PDA

View Full Version : Book recommendations needed



Dasquian Belargic
Nov 23rd, 2003, 08:54:12 AM
It's coming up to Christmas, and so inevitably I've been asked to come up with a list of things for people to buy for me ;) So far, by surfing around a little, I've picked out three books which I think I'd like:

Power of the Jedi Sourcebook
Coruscant and the Core Worlds
I, Jedi

I was thinking about the Darkside Sourcebook too, but the reviews I've read of it haven't been too good (which is where you come in ... :mneh)

If you have any other recommendations, please post them. Bare in mind I haven't read any other SW books - so would prefer stand alone novels, as opposed to those in a series. Any suggestions are welcome, so please throw them out.

ReaperFett
Nov 23rd, 2003, 09:49:43 AM
Right, let's think.

First, if you like a clever prequel novel, Cloak of Deception.

The Han Solo Trilogy is a great series. It follows Han from a teen through to sitting in the Mos Eisley Cantina, and is a well written read.

As you're getting I, Jedi, I'd reccomend the Jedi Academy Trilogy, which was my first proper SW novels. I, jedi is partially one mans view of what happens in the JAT. You get more out of both when you've read the JAT first IMO.

Starfighters of Adumar is the greatest SW novel ever. It's book nine of the X-Wing series, but I don't really think you miss much providing you know who Wedge, Tycho, Hobbie, Janson, Cracken, Iella and the 181st are.

Quay'Na Rakai
Nov 23rd, 2003, 10:25:37 AM
Thrawn trilogy is good.

Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

Also, The Crystal Star, I liked it's a single

Oops, missed the thing about the series, oh well...

Ok, here's 2 more that are single that I enjoyed-

Shadows of the Empire

The Truce at Bakura

Dasquian Belargic
Nov 23rd, 2003, 10:49:11 AM
I don't mind series' so much, so long as I'm not getting a book right out of the middle of it. :)

Thanks for the adivce, both of you.

Quay'Na Rakai
Nov 23rd, 2003, 01:43:51 PM
Truce at Bakura is only a day or so after the ROTJ, it blends in very nicely...it's a favorite of mine. :)

Marcus Telcontar
Nov 23rd, 2003, 06:30:05 PM
Do NOT get the Jedi Acdamy trilogy - it is noithng short of illiterate cat pee.

The Thrawn trilogy is a total must. There is no SW books better.

The DarkSide source book I reviewed here not long ago and I thought it was excellent. Lots of details and knowledge to be had.

I, Jedi - good.

X-Wing series books = good

Unfortuantly, most other SW books are below contempt. Ones to avoid at all cost have Callista. Darksabre, Children of the Jedi, anythign by Barbara Hamly. Just.... avoid. Oh, Black fleet crisis trilogy isnt worth crapping on and flushing. It's that awful.

ReaperFett
Nov 24th, 2003, 05:16:46 PM
Black Fleet Crisis is great if you keep to the Han/Leia/NR stuff. The Luke and Lando bits are meh.

Morgan Evanar
Nov 26th, 2003, 11:16:53 PM
Do NOT get the Jedi Acdamy trilogy - it is noithng short of illiterate cat pee.

The Thrawn trilogy is a total must. There is no SW books better.

The DarkSide source book I reviewed here not long ago and I thought it was excellent. Lots of details and knowledge to be had.

I, Jedi - good.

X-Wing series books = good For the truth.

Dasquian Belargic
Nov 27th, 2003, 11:00:51 AM
Anything NON-SW you can suggest too is cool :)

Sith Lord
Nov 30th, 2003, 02:25:09 PM
Thrawn trilogy, the Essential Guides are INCREDIBLE, and my favorite novel of all would be Darksaber by Kevin J Anderson.

Pierce Tondry
Dec 1st, 2003, 10:42:43 AM
I never was much for Anderson's SW stuff. His plots were grandiose, yes, but they never had quite the realistic touch inherent in Zahn's work and that made them corny to me. I recommend all five of his Star Wars novels (Heir to the Empire Trilogy, Hand of Thrawn duology)

I might take a look on my bookshelf and see if there's anything on there I can recommend to ya when I get home, Jenny.

Marcus Telcontar
Dec 2nd, 2003, 03:58:35 AM
my favorite novel of all would be Darksaber by Kevin J Anderson.

