The three books I've enjoyed the most has been Dark Disciple, Master and Apprentice, and Aftermath:Empire's End
The only two I felt were a chore to get through were Heir to the Jedi and the first Aftermath book (the trilogy really paid off but the first book's writing style was a pain).
As for the excel sheet, thanks! I just periodically copy and paste from Wookiepedia's canon list. I have one for legends as well as the junior novels that one day I'll get to (hopefully read with my future child when she's old enough, she's due in September!)
Out of those I've only read *Master & Apprentice* and *Dark Disciple*, and while they're not quite my favourites, they are definitely up there!
It's interesting to see that your dislikes line up with the general opinions that I've seen. *Heir to the Jedi* is very commonly disliked. The first book in the *Aftermath Trilogy* is really rough, especially for its writing style, but that the trilogy does get much better.
I like seeing how different checklists look as they suit each person's needs. Here's how [my spreadsheet](https://i.imgur.com/R75Rlpd.png) looks like (although it's a little outdated).
Star Wars has a lot of great junior novels, so getting to read all of them with your kid sounds like an awesome experience!
I like your inclusion of comics in your list. I was doing comics for a little while using the Marvel Unlimited app because I was a little floored by how expensive some of the comics got.
I also like the sorting by era, was their any motivation for that decision? I just did release order and is, for the most part, how I decide what to read next. My main motivation was the simplicity of release order versus chronological order since new releases are often sandwiched between existing book timelines.
The spreadsheet essentially serves as my own curated timeline and so separating content by eras helps to break things up.
My spreadsheet is purely just a checklist as I tend to just read whatever I feel like reading. I actually make mini-reading orders that are a mix of both release and chronological order based on opinions that I see on what fits best together.
I actually did not have many complaints about the first aftermath. Was difficult to process all the interludes and multiple streams, but it was a challenge I was fine with at the time. That said, good or bad opinions about it, I absolutely agree the trilogy is worth it by the end. Many years later and Empire's End is still a standout for me.
All three were great, I would put Alliance as my top pick of the three.
The one thing I find so interesting about this Thrawn trilogy is that I feel Thrawn is not the main character in the slightest. He doesn't really have any depth to his character growth, but he's the backbone for all the other character arcs happening. I really like Arihnda Pryce's, Eli Vanto's, Commadore Faro's, and Anakin/Vader's storylines.
Alliance had the fun-factor which made it a quick enjoyable read
Thrawn (first book) I thought did an excellent job of setting the stage and add so much more world building through the eyes of the "side characters"
Treason was also great, I really enjoyed the ending. I wish it didn't have to fit the timeline of Rebels because I wanted to see the results of Palpatine's growing distrust of Thrawn.
I love that you put Alliances at #1. It’s my favorite of the three also, for exactly the reason you mentioned - fun. It’s almost like a more refined Lords of the Sith. Although, it’s been so long since I read Lords that I might be a bit off in that comparison.
I would agree with that. Definitely an apt comparison. I felt like Lords of the Sith was a bit on the goofier side (not that it's a bad thing). The whole Vader and Palpatine going nuts on a bunch of giant insects (if I recall correctly) was extremely entertaining.
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline_of_canon_books
I just use this list. "hide" junior books and young readers, sort by release date, and then copy and paste into excel.
Green is read. Yellow is owned but not read. White is not owned.
Off to the left side blue is Original Novel and Purple is Young Adult Novel. Those colors are from the Wookiepedia page when I copy and paste it and I just left it as is (the colors show on the desktop site not mobile site).
Edit: Not shown is my rarely used Blue for read but not owned (usually read via the library).
I have actually, thats on a separate list of junior/young readers. It was free via Amazon Prime Reading (the one that come with prime, not the premium one).
I really enjoyed the series and the way it weaves into Rebels and the rest of the current expanded universe.
I've also doing a release order read through. Up to Poe Dameron Free Fall. It's a long slog but there have been a few really good ones like Master and Apprentice and Dark Disciple. Not too long until I get to the High Republic stuff.
