Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
The world is dying. The gods have waged war against one another and are scattered and weakening. Everything from the sun to the winds are affected. Cyprian Fontaine is a collector of artifacts who holds a noble lineage. Years ago, his father set out on an expedition to save the world but never returned. When he learns the true nature of what his father was doing, Cyprian knows he will need to join the expedition attempting to finish what his father didn’t and save the world from certain death. But along the way the party will face extreme weather they are not used to, starving and maddened humans who want to enslave them, and gods who while weakened are still certainly powerful enough to kill any mortal. Guiding the expedition is a single outsider, a so called badlander. But are his motivations to help humanity survive or simply to achieve his own ends?
Badlander is a fascinating book that pulls no punches whatsoever. It’s nice to see a fantasy book that actually takes into account the environment as well. The threats are not simply endless sword battles but things as simple as lack of food or water could easily kill this party if they are not careful. Tom Golden does a fantastic job of managing a large list of characters, knowing when to zoom in on some and turn away from others.
At times it seemed perhaps the scale of the gods depicted in the book was somewhat flexible and it was hard to tell exactly how much of a threat they were. There are also a few times where battles may have lasted just a tad too long in the book but reading to the end was wholly satisfying. The last act of the book does not end in the way much of fantasy does and this makes it utterly refreshing to read.
The book is a good mix of survival adventure, political intrigue, fantasy action, a bit of romance, and a whole lot of sacrifice.
If you like fantasy books where the characters take on impossible odds and keep trying to save the world because there is no other choice, this book should be right for you. If nothing else, I guarantee you will not forget the ending of this book.
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Drakomunda is a book that takes place in a land of dark magic and strange artifacts where anyone can have their lives altered by fate. A series of short but related stories are presented in the book, all with a bit of a different flavor. Some take place in a decidedly ancient society while others feel like they are happening closer to our time, albeit still in a quite fantastical world.
Like with any book filled with shorter entries some stand out more than others. Overall, Guy Quarterly, does a fantastic job with his characters and the book is simply full of great action and horror. A few of the stories feel like they could have been shortened just a bit but in the end the payoff is usually worth it.
Whether Quarterly is writing about a caravan crossing the desert, a shipwrecked crew, brave warriors trying to fit in with their tribe, or warlords getting their revenge, the stories are gripping. Often times they are decidedly dark and the threats and menace in the book is palpable. Quarterly is especially good at building out interesting villains here.
Many of the themes of the book deal with unlikely allies, unexpected betrayals, and even love both gained and lost. Because the stories are so varied, there is surely something for any reader to like here but which ones stand out most to a reader will depend on individual tastes. The whole collection is very much worth reading.
There is a fair amount of gore so any readers sensitive to that may wish to take caution. That’s not to say everything in the book is always gratuitous, just that those who are squeamish about such things may not enjoy every aspect of every story.
With this as a debut, I am looking forward to reading more of his work. If you like fantasy with a dark edge, and enjoy short fiction along those lines, this is a perfect book for you.
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
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⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
A kingdom is about to collapse, torn by war on all sides. Factions are coming after the crown that makes Renovia the mightiest nation of its time. But, this great nation is near its ruin. A king’s only solution is to protect his children, and the future of his kingdom, by sending Kairo and Aterah into the future where they will forget all they have known.
The future is a time of war and rebellion and Aterah and Kairo are on what seems to be the losing side. There are factions and warlords surrounding them who are not only deadly, they deal in magic known as vuu. The powerful magic is used in different ways by different nations and at this moment in time, Renovia seems to have none of it. But, there are artifacts that can restore the world to what it once was. Kairo and Aterah have no indication of how important they are in events to come. And there are others who covet the power of vuu and the artifacts that can restore Renovia.
Illyadra is a high magic fantasy epic. Several people and nations will be taking actions that will sway the fate of the world entirely. Some of these people are unaware of what is to happen, while others are making strategic plans on how they can capitalize for themselves. There are battles to the death using weapons, magic, and even with only the power of words. When Aterah is taken, Kairo must take action to rescue his sister. Unfortunately for him, a major injury means he will need all the help he can get. But what form that takes will surprise everyone.
The author, Adriel Wallaker, does a fair job of handling a large cast of characters. It can be at times somewhat difficult for the reader to keep them all straight as a few of them have very similar names. But the writing is strong enough this is not too much of a concern. Wallaker also does a decent job of tying things up in the end while still leaving the reader wanting to know what will happen next in the series. There are some spots in the book where the action gets a bit tedious but for the most part it’s fun.
Readers should be forewarned there is quite graphic violence in the book. It is handled well by the author but not for the squeamish at heart.
One of the more interesting aspects of the book was seeing magic used in ways not simply related to battle. Especially intriguing were the people who could wield influence over others with arguments. This is one area it would have been nice to see a little more of because those portions of the story were quite engaging. This is where a lot of the philosophy behind vuu comes in and is rather fascinating.
If you like sprawling epics where magic is everywhere and can be used in a lot of ways, Illyadra is definitely worth a read.
Hey everyone! This is just a quick post to let everyone know that two new awesome collections of flash fiction and poetry have been released on drivethrufiction. Right now you can get the flash fiction collection In a Flash and the poetry collection Collective Verses. More than 120 writers contributed to these collections and they’re both fantastic.
If you happen to like my flash fiction stories, I have one in the In a Flash collection titled A Fresh Delivery. But, even if you don’t enjoy my story, there are tons of great ones in the collection.
And if you are more into poetry, Collective Verses is a great read. I don’t have a poem in there but there are tons of great poems by independent authors.
If you are interested and able to, support independent authors by purchasing either or both collections today!
And unlike collections my stories have been featured in before, you can even get a print version of either collection!
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
It is a golden age. Intrepid hyperspace scouts expand the reach of the Republic to the furthest stars, worlds flourish under the benevolent leadership of the Senate, and peace reigns, enforced by the wisdom and strength of the renowned order of Force users known as the Jedi. With the Jedi at the height of their power, the free citizens of the galaxy are confident in their ability to weather any storm But the even brightest light can cast a shadow, and some storms defy any preparation.
When a shocking catastrophe in hyperspace tears a ship to pieces, the flurry of shrapnel emerging from the disaster threatens an entire system. No sooner does the call for help go out than the Jedi race to the scene. The scope of the emergence, however, is enough to push even Jedi to their limit. As the sky breaks open and destruction rains down upon the peaceful alliance they helped to build, the Jedi must trust in the Force to see them through a day in which a single mistake could cost billions of lives.
