Star Wars

My first knowledge of Star Wars was when a clip from the film was shown on a UK TV program called Tomorrow's World. This was a program that entertainingly highlighted new technologies. On this particular occasion, they were highlighting the revolutionary method employed by the filmmakers to produce the space battles, which even on the small TV screens of the time, looked fantastic. This was also several months before the film was released in the cinemas.

Having seen the film at the cinema, and been blown away by it, getting the book was a foregone conclusion.

The next Star Wars book I bought was titled "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" which was set sometime after the events of the original film and I remember being just as taken by this new story and was disappointed when it wasn't the basis of the second film.

After this, I collected the novelizations of all the films, including the prequels, as they became available, as well as acquiring several of the related novels which started to appear.

I haven't so far bought any of the novels for the sequel movies, but someday I might, as having recently re-watched the films, I found them to make more sense and be more enjoyable the second time around, and I know from experience that books are generally always better than movies as there is a lot more information included which can help explain otherwise confusing plot twists in movies.

Star Wars: A New Hope

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . .

Luke Skywalker was a twenty-year-old who lived and worked on his uncle's farm on the remote planet of Tatooine...and he was bored beyond belief. 

He yearned for adventures that would take him beyond the farthest galaxies. But he got much more than he bargained for....

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

25th December 1977

Retail Cost

£0.95

Number of Pages

220

Year Read

1978

Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye

Luke Skywalker has destroyed the Death Star. But the Rebel Alliance still has to fight on against the imperial tyranny that plagues the galaxy!

Luke Skywalker, joining his new-found knowledge of the mysterious Force to his skill as a space-pilot, has destroyed the Death Star, the mighty Imperial battle station that once threatened the survival of the Rebel Alliance. But the Rebel struggle against Imperial tyranny continues to rage across the galaxy.

While travelling to a secret meeting with underground leaders on a vitally important planet, Luke and Princess Leia are forced to land on the remote swamp-world of Mimban. Here they find themselves once more fighting for their lives against Imperial cruelty - and caught up in a perilous quest for the mysterious Kaiburr crystal, a gem that holds the key to the secret that could change the fate of whole worlds. But before Luke and Leia can secure it, they have to face many alien dangers. And the most lethal power for evil in the universe: The Dark Lord of the Sith himself - Darth Vader...

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

25th December 1977

Retail Cost

£0.95

Number of Pages

220

Year Read

1977

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Though the Rebel Alliance won a significant battle, the war against the Empire has only just begun.  

Several months have passed, and the Rebels have established a hidden outpost on the frozen wasteland of Hoth. But even on that icy backwater planet, they cannot escape the evil Darth Vader’s notice for long.

Soon Luke, Han, Princess Leia, and their faithful companions will be forced to flee, scattering in all directions—with the Dark Lord’s minions in fevered pursuit. 

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

26th April 1980

Retail Cost

£1.00

Number of Pages

215

Year Read

1980

Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

It was a dark time for the Rebel Alliance...

Han Solo, frozen in carbonite, has been delivered into the hands of the vile gangster Jabba the Hutt. Determined to rescue him, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Lando Calrissian launch a hazardous mission against Jabba's Tatooine stronghold.

Now, in the most exciting chapter of the STAR WARS saga, the Rebel commanders have gathered all the warships of the Rebel fleet into a single giant armada. And Darth Vader, who has ordered construction to begin on a new and even more powerful Death Star, makes his plans to crush the Rebel Alliance once and for all.

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

27th May 1983

Retail Cost

£1.75

Number of Pages

192

Year Read

1983

Star Wars: Heir to the Empire: The Thrawn Trilogy: Book 01

It is a time of renewal, five years after the destruction of the Death Star and the defeat of Darth Vader and the Empire.

But with the war seemingly won, strains are beginning to show in the Rebel Alliance. New challenges to galactic peace have arisen. And Luke Skywalker hears a voice from his past. A voice with a warning. Beware the dark side….

