Greetings, exalted ones! I love talking about the original Star Wars EU and I hope I can convince you to try some of it. Thanks for watching and may the force be with you.

After my personal disappointment with the Disney Sequel Trilogy, I'm going to start my journey into the Expanded Universe! And I'm truly excited as a Star Wars fan! Thanks for this video!

That intro on its own was better than all three of the new trilogy combined.

the New Jedi Order books were great. But some of the covers were crap. They needed to stick with illustrator Drew Struzan on all the books.

Timing couldn’t be Better: just started getting into the old EU.

I completely missed the EU growing up. So for the past 5 years I've been working through the Bantam era and prequel stuff. I'm almost ready for NJO.

If you wanna read the NJO here are the essentials after ROTJ (There are way more good books in after ROTJ): Thrawn trilogy, Jedi-academy trilogy, hand of thrawn duology, NJO, Legacy of the Force, fate of the jedi

I need to install a red plastic telephone in my home that loudly rings when there begins a Mike's premiere.

“Greetings Exalted Ones” love it! My wife hates it when I say this whenever guests arrive

I highly recommend the Star Wars: Legacy comic series. It jumps 100 years into the future and does some amazing things. As someone who had not read Thrawn nor New Jedi Order yet, it's one of my favorite star wars stories.

After reading through all Bantam Era books, I thought I was done. I loved Zahn's Thrawn and Hand of Thrawn books, as well a XWing and I Jedi, but didn't like a lot of the rest of it, as you said for the most part. However NJO got me reading SW again, it's like a new Era, it feels like Star Wars' Infinity War storyline.

I was five years old when the first Star Wars movie came out in theaters in 1977. It's the first movie I can remember watching, and I've been a fan ever since. Thanks for this video --- I enjoyed it very much!

Vector Prime, Star by Star, everything from TrAitor and onward. Basically I loved EVERYTHING involving Jacen from Star by Star and onward.

I have read about 55+ novels in the EU and I absolutely love all of them. Now I may be biased because I am an avid Star Wars Collector but they are a must read.

I just got the complete series today, perfect timing.

Spent tons of time reading the newer 'In-Canon' stuff, but beyond THRAWN I had not taken the time. You're legit inspiring me Good Sir.

I have always looked at it this way. All these authors kept Star Wars alive when it was a non-factor at that point in the mainstream. Disney came along and said, "All this work you did, yeah, it doesn't mean shit." It was disrespectful to all the creators.

Listened to the audiobooks of this series, finished it and immediately listened from the beginning through again, easily in my top 5 book series and I love star wars. It's impressive how so many authors kept the idea and point of the series reasonably together while feeling like star wars despite the weirdness of the story compared to what's before. Great characters and relationships, important moral quandries and philosophical themes. Beautiful series 9/10

"When Star Wars grew up" - absolutely, and very much why I love the New Jedi Order series so much. Well, that and for it giving us some of the best characters in Star Wars' history (Jaina Solo is a particular favourite of mine). I was coming up to the end of a full (year long!) re-read of post-ROTJ books when they announced that the EU was ending. I understood why but was so disappointed, especially when the Jaina-centric book I had been looking forward to was cancelled. I still miss it but there are so many EU books I love and still pick up from time to time. (Fate of the Jedi was... okay, but you didn't miss a lot really. It had its moments but it was a long way off the heights of the Thrawn trilogy or NJO.)

Loved this series, I've only read through it once, maybe I need to again. Star by Star is so great!

I dig your vibe, I can tell you’re really sincere about your love for the original EU and there’s nothing pretentious about it. Subscribed!

I think the main problem with the Disney Trilogy is this: 1. The state of the galaxy isn't fleshed out, key parts that need to be explained in order for the movies to make sense are relegated to books. 2. The legacy characters were not given the respect they deserved. Han is estranged from Leia and a relapsed smuggler, Luke fucked off to an island to die, and Leia is a general again. It's like our characters have regressed to what they were pre-ANH. 3. It rips off elements of the EU and badly so. Turning Jacen into Kylo Ren without ANY of the depth, bringing Palpatine back is ripped straight out of Dark Empire, etc. But the worst part was Disney's decision to just nuke all of the EU and discontinue any stories that were part of it. They say it would be confusing to people but you already labeled it "Legends" so would it really be hard to have your new canon while still continuing the EU that by this point many have invested time and money into reading? But just seeing what they did just make me love the EU even more. Sure with so many books there are going to be some stinkers but I feel the majority of books were well-written and worth reading. Matthew Stover's ROTS novelization is a masterpiece.