Even as the Jedi battle valiantly against calamity, something truly deadly grows beyond the boundary of the Republic. The hyperspace disaster is far more sinister than the Jedi could ever suspect. A threat hides in the darkness, far from the light of the age, and harbors a secret that could strike fear into even a Jedi’s heart.
Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule is the first book in the first phase of what is known as The High Republic in Star Wars lore. This book takes place thousands of years before the events of Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope. To make things more confusing in the timeline (as Star Wars is fond of doing) the second phase of the High Republic books takes place chronologically before Light of the Jedi. But, as this is the first book in a first phase for Star Wars books, it’s a good entry point for anyone who hasn’t read Star Wars books before. It’s also a great book for long time fans of Star Wars.
Be warned there will be spoilers below.
What’s it about?
It’s a time of prosperity and peace in the Republic. Most worlds in the galaxy are part of the Republic. And they benefit from the governance on Coruscant and the protection of the Jedi order. Only the outer rim territories, on the edge of the galaxy, haven’t joined. But the Jedi and the Republic have worked together to build a new station and signal of hope known as the Starlight Beacon. This is a place where world representatives can come and find common ground, as well as a place for Jedi to be able to gather and protect citizens when needed.
Just as this new symbol of hope for the galaxy is about to open, unimaginable disaster threatens the galaxy. Something impossible is coming out of hyperspace. There was a collision as a ship traveled through hyperspace. This is not possible according to everything the Senate and the Jedi know to be true.
This event, known as the Emergence is happening. At the speed the debris of this wreck travels, it will shatter worlds, and whole systems of planets, to dust. If the Jedi cannot coordinate a response fast enough to prevent the damage, countless worlds will be lost and the lives of trillions of beings will be forfeit.
As the Jedi work together with the Republic and with brilliant and courageous beings across the galaxy to prevent damage or aid in rescue efforts, a threat is brewing behind the scenes.
The new enemy
Not everyone is on board with the Republic and the Jedi enforcing their version of peace on all beings in the galaxy. There is a secretive, powerful, group called the Nihil who are making moves behind the scenes which will disrupt peace in the galaxy.
Are the emergences unrelated to this new threat? Or is there something more going on? Can the Jedi prevent casualties while uncovering the truth? If the Jedi do find out the truth, will their power be enough to slow the tide of destruction?
New Characters
If you want a book full of characters from Star Wars cameos, this book will disappoint you. Yoda is mentioned a few times but he’s not in any way a main character here. This is a mixed blessing.
On the one hand, new characters are built up and we get to know them, and it’s refreshing to see something we haven’t before. On the other hand, we don’t know a lot about them yet, so when they are in danger or killed, we don’t care as much.
Some of the interesting things in this book are new uses of the Force, an innovative way to use astromech droids, and one of the most memorable endings of a Star Wars book I have seen.
There are a few standout new characters here. Two to watch are Avar Kriss who is known as the best of the best of the Jedi (my vote is still for Yoda in that department) and Loden Greatstorm who is a lot more experimental with the force.
There’s tons of explanation about hyperspace and how that came to be in this book. Telling much more would be a heavy spoiler. The Nihil are introduced as villains. I’ll admit I was not on board with them at the outset. The ending changed my mind and now I find them fascinating.
The action is fast paced. In the beginning where the biggest threats are, the story is a little slow. But that’s because we don’t know these characters yet so it’s hard to care what happens to them until further along. If you can make it through the beginning of the book, the end has a fantastic pay off so it’s worth the read whether you are a long time Star Wars fan or not.
Conclusion
The book is as satisfying as can be. Action happens. We learn about new powers. We meet new characters. The Jedi use not just force powers but their collective wisdom to defeat threats.
The book takes place in an exciting era. Reading this one feels like watching the films for the first time. You don’t know what will happen. It’s enormous and plays out on a galactic scale.
Lightsaber fights abound. Villains threaten the galaxy. A sweeping epic is born. This book is worth the read. Go out and grab your copy, whether you are new to Star Wars or a longtime fan.
I can’t wait to see what other surprises are in store for this phase of Star Wars. If the quality of the writing is as good as it is in Light of the Jedi there will be a lot to like.
Want to know where to start with Star Wars? Check out my guide here.
Tales to Astonish Issue 43 Artwork by Don Heck, Written by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber
Tales to Astonish is full of short stories of all kinds of science fiction and fantasy. But no character in this comic was more popular than Henry (Hank) Pym, also known as Ant-Man. He was the leading story in Tales to Astonish virtually since his first appearance. And, not only that, even in the world of Marvel 616, Ant-Man is popular at this time.
This issue starts out with Ant-Man quietly trying to make his way home in a crowd. He gets trapped under a telegram and when the delivery boy who picks it up realizes Ant-Man is there, the crowd goes wild. People ask for Hank’s autograph and try to interview him for their magazines. Unlike heroes such as the Fantastic Four or Spider-Man who have a more complicated relationship with the public, Henry Pym is celebrated almost everywhere he goes. Eventually this will change, but for now, he, along with Tony Stark is one of the most popular heroes in the public eye.
The issue still does not place Ant-Man in New York, it refers to where he is living as Center City. Yet, from the backgrounds and the fact that most of the other heroes in 616 have already been placed in New York, it’s a safe assumption that this is really where Ant-Man is active.
After Hank makes his escape, we see where the telegram goes. It heads to an older gentleman named Elias Weems. His grandson is coming to visit him and as Weems is a scientist he’s excited to show his grandson where he works and all the science he does. But Weems is confronted with a horrible problem. Ageism. He’s 65 and apparently the company Weems works for has decided anyone that age or older is not capable of good ideas anymore so he’s fired. It would be nice if this was an issue we didn’t have to face anymore in the real world but there you have it.
As any smart scientist who is 65 years or older would do, Weems decides to make a ray which will accelerate the age of any living thing and get his revenge. He tests his ray on a sapling and it grows into a tree. Then he heads to the zoo to test it on larger animals. And it just so happens Henry Pym is there looking at elephants and thinking about being able to control them with his cybernetic helmet.
As Henry is lost in thought, the baby elephant grows up right before his eyes in a matter of moments. Weems then reverses the ray to make the elephant younger again. In his final experiment, Weems makes a woman turn older then turns her back to her rightful age. Why Weems didn’t just use his ray to make himself younger, I can’t tell ya.
Weems then dubs himself the Master of Time and writes a letter to the police telling them to give him rulership over the city or he’ll age everyone. Thankfully there are ants around the place to relay this message to our hero.
