Feb 09, 2017 as a disclaimer to stay consistent with all my other answers ive held that i view star wars like history, its all part of the same story so its silly to say parts are better or worse. For over 35 years, the expanded universe has enriched the star wars experience for fans seeking to continue the adventure beyond what is seen on the screen. The 10 best star wars legends books, ranked screenrant. Legends splinter of the minds eye by alan dean foster the first star wars novel gives us a hint of what might have been, had the movie not been a hit. May 04, 2018 a lot of great star wars things have come out of the disneylucasfilm merger. Even though were in a new era of star wars, its always good to look back at where weve been in the long history of star wars novels. If youre new to star wars books in general, you might want to check out this piece by a fellow rioter on where to start, but this list. This isnt a comprehensive set of book recommendations, but it should serve as a good starting point. Apart from the fact that the expanded universe includes comic books, video games, toys, and other. The expanded universe is a term that encompasses any and all star wars stories outside of the. A new dawn officially rebooted star wars continuity.
The clone wars and star wars rebels, any star wars story told outside the official six movies was now considered noncanon. Mar 02, 2020 one of the biggest topics of speculation in the runup to the new star wars movie is how it will fit in with the preexisting expanded universe. With the exception of the cgianimated the clone wars tv series, nonfilm material produced prior to april 2014 was collectively known as the star wars expanded universe eu. Novel publishing timeline this is the realtime chronological novel publishing timeline. But the press release announcing the decision is an iron fist in a velvet glovethe corporate parent cracking down on. Many fans were outraged, because several noncanon stories known as being part of the expanded universe had become almost as popular as the main. The star wars expanded universe sweu is a marvelous creation of fictional material to complement the star wars saga beyond the movies, the clone wars movie and book trilogy, and many other parts of the star wars bibliography. Star wars legends of the expanded universe home facebook. To disney and lucasfilms credit, its not as if theyre pretending the. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book.
Here are the top 10 novels and novel series in the expanded universe. Long before any star wars fans dreamed of george lucas continuing his epic space saga with a trilogy of prequels, and before other directors helmed a new trilogy that would conclude it, the star wars expanded universe was created with novels. Also there are so many great books, no list or ranking could. Heres my ranking of 31 individual books and multi book series in the star wars universe, minus the movie novelizations 31. As a disclaimer to stay consistent with all my other answers ive held that i view star wars like history, its all part of the same story so its silly to say parts are better or worse. The force awakens, the expanded universe was no longer considered canon. Republic commando series is good, can be a bit mary sue at times but still enjoyable. Expanded universe is a podcast about the star wars legends series of novels, comics, games, and other media. The best star wars novels from the new canon and legends. Since then, disney has set about creating its own expanded universe. To disney and lucasfilms credit, its not as if theyre pretending the expanded universe doesnt exist.
Oct 03, 2000 because the star wars universe this guide covers is as vast and populated as george lucas galaxy far, far away, its impossible for even the most prolific researcherwriter to keep up with all the new additions as books, games, collectibles and even animated episodes appear almost on a monthly basis. This is a page about the star wars universe and its history. Apr 21, 2019 before lucas continued his epic saga with a trilogy of prequels, and before the latest trilogy was announced, the star wars legends existed as a means to expand on the star wars universe with novels, video games, and comic books. Below are our picks of the best star wars booksfrom. Star wars is an american epic spaceopera media franchise, centered on a film series. Sure, theyve mostly kept that old material in print, but there havent been any new stories set in the expanded universe since 2014s star wars. Beloved by many star wars fans, it quickly became a new york times bestseller, and is perhaps the pinnacle of the expanded universe. Its about time lucasfilm brought back the star wars.
As a result, the company made a swift and decisive move that guts what star wars meant for many fans. The alliance to save the star wars legends, expanded universe page was created on september 2, 2014, the day that lucasfilms first canon star wars novel, a new dawn, was released. A guide to all the new star wars books in the expanded universe. At the same time, the company announced that, other than star wars.
