Star Wars back catalog - June 28

[ApK]

BTW, all the characters I mentioned are introduced in the Thrawn trilogy that everyone is recommending.
Start elsewhere at your peril....

[foghat]

Originally Posted by ApK

BTW, all the characters I mentioned are introduced in the Thrawn trilogy that everyone is recommending.
Start elsewhere at your peril....

I will start there - as seems to be the recommendation.

[Dallista]

I, too, would recommend starting with the Thrawn trilogy. It's not the start of the EU by far, chronologically speaking (set post-Return of the Jedi, that would be The Truce at Bakura, which starts the day after, IIRC), but Zahn's novels started the EU. He did a splendid job, and also introduced a couple of important original characters.

They're releasing a 20th anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire in a few months, btw. http://www.amazon.com/Star-Wars-Empi...6344888&sr=8-2

If you don't mind reading novels without Luke, Han and Leia (except in a few cameo roles), then the X-wing stories are a must. There are nine novels, and the comics, if you're into that sort of thing.

My personal favorite novels are The New Rebellion (an oldie), Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor (couple of years old), and I, Jedi. Gotta love Corran Horn. And I rather like stand-alone novels. After Fate of the Jedi, I really hope they go back to shorter stories, stand-alones or duologies.

[Dallista]

re: Vector Prime

Originally Posted by ApK

Funny thing is, I am sure I read that book, but I have no memory of that happening. Perhaps I blocked it out.

I couldn't believe it happened twelve years ago, either. Doesn't feel nearly that long.
Funnily enough, I remember the following better than that dramatic event in the book:
(from wiki)

For Vector Prime, Mark Hamill reprised his role as Luke Skywalker for a commercial for the book. He had a speaking role in which he, as Luke, recalled his previous struggles and talks of how he was unsure he could defeat this new threat, the Yuuzhan Vong.

That was pretty awesome.

[AnemicOak]

For Vector Prime, Mark Hamill reprised his role as Luke Skywalker for a commercial for the book. He had a speaking role in which he, as Luke, recalled his previous struggles and talks of how he was unsure he could defeat this new threat, the Yuuzhan Vong.

[ApK]

Oh yeah!

That was the one that started out with the SETI-type folks at a remote monitoring station looking for extra-galactic intelligence , right?
I listened to that on audio book....my memory is getting bad.

[AnemicOak]

Anyone else remember the multimedia event that was Shadows of the Empire?

The book by Steve Perry (and audiobook of course)
The kids book
The comic
The PC and N64 games
The soundtrack
The RPG
The toys and models
The trading cards

They really went all out as I remember.

[mewmartigan]

I enjoyed the New Jedi Order series. If I am remembering correctly, it was the first multi-volume/multi-author story arc. It brought almost every character from every book that came before it, into the fold together.

I didn't really like the Legacy of the Force series or the directions they took many of the characters.

Fate of the Jedi isn't too bad, I just finished book 5...waiting for the Kindle price of book 6 to drop ($13.99!?!?!)

Zahn has a new book coming out called "Choices of One" that melds together a few of the characters/storylines he created including Mara Jade and the group of stormtroopers from "Allegiance". I like how Zahn has stuck to his own thing and not gotten into the bigger series of books.

And yes, I remember the whole Shadows of the Empire assault. In fact, at the end of the "Special Edition" Return of the Jedi movie, the statue being torn down on Coruscant in celebration of the Emperor's downfall is supposed to be Prince Xizor from Shadows of the Empire.

On another side note, It was actually Timothy Zahn, in his books, that created Coruscant. Lucas then adopted it and put it in the new movies.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by Dallista

(from wiki) That was pretty awesome.

I never heard that before. thanks for the youtube!

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Anyone else remember the multimedia event that was Shadows of the Empire?

yes. i read the book and played the game and have the comics somewhere

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

On another side note, It was actually Timothy Zahn, in his books, that created Coruscant. Lucas then adopted it and put it in the new movies.

Zahn explains

"Just to make it clear, I did not invent the planet…George Lucas had invented the planetwide city a long time ago. When I was starting the Thrawn Trilogy, they told me to coordinate with the West End Games source material, and they had it listed as the Imperial Planet. Well nobody names a planet 'Imperial Planet,' so I thought it needed a name, so I picked the word that means glittering: 'Coruscant.' Apparently, when it came time to choose a name [for the films], people persuaded George to go with Coruscant and be done with it. So I felt very vindicated -- the tail wagging the dog. It was an honor to be slipped into the movies this way."

[lotrfan]

Avoid Crystal Star. Really bad imo. Had some cool Force aspects but the story was bad and made Luke look like a wimp. Considering how Luke is much more powerful in previous books it just irked me how he was “neutered” in the book. And this brings me to one of the biggest problems with some (though not necessarily few) of the books and it is the lack of consistency regarding “The Force” though story wise most are good to great.

Also very much agree with reading the Timothy Zahn trilogy first. As far as I am concerned those are episodes 7, 8 and 9. I am starting Legacy of the Force now and will likely continue to Fate of the Jedi on ebook due to lack of space.

[jedifarfy]

Agreed with starting with Timothy Zahn's Thrawn trilogy. The problem is where to go after that. You can follow that up with the Jedi Academy trilogy by Kevin J Anderson, or Truce at Bakura by Kathy Tyers. I personally love the X-Wing books. Chronologically, you start with Michael Stackpole's, then Aaron Allston's. I ADORE Starfighters of Adumar. Hilarity, for sure! You can jump around after that, they all have varying degrees of good and bad in the fandom. Definitely hit the Corelllian Trilogy by Roger McBride Allen. They establish Lando's future relationship.

[Dulin's Books]

Originally Posted by Dallista

Gotta love Corran Horn. And I rather like stand-alone novels. After Fate of the Jedi, I really hope they go back to shorter stories, stand-alones or duologies.

I'd like to see a Corran Horn movie . Great character.

[Dallista]

Oh My, that Vector Prime commercial is terrible! Mark Hamill sounds like he'd rather be doing anything but say his lines.
In my memory it was great! Yikes...

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

In fact, at the end of the "Special Edition" Return of the Jedi movie, the statue being torn down on Coruscant in celebration of the Emperor's downfall is supposed to be Prince Xizor from Shadows of the Empire.

I always thought it was a statue of, well, the Emperor. Why would there be a statue of Xizor? He was the head of a (admittedly large) criminal organization, but would that warrant a statue (and would the Emperor allow that)? Makes no sense to me. Good reason to rewatch RotJ again sometime!

I definitely remember the big Shadows of the Empire event. Had the novel, the comics (and the sequel series about Guri), trading cards, and the soundtrack, which I've probably played as often as the original movies' OSTs. Fun!