Ant-Man hops into his catapult and shoots himself towards an alley where a bunch of ants are ready to catch him. Hank then runs around town talking to scientists and discovers there was a scientist recently fired for being too old. Ant-Man rushes over to Weems’ house where he’s mad because the police didn’t answer his threat in the newspapers.
Before Ant-Man can do much, Weems uses his ray to make Henry older. Ant-Man asks why Weems didn’t just age him to death. Weems just wanted to slow Henry down but didn’t actually wish any harm upon him. The Master of Time is smart enough to know to take Ant-Man’s helmet so he can’t call the ants. But he doesn’t realize Pym can change back to normal size. Weems leaves the room and Hank sizes up and grabs his helmet, although he is still elderly.
Meanwhile, Weems goes to city hall to try and seek his vengeance. He is able to age up a few folks but he doesn’t know Ant-Man is in the crowd and can once again control ants. Before Weems gets too far, his grandson shows up and recognizes him. Weems realizes his grandson is now aging so he tries to reverse the ray but he drops it. Ant-Man gets his ants together to go and attack Weems but as he sees the ray drop, Henry commands the ants to catch the ray gun instead. Henry reverses the controls on the gun and de-ages everyone, including himself, as fast as he can.
Weems is arrested but in court, Ant-Man sticks up for him, saying Weems did everything because he was afraid of losing his grandson’s affection. Weems’ old employer also wises up and realizes this old guy was able to invent a pretty nifty ray so he hires Weems once more.
For once the story ends pretty happily and no one goes to prison. No one was really hurt and I guess we all learned not to discriminate against 65 year olds? Glad that got solved. But anyway, this was a kind of silly story but nice to see it end without the usual bad guy in jail but still a threat later kind of thing.
One of the more interesting things about this issue is this is one of the last stories where Ant-Man doesn’t have a partner. His whole dynamic is about to change, and not necessarily for the better.
Next time we’ll be checking in with the man in the armored suit as we read about Tony Stark in Tales of Suspense #41!
Note: this review was first posted on Reedsy Discovery, an awesome website that pairs independent authors and readers. To see the post there, click here.
If you are a book reviewer and want to contribute reviews on Reedsy Discovery, click here.
(Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through this post I will get a small commission at no extra cost to you)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
SUMMARY
A half-open portal to a demon world sits in the middle of Corber Port, the largest metropolis in the Solarian Empire. Should it fully open, the city dies.
Tia Samos and her companions are captives in an alien city on the Doors other side. Surviving will take everything they have. Even then, escape may be impossible. But they will try anyways…
REVIEW
After a battle with cosmic entities much more powerful than our heroes can fully understand, they’ve been separated by a dark portal. On one side Tia, Peter and Kyle have found some refuge in a kingdom run by a King in Yellow. But the forces surrounding them are darker than ever and each moment a cosmic god could utterly destroy their existence unless they are strong enough to fend of his attacks. On the other side of the portal is Rebecca and Kyle’s nephew. Rebecca has always been a songstress but she’s finding out there is more to her songs than a melody and a way to make a living. She can see what she thinks are her friends on the other side of the portal but she has no way to reunite with them and she still needs to make her own way in the world. There is limited time on both sides of the portal as angry beings with dark purpose grow stronger at each moment.
The Empire series by Tim Goff has always had some dark cosmic elements in it but for the most part it started with elements of fantasy and political intrigue. Empire: Spiral puts the cosmic right out front. Anyone with even a passing familiarity with Lovecraftian mythos will recognize several of the dark beings and cosmic gods here. And, if you know anything about cosmic horror, you know just how dangerous these creatures can be. This volume, more than any other so far makes us believe the heroes are in real mortal danger at every turn. And that is saying something because Goff frequently puts his characters in utterly horrible and dangerous situations.
While the cosmic is more up front, there are still definitely elements of fantasy and political intrigue at work here. Tia must figure out how to be diplomatic with people who are not human while Peter must restrain himself from lashing out at old foes. It all makes for a quite interesting read and so far, I think, is the best book in the Empire series.
If you have read the rest of the series, you’ll be satisfied but if you have not started and want to read something that blends a well built world of fantasy with the most cosmic of cosmic horrors, read the Empire series.
The Fantastic Four Issue #14. Writer: Stan Lee, Artist: Jack Kirby
The last time we checked in with The Fantastic Four in their own series, they had defeated and enemy on the moon known as The Red Ghost. The FF are heading home expecting a heroes welcome as they’ve become the first people to successfully land on and return from the moon. This was years before it happened in reality so it was still anyone’s guess what would really be found there.
The first page gives us a small recap and then Ben Grimm says he wants to take over the controls of the ship, although Reed Richards brags he designed it to practically land itself.
Sure enough, as they land in New York, there is a huge mob of people there to cheer on the team. They were already notable as heroes and explorers in New York City but it seems this return trip solidifies their status as not only heroes but super celebrities. It’s depicted in the way one might expect The Beatles to have been greeted at the height of their fame. Reed Richards even has two rival fan clubs both desperately trying to touch him or maybe get a lock of his hair. Meanwhile, a super star wrestler named The Golden Angel challenges The Thing to a fight to the finish. The Thing just tosses this dude in a trash can and walks away. Sue Storm is badgered by people wanting her to sign Hollywood contracts or sell their deodorant on television. Lucky for her, she can just turn invisible. Johnny Storm sees the problem with the crowd here and makes a whirling tunnel of warm air which creates a vacuum of suction to get the team back to the Baxter building. This is clearly one of the sillier powers Johnny has displayed but I think as an audience we’re past caring about that sort of thing now.
The team goes back to their penthouse apartments and tries to get in a bit of relaxation time. Although, in the fashion of the day, Sue Storm says she’s going to, “do a little housecleaning” instead. Reed dictates his notes on the rocket fuel he invented for the trip and goes to find Sue to have her type them up. When he finds her, she’s taking a look at some of Reed’s cameras on the bottom of the sea. She immediately switches it off when Reed enters. Reed knows she’s hoping for a glimpse of The Sub-Mariner and then goes off feeling kinda sorry for himself. Sue brings the roving camera back to the Baxter Building.
