WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.879 With the return of Grand Admiral Thrawn to the galaxy in Ahsoka 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:05.392 I think it's becoming more and more clear that the future 00:00:05.392 --> 00:00:09.176 of that story is going to continue taking inspiration from Star Wars Legends 00:00:09.176 --> 00:00:10.607 where the character originated 00:00:10.607 --> 00:00:14.705 I get questions about how to get into Star Wars books and comics all the time 00:00:14.705 --> 00:00:17.773 and I've got more videos on those topics coming, but today, 00:00:17.773 --> 00:00:21.199 I wanted to focus on Star Wars Legends because there are hundreds 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.289 of books and there is definitely renewed interest thanks to Thrawn 00:00:24.289 --> 00:00:26.668 but it's daunting and overwhelming to start 00:00:26.668 --> 00:00:28.383 So, where should you start? 00:00:28.383 --> 00:00:31.154 Just like when it comes to making canon recommendations, 00:00:31.154 --> 00:00:34.946 it really all depends on what you personally like about Star Wars so 00:00:34.946 --> 00:00:38.559 I'm gonna try to cover a bunch of different bases in this video 00:00:38.559 --> 00:00:41.994 I generally tell people to begin with the trilogy that started it all, 00:00:41.994 --> 00:00:46.064 the Thrawn trilogy, Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising and The Last Command 00:00:46.064 --> 00:00:50.329 Yes, I know that there were comics and shows and the Han Solo and Lando Calrissian Adventures 00:00:50.329 --> 00:00:52.909 that were part of the Expanded Universe before those books, 00:00:52.909 --> 00:00:56.389 but Timothy Zahn's novels arrived in the early 90's when people were 00:00:56.389 --> 00:00:59.479 unsure if Star Wars would ever continue in a major way 00:00:59.479 --> 00:01:03.479 Then here came some new stories about Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie and Lando 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.610 facing a new kind of villain in the form of Grand Admiral Thrawn 00:01:06.610 --> 00:01:10.610 They were instantly hits and ushered in a brand new wave of Star Wars stories 00:01:10.610 --> 00:01:13.725 in the form of books and comics. To get personal for a bit, 00:01:13.725 --> 00:01:17.046 those books shaped Star Wars for me as much as the movies did 00:01:17.046 --> 00:01:21.607 I got into Star Wars around 1995, I watched the movies constantly 00:01:21.607 --> 00:01:25.557 but obviously, I wanted more. I wanted to find out what happened next 00:01:25.557 --> 00:01:29.177 So most of the Star Wars universe when I was growing up was made up 00:01:29.177 --> 00:01:33.353 of these books, and they very much shaped my view of what Star Wars can be 00:01:33.353 --> 00:01:36.543 Which is to say, it can be pretty much whatever it wants to be. 00:01:36.543 --> 00:01:38.893 I fell in love with the X-Wing books especially 00:01:38.893 --> 00:01:42.701 solidifying my love of pilot stories. Reading these books showed me 00:01:42.701 --> 00:01:47.266 the variety to be found in Star Wars and it's something I still push for today 00:01:47.266 --> 00:01:51.317 I see the occasional comments from people saying they wished I talked about Legends more 00:01:51.317 --> 00:01:54.631 or some going so far to say that I hate Legends which is absurd. 00:01:54.631 --> 00:01:57.712 Some of my favorite Star Wars stories are from that point in time 00:01:57.712 --> 00:02:00.372 in my life where I was reading every book I could 00:02:00.372 --> 00:02:03.295 I even have fond memories of the some of the... let's call them 00:02:03.295 --> 00:02:06.805 the lesser celebrated books. As a young kid, there were definitely 00:02:06.805 --> 00:02:10.718 some weird stories in there but I didn't care. They were all new adventures 00:02:10.718 --> 00:02:15.042 with some of my favorite characters. I definitely agree that I could spend more time 00:02:15.042 --> 00:02:17.680 talking about Legends but it's not because I don't love it, 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:21.908 it's just that most of my time is spent keeping up with everything that's coming out now 00:02:21.908 --> 00:02:24.600 But it is something I'd like to change in the coming year 00:02:24.600 --> 00:02:28.450 Anyway, to hop off my nostalgia soapbox, my next recommendation 00:02:28.450 --> 00:02:32.030 is a series I already mentioned, the X-Wing novels by Michael Stackpole 00:02:32.030 --> 00:02:36.624 and Aaron Alston. Like I said, these books solidified my love for pilot stories, 00:02:36.624 --> 00:02:40.779 so if you liked the Alphabet Squadron trilogy, these books are right up your alley. 00:02:40.779 --> 00:02:44.550 Or, if you were into Andor, I also think this is a solid recommendation. 00:02:44.550 --> 00:02:47.630 These are stories about normal people, just a bunch of pilots 00:02:47.630 --> 00:02:50.670 doing their best to make the galaxy better. But of course, 00:02:50.670 --> 00:02:53.667 some fans aren't really interested in Star Wars if the Jedi or the Sith 00:02:53.667 --> 00:02:56.712 aren't involved and that's ok, we all have our personal preference. 