Star Wars‘ history as a multimedia sensation is coded into its DNA, and its influence has since expanded into books. Without the property’s return to bookshelves in the early ’90s, there’s a good chance that it would have languished as a niche fandom.
Instead, it took over the world in force. Like anything else, Star Wars novels have run the gamut of quality. But between novels like the original Heir to the Empire Trilogy from Legends to Thrawn’s new mainline canon stories in the Ascendancy Trilogy, there are more than enough top-quality books to make this a worthwhile medium for Star Wars.
Updated on July 2, 2024, by John Dodge: The Star Wars franchise has benefited from having a rich sci-fi universe ripe for novelization. Over the decades since A New Hope graced the big screen, countless talented writers have given their spins on the galaxy far, far away in both the Legends and mainline continuities. This list is being updated to spotlight more of the Star Wars world’s best novels.
25 Shadows of the Empire is a Pulpy Star Wars Classic
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
May 1, 1996 |
---|---|
Author: |
Steve Perry |
Goodreads score: |
3.83/5.00 |
![Qui-gon Jinn, Rey Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars.](https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/qui-gon-jinn-rey-obi-wan-kenobi.jpg)
Related
Every Jedi Voice Rey Hears in The Rise of Skywalker
When Rey thought she was alone in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, she was guided by Jedi voices from the past. Here are all the Jedi who helped her.
Author Steve Perry’s Shadows of the Empire was the centerpiece of an epic-scale Star Wars publishing initiative in the ’90s across multiple mediums. Set between The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, this novel revolves around Luke, Leia, and Lando’s efforts to rescue the kidnapped Han Solo as the crimelord Prince Xizor attempts to replace Darth Vader as the Emperor’s right hand.
While Shadows of the Empire didn’t receive the same acclaim as books like the original Thrawn trilogy, Perry’s novel was a worthwhile gap-filler story for the Original Trilogy that embraces the pulpy, operatic sci-fi atmosphere from the movies. It’s not a story that adds revolutionary new context to the Original Trilogy, but it adds engaging worldbuilding elements through new characters and fleshing out the galactic underworld.
24 Deceived is Another Compelling Old Republic Story
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
March 22, 2011 |
---|---|
Author: |
Paul S. Kemp |
Goodreads score: |
3.91/5.00 |
Inspired by the beloved CG trailer for BioWare online video game Star Wars: The Old Republic, Paul S. Kemp’s Deceived adds context to the game’s most popular trailer. The plot focuses on Darth Malgus, the Sith Lord responsible for the infamous Sacking of Coruscant, as he goes on a collision course with Jedi Aryn Leneer, who seeks justice for the Temple’s destruction and her Master.
Deceived impresses by taking a few minutes of lore from a video game trailer and expanding it into a full-fledged Star Wars revenge thriller. The Knights of the Old Republic games popularized this era, but Deceived does well to make compelling characters out of some of its lesser-known figures. The novel’s most intriguing aspect is how it depicts a Sith Lord giving hints of sympathy and a Jedi seeking vengeance.
23 Ahsoka Highlights the Fan-Favorite Clone Wars Hero’s Adventures
Continuity: Mainline Canon
Release: |
October 11, 2016 |
---|---|
Author: |
E.K. Johnston |
Goodreads score: |
4.08/5.00 |
The mainline canon Star Wars novels have plenty of hits, and E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka solo story does this continuity justice. The book explores the former Jedi’s exploits after becoming disillusioned with and leaving the Order and before becoming a full-on Rebel operative.
Ahsoka Tano emerged as a modern Star Wars icon since her debut in creator Dave Filoni’s The Clone Wars sub-franchise, with Johnston’s book fitting in well as a companion piece to the animated series and its sequel Rebels. It’s a story that feels tonally in line with how Filoni realized her for TV, meaning it’s best suited for longtime fans of the animated shows. Still, Ahsoka tells an intimate, character-driven story in its own right, with the former Jedi struggling to find her place in the galaxy in the aftermath of Order 66.
22 The Han Solo Trilogy is Swashbuckling Sci-Fi Fun
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
May 1, 1997 (The Paradise Snare), September 1, 1997 (The Hutt Gambit), March 1, 1998 (Rebel Dawn) |
---|---|
Author: |
A.C. Crispin |
Goodreads score: |
3.90/5.00 (The Paradise Snare), 3.90/5.00 (The Hutt Gambit), 3.94/5.00 (Rebel Dawn) |
Before Lucasfilm and director Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story hit theaters, author A.C. Crispin’s The Han Solo Trilogy expanded on the beloved smuggler’s earlier life. All three books are set before the events of A New Hope, chronicling his life from an orphan pickpocket to a competitive racer to the moment he enters the Mos Eisley Cantina that would change his life forever.