Meanwhile, we see a mysterious man speaking with a doctor who says the man is cured. This man says he knew he was cured long ago but was waiting for the world to forget him. The man seems to have a vendetta against our heroes after he experienced a fall that people seemed to have thought killed him. He’s also planning to get a scapegoat to do the job for him. This person goes through a list of enemies The Fantastic Four have defeated before until he thinks of The Sub-Mariner. It turns out our mystery man is The Puppet Master. This is a person who can control others simply by making a clay sculpture out of them with his magic clay. And of course, he’s ready with a sculpture of Sub-Mariner.
Namor, The Sub-Mariner is looking for his lost people under the sea when he’s pulled away by a powerful force. It seems he’s compelled to do as Puppet Master asks. Namor then uses something called a, “Mento-fish” which can sense human thoughts ad transmit them to any point on earth through, “mental electro waves!” Yeah, I dunno, doesn’t make much sense to me either. Anyway, Namor uses this fish to call to Sue Storm. Thinking Namor is in distress, Sue goes to him. She sneaks past her team while invisible to do so, and thinks this meeting will at long last decide her feelings for Namor.
Sue meets Namor at a pier on the lower east side of New York. Namor uses a, “hypno-fish” to hypnotize Sue. The fish puts Sue in an air bubble and they go under the sea. Puppet Master decides not to put the FF under his control, figuring his revenge will be sweeter if they retain their free will. Namor then transmits a mental image to the remaining members of the superhero team to tell them he has Sue Storm. He basically dares them to come after her, which, of course, they do. Before setting out, Reed and Johnny go to deliver their secret files to the police commissioner and Ben goes to let Alicia know where he’ll be so she doesn’t worry.
When Ben gets to the building, he’s overcharged for parking. He agrees to let Alicia come along with him, and then Ben stacks up the cars in the parking lot so he can fly outta there. But off panel he says he put them back so I guess no harm done?
Reed has gotten the loan of a deep water diving vehicle so he can search for Namor and the group piles in to go find him. They have to evade some attacks set up by Namor, including sharp quills shooting at their vehicle and a whirling tornado of water. Johnny flames on with white hot flame to dissipate the tornado and nearly drowns until Reed saves him. Namor springs a final trap where the heroes get trapped in a giant clam and knocked out with chloroform gas the clam naturally produces. Yeah, not sure I believe any of that but we’ll just go with it. Namor brings them back to his headquarters.
Namor has a giant octopus guarding Sue who is inside a glass globule the octopus could probably crush. Reed realizes pretty quickly this behavior is not typical of Namor. He’s always professed his love for Sue so putting her in this kind of danger seems extreme even for him. Namor then challenges the heroes to fight him one by one. First up is Johnny. He’s defeated because Namor has a strange living undersea weapon that absorbs any kind of heat. The Thing sees the use of this weapon as cheating so he grabs Namor who easily gets away. Namor throws some kind of sea foam on Ben which hardens and traps him in place. But The Thing breaks out anyway. Reed Richards tangles Namor up in his stretchy arms, trapping him, as Ben goes to save Sue.
Ben Grimm tosses the octopus by the tentacles and saves Sue. He tells her to hold her breath as they swim through the water. And we get this super sexist gem from Stan Lee, as The Thing thinks, “First time I ever saw a female who could keep her mouth shut so long!” Yeah, I mean I know it was different times and all, but there are some real sexist gems dropped by Stan the man in these days.
The Puppet Master has been watching from afar in his own submarine. He ups the stakes by telling Namor he has to do more than defeat the FF, he has to slay them. Alicia seems to sense Puppet Master’s presence and lets Reed know what’s going on. Sub-Mariner grabs some deadly sea tubes which will release a poisonous gas but still hesitates because he doesn’t want to harm Sue. Namor does eventually release the gas but also realizes he’s being controlled. Luckily for everyone involved, Reed put on special, “flex-o-gen” masks on the team and Alicia so they wouldn’t breathe in the fumes. Reed, Ben and Johnny all want to clobber Namor but Sue stops them, telling them she knows he’s under some kind of influence.
Remember the octopus The Thing threw? So that finds The Puppet Master’s submarine and attacks it. Puppet Master tries to carve a clay sculpture of it to control it but apparently the octopus doesn’t have enough of a brain for it to be controlled. This breaks the control on Sub-Mariner and the team have to escape because a hole in the dome of Namor’s place is letting in water. Johnny fixes it and Namor thinks he’s been invaded by the Fantastic Four. He sees Sue and asks if she’s come to share his underwater kingdom. She tells him no, that her loyalties are with Reed. But she keeps open the love triangle by saying her heart has not made a final choice yet. It honestly makes you feel a little bad for Reed here since he’s made it pretty clear he is in love with Sue. Namor does let them go because he wants to go back to looking for his lost people. Sue still hopes he’ll someday be their friend and we end the issue with the promise that the Fantastic Four are about to head for one of the most bizarre adventures of all time in the next issue.
With an issue about telepathic fish, people who live under the sea, and a dude who can control minds through clay, saying the next issue will be bizarre is a pretty bold statement here.
It’s still early days in the Marvel 616 universe here but it’s always great to see a good villain come back. And in this one there are two worthy villains. For one, the team isn’t certain Puppet Master is actually back, although we as the audience know he is. And secondly, the love triangle between Namor, Reed and Sue is always interesting. Namor is a compelling character in that he never quite crosses the line to total villain (at least in the eyes of the Fantastic Four) but he’s not an outright hero either. One gets the impression with him that if Sue Storm was not around, the Fantastic Four could be in real trouble from him.
The way villains keep returning in Marvel 616 comics really helps build out the universe and makes it feel like things are happening all over even when we’re not reading the comics. It takes a while before there’s a great connection between everything but the building blocks are definitely starting to shape up.
Next up on the reading list, we’ll be getting small again with Ant-Man in the pages of Tales to Astonish #43!
The first Star Wars film was Star Wars: A New Hope debuting 1977
Hello internet, it’s Slick Dungeon here!
This week marks a special treat for Star Wars fans. I, myself, am a huuuge Star Wars fan so I’m pretty pumped about the fact that Return of the Jedi is playing in my area. For those of us who are big fans this is something fun to go do and we always get a kick out of seeing some of our favorite films back in theaters. But, what I realized recently after talking to someone who has never seen any of the Star Wars movies is if you are new you might have no idea where to start.
I’m the type of fan who loves it all. Yes, even the one you’ve heard is terrible, or that other thing people are arguing about online. I find at least some entertainment value in everything Star Wars I have ever consumed. I have a solid base of knowledge when it comes to my favorite fandom. And that makes me the perfect person to guide someone who is overwhelmed by the sheer amount of Star Wars out there. You may not know how to begin and feel like there is so much media, it’s pointless to even try.
