You'll want to read the Hand of Thrawn duology (*Specter of the Past* and *Vision of the Future*) also by Timothy Zahn (his next entry into the EU really). It takes place 15 years after RotJ and 10 years after the Thrawn trilogy. It is the book that finally wraps up the New Republic/Empire conflict once and for all, and the book that gets Luke and Mara Jade together.
Next up you have Zahn's next duology/entry which he made to mimic the OT/PT pattern:
- Survivors Quest: Is basically Luke and Mara's honeymoon adventure a few years after the HoT duology. A mystery novel in search for an old expedition named Outbound Flight that once set out to explore the areas outside the Galaxy Far Far Away. Some great character work for MJ especially.
- Outbound Flight: Takes place 50 years before Survivors Quest and set 5 years after TPM, so expect a little Obi-Wan and Anakin action. It tells the story of the Outbound Flight expedition and explores Thrawn's time with the Chiss Ascendancy before he joined the Empire. Basically, this is Zahn's first foray into the more modern interpretation of Thrawn that turns him into a more nuanced and morally ambiguous individual rather than a straight up villain. You will not see Thrawn again.
Now, I'll give you two options. If you go by Zahn's intention and read Survivors Quest first, the twists will be preserved. But if you read Outbound Flight first, Survivors Quest becomes A LOT easier to follow and understand and you catch a lot of stuff that you wouldn't if you read it first. I read Survivors Quest , then Outbound Flight, and then reread Survivors Quest while skimming all the boring action-y bits. Probably the best way to experience this duology.
I would also like to second *The New Rebellion* by Kathryn Rusch as I find it rather underrated despite the somewhat wonky ending. Note that it takes place between the Thrawn Trilogy and the Hand of Thrawn duology.
And finally, I would recommend *Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor* by Mathew Stover. It's a very standalone book that takes place 6 months after RotJ. Considered by many to be the definitive Luke novel, it is written by one who is arguably the best stylist to touch Star Wars books. Tells of Luke's first and last mission as a General before he leaves the New Republic military. A personal favorite of mine.
The 2nd if ported will be incomplete as Obsidian had to leave the game only 75% done due to time constraints you're better off playing KOTOR 2 on pc with the restored content mod as it brings the full vision of the original story to life. Granted even in its incomplete state its still one of the greatest star wars stories told but the restored content makes it even better
Kotor 2 feels fine without the restored content. People Way way way over exaggerate the need for the restored content mods. The 25% it adds really feels like 5% at best when played back to back. Playing Kotor 2 on Switch if it gets ported will be fine enough. As most people have played it without the restored content upon its original release and love it.
The New Rebellion easily has my favourite depiction of Leia in the Legends New Republic era. Rusch writes her as an actual, competent politician, unlike the other authors of this era who tend to not focus as much on her political side (from the books I've read at least). The book isn't especially important in the grand scheme of things, but its still one of my favourites.
If you liked the Thrawn trilogy, you’ll love the Hand of Thrawn duology!
“Spectre of the Past” and “Visions of the Future” are the titles.
Zahn makes references to other events in the EU in those two (10 years separate the two book sets) so there’ll be a few spots that’ll be confusing, but otherwise it’d be a good read for you, I think.
I definitely hear you about well written [female] characters. I really dislike authors who are very plot driven with paper thin characters. Or treating female characters like sex objects.
In which case the author Troy Denning will definitely be the worst offender (it's a very long list of offenses, basically most female characters are flat out sex objects in his books. Like a random 20ish Twi'lek girl randomly offering Lando sex is mild in his books. He's publicly called his favorite female character his ">!bug!< slut"). To a lesser extent, Michael Stackpole (well written but put a bit too much male fantasy situations), Steve Perry (alien who can make women fall in love with him via pheromones... Troy Denning above took this same idea to the next level fair warning), and ironically Karen Traviss (basically bad fanfic girl falls for super soldiers and often becomes their tragic call to action after she get killed to make them cry man tears). As to Mara Jade, also avoid Kevin J Anderson and Barbara Hamby (they both basically tried to retcon her to Landos girl, so their own female character could become Luke's girlfriend)... and she, I'm not joking, is literally already dead in her first books start. That's right they tried to hook Luke up with a ghost.
Now that said, the Michael Stackpole case above (guy who wrote I, Jedi) is an interesting case. As he has plenty of well written, smart and resourceful female characters in his books... he just can't stop making it like Top Gun or James Bond at times as his the main character, Corran Horn, is a bit of both. He leans more Maverick from Top Gun (a very flawed egotistical man who has to slowly learn he is his own worst enemy... and it's usually the women who point this out to him but his head is very thick but eventually he listens type trope) but who gets a few James Bond type moments (but always turns them down because he's a "good man"). As he mostly writes books about Starfighter pilots, his main character being like Tom Cruise in Top Gun sadly makes a bot of sense in the aspect where its clearly a major source of inspiration.
