These books are easy places to leap in into the adventure without any prior knowledge beyond of (at most) the movies. This is not a complete list or Star Wars stories. Going into these stories in particular, you pretty much leap into the action just as you did with the movies. Remember the first time A New Hope or The Phantom Menace started? No one knew what was going on, but for what that tiny bit in the opening scroll told us. The same is true here.
A good book is a fine read whether it’s labeled adult, young adult or for kids either. Good stories transcend age limits. Each author has their own style as well. I tried to stick to main characters or fan favorites for this. I also aimed for stories that stood alone rather than needing to read a full set as well as shorter books.
Some are out of print, but you still might happen on them in libraries, used book stores, flea markets and so on. This is especially true of graphic novels and comics, although they have been reprinted in various omnibus formats.
The main thing to remember is to check for whether the book is part of a series. If it is, you are committing to reading all of it to get the full story. But there are plenty of stories that aren’t part of a series. There are even a few exceptions (noted below) where being part of a series is no hindrance.
The Prequel Era Adventures
A Darth Maul adventure as he seeks a traitor who could expose the plans of the Sith. A Jedi, a down and out information broker, and an unusual droid are in the way and trying to survive.
One of Anakin and Obi-Wan’s first adventures together as they go to a mysterious world to seek a missing Jedi.
Anakin and Obi-Wan’s mission to Ansion, as mentioned in Attack of the Clones. With Luminara Unduli & Barriss Offee
During the Clone Wars Mace Windu searches to find out what has become of a close Jedi friend on a dangerous jungle world.
Yoda along with 2 Jedi and their padawans, is on a mission to face Count Dooku in hopes of ending the Clone Wars.
Anakin & Obi-Wan hunt for the secret Sith behind the war. Advertised as the must read into Revenge of the Sith.
Advertised as the must read sequel to Revenge of the Sith, Darth Vader adapts to his new life while pursuing the Jedi survivors
Obi-Wan Kenobi is an exiled hermit on Tatooine. But balancing the being a Jedi and care for others vs keeping a low profile is going to be an adventure in itself.
Young Adult
One of Anakin’s first adventures with Obi-Wan. In this he builds his first lightsaber. It has a comic adaptation & follow up series as well.
A story spanning from Jedi Master Dooku & Qui-Gon to Qui-Gon & Obi-Wan to Obi-Wan & Anakin in the Clone Wars,
An adventure with Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan comes back years later in the Clone Wars to haunt Obi-Wan and Anakin.
This is an omnibus with both Legacy of the Jedi and Secrets of the Jedi. It also contains the short story Last One Standing, set right after Revenge of the Sith.
A bridge between the Jedi Apprentice & Jedi Quest books. Sith teachings are endangering the galaxy. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan begin the mission. Obi-Wan and Anakin have to complete it.
Follow Maul’s journey and his memories as he seeks to foil the Jedi and kill the Queen of Naboo, Amidala. Young adult book.
Graphic Novels
Darth Vader and the Lost Command
Vader is transitioning from the life he sacrificed and the love he lost, when he is sent on a mission to ensure a missing officer, son of Tarkin, is found and Tarkin’s loyalty ensured.
Darth Vader and the Ghost Prison
Vader finds out about a few more things the Jedi Council has kept from him, even as Imperial officers plot against the new Emperor.
Darth Vader and the Ninth Assassin
An ancient danger threatens the Empire and a newer one is out to get Vader, in the form of assassins. But the last one is the most dangerous of all.
Find out the mysterious past of Jango Fett! How did he become involved with the Mandaloreans? And what is his secret grudge against the Jedi Order?
Blood Ties: Jango Fett and Boba
Jango Fett is sent to find and eliminate a Clone deserter that could be a security breach. Years later, Boba will find out his Father had a secret related to this mission.
Darth Vader is hunting the remnants of the Jedi. And they are hunting him. The graphic novel has several story arcs of Darth Vader learning to juggle his duty to the Emperor, following orders, and how to not only defeat the Jedi but erase even their memory from the galaxy.
