Why star wars legends is better than disney canon and why you should give it a shot duration. Cavan scott, bolstered by a whole host of voice actors, delivers one of the most engaging, immersive stories in all of the expanded universe with dooku. Star wars legends, formerly known as the expanded universe abbreviated eu, encompasses every one of the licensed, fictional background stories of the star wars universe, outside of the original six star wars films produced by george lucas and certain other material such as star wars. Simple star wars book list timeline of star wars novels. Your guide to the star wars expanded universe tv club. Starting in 2014, the new canon includes all of the episodes and oneoff. From the adventures of luke skywalker, the force awakens, and several more. Do you prefer the old star wars expanded universe or the. Star wars based fiction predates the release of the first movie, with the 1976 novelization of a new hope ghostwritten by alan dean foster and credited to george lucas.
As a result, lucasfilm made the decision to render all the eu non canon, branding it legends. And in the wake of the zahn books come more and more in the new republic era. When disney acquired lucasfilm, all the books that were previously written and considered the expanded universebooks set during, between, and after the original and subsequent filmswere declared noncanon and rebranded as legends. Among all the novels that were published over three decades, theres still plenty of gems to be found in the defunct expanded universe. Lords of the sith is a bit like a buddy road movie, except that the buddies are evil emperor palpatine and his equally nasty sidekick, darth vader. The ultimate guide to reading the star wars books reedsy. Expanded universe changes star wars wiki guide ign. Also, the fact that they are aware of these fan sites and clickbate articles attacking the expanded universe and perpetuating these myths and rumors which, if you were paying attention, i. If youre new, and want to learn more about the expanded universe, you can find a few links in the sidebar that may be helpful. The book releases september 30 and is available for pre. In what order should i read star wars expanded universe. Its actual language is quite a bit softer, temporizing that the eu is not being discarded, just changed.
This body of work represents the original star wars expanded universe, which was rebranded as star wars legends and declared noncanon to the franchise in april 2014. Understanding the star wars universe will be easier than ever now since all of it is technically canon. Disney decided that there would be a new, restructured canon that would ensure continuity along a sw timeline that included the movies. The best books from the old star wars expanded universe. Mar 02, 2020 star wars just nuked its entire expanded universe. For over 35 years, the expanded universe has enriched the star wars experience for fans seeking to continue the adventure beyond what is seen on the screen.
I was a fan of the now non canon star wars expanded universe and i generally kept away from reading any clone wars era books aside from republic commando novels, so i didnt have a great deal of awareness about asajj ventress or other characters from the clone wars cartoons. It is derived from and includes most official star wars books, comic books. New canon the newly standardized star wars canon includes all the movie episodes, the clone wars and rebels tv shows, and new books since. Nov 18, 2015 understanding the star wars universe will be easier than ever now since all of it is technically canon. Star wars canon books in chronological order youtini. It removed the entirety of the expanded universe from canon. I was a fan of the now noncanon star wars expanded universe and i generally kept away from reading any clone wars era books aside from republic commando novels, so i didnt have a great deal of awareness about asajj ventress or other characters from the clone wars cartoons. These books are part of the original star wars expanded universe, and follow an internally consistent timeline. Chris taylor is the author of how star wars conquered the universe, the first complete history of the star wars franchise and its fandom. The companys focus would be shifted towards a restructured star wars canon based on new material.
They include armand isard, admiral yularen, sate pestage, ars dangor, moff therbon, and terrinald screed. The clone wars television series and film, and part i of the short story blade squadron. Author james lucenos new canon star wars books have woven a number of familiar imperials back into canon. Lucasfilm later rebranded the expanded universe as star wars legends and declared it noncanonical to the franchise. Luceno also canonized 114d, a droid servant of palpatine from his own previous star wars books. Do you prefer the old star wars expanded universe or the new. Episode i the phantom menace, lucasfilm has divided its titles by fictional era with symbols designating such.
Robert mullins wildly unique chronology project attempts to fuse the eu canon with disneys. The eu began in 1978 with the release of splinter of the minds eye, and has spanned thousands of inuniverse years since then. Notable eu works include the thrawn trilogy by timothy zahn, the new. The star wars expanded universe is dumb and should be forgotten. But the press release announcing the decision is an iron fist in a velvet glovethe corporate parent cracking down on. These books are considered history and the material that occurs in these stories is officially part of the star wars timeline. May 23, 2017 since the star wars universe spans so much time, it cant all focus on the same characters. The other side of that, though, was the removal of the expanded universe from canon.
While the main focus of the eu novels has been the star wars movie characters, even the early expanded universe explored side characters in more detail. Sep 06, 2017 major spoilers for the film star wars. The ten best star wars legends books heir to the empire by timothy zahn 1991 you would be hardpressed to find a fan of the star wars expanded universe who doesnt love timothy zahns novels. As of april 25, 2014, the only previously published materials that are considered canon are the six star wars films, the star wars.
New timelineapproved star wars cartoons, comic books, and video games. The star wars expanded universe contains stories in a variety of different formats. The old expanded universe eu now known as legends encompassed all of the officially licensed stories from the star wars universe. A complete guide to the new star wars canon before the force. The star wars expanded universe is dumb and should be. The expanded universe was rebranded as star wars legends, but it was far from forgotten by its fans or the authors of the new canon novels.
Indeed, using read as shorthand is not entirely correct, since you cant read a tv show, video game or radio drama. As a result, lucasfilm made the decision to render all the eu noncanon, branding it legends. Check out more videos and star wars expanded universe articles right here on the site. Apr 25, 2014 chris taylor is the author of how star wars conquered the universe, the first complete history of the star wars franchise and its fandom. Since theres no consistent dating system in the star wars universe, fans have. The 10 best stories in the star wars expanded universe. The star wars expanded universe, called the eu for short, is the name used to denote the star wars books, comics, video games, and more that were part of the star wars canon prior to april 25, 2014. The truth about the expanded universe and the expanded.