But, good news if that’s you! I have you covered. I’m going to throw a lot of information at you. But if you stick with me through this post I’ll tell you the only way to get started with Star Wars.
I’m going to go through what Star Wars has to offer in all kinds of media, including film, television, books, video games and more. I’ll focus on the films because that’s how 90% of people are introduced into the storylines but if you’d rather see what there is in the way of books, games, or whatever, I’m going to throw those in there as well.
The Star Wars MOvies
As of this writing there are eleven live action films released. And it can be daunting to figure out what order to watch them in. There is an original trilogy, a prequel trilogy, a sequel trilogy and two spin off movies which don’t have to be watched to get the larger context but can be fun to fill in gaps. There is also an animated movie that debuted in theaters but doesn’t really belong in the list when you’re first trying to watch the main story. We’ll cover that one in the television section.
With these films there are two basic ways to watch. One way is in release order. As in, you watch them based on what year the film released. The other way is in chronological order. This would be going through the movies by episode number, with the spin offs squeezed in roughly around the time periods they happen in the larger storyline.
With either method, the spin offs are technically optional, but I still recommend watching them.
Also, there are a couple of other methods some fans use to watch the movies but that’s more advanced level watching so I’m just sticking to the two methods here.
Chronological Order
If you watch the movies in chronological order you get a linear storyline. And it’s easy to follow the events in the films. It won’t be hard to keep track of the characters. And you’ll know who the good guys and bad guys are. The problem with this method is it’s not very adventurous. And it will make what would have been original twists in the movies seem like mundane facts everyone should know. I’ll give you the chronological order but I will say it is not my recommended way of watching for the first time.
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Release Order
Using the release order method you’ll feel like you were dropped into the middle of an episodic drama where there is missing information. But you’ll still get a sense of the larger story. As you go through all of the films, many of the gaps will be filled in. And a lot of the drama is intensified.
It’s the way us original fans saw them after years of speculating what would happen while we waited for the next installment. There are plot holes the size of a spaceship in some of these movies. But they get filled in eventually with other films in the series or through television, comic books, novels, and other media. Watching in release order will allow the viewer to have more questions about the story. And the twists and turns are a lot more fun to see unfold this way. I highly recommend using this method if you are new.
Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Episode VIII: The Last Jedi
Solo: A Star Wars Story
Star Wars: Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars Television
It used the be the case the only way to consume Star Wars was through film. Then came novelizations, comic books and video games. But recently there is a new phenomena. Television. There are live action shows and animated shows. These shows take place during different periods in the larger storyline. But in general, the television shows tend to fill in gaps in time between films. If you put the films and shows together, you start to get a massive storyline with hours and hours of stuff to watch. You can, in fact, just watch the television shows if you want to and not see the films. But, if you do that, you’re missing the most vital part of the story.
While I don’t recommend it to someone new to Star Wars, television can be an entry point. I’m going to list the shows here and tell you how they fit in with the movies. Some shows are better than others. But it also depends on what kind of show you like. There are shows full of action and cameos. And fun easter eggs for hardcore fans. There are also shows that are slow burn character dramas. Whatever you like in the way of television, you can probably find a show that fits your preferences.
I’ll give you the list of live action shows and the list of animated shows. As a rule of thumb the live action shows lean toward a more adult audience and the animated shows are geared more towards the younger crowd. There’s really only one show on here, Andor which you might think twice before showing to kids. Everything else is family friendly, depending on your viewing preferences.
Live Action Television Shows
The Acolyte – A prequel series set a hundred years before the start of the Skywalker Saga. This show can be watched independently of any of the rest of the shows.
Obi-Wan Kenobi – This focuses on a singular character and takes place between Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Andor – This also focuses on a singular character. And it’s more of a slow burn character drama. It takes place after Obi Wan Kenobi but it is also between Solo: A Star Wars Story and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Star Wars: Holiday Special – This was a live action holiday special variety show George Lucas was contractually obligated to make. Not recommended to anyone but a superfan and it’s hard to find. It takes place between Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.
Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure – This is a movie made for television in the 1980’s. And it takes place on the planet Endor which is featured in the movie Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. It’s made for kids and has a bit of a cult following. But it definitely looks like it was made in the 1980’s for television. It takes place after Star Wars: Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back but before Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor – This is a sequel to Caravan of Courage: An Ewok Adventure. It was also made for television and takes place in the same time period as the first Ewok movie.
The Mandalorian – The most well known of all the live action shows. This is the one that stars Pedro Pascal. And if you are going to start watching Star Wars through a television series, this would be my recommended entry point. It takes place between Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi and Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. It connects to the larger stories but you can follow this story without knowing a lot about Star Wars to begin with.
The Book of Bobba Fett – This show has strong connections to The Mandalorian and they tie in together. But the focus of this show is on a character from the movies. This takes place in the same time period as The Mandalorian.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew – An adventure romp through the galaxy for a group of kids who come together in unexpected circumstances. This one takes place five years after Return of the Jedi but it’s not strongly connected to any other show or movie.
Some of these shows are better than others. But as I said above, the best entry point in TV shows for a new fan is far and away The Mandalorian. There is some question as to whether numbers 4, 5, and 6 on the list above count as “cannon” to the main story. I included them just because they are live action shows you could watch. One thing to make clear is that you do not have to watch any of these shows for the films to make sense. Instead, the shows do the job of filling in story gaps for the movies rather than being a launchpad for any of the films.
Animated Television Shows
Lego Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles – A fun, silly show perfect for young kids and Lego enthusiasts. It talks about things in the movies. But it doesn’t count towards the larger story.
Lego Star Wars: The Padawan Menace – Similar to the above, this is a silly Lego version that relates to Episode I but is not actually part of the main story. Lots of fun to watch.
Star Wars: The Clone Wars – This is an animated film which takes place between Episode II and Episode III. The movie itself wasn’t well received. But it is the official start to the fantastic animated series The Clone Wars.
The Clone Wars – This is a series that ran from 2008 – 2014. It’s a great show full of intense action and intriguing drama. This is not only great for kids but adults can find a lot of value in this show as well. It does a great job filling in a lot of the blanks between Episode II and Episode III. And it really adds context to the story. If you are going to begin watching Star Wars through animated television, I highly recommend starting with this series.
Star Wars: The Bad Batch – This is a series that follows The Clone Wars which focuses on a few characters. It’s still going on. But it started in 2021. I don’t recommend watching it until you have seen The Clone Wars. But once you have seen that one, it’s a great follow up.
