Star Wars Legends EU - Post ROTJ Reading List (My Recommendations)

Lately, I've been responding to several posts asking for recommendations on what to read before series like The New Jedi Order or Legacy of the Force.

I used to link to a Google Doc I made for stories set after Return of the Jedi, but it needs some serious updating and reformatting, so I've been typing out my responses instead.

Since copying and pasting with slight re-edits for each question will get tiresome, I thought I'd make my list into a post so I can link to it when I come across those asking for recommendations.

The ones in bold are the ones I consider most essential. I also note what official audiobooks are available, though of course there are always unofficial productions you can find on YouTube.

Feel free to let me know what you think of my list and the reasoning behind each selection!

The Truce at Bakura - Immediately after ROTJJedi Knight: Dark Forces II (Video Game) - 1 year after ROTJ        X-Wing (Books 1 - 4) - 2.5 to 3 years after ROTJ          The Courtship of Princess Leia - 4 years after ROTJ        The Thrawn Trilogy - 5 years after ROTJ    Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith (Video Game) - 6 years after ROTJ      Dark Empire (Comic Series) - 6 years after ROTJ        Crimson Empire and Crimson Empire II: Council of Blood (Comic Series) - 7 years after ROTJ        The Jedi Academy Trilogy - 7 years after ROTJ      I, Jedi - Concurrent with the Jedi Academy trilogy         

Darksaber - 8 years after ROTJ

• A book I had a lot of fun reading despite it being admittedly silly and overstuffed. It also builds well off of the Jedi Academy trilogy.
• I believe this was the first EU novel where a character from the movies was killed off.
• While this is the second book in the unofficial Callista trilogy, Children of the Jedi and Planet of Twilight really aren't worth it unless you're a completist.
• The comic series Jedi Academy: Leviathan is worth reading if you want a visual depiction of the Jedi Order around this time.
• Audiobook: Abridged Only - Narrated by Anthony Heald

Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (Video Game) - 8 years after ROTJ         Crimson Empire III: Empire Lost (Comic Series) - 9 years after ROTJ    Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy (Video Game) - 10 years after ROTJ         The New Rebellion - 13 years after ROTJ       The Corellian Trilogy - 14 years after ROTJ      The Hand of Thrawn Duology - 15 years after ROTJ    Union (Comic Series) - 15 years after ROTJ       Survivor's Quest - 18 years after ROTJ         Junior Jedi Knights (Books 1 - 3) - 18 years after ROTJ         Young Jedi Knights (Books 1 - 6) - 19 years after ROTJ        The New Jedi Order - 21 to 25 years after ROTJ        The Dark Nest Trilogy - 31 to 32 years after ROTJ        Legacy of the Force - 36 to 37 years after ROTJ       Fate of the Jedi - 39 to 40 years after ROTJ        Crucible - 41 years after ROTJ     Legacy (Comic Series) - 126 to 134 years after ROTJ      Legacy: War (Comic Series) - 134 years after ROTJ    Legacy II (Comic Series) - 134 to 135 years after ROTJ         "Storyteller" (Comic Story)         

And that's the official end of the Legends EU!

Here's a complete Legends timeline that shows how to read anything else you want to check out in chronological order:

https://youtini.com/timeline/legends

The Essential Reader's Companion (2012) by Pablo Hidalgo has plot summaries for any book you don't end up reading. It also includes some interesting behind-the-scenes info and explains how certain books connect to and reference other stories that I didn't mention.

Further Reading...

HandOfThrawn45 (aka Gregory O. Scott)

• A popular fanfic author who has written several novels meant to tie up loose ends in the EU following the 2014 canon reboot.
• I recommend his Sword of the Jedi trilogy (loosely based on Christie Golden's cancelled trilogy of the same name), the Legacy's Edge quadrilogy (formerly called the "Jedi of the Future" trilogy), and the Legacy's End quadrilogy.
• These are NOT canon to the Legends EU, but they're a good option if you want some extra closure.

Star Wars ReExpanded.

• A fan project by authors seeking to continue the EU, including HandOfThrawn45.
• Also non-canon to the Legends EU, but they strive to make their stories align with it as much as possible.

Okay, that's everything I would recommend.

Have fun!