Star Wars Books You Can Just Grab Off the Shelf
- Zoe Hinton
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
Happy National Read a Book Day! We review lots of books here on the website, and I've read all of the canon books (except Sanctuary, which I'm still making my way through). Some people find the world of Star Wars books daunting- I mean there are a lot of them, so it can be tough to know where to begin. While some books are part of a series or trilogy, or are based on characters or events from a TV show or video game, many Star Wars books work all on their own- and here are five of those books you can pick right up and start for Read a Book Day!
One of the first canon Star Wars novels, Lost Stars is a love story between two childhood friends who go to the Imperial Academy together... and eventually find themselves on opposite sides of the Galactic Civil War. While famous Star Wars characters make their appearances and events from the original trilogy of films are referenced, the book is largely contained to the two main protagonists and their original supporting cast. The book is well-written and draws you in, and is just a phenomenal story that you can pick up and read without any prior in-depth Star Wars knowlesge.
Another love story, A Crash of Fate is again about an all-original cast- this time taking place primarily on Batuu of Galaxy's Edge fame- but you don't need to have been to Black Spire Outpost to understand this book! It's romantic, action-packed and filled with fun twists and turns- all contained within its own story. If you like drama, heists and learning all about a new cast of characters, then you will love A Crash of Fate- especially if you've been to Galaxy's Edge, you'll enjoy reading about various Star Wars shenanigans happening in the same places you've been!
Force Collector is sequel trilogy-era story about a young force sensitive boy embarking on a journey to learn about both the galaxy and himself. While throughout the book our protagonist, Karr, gets glimpses of the stories we know from the original six films, the book primarily focuses again on an all original cast. Force Collector is also a bit of a shorter read than the previous too, and is a fun romp through both the past and future of Star Wars with a very relatable and likable protagonist.
I debated on including this book or not, because it is based entirely on the Visions Volume I short "The Duel," but I decided to still include it because the events of the short are also told in the novel. Ronin is an alternate version of the Star Wars galaxy that's very much based on real Japanese history, where the Jedi serve feudal lords and the Sith are the heroes. Because its a different continuity entirely Ronin doesn't include ant existing characters from other Star Wars media (besides obviously The Duel), and dives in deep to the lore of other galaxy that's so different from the one we know and love. If you like Star Wars that's a bit more experimental, then this book is definitely one you should pick up- especially before an animated sequel to "The Duel" comes out this October!
This book is a bit different from the others I've recommended, specifically because it does not focus on an original cast of characters- in fact the characters we spend the most time have all been in at least one of the Star Wars movies, and many in The Clone Wars! But I included it anyway, because I don't feel you need any prior knowledge or specifics about these characters beyond the basic setting of the Republic pre-The Phantom Menace, as the book has plenty of exposition for you. Focusing on a Jedi Council "road trip" to help a struggling community as its Jedi outpost is being shut down by the Republic, it's a fun and often hilarious adventure filled with Jedi musings and wacky Star Wars hijinks. Its a fun read, especially if you're a Jedi fan like me, and provides some great insight in where the Jedi are right before The Phantom Menace.
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