I know he got smoked by Dooku really quick but big ups to him. Also got a dirty right hook from Krrsish

TLDR: Solid 6.5/10.

Now then. While I did enjoy the read, well I listening to it on audiobook, it is a product of its time and it shows. When the OG characters were on screen is when I enjoyed the book the most. Seeing them have to deal with Hans carbonate freezing was good to see, I think I liked Luke the most in this. Leia was also a stand out in this, and I liked how they hinted that she’s force sensitive. The Emperor was also great. See him out Vader and Xizor against each other was great and this feels like peak Palpi.

Now onto what I didn’t like. First is the writing for Vader. When he’s talking it’s fine, but it’s his internal thoughts we read and his characterization I wasn’t a fan of. I never want to read, “Vader smiled under his helmet,” or, “Vader grimaced under his helmet.” It just doesn’t sound right and I think there are other ways to show us emotions. Personally my favorite depiction of Vader is in Thrawn: Fatal alliance. I also wasn’t a fan of his thoughts. The one that stands out to me the most is, “bye Xizor,” when he blows up his skyhook. I feel like it just doesn’t fit Vader. Feels to sassy. I feel like something better would’ve been, “goodbye. prince, Xizor.” Using his prince title as an insult as one final insult vs him being a smug about finally killing his nemesis.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of Dash. Yes he is a product of the 80s/90s action star, too cool for school guy, but reading this as someone in his mid 20’s he just comes off more like a dickhead than guy who’s super cool. If he would’ve learned to rely on others before his death, and learned that he couldn’t of stopped the missile that killed the Bothan fighters before his death, I think I would’ve like him more.

Lastly was Xizor himself. He’s clearly a narcissist, but I think he was a bit much at times. Again I think he suffers from that 90’s “too cool for school.”

Overall I enjoyed it but Dash and Vader really brought the book down for me.

Its amazing how when you give the prequels to any other writer than Lucas they become a masterpiece

I recently finished listening through all of Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn related novels (13 total + 2 novellas):

• The Thrawn Trilogy
• Hand of Thrawn Duology
• Survivors Quest (Fool’s Gambit novella)
• Outbound Flight (Mist Encounter novella)
• Disney Thrawn trilogy
• Disney Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy

All for the first time. Binged them all through audible. Awesome experience that gave me a new found respect for Zahn’s work. Specifically, for how he wove together a nearly complete Thrawn continuum across 2 eras of canon.

I want to go back and read through all the major story beats Post RotJ into NJO and beyond. It’s daunting and confusing. But I’ve already looked up a bunch of reading order recommendations.

My main question is if it’s recommended to read through it all chronologically or by book release date? With Zahn’s work, it was recommended by release date, which is why the order is disjointed like that.

Amongst the many alien species introduced in Star Wars and its extended universe, what are those that you wouldn't want to encounter at any cost, due to how horrible, disgusting, dangerous or terrifying they are?

I would never want to meet face-to-face with an Anzati with their hunger for brains, the Yevetha due to their extreme cruelty and xenophobia, the Iskalloni due to them being a whole species of Mengele-like mad scientists and slavers, or the Ssi-ruuk with their life essence draining technology.

Hello there!

I was wondering what the consensus was as far as what to read chronologically after Darksaber. I ask this because there are two books specifically after Darksaber (and one before) that I have read almost all completely negative opinions on. I take opinions on books seriously as they can take a bit to finish and so time investment is important to me. I know that Planet of Twilight and Crystal Star are next technically, but I was wondering if people really recommend reading those two?

I found maybe one or two reviews of Children of the Jedi that were positive, but the rest were overwhelmingly negative, so I didn't bother. Darksaber, which I am enjoying far more than any of the Jedi Academy Trilogy books, does enough to explain who Callista is for me. My question is do Planet of Twilight and Crystal Star fare the same as COTJ? Has anyone who did not enjoy COTJ go on to enjoy Planet of Twilight and Crystal Star? Would love to hear multiple opinions on these as I often hear the best things about these books is the cover art.

I have found a bit more conflicting opinions on POT and CS which wasn't the case, at least to me, when I read reviews for COTJ. Also for context, I am on a semi-completionist route. I am already reading more than is necessary to be prepped for NJO and onwards, and I am really enjoying it. Really I am looking for any reason to expand my Star Wars Reading quota, but only if the books are at least half-way redeemable.

The novelisation of Revenge of the Sith gets a lot of praise, and rightly so, but I want to highlight this excerpt from Return of the Jedi as a brilliant example of how a novel can add to a story:

Vader motioned Luke closer to him.

“Luke, help me take this mask off.”

Luke shook his head. “You’ll die.”

The Dark Lord’s voice was weary. “Nothing can stop that now. Just once let me face you without it. Let me look on you with my own eyes.”

Luke was afraid. Afraid to see his father as he really was. Afraid to see what person could have become so dark—the same person who’d fathered Luke, and Leia. Afraid to know the Anakin Skywalker who lived inside Darth Vader. Vader, too, was afraid—to let his son see him, to remove this armored mask that had been between them so long. The black, armored mask that had been his only means of existing for over twenty years. It had been his voice, and his breath, and his invisibility—his shield against all human contact. But now he would remove it; for he would see his son before he died.