Star Wars Rebels – This is a Disney series that takes place between Episode III and Episode IV. It shows the beginnings of the rebellion we see in Episode IV but it doesn’t focus on the characters from that film. The animation leaves a bit to be desired. But the storylines are great and it’s a good one for kids.
Star Wars Droids – This was a cartoon from the 1980s and it focuses on the droids from the Star Wars films. It takes place between Episode III and Episode IV. But doesn’t count towards the larger story. It’s fun to watch if you like 80’s cartoons but otherwise, skippable.
Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out – Another Lego movie, pretty fun and it obviously lampoons Episode V but again, doesn’t count towards the larger story.
Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures – This was a series that aired from 2016-2017. It’s a bit of an outlier in that it is a Lego show that is episodic. At one point it was supposed to count towards the larger story. But it doesn’t really fit. It’s still a fun watch, especially for kids, though.
Lego Star Wars: Droid Tales – This is another Lego special which focuses on the droids. And again, like the other Lego shows doesn’t count for the whole story but is sure fun to watch.
Ewoks – This was the partner show to Star Wars Droids in the 1980s. This show focuses on the furry creatures known as Ewoks from Episode VI. I liked it as a kid. But this probably doesn’t hold up that well compared to other cartoons of the time.
Star Wars Resistance – This is an animated series that takes place between Episode VI and Episode VII and focuses on a group of pilots. It’s a fun show but definitely geared towards the younger crowd. It does follow a bit of a story similar to how The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, and Rebels do.
Lego Star Wars: The Resistance Rises – Another Lego special. This takes place just before Episode VII but again doesn’t count towards the larger story.
I’ve left off several shows that are either upcoming, anthology series, or don’t count as cannon to the story. I’ll try to update this post as those come along. Those have their merits but most of the ones on the list above are worth watching (although if you hate Lego stuff don’t watch those). For my money, the best shows to watch on this list are The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch, and Rebels. The rest are fun but those three have really engaging stories. And there is some top notch animation in Clone Wars and Bad Batch. If you want to start watching Star Wars with animated series, I strongly recommend starting with Star Wars: The Clone Wars and then watching the follow up The Clone Wars series.
Star Wars Video Games
Video games are tougher to categorize. In order to give you all the possible games you could play related to Star Wars in some way, I’d have to give you a history of video game consoles. Instead, I will keep this simple and just include the ones that are now considered cannon. But just know there are a whole lot more games I could have put here.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) – This one is a cannon game. And it does count toward the larger story though you don’t have to play it to understand the movies. It’s a first person shooter in space.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order – This is an action adventure style game which focuses on a character who is not in the movies but does fill in some gaps between Episode III and Episode IV. It’s not only a great Star Wars game, it’s a great game. If you want to start your Star Wars journey with a video game, I recommend this one.
Vader Immortal: A Star Wars Series – This is a virtual reality game where it tells a little side story about someone Darth Vader hires. But mostly it’s fun because you get to pretend to swing around a lightsaber.
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) – This is fourth on the list, after Star Wars Battlefront because the main story happens in a time period later in the Star Wars universe. But technically both games cover multiple time periods so it’s a little confusing. Also, this is a reboot of a different Star Wars Battlefront just to make it even more confusing. But like the other one on this list, it’s an FPS style game with a bit of story that relates to the movies.
Star Wars Squadrons – This is a space battle game where you get to fly different kinds of ships and blow stuff up. It’s got a decent story as well. It’s a fun game. But I wouldn’t recommend starting here as an entry point.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor – This is the sequel to Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. And it counts toward the story. I wouldn’t play this one without playing the first one. But this is the newest Star Wars game out there. The gameplay is fun and the story is as interesting as the first one (though I have not played to the end yet)
There are a few more games slated to come out but I won’t get into those here. If you just have to get started with Star Wars through video games, then I definitely recommend Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. But if you love FPS games, the Battlefront ones are good too.
Star Wars Books
There are soooo many Star Wars books out there. Broadly they can be divided into two types, Cannon and Legends. Cannon means they count towards the current Star Wars stories. Legends means they once did but no longer do, or were written as something as a fun book but not meant to count towards the bigger story. To save us from the longest blogpost in human history, I am going to just put the Cannon books here. There are tons of Legends books I recommend people read. But it really helps if you’re familiar with Star Wars at large before diving into those.
Also, there are many eras in the Star Wars timeline. The one that goes farthest back is called The High Republic. The thing with these books is they are coming out in phases and we are currently on phase 2. And in Star Wars tradition, phase 2 jumps even further back in time than phase 1. So I am putting these in order by chronology, not phases. Just know there are more books to come for phase 2.
The High Republic Phase 2
The High Republic: Path of Deceit
The High Republic: Convergence
The High Republic: The Battle ofJedha
The High Republic: Cataclysm
The High Republic: Path of Vengeance
I wish I could tell you what all those books are about. However, I have not yet read them. (Watch this blog for reviews on them eventually) But I can tell you these books do not focus on the characters from the movies with the exception of a character named Yoda. If you know nothing about Star Wars and want to start with the books to get the story from the very beginning, these are the ones to start with. They are a mix of books made for adults and kids though. And one of them is an audio drama. What I like about the High Republic books is they tell a big, connected story, but you get different types of media to enjoy it in.
Star Wars Insider: The High Republic: Starlight Stories
The High Republic: The Fallen Star
The High Republic: Midnight Horizon
The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
Again I have not read all of these but what I have read so far I have enjoyed. If you want a real Star Wars experience without watching the movies, read phase 1 first and then read phase 2 which is the order they were released in.
Fall of the Jedi Era
Padawan
Master & Apprentice
Queen’s Peril
Queen’s Shadow
Dooku: Jedi Lost
Queen’s Hope
Brotherhood
The Clone Wars Anthology: Stories of Light and Dark
Dark Disciple
Thrawn: Ascendancy: Chaos Rising
This era takes place just before and during Episodes I, II, and III. You’ll notice I’ve left out the novelizations of the films on this list. That’s for two reasons. First, they are constantly printing new books so where those go in the list of books is constantly changing. Second, you may only want to read and not watch the movies, in which case you wouldn’t be interested in the novelization of the films. The movies are meant to be experienced visually first.
This is one of the most interesting eras as wars are burgeoning and plots are being hatched in the shadows which will lead to a calamity of war and destruction.