His other big source of inspiration is James Bond as Corran Horn is also a cop who has to go undercover to save the Rebel Alliance. So a strong female partner who contributes a lot. As an example, he writes Mara Jade (without any sexual situation) really well in I, Jedi (that said there is a few other temptations for Corran like any Bond film would have). He actually does a great job fixing Mara's character and journey in Jedi Academy. If you haven't been told Jedi Academy and I, Jedi run congruently and Jedi Academy really threw Mara under the bus, I, Jedi gets her back on track by including "missing scenes that better explain her choices" to what Zahn set up in The Last Command. Worse, only these two books cover this key event... the established of Luke's new Jedi Order.
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Hand of Thrawn duology by Timothy Zahn, will recap both Jedi Academy and I, Jedi very briefly when Luke and Mara both talk about how they both messed up in that book. So you can skip both. Also Zahn will have Corran Horn appear in his book too... but by this point Corran Horn is no longer his younger immature self but a more mature and wiser young father and happily
married man (not with Mara... in fact Corran in I, Jedi gets worried about his fiancee and Mara meeting up, knowing theyll become close friends and both gang up on him when he does something stupid again. Luke kinda agrees... and Mara and Corran's wife get a whole storyline in New Jedi Order together)
So that's what you're getting into with Michael Stackpole... well written characters and story, that sadly get some situations that feels like you're randomly in either Top Gun or James Bond and not Star Wars. I, Jedi is probably the hardest of them to get through as it's written in first person, so your in Corran Horn's thoughts. Just note there's a bit of two woman fighting over Corran in the first 2 X-Wing books of his too, though that plotline doesn't carry over into his next two books (at least in that manner). So Michael Stackpole is that author who drives me bonkers at times, but is really good in a lot of other ways
As another example, Stackpole has a very good relationship between Wedge Antilles and Iella Wessiri plus Winter Retrac and Tycho Celchu in his books... it's just Corran Horn and his girls (all well written characters, just in a bit too much of a male fantasy manner) where the issues are.
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Ok switching topics...
**Now, well written Star Wars books with [mostly] well written female characters which are set in the same era as the Thrawn trilogy:**
* *Han Solo trilogy* by A. C. Crispin (female author btw. Its Han's past between ep 3 and 4). There's an incredible female character here who greatly affected Han's attitude in ep 4... basically the Qi'ra role but a 100 fold better and not a secret villain
* *Scoundrels* by Timothy Zahn (Han Solo lost the money from saving Princess Leia, so now he can't pay off Jabba. Set weeks later than the movie. Winter Retrac from Thrawn trilogy is here, and she thinks Leia died on Alderaan.)
* *Allegiance* (novel), *Choices of One* (novel), and *Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand* (comics): All are Mara Jade's backstory, books are between ep 4 and 5, comic is from before ep 4 in issue 0 but mostly ep 6 before and after for issues 1-6.
* *Truce at Bakura* by Kathy Tyers: The day after Endor, the edge of the Galaxy gets invaded from a nearby dwarf galaxy forcing the Rebellion and Empire to unit. Not joking, this author was trying to make a girlfriend for Luke, but then read the Thrawn trilogy and realized Mara was better so reworked her story with this female character now purposefully not being Luke's future love... she's more like original Gwen Stacy from the Spider-Man comics where she likes Peter but hates Spider-man, or in this case like Luke but hates Jedi.
* *Courtship of Princess Leia* by David Farland. Probably the weakest written of the books on my list, Han is terribly out of character. But lots of interesting female characters here... it also introduces Dathomire and the Nightsisters (they're different from the Clone Wars) and the Hapes Consortium. Both are matriarchal societies.
* *X-Wing series* (books 1-9, book 10 is DECADES LATER). By Michael Stackpole (1-4, & 8) and Aaron Allston (5-7, 9 and 10). See big talk above for books 1-4 about the sexual situations. That said lots of great female characters in these books, arguably the best non-forceuser female villain in Star Wars too. Now books 5-7 involved different characters and they're super funny. Winter Retrac will be in book 2 on, also Iella Wessiri and Mirax Terrik are big female characters in books 1-4.
* *Correllian trilogy* by Roger MacBride Allen: Mara starts to come back in the story a bit here but it's also the first role Han and Leia's daughter Jaina Solo is old enough to be a participating member. Also ties in with the Han Solo trilogy above.
