Through the EU in the least amount of books ...

[Champion of the Force]

Here's the scenario:

A person who has never read the EU before has come up to you and asked you which books you would recommend to read. But here's the catch - they only want to read post-ROTJ novels and they don't want to read EVERY novel. Instead they'd like to know the bare minimum of books to read that would enable them to get through the EU as quickly as possible yet still cover most (if not all) of the major characters and events that are vital to the ongoing storyline.

So here's the deal - create a list of EU novels (post-ROTJ) that you would recommend for them to read that would get them to the current state of the EU storyline with enough klnowledge of the characters and events to be able to make sense of it. Include a reason why you've chosen those books too if possible.

Only use novels listed in TFN's EU chronology that take place after ROTJ (ie. don't refer to comics, younger readers etc):

http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/novels_chrono.shtml

Remember that they only want to read the bare-essential novels, so don't just list your fav books.

In the end, a person should be able to use your list and know enough about the characters and what has occured to be able to make sense of the more recent EU novels.

Make sense? The point of this exercise is to find out what people would recommend if they could only list books that they consider vital to understanding the ongoing storyline. :)

[ReaperFett]

Essential Chronology. One! Ha! :)

Seriously:

Thrawn Trilogy
Jedi Academy Trilogy
Not read, but I suppose the Hand of Thrawn Duology

So, we have the start, the founding of the Jedi, and the ending of the arc. Then they could go back, or proceed to the NJO

[Champion of the Force]

Ok, so you'd have a grand total of ... 8 books.

And you haven't even included the NJO yet - what would you recommend for them? All of them, or only some?

Remember people, I want a list covering the storyline right from ROTJ to the latest EU novel (Star By Star) so that includes the NJO as well (not that you have to include it if you don't think it's essential). :)

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

In every NJO book following Vector Prime, they have a description at the front of the book at what's happened so far.

IMO, it would be best to read them all. The most crucial are probably the hardcovers though: Vector Prime, Balance Point, Star by Star.

That's my opinion on the matter :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

I defintely agree with Reaper those would be the best to start and as Thrawn said the hardcovers would give you the best gist of the NJO. Of course you will still miss out on some stuff that is covered in the X-Wing novels and in the Correlian triolgy and the New Rebellion (mostly political stuff about Borsk) but the stuff in there is not really necessary.

[ReaperFett]

Including NJO, Id say read Vector Prime, Rebirth and SbS. Vector Prime started it, SbS has had the biggest impact, and Rebirth so they wont believe the LYING summary in SbS

[Jedieb]

The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton

Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

Jedi Search
Dark Apprentice
Champions of the Force

I, Jedi by Michael A. Stackpole
Before the Storm
Shield of Lies
Tyrant's Test

Ambush at Corellia
Assault at Selonia
Showdown at Centerpoint

Specter of the Past
Vision of the Future

Vector Prime by R.A. Salvatore
Dark Tide I - Onslaught by Michael A. Stackpole
Dark Tide II - Ruin by Michael A. Stackpole

Balance Point by Kathy Tyers

Edge of Victory I - Conquest by Greg Keyes
Edge of Victory II - Rebirth by Greg Keyes

To come up with my list I copied the whole list at TFN and then started cutting books I thought a newbie could do without.

[Champion of the Force]

I like Jedieb's list.

However it I was writing one up I might be inclined to leave out the Jedi Academy trilogy altogether and just recommend I, Jedi, since it loosely covers the events from that trilogy in the first half of the novel (albeit from Corran's perspective).

Although I haven't read all the novels, here's a list I might suggest that I based off TFN's reviews (my own comments in Italics):
_______________

Heir To The Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command
... these pretty much started off the EU as we know it and introduce many characters that reappear again and again later on.

I, Jedi
... although mainly concerned with Corran, it does (to a limited extent) attempt to explain some of the occurences from the Jedi Academy trilogy, which may be enough for the bare-essential reader without having to read the entire JA trilogy.

Ambush at Corellia
Assault at Selonia
Showdown at Centerpoint
... mainly included for no other reason than my list thus far has hardly featured any of the Solo children in them and they need to be seen in action somewhere IMHO prior to the NJO to set them up for the later series.