Reign of the Empire Era
Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good
Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil
Ahsoka
Inquisitor: Rise of the Red Blade
Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
Lords of the Sith
Tarkin
Most Wanted
Star Wars Jedi: Battle Scars
A New Dawn
Crimson Climb
This era is set between Episodes III and IV. Things start to take a darker turn here as a new power rises in the galaxy. With this rise also comes rebellion against those in control.
Age of Rebellion Era
Leia: Princess of Alderaan
Thrawn
Thrawn: Alliances
Thrawn: Treason
Guardians of the Whills
Rebel Rising
Rogue One
From A Certain Point of View
Battlefront II: Inferno Squad
Smuggler’s Run: A Han Solo & Chewbacca Adventure
Heir to the Jedi
The Weapon of a Jedi: A Luke Skywalker Adventure
Doctor Aphra: An Audiobook Original
From A Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back
Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
Battlefront: Twilight Company
These books take place in and around the time of the first three movies released. You have an evil empire in control with a small band of rebel fighters trying to overcome the powers that be. It’s my favorite era of Star Wars.
New Republic Era
The Princess and the Scoundrel
Alphabet Squadron
Aftermath
Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall
Aftermath: Life Debt
Aftermath: Empire’s End
Alphabet Squadron: Victory’s Price
Lost Stars
Last Shot
Poe Dameron: Free Fall
Shadow of the Sith
Bloodline
This era happens between Episode VI and Episode VII. It focuses on a time where it looks like the good guys have won. But there are secret plans for a new evil power to rise. It’s one of the least explored eras in Star Wars which makes it a lot of fun.
Rise of the First Order Era
Force Collector
Phasma
Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens
Before the Awakening
The Legends of Luke Skywalker
Canto Bight
Cobalt Squadron
Resistance Reborn
Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire
Galaxy’s Edge: A Crash of Fate
These books take place before and during the so called sequel saga which comprises Episodes VII, VIII and IX. There is still a lot of territory to explore here so I am sure we’ll see more books to fill in here.
As you can see, there is no shortage of printed material to choose from. Most of the stories are self contained. But they often connect to the larger story. You don’t have to read any of them to get into the movies. As far as quality of the writing goes, it varies, as does the subject matter. These are all generally kid friendly but some of them are slower and some of them are non-stop action. If you like to read, Star Wars will provide you with hours and hours of reading material.
Star Wars Comic Books
I love a good comic book. And if it’s a good Star Wars comic book? Sign me up! There are tons of series out there. And like the novels, they fall into legends and cannon. I’m only going to list the series that are cannon here. I’ll do my best to list them in order chronologically to the story. However, these tend to jump around a bit. Pro Star Wars comics reading tip though – my favorite way to read these is to throw on the Star Wars soundtracks on a loop as I read them. That just makes it feel more like the films. And it gives me that good ol’ Star Wars movie vibe.
The High Republic Phase 2
Star Wars: The High Republic Phase II Vol. 1 – Balance of the Force
The High Republic: The Edge of Balance: Precedent
These are still being released so there’s not too much to catch up on here. It takes place thousands of years before most of the events in the movies.
The High Republic Phase 1
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, Vol. 1
Star Wars: The High Republic Vol. 1: There is No Fear
Star Wars: The High Republic: The Edge of Balance, Vol. 1
Star Wars: The High Republic Adventures, Vol. 2
The High Republic: Trail of Shadows
Star Wars: The High Republic Vol. 2: The Heart of Drengir
The High Republic: The Edge of Balance Vol. 2
The High Republic Vol. 3: Jedi’s End
These are all a fun read but again, not really connected to the movies… yet.
The Fall of the Jedi Era
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Qui-Gon Jinn #1
Darth Maul
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Darth Maul #1
Star Wars: Age Of Republic Special #1
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Graphic Novel Adaptation
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Obi-Wan Kenobi #1
Star Wars: Obi-Wan & Anakin
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Jango Fett #1
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Count Dooku #1
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Graphic Novel Adaptation
Jedi of the Republic: Mace Windu
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – Anakin Skywalker #1
Star Wars Adventures: The Clone Wars – Battle Tales
Star Wars: Age Of Republic Special #1
Star Wars: Age Of Republic – General Grievous #1
Forces of Destiny: Ahsoka & Padmé #1
Star Wars: Age Of Republic Special #1
Darth Maul: Son of Dathomir
Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005))
You’ll notice here that I did put in the movie adaptations. That’s because in my opinion the comics do a great job of translating the films, better than the novels do. But, if you don’t want to read those, feel free to skip and watch the movies instead!
Reign of the Empire
Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith Vol. 1: Imperial Machine
Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith Vol. 2: Legacy’s End
Age of Rebellion: Darth Vader #1
Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith Vol. 3: The Burning Seas
Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith Vol. 4: Fortress Vader
Jedi: Fallen Order: Dark Temple
Han Solo: Imperial Cadet
Lando: Double or Nothing
Star Wars: Solo Graphic Novel Adaptation
Star Wars: Han Solo & Chewbacca Vol. 1: The Crystal Run
Age of Rebellion
Star Wars: Age Of Resistance Special #1
Star Wars Rebels Manga Vol. 1
Star Wars Rebels Manga Vol. 2
Star Wars Rebels Manga Vol. 3
Kanan Vol. 1: The Last Padawan
Kanan Vol. 2: First Blood
Forces of Destiny: Hera #1
Leia, Princess of Alderaan Vol. 1
Rogue One: Cassian & K-2SO Special
Star Wars: Thrawn
Vader: Dark Visions
Star Wars: Obi-Wan — A Jedi’s Purpose
Star Wars Adventures: Tales From Vader’s Castle
Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle
Guardians of the Whills: The Manga
Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion Special #1
Star Wars: Rogue One Adaptation
