7 Star Wars Books to Read While You Wait For Rogue One

Death Star, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry
The original story of the Death Star. Taking place in the aftermath of the Clone Wars (we saw a brief glimpse of plans for the battle station in Attack of the Clones), a rebellion has begun to form against Emperor Palpatine’s Galactic Empire. The novel covers the final construction of the Death Star, and follows the lives of a wide range of characters, from Governor Tarkin to Darth Vader, as it is tested for the first time. This is a fun adventure that looks to be completely obliterated by the new film.

Rebel Dawn, by A.C. Crispin
The third installment of Crispin’s Han Solo trilogy caps off the original look at the early life of Han Solo, detailing his early years as a smuggler. When the woman he loves, Bria, joins the growing Rebellion, Han (a former Imperial pilot himself) is pulled into the mix with a mission to Ylesia, only to betray her and take his earnings from the mission to fund the rebels, then going off to recover some vital plans for Princess Leia. Crispin puts together a really intriguing story about Han’s life, and how he came to be at the Mos Eisley Spaceport with nothing but his co-pilot and ship, while also showing the young Rebellion’s nascent struggles against the Empire.

Allegiance, by Timothy Zahn
Following the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebellion has a bit more life, but the Empire is still a potent threat. As Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia come to terms with the fight ahead of them, an Imperial Stormtrooper’s faith in his mission, shaken by the destruction of Alderaan, and he and his squad flee from their superiors. This is an interesting episode in the early days of the Rebellion, outlining the lives of not only the principle characters, but giving us another glimpse of fan favorite, Mara Jade.

Razor’s Edge, by Martha Wells
In the aftermath of the Battle of Yavin, times are tough for the Rebellion: the Empire has redoubled its efforts to wipe them out. When Princess Leia and Han Solo head up a delegation to get badly-needed supplies, they’re captured by pirates who will surely turn the princess over to the Empire…if they find out who she is. Just what you always wanted:  a fast-paced adventure with Princess Leia front and center.

Honor Among Thieves, by James S.A. Corey
James S.A. Corey might be most famous for The Expanse novels, but when the pseudonymous co-authors had the opportunity to write a Star Wars novel, how could they say no? This book picks up shortly after A New Hope and follows Han Solo’s efforts to extract a rebel spy from Imperial hands, only to discover that the extraction is more complicated when the spy wants to remain behind enemy lines to protect vital secrets. This first installment in a pseries of entry-level Star Wars novels brought the EU back to its roots.

Twilight Company, by Alexander Freed
When the Star Wars canon reset, one of the first new books was Alexander Freed’s Twilight Company, a tie-in to the Battlefront video game. It follows the movements of the soldiers of the 61st Mobile Infantry’s Twilight Company as they cope with a losing battle against the Empire…until the tide begins to turn. It puts the “wars” back in Star Wars. 

X-Wing: Rogue Squadron, by Michael A. Stackpole
This list wouldn’t be complete without the original book about the front lines fight against Empire. Michael A. Stackpole’s Rogue Squadron books (and later, Aaron Allston’s Wraith Squadron followups) followed a band of crack X-Wing pilots as the New Republic fought tooth and nail to kick the Empire off the galactic capital of Coruscant and keep them on the run. While the movie won’t follow their exploits, this is a book that you should absolutely read.
What EU novels do you keep going back to?