“Forgotten” Star Wars Stories

[godisawesome]

Got this idea from a side conversation in another thread.

Let’s talk the Star Wars stories that aren’t the usual discussion fodder on this board.

Wraith Squadron - The old Legends X-Wing series that was one part Dirty Dozen, one part Leverage, one part G.I. Joe, this is the Aaron Allston series that makes grown men laugh!... Then cry! Then go “Hell Yeah!”

Knight of the Old Republic (Comic) - A D-average Jedi Padawan on Taris during the Mandalorian Wars arrives late for his class’s promotion ceremony because of some hidings involving a local con-man... only to find his classmates dead and their masters standing over them, Lightsabers lit.

Lost Stars - Two students at the Imperial Academy fall for each other... right before the Death Star destroys Alderaan and he defects to join the Rebellion and she enters denial about what the Empire is.

[Jackalope89]

Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series. Starts from when Qui Gon Jin and Obi Wan first meet, and ends just before Phantom Menace (with a couple of stories taking place after Obi Wan takes Anakin as his Padawan).

[godisawesome]

Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series. Starts from when Qui Gon Jin and Obi Wan first meet, and ends just before Phantom Menace (with a couple of stories taking place after Obi Wan takes Anakin as his Padawan).

Xanatos was an archetypal “Dark Jedi” villain for that series, a bit over the top in his obvious villains and cut-and-paste pseudo-Sith design.... but I still liked him!

And Siri Tachi was a great character from there into Jedi Quest. She was already pretty ignored during TCW’s production when Satine showed up, but it does make a compelling case that Obi-Wan has a weakness for high-spirited and argumentative blondes.

[WebLurker]

Any other Knight Errant fans out there?

[bob.schoonover]

Man, Wraith Squadron was so great!

I haven't read Knight Errant, but will when it hits Epic Collection format, I imagine.

Is anyone else a fan of Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor? It has some flaws, but I really enjoy what might be the only "competent and not really doubting himself" Luke Skywalker story. That's not to say Luke isn't competent in other EU stuff, but he's always doubting himself at the beginning and needs a pep talk from someone.

Lastly, I don't think it's the best series or anything, but man did I enjoy the Black Fleet Crisis. The Yeventha were sufficiently sinister, the Lando/Lobot story was particularly weird and fun (a bit of a throwback to the Lando Calrissian Adventures), and Luke's quest to find his mom and other Force traditions was, frankly, a more interesting story than it had any right to be (and is still better than what we got after the prequels in terms of Luke and Leia learning about Padme).

[godisawesome]

Any other Knight Errant fans out there?

Yeah!... though I’ll confess I read the book Jackson Miller published instead of the comic. The “Sith Court” made up of that single family was a nice twist in the usual idea about them!

I tend to find Zane Carrick from KOTOR a slightly more interesting protagonist than Knight Errant’s Kerra, but not by much.

Man, Wraith Squadron was so great!

I haven't read Knight Errant, but will when it hits Epic Collection format, I imagine.

Is anyone else a fan of Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor? It has some flaws, but I really enjoy what might be the only "competent and not really doubting himself" Luke Skywalker story. That's not to say Luke isn't competent in other EU stuff, but he's always doubting himself at the beginning and needs a pep talk from someone.

Lastly, I don't think it's the best series or anything, but man did I enjoy the Black Fleet Crisis. The Yeventha were sufficiently sinister, the Lando/Lobot story was particularly weird and fun (a bit of a throwback to the Lando Calrissian Adventures), and Luke's quest to find his mom and other Force traditions was, frankly, a more interesting story than it had any right to be (and is still better than what we got after the prequels in terms of Luke and Leia learning about Padme).

Shadows of Mindor may be the greatest endorsement of sourcebook “Arc Welding” and “Noodle Incident” lore work - I remember something close to a decade of realizing it was becoming something akin to a running gag of all the cool things you could stick into the Battle of Mindor when it wasn’t actually in a book or comic... only for the actual book to arguably live up to *every one* of those cool things. The fact it’s also effectively the last real appearance of any substance by Fenn Shysa, the only Marvel Mandalorian, alos ups it’s impact.

And yeah, it’s maybe the best Luke-lead story post-ROTJ in both continuities, even including Zahn, Johnson and other’s contributions.

Black Fleet Crisis is a story I haven't got around to reading, but everything I’ve read in reviews of it says it’s something close to a story where even if the whole doesn’t work for you, the components are all pretty good.

...But back to a Wraith Squadron for a bit.

There’s so much of that series that’s awesome, but one of the best executed elements of a “high concept“ for me is that of Lara Nostil/Gara Petothel/Kirney Slane.

I usually don’t have much time for identity crisis stories, whether they have some existential storyline or even just plain amnesia. But having a spy basically get so lost in their mask that they become it, only to hav it get shattered when revealed, then forge an entirely new one? Pretty damn awesome!

...Also, the fact that I was so heavily invested in her and Myn Donos’s relationship made me realize that I’ve definitely got an actual interest in romantic fiction, even over-the-top and convoluted romantic fiction, even though I thought I didn’t. Although... I’d argue the quality of Allston’s work on it also proves that I’ve got quality standards for the romance I’m reading/viewing. Well written characters will get me buying in, not just the convoluted plot.