Love the EU! If you're a fan of Star Wars, the arcs that all the old and new characters go through are great. I haven't read them in a few years, but I may do a re-read later this year after getting through the new Butcher and Sanderson releases.

One one hand I kind of wish the sequel trilogy was about the Vong Crisis, on the other the Vong Crises has so much material that it would probably be better in a TV series. Theoretically, we could have both in the same way that the Clone Wars was filling in the gaps between the episodes of the Prequels. The Vong crisis might be a logical target for the third trilogy because look what it does as far as continuing a pattern. I need to read it for myself, but based on what a lot of people tell me, the Vong Invasion/Uprising would offer these desirable things for a sequel trilogy. 1. Escalation of enemies. In the Prequels, the enemy was a rebel faction (the CIS). In the OT, the enemy was the government. If the Vong were the prequels, they're bigger than the galactic Empire. They're an entire galaxy's worth of invasion force, not just the government of this galaxy that's not completely divided. The threat is so big that the good guys and bad guys have to join forces (variety of good guys, leading into point number 2) and a new regime that's a fusion (leading into point number 3). 2. Variety of enemies (and heroes): In the Prequels, the bad guys were largely droids. In the OT the bad guys were largely humans in plastic armor. In this one they are ghoulish aliens in bio armor with bio weapons (not to mention, it would be based on anti technology theocracy instead of a high tech secular regime inspired by, largely, fascism). Would have made the next Battlefront more interesting, am I right? Not to mention, the good guys wouldn't just look like Empire/Rebellion "light" they would have evolved and changed since then. 3. Pivotal change of government: The prequels showed how the clone wars led to the transition from Old Republic to Empire. The OT showed the transition from Empire to Alliance/New Republic. The Vong if they were sequels, would show the transition from New Republic and Remnants to Galactic Federation. Also, in the previous trilogies, the winner absorbed the loser. This one there's a cross roads (Remnant and Republic Join, Vong sent away to clean up the mess they made). The Yuuzon Vong seem to be several Warhammer factions thrown together. They seem to be an empire of theocratic fanatics in heavy armor much like the Imperium of Mankind, but their use of bio technology is almost tyrannid in nature. Their pointed ears, sadism, and desire to augment their body is similar to the Dark Eldar. It's like they came from a galaxy where they put down their own equivalent of Necrons and it made them evil. Some people say that this makes your Star Wars a little too much like Warhammer 40k for their taste. That's not a deal breaker for me. If it can be original enough to not be derivative and it's fun, I'll give it a chance. Generation Tech's Alan, I believe, said that this was the part of star wars that also felt like a 1980s Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick. Not my cup of tea, but if done well I will give it a chance. I read one comic of it, and it seemed interesting enough, a bit dark and hard corp for Star Wars but again, that's not a deal breaker in and of itself. This might be the part of Star Wars Legends that would go well in a theoretical, adult swim style anime

Plageuis is a great start for the casual fan if they're interested in sith, a lot of interesting lore plus creamy sheev in spades and it ties into the prequels directly

I recently discovered your channel and have enjoyed watching several of your videos. My TBR is now overflowing! I had the pleasure of meeting Zahn at a con, he was very nice! I’ve only read his more recent Thrawn books. I’ll have to fit this series in somehow!

Very cool video. I felt The New Jedi Order is one of the absolute stronger points in the EU (although too brutal & dark for SW "space fantasy" aesthetic at times.) The Solo kids went through some devastating challenges and seeing the lead characters suffer losses was very rewarding!

Wow what a good video! You did a great job at explaining your opinions without spoiling it. I have the first three books of this series and I haven’t read them yet as I’m reading a couple of OT books, but I must say now I want to get the whole series.