The Rebel Alliance has destroyed the Death Star, defeated Darth Vader and the Emperor, and driven the remnants of the old Imperial Starfleet back into barely a quarter of the territory that they once controlled. Leia and Han are married, are expecting Jedi twins, and have shouldered heavy burdens in the government of the new Republic. And Luke Skywalker is the first in a hoped-for new line of Jedi Knights.

But thousands of light-years away, where a few skirmishes are still taking place, the last of the Emperor's warlords has taken command of the remains of the Imperial fleet. He has made two vital discoveries that could destroy the fragile new Republic—built with such cost to the Rebel Alliance.

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

4th September 1992

Retail Cost

£3.99

Number of Pages

404

Year Read

1992

Star Wars: Dark Force Rising: The Thrawn Trilogy: Book 02

The dying Empire's most cunning and ruthless warlord—Grand Admiral Thrawn—has taken command of the remnants of the Imperial fleet and launched a massive campaign aimed at the New Republic's destruction. Meanwhile, Han and Lando Calrissian race against time to find proof of treason inside the highest Republic Council—only to discover instead a ghostly fleet of warships that could bring doom to their friends and victory to their enemies.

Yet most dangerous of all is a new Dark Jedi, risen from the ashes of a shrouded past, consumed by bitterness… and scheming to corrupt Luke Skywalker to the Dark Side.

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

3rd April 1993

Retail Cost

£3.99

Number of Pages

439

Year Read

1993

Star Wars: The Last Command: The Thrawn Trilogy: Book 03

The embattled Republic reels from the attacks of Grand Admiral Thrawn, who has marshalled the remnants of the Imperial forces and driven the Rebels back with an abominable technology recovered from the Emperor's secret fortress: clone soldiers. 

As Thrawn mounts his final siege, Han and Chewbacca struggle to form a coalition of smugglers for a last-ditch attack against the empire, while Leia holds the Alliance together and prepares for the birth of her Jedi twins. 

Overwhelmed by the ships and clones at Thrawn's command, the Republic has one last hope--sending a small force, led by Luke Skywalker, into the very stronghold that houses Thrawn's terrible cloning machines. There a final danger awaits, as the Dark Jedi C'baoth directs the battle against the Rebels and builds his strength to finish what he had already started: the destruction of Luke Skywalker.

Format

Paperback

Date Acquired

27th May 1994

Retail Cost

£4.99

Number of Pages

467

Year Read

1994

Star Wars: Jedi Academy Trilogy

Seven years after the founding of the New Republic, Princess Leia Organa Solo is Minister of State and has borne three Jedi children -- the twins, Jacen and Jaina, and baby Anakin. Han Solo is an official envoy for the new government, travelling the galaxy on diplomatic missions. And Luke has been given leave to seek out candidates for a Jedi Academy that will not only herald a renaissance of the Jedi Knights but also provide future champions of the Force to protect the New Republic.

Yet the peaceful and benign reign of the Republic is far from secure....

Though the Empire was finally vanquished, remnants of the Imperial forces are scattered throughout the galaxy. Die-hard loyalists, they're intent on waging a brutal guerrilla war against the New Republic.

Among the most dangerous is Imperial Admiral Daala, who has added the ultimate weapon to her fleet of Star Destroyers. More powerful than the Death Star, the Sun Crusher, a small ship, is capable of annihilating an entire solar system by triggering its sun to supernova.

To make matters worse, there are those from Han's bad old days still anxious to avenge the past. And, as Luke will soon discover, even the most promising Jedi recruit can be unwisely tempted by the dark side of the Force.....

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

19th April 1996

Retail Cost

£9.99

Number of Pages

711

Year Read

1996

Star Wars: Specter of the Past: The Hand of Thrawn: Book 01

The Empire stands at the brink of total collapse. But they have saved their most heinous plan for last. First a plot is hatched that could destroy the New Republic in a bloodbath of genocide and civil war. Then comes the shocking news that Grand Admiral Thrawn--the most cunning and ruthless warlord in history--has apparently returned from the dead to lead the Empire to a long-prophesied victory. 

