What are you Reading right now?

[Ping]

Just started Dark Force Rising. I'll also be getting to Exile later, though I don't think I'm going to enjoy it as much after reading a book by Zahn.

[kinetosimpetus]

Just started Allegiance by Zahn.

And it is sticking in my head when I'm sleeping, so I'm dreaming it.

[AcaelusThorne]

Republic Commando: True Colors by Karen Traviss
I really like the series and I read them all for the second time now, even though imo the first one is the best and she changed the focus from the squad to Kal Skiratas "family".

[MawDrallin]

Finished reading X-wing: Rogue Squadron a few days ago, so now it's onto Wedge's Gamble. I was going to read the Fate of the Jedi series, but then I looked on Wookieepedia and found out

Hidden/Spoiler:

that apparently a lot of things in the series, which are important elements in various different novels (Centerpoint, Killiks, The Maw, etc.) are all the result of the Ones and their conflict with Abeloth, which has made me pretty angry.

[THEWULFMAN]

Finished reading X-wing: Rogue Squadron a few days ago, so now it's onto Wedge's Gamble. I was going to read the Fate of the Jedi series, but then I looked on Wookieepedia and found out

Hidden/Spoiler:

that apparently a lot of things in the series, which are important elements in various different novels (Centerpoint, Killiks, The Maw, etc.) are all the result of the Ones and their conflict with Abeloth, which has made me pretty angry.

This isn't the first time I've said this, so forgive me if I sound like a borken record.

Everything beginning with and after the New Jedi Order is crap to me. The next series Dark Nest Crisis, is unknown to me. I know little about that one. However, I do know a lot about the horrendous attrocity that is the Legacy of the Force series. Worst in that series is Sacrifice by Karen Traviss, where they [spoilers]

Hidden/Spoiler:

kill off Mara Jade Skywalker. Which they did without telling her creator, Timothy Zahn. He's still upset about the issue. He didn't find out his character had been killed off until a few months before the release of the book. He wouldn't have known if he hadn't asked his editor as it was. He doesn't believe you have to kill off main characters, a belief I share. He felt there was so much more to be done with his character. All of this has made me very bitter towards his publisher(I forget who), lucasfilms, and Karen Traviss (who promised him a drink to make up for killing off his character. I don't think she's made good on that promise yet). I love most of the characters Zahn created, especially Mara and Thrawn. To have her killed off by her nephew!? That was total crap.

Then after that crap they have the Fate of the Jedi series which isn't good either. I've learned to just stick with Timothy Zahn's books(I own them all), luckily he's still writing. He's got another book coming out soon too!

[Twilight_Warrior]

I happen to like the Fate of the Jedi series. So what if that's how those things originated? Would you rather they just come from nowhere?

[MawDrallin]

I happen to like the Fate of the Jedi series. So what if that's how those things originated? Would you rather they just come from nowhere?

I liked it as it was, with Centerpoint being a Celestial device made to create the Corellian system, the Maw being another one of their creations, and the Killiks, well, I didn't know a whole lot about them before and still dont. Now I will admit, Fate of the Jedi had a good start, but (in my opinion) it went on a downward spiral when they brought the Ones into the fold, and saying that

Hidden/Spoiler:

they created all these things (Centerpoint, The Maw, and Sinkhole Station) with the Killiks to keep Abeloth imprisoned.

Now my opinion on the New Jedi Order series, as somebody who hasn't really looked into that era deeply, it doesn't seem as bad as Legacy of the Force, but I haven't read any of the books.

[THEWULFMAN]

Now my opinion on the New Jedi Order series, as somebody who hasn't really looked into that era deeply, it doesn't seem as bad as Legacy of the Force, but I haven't read any of the books.

NJO isn't as bad as LotF, no. I almost enjoyed NJO at times. There was way too much for me not to like though. I mean,

Hidden/Spoiler:

killing off Chewbacca in the first book of the series? That was stupid as hell. Why kill of the character that might outlive the rest of the cast? I'm with Zahn, you don't need to kill off main characters for a story to be good.

[Eggman]

The NJO series is kind of hit-or-miss for me. I like some parts, and I really don't like others. To some extent, it just depends on the author. For example, I really liked the Dark Tide duology by Michael A. Stackpole, but then I really disliked Star by Star (and not just because of some wasteful character deaths - some of the plot/events seemed to jump all over the place with no real explanation). The Yuuzhan Vong concept didn't both me so much, but I think NJO was the start of Star Wars novels trying to tie together every single event in the universe and trying to cram every single character ever created into the story in some way.