Just discovered your channel, I just read dark empire and now I am into the EU. I have a few of the comic adaptations from the thrawn trilogy and now I am searching all of this stuff out. Thanks for the content

I watched your video about 6 months ago. In that time I've read a few if the bantam era books and am on Dark Tide Ruin as of now. Loving this series.

You’ve got some of the best KZfaq intros known to mankind. Great video mike! I love the EU. I’m glad you’re bringing it up and covering it

Enjoyed the video. You have convinced me to pick this up again. I had read one or two books prior to the New Order many years ago but dropped out of any further reading in this EU. I will start catching up again and looking for the books.

Job done Mike, I'm sold and putting that on my TBR!!! Good stuff!

Keep the Star Wars videos up! Also I love the quotes in your intros

I love this series. I'm also a fan of the legacy era comic series that's set about 100 years after a new hope. that tells a story that ties right into the njo as well

That's the most epic thumbnail I ever seen.

Hello, thanks again for this video. I really like Star Wars (the first trilogy) but I never had the opportunity to read a book of legends. You seem so passionate that I'll probably give it a try.

Stoked for this.

What I would like to see is a SW movie trilogy that takes place in the LEGENDS EU timeline! One of the things about it is the rebel alliance was more stronger and had more resources too.

Great video, i always found the idea of a new jedi order fascinating, and mara and the solo kids and seeing luke han and leia lead the next geneartion is so cool! I much prefer that to what we got with the sequels, as I am a huge EU fan and was upset they were considered non canon. Currently reading the second book in the NJO and can't wait to see how things go from here

Really appreciate the book reviews and recommendations man. I honestly haven’t read an actual book since I was in jr high. Until now of course. Lol just wanted to say thanks and I appreciate the content man.

Just recently started getting into the old EU after being a Star Wars fan for my entire life. I’ll definetly have to give these a shot once I am done with the Thrawn books. I’m having a blast with them!

Hey thanks for the review! I cannot wait to get through the original Thrawn trilogy, it has been so good. I wish I had read these books years ago, I was too busy absorbing Old Republic. It makes me sad but happy in a strange way that these still exist. Also you mentioned Star Trek in your video.. if you are a Star Trek fan the EU for that is AMAZING if you have not read that yet. If you have, a review video for that would be awesome!

Vector Prime got me back into the books for the exact same reasons as you. Only got through about the first four or five books which were awesome but ended up hitting a snag with a particular novel that derailed my momentum. May have to give it a another chance if I ever happen to get the down time again. Definitely enjoyed the fresh characters.

I recommend starting the Thrawn trilogy by Zhan and the Jedi Academy trilogy by Keven J Anderson. The Anderson trilogy is the actual start of Luke's Jedi order.

If Disney wanted toys and a lot of movies, this would have been the perfect series for them to use. I think they just didn't want to share the money for one thing. It is one of the very best series I've ever read. I love the Yuzhon Vong.

I love the new jedi order series. Its a favorite of mine. I agree its not perfect, there are some books that miss the mark, but overall its amazing. Star by Star by Troy Denning and Traitor by Matthew Stover are my favorites. One day I'd like to do a big reread of the series.

Growing up I was always way more into Star Trek. I just felt like there was more world to explore. Now in adulthood, I've rediscovered a love for reading. And I've been meaning to check out some Star Wars books so I'm glad I now have a good place to start. Because sweet Jesus there's a lot of them. And I've heard a lot of them aren't worth the time.

My favorite Legends era series God I wish it got the clone wars treatment and got a animate adaption that also expanded the lore it deserves it so much

Jacen and Jaina, the Vong, Coruscant underworld, loved it. Had some problems with Vong power scaling. This NJE saga was the ending of the EU for me. Cathartic ending, became crazy with the 2 follow up series and Jacens heel turn, and a magic Cthulhu lady.

i am total with you! the NJO books were the best sw books in my opinion. I loved them so much and even though i parted with most of my star wars obsession i will never part from my NJO books, ever. Sure they had their flaws but they where so much fun! Loved some Clonewars books and the Darth Bane saga, too or the x-wing and wraith squadron books from time past but none where as entertaining, shocking and just full of the finest star wars and jedi action anyone could wish for. nothing shocked me more, talking about my fanfeelings and fanlove for a thing then when disney decided to declare the SWEU finished. i almost stopped reading SW completely..well i did not.. but i dont read them like i used and they are not as they are used to.