Facing incredible odds, Han and Leia begin a desperate race against time to prevent the New Republic from unravelling in the face of two inexplicable threats--one from within and one from without. Meanwhile, Luke teams up with Mara Jade, using the Force to track down a mysterious pirate ship with a crew of clones. Yet, perhaps most dangerous of all, are those who lurk in the shadows, orchestrating a dark plan that will turn the New Republic and the Empire into their playthings.

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

14th February 1999

Retail Cost

£12.99

Number of Pages

344

Year Read

1999

Star Wars: Vision of the Future: The Hand of Thrawn: Book 02

Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo are thrust into the middle of an impending civil war - and discover the shocking truth behind the rumoured resurrection of the dead Admiral Thrawn. For a beleaguered Empire, desperate times call for desperate measures. Sowing discord among the fragile coalition of The New Republic, remnants of the once powerful Empire make one last play for victory. 

Having implicated the Bothans in the genocide of the Caamasi, they now plan an attack on Han and Leia that is also to be blamed on the Bothans. If they are successful, the New Republic will be torn asunder. To prevent inevitable disaster, Luke, Leia, Han, and their friends must prove the Bothans innocent and reveal the Empire's treachery. But time is running out

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

14th February 1999

Retail Cost

£12.99

Number of Pages

520

Year Read

1999

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, an evil legacy long believed dead is stirring. Now the dark side of the Force threatens to overwhelm the light, and only an ancient Jedi prophecy stands between hope and doom for the entire galaxy.

 On the green, unspoiled world of Naboo, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, arrive to protect the realm’s young queen as she seeks a diplomatic solution to end the siege of her planet by Trade Federation warships. At the same time, on desert-swept Tatooine, a slave boy named Anakin Skywalker, who possesses a strange ability for understanding the “rightness” of things, toils by day and dreams by night—of becoming a Jedi Knight and finding a way to win freedom for himself and his beloved mother. It will be the unexpected meeting of Jedi, Queen, and a gifted boy that will mark the start of a drama that will become a legend.

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

1st June 1999

Retail Cost

£15.99

Number of Pages

336

Year Read

1999

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

There is a great disturbance in the Force. . . . From the sleek ships of the glimmering Coruscant skyscape to the lush gardens of pastoral Naboo, dissent is roiling. The Republic is failing, even under the leadership of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, elected ten years earlier to save the crumbling government. Separatists threaten war, and the Senate is hopelessly divided, unable to determine whether to raise an army for battle or keep the fragile peace. It is a stalemate that once broken, could lead to galactic chaos.

Mischievous and resolved, courageous to the point of recklessness, Anakin Skywalker has come of age in a time of great upheaval. The nineteen-year-old apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi is an enigma to the Jedi Council and a challenge to his Jedi Master. Time has not dulled Anakin’s ambition, nor has his Jedi training tamed his independent streak. When an attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala’s life brings them together for the first time in ten years, it is clear that time also has not dulled Anakin’s intense feelings for the beautiful diplomat.

The attack on Senator Amidala just before a crucial vote thrusts the Republic even closer to the edge of disaster. Masters Yoda and Mace Windu sense enormous unease. The dark side is growing, clouding the Jedi’s perception of the events. Unbeknownst to the Jedi, a slow rumble is building into the roar of thousands of soldiers readying for battle. But even as the Republic falters around them, Anakin and Padmé find a connection so intense that all else begins to fall away. Anakin will lose himself—and his way—in emotions a Jedi, sworn to hold allegiance only to the Order, is forbidden to have.

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

20th April 2002

Retail Cost

£16.99

Number of Pages

353

Year Read

2002

Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith

After years of civil war, the Separatists have battered the already faltering Republic nearly to the point of collapse. On Coruscant, the Senate watches anxiously as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine aggressively strips away more and more constitutional liberties in the name of safeguarding the Republic. Yoda, Mace Windu, and their fellow Masters grapple with the Chancellor’s disturbing move to assume control of the Jedi Council. And Anakin Skywalker, the prophesied Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force, is increasingly consumed by his fear that his secret love, Senator Padmé Amidala, will die.