Now, for a slightly more positive comment : good for you, MawDrallin, on starting the X-wing series. That was the first set of Star Wars novels I ever read, and it remains my favorite series to this day. I personally prefer Stackpole's writing over Aaron Allston's, but both authors are great in their own rights. Once you've finished that series (or at least the first four books out of it), I highly recommend reading I, Jedi if you haven't read it already.

[THEWULFMAN]

I have a bunch of Star Wars books on my shelf that I have yet to read, the first three of the X-Wing series being some of them. I know it's a good series, so I'll read it someday. For now I have Ready Player One(130 pages in, fantastic read), Outbound Flight, and then Choices of One.

[MawDrallin]

Now, for a slightly more positive comment : good for you, MawDrallin, on starting the X-wing series. That was the first set of Star Wars novels I ever read, and it remains my favorite series to this day. I personally prefer Stackpole's writing over Aaron Allston's, but both authors are great in their own rights. Once you've finished that series (or at least the first four books out of it), I highly recommend reading I, Jedi if you haven't read it already.

So far I'm enjoying the series, being about 50 pages into Wedge's Gamble already, and if the series keeps on as it is, I might end liking it almost as much as I loved Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy. On another note, of all the Star Wars books I have on my book-shelf, only 5 of them are actual novels. More specifically, I have paperback copies of Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy, and also I have two LOTF novels which my aunt got for me at a yard sale, and they are Inferno and Exile. Of my other books, I have The Essential Atlas, The Essential Guide to Warfare, and Jedi vs. Sith: The Essential Guide to the Force, and The Art and Making Of The Force Unleashed. Thankfully, my local library has quite a few Star Wars novels.

[Twilight_Warrior]

In related news, I just got an e-mail from Barnes and Noble saying that a new X-Wing novel (X-Wing #10: Mercy Kill) just came out today. Anyone else know about this? Cuz it's the first time I've heard of it.

[Eggman]

I saw a page for it on Wookieepedia a few months ago. I was quite surprised. As far as I know, it takes place right after the LotF series and deals with the old Wraith Squadron members.

[Cerfon Rournes]

Northanger Abbey
The Omnivore's Dilemma

[MawDrallin]

Well, about a week ago I started and finished Choices of One, which I enjoyed, and I today I finished X-wing: The Bacta War. But now I'm conflicted on what to read next: I can't decide whether to read I, Jedi or Tatooine Ghost. Both interest me, but I am indecisive. Anyone got any opinions on which to read next?

[Eggman]

I, Jedi is an absolute must-read, but I'd say wait to read it until after you've finished book #8 from the X-wing series (Isard's Revenge). That way you'll get to spend a little more time getting to know Corran Horn as a character before his big time in the spotlight. If I remember correctly, I, Jedi was written before Isard's Revenge, but in terms of in-universe chronology, it takes place a couple of years later. Anyway, if you finish out the X-wing series first, I think you'll have a greater appreciation for the massive amounts of character development that happen in I, Jedi.

[THEWULFMAN]

Well, about a week ago I started and finished Choices of One, which I enjoyed,

Heh, same(no really, I started it and finished it about a 4 days ago). Choices was great. Which means the only Star Wars Zahn book that I have yet to finish is Outbound Flight, which I'm working on right now.

[MawDrallin]

I, Jedi is an absolute must-read, but I'd say wait to read it until after you've finished book #8 from the X-wing series (Isard's Revenge). That way you'll get to spend a little more time getting to know Corran Horn as a character before his big time in the spotlight. If I remember correctly, I, Jedi was written before Isard's Revenge, but in terms of in-universe chronology, it takes place a couple of years later. Anyway, if you finish out the X-wing series first, I think you'll have a greater appreciation for the massive amounts of character development that happen in I, Jedi.

Alright then, I think I'll take your advice then, so I guess I'll start reading Tatooine Ghost then. And to THEWULFMAN, so far I've read all Zahn's books, the Thrawn Trilogy, the Hand of Thrawn Duology, Survivor's Quest, Outbound Flight, Allegiance, now Choices of One, so the only stories I've not read by him are his two novellas, Crisis of Faith and Fool's Bargain, and the un-released Scoundrels, which I'm eagerly awaiting.

[THEWULFMAN]

Nice. Zahn is my favorite author by this point(followed by Jules Verne), so I think I'll check out his Conquerors Trilogy after Outbound Flight.

[Fiodis]

Zahn's Star Wars novels are better than any others out there, but his best work lies outside the EU, imho. Have either of you (Maw, Wulfman) read The Icarus Hunt? That's one I'd recommend even before his Thrawn trilogy or Outbound Flight.