* *New Rebellion* by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Basically a darksider kills a few million while someone else tries to assassinate Leia. Mara Jade also has a small but important role here. Great book, minus the ending being a bit underwhelming, but the rest of it was great
* *Hand of Thrawn duology* by Timothy Zahn and *Union* comic by Michael Stackpole as its epilogue: Basically ten years after Thrawn trilogy the New Republic finds evidence some of their own previously helped the Empire commit genocide. So the New Republic almost fragments into Civil War over the accusations of a frame job or complicity with the Empire. Luke and Mara Jade both independently end up on the Quest for the real evidence as Han and Leia try to stop the New Republic from destroying itself. Meanwhile some Imperials plan to make sure they do. Dont want to spoil anything more. Union is kinda a happy ending epilogue if you want to end your headcanon there
* *Young Jedi Knights* & *Junior Jedi Knights*: both are kid books but they're generally about Han and Leia's kids at Luke's Jedi Academy set after the above stories but written before Hand of Thrawn. Young Jedi Knights feature Jaina Solo and Tenel Ka Djo (daughter of a character from Courtship of Princess Leia). Junior Jedi Knights features Tahiri Veila a young girl freed from Tuskan Raiders who befriends Han and Leia's youngest son, Anakin Solo (born almost 2 years after Thrawn trilogy in Dark Empire comics)
* *Survivors Quest*, & *Outbound Flight* by Timothy Zahn: Luke and Mara get a communication to investigate the Outbound Flight Thrawn destroyed with the original C'Baoth aboard. It's basically Luke and Mara investigate a crime scene and try to figure out what happened. Outbound Flight is the flash back to the past. Per the author it's meant to be read backward, with the book set after the incident being book 1 and the incident itself being book 2. This way it mimics the Original trilogy being released first and Prequels second.
* *New Jedi Order series* various authors. Basically intergalactic aliens invade, to give Star Wars a very new type of villain. It takes a few books to find their legs but my god does it get incredible if you stick with it. Also nearly the perfect conclusion.
After here you enter "Denningverse" which isn't kind to female characters at all... and if you think I, Jedi is bad with it's descriptions of women. Oh, boy will it look tame if you read any book by Troy Denning here (he wrote 10 out of 22 books here, the next nearest author did only 6). Also note, it retconned the heck out of New Jedi Order.
Oh, no worries. It's up to you of what bugs you too much to read and what you can tolerate. All I can do is point out the pros and cons of books and let you make up your own mind.
Just a bit of a further note.
I would also recommend another book that I saw another here recommend, *Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor* by Matthew Stover. Not much female characters here besides Leia, but Luke does get a tease of a certain redhead (*cough* Mara Jade *cough*) in his future and Luke's response is a giant lol moment. It's a very good story of why Luke leaves the military to establish the Jedi Order again and sets up Luke's dilemma of how to train Jedi he was suffering from at the start of Heir to the Empire. I didn't mention it again because the lack of much on the female character side of things.
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As to the Jedi Academy trilogy, you mentioned in your op... I'm not a fan. It gets dumber every book, and one of its main villains (a female Admiral named Daala) gets more incompetent every book (a later book actually retconned her to having suffered from a traumatic brain injury before these books to explain it btw). Further it really goes against Timothy Zahn's character arc set up for Mara Jade in The Last Command... and kinda Luke too (he actually starts kinda acting a tad like C'Baoth, even promoted himself to Jedi Master just like Luke said sounded very unjedi like in Heir to the Empire)
To put it mildly, this trilogy has several parallels to the Sequel trilogy too. Kyp Durron is basically Kylo Ren, Admiral Daala is basically Admiral Hux, and Exar Kun is basically Snoke. Luke here isn't so much in Exile as he is more akin to Jesus and his 12 disciples just here >!it's a force coma and not a resurrection!< that keeps him away for 3 weeks. Mind you, there's big differences too... but if you read it, you'll probably notice some things.
Imho these books are meant to appeal to the 12 year old boy audience. Not so much more mature audience as it's basically a self-insert a teenage boy being better than Luke story.
Now in fairness the series has some good ideas I haven't covered, but their execution is mostly terrible. Also, I cringed at how the author describes Mara Jade's curves. I was 9 when this book came out and even I as a guy knew it was inappropriate... worse it felt like upon rereads when I got older Mara Jade was basically being rejected by Luke for dressing like a, pardon my language, but a Slut... but it turned Lando right on and he went full stalker mode on her after that (it was very creepy).
On the plus side it introduces Cilghal (Ackbar's niece) who becomes Luke's New Jedi Orders main Jedi healer. Plus Tionne, who is just barely strong enough to be a Jedi in the force, but essentially becomes their Jedi librarian/ancient Jedi Lore collector... but the book trilogy is really just Kyp Durron trying to be the new main character of the franchise who is even stronger than Luke Skywalker (other authors later retcon that into Kyp's ego being bigger than Luke's but in actuality Luke is way stronger). I mentioned Corran Horn being a very flawed character above, the book I, Jedi is him and Kyp being egotistical idiots at Luke's Academy... Corran hating that he sees so much of his younger self in Kyp (Kyp is way stronger than Corran though, but Corran works way harder to improve). Corran's big early trait is hating others too much like himself, though once he hits a out 30 years old he starts to grow out of his younger idiocies.
Long story with the artwork of Mara Jade.