The rise of skywalker, we still cant help but love some of these great legends expanded universe graphic novels. The 10 best stories in the star wars expanded universe. He opened up that universe to be a creative space for other people to tell their own tales. Everything before 2014 is now considered star wars legends, which still exist as great stories. The expanded universe, filled with amazing novels set in and well. However, after the disney acquisition, the expanded universe books became known instead as legends, and a new, official canon that ensured the continuity of the star wars universe was established. If youre a star wars fan, theres a good chance youve read a star wars books or two. The best books from the old star wars expanded universe. This ones a little bit thrift store pickup, a little bit star wars bookshelf. Oct 10, 2019 if youre a star wars fan, theres a good chance youve read a star wars books or two.
Feb 01, 2018 today, we take a close look at the star wars legends expanded universe, examining which books a new reader should check out, and how to start reading star wars expanded universe content including. Everything you need to know about star wars legends. Oct 02, 2015 disney may be creating its own canon book universe now since they decided the original expanded universe is no longer canon, but that doesnt mean the books currently labeled legends should be forgotten. We are primarily a source of discussion and news for anything involving the star wars expanded universe legends or story group canon.
Legends was previously known as the star wars expanded universe and. Theres plenty of room for the new star wars continuity and the expanded universe to coexist. Must read star wars legends books, and where to start. Various authors penned exciting narratives in the star wars universe featuring all your favorite characters and a bunch of new ones. If it was published before 2014, then its not canon. Its about time lucasfilm brought back the star wars legends. This body of work was collectively known as the star wars expanded universe for decades. Dec 10, 2019 the expanded universe has been a part of star wars for almost as long as the movies have. Popular star wars expanded universe books goodreads. There is a whole galaxy of books about star wars, hundreds of them, if were counting the eu expanded universe. The expanded universe has been a part of star wars for almost as long as the movies have. The best star wars books to read first your first star wars book for many fans of star wars who decide to read the books, the expanded universe generally referred to as the eu can appear much like wild spacecrowded, confusing, and potentially dangerous. New timelineapproved star wars cartoons, comic books, and video games. Lucasfilm later rebranded the expanded universe as star wars legends and declared it noncanonical to the franchise.
Legend books seem really cool tho i only read the thrawn trilogy. The ultimate guide to reading the star wars books reedsy. Its actual language is quite a bit softer, temporizing that the eu is not being discarded, just changed. If youre new, and want to learn more about the expanded universe, you can find a few links in the sidebar that may be helpful. Dozens of science fiction authors created exciting narratives featuring all the sagas beloved characters, as well. The definitive guide to the star wars universe by adam bray, cole horton, et al. From the adventures of luke skywalker in december 1976 to the latest novel, this timeline tracks the month and year of every star wars.
Here is a brief history of the star wars expanded universe. One of the biggest topics of speculation in the runup to the new star wars movie is how it will fit in with the preexisting expanded universe. Below are our picks of the best star wars books from both the legends timeline and current canon. There have been a few posts about the best eu books, but which books would you avoid. Given that many things in the authentic star wars universe are terrible, it should be no surprise that many things in the expanded universe those tales from the novels, comics, cartoons and. Understanding the star wars universe will be easier than ever now since all of it is technically canon. Mar 28, 2019 before the new star wars movies came out, the star wars legends books were the fans best chance at expanding the galaxy. Disney may be creating its own canon book universe now since they decided the original expanded universe is no longer canon, but that doesnt mean the books currently labeled legends should be forgotten. Star wars just nuked its entire expanded universe the. New timelineapproved star wars cartoons, comic books, and video games began appearing last fall, as well as seven adult books. That hasnt stopped lucasfilm from picking and choosing the best of the legends universe, and. Long before any star wars fans dreamed of george lucas continuing his epic space saga with a trilogy of prequels, and before other directors helmed a new trilogy that would conclude it, the star.
