The Star Wars franchise is one of the most extensive franchises in the Science-Fiction genre. It has well-over 350 books now, which will take anyone ages to read. It also has numerous storylines, which can be difficult for most to follow.
You have to be a huge fan, dedicating a lot of time to understanding how everything fits together across the galaxy.
The following guide will help you understand the Star Wars novel series, and how you should go about approaching the read.
Start with the Canon or "Legend" series
2014 was the year that Disney acquired Star Wars. Novels published before this were initially classified as the Canon series, but re-classified as the Legend series with Disney's acquisition.
The books contain the history of Star Wars and are what the movies entail. Since Disney's role increased, there have been plenty of expanded universe stories stemming off the original. If you want to understand Star Wars from its inception, you need to start with the Legend series.
It includes Master & Apprentice, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Lords of the Sith, and so on.
The series has a long list of important characters
Star Wars takes place in a galaxy with hundreds of key characters. It can be challenging for readers to keep up with each one of these personalities individually. Don't worry; as long as you are aware of the main ensemble you’ll be fine—Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Darth Vader, to name a few.
There are also specific books to help you understand the story behind each character, including Leia, Princess of Alderaan, Last Shot: A Han and Lando Novel, Master & Apprentice (Obi-Wan Kenobi), and others.
Books you must read to understand Star Wars
It is nearly impossible for you to read all the books in the franchise unless you have a few years to dedicate to the task. At least you don't have to read all of the books for a decent grasp of the storyline.
It’s best to start with reading the following books in the series:
- Master & Apprentice, which sets the storyline of The Phantom Menace, and lays out a back story to Obi-Wan Kenobi and his relationship with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn.
- A New Dawn covers the impact of the Empire's rule on the galaxy. It describes the period between the popular movies, Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
- Aftermath shows the struggle of the Rebels after Return of the Jedi. The Rebel forces are fighting off the remaining Empire's army after the evil Emperor is defeated.
- Bloodline covers how Leia is impacted by finding out that Darth Vader is her father. It is her road to becoming a Senator in the New Republic.
These books, together with the movies, should help you develop a better understanding of the Star Wars franchise and the complex web of stories within it. A true Star Wars fan will need to spend countless hours reading the novels—the movies aren't enough to grasp the whole story.
Reading through so many novels can take a toll on your focus, so be sure to take your mind off the drama with some entertainment, like your favourite 918kiss casino games.