Han Solo never needed an origin story since part of his appeal was the mystery of his past. Even so, A.C. Crispin’s trilogy establishes a backstory that’s both worth telling and doesn’t diminish what makes him such an exciting character. It doesn’t focus on the grand-scale Rebel vs. Empire or Jedi vs. Sith epics the franchise is best known for, but its swashbuckling sci-fi tone is more than worthy of a spinoff tale.
21 The Hand of Thrawn Duology is a Worthwhile Follow-Up to Zahn’s Trilogy
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
November 1, 1997 (Specter of the Past), January 1, 1997 (Vision of the Future) |
---|---|
Author: |
Timothy Zahn |
Goodreads score: |
4.02/5.00 (Specter of the Past), 4.10/5.00 (Vision of the Future) |
Following up on the original Thrawn Trilogy was always going to be difficult. However, The Hand of Thrawn Duology satisfies with its story of Luke, Han, Leia, and Mara Jade preventing the Imperial Remnant and Thrawn’s alleged resurrection from plunging the New Republic into civil war.
Spectre of the Past and Vision of the Future combine to tell a riveting two-part story that makes the dark legacy Grand Admiral Thrawn left behind in Zahn’s first trilogy genuinely interesting to revisit without feeling derivative. The pacing of the first book takes some getting used to, as Spectre of the Past relies mostly on set-up work for its sequel. Similarly, Thrawn’s name resurfacing isn’t the same novel concept as the preceding trilogy. Overall, The Hand of Thrawn Duology is a satisfying capper to what Heir to the Empire started.
20 The Thrawn Ascendancy Trilogy Explore Thrawn and the Chiss in More Detail
Continuity: Mainline Canon
Release: |
September 1, 2020 (Chaos Rising), April 27, 2021 (Greater Good), November 16, 2021 (Lesser Evil) |
---|---|
Author: |
Timothy Zahn |
Goodreads score: |
4.25/5.00 (Chaos Rising), 4.14/5.00 (Greater Good), 4.37/5.00 (Lesser Evil) |
![Star Wars Bounty Hunter](https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/star-wars-bounty-hunter.jpg)
Related
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Re-Released on PlayStation, Xbox and PC
A classic Star Wars game is getting revived for modern consoles — and it’s coming with a long-awaited Easter Egg featuring Boba Fett.
Timothy Zahn is one of the most important figures in Star Wars publishing, and his latest foray is no different. The Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy — Chaos Rising, Greater Good, and Lesser Evil — explores fan-favorite Mitth’raw’nuruodo, the future Grand Admiral Thrawn, in the time before his exile from his people in the Chiss Ascendancy.
This new Thrawn trilogy explores the Chiss and their corner of the galaxy in greater detail than ever before. In addition, it gives readers the type of political intrigue and tactics-packed space battle scenes Zahn’s novels are known for. This prequel trilogy of novels offers a welcome dose of worldbuilding for one of the newer additions to the Star Wars mythos in either continuity. They each give a compelling insight into Thrawn’s mind and motivations. Everything about these books is top-notch and can be enjoyed by fans of the new Star Wars Canon and Legends.
19 X-Wing: The Bacta War Stars the Pilots of Rogue Squadron
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 1, 1997 |
---|---|
Author: |
Michael Stackpole |
Goodreads score: |
4.04/5.00 |
The X-Wing novels are full of gems, but some stand above the others. X-Wing: The Bacta War by Michael Stackpole is one of the best. The fourth book in Stackpole’s X-Wing series sees the pilots break away from the New Republic to pursue former Imperial Intelligence Director Ysanne Isard and free the world of Thyferra from her terrible grasp.
Stackpole’s X-Wing novels are masterpieces of characterization and action. The squadron pilots are endearing and interesting, the villains are vile monsters, and the space combat scenes are white-knuckle rides. All of that combines to make a thrilling Star Wars read.
18 X-Wing: Mercy Kill is About the Reformation of Wraith Squadron
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 1, 2012 |
---|---|
Author: |
Aaron Allston |
Goodreads score: |
3.85/5.00 |
After Stackpole’s cycle of X-Wing novels ended, Aaron Allston took over the X-Wing books and introduced Wraith Squadron, a combination fighter/commando squadron. The first three Wraith books are all highly recommended, but the best is the last: X-Wing: Mercy Kill.
