[EU] So, what in EU is worth it

[wingsandsword]

The problem with DE is that it invalidates Anakin Skywalker as the one who would bring Balance to the Force, and guts the ending of Jedi. Unforgivable crimes IMO. If Vader didn't destroy the Emperor and renounce the Sith then the prophecy wasn't fufilled, when Lucas explicitly says it was. I mean I could see if a new Sith or a new breed of Darksiders rose generations later or something like that. But Dark Empire was what five years after Jedi? And Luke going to the dark side himself in an attempt to destroy it from within? Please! Force Storms destroying fleets? Come on! Dark Empire is just horrid and my hate knows no limit!

However, "Balance to the Force" is very vague and ambiguous, note that fans have been debating it and theorizing for 6 years, now imagine how much the Jedi argue about it. They claimed in RotS it meant destroying the Sith.

In that sense, it did work: ressurected Palpatine never claimed to be a Sith Lord. His plans for a Dark Side theocracy were never called a Sith Empire. His heirarchy of Dark Side Adepts and such clearly broke the "Rule of Two" (Palpatine was already moving away, with the Inquisitors and the Emperor's Hands as force-using servants, but in DE he threw it right out the window). The lineage of the Sith was broken. Also, Palpatine did die eventually because of Vader. He saved Luke's life and Luke was there to strike at Palpatine. If Vader didn't interfere and throw Palpatine down the shaft, he would have killed Luke, and the Sith would still have still wiped out the Rebellion and nobody would have been there to stop them. Prophecy is a funny thing, even as Yoda said "Always in motion is the future."

From a dramatic standpoint, Vader fell and was still redeemed, sacrificing his life to save the life of his son. Luke stood up to the same temptation that Vader did and came out on top, earning his Knighthood. The EU uses Dark Empire as the trial that Luke undergoes to earn his Master status in that same vein, looking right at the heart of the Dark Side and coming out on the other side.

I know it's controversial, but as a fan who loves the EU, I saw it as a fun read that fit well. Admittedly my perception is heavily influenced by the old West End Games Dark Empire Sourcebook for the d6 RPG, which explains a lot of the backstory and greatly clarifies some things and elaborates on others.

 

[Welverin]

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.

Anything by Zahn is good, the ones AMG listed above. Then there is Survivor's Quest, which carries on some of the aspects from the previous books. Finally there is Outbound Flight, which is supposed to be out later this year, or then again in January.

In fact I've liked everything of Zahn's I've read, about six non-SW novels, and plan on picking up everything else he's written.

As for other things, I pretty much enjoyed all the novels I read, but I read them as they came out and there's no telling how my taste has change over the years or tolerance for crap.

The books I would suggest avoiding however are The Truce at Bakura, Rogue Planet, and Ruins of Dantooine. These are the books I had an active dislike of. I’m also one of the Dark Empire haters.

I like the NJO, but I never felt that it was non Star Warsy, that others have complained about.

 

[The_Universe]

The Thrawn Trilogy is an absolute necessity to read - it's excellent stuff, though some of Zahn's speculation as to the Old Republic doesn't quite fit with the prequel films. Nonetheless, they're spot on for that Star Wars feel.

The X-Wing books (both by Aaron Allston and Michael Stackpole) are excellent, as well. They definitely twist the star wars feel into something more like a war movie, but nothing they present is invalidated by the original trilogy, and there's nothing here that offends the sensibilities by changing core assumptions (a la Kevin J. Anderson).

After reading the "Wraith Squadron" books, I actually went back and found Courtship of Princess Leia to be a fairly enjoyable read the second time around, though the Ch'unthor is probably in direct contradiction with the prequel films. Without the Wraith Squadron books, though, it sucks.

The Tales of X (Mos Eisly Cantina, Jabba's Palace, etc.) are all pretty good, but as with any collection of short stories, it's going to be hit or miss.

Everything else can be ignored with little harm done.

DON'T read the New Jedi Order, because they're almost uniformly horrible, and the ones that aren't make no sense without the crap.

 

[nyjm]

everyone thus far has completely ignored the dark horse comics. i particularly like the "republic" series, where we get a good look at some of the more minor characters in the saga, and the handful of "empire" ones i've read are quite good ("to the last man" illustrates very well just how much the empire was like the old republic, and how doomed it was.)

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

everyone thus far has completely ignored the dark horse comics. i particularly like the "republic" series, where we get a good look at some of the more minor characters in the saga, and the handful of "empire" ones i've read are quite good ("to the last man" illustrates very well just how much the empire was like the old republic, and how doomed it was.)

No we haven't. Many of us have utterly denounced Dark Empire...and I recommended Crimson Empire, the Tales line, and the Infinities line.

 

[philreed]

There's a short story about IG-88 -- a creation story -- that's a lot of fun.

 

[Klaus]

And who can forger Boba Fett blasting IG-88 to smithereens in Shadows of the Empire? Every single bounty hunter out there (Zuckuss, Dengar, Bossk, 4-LOM, IG-88) tries to get the frozen Han Solo from Fett, and he outdoes them all and blasts IG-88 out of the sky over Tatooine.

 

[Captain Tagon]

There's a short story about IG-88 -- a creation story -- that's a lot of fun.

Yeah, that's definately a fun one. As is the Bossk one. But maybe that's just because the Wookie and the girl in that one are characters I knew from the old WEG Star Wars RPG magazine type thingie.

 

[philreed]

And who can forger Boba Fett blasting IG-88 to smithereens in Shadows of the Empire? Every single bounty hunter out there (Zuckuss, Dengar, Bossk, 4-LOM, IG-88) tries to get the frozen Han Solo from Fett, and he outdoes them all and blasts IG-88 out of the sky over Tatooine.

It's also in that IG-88 short story. The story starts with IG-88s'* birth and goes all the way through to its death when the second Death Star is destroyed.

* Yes, s' and not 's.

 

[Captain Tagon]

It's also in that IG-88 short story. The story starts with IG-88s'* birth and goes all the way through to its death when the second Death Star is destroyed.

* Yes, s' and not 's.

And the other one. IG-72 or something. I always wanted to play him in the D6 RPG. I was a munchkin when I was 12.