The Original Trilogy
This was written pre The Empire Strikes Back. Luke & Leia have no idea of their relationship yet. En route to a diplomatic mission, they crash on a swamp planet where they discover a powerful treasure. Vader is out to get it. This also has a comic book adaptation that brings it more in line with the movies.
Our heroes, Luke, Han and Leia are out helping Rebel supporters and looking for new allies. We get a view from behind the trooper helmet too, plus meet up with an Imperial agent named Mara Jade.
“Everything but the movie” You can get the adult novel, the YA (by Christopher Golden), the graphic novel, or even the game of this one. Luke, Leia, Lando & Chewie are looking for Fett & the frozen Han Solo. But a new player is a rival of Vader’s and wants Luke dead.
The various media have different angles: the comic/graphic novel version focused more on the bounty hunters and the game more on Dash Rendar.
Don’t judge a book by it’s cover. The cliche is true here. Featuring new characters Dusque Mistflyer and Finn Darktrin. Dusque is yanked into the Rebellion from her simple life as an Imperial biologist, and finds herself on a mission for Princess Leia.
Available as an omnibus or separate if you can find them used. The original ones are short. Each stands alone as well. These are some of Han and Chewie’s adventures before they meet Luke, Leia and the rebels.
It comes in an omnibus or as separate books if you can find them used. The original ones are short. The first in particular, Lando Calrissian and the Mindharp of Sharu, stands alone.
This was re-released in an omnibus but the first 2, Paradise Snare (Han’s early life up to going to the Imperial Academy) and Hutt Gambit (smuggling years) stand alone quite well.
Han, Chewbacca, Lando and some other allies decide to go for a major high stakes heist soon before Han meets the rebels. This has a short story featuring Lando Calrissian at the end. This has been described as being ‘Ocean’s 11 meets Star Wars’.
This is a collection of shorts of the bounty hunters you see in The Empire Strikes Back, as they pursue Han Solo. They stand alone. The only one that doesn’t hold true is Boba Fett. This veers his story into another era.
These short stories feature background and new characters, some made very popular in other stories, including Corran Horn and Thrawn.
The Mos Eisley Cantina had far more going on then a Jedi, a farm boy and a pair of smugglers. Beings on the run, bounty hunters seeking them and more were all in the midst of adventure!
Before, after and during our heroes rescue of Han during Return of the Jedi, various palace intrigues were in full swing. From Oola, to the weeping rancor keeper. Many stories intertwine. Fan favorite Mara Jade has a story here as well.
Young Adult
This is the life of Anakin Skywalker AKA Darth Vader, from growing up on Tatooine, to training under Obi-Wan, to his years as Vader and his return from the Dark Side. It’s a young adult book and some parts are new and some parts you might see in other stories. It came with a nice slip cover and amazing art on the cover.
From his youth at the Jedi Temple to his isolation on Tatooine to some interesting tidbits of his view of his former apprentice from the afterlife. Another young adult book with both new and old content and a very art on cover and slip cover.
Luke’s life including his childhood, years with the Rebellion and into the years after when he forms the Jedi Academy. This young adult book includes new content and adventures, as well as some encounters with past enemies. Again this one has a really nice cover and slip cover.
Graphic Novels
Star Wars Adventures: The Will of Darth Vader.
The Sith Lord is on a mission to stop a Rebel base in an asteroid belt. Only his incredible flying and Force skills will get him through. But that might not help him with the snarky smuggler pilot they captured to be his guide.
Luke Skywalker has an adventure while training with Yoda on Dagobah.
Han Solo’s unexpected side trip leaves Princess Leia’s mission for the Alliance side tracked when it gets a bounty hunter on their trail.
Han and Chewbacca end up in over their heads when a debt collector holds Chewie as collateral in a gladiator arena while forcing Han off on a job with a shady former colleague.
Chewbacca relates a tale of his youth where he is forced to take on slavers and find out growing up can carry a heavy price.
Fett is investigating an ancient derelict ship for treasure but he finds the ship full of unexpected danger as well as rival bounty hunters.
Darth Vader hires Boba Fett to go after a certain prize. But the Dark Lord doesn’t want any witnesses to what it is and that includes Boba Fett.