I’m currently at book 6 of the series

This brings back some good memories I agree that Disney should have pulled some elements from this series. It would have been amazing to see the Yuuzhan Vong on the big screen. And Mara Jade! How could they not have included her? Side note: Daisy Ridley would have been a perfect Jaina Solo.

I just did listen through the unabridged NJO. They're not officially released, but you can find them on youtube. Really great series. Now I'm on The Dark Nest series before going onto the Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi series.

I loved Jasen solos arc especially through the last few books but I hated the direction they took him after the yuzahn vong war. I interpreted his place in the world way different I guess

Think you're a bit wrong about Hand of Thrawn personally, think it might actually be better than the Thrawn trilogy, particularly when considering how amazingly it ties together and wraps up its Era.

I read the first book it was good. I love the legacy of the force stuff.

I really love your intros! Thanks for leaving the source of the music this time, but did you ever found the source of the other videos intros?

Hopefully you do more Star Wars EU videos I'm just now getting into it.

I read most of the SW books up to NJO. I got a couple NJO books back then, but took a break and started Wheel of Time. Then SW Episodes I, II, and III were just so-so and just never went back to any of the SW books. With the newer SW movies (being what they are), just didn't have much interest in any of the books. BUT you do make it sound exciting enough for me to consider. I keep a short TBR and it's full. When it empties some, I may reconsider the NJO books. Thanks for another good video. On Dresden Small Favor right now. Loved the 20 foot dude saying his big brother is going to kill Dresden!

Old buddy of mine recommended this series to me. Told him i was disappointed with the sequels and I was reading stand alone EU books. He sent me the first 3 of the series for Christmas. Can't get enough, definitely wish the sequels were based off this series. It's been a hot minute since I was this engrossed in a book series.

The EU will always be canon to me. The Disney stuff is set in an alternate timeline. Julianne Moore would have been perfect as Mara Jade.

I almost missed this video in my sub feed, I'm glad I didn't. Any time anyone I know expresses any interest in star wars books, I always tell them to read the NJO series, because it was so damn good.

Mike, any chance of a bit of quick advice. I’ve just finished reading pleagius after finishing the bane trilogy. Do you believe it’s worth reading the other old republic (fatal alliance etc) novels before I move forward in the EU timeline? I really enjoyed the babe trilogy and love the old republic

Just finished the series a month ago. I already want to the-read it. That’s not usually my style, with so many other books to read on my list.

It’s a shame Disney decided not to do the NJO storyline because the potential is there to be bigger than the MCU. And they’ve shown with the MCU that they don’t mind adapting from source material so I really don’t understand the pushback with Star Wars. Vector Prime is a perfect opener to the series. Star by Star is incredibly good. The ending had me in tears and the ramifications of this single book are felt in the rest of the EU. Traitor was amazing and the series builds from there to The Unifying Force; the best ending to a book series I’ve read. Disney could have had it all with the NJO. A proper follow up to the OT, treat our beloved characters with the story and respect they deserve, pass the torch to a new cast of characters and, for Disney, have another (arguably bigger) MCU. Also Jaina and Mara Jade >>>>>>>>>> Rey. If they were looking for a new female character to lead the Star Wars franchise forward then Jaina should have been their top choice. Also I really enjoyed Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi. Should definitely give those a read as well.

I would recommend fate of the Jedi, fat from perfect but another great take on a new villian

Oh yeah man!! One of my personal faves!! A lot of people don't like this series, but I read them all and I loved them. I don't care about the purist view or any of that other bullshit. I like all of the Star Wars books and view them all as their own differing timelines and just enjoy them on their own.

Spreading the word of pre-Disney Star Wars EU? You've got yourself a new subscriber, sir.

New Jedi Order pulled me in, but Legacy of the Force is my favorite arc of Star Wars EU. I was for sure one of those sad boys when Disney disavowed the EU because I desperately wanted to see Jaina and Jacen and Anakin and Ben on screen in some way.