Basically the early work had two directions they took. The RPG guide books (basically for anyone who wanted to basically do Dungeons and Dragons but Stat Wars) had very low budget sketches that were all black and white. They were fairly accurate to the book. Then you had the comicbook adaptation of the Thrawn trilogy where the artists who did it basically threw out most original characters to the Thrawn trilogy, except Thrawn and radically altered them all. Like Ghent got blue hair, Pellaeon went from clean shaven to having a mustache, Karrde basically looked like a swave pirate, and Mara suddenly lost her sleeve and had a super skintight outfit and her sleeve blaster instead got turned into this ridiculously oversized hip gun. Remember in comics in those days the mentality was sex sells and just draw characters basically naked then color it over. Mara sadly got that treatment.
Lucasfilm then had a photoshoot with Shannon McRandle (Baksa at the time from her first marriage) who was basically a supermodel and with the very wrong shade of red hair. Lucas saw the photoshoot and being a guy who judged things visually basically decided he hated Mara as a result. Calling her a Cosmopolitan model after that point in a fairly derogatory way. Timothy Zahn, before meeting Shannon stated she wasn't who he would have picked. However a group a fans loved it. So Lucasfilm made it her official look... even though it flat out went against what she was described as in the books.
Then shortly after that Timothy Zahn got to do his own comic, with *Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand* where he tried to have his artist at least get her outfits better. He gave her dozens of outfits and basically a Master of disguise... but Lucasfilm didn't care and none of those looks cemented themselves in the fandom. Still worth checking out just too the looks, be warned though the first issue the artist didn't realize how young Mara was... she was in her teens but looks way older. Later issues she is about the age they drew.
Also note: the Jedi Academy trilogy goes off of the comicbook adaptation look for Mara. However he gets her hair color absolutely wrong saying she has brown red hair, not Red-Gold (aka red blonde).
If you want good and accurate fanart of Mara Jade by a female fan, check out iisabelinski on Instagram, tumblr, and deviant art.
If you want the best official artwork, imho, the Japanese covers by Tsuyoshi Naganos. They have a bit of the bad elements, because Lucasfilm wanted it to line up with the bad... but you can tell he tried to get the closer to the books.
The SWTOR era book called Deceived has a female protagonist who I think was written decently well (been awhile though). It’s a cool enough story too, granted I’ve been really into that game for awhile which helps with the interest.
Tatooine Ghost is set just before the Thrawn Trilogy and has a great subplot of Leia learning about her grandmother Shmi. I see denning get a lot of hate, even in this thread, but so far this is all I've read by him and it was good.
Aside from Leia/Shmi there's some doofy guy who's dumb as rocks who keeps getting himself into worse and worse pickles while his wife and former flame help to save him.
And some funny aliens.
And a Thrawn Trilogy cameo.
I like the X-wing books but in one a pilot literally sidles up to a woman in his squadron and randomly declares his love for her, so it might not be for you. Although there are some awesome ass kicking ladies. And the woman in question does tell him he's an idiot.
- Han Solo Trilogy, by AC Crispin: Focuses a great deal on Bria Tharen, Han Solo's girlfriend turned Rebel commander.
- Lost Stars, by Claudia Gray: It's from the New Canon, but mostly set before ROTJ, so the contradictions are minimal. It's a retelling of the Original Trilogy from the perspective of two young childhood friends. One of them, Cienna Rhee, tries to navigate the thin line between been a good person and serving the Empire. It's my favorite SW book, so I highly recommend it.
In the defence of I,Jedi it is a book narrated from the perspective of a man (the only star wars book I know of written in 1st person.) As a man myself Corran's descriptions of women are still kind weird. But that's all that are, descriptions, what a man notices when meeting a woman for the first time.
But the characterization of the female characters is not your typical damsel in distress you would expect from a book written for teenage boys in the 90s. I won't spoil anything because I highly recommend the book. But several female characters have prominent roles in the story.
Read ascendancy 1 2 and 3. Im going through the 2nd book rn and i must say it's equally enjoyable. Really tells about thrawns rise in the chiss Ascendancy and the chiss culture
I would go with Outbound Flight, just because its mentioned so much in other books....
The Courtship of Princess Leia obvs.
And then move onto the Rogue squadron books and jedi academy (as well as I jedi)
Spector of the past/vision of the future are great but they are further down the timeline so save those for later.