Post Return of the Jedi Adventures
The first story set the day after Return of the Jedi. Luke, Leia and Han head off to help am Imperial planet invaded by a strange species. A truce is the planet’s only hope.
Han and Leia are in love. But diplomatic needs may force Leia to choose another. So Han takes desperate measures that lead to a wild adventure with danger in the sky above, a wilderness planet and a new potential ally, or enemy.
This stars an X-Wing pilot, Corran Horn. When his wife goes missing, only his Jedi potential can find her. That means training with Luke Skywalker at his new Jedi Academy. This intertwines with the Jedi Academy & X-Wing series but stands alone.
A bombing in the New Republic Senate has our heroes seeking answers to the culprit, who they suspect is trained in the Force.
Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade go on a quest to discover what became of the Old Republic Jedi expedition, Outbound Flight.
In spite of the title, one of these stories is set during the Rebellion years. The rest however are set during the New Republic years. There is a surprise Boba Fett story, plus several of popular Expanded Universe characters.
Young Adult
Han and Leia’s twins are training at Luke’s Jedi Academy. They make new friends and find unexpected trouble leftover from the Galactic Civil War. This is the start of a series but it does stand alone. These are also available in omnibus format.
Han and Leia’s youngest son is now ready to go to the Jedi Academy. He makes new friends and goes on an adventure through the wilds of Yavin 4. This is book one in a series but it stands alone.
Graphic Novels
Fan Fav Wedge Antillies and Rogue Squadron run into a past enemy. Most of his adventures (comic and novel) are in series. This one is a great introduction and stands alone.
Introducing Royal Guard, Kir Kanos. You didn’t think everyone was overjoyed at the Emperor’s death did you? There are those sworn to protect him, to sacrifice their own lives and those of their fellows for him. The lone survivor seeks revenge on those behind his leader’s death. This is the start of a series but it stands alone. It is also available in full audio cast format.
Adventures Before the Prequels
This is ancient history, thousands of years before the movies. The Sith Empire and the Jedi with the Republic are at war, but a peace treaty is about to be signed. But where the Sith are concerned, betrayal is common. One young Jedi won’t take it lying down. With the help of a down and out smuggler, she plans to do something about it.
“Only 2 there are, a master, and an apprentice.” Darth Bane instituted this rule. This is an adventure telling how a simple man became one who changed the Sith Order and led to the rise of the Sith of the movies.
Graphic Novels
This is the story of Uliq Qel-Droma and Nomi Sunrider, their path to becoming Jedi. It’s the start of a series but the graphic novel stands alone. It’s set about 4000 years before the movie era.
The only confusing thing is the title. My copy does not say ‘Knights of the Old Republic’ and that sub title would later be used both for a video game and a comic book series.
You may be able to find this in Omnibus format or a Marvel collection at some point.
Highlights
These stories take a bit more commitment, since they are duologies or trilogies, but explain some major events.
Famous for starting off the Expanded universe. Our heroes after Return of the Jedi have won the capital world of Coruscant. But a new Imperial admiral whose masterful strategies challenge the New Republic’s very existence.
This is also available in graphic novel or comic book format. The original audio books were abridged, but read by Anthony Daniels (the real C3PO) and Denis Lawson (Wedge Antillies) A later unabridged version was released.
The first comics that fired off the comic side of the expanded universe. Consists of Dark Empire 1, 2 and Empire’s End.
The New Republic is driven off Coruscant and Luke Skywalker finds out their enemies terrifying secret.
This is available as an audio drama as well as comics and graphic novels. The catch is, while Dark Empire 1 & 2 are easily available, the ending is in Empire’s End. That audio version was only in the Collector’s set.
Events in this series are mentioned in Jedi Academy.
This trilogy is the first to combine the book and comic storylines. In this Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Academy is founded and faces it’s first challenges. Han Solo finds danger on his old haunts along the Kessel Run.
This is the trilogy that I,Jedi intertwines with, but you get it from the main characters point of view & goes beyond the Jedi Academy to other events.
There is a real chance of peace between the Imperial Remnant and the New Republic. But a discovery threatens to rip the New Republic into civil war and there are those on the Imperial side that want to use it. It’s up to our heroes to stop the them. If they succeed, can change the galaxy.