Star Wars: A New Hope Graphic Novel Adaptation (Star Wars Movie Adaptations)
Age of Rebellion: Grand Moff Tarkin #1
Princess Leia
Star Wars Adventures: Smuggler’s Run
Age of Rebellion: Han Solo #1
Chewbacca
Han Solo
Star Wars: Age Of Resistance Special #1
Target Vader
Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion Special #1
Star Wars Adventures: The Weapon of a Jedi
Star Wars (2015) Annual #4
Star Wars Vol. 1: Skywalker Strikes
Darth Vader Vol. 1: Vader
Star Wars Vol. 2: Showdown on the Smuggler’s Moon
Darth Vader Vol. 2: Shadows and Secrets
Vader Down
Star Wars Vol. 3: Rebel Jail
Darth Vader Vol. 3: The Shu-Torun War
Darth Vader Vol. 4: End of Games
Star Wars Vol. 4: The Last Flight of the Harbinger
Doctor Aphra Vol. 1: Aphra
Star Wars Vol. 5: Yoda’s Secret War
The Screaming Citadel
Doctor Aphra Vol. 2: Doctor Aphra and The Enormous Profit
Star Wars Vol. 6: Out Among the Stars
Star Wars: The Last Jedi – The Storms Of Crait #1
Doctor Aphra Annual #2
Lando
Star Wars Vol. 7: The Ashes of Jedha
Star Wars Vol. 8: Mutiny at Mon Cala
Doctor Aphra Vol. 3: Remastered
Doctor Aphra Vol. 4: The Catastrophe Con
Doctor Aphra Vol. 5: Worst Among Equals
Star Wars Vol. 9: Hope Dies
Star Wars Vol. 10: The Escape
Star Wars Vol. 11: The Scourging of Shu-Torun
Doctor Aphra Vol. 6: Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon
Age of Rebellion: Lando Calrissian #1
Star Wars Vol. 12: Rebels and Rogues
Star Wars Vol. 13: Rogues and Rebels
Doctor Aphra Vol. 7: A Rogue’s End
Age of Rebellion: Boba Fett #1
Age of Rebellion: Jabba the Hutt #1
Star Wars: Age Of Rebellion Special #1
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back Graphic Novel Adaptation
Lost Stars Vol. 1
Star Wars Vol. 1: The Destiny Path
Darth Vader Vol. 1: Dark Heart of the Sith
Bounty Hunters Vol. 1: Galaxy’s Deadliest
Doctor Aphra Vol. 1: Fortune and Fate
Darth Vader Vol. 2: Into the Fire
Star Wars Vol. 2: Operation Starlight
Bounty Hunters Vol. 2: Target Valance
Doctor Aphra Vol. 2: The Engine Job
War of the Bounty Hunters
War of the Bounty Hunters Companion
Darth Vader Vol. 3: War of the Bounty Hunters
Star Wars Vol. 3: War of the Bounty Hunters
Bounty Hunters Vol. 3: War of the Bounty Hunters
Doctor Aphra Vol. 3: War of the Bounty Hunters
Star Wars: Crimson Reign
Star Wars Vol. 4: Crimson Reign
Darth Vader Vol. 4: Crimson Reign
Doctor Aphra Vol. 4: Crimson Reign
Bounty Hunters Vol. 4: Crimson Reign
Star Wars Vol. 5: The Path to Victory
Doctor Aphra Vol. 5 — The Spark Eternal
Star Wars: Darth Vader Vol. 5 — The Shadow’s Shadow
Star Wars: Bounty Hunters Vol. 5 — The Raid on the Vermillion
Lost Stars Vol. 2
Age of Rebellion: Luke Skywalker #1
Age of Rebellion: Princess Leia #1
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi Graphic Novel Adaptation
TIE Fighter
I know this is a looong list. But remember, comics are fast, light reads. And while I enjoy most of these, I think the Darth Vader and Dr. Aphra comics are some of the best comics (not just Star Wars comics) I have ever read. You definitely don’t have to read them all. But a lot of them interconnect and make the stories more fun.
The New Republic
Star Wars Adventures: Shadow of Vader’s Castle #1
Star Wars Adventures: Ghosts of Vader’s Castle
Shattered Empire
Lost Stars Volume 3
Star Wars: The Mandalorian Vol. 1: Season One Part One
Star Wars: The Mandalorian Vol. 2 – Season One, Part Two
The Legends of Luke Skywalker: The Manga
The Rise of Kylo Ren
Life Day #1
As you can see from the short length of this list, this is some of the less explored territory in the Star Wars timeline. There are some great stories here and anything with The Mandalorian is usually worth a look.
Rise of the First Order
Age of Resistance: Supreme Leader Snoke #1
Age of Resistance: Captain Phasma #1
Age of Resistance: Finn #1
Age of Resistance: General Hux #1
Age of Resistance: Kylo Ren #1
Age of Resistance: Rose Tico #1
Star Wars Adventures: Destroyer Down
Age of Resistance: Poe Dameron #1
Poe Dameron Vol. 1: Black Squadron
Age of Resistance Special #1
Poe Dameron Vol. 2: The Gathering Storm
Poe Dameron Vol. 3: Legend Lost
Poe Dameron Vol. 4: Legend Found
Star Wars: The Force Awakens Graphic Novel Adaptation
Captain Phasma
The Last Jedi: DJ #1
Age of Resistance: Rey #1
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Graphic Novel Adaptation
Poe Dameron Vol. 5: The Spark and the Fire
Allegiance
Galaxy’s Edge
Halcyon Legacy
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Graphic Novel Adaptation
These are decent comics but most of them are here just to get the audience geared up and excited for the sequel trilogy movies.
I think comic books can be a great way to get into Star Wars. If you’re not going to go with the movies, I think comics are the next best avenue for exploring the universe.
Star Wars Tabletop Role Playing Games
This list would be incomplete without me at least mentioning some Table Top Role Playing Games (TTRPGs). If you are not into movies, video games, books or comic books, you can still enjoy the Star Wars universe. It certainly helps to at least have seen the movies but it’s not a requirement if you want to play these.
Star Wars: Edge of the Empire
Star Wars: Age of Rebellion
Star Wars: Force and Destiny
There are a bunch more Star Wars TTRPG’s than these but these three are pretty easy to find and get a group together to play. They let you be in charge of the story. It’s a lot like playing Dungeons & Dragons, only it’s in the Star Wars universe. I’ve spent a lot of hours playing these so I won’t bore you with the details. And the only real difference between the three is at what time period in the Star Wars universe these things happen. I recommend them all if you do like TTRPGs.
The ONly Way to Get Started with sTar Wars
I’ve hit you with a lot of information and you want me to get right to the point. Well, here’s the thing, there are tons of ways to get into Star Wars. I strongly suggest watching the movies in release order to begin with. But if you would rather read, watch TV shows or play video games, that’s totally fine. There is no wrong way to get into Star Wars.
So what’s the only way to get started with Star Wars? The way you want to! You might take a look and not like it at all. That’s totally fine. Some of the stuff on here is not for everyone’s taste. But I hope you give it a shot with one or more of the myriad avenues available to you. If you do get into Star Wars, I’ll have plenty to talk about with you.
Expect more Star Wars related content to pop up on this blog. If that’s not for you, no worries, I’ll still blog about other stuff.