Specter of the Past
Vision of the Future
... fairly obvious inclusion - these 2 pretty much wrapped up the Bantam line and left the road open for the NJO.

All of the NJO.
... I actually haven't read any of the NJO yet, but from reviews that I've read it appears as though Del Rey is keeping all the novels closely tied in with one another, thus probably making it necessary to read them all to keep properly on track with everything.

As I stated above, I haven't read all of these novels, but from the reviews by TFN they appear to feature important developments that may be necessary for understanding the overall storyline.

[ReaperFett]

see, here's where I disagree :)

First, I, Jedi. It shows the JAT, yes, but through a sceptics eye. It makes Corran seem better than Luke, and to me only works as a supplement to the JAT.

Now, the Corellian Trilogy. I never read it, and I dont feel I have missed anything. Never read the Zahn Duology either, but feel I will have to for closure.

Adding Comics, I want to get and reccomend to all Union. Mara and Luke get hitched, and most look like actors. We wont see Buscemi in SW any other way :)

[Champion of the Force]

see, here's where I disagree
Good - we're getting somewhere. ;)

Seriously, I was hoping for some disagreement since it makes for a more interesting discussion. :)

[ReaperFett]

since it makes for a more interesting discussion

No it doesn't! :)

[RHJediKnight]

The Courtship of Princess Leia by Dave Wolverton

This is included because Han and Leia finally get married in this book. I don't know if there's anything else real essential in it, but it covers a pretty important event, so it's on my list.

The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn

Essential reading for any EU newbie. I think that goes without saying...

The Jedi Academy Trilogy by Kevin J. Anderson

Mainly on my list because it gives Luke some character development, explores the beginning of the new Jedi Order, and also the Solo kids play slightly important roles.

The Corellian Trilogy by Roger MacBride Allen

This is here because Jacen, Jaina and Anakin don't really have much to do outside of the Jedi Academy books, they are fairly important in the trilogy, and because it deals with a significant event that happens later on in the NJO books.

The Hand of Thrawn Duology by Timothy Zahn

Very important books in the EU. Ends the Bantam line, ends the Galactic Civil War, and sets up the NJO era.

The New Jedi Order Series

While they say we only need to read the five hardcovers to get the entire story, I think we should read every single book in order to get it all. If you skip through the paperbacks, all of the characters' development and backstories will be pretty much wasted, cut apart from two to four books into just a few paragraphs covering a page or two in a hardcover.

That's basically my 'Essential Guide to the Expanded Universe', or whatever. It looks pretty much the same as most of the others, but I figured I'd add it anyway. :)

[Doc Milo]

I haven't read the replies to this post yet -- wanted to have my say without being biased with what others have posted...

Here's my list:

"Heir to the Empire"
"Dark Force Rising"
"The Last Command"

(Because they started off the EU we know now, and introduces us to Mara Jade and Talon Karrde -- essential characters in my mind...)

"I, Jedi"

(I haven't read all of it, but I think it essential to introduce Corran Horn without having to read the entire X-Wing series. Now, I'd recommend the X-Wing series because they are great books, but I don't think they're really essential reads to understand the storyline, so I won't put them on this list.)

The Corellian Trilogy

(Gives us some good introduction to Han and Leia's kids, especially Anakin Solo, and essential to understand some of the later happenings in the NJO series.)

"Specter of the Past"
"Vision of the Future"

(These set up the NJO situations.)

I was going to try to parse the NJO series, but I think they all have some essential elements to them...

So that's what? Nine plus the NJO series...

[Doc Milo]

Just went back and read the replies.

Wow, Davwj, we came up with the same list!

[Jedieb]

Substituting I, Jedi for the Academy Trilogy will save a reader some time, but it will make Corran seem more important than he is. I, Jedi isn't a bad novel, but hearing the Luke Clone lecture the Farmboy himself is a bit grating to me. I also think you've got to skip some of the NJO novels. It's not as if the EU turned to gold once the Vong entered the galaxy. And you can cut a couple of NJO books and still be up to date with what's going on now.

[Champion of the Force]

Actually I, Jedi may not be as good a shortcut as I first thought, since it really assumes prior knowledge of Corran (X-Wing series) which a reader using mine/Doc's list would not obtain.

I think it might be better to go the Jedi Academy route instead as well.