Taking place after the Second Galactic Civil War, it sees Garik “Face” Loran bring together old and new Wraiths for a mission to root out corruption in the Galactic Alliance military. Allston’s books always find a way to mix pathos and humor while giving readers clever twists and turns along the way. Mercy Kill does all of this expertly and is the late Allston’s finest Star Wars novel.
17 Tarkin Focuses on the Legendary Grand Moff
Continuity: Mainline Canon
Release: |
November 4, 2014 |
---|---|
Author: |
James Luceno |
Goodreads score: |
3.76/5.00 |
Grand Moff Tarkin has never been among the most popular Star Wars villains. His time on the screen was too short, and he was overshadowed by Darth Vader. Even the Expanded Universe spin-offs, notorious for giving detailed backstories to every character in the Original Trilogy, did little with him. However, he did star in one of the first novels in the new canon, Star Wars: Tarkin by James Luceno.
Tarkin sends the Grand Moff on a mission for the Emperor while digging deep into his past. It gives readers the kind of backstory for the character they may have never known they wanted, something that’s a hallmark of Luceno’s work. While it’s not the most engrossing of Luceno’s character-focused stories, Tarkin is a more than welcome spotlight on an under-used antagonist.
16 Shatterpoint Stars Mace Windu During The Clone Wars
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
June 3, 2003 |
---|---|
Author: |
Matthew Stover |
Goodreads score: |
3.87/5.00 |
![A silhouette of Darth Plagueis in front of the poster for the Star Wars series, The Acolyte.](https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/star-wars-the-acolyte-darth-plagueis-silhouette.jpg)
Related
Why Star Wars Doesn’t Need To Go the R-Rated Route
Some have always liked the idea of an R-rated Star Wars project, but Lucasfilm should never pursue it for several reasons.
There are few Jedi more powerful than Mace Windu. He’s also among the most popular with fans, which is why it’s so mystifying there are so few novels starring him. However, Star Wars: Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover makes a good case for why few other authors have tackled Windu’s story: no other book could top it. Named after the Jedi Master’s signature Force ability, Shatterpoint has Mace take a mission to his old homeworld of Korun to rescue Jedi Master Depa Billaba after he has a vision about her.
It’s a dark mediation of warfare and the effect it can have on the human psyche. The book has all the hallmarks of great Star Wars but with a veneer of realism that makes it stand out. This franchise is beloved partly for how accessible it is for any age range with stories that vary in scope. Shatterpoint specifically demonstrates how well these tales can be tackled from a grittier perspective. The book is a cut above many of its contemporaries for how it focuses on the effects a galaxy at war has on a more grounded level, rather than simply implying the horrors it leaves behind.
15 Outbound Flight Shows Thrawn’s Involvement During the Prequels
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 31, 2006 |
---|---|
Author: |
Timothy Zahn |
Goodreads score: |
3.97/5.00 |
Even after his revered original Thrawn trilogy, Timothy Zahn fleshes out some of his backstory in Outbound Flight. This novel, set just before the start of the Clone Wars, sees Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker get swept up in a galactic war between those aboard the Outbound Flight and a starship from the Chiss Ascendancy — including the promising tactician Thrawn.
Matching up to Zahn’s original Heir to the Empire Trilogy is a tall order, but Outbound Flight makes for an exciting one-off prequel story involving Obi-Wan and Anakin with the villain otherwise known for dueling with the Original Trilogy heroes. The novel combines political intrigue, spy themes, and intense action for a darker Star Wars tale with satisfying connective tissue to the main trilogy.
14 Dark Disciple Tells a Lost Story From The Clone Wars
Continuity: Mainline Canon
Release: |
January 7, 2015 |
---|---|
Author: |
Christie Golden |
Goodreads score: |
4.08/5.00 |
Though the Prequel Trilogy was generally underwhelming when it came to focusing on the era’s most intriguing aspects, the animated Clone Wars did a great job filling those gaps. However, Christie Golden’s Dark Disciple adapts a storyline from the cutting room floor of rebellious Jedi Quinlan Vos and former Sith Acolyte Asajj Ventress teaming up to take down Count Dooku — Ventress’ former Master.
Dark Disciple is one of the most acclaimed novels from the mainline Star Wars canon. It tells an exciting, isolated story that focuses on some of the more underused characters in the continuity. Filled with action, plot twists, drama, and romance, this book does justice to its co-leads, delving into their personalities as well as elements of the Dark and Light sides of the Force.