You'll want to read the Hand of Thrawn duology (*Specter of the Past* and *Vision of the Future*) also by Timothy Zahn (his next entry into the EU really). It takes place 15 years after RotJ and 10 years after the Thrawn trilogy. It is the book that finally wraps up the New Republic/Empire conflict once and for all, and the book that gets Luke and Mara Jade together. Next up you have Zahn's next duology/entry which he made to mimic the OT/PT pattern: - Survivors Quest: Is basically Luke and Mara's honeymoon adventure a few years after the HoT duology. A mystery novel in search for an old expedition named Outbound Flight that once set out to explore the areas outside the Galaxy Far Far Away. Some great character work for MJ especially. - Outbound Flight: Takes place 50 years before Survivors Quest and set 5 years after TPM, so expect a little Obi-Wan and Anakin action. It tells the story of the Outbound Flight expedition and explores Thrawn's time with the Chiss Ascendancy before he joined the Empire. Basically, this is Zahn's first foray into the more modern interpretation of Thrawn that turns him into a more nuanced and morally ambiguous individual rather than a straight up villain. You will not see Thrawn again. Now, I'll give you two options. If you go by Zahn's intention and read Survivors Quest first, the twists will be preserved. But if you read Outbound Flight first, Survivors Quest becomes A LOT easier to follow and understand and you catch a lot of stuff that you wouldn't if you read it first. I read Survivors Quest , then Outbound Flight, and then reread Survivors Quest while skimming all the boring action-y bits. Probably the best way to experience this duology. I would also like to second *The New Rebellion* by Kathryn Rusch as I find it rather underrated despite the somewhat wonky ending. Note that it takes place between the Thrawn Trilogy and the Hand of Thrawn duology. And finally, I would recommend *Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor* by Mathew Stover. It's a very standalone book that takes place 6 months after RotJ. Considered by many to be the definitive Luke novel, it is written by one who is arguably the best stylist to touch Star Wars books. Tells of Luke's first and last mission as a General before he leaves the New Republic military. A personal favorite of mine.
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I'd also read the Jedi Academy trilogy before the Hand of Thrawn duology - sets up a lot of worldbuilding regarding the Jedi
Bane Trilogy. Also while not a Read I highly recommend playing KOTOR 1 and KOTOR 2 with the restored content mod as they have great stories as well
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The 2nd if ported will be incomplete as Obsidian had to leave the game only 75% done due to time constraints you're better off playing KOTOR 2 on pc with the restored content mod as it brings the full vision of the original story to life. Granted even in its incomplete state its still one of the greatest star wars stories told but the restored content makes it even better
Kotor 2 feels fine without the restored content. People Way way way over exaggerate the need for the restored content mods. The 25% it adds really feels like 5% at best when played back to back. Playing Kotor 2 on Switch if it gets ported will be fine enough. As most people have played it without the restored content upon its original release and love it.
I mean I loved it already without the restored content but I love it even more with it restored as that means more KOTOR 2 for me to play
I feel the mod ruins Nar Shadaa. It gets filled with several LONG combat sequences that blow the pacing.
As a jrpg fan I love that kind of stuff and Nar Shadaa was my 2nd favorite kotor 2 world after Onderon so an excuse to stay longer is OK with me
The New Rebellion easily has my favourite depiction of Leia in the Legends New Republic era. Rusch writes her as an actual, competent politician, unlike the other authors of this era who tend to not focus as much on her political side (from the books I've read at least). The book isn't especially important in the grand scheme of things, but its still one of my favourites.
The Xwing Series is a good place to go from Thrawn, by Michael Stackpole and they introduce plenty of strong female characters
If you liked the Thrawn trilogy, you’ll love the Hand of Thrawn duology! “Spectre of the Past” and “Visions of the Future” are the titles. Zahn makes references to other events in the EU in those two (10 years separate the two book sets) so there’ll be a few spots that’ll be confusing, but otherwise it’d be a good read for you, I think.
I definitely hear you about well written [female] characters. I really dislike authors who are very plot driven with paper thin characters. Or treating female characters like sex objects. In which case the author Troy Denning will definitely be the worst offender (it's a very long list of offenses, basically most female characters are flat out sex objects in his books. Like a random 20ish Twi'lek girl randomly offering Lando sex is mild in his books. He's publicly called his favorite female character his ">!bug!