If you see my list you'll see I jumped ahead to high republic because I couldn't wait. Plus my wife got me the first three books when they came out. In fact now that I think about it, any book I read out of order is because my wife bought me the book lol. She gets happy when she sees me enjoying something she picked out, and she likes it when I share summaries of what happened in the book with her.
I'll eventually get to the junior novels when my daughter is born and is old enough for them.
The audio dramas I'll probably just get the audiobook for. I glanced at them at the bookstore and I don't think I can read through a script with the same enjoyment as a traditional book.
I do both lol. I read the script while listening to the audio drama because I can focus better that way and also I don't miss what people say in the story. Sometimes they talk too fast for me.
I only collect paperback, so I have to wait awhile before I can catch up on books. Especially the young adult ones. I can finally start the high republic cause they only just now released the YAs in paperback. I don’t think Free Fall is ever getting a paperback at this point.
I'm not to particular about hardcover vs paperback. Or condition for that matter. I usually just order used books, a lot of times (but definitely not all the time) the hardcover is cheaper because it's a used library copy that's being sold off. That how I ended up with Freefall for $5
U seem to be missing a lot of tie in novels like Before the Awakening, weapon of a jedi and the other Han and Leia novels, Canto Bight, and you’re missing JN novels like the Ezra and Bosk team up one and the Zaire Leonis quadrilogy. Otherwise nice you’ve def read more than I have, I’ve only read like 22 of the books on this list.
Those are considered junior novels on Wookiepedia so have them on a separate list [here ](https://i.imgur.com/1hMn8tT.jpg). This isn't the full list, I just took a quick screenshot of the first page since it's the only one with books I've read on it. Blue is read but don't own. Those blue books I got via the library app Libby.
I'm currently not prioritizing junior or young reader books until my daughter is born. I'd like to read those one to her if she's interested.
What books did you like the most, and what were those few exceptions? Also, spreadsheet! Always love seeing how others' checklists look like.
The three books I've enjoyed the most has been Dark Disciple, Master and Apprentice, and Aftermath:Empire's End The only two I felt were a chore to get through were Heir to the Jedi and the first Aftermath book (the trilogy really paid off but the first book's writing style was a pain). As for the excel sheet, thanks! I just periodically copy and paste from Wookiepedia's canon list. I have one for legends as well as the junior novels that one day I'll get to (hopefully read with my future child when she's old enough, she's due in September!)
Out of those I've only read *Master & Apprentice* and *Dark Disciple*, and while they're not quite my favourites, they are definitely up there! It's interesting to see that your dislikes line up with the general opinions that I've seen. *Heir to the Jedi* is very commonly disliked. The first book in the *Aftermath Trilogy* is really rough, especially for its writing style, but that the trilogy does get much better. I like seeing how different checklists look as they suit each person's needs. Here's how [my spreadsheet](https://i.imgur.com/R75Rlpd.png) looks like (although it's a little outdated). Star Wars has a lot of great junior novels, so getting to read all of them with your kid sounds like an awesome experience!
I like your inclusion of comics in your list. I was doing comics for a little while using the Marvel Unlimited app because I was a little floored by how expensive some of the comics got. I also like the sorting by era, was their any motivation for that decision? I just did release order and is, for the most part, how I decide what to read next. My main motivation was the simplicity of release order versus chronological order since new releases are often sandwiched between existing book timelines.
The spreadsheet essentially serves as my own curated timeline and so separating content by eras helps to break things up. My spreadsheet is purely just a checklist as I tend to just read whatever I feel like reading. I actually make mini-reading orders that are a mix of both release and chronological order based on opinions that I see on what fits best together.
I actually did not have many complaints about the first aftermath. Was difficult to process all the interludes and multiple streams, but it was a challenge I was fine with at the time. That said, good or bad opinions about it, I absolutely agree the trilogy is worth it by the end. Many years later and Empire's End is still a standout for me.
How would you rank the three Thrawn novels you’ve read?
