The "other" SW canonical fiction Thread

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I say that what we once considered Star Wars fiction, the Expanded Universe, remain in discussion in that thread. This one shall have the Disney-bought stories from now on. I'll see just how much I post here. I wonder how many of the "old" authors will be asked to contribute, if any.

 

[JediTricks]

Not sure about the title, but the idea is good. Maybe I should just convert my SW: A New Dawn thread into the canonical fiction thread.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Well, we've done specific books in separate threads before; with that as apparently the "first," it could still stand alone. Unless, like cheese, it stinks!

And the title can be like your advanced copy version: a work in progress. I'm just frustrated with what I've heard so far, that the snarkiness came out of my fingers onto the keyboard.

 

[JediTricks]

Well, we've done specific books in separate threads before; with that as apparently the "first," it could still stand alone. Unless, like cheese, it stinks!

And the title can be like your advanced copy version: a work in progress. I'm just frustrated with what I've heard so far, that the snarkiness came out of my fingers onto the keyboard.

Gotcha. Ok, we'll keep these separate.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

I am about a 1/3 through Tarkin by James Luceno. Good news for EU survivalists: much of the detail and places are from EU-era stories. Bad news: quite a bit of SW: Clone Wars cartoon stuff.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Finished Luceno's Tarkin today, and it is the best SW fiction book in the current format.

...

Because I submit the following list (LISTS... :drool: )

TOP 10 STAR WARS POST-E.U. FICTION BOOKS:
10. ?
9. ?
8. ?
7. ?
6. ?
5. A New Dawn
4. ?
3. ?
2. ?
1. Tarkin

I'll wait to post specific spoilers/details until others have had time to finish it as well. But in general, you learn about the family and early career of Wilhuff, and get insights into why he is both feared and respected by allies (and maybe even foes). Vader and the Emperor are featured prominently, which is great. And a certain thing that's no moon gets alluded to quite a bit.

 

[Tycho]

That's no moon. It's a space station.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

While it's not fiction, the following book mentions the end of EU: Chris Taylor's How SW Conquered the Universe. I was apprehensive at first, figuring this was ANOTHER let-me-tell-you-everything-about-Star-Wars book, of which I felt I'd read all that before. There was quite a bit of detail I hadn't heard before, or some areas that had a different take on them. It was very current: mentioning characters in SW: Rebels, some of the on-location E7 photos. Few photos (B&W, in the middle) but extensive quoting. Interesting takes on the Prequels and fan activities, nice stroll through memory lane. Pretty good, and worth checking out (I'll wait to buy it in paperback... might include more E7 details).

 

[OC47151]

Thanks for the review, Bel-Cam. I saw that book recently at the bookstore. Didn't flip through it but I will next time I'm there.

 

[Maradona]

I recently read that the next SW animated series will run concurrently with the new trilogy and be considered canon. To make sure I've got it right, TCW is canon, but are any of the other cartoon series so deemed?

 

[El Chuxter]

I figure Rebels must be.

Droids and Ewoks were tough to fit in already, so I'm leaning toward no. I figure Caravan of Courage and Battle for Endor (okay, they're not exactly cartoons) are canon until we're specifically told otherwise.

 

[Maradona]

Is the original CW series? The animated portion of the Xmas special?

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

The Taylor book I posted about here had a statement to the effect that "if Lucas' name is on it, it's canon" (my paraphrasing, could be off), IIRC. Therefore, TCW and Rebels fit, not sure if "Lucasfilm" or "George Lucas" appeared on Droids or Ewoks cartoons. But then, wouldn't the Holiday Special, too? (or did Lucas "Special Edition" it, as well? ).

 

[JediTricks]

I'm surprised to hear something positive about Tarkin, I had seen some brutal early reviews and decided to pass it up, just didn't have the time to write a review of it before the end of the year (it was a review sample from the publisher).

 

[OC47151]

Read Star Wars Rebels: Servants of the Empire by James Fry over the weekend. I guess you could call it a prequel to Rebels but none of the main Rebels characters were in it.

It was okay. Not the worse, but not the best. It laid the groundwork to what the populace could expect from the Empire.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

Read Star Wars Rebels: Servants of the Empire by James Fry over the weekend.

Is that a new YA series? Those have been among the best in EU history. Could bode well for the (ED) Expensive Disnew books.

 

[OC47151]

Is that a new YA series? Those have been among the best in EU history. Could bode well for the (ED) Expensive Disnew books.

It is.

I haven't watched Rebels yet (have it recorded and plan to binge watch) but I think the book's main character, Zare, is featured in the ep where Ezra infiltrates the Imperial Academy. The book is set before Zare goes to the academy; he's at a prep school and the captain of a grav ball team.

Like I said before, the book sets a tone for themes we're familiar with: the beginning of the Rebellion, the Empire's hatred of alien species, political intrigue. But I wonder if these issues were too much for a YA took? For me, it wasn't clicking.

I noticed a couple of more Rebels YA books. I might check them out.

 

[Bel-Cam Jos]

It is.

I haven't watched Rebels yet (have it recorded and plan to binge watch) but I think the book's main character, Zare, is featured in the ep where Ezra infiltrates the Imperial Academy. The book is set before Zare goes to the academy; he's at a prep school and the captain of a grav ball team.

Like I said before, the book sets a tone for themes we're familiar with: the beginning of the Rebellion, the Empire's hatred of alien species, political intrigue. But I wonder if these issues were too much for a YA took? For me, it wasn't clicking.

I noticed a couple of more Rebels YA books. I might check them out.

Cool. Yeah, he teams up with Ezra, while Ezra's trying to steal something from the Empire. The other SW YA Rebels books I've seen seem to be episodes in written form.

 

[OC47151]

I re-read Republic Commando: Triple Zero. Enjoyed it more this second time. Too bad Karen Traviss isn't writing in the SW universe anymore.

 

[Mr. JabbaJohnL]

Is the original CW series? The animated portion of the Xmas special?

I have a thread here where I maintain a list of what Lucasfilm considers canon. I consistently update it when new projects are announced.

Basically, it includes everything after the Disney sale: Star Wars Rebels, the new movies starting with The Force Awakens, Marvel's upcoming comic series, and Del Rey's novels starting with A New Dawn.

From the pre-Disney days, it includes the six live-action saga films, The Clone Wars animated movie and TV series (2008-2014), and the projects that resulted from scripted but unfinished episodes of The Clone Wars.

I'm about halfway through Tarkin, and Luceno, as always, heavily references the EU. Since Tarkin is canon, that means the events that are mentioned within are also canon, whether or not the books, comics, games, or shows that depicted them are the exact canon way that these events transpired. For instance, Admiral Screed has a role in the book, and he was from the Droids series. This means that the character is now canon, but his appearance in that animated series might not be. Some of that series has already been contradicted by Rebels, such as the fact that the Rebel Alliance proper didn't exist for very long before ANH. But despite what many fans felt at the time of Lucasfilm's announcement, this is still very much the same universe as depicted in the EU, whether or not the specifics or events are the exact same.