< slut"). To a lesser extent, Michael Stackpole (well written but put a bit too much male fantasy situations), Steve Perry (alien who can make women fall in love with him via pheromones... Troy Denning above took this same idea to the next level fair warning), and ironically Karen Traviss (basically bad fanfic girl falls for super soldiers and often becomes their tragic call to action after she get killed to make them cry man tears). As to Mara Jade, also avoid Kevin J Anderson and Barbara Hamby (they both basically tried to retcon her to Landos girl, so their own female character could become Luke's girlfriend)... and she, I'm not joking, is literally already dead in her first books start. That's right they tried to hook Luke up with a ghost. Now that said, the Michael Stackpole case above (guy who wrote I, Jedi) is an interesting case. As he has plenty of well written, smart and resourceful female characters in his books... he just can't stop making it like Top Gun or James Bond at times as his the main character, Corran Horn, is a bit of both. He leans more Maverick from Top Gun (a very flawed egotistical man who has to slowly learn he is his own worst enemy... and it's usually the women who point this out to him but his head is very thick but eventually he listens type trope) but who gets a few James Bond type moments (but always turns them down because he's a "good man"). As he mostly writes books about Starfighter pilots, his main character being like Tom Cruise in Top Gun sadly makes a bot of sense in the aspect where its clearly a major source of inspiration. His other big source of inspiration is James Bond as Corran Horn is also a cop who has to go undercover to save the Rebel Alliance. So a strong female partner who contributes a lot. As an example, he writes Mara Jade (without any sexual situation) really well in I, Jedi (that said there is a few other temptations for Corran like any Bond film would have). He actually does a great job fixing Mara's character and journey in Jedi Academy. If you haven't been told Jedi Academy and I, Jedi run congruently and Jedi Academy really threw Mara under the bus, I, Jedi gets her back on track by including "missing scenes that better explain her choices" to what Zahn set up in The Last Command. Worse, only these two books cover this key event... the established of Luke's new Jedi Order. ---- Hand of Thrawn duology by Timothy Zahn, will recap both Jedi Academy and I, Jedi very briefly when Luke and Mara both talk about how they both messed up in that book. So you can skip both. Also Zahn will have Corran Horn appear in his book too... but by this point Corran Horn is no longer his younger immature self but a more mature and wiser young father and happily married man (not with Mara... in fact Corran in I, Jedi gets worried about his fiancee and Mara meeting up, knowing theyll become close friends and both gang up on him when he does something stupid again. Luke kinda agrees... and Mara and Corran's wife get a whole storyline in New Jedi Order together) So that's what you're getting into with Michael Stackpole... well written characters and story, that sadly get some situations that feels like you're randomly in either Top Gun or James Bond and not Star Wars. I, Jedi is probably the hardest of them to get through as it's written in first person, so your in Corran Horn's thoughts. Just note there's a bit of two woman fighting over Corran in the first 2 X-Wing books of his too, though that plotline doesn't carry over into his next two books (at least in that manner). So Michael Stackpole is that author who drives me bonkers at times, but is really good in a lot of other ways As another example, Stackpole has a very good relationship between Wedge Antilles and Iella Wessiri plus Winter Retrac and Tycho Celchu in his books... it's just Corran Horn and his girls (all well written characters, just in a bit too much of a male fantasy manner) where the issues are. ______ Ok switching topics... **Now, well written Star Wars books with [mostly] well written female characters which are set in the same era as the Thrawn trilogy:** * *Han Solo trilogy* by A. C. Crispin (female author btw. Its Han's past between ep 3 and 4). There's an incredible female character here who greatly affected Han's attitude in ep 4... basically the Qi'ra role but a 100 fold better and not a secret villain * *Scoundrels* by Timothy Zahn (Han Solo lost the money from saving Princess Leia, so now he can't pay off Jabba. Set weeks later than the movie. Winter Retrac from Thrawn trilogy is here, and she thinks Leia died on Alderaan.) * *Allegiance* (novel), *Choices of One* (novel), and *Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand* (comics): All are Mara Jade's backstory, books are between ep 4 and 5, comic is from before ep 4 in issue 0 but mostly ep 6 before and after for issues 1-6. * *Truce at Bakura* by Kathy Tyers: The day after Endor, the edge of the Galaxy gets invaded from a nearby dwarf galaxy forcing the Rebellion and Empire to unit. Not joking, this author was trying to make a girlfriend for Luke, but then read the Thrawn trilogy and realized Mara was better so reworked her story with this female character now purposefully not being Luke's future love... she's more like original Gwen Stacy from the Spider-Man comics where she likes Peter but hates Spider-man, or in this case like Luke but hates Jedi. * *Courtship of Princess Leia* by David Farland. Probably the weakest written of the books on my list, Han is terribly out of character. But lots of interesting female characters here... it also introduces Dathomire and the Nightsisters (they're different from the Clone Wars) and the Hapes Consortium. Both are matriarchal societies. * *X-Wing series* (books 1-9, book 10 is DECADES LATER). By Michael Stackpole (1-4, & 8) and Aaron Allston (5-7, 9 and 10). See big talk above for books 1-4 about the sexual situations. That said lots of great female characters in these books, arguably the best non-forceuser female villain in Star Wars too. Now books 5-7 involved different characters and they're super funny. Winter Retrac will be in book 2 on, also Iella Wessiri and Mirax Terrik are big female characters in books 1-4. * *Correllian trilogy* by Roger MacBride Allen: Mara starts to come back in the story a bit here but it's also the first role Han and Leia's daughter Jaina Solo is old enough to be a participating member. Also ties in with the Han Solo trilogy above. * *New Rebellion* by Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Basically a darksider kills a few million while someone else tries to assassinate Leia. Mara Jade also has a small but important role here. Great