Anyone read Star Wars books?

I was just wondering if anyone here reads or has ever read any Star Wars books. If so, do you have a favourite author? Favourite series?
Also, since Disney has now taken over the rights, what do you think of the future of the franchise? In book terms, I mean. I have heard that Disney was going to do away with all the fiction outside the films.

A thought? . . . Anyone?

 

I used to read them avidly but stopped after the New Jedi order series. It was a good series but one hell of an epic slog to get through.

Ive read the first Bane book since and thats it.

Loved The Original Xwing series (books 1-4) and I Jedi, the Thrawn books obviously. Tales from series is good, havent read the new republic one but mos Eisley cantina and Jabbas palace were two of my favourite books.

 

I've got a mound of them stacked away in my cupboard. I think the last ones I read were the Republic Commando books. The ending of that is a bit controversial. I heard that because of the Cartoon Network Clone Wars series, the Republic Commando books were all taken out of the EU Canon, which was really sad because they were so well written.

I remember reading some of the New Jedi Order and the series that followed it. The whole Jacen and Jaina thing got a bit much in the end.

Timothy Zahn's also one of my favourite, although I also like Karen Traviss who did Republic Commando. Thrawn's probably one of the best EU characters.

 

It's a pity about what they ended up doing with Mara Jade. If I remember correctly, she was supposed to be Luke's successor/mentee originally. I bet that's the character or rather something similar that's going to be prominent in the new movie.

 

I'd kill for Disney just to make Zahns books, forget coming up with new scripts. Just get working on an adaption.

I cannot for the life of me understand why this isn't happening? Is ANYONE on the movie a fan of starwars? have they read Heir to the Empire?


Surely its a no-brainer.

 

I read them years ago, my favorite was the X wings series

 

Did you see what J.J. Abrams did to Trek? Not Star Trek '09, that was better than I thought it would be. I mean Into Darkness. I've talked about that way too much on another thread already, but it might be better if they didn't do Thrawn. I don't want to see the mess they'll in all likelihood make of a great character.
And no, none of them have probably ever seen anything but the movies. They're only making new movies to make Disney more money. Sorry, my cynicism is rearing it's ugly head again. I'd love to see a really good Star Wars movie again and if it was based on a good pre-existing story arc I'd be even more thrilled. I just don't think that's going to happen.

 

My boyfriend loves the Mandalorians, so I read all of the Republic Commando books. Karen Traviss is a pretty good author, her Halo books aren't bad either. I was disappointed she didn't finish the series though.

 

This! I've said for years that X-Wing would make an awesome hour long tv series

 

And the main problem with Into the Darkness, was a plot which was full of inconsistencies which didn't make sense. There were some dubious "directing decisions', but for the main part the problems were built into the script from the start.

At least if they are starting from a a good pre-existing story arc, written by a professional author not some movie hack writer, you at least might end up with a superior script assuming they can keep from altering from the original too much.

And the Thrawn Trilogy is the place to start I think, a good screen writer could do wonders with that story. The hard works been done, no need to re-invent the wheel. We have good followups to to the original movies in book form, just make them good movies and rake in the cash.

 

From the Wookieepedia :

That's the reason she didn't finish the series. As I mentioned before, they're no longer even considered official fan fiction My sister loves her Gears of War books, those are also quite good.

 

Yeah, I think the issue was actually because of the Clone Wars TV series, where they took the entire canon she had built up about Mandalorians and completely trashed it. She wasn't too happy about that, and I completely understand why. She spent years creating an entire culture, even a language, and they ignored it when they wrote the series. I'd be upset too.

It is just unfortunate because the last book ends on a cliffhanger...

 

heheh that sounds about right, everything I like that gets axed always seems to be on a cliffhanger

 

I agree like crazy. The first four X-Wing Rogue Squadron books by Michael Stackpole (all that I've read of those) are a great TV series just waiting to happen.

The Thrawn Trilogy, the Han Solo Trilogy by Crispin, the aforementioned X-Wing books and The Truce at Bakura are the best ones that I've read. I kept up until the New Jedi Order started, but only read three books (Vector Prime, Balance Point, Star by Star) from that series. I've been meaning to check out the Darth Bane books and Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn.

As far as Disney, I'm keeping an open mind. They seem to realize that getting back to the tone and aesthetic of the original films is a good idea. But of course, as far as story, we don't know too much yet. The Thrawn Trilogy could be killer, and seems like a great idea for a film adaption, but they might indeed ruin it. I'm a JJ Abrams skeptic a bit, so...

 

ZAAAAAAAAAAHN! Everything by Timothy Zahn. Thrawn trilogy, Hand of Thrawn duology, Allegiance, Choices of One. Also loved the X-Wing series. New books, since the new trilogy, seem to pick and choose which aspects of the old established canon they'll keep, so I don't like them as much.

 

I read Heir to the Empire only. I really liked it!

 

Like everybody else, I love Zhan's books. Mara Jade is the reason I started dying my hair red in high school.

I also really like the middle grade series Jedi Apprentice, which is about Obi-Wan's early padawan years. I read them all on my lunch breaks when I was working in a bookstore just because they were there, and I was surprised by how good they were. They are the reason Qui-Gon is my favorite Jedi.