Although Disney reset the Star Wars canon over ten years ago, there are still plenty of excellent Legends books that are worth your time. We’ve compiled the very best Star Wars Legends books to help you get started.
Heir to the Empire, Timothy Zahn
It’s been five years since the second Death Star was destroyed. The New Republic is in power, but the war isn’t over. Remnants of the Empire remain, and a new threat is rising from within their ranks. Under the leadership of Grand Admiral Thrawn, the Empire is a real threat to the Republic.
Heir to the Empire is the first in the famed Timothy Zahn trilogy that kicked off the new expanded universe in 1991. The trilogy is a great starting point for anyone new to Star Wars books. Zahn does an excellent job staying true to established characters while introducing all new ones.
Kenobi, John Jackson Miller
Kenobi is one of the final Legends books written before Disney reset the expanded universe canon. It tells a story from Obi-Wan Kenobi’s isolation on Tatooine, and the novel showcases all the best aspects of the famed Jedi.
Obi-Wan is my favorite character in all of Star Wars, and knowing more about his time between Episodes 3 and 4 is really fun. On top of that, Kenobi is a great adventure story. John Jackson Miller really highlights the character’s compassion and strength in the Force in Kenobi. It’s a small-scale adventure that is a ton of fun.
Outbound Flight, Timothy Zahn
For those who have read the original Thrawn trilogy, Outbound Flight will be familiar. It was mentioned in passing in those books, but the events are detailed here. Jedi Master Jorus C’baoth convinces the Senate to send a ship to make contact with species beyond the known regions – but disaster awaits the explorers.
The Outbound Flight, which includes Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his padawan, Anakin Skywalker, encounter the Chiss Ascendancy. Among them is Thrawn, a brilliant strategist who will test them like never before.
If you want to know more about Zahn’s characters or just enjoy Prequel-era stories, you will love Outbound Flight.
Path of Destruction, Drew Karpyshyn
The first book in the Darth Bane trilogy, Path of Destruction is a gripping story about how much of Sith mythology came to be. Dessel embarks on a journey from an unknown miner to one of the most powerful Force users in the galaxy.
The entire trilogy is outstanding and worth a read. In this first book, Dessel rises through the ranks of the Sith army in the war against the Jedi. But his masters see a greater potential for him, and he is sent to the Sith academy. There, he will rise to fulfill his true destiny as Darth Bane and go on to become a legend among the Sith.
The Paradise Snare, A.C. Crispin
The first book in the excellent Han Solo trilogy, The Paradise Snare gives us 19-year-old Han Solo on an all-new adventure. Han has spent almost his entire life aboard the Trader’s Luck as a frontman in scams. Ready for more in life, he breaks free of the tyrannical Garris Shrike and lands on Ylesia. Once there, he learns he is now on a fanatical world with no escape.
Clearly, this is a different backstory than we see in Solo: A Star Wars Story. While the trilogy is no longer canon, these stories are a great tale about a beloved character. The Paradise Snare is an excellent beginning to the arc.
Specter of the Past, Timothy Zahn
Zahn appears a lot on this list, but it’s deserved. He is arguably the preeminent Star Wars author in the Legends era. His books about Thrawn in recent years have given him a home among the best Star Wars canon books, too. Specter of the Past is the first book in the Hand of Thrawn duology, and it’s another great opportunity to visit fan-favorite characters from Zahn’s novels.
Favorites like Mara Jade, Admiral Pellaeon, and Talon Karrde are all back in Specter of the Past. However, no character finds a way to command attention in Zahn’s books like Grand Admiral Thrawn. Rumors of his return have shaken the confidence of the New Republic. But are the rumors true?