The new star wars canon has existed for four years now, but we still remember the old days. Welcome to the star wars expanded universe subreddit. Dark force rising by timothy zahn, heir to the empire by timothy zahn, the last command by timothy zahn, sh. Star wars has been expanded to media other than the original films. In a galaxy far, far away, there are even more star wars universes. The exact chronology of the events described in this article is currently unknown. The legendary star wars expanded universe turns a new page. Such derivative works have been produced concurrently with, between, and after the original, prequel, and sequel trilogies, as. Malak was on a mission to become the most powerful being in the universe by acquiring the star forge, which had the. The expanded universe has been a part of star wars for almost as long. Dec 18, 2015 theres plenty of room for the new star wars continuity and the expanded universe to coexist. We talk about some star wars novels that we grabbed from a thrift shop.
The best star wars books to read first a getting started guide. By definition these legends are all unauthenticated, and thats a good thing. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for. All stories are presented here in inuniverse chronological order, as opposed to realworld release dates. A lot of great star wars things have come out of the disneylucasfilm merger. It removed the entirety of the expanded universe from canon. Before lucas continued his epic saga with a trilogy of prequels, and before the latest trilogy was announced, the star wars legends existed as a means to expand on the star wars universe with novels, video games, and comic. Today, we take a close look at the star wars legends expanded universe, examining which books a new reader should check out, and how to start reading star wars expanded universe content including. The star wars expanded universe is dumb and should be. The star wars expanded universe is dumb and should be forgotten.
Legends star wars expanded universe content everything outside of the films and tv series created before it was purchased by disney cannon the star wars movies and the clone wars cartoon, as well as anything created with disneys approval afte. It is significant that the activities of these groups were intertwined from the beginning with a new dawn, which was written by john jackson miller as a tiein to. Score a book s total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it and how highly those voters ranked the book. This spinoff material is licensed and moderated by lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise george lucas reserved the right to both draw from and contradict it in his own works. Star wars author timothy zahn tells expanded universe. The ultimate guide to star wars legends books youtini. And in the wake of the zahn books come more and more in the new republic era. When he created star wars, george lucas built a universe that sparked the imagination, and inspired others to create. Dec 15, 2015 since then, disney has set about creating its own expanded universe.
Because the star wars universe this guide covers is as vast and populated as george lucas galaxy far, far away, its impossible for even the most prolific researcherwriter to keep up with all the new additions as books, games, collectibles and even. Lords of the sith is a bit like a buddy road movie, except that the buddies are evil emperor palpatine and his equally nasty sidekick, darth vader. Im starting to get more into the star wars books, but i dont want to waste my time with any bad star wars books. A guide to all the new star wars books in the expanded. Nov 18, 2016 at the same time, the company announced that, other than star wars. Jul 10, 2019 this ones a little bit thrift store pickup, a little bit star wars bookshelf. Below are our picks of the best star wars booksfrom both the legends timeline and current canon. Each month, bryan wade and a special guest will choose a book to read and discuss. After george lucas concluded his original trilogy with return of the jedi, star wars fans didnt know when they would ever get new stories from the star wars universe.
Even today, after ten feature films and several television series have created a more. Nov 18, 2015 by definition these legends are all unauthenticated, and thats a good thing. Heres my ranking of 31 individual books and multibook series in the star wars universe, minus the movie novelizations 31. May 04, 2019 15 best books from the defunct star wars expanded universe photos even though were in a new era of star wars, its always good to look back at where weve been in the long. Heres my ranking of 31 individual books and multibook series in the star wars. Dec 02, 2019 three books, four major villains of the star wars universe if your tastes run to the dark side.
An easy way to spot a canon novel is to look at the publication date. The 12 worst things in the star wars expanded universe. The rise of skywalker, we still cant help but love some of these. Must read star wars legends books, and where to start star. Why disney blew up more than 30 years of star wars canon. What is the difference between star wars legends and canon. The old star wars expanded novel universe that includes all star wars novels created after the legends rebranding of the old expanded universe by disney. This includes all film novelizations, novels, comics, young readers, reference books, roleplaying sourcebooks, and more.
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