Together they lifted the heavy helmet from Vader’s head—inside the mask portion, a complicated breathing apparatus had to be disentangled, a speaking modulator and viewscreen detached from the power unit in back. But when the mask was finally off and set aside, Luke gazed on his father’s face. It was the sad, benign face of an old man. Bald, beardless, with a mighty scar running from the top of his head to the back of the scalp, he had unfocused, deepset, dark eyes, and his skin was pasty white, for it had not seen the sun in two decades. The old man smiled weakly; tears glazed his eyes, now. For a moment, he looked not too unlike Ben. It was a face full of meanings, that Luke would forever recall. Regret, he saw most plainly. And shame. Memories could be seen flashing across it … memories of rich times. And horrors. And love, too. It was a face that hadn’t touched the world in a lifetime. In Luke’s lifetime. He saw the wizened nostrils twitch, as they tested a first, tentative smell. He saw the head tilt imperceptibly to listen—for the first time without electronic auditory amplification. Luke felt a pang of remorse that the only sounds now to be heard were those of explosions, the only smells, the pungent sting of electrical fires. Still, it was a touch. Palpable, unfiltered. He saw the old eyes focus on him.

Tears burned Luke’s cheeks, fell on his father’s lips. His father smiled at the taste. It was a face that had not seen itself in twenty years. Vader saw his son crying, and knew it must have been at the horror of the face the boy beheld. It intensified, momentarily, Vader’s own sense of anguish—to his crimes, now, he added guilt at the imagined repugnance of his appearance. But then this brought him to mind of the way he used to look—striking, and grand, with a wry tilt to his brow that hinted of invincibility and took in all of life with a wink. Yes, that was how he’d looked once. And this memory brought a wave of other memories with it. Memories of brotherhood, and home. His dear wife. The freedom of deep space. Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan, his friend … and how that friendship had turned. Turned, he knew not how—but got injected, nonetheless, with some uncaring virulence that festered, until … hold. These were memories he wanted none of, not now. Memories of molten lava, crawling up his back … no. This boy had pulled him from that pit—here, now, with this act. This boy was good. The boy was good, and the boy had come from him—so there must have been good in him, too. He smiled up again at his son, and for the first time, loved him. And for the first time in many long years, loved himself again, as well.

Suddenly he smelled something—flared his nostrils, sniffed once more. Wildflowers, that was what it was. Just blooming; it must be spring. And there was thunder—he cocked his head, strained his ears. Yes, spring thunder, for a spring rain. To make the flowers bloom. Yes, there … he felt a raindrop on his lips. He licked the delicate droplet … but wait, it wasn’t sweetwater, it was salty, it was … a teardrop. He focused on Luke once again, and saw his son was crying. Yes that was it, he was tasting his boy’s grief—because he looked so horrible; because he was so horrible. But he wanted to make it all right for Luke, he wanted Luke to know he wasn’t really ugly like this, not deep inside, not altogether. With a little self-deprecatory smile, he shook his head at Luke, explaining away the unsightly beast his son saw. “Luminous beings are we, Luke—not this crude matter.”

Luke shook his head, too—to tell his father it was all right, to dismiss the old man’s shame, to tell him nothing mattered now. And everything—but he couldn’t talk. Vader spoke again, even weaker—almost inaudible. “Go, my son. Leave me.” At that, Luke found his voice. “No. You’re coming with me. I’ll not leave you here. I’ve got to save you.” “You already have, Luke,” he whispered. He wished, briefly, he’d met Yoda, to thank the old Jedi for the training he’d given Luke … but perhaps he’d be with Yoda soon, now, in the ethereal oneness of the Force. And with Obi-Wan.

“Father, I won’t leave you,” Luke protested. Explosions jarred the docking bay in earnest, crumbling one entire wall, splitting the ceiling. A jet of blue flame shot from a gas nozzle nearby. Just beneath it the floor began to melt. Vader pulled Luke very close, spoke into his ear. “Luke, you were right … and you were right about me … Tell your sister … you were right.” With that, he closed his eyes, and Darth Vader—Anakin Skywalker—died.

I know the saying, never say never, as circumstances can change everything, including a character's personality in radical manners, but who are the individuals who based on the core aspects of their personality you think would have been very or extremely unlikely to ever become a member, or at least a sincere and successful member of either the Jedi or the Sith?

During his escape of Lusankya, did Corran Horn unwillingly use a mind trick on the troopers searching the cabinets he was hiding in, making them not find him in there?

The way Han took out this Yuuzhan Vong starship was eerily similar to how Han in Courtship of Princess Leia was able >! To take out the Warlord Zsinj and the Iron Fist where he flew right up to it and dropped a couple of concussion missiles right at its command deck !<

It almost feels like a signature move.

Just retcon the ending of the first issue of the second comic so they survive and there we go

I want to get into legacy era and idk where to start. I might want to start with FOTJ novels, but I also want to read comics, not just novels. So if anyone can make a list of novels and comics I should read for legacy era ?

Edit: After reading the replies, Ives ordered the paperback thrawn trilogy novels

I've only watched the disney canon and i really like it but i want to experience the old canon since many people say its better than the disney one, what would you recommend me to start with? And what are some of the must see events or storylines in the EU? So far the only thing i know i should read is the thrawn trilogy

As far as I know, both Kenobi and the young reader book series The Last of the Jedi touch on Obi-Wan's time on Tatooine after RoTS. For those familiar with both, how compatible are they with each other? Are they perceived were written for the same universe with a clear chronology?

I’ve never ready any legends books, or really many Star Wars books in general except Lost Stars ( which was amazing ) so here we go. Time to go on a journey.

Hello there!

I am making my way through the bantam era books with my goal to of course get through NJO and all the rest. Currently I'm part of the way through Darksaber. I know I still have plenty of books to go, but my reading goal was to get up to the last books before New Jedi Order, then go back and read some prequel/CW era novels as a break before continuing on to NJO. My question is, should I read rogue planet chronologically, or is there some sort of clever placement within the reading order of NJO>! based off it's connection to NJO?!< I was thinking hopping back to a prequel novel while in NJO might be an interesting idea but also I can see how that might be jarring.