We are primarily a source of discussion and news for anything involving the star wars expanded universe legends or story group canon. In april 2014, lucasfilm rebranded the expanded universe material as star wars legends and declared it noncanon to the franchise. Gone are the days where new storylines are floated in thousandpage novelsappendices. Since then, disney has set about creating its own expanded universe. See the complete star wars disney canon novel series book list in order, box sets or omnibus editions, and companion titles. Nov 18, 2016 this list of the top 15 non canon star wars stories includes books that examine sith mythology, jedi training, ancient worlds and the murderous rampage of darth vader. As of april 25, 2014, the only previously published materials that are considered canon are the six star wars films and the star wars. The force awakens and for several of the old expanded universe now legends star wars books follow. Each format has its own trends, with some exceptions. The breadth of these original stories, all based on the world of george lucas. Originally conceived of as a loose trilogy featuring the principle heroes of the star wars films, one of the books, kevin hearnes heir to the jedi, is actually in the new canon. It is derived from and includes most official star wars books. These stories are the immovable objects of star wars history, the characters and events to which all other tales must align. The 20 best star wars books of all time canon and legends.
The legendary star wars expanded universe turns a new page, april 25th, 2014. The legendary star wars expanded universe turns a new page. When disney took over lucasfilm and star wars from george lucas in 2012, a lot of exciting times came for the star wars fandom with new films, as well as new books, comics, video games, and tv shows, all on the way. From the adventures of luke skywalker in december 1976 to the latest novel, this timeline tracks the month and year of every star wars novel excluding childrens and graphic novels published. Dec 10, 2019 when disney traded the older expanded universe books now known as the legends continuity for a new canon in 2014, it opened up a host of new possibilities. May 05, 2016 why star wars legends is better than disney canon and why you should give it a shot duration. The expanded universe is a collection of star wars fiction compiled over the last 30 years. Why disney blew up more than 30 years of star wars canon. This is the realtime chronological novel publishing timeline. Welcome to the star wars expanded universe subreddit. Most of the material from the expanded universe including books, comics. Dec 02, 2019 three books, four major villains of the star wars universe if your tastes run to the dark side. Meanwhile, the expanded universe is no longer considered canon and was retermed as the legends brand. The expanded universe, or eu, is the moniker for the entire body of work that comprises the stories set in the star wars universe ranging from novels, comics, cartoons, short stories, young adult books, television shows, animated features and more.
The sheer scale and complexity of star wars expanded universe made it almost impossible to do anything with the franchise without introducing contradictions. However, fosters 1978 novel, splinter of the minds eye, is thought of as the first expanded universe work to be released. Everything from thrawn i like rebels and i like thrawn in rebels, as a disclaimer to the yuuzhan vong, from callista ming to caedus, zannah to abeloth. When disney traded the older expanded universe books now known as the legends continuity for a new canon in 2014, it opened up a host of new possibilities. Up until disney acquired lucasfilm in 2012, the expanded universe i. Do not read further if you dont want to be spoiled. Expanded universe fiction includes material from books, comics, tv specials and series, radio dramas.
Tom dupree, editor for bantam spectra star wars books article from the new yorker, why the force is still. The star wars disney canon novel book series by multiple authors includes books the phantom menace, star wars. In a flash, literally decades of stories from its expanded universe were. All the star wars books released after 2014, when disney started releasing books that fell into the official star wars universe. As stated by lucasfilm and disney, future books and novels will not be based on these stories, but since the expanded universe started more than 30 years ago, many elements will still be incorported in the upcoming novels. It is a chronology of all the events that have ever occurred in the star wars universe, in all the films, books, cdroms, nintendo games, comic books, and roleplaying guides, and each medium is seamlessly coordinated with the others. Aug 08, 2019 this includes the six star wars episodes, and the many hours of content he developed and produced in star wars. When he created star wars, george lucas built a universe that sparked the imagination, and inspired others to create. He opened up that universe to be a creative space for other people to tell their own tales. The clone wars television series and film, while the expanded universe is no longer considered canon and was retermed as the legends brand. Because the star wars universe this guide covers is as vast and populated as george lucas galaxy far, far away, its impossible for even the most prolific researcherwriter to keep up with all the new additions as books, games, collectibles and even. Most works produced after april 25, 2014, are part of the official canon as defined by lucasfilm, although a handful of legends media has been released after that date. Dec 01, 2018 also, the fact that they are aware of these fan sites and clickbate articles attacking the expanded universe and perpetuating these myths and rumors which, if you were paying attention, i. In other words, in what disney now calls legends, here are the best non canon stories we wish were still part of the continuity.
As a result, the company made a swift and decisive move that guts what star wars meant for many fans. Star wars legends, formerly known as the expanded universe abbreviated. A new dawn by john jackson miller, published in september 2014. The expanded universe has been a part of star wars for almost as long as the movies have, starting with alan dean fosters novel splinter of. Taking place over 19 books, three short stories, and three online novellas, the huge event saw multiple characters from the main star wars canon and expanded universe teaming up to fight the invaders. Though past elements of the expanded universe have been declared noncanon as a. Star wars expanded universe book collection youtube. The expanded universe quotes databank star wars legends. New movies and other stories arent based on these books, and will sometimes contradict them. The eu began in 1978 with the release of splinter of the minds eye, and has spanned thousands of in universe years since then. George lucas has famously never read any of the novels published under the umbrella of his own franchise, although details from earlier expanded universe novels did occasionally make their way into. Star wars just nuked its entire expanded universe the. These novels were officially declared noncanon to the star wars franchise in april 2014.
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