13 Revan Gives the Iconic Legends Figure More Time Under the Limelight
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
October 1, 2011 |
---|---|
Author: |
Drew Karpyshyn |
Goodreads score: |
4.00/5.00 |
![Rey Skywalker holding her lightsaber with images from Foundation and Blade Runner in the background](https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/10-sci-fi-universes-cooler-than-star-wars.jpg)
Related
New Star Wars Film Rumored to Feature ‘A Lot of New Young Adult Leads’
New updates have surfaced about the development of Star Wars: Episode X, including its title and some casting decisions.
Drew Karpyshyn wrote some excellent Old Republic-era stories, with Revan giving the era’s most iconic figure a focused tale. Set two years after the BioWare video game Knights of the Old Republic, the novel follows the redeemed Jedi Knight as he uncovers a grim secret from the galaxy’s far reaches that threatens the Republic’s stability.
While it isn’t the standout of Drew Karpyshyn’s novels set in the Old Republic, Revan proved to be far more than a cash-grabbing media tie-in thanks to its complex protagonist and deep worldbuilding of this era’s Star Wars lore. Revan is an incredibly complex figure within the wider Star Wars mythos because he is as renowned as a Jedi hero as much as a sinister Sith Lord, and this book stays true to that characterization.
12 The Darth Bane Trilogy Dug Deep Into the History of the Sith
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
September 26, 2006 (Path of Destruction), December 26, 2007 (Rule of Two), December 1, 2009 (Dynasty of Evil) |
Author: |
Drew Karpyshyn |
Goodreads score: |
4.33/5.00 (Path of Destruction), 4.22/5.00 (Rule of Two), 4.31/5.00 (Dynasty of Evil) |
Star Wars Legends novels are full of important original characters, but few can match Darth Bane’s impact on galactic history. Bane was first mentioned in the Phantom Menace novelization, but he got his own trilogy of novels by author Drew Karpyshyn. Path of Destruction, Rule of Two, and Dynasty of Evil told the story of the legendary Sith, who broke and rebuilt the Sith Order.
Bane is an intriguing character who completely remade the ethos of the dark side of the Force. The last two books introduce his apprentice, Darth Zannah, and all three explore the Sith at different phases of their power. This trilogy tops the list of Legends novels fans want to be canonized, and for good reason. Bane has been slowly working his way back into the main Canon, but his old story remains largely left out.
11 Darth Plagueis is a Tale of Growing Evil
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 10, 2012 |
---|---|
Author: |
James Luceno |
Goodreads score: |
4.16/5.00 |
The Sith are one of Star Wars’ most intriguing factions, and the mention of Darth Plagueis the Wise in Revenge Of The Sith tantalized fans. They got the full story in Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno. The book tells the story of the titular Sith Lord, his choosing of Palpatine as an apprentice, and his final fate.
Luceno paints the perfect picture of a Sith Lord during the waning days of the Republic. It gives readers an insight into Plagueis and his quest for immortality, as well as throwing some focus to a young Sheev Palpatine. Darth Plagueis is one of the most celebrated novels in the franchise due to its balance of thrills and fascinating lore. Once again, the author finds what might have otherwise been an off-hand piece of exposition from the movies and realizes an entire story around it that earns its place in Star Wars mythos — Legends or otherwise.
10 The New Jedi Order: Traitor is a Story of Self-Discovery Through Pain
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 1, 2002 |
---|---|
Author: |
Matthew Stover |
Goodreads score: |
4.04/5.00 |
The New Jedi Order years of Star Wars novels chronicled the horrors of the Yuuzhan Vong War in nineteen novels. There are some definite gems throughout, but Traitor by Matthew Stover is the best. Captured by the Yuuzhan Vong after a mission to Myrkr, Han and Leia’s son Jacen Solo is left to the tender ministrations of Vergere, an Old Republic Jedi who has worked with the Vong for decades.
Matthew Stover is an expert at examining the dark side of Star Wars. Solo’s time among the Yuuzhan Vong is filled with moments of pain, all of which teach him a lesson about who and what to be loyal to. It’s a trip into the heart of darkness, and the Jacen who emerges is much different from the one who went in.