As the combat escalates across the galaxy, the stage is set for an explosive endgame: Obi-Wan undertakes a perilous mission to destroy the dreaded Separatist military leader General Grievous. Palpatine, eager to secure even greater control, subtly influences public opinion to turn against the Jedi. And a conflicted Anakin–tormented by unspeakable visions– edges dangerously closer to the brink of a galaxy-shaping decision. It remains only for Darth Sidious, whose shadow looms ever larger, to strike the final staggering blow against the Republic . . . and to ordain a fearsome new Sith Lord: Darth Vader.

Format

Hardback

Date Acquired

13th May 2005

Retail Cost

£17.99

Number of Pages

418

Year Read

2008

Star Wars: Thrawn: Book 01

After Thrawn is rescued from exile by Imperial soldiers, his deadly ingenuity and keen tactical abilities swiftly capture the attention of Emperor Palpatine. And just as quickly, Thrawn proves to be as indispensable to the Empire as he is ambitious; as devoted as its most loyal servant, Anakin Skywalker; and a brilliant warrior never to be underestimated. On missions to rout smugglers, snare spies, and defeat pirates, he triumphs time and again—even as his renegade methods infuriate superiors while inspiring ever greater admiration from the Empire. As one promotion follows another in his rapid ascension to greater power, he schools his trusted aide, ensign Eli Vanto, in the arts of combat, leadership, and the secrets of claiming victory. But even though Thrawn dominates the battlefield, he has much to learn in the arena of politics where ruthless administrator Arihnda Pryce holds the power to be a potent ally or a brutal enemy.

All these lessons will be put to the ultimate test when Thrawn rises to admiral—and must pit all the knowledge, instincts, and battle forces at his command against an insurgent uprising that threatens not only innocent lives but also the Empire’s grip on the galaxy—and his own carefully laid plans for future ascendency.

Format

Kindle Edition

Date Acquired

24th April 2019

Retail Cost

£4.99

Number of Pages

360

Year Read

2019

Star Wars: Ahsoka

Fans have long wondered what happened to Ahsoka after she left the Jedi Order near the end of the Clone Wars, and before she re-appeared as the mysterious Rebel operative Fulcrum in Rebels.

Finally, her story will begin to be told. 

Following her experiences with the Jedi and the devastation of Order 66, Ahsoka is unsure she can be part of a larger whole ever again. But her desire to fight the evils of the Empire and protect those who need it will lead her right to Bail Organa, and the Rebel Alliance….

Format

Mobi

Date Acquired

30th May 2021

Retail Cost

£8.49

Number of Pages

230

Year Read

2022

Star Wars: Splinter of the Mind's Eye

Luke Skywalker expected trouble when he volunteered to follow Princess Leia on her mission to the planet Circarpous. 

But he discovered that hidden on the planet was the Kaiburr crystal, a mysterious gem that would give the one who possessed it such powers over the Force that he would be all but invincible. 

In the wrong hands, the crystal could be deadly. So Luke had to find this treasure and find it fast....

Format

Mobi

Date Acquired

15th June 2021

Retail Cost

£3.99

Number of Pages

242

Year Read

2022

Star Wars: Alliances: Thrawn: Book 02

“I have sensed a disturbance in the Force.”

Ominous words under any circumstances, but all the more so when uttered by Emperor Palpatine. On Batuu, at the edges of the Unknown Regions, a threat to the Empire is taking root—its existence little more than a glimmer, its consequences as yet unknowable. But it is troubling enough to the Imperial leader to warrant investigation by his most powerful agents: ruthless enforcer Lord Darth Vader and brilliant strategist Grand Admiral Thrawn. Fierce rivals for the emperor’s favor, and outspoken adversaries on Imperial affairs—including the Death Star project—the formidable pair seem unlikely partners for such a crucial mission. But the Emperor knows it’s not the first time Vader and Thrawn have joined forces. And there’s more behind his royal command than either man suspects.