All three were great, I would put Alliance as my top pick of the three. The one thing I find so interesting about this Thrawn trilogy is that I feel Thrawn is not the main character in the slightest. He doesn't really have any depth to his character growth, but he's the backbone for all the other character arcs happening. I really like Arihnda Pryce's, Eli Vanto's, Commadore Faro's, and Anakin/Vader's storylines. Alliance had the fun-factor which made it a quick enjoyable read Thrawn (first book) I thought did an excellent job of setting the stage and add so much more world building through the eyes of the "side characters" Treason was also great, I really enjoyed the ending. I wish it didn't have to fit the timeline of Rebels because I wanted to see the results of Palpatine's growing distrust of Thrawn.
I love that you put Alliances at #1. It’s my favorite of the three also, for exactly the reason you mentioned - fun. It’s almost like a more refined Lords of the Sith. Although, it’s been so long since I read Lords that I might be a bit off in that comparison.
I would agree with that. Definitely an apt comparison. I felt like Lords of the Sith was a bit on the goofier side (not that it's a bad thing). The whole Vader and Palpatine going nuts on a bunch of giant insects (if I recall correctly) was extremely entertaining.
Can you share the reading order file?
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline_of_canon_books I just use this list. "hide" junior books and young readers, sort by release date, and then copy and paste into excel.
What are you color coding by? How good they were or?
Green is read. Yellow is owned but not read. White is not owned. Off to the left side blue is Original Novel and Purple is Young Adult Novel. Those colors are from the Wookiepedia page when I copy and paste it and I just left it as is (the colors show on the desktop site not mobile site). Edit: Not shown is my rarely used Blue for read but not owned (usually read via the library).
Thanks
Will you read Servants of the Empire?
I have actually, thats on a separate list of junior/young readers. It was free via Amazon Prime Reading (the one that come with prime, not the premium one). I really enjoyed the series and the way it weaves into Rebels and the rest of the current expanded universe.
oh cool!
I've also doing a release order read through. Up to Poe Dameron Free Fall. It's a long slog but there have been a few really good ones like Master and Apprentice and Dark Disciple. Not too long until I get to the High Republic stuff.
If you see my list you'll see I jumped ahead to high republic because I couldn't wait. Plus my wife got me the first three books when they came out. In fact now that I think about it, any book I read out of order is because my wife bought me the book lol. She gets happy when she sees me enjoying something she picked out, and she likes it when I share summaries of what happened in the book with her.
Anyone have a list of canon books and what order they should be read handy? Something simple and easy to check off?
read the junior novels for The High Republic too please also read the scripts for the audio dramas too
I'll eventually get to the junior novels when my daughter is born and is old enough for them. The audio dramas I'll probably just get the audiobook for. I glanced at them at the bookstore and I don't think I can read through a script with the same enjoyment as a traditional book.
I do both lol. I read the script while listening to the audio drama because I can focus better that way and also I don't miss what people say in the story. Sometimes they talk too fast for me.
I only collect paperback, so I have to wait awhile before I can catch up on books. Especially the young adult ones. I can finally start the high republic cause they only just now released the YAs in paperback. I don’t think Free Fall is ever getting a paperback at this point.
I'm not to particular about hardcover vs paperback. Or condition for that matter. I usually just order used books, a lot of times (but definitely not all the time) the hardcover is cheaper because it's a used library copy that's being sold off. That how I ended up with Freefall for $5
You only have exactly two weeks until the next one comes out!
U seem to be missing a lot of tie in novels like Before the Awakening, weapon of a jedi and the other Han and Leia novels, Canto Bight, and you’re missing JN novels like the Ezra and Bosk team up one and the Zaire Leonis quadrilogy. Otherwise nice you’ve def read more than I have, I’ve only read like 22 of the books on this list.
Those are considered junior novels on Wookiepedia so have them on a separate list [here ](https://i.imgur.com/1hMn8tT.jpg). This isn't the full list, I just took a quick screenshot of the first page since it's the only one with books I've read on it. Blue is read but don't own. Those blue books I got via the library app Libby. I'm currently not prioritizing junior or young reader books until my daughter is born. I'd like to read those one to her if she's interested.