00:02:56.712 --> 00:03:00.982 If it's Sith you want, look no further than the Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn 00:03:00.982 --> 00:03:04.571 It's the story of the Sith Lord who created the Rule of Two, which also 00:03:04.571 --> 00:03:08.950 shows how the Sith Order went from tons of Sith to only two hidden in the shadows 00:03:08.950 --> 00:03:12.026 We get to see massive battles between the Jedi and the Sith, 00:03:12.026 --> 00:03:15.940 political ramifications in the galaxy and also a compelling personal story 00:03:15.940 --> 00:03:18.700 in the form of Darth Bane. I will say there are some 00:03:18.700 --> 00:03:21.430 aspects of the story surrounding the Force that don't fully 00:03:21.430 --> 00:03:24.347 vibe with my view of it. But it doesn't ruin my enjoyment, 00:03:24.347 --> 00:03:27.480 it's just different and that's fine. To stick with the Sith, 00:03:27.480 --> 00:03:30.490 I can't not mention Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, 00:03:30.490 --> 00:03:34.011 it's considered to be one of the ultimate Star Wars Legends books 00:03:34.011 --> 00:03:37.726 and for good reason. It clarifies some aspects of the Prequel Trilogy 00:03:37.726 --> 00:03:40.226 while giving us a look at a young, sadistic Palpatine 00:03:40.226 --> 00:03:43.676 and his training and rise to power. It's as much Sidious' book 00:03:43.676 --> 00:03:47.247 as it is Plagueis'. This would probably be my top recommendation 00:03:47.247 --> 00:03:50.655 if you're a Prequel fan above all else. If you're a High Republic fan, 00:03:50.655 --> 00:03:53.571 I'm gonna recommend something that might be controversial, 00:03:53.571 --> 00:03:57.664 but I would say give the New Jedi Order series a try. I know not everyone 00:03:57.664 --> 00:04:01.667 liked the Yuuzhan Vong as villains, but 12 year old me thought they were rad 00:04:01.667 --> 00:04:04.657 To be fair, I haven't read them since they came out, but really, 00:04:04.657 --> 00:04:06.984 I'm recommending it because it has a similar format 00:04:06.984 --> 00:04:10.113 to the High Republic. A big cast of Jedi characters fighting 00:04:10.113 --> 00:04:13.712 a new kind of enemy in the galaxy that offers some interesting challenges 00:04:13.712 --> 00:04:17.369 It can also be heartbreakingly tragic at times, and it was written by 00:04:17.369 --> 00:04:21.529 a bunch of different authors. Not every book is great, but I loved having 00:04:21.529 --> 00:04:24.379 a big, long book series telling a large story. 00:04:24.379 --> 00:04:27.051 It's part of why I love the High Republic so much 00:04:27.051 --> 00:04:31.072 because I missed when Star Wars books felt that big and the High Republic 00:04:31.072 --> 00:04:33.812 has brought me back into that feeling. You can also 00:04:33.812 --> 00:04:36.508 choose a starting point based on some of your favorite characters, 00:04:36.508 --> 00:04:39.854 you love Obi-Wan Kenobi? Read Kenobi by John Jackson Miller. 00:04:39.854 --> 00:04:42.959 Do you love Maul? Check out Shadow Hunter by Michael Reaves. 00:04:42.959 --> 00:04:46.157 There's a whole series of books about Clone Troopers if you're into that 00:04:46.157 --> 00:04:49.849 Or Anakin/Darth Vader has an unofficial trilogy in the form of 00:04:49.849 --> 00:04:51.672 Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno, 00:04:51.672 --> 00:04:54.255 The Revenge of the Sith novelization by Matthew Stover, 00:04:54.255 --> 00:04:56.915 and The Rise of Darth Vader once again by Luceno, 00:04:56.915 --> 00:05:00.498 and really Stover's Revenge of the Sith deserves a special shoutout 00:05:00.498 --> 00:05:03.639 I hesitate to call it an introduction to Star Wars Legends 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:07.573 because it's an adaptation of a film, but it is celebrated as one of the 00:05:07.573 --> 00:05:10.190 best Star Wars books of all time for a reason 00:05:10.190 --> 00:05:12.977 I think I've given you enough jumping off points depending on what 00:05:12.977 --> 00:05:16.233 you like within Star Wars and from there, you can just keep on reading 00:05:16.233 --> 00:05:18.797 what happens after the Thrawn Trilogy if you were into it, 00:05:18.797 --> 00:05:21.837 or you can just read more books about Thrawn or Mara Jade 00:05:21.837 --> 00:05:24.167 There are a ton of avenues to follow, but again 00:05:24.167 --> 00:05:29.334 there's no one real answer here, it's all down to what speaks to you as a Star Wars fan 00:05:29.334 --> 00:05:32.138 But I hope that helps anyone who has been feeling overwhelmed 00:05:32.138 --> 00:05:35.148 searching for a way into the Legends universe. And by the way, 00:05:35.148 --> 00:05:38.098 hearing that people started reading Star Wars books or comics 00:05:38.098 --> 00:05:41.108 because of our channel is one of my favorite things to hear 00:05:41.108 --> 00:05:44.398 Like I said, the books hold a very special place in my heart, 00:05:44.398 --> 00:05:48.008 I look forward to some of them as much as I do new movies or series 00:05:48.008 --> 00:05:52.008 Helping Star Wars fans discover a whole new aspect to their own fandom 00:05:52.009 --> 00:05:56.241 is my favorite thing, so hopefully I helped a least one person do that today. 00:05:56.241 --> 00:05:59.636 But I'm gonna wrap up, if you haven't already, please like this video, 00:05:59.636 --> 00:06:03.692 subscribe to the channel, follow us on our socials and consider checking out our Patreon page 00:06:03.692 --> 00:06:06.044 As always, thanks for watching and 00:06:06.044 --> 00:06:07.860 May The Force Be With You