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Everyone knows that Star Wars has a rich and storied history when it comes to its expanded universe of books, most of which have now been taken out of canon and deemed “Legends” by Disney. But the new era began in 2014, and many of the recent canon books are really worthwhile to read as well.
The following reading list is from the last two years’ books, as Disney is having authors crank these out at a pretty rapid pace, and it’s easy to miss some gems if you don’t know about them. There are a lot of good stories being told in this universe, and in no particular order, here are five of the best recent novels.
Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older
The Solo movie may not have done all that well in theaters (comparatively, at least), but this is an action-packed novel by New York Times bestselling author Daniel Jose Older that continues Han’s story once he’s settled down with Leia and has children. Think of it as an introduction to his time in the new trilogy, and a setup for Lando Calrissian appearing in the next movie.
Most Wanted by Rae Carson
Another Solo novel, this one is entirely focused on young Han from the Solo: A Star Wars Story movie and his relationship with Qi’ra, the new character introduced in the film. This novel is a story of survival and trust that takes place before that film and shows the history that these two have together. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a Han fan.
Queen’s Shadow by E.K. Johnson
Any Padmé fans in the house? The Lucas films may not have done her justice, but she shines when it comes to her own books, and Queen’s Shadow is about Padmé when she steps away from the throne as dark forces rise up in the galaxy around her. A must-read for the Young Adult crowd, if that’s your genre of choice.
Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray
This is the first canon Star Wars novel to take place before the prequels. In this book, we’re following the adventures of Qui-gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi as they head to a dangerous planet. It’s a look at Qui-gon that helps explain some of his questionable motivations in The Phantom Menace and a fascinating entry in the new canon.
Thrawn: Alliances by Timothy Zahn
What, did you really think I wasn’t going to include a Timothy Zahn book here? Thrawn: Alliances is the second book in the new canon Thrawn series (and the third book will be released later this month). In this one, Thrawn teams up with Vader and…I mean, why would you need to know any more than that?
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