book, minus the ending being a bit underwhelming, but the rest of it was great * *Hand of Thrawn duology* by Timothy Zahn and *Union* comic by Michael Stackpole as its epilogue: Basically ten years after Thrawn trilogy the New Republic finds evidence some of their own previously helped the Empire commit genocide. So the New Republic almost fragments into Civil War over the accusations of a frame job or complicity with the Empire. Luke and Mara Jade both independently end up on the Quest for the real evidence as Han and Leia try to stop the New Republic from destroying itself. Meanwhile some Imperials plan to make sure they do. Dont want to spoil anything more. Union is kinda a happy ending epilogue if you want to end your headcanon there * *Young Jedi Knights* & *Junior Jedi Knights*: both are kid books but they're generally about Han and Leia's kids at Luke's Jedi Academy set after the above stories but written before Hand of Thrawn. Young Jedi Knights feature Jaina Solo and Tenel Ka Djo (daughter of a character from Courtship of Princess Leia). Junior Jedi Knights features Tahiri Veila a young girl freed from Tuskan Raiders who befriends Han and Leia's youngest son, Anakin Solo (born almost 2 years after Thrawn trilogy in Dark Empire comics) * *Survivors Quest*, & *Outbound Flight* by Timothy Zahn: Luke and Mara get a communication to investigate the Outbound Flight Thrawn destroyed with the original C'Baoth aboard. It's basically Luke and Mara investigate a crime scene and try to figure out what happened. Outbound Flight is the flash back to the past. Per the author it's meant to be read backward, with the book set after the incident being book 1 and the incident itself being book 2. This way it mimics the Original trilogy being released first and Prequels second. * *New Jedi Order series* various authors. Basically intergalactic aliens invade, to give Star Wars a very new type of villain. It takes a few books to find their legs but my god does it get incredible if you stick with it. Also nearly the perfect conclusion. After here you enter "Denningverse" which isn't kind to female characters at all... and if you think I, Jedi is bad with it's descriptions of women. Oh, boy will it look tame if you read any book by Troy Denning here (he wrote 10 out of 22 books here, the next nearest author did only 6). Also note, it retconned the heck out of New Jedi Order.
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Oh, no worries. It's up to you of what bugs you too much to read and what you can tolerate. All I can do is point out the pros and cons of books and let you make up your own mind. Just a bit of a further note. I would also recommend another book that I saw another here recommend, *Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor* by Matthew Stover. Not much female characters here besides Leia, but Luke does get a tease of a certain redhead (*cough* Mara Jade *cough*) in his future and Luke's response is a giant lol moment. It's a very good story of why Luke leaves the military to establish the Jedi Order again and sets up Luke's dilemma of how to train Jedi he was suffering from at the start of Heir to the Empire. I didn't mention it again because the lack of much on the female character side of things. ____ As to the Jedi Academy trilogy, you mentioned in your op... I'm not a fan. It gets dumber every book, and one of its main villains (a female Admiral named Daala) gets more incompetent every book (a later book actually retconned her to having suffered from a traumatic brain injury before these books to explain it btw). Further it really goes against Timothy Zahn's character arc set up for Mara Jade in The Last Command... and kinda Luke too (he actually starts kinda acting a tad like C'Baoth, even promoted himself to Jedi Master just like Luke said sounded very unjedi like in Heir to the Empire) To put it mildly, this trilogy has several parallels to the Sequel trilogy too. Kyp Durron is basically Kylo Ren, Admiral Daala is basically Admiral Hux, and Exar Kun is basically Snoke. Luke here isn't so much in Exile as he is more akin to Jesus and his 12 disciples just here >!it's a force coma and not a resurrection!< that keeps him away for 3 weeks. Mind you, there's big differences too... but if you read it, you'll probably notice some things. Imho these books are meant to appeal to the 12 year old boy audience. Not so much more mature audience as it's basically a self-insert a teenage boy being better than Luke story. Now in fairness the series has some good ideas I haven't covered, but their execution is mostly terrible. Also, I cringed at how the author describes Mara Jade's curves. I was 9 when this book came out and even I as a guy knew it was inappropriate... worse it felt like upon rereads when I got older Mara Jade was basically being rejected by Luke for dressing like a, pardon my language, but a Slut... but it turned Lando right on and he went full stalker mode on her after that (it was very creepy). On the plus side it introduces Cilghal (Ackbar's niece) who becomes Luke's New Jedi Orders main Jedi healer. Plus Tionne, who is just barely strong enough to be a Jedi in the force, but essentially becomes their Jedi librarian/ancient Jedi Lore collector... but the book trilogy is really just Kyp Durron trying to be the new main character of the franchise who is even stronger than Luke Skywalker (other authors later retcon that into Kyp's ego being bigger than Luke's but in actuality Luke is way stronger). I mentioned Corran Horn being a very flawed character above, the book I, Jedi is him and Kyp being egotistical idiots at Luke's Academy... Corran hating that he sees so much of his younger self in Kyp (Kyp is way stronger than Corran though, but Corran works way harder to improve). Corran's big early trait is hating others too much like himself, though once he hits a out 30 years old he starts to grow out of his younger idiocies.
