Reading the Expanded Universe

Last week, Ratty asked for suggestions in terms of reading the EU, and I offered to post about how I got started. It was only less than 2 years ago that I started reading the Star Wars novels, and I had no idea which book to read first, in what order, etc. At Borders one night I read the back cover of Star Wars: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn, decided that it sounded good, and bought it. Little did I know that it was the first EU novel ever written. It’s also the first volume of the Thrawn Trilogy. I was hooked.

I can’t remember which book I read after devouring those first three, but at some point I decided that I had to read in chronological order, not by the book release dates, but by the order of events. That didn’t work out. There’s so much out there and even now, more authors are adding to the Clone Wars era, which I’ve grown to love. I’ve read as early as the Old Republic days when the Sith were out of touch with the Republic up until Luke and Mara get married. I haven’t even cracked the New Jedi Order series, which is after Luke has rebuilt the Jedi (I guess).

At first I was determined not to buy the comic books, until I came across references in the novels to events that occur in the comics. I bought an issue from both the ongoing Republic and Empire series and again, was hooked. The comics begin during the Golden Age of the Sith Empire, during which the dark Jedi had already been banned from the Republic. They’ve lived on Korriban for hundreds of years until brother and sister Gav and Jori Daragon stumble upon their planet. This Old Republic era, which is 5,000 years before A New Hope or, as in Star Wars: The Essential Chronology, which is how I date my collection, 5,000 BBY (before the Battle of Yavin).

Most back issues are still available, but the mini-series and even the Republic and Empire series are available as trade paperbacks. These are a lot easier to find and what I started reading at first until I decided that I prefer individual issues. The publisher, Dark Horse Comics, has also re-published some of the old Marvel series, I believe.

The recent children’s novels (9- to 12-year-olds?) are the Jedi Apprentice, Jedi Quest, and Young Boba Fett series (scroll down the link’s page). I’ve read all of Jedi Apprentice, which chronicles 13-year-old Obi-wan’s time as Qui-Gon’s Padawan, and Young Boba Fett, which begins around the time of AOTC, I think (it’s been a while). These can get tiresome because the writing is aimed at like, 12-year-olds. If you click on the links you can read excerpts and see for yourself, but I’m a sucker for backstories, and Fett and Obi-wan are two of my favorite characters. Jedi Quest begins when Anakin is 14. He bugs, which is why I haven’t read all of them yet, but I’m sure I will. There’s also the Young Jedi Knights but I don’t know much about that series, and they were published long before these three.

Steve’s Star Wars Timeline is the best, most accurate and up-to-date chronology of the entire EU canon. He even updates it when the newest comics come out.

I don’t think it’s necessary to read the comics, novels, and “young readers” novels, but it can only enhance your EU experience.

Edit, 3/23/05, 1:12pm - Thanks, Soyunperdedor, for pointing out that Alan Dean Foster’s Splinter of the Mind’s Eye was published before the Thrawn Trilogy.