Expanding Univers.🎉 It's Caled.😊❤.

I was in middle school and high school when the New Jedi Order novels were coming out, and I continued up to Legacy of the Force. Personally, I think I would stop at New Jedi Order on a re-read now, but that's possibly to personal taste. I did like certain aspects of the new Star Wars movies, but the story and (ESPECIALLY) the enemies of NJO were fantastic.

My EU collection is a holy relic during these dark times. The comics and books keep the feeling alive. I've lived long enough to live in my own swamp/desert like Yoda and Obi-Wan hiding from Disney I mean the Empire

would love to see you do your ranking of the EU books

Mike this might be one of your cheesiest intros to any video of yours I've seen over the years. AND IM TOTALLY INTO IT.

Oh Mike ! You had me at the old Star Wars universe. I'm getting those old SW chills as I watch the opening. By the way is it me or does Sebastian Stan look like older Luke? You do know they did a mock up of Sebastian Stan as Luke/Mark Hammel and the resemblance was uncanny. You know what would have been my dream casting would be if Disney did things right and did the Thrawn trilogy? Anthony Ingruber as Han, Donald Glover (with perm) as Lando and Sebastian Stan as Luke. I'm not sure who I would want to replace Carrie Fisher. But that would be my dream casting if I actually trusted Disney to do it right. What do you think? I would have watched your video earlier but that pesky Real life lol. By the way you ghosting me man?! I was in your live stream and you didn't even say hello! :P. I know I haven't commented as much but you cover a bunch of books some I may read quite a few I wont. Also I've been working on my own stuff. Any way I'll say it again congrats on 15,000 subs and you having a Patreon! Expanded or Extended works. I've heard both used interchangeably

I ❤ Read 📚 Some of it.🎉😊❤.

Just got back into the old EU. I had just started reading the old EU when Disney threw the EU out. I got mad and didn’t even read the Thrawn trilogy. I got back and just finished the Thrawn Trilogy and was blown away! Can’t wait to get to the New Jedi Order!

Hype!

This is a great start for me to get into and forget what disney made since they bought the rights to Lucas..

Was laid up in a hospital after the first of 2 surgeries when I started this series back in 2003. Agreed it did kind of suffer from bloat, but that didn't stop me from devouring the series in less than 6 months. The ending of the war was properly awesome.

I love the EU. It actually felt like the Star Wars Universe, more so than the sequels. I honestly think they didn't mine from the EU because the authors, despite the stories being owned by Disney, had a contractual clause that set additional fees for additional use, and Disney didn't want to pay them It blows because there are some things in those stories that could have made the movies so much stronger.

chewbacca was sad, anakin even sadder, but jacen that one broke the dam, i re-read the series from the ld republic with the darth bane series all the way up to crucible , then i do game of thrones then the kingkiller chronicles then back to my star wars and every time i dread chewbacca, dred anakin, but then i get to jacen and jaina and the damn breaks all over, it kills me everytime, I always identified with jacen the most, so getting to where they are born and their adventures together and jacen saving the galaxy then becoming the big bad I know where its leading and it still kills me at that final moment at where jaina is holding him and it tears my heart out. I know you say start with thrawn but DONT SKIP A SINGLE BOOK!!! if you have to start with a "TRUCE AT BAKURA" AND WORK YOUR WAY ALL THE WAY UP TO "CRUCIBLE"!! I get why he's saying start with thrawn but you cant skip all the books they are all great, some are out there but by the "legacy of the force" story line it start going back to those other stories that are more out there, "children of the jedi" "dark saber" "twilight dawn" the "corellia trilogy" IT ALL COMES FULL CIRCLE IN LEGACY AND FATE OF THE JEDI!! and do your self a favor do not miss the darth bane rule of 2 trilogy that is the origin of the rule of 2, and dont miss DARTH PLAGIOUS!! SOOOOOO GOOOD!! the origin of palpatine and his master it is so freaking good and after reading it it makes 1,2 and 3 make so much sense that it makes those movies actually really good!! I promise you DO NO0T MISS A SINGLE BOOK WRITTEN PRE DISNEY!! THE REAL SOLO AND SKYWALKER KIDS CAN NOT BE MISSED!! just skip bridged audio books they destroty the story and the shit hey cut out m,akes nothing make sense!! unabridged is fine!!

