my favorite.

All of Timothy Zahn's work!!!:cool:


Damn can that guy write or what!:cool:

- JediKenobi

1. Vector Prime (1st book of the NJO series)

2. Tattoine Ghost

3. Thrawn Trilogy

4. Truce at Bakura

5. Survivor's Quest

Do graphic novels count? If they do...

1. Rite of Passage
2. Twilight
3. Darkness
4. The Clone Wars (Vol 1-4)
5. The Thrawn Trilogy

Hey - my first EU forum post ;)

1. Dark Forces / Jedi Knight Trilogy
2. Jedi Academy Trilogy
3. Jedi Apprentice - first 3 in particular.
4. Thrawn Trilogy
5. Tales of the Jedi / Dark Lords of the Sith (graphic novels)

I have enjoyed many others - Shatterpoint, I Jedi, Survivor's Quest, Tatooine Ghost, Approaching Storm, Rogue Planet ... and probably others I'm missing.

I don't like the NJO based on the few books from the series I've read.

Mike

Originally posted by leXX
Do graphic novels count? If they do...

1. Rite of Passage
2. Twilight
3. Darkness
4. The Clone Wars (Vol 1-4)
5. The Thrawn Trilogy Good call leXX. The Republic series is excellent.

As for books, I guess for me:

1. Original SW Trilogy
2. Thrawn Trilogy
3. Cestus Deception
4. I, Jedi
5. Shatterpoint

5. Shatterpoint

4. Traitor

3. Star by Star

2. I, Jedi

1. Vision of the Future

5. X-wing: Isard's Revenge by Michael A. Stackpole

4. X-wing: Wraith Squadron by Aaron Allston

3. Tales From the New Republic edited by Peter Schweighofer and Craig Carey

2. X-wing: Starfighters of Adumar by Aaron Allston

1. Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves

*high fives Sivy* :D

Truce at bakura and Dark Tide where awsome

1,truce at bakura

2,Onslaught

3,Dark Tide

4,Boba Fett Series(1 & 2)

1. Vision of the Future
2. Traitor
3. Star by Star
4. I, Jedi
5. Shatterpoint

5. I, Jedi
4. Star by Star
3. Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
2. Last Command
1. Wraith Squadron

5. Thrawn Trilogy
4. Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
3. Shatterpoint
2. Vector Prime
1. The Unifying Force

1. Survivor's Quest [Being a big fan of Mara Jade, I absolutely loved this book.]
2. The Thrawn Trilogy
3. Traitor [The best book out of the entire NJO series.]
4. Shatterpoint

I don't currently have a 5th favorite.

1. Shadows of the Empire - i felt it was the one book that got closest to the feeling of the original trilogy
2. Dark Rendevous - one of the best written books, Star Wars or Non-Star Wars, that i read
3. The Thrawn Trilogy - I can't choose one of them because they combined into such a great story and also i think it best captured what EU is all about
4. Rogue Squadron - Fun book, haven't read any of the other x-wing series books, please don't hate me i will one day.
5. The Unifying Force - Mostly because it brought close to what i though was a great series

1)Heir to the empire(the trilogy)
2)the Han Solo trilogy
3)The eye of the mind
4)The maze of evil
5)Shadows of the Empire

Darth Maul - Shadow Hunter
Thrawn Trilogie
Kyle's Storys..

1)Shadows of the Empire (captured the feeling of the trilogy)
2)Darth Maul - Shadowhunter
3)Heir to the Empire
4)X-wing: The Bacta War
5)Darksaber

Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter is the only Star Wars book I have read......so that would be #1.

I'd have to update my list at this point. The old one no longer holds true, sadly, though I still love all of those. Why? Why you ask?

Because I read Republic Commando: Hard Contact. :D There's nothing quite like Karen Traviss. She's now in my top five... hard to say exactly where, or exactly what she bumps off, but she definitely does.

- Keralys

I don't read a lot about the EU, but my favourites are the three from the Thrawn Trilogy. Amazing books.

I just finished reading Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil.....it was a pretty good book.

I just finished reading Star Wars: Labyrinth of Evil.....it was a pretty good book.

Now watch ROTS and read Dark Lord - rise of darth vader

that book is amazing i still dont understand why people rate Zahns stuff so much *i personally cant stand the bondish villian thrawn or mara jade in fact i hated them books with the cloned luke ubbish and such* when there are now far better writers doing starwars

How was Thrawn "bondish"? Timothy Zahn is the best Star Wars writer since Geoge Lucas himself, in my opinion.

My top five Star Wars Novels:
1. The Mandalorian Armor: #! of the Bounty Hunter Wars.
2. Hard Merchandise: #3 of the Bounty Hunter Wars
3. Vision of the Future: #2 of the Hand of Thrawn
4. Survivor's Quest
5. Shadows of the Empire

Bounty Hunter Wars - is a three parter, which covers the insight into fighting Boba Fett. It is a great look at his enemies and their inner conflict.

Hand of Thrawn Series - is a two parter, which covers a consipracy of a Thrawn.

Survivor's Quest - is about Outbound Flight. However, this takes place 50 years after the event.

Shadows of the Empire - is about events that took place between 'Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'. It is a fun read...

5.) Splinter Of the Minds Eye
Luke tries to get it on with his own sister, Leia dies and gets resurrected through the force, Vader tries to kill his son, and they don’t even realize that their all one big happy family.
4.) Star Wars Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
-Its the rise of Darth Vader need I say more...

3.) Star Wars Rouge Squadron
-Great series of novels that the main focus was not Jedi.

2.) The Thrawn Trilogy
-Finally a deceiving mastermind villain who is not a Jedi.

1.) Outbound Flight
-Yes I know its not out yet, but it will enlighten us to the origins of Thrawn.

Their are other great Star Wars books like the NJO and Truce at Bakura, But it seams as of recent most new books solely focus on the Jedi. Jedi are great and all, but they can get repetitive.

1)Shatterpoint
2)Cloak of Deception
3)Labyrinth of Evil
4)Any of the Dark Horse books Clone Wars novels.
5)Shadows of the Empire.

Their are other great Star Wars books like the NJO and Truce at Bakura, But it seams as of recent most new books solely focus on the Jedi. Jedi are great and all, but they can get repetitive.
I hear you on that note... Boba Fett had some great stories being made...