.... what? We could not have read the same book, surely. Darksabre was the book that caused me to swear I wouldnt read another EU book again.

I broke that vow with the first of the NJO books. I prompty hit myself many times in disgust for breaking that vow

ReaperFett
Dec 2nd, 2003, 08:37:17 AM
3 so far dislike KJA, 2 like. He is a very divided author, this is for sure :)

Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 2nd, 2003, 01:41:11 PM
Thanks for the running commentary Fett. You guys always have this same arguement about the same author, why not just give it up and get a new hobby?

Dasq - if you want, here are a few non-SW novels that I really liked.

Prey (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=2UT8CHEUVL&isbn=0679444815&itm=2>Timeline</a>,), same author
any Discworld book (duh!)
A Song of Ice and Fire: , <a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=2UT8CHEUVL&isbn=0553579908&itm=1>A Clash of Kings (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=2UT8CHEUVL&isbn=0553573403&itm=4>A), and <a href=http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=2UT8CHEUVL&isbn=055357342X&itm=9>A Storm of Swords</a>

Dasquian Belargic
Dec 2nd, 2003, 01:43:33 PM
Suprisingly, I didn't put any DW books on my list. I did put Good Omens, a joint effort between Pratchett and Neil Gaiman though :)

And Timeline - I just saw a trailer on TV for the movie version of that!

Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 2nd, 2003, 01:53:28 PM
The movie sucks. Trust me on this. The book = 1000x better.

ReaperFett
Dec 2nd, 2003, 02:26:59 PM
LD, I didn't argue, I made an observation.

Neil Gaiman did Discworld? Heh, the things you learn.

imported_Reshmar
Dec 2nd, 2003, 03:57:09 PM
Ringworld trilogy by Larry Nevan

Dasquian Belargic
Dec 3rd, 2003, 12:00:47 PM
Neil Gaiman did Discworld? Heh, the things you learn.

Not exactly. Sort of similar though, as is inevitable with PTerry being involved. :)


Amazon.com
Pratchett (of Discworld fame) and Gaiman (of Sandman fame) may seem an unlikely combination, but the topic (Armageddon) of this fast-paced novel is old hat to both. Pratchett's wackiness collaborates with Gaiman's morbid humor; the result is a humanist delight to be savored and reread again and again. You see, there was a bit of a mixup when the Antichrist was born, due in part to the machinations of Crowley, who did not so much fall as saunter downwards, and in part to the mysterious ways as manifested in the form of a part-time rare book dealer, an angel named Aziraphale. Like top agents everywhere, they've long had more in common with each other than the sides they represent, or the conflict they are nominally engaged in. The only person who knows how it will all end is Agnes Nutter, a witch whose prophecies all come true, if one can only manage to decipher them. The minor characters along the way (Famine makes an appearance as diet crazes, no-calorie food and anorexia epidemics) are as much fun as the story as a whole, which adds up to one of those rare books which is enormous fun to read the first time, and the second time, and the third time...

Rowan
Dec 4th, 2003, 10:18:45 AM
Tyrants and Kings books by john marco are good.

and the song of ice and fire books are the best books ever written

Jaina
Dec 10th, 2003, 05:35:28 PM
Tatooing Ghost is VERY good. Esp. if you like the books that go back and explain what happened then. And what happened to a character(Shmi) while you were reading about another character. (Anakin)

Lilaena De'Ville
Dec 13th, 2003, 07:15:38 PM
okay....Good Omens = good. Definetely try and get it. I bought it for myself for my birthday.

Also the brand new Discworld book "Monstrous Regiment" is fantastic. :):thumbup

Ishan Shade
Dec 13th, 2003, 11:40:56 PM
Are there any books that take place right before ANH?

Jame Kaman Dar
Dec 17th, 2003, 03:44:03 PM
Personally, I'd recommend The First Man in Rome, and all the books after it, if you like that roman stuff. It's By Colleen McCullough. I loved it. A little something I read for my Grade 11 senior novel project. Finshed mine before everyone else, and they were reading these dinky little 200-300 page novels that I would have read when I was 6 (Hey, I read the LOTR trilogy at that age)

Lady Winter
Dec 23rd, 2003, 01:24:38 AM
I highly recommend all of the X-Wing books and ANYTHING written by J.R.R. Tolkien. I also recommend the Corellia trilogy, and of course, the Timothy Zahn novels. If you like short stories, Tales of the New Republic is a good read.