‘Traitor’ is the best Star Wars book straight up

Can you do a video on legacy of the force?

I like new jedi order books series a lot, i think all books is great)))

THAT INTROOOOOO😤😤😤😤

Alright, I'm sold. My bank account is not a fan of you.

best book series ever, its such a bummer that the only have the audio books in abridged copies for the new jedi order, especially for star by star! like wtf?! i never have time to read the hard copies anymore but they cut out half the story!

Damn, I don't have the time to read them again(I've read the NJO/DN3/LOTF 3x, but the last time was 10 years ago). But I could play the audiobooks while I'm doing paperwork.

Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi both suffered from the same problem: Aaron Alston and Troy Denning were just not on the same page with the third co-author, and they actively worked to minimize the impact of their stories and their ideas. Karen Traviss pretty much made the Mandalorians what they are today, and her fingerprints are all over The Mandalorian. Christie Golden made the Lost Tribe feel like a legitimate threat. Both got screwed over, hard, by the other two. Hell, Lucas screwed over Traviss and her version of the Mandos before the EU was even officially cancelled. It's nice to see that they're rolling that back a little with the new TV series, but it still feels like too little, too late. I had some serious problems with the NJO, namely how inconsistent it felt at times, but overall it was a fun ride.

I❤Was So Looking Thame Doring The Roque Squad Movie 🎬 s.

I am just started Vector Prime

The first old Star Wars legends : Star wars the splinter of the minds eye by Alan Dean Foster

Eye of the world and The Great Hunt are in reverse order and I can’t unsee it.

The Disney Sequels should have been a tv series. That way they could have had more time to flesh out characters and world building. Make the story feel less derivative of the OT, make the characters feel less like they were character-assassinated (Luke, to a lesser extent Poe) and make the other characters feel less like Mary Sues. There would have been more wiggle room for world and character building, and marinating in the moment emotionally. There would have also been more room to use the discarded story ideas and scripts (including George Lucas's) that were not only just cool ideas, but cool ideas that would have at least made the story more unique (even if it's skeleton or spine remained the same). The Disney Sequels also should have taken place a little bit later, which would have allowed them to be grafted/retconned with EU Legends. Basically everything from Thrawn, Vong, Swarm, and 2nd Galactic Civil war happened and the events of the Disney Trilogy happened shortly afterwards (so it would be around 40 ish years after Episode 6 instead of 30). This would actually explain a lot in the Discan Sequels. *** Kylo Ren could have been a clone resurrection of EU's Jacen Solo that previously died, which is why Han and Leia are so depressed and are seeing if they can give their resurrected son a chance. It would even explain why Luke was thinking about killing Kylo in Last Jedi, because there would have been a history of Kylo Ren in his previous life of Jacen Solo as being vulnerable to the dark side, and already committing Vader like attrocities (including some that directly hurt Luke). It would have actually justified a lot of the stuff fans complained about in the sequels. Hell, if it incorporated the death of Chewie from the Eu, and that the current Wookie serving Han Solo was Lowbacca (who offered to take the late Chewie's place concerning his life debt to Han), then that would explain the cold emotional distance between Han, Leia, and the new Wookie side kick (and why he didn't get a hug). See! This would have solved almost everything! I didn't say it would be GOOD but that it would have at least made sense. I'm not saying the fans are wrong at all, it's out of nowhere in the Sequel Trilogy. That's a valid complaint that Disney has no way of covering it's ass for. But if they made it happen in the same universe as EU Legends, what happened between trilogies could be used as a flimsy justification for what happened in the Disney Sequels.

I would like to read The climatic ARC of the New Jedi Order. However I would like some context on the character involved. Do you have any star wars book suggests that I can read before taking on NJO? ( Other Than the Thrawn trilogy and duology? Or just get into the first novel and see where It goes

Revive Old Star Wars legends

My question is, since it's nineteen books in the series, which books are more essential? I just want to know, because while I am interested in reading the series, nineteen books is too much for me and I would like to know which ones I could skip

I gotta see if I can find any of these book.