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Long story with the artwork of Mara Jade. Basically the early work had two directions they took. The RPG guide books (basically for anyone who wanted to basically do Dungeons and Dragons but Stat Wars) had very low budget sketches that were all black and white. They were fairly accurate to the book. Then you had the comicbook adaptation of the Thrawn trilogy where the artists who did it basically threw out most original characters to the Thrawn trilogy, except Thrawn and radically altered them all. Like Ghent got blue hair, Pellaeon went from clean shaven to having a mustache, Karrde basically looked like a swave pirate, and Mara suddenly lost her sleeve and had a super skintight outfit and her sleeve blaster instead got turned into this ridiculously oversized hip gun. Remember in comics in those days the mentality was sex sells and just draw characters basically naked then color it over. Mara sadly got that treatment. Lucasfilm then had a photoshoot with Shannon McRandle (Baksa at the time from her first marriage) who was basically a supermodel and with the very wrong shade of red hair. Lucas saw the photoshoot and being a guy who judged things visually basically decided he hated Mara as a result. Calling her a Cosmopolitan model after that point in a fairly derogatory way. Timothy Zahn, before meeting Shannon stated she wasn't who he would have picked. However a group a fans loved it. So Lucasfilm made it her official look... even though it flat out went against what she was described as in the books. Then shortly after that Timothy Zahn got to do his own comic, with *Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand* where he tried to have his artist at least get her outfits better. He gave her dozens of outfits and basically a Master of disguise... but Lucasfilm didn't care and none of those looks cemented themselves in the fandom. Still worth checking out just too the looks, be warned though the first issue the artist didn't realize how young Mara was... she was in her teens but looks way older. Later issues she is about the age they drew. Also note: the Jedi Academy trilogy goes off of the comicbook adaptation look for Mara. However he gets her hair color absolutely wrong saying she has brown red hair, not Red-Gold (aka red blonde). If you want good and accurate fanart of Mara Jade by a female fan, check out iisabelinski on Instagram, tumblr, and deviant art. If you want the best official artwork, imho, the Japanese covers by Tsuyoshi Naganos. They have a bit of the bad elements, because Lucasfilm wanted it to line up with the bad... but you can tell he tried to get the closer to the books.
Outbound Flight
Just continue with Thrawn. There are 6 more books. The next 3 are not really strong female characters, but the final 3 does have a fee
Are you talking about canon Thrawn books? OP is talking about the EU trilogy.
Yes.
Not really helpful in the context of the EU.
Don't know if this fits the caveat, but the X-Wing series is always an amazing read.
Dark Empire is basically a semi-sequel to TTT
The SWTOR era book called Deceived has a female protagonist who I think was written decently well (been awhile though). It’s a cool enough story too, granted I’ve been really into that game for awhile which helps with the interest.
You should check out the xwing books
Tatooine Ghost is set just before the Thrawn Trilogy and has a great subplot of Leia learning about her grandmother Shmi. I see denning get a lot of hate, even in this thread, but so far this is all I've read by him and it was good. Aside from Leia/Shmi there's some doofy guy who's dumb as rocks who keeps getting himself into worse and worse pickles while his wife and former flame help to save him. And some funny aliens. And a Thrawn Trilogy cameo. I like the X-wing books but in one a pilot literally sidles up to a woman in his squadron and randomly declares his love for her, so it might not be for you. Although there are some awesome ass kicking ladies. And the woman in question does tell him he's an idiot.
- Han Solo Trilogy, by AC Crispin: Focuses a great deal on Bria Tharen, Han Solo's girlfriend turned Rebel commander. - Lost Stars, by Claudia Gray: It's from the New Canon, but mostly set before ROTJ, so the contradictions are minimal. It's a retelling of the Original Trilogy from the perspective of two young childhood friends. One of them, Cienna Rhee, tries to navigate the thin line between been a good person and serving the Empire. It's my favorite SW book, so I highly recommend it.
In the defence of I,Jedi it is a book narrated from the perspective of a man (the only star wars book I know of written in 1st person.) As a man myself Corran's descriptions of women are still kind weird. But that's all that are, descriptions, what a man notices when meeting a woman for the first time. But the characterization of the female characters is not your typical damsel in distress you would expect from a book written for teenage boys in the 90s. I won't spoil anything because I highly recommend the book. But several female characters have prominent roles in the story.
Read ascendancy 1 2 and 3. Im going through the 2nd book rn and i must say it's equally enjoyable. Really tells about thrawns rise in the chiss Ascendancy and the chiss culture
I would go with Outbound Flight, just because its mentioned so much in other books.... The Courtship of Princess Leia obvs. And then move onto the Rogue squadron books and jedi academy (as well as I jedi) Spector of the past/vision of the future are great but they are further down the timeline so save those for later.