[EU] So, what in EU is worth it

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

If you read and enjoy the Thrawn trilogy, I'd definitely suggest Zahn's Duology(Spectre of the Past and Vision of the Future). Its, essentially, a sequel to the Thrawn trilogy, and probably two of the best EU novels written.

 

[Kanegrundar]

Flexor, I agree with you. The Vong weren't the right way to go with this particular story arc. However, I think that going outside the milleu of SW to draw on for ideas is the only way to keep the series going without regurgitating the same old ideas. If they continue to do that though, the SW authors risk giving up too uch of the SW feel and therefore lose the audience.

Kane

 

[mojo1701]

I don't think it was just that, it was the whole heavily tattoed and loaded with pierecings, sado masochistic aliens that are outside the Force thing that just jarred me. Then they decided that GL's descriptions of the nature of the Force from the movies was wrong to top it off. I quit after Dark Journey myself. I slogged through the rest, some moments were good, but some were just bleh. Luke was largely ineffectual as well. He was like some soft spined chump who got brushed aside by the Kyp Durron Jedi. I think the man who faced down Vader and had the fortitude to face the Emperor weaponless would have aquitted himself better. Then you have the different authors which led to vast differences in quality of writing from book to book. The Vong don't fit Star Wars IMO so that is a big problem for me. I can see a new enemy and I can see fighting other than the Imperial Remenant, but they went the wrong way with the Vong.

I'll agree on the whole "Luke being a spineless wimp compared to Kyp Durron," but the whole idea of the Yuuzhan Vong was that they aren't from the Galaxy and might explain why Jedi exist in the Star Wars galaxy but not in ours. Which can be a problem.

 

[Klaus]

I was never pleased with the portrayal of Luke in the EU. He is always too unsure of himself, of his choices. Unlike the Luke who turned off the targeting computer at Death Star I, that blew off Yoda and raced to save his friends at Bespin, or the black-clad dude that yelled "Yo! Palpatine! Yo mamma's so fat, you got all wrinkly comin' out!" at Death Star II.

 

[Desdichado]

Shadows of the Empire is a good book that does Vader pretty good.
The Zahn trilogy with Thrawn is good.

I'd stop there.

I'd more or less agree with that, although I'd add the Darth Maul comic book miniseries (collected in a trade paperback; my local public library has a copy) and maybe add the Crimson Empire comic books as well (also collected in two trade paperbacks.)

And don't forget that Zahn's stuff is now inconsistent with the prequels, especially in terms of how cloning worked. I also think the ysimiliri (the null-Force field generating lizard tree-sloths), or whatever they're called, are pretty stupid and plot-devicey.

I'd avoid NJO like the plague. I have a neighbor who continually tries to goad me into reading the first one (even though he thinks the series peeters off into stupidity) by saying, "It's written my R. A. Salvatore; how bad can it be?" The mind boggles. If it's written by Salvatore, how good can it be?

 

[Kanegrundar]

I'll agree on the whole "Luke being a spineless wimp compared to Kyp Durron," but the whole idea of the Yuuzhan Vong was that they aren't from the Galaxy and might explain why Jedi exist in the Star Wars galaxy but not in ours. Which can be a problem.

How is that a problem? Do you game or talk with people that honestly wonder why there are no Jedi running around here? I must be misunderstanding what the problem could be.

Kane

 

[Nebulous]

If I were you i'd just buy one of these, a Star Wars Encyclopedia, and pull your plot hooks about a piece at a time. You'll never run out of source material.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0345402278/104-2451945-6356719?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I'd more or less agree with that, although I'd add the Darth Maul comic book miniseries (collected in a trade paperback; my local public library has a copy) and maybe add the Crimson Empire comic books as well (also collected in two trade paperbacks.)

And don't forget that Zahn's stuff is now inconsistent with the prequels, especially in terms of how cloning worked. I also think the ysimiliri (the null-Force field generating lizard tree-sloths), or whatever they're called, are pretty stupid and plot-devicey.

I'd avoid NJO like the plague. I have a neighbor who continually tries to goad me into reading the first one (even though he thinks the series peeters off into stupidity) by saying, "It's written my R. A. Salvatore; how bad can it be?" The mind boggles. If it's written by Salvatore, how good can it be?

LOL. So true. No insult to RAS fans, but I find his writing tedious to get through.

I kind of wish they would "reboot" the post-Jedi EU in light of what has been leared from the first three flicks. Build a more consistant continuing storyline and wipe out some of the real crap..*cough* Dark Empire *cough*


I truly wish GL would just do THREE MORE Star Wars flicks but I know that won't happen.

 

[Klaus]

Hey, at least now there's a reasonable explanation for how the yisalamiri can negate the Force: they eat midichlorians!

 

[Taelorn76]

Maybe I am missing something or it's just been a while since I read any EU books(never read NJO), but I don;t see any major things in the books that have been nulified by the three new movies.

Can someone enlighten me