Star Wars novel question...
 

While shopping at the book store, I noticed a SW book titled "Shadows of the Empire" which takes place between ESB and ROTJ.

Is there a book written which takes place between A New Hope and Empire?

Thanks.

There was a book that came out before ESB hit theaters that took place between. I don't have it with me, but I think it was called Splinter of the Mind's Eye. I don't think there's been anything post-Zahn that covers that time period.

Shadows of the Empire isn't a bad book as far as EU goes, if you're considering reading it.

There is also the old Marvel Star Wars comics currently being collected by Dark Horse.

The quality was not always the best but the early issues do take place between New Hope and ESB.

And SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE can no longer be considered official canon since it features the first lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader and, though THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK doesn't just come out and say that its duel is their first (that I recall) all the dialogue and plot machinations make it pretty clear that it is. I've heard (just rumor?) that SPLINTER OF THE MIND'S EYE was Lucas's fall-back idea for a filmed sequel to STAR WARS if it had underperformed. Hence, half the cast is nowhere to be found, and the setting is low-rent...

Oh, by the way, SHADOWS OF THE EMPIRE blows...I could have written a better novel in middle school...very amatuerish...

"Shadows of the Empire" was a silly 'event' staged by Lucasfilm and various publishers during the Star Wars resurgence of the 90s.

It was a movie marketing campaign without an actual movie, if you can imagine such a thing. There was a novel, a comic book series, a video game, and a bunch or mercandise.

Shadows had some interesting ideas, but I wish it would have had more introspective meditating on Luke's part explaining why he's so "cool and collected" in ROTJ.

The soundtrack is pretty good though. It's not Williams, though it uses some of his themes and stuff. I've had it on in the background and found myself actually wanting to see the movie based on the music.

Shadows of the Empire was a great videogame for Nintendo 64. :)

I liked the novel and the score but was underwhelmed by the game. :(

I loved SOTE. One of the few novels that are right up there with the movies.

I find all the EU SW books to be utter rubbish. Even the novelizations are utter trash.

I've quite enjoyed the Zahn EU books, as well as most of the New Jedi Order series.

Yeah I have to mostly agree with the exception of the original Zahn trilogy. I read those and loved them, have since reread them a couple times. Every other book I have read in the EU, however, has been pretty much just a rehash of previous events, devoid of any characterization, or has the plotting of a subpar Nora Roberts novel.

That doesn't give me much hope for ever reading any of them, then, since I thought the Zahn books were coincidence-saturated trash.

To me, the Star Wars novels are like a woman's romance novels (or I assume they are). They're trash. They're cookie cutters of one another. But when you want a quick, fun, easy read, they're always there for you.

What about the novelizations of the movies?

Personally, I don't mind the novelizations. I'm actually reading Episode I right now, and it has some good foreshadowing of things to come in Revenge of the Sith, and it shows how the young Anakin could turn to the dark side so easily. It's not the best story I've ever read, but it's decent.

I didn't mind the X-Wings series (well, some of them anyway). The SW's novels are like most "universe" novels be it Star War, Star Trek, D&D, etc. I call them popcorn novels & sometimes people are in the mood for some popcorn. :)

I would argue that (on average) original STAR TREK novels are far better written than the STAR WARS ones...

On average I probably agree. There are tons of crap Trek novels out there too though. Generally though when you have various authors writing in someone elses world quality will suffer for a number of reasons. There's only so much the worlds creators will allow someone else to do. Some of the BattleTech novels out there are ok. I've got some B5 novels sitting in a pile, but haven't read them. Someone told me they weren't to bad.

I would argue that this is a bit like saying that the movie Waterboy is FAR better written than the movie A Night at the Roxbury.

It's all crappy derivative garbage any way you slice it. If you like SF, do yourself a favor and spend your time reading authors like Herbert, Heinlin, Simmons, and Russell, not this tripe from second-rate authors who can't get a gig creating their own universes and characters.

I agree with this to a point. Sci Fi fans should definately read the authors you mentioned, but if SW is your ownly cup of tea, stick with it. At least it's reading.

Personally, I try to read a diverse group of books, from SW to history to crime fiction. It keeps me sane. But while I agree that the SW books aren't the best written books in the world, they have a place on my bookcases and I'm happy to read them when I get the urge.

Hey, I never argued that either universe amounted to much more than popcorn-level entertainment, but within that context of comparing apples with apples, STAR TREK novels offer a far more enriching, well-crafted read than the STAR WARS ones. It's more like saying APOLLO 13 (STAR TREK novels) is far better than SPACECAMP (STAR WARS novels) but 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (hard sci-fi novels) blows 'em both out of the water.

Star Wars EU novels are my vacation reading :) ....

I guess there's room for a little junk food for the soul. I just shudder to think that so many people think this is what SF is and honestly believe it's well written.

Personally, there's just so much I want to read and finding the time can be hard. I can't imagine wasting that precious time on a derivative novel that is going to lack entirely in originality.

Of course, I do find time to post at DVDTalk, so ....

I really liked the novel. We don't get too many EU books with Vader and Palpatine in them. The only thing that I didn't like in the SOTE novel was that it mentioned that Vader lost his hand during the attack on the first Death Star. WTF??

And who wouldn't want their very own Guri? :D

I really liked the game too.

Maybe he had saved his severed hand all that time and in the battle he lost it in all the confusion?

I thought SotE was mediocre as well as the game. Splinter of the Minds Eye was as well.

You guys are pretty harsh on the EU series. While most are very tripe(Truce at Bakura, anyone?), there are some gems in there you just have to find them(Zahn, Stackpole).

I felt "Shadows" was just terrible. Please pass on this book.