9 Master & Apprentice Expands Upon Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon’s Relationship
Continuity: Mainline Canon
Release: |
April 16, 2019 |
---|---|
Author: |
Claudia Gray |
Goodreads score: |
4.18/5.00 |
2:52
![The Jedi line up to fight; The Master draws his red lightsaber in The Acolyte](https://www.todaysauthormagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/the-acolyte-red-wedding.jpg)
Related
The Acolyte Shatters a Heartbreaking 19-Year-Old Star Wars Record
Episode 5 of Disney+’s The Acolyte unleashes a new level of tragedy and darkness that Star Wars fans haven’t seen since Revenge of the Sith.
Despite his relatively brief screen time overall, Qui-Gon Jinn is one of Star Wars‘ most beloved Jedi. His dynamic with the young Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the bright spots of The Phantom Menace, and Claudia Gray’s Master & Apprentice earns its praise for honing in on the pair’s growing bond when they’re tasked with settling a political dispute within a royal court.
Master & Apprentice is among the best novels for fans eager to learn more about Qui-Gon Jinn offscreen, and the novel adds welcome context to their relationship in their debut movie and beyond. Despite being a relatively standalone story, the worldbuilding and fascinating contrasts between these characters’ philosophies feel meaningful to the mainline canon.
8 Kenobi is a More Compelling Look Into Obi-Wan’s Time in Exile
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
January 1, 2013 |
---|---|
Author: |
John Jackson Miller |
Goodreads score: |
4.09/5.00 |
Besides writing some of the best Star Wars Legends comics available, John Jackson Miller wrote a memorable look into Obi-Wan Kenobi’s time in exile post-Revenge of the Sith. During his time on Tatooine watching over young Luke Skywalker, Kenobi features the solemn Jedi Master aiding the desert planets — and dealing with a conflict involving the Tusken Raiders.
Kenobi ranks high among the most celebrated Star Wars novels thanks to its tasteful blend of the sci-fi and Western genres and its samurai tropes and undertones. It arguably fares better than the main-canon TV series, as the novel tells an intimate and personal story focusing on the exiled Jedi Master and making the Tatooine setting feel immersive and lived-in.
7 Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Expands Upon the Movie Brilliantly
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
April 2, 2005 |
---|---|
Author: |
Matthew Stover |
Goodreads score: |
4.27/5.00 |
The Prequel Trilogy has quite a few problems, but it’s still a beloved part of the Star Wars saga. Revenge of the Sith is considered the high point, and for fans who want to dive deeper into it, there’s the movie’s novelization by Matthew Stover. Stover dives deeper into the characters than a movie can, giving more context to the events and revealing hidden nuggets of information and references to other Star Wars media.
Movie novelizations are always interesting because of the difference between mediums, and the RotS adaptation is no different. Stover was the perfect author for it since his previous Star Wars novels all did a great job of exploring the shadowed corners of the galaxy far, far away. The particular highlights of this novelization were how it hones in on Anakin Skywalker’s inner turmoil, his envy and frustration with his Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his disturbing dark descent from his perspective. Combined with detailing Palpatine’s plans to overthrow the order and more, this novel shows the movie’s events in an even more dire light.
6 The Original Thrawn Trilogy is Still the Best
Continuity: Legends
Release: |
May 1, 1991 (Heir to the Empire), May 1, 1992 (Dark Force Rising), January 1, 1993 (The Last Command) |
---|---|
Author: |
Timothy Zahn |
Goodreads score: |
4.17/5.00 (Heir to the Empire), 4.18/5.00 (Dark Force Rising), 4.26/5.00 (The Last Command) |
Without Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy, there’s a good chance there would be no Star Wars in the way fans know it today. Those three books — Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, and The Last Command — were bestsellers that reignited fans’ passion for the property and resurrected the franchise at a time when it was all but dead. Continuing the adventures of the Original Trilogy heroes and introducing new favorites like Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, Talon Kardde, Gilad Pellaeon, and more, this trilogy is easily the best set of Star Wars books ever published. They’re exceptional Star Wars Legends books that hold up well to this day, complete with sincere stakes and a worthy antagonist to bring the legacy heroes back into the fray.
Grand Admiral Thrawn as a villain made these books feel like they have the dramatic scope of the Original Trilogy, all while feeling fresh on their own merits. His knack for meticulous strategy and ruthlessness as a military leader made the Chiss an excellent follow-up to the threat Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader posed before him. Capturing that cinematic atmosphere is key to why these books struck such a chord with fans and why they’re still held in high regard today. Despite not being adapted to the big screen, the Thrawn Trilogy was effectively the Sequel Trilogy of its time and a gold standard for what Star Wars storytelling could achieve in novel form.