In what seems like a lifetime ago, General Anakin Skywalker of the Galactic Republic, and Commander Mitth’raw’nuruodo, officer of the Chiss Ascendancy, crossed paths for the first time. One on a desperate personal quest, the other with motives unknown . . . and undisclosed. But facing a gauntlet of dangers on a far-flung world, they forged an uneasy alliance—neither remotely aware of what their futures held in store.

Now, thrust together once more, they find themselves bound again for the planet where they once fought side by side. There they will be doubly challenged—by a test of their allegiance to the Empire . . . and an enemy that threatens even their combined might.

Format

Kindle Edition

Date Acquired

29th May 2022

Retail Cost

£9.99

Number of Pages

345

Year Read

2023

Star Wars: Treason: Thrawn: Book 03

“If I were to serve the Empire, you would command my allegiance.”

Such was the promise Grand Admiral Thrawn made to Emperor Palpatine at their first meeting. Since then, Thrawn has been one of the Empire’s most effective instruments, pursuing its enemies to the very edges of the known galaxy. But as keen a weapon as Thrawn has become, the Emperor dreams of something far more destructive.

Now, as Thrawn’s TIE defender program is halted in favour of Director Krennic’s secret Death Star project, he realizes that the balance of power in the Empire is measured by more than just military acumen or tactical efficiency. Even the greatest intellect can hardly compete with the power to annihilate entire planets.

As Thrawn works to secure his place in the Imperial hierarchy, his former protégé Eli Vanto returns with a dire warning about Thrawn’s homeworld. Thrawn’s mastery of strategy must guide him through an impossible choice: duty to the Chiss Ascendancy, or fealty to the Empire he has sworn to serve. Even if the right choice means committing treason...

Format

Kindle Edition

Date Acquired

29th May 2022

Retail Cost

£7.99

Number of Pages

334

Year Read

2023

Star Wars: Chaos Rising: Thrawn Ascendancy: Book 01

Beyond the edge of the galaxy lies the Unknown Regions: chaotic, uncharted, and near impassable, with hidden secrets and dangers in equal measure. And nestled within its swirling chaos is the Ascendancy, home to the enigmatic Chiss and the Nine Ruling Families that lead them.

The peace of the Ascendancy, a beacon of calm and stability, is shattered after a daring attack on the Chiss capital that leaves no trace of the enemy. Baffled, the Ascendancy dispatches one of its brightest young military officers to root out the unseen assailants. A recruit born of no title, but adopted into the powerful family of the Mitth and given the name Thrawn.

With the might of the Expansionary Fleet at his back, and the aid of his comrade Admiral Ar'alani, answers begin to fall into place. But as Thrawn's first command probes deeper into the vast stretch of space his people call the Chaos, he realizes that the mission he has been given is not what it seems.

And the threat to the Ascendancy is only just beginning.

Format

Kindle Edition

Date Acquired

29th May 2022

Retail Cost

£9.99

Number of Pages

385

Year Read

2023

Star Wars: Greater Good: Thrawn Ascendancy: Book 02

Thrawn's latest triumph still rests newly on his shoulders. He has led the Chiss to victory and brought glory to the House of Mitth, but the true threat to the Ascendancy has not yet been extinguished. Their foes do not send threats or ultimatums, do not mass ships on the edge of the Chaos. Their weapons come cloaked in smiles and generosity: Gifts offered freely. Services granted unconditionally.

Across the Ascendancy, seemingly inconsequential events could herald the doom of the Chiss. As Thrawn and the Expansionary Defense Fleet rally to uncover the plot, they discover a chilling truth: Rather than invade Chiss capitals or pillage resources, their enemy strikes at the very foundation of the Ascendancy, seeking to widen the rifts between the Nine Ruling Families and the Forty Great Houses below. As rivalry and suspicion sow discord among allies, each warrior must decide what matters most to them: the security of their family or the survival of the Ascendancy itself.

Format

Kindle Edition

Date Acquired

29th May 2022

Retail Cost

£9.99

Number of Pages

416

Year Read

2023