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Book series as epic or grand as Star Wars?

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TheOfficeMut

Unconfirmed Member
I'd like some recommendations of fiction literature that is as grand in scale as Star Wars, specifically based in space.

As for Star Wars, which books should I read? I know a lot of material is no longer considered canon, which is unfortunate to me because a lot of interesting things I used to hear comes from the EU, so I won't consider reading that material because it isn't "official". Should I read all of the new Star Wars books? I don't feel comfortable leaving particular ones out, so I'll deal with quality dips.
 
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Sectorseven

Member
Most Star Wars books are pretty awful. Even the new ones are average at best. Lost Stars isn't bad if you enjoy teen fiction.
 
V

Valhelm

contribute something
ASOIAF is pretty similar and some cultural relevance you might like to be privy to

GRRM is cool because he adds a literary touch to accessible fantasy
 
F

FaustsBoon

Member
Dune, though after a point (which point is arguable) its quality goes down-hill. Oh, and its influence is still found in half of the sci-fi which gets made to this day.

Also, despite only being four books, the Hyperion Cantos are pretty incredible.
 
T

TheOfficeMut

Unconfirmed Member
Also, before anyone recommends it, I tried Leviathan Wakes in that Expanse Series and I really couldn't get into it. Something about the way it's written really turned me off. I got about 150/200 pages in before dumping it.
 
C

Carn82

Member
Alastair Reynolds' "Revelation Space" series, and all the related short stories.
Ian M Banks "Culture" series
 
C

Carn82

Member
FaustsBoon said:
Dune, though after a point (which point is arguable) its quality goes down-hill. Oh, and its influence is still found in half of the sci-fi which gets made to this day.

Also, despite only being four books, the Hyperion Cantos are pretty incredible.
Click to expand...

agreed!
 
F

fuzzyset

Member
TheOfficeMut said:
Also, before anyone recommends it, I tried Leviathan Wakes in that Expanse Series and I really couldn't get into it. Something about the way it's written really turned me off. I got about 150/200 pages in before dumping it.
Click to expand...

The later books are great, and the series becomes much more expanse-ive. Much less noir and more space opera as the series grows.
 
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WhiteRabbitEXE

Member
You know, the Halo books can actually be really, really good. Especially the Forerunner Saga by Greg Bear and anything by Eric Nylund. You can actually read most of them without ever playing the games.

Abounder said:
Dune

As for older Star Wars novels, check out Timothy Zahn's work
Click to expand...
Zahn just released a new Thrawn book that's supposed to be fantastic by the way.
 
T

totowhoa

Banned
I love all six Dune books. People say the quality dips, but I don't really agree. The world changes, the themes change, but man - the world is still very exciting. He introduces some really weird concepts that don't gel with some people. Books 1 and 4 are my favorites, but books 3, 5 and 6 are also solid. Book 2 is the shortest and provides some good setup for the series, but it's the weakest. Thankfully, it's short and quick.

Anyway, that's the only space series I can really recommend. It's my favorite book series of all time. No need to read the books in the series written by his son, though.
 
A

Anoregon

The flight plan I just filed with the agency list me, my men, Dr. Pavel here. But only one of you!
Dune is a fine choice, but I'd add the caveat that you may or may not like much of it beyond the first few books, or even potentially anything after the first.
 
Monocle

Monocle

Member
Iain M. Banks' Culture series is easily more epic and grand than Star Wars. Read in release order, starting with Consider Phlebas, then The Player of Games, then Use of Weapons, etc.

It's so good.

You can skip Inversions though. There are a few minor Culture references, but it's just standard fantasy on pretty much one continent of one planet. Nothing remarkable.
 
I

iapetus

Scary Euro Man
E E 'Doc' Smith's Lensman series. It's like Star Wars and Dragonball Z had an epic space opera baby. Only it predates them all.
 
hoverboarder

hoverboarder

Member
A1HGWCA36hL.jpg
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.
 
V

Version 3.0

Member
Let me put in another good word for the Hyperion series.

It's got everything. Space battles, romance, hacking and super AIs, poetry and philosophy, androids and killer robots, tragedy and redemption, aliens and alien creatures, searching for immortality, religion and politics, talking to dolphins, rebellions and wars, even a bit of detective work. And mountain climbing. And kayaking. And duck hunting. And magic carpet rides. Okay, I'll stop. But I left out a lot.
 
S

sphagnum

Banned
TheOfficeMut said:
I'd like some recommendations of fiction literature that is as grand in scale as Star Wars, specifically based in space.

As for Star Wars, which books should I read? I know a lot of material is no longer considered canon, which is unfortunate to me because a lot of interesting things I used to hear comes from the EU, so I won't consider reading that material because it isn't "official". Should I read all of the new Star Wars books? I don't feel comfortable leaving particular ones out, so I'll deal with quality dips.
Click to expand...

Technically none of the new canon books are "essential" because they design the movies to be self-contained for a mass audience. It's not like the old EU where you had entire epic story arcs like the Yuuzhan Vong war since they didn't have movies to align with. If you want a full list of the canon books, comics, cartoons etc. look up "List of canon media" on Wookieepedia.

That said, the New canon stuff that I would recommend:

BOOKS
Dark Disciple
Ahsoka
Catalyst
Tarkin
A New Dawn
Thrawn
Servants of the Empire series
Battlefront: Twilight Company
Lost Stars
Aftermath trilogy
Bloodline

COMICS
Obi-Wan & Anakin
Son of Dathomir
Princess Leia
Han Solo
Lando
Star Wars
Darth Vader
Doctor Aphra
Shattered Empire

I realize I could have cut that down considerably but that skips the books and comics most generally regarded as bad or mediocre and contains the ones more important to the overall narrative.

If I really had to cut that down:

Catalyst
Thrawn
Servants of the Empire
Twilight Company
Lost Stars
Aftermath trilogy
Bloodline
-----------------
Son of Dathomir
Lando
Darth Vader
Doctor Aphra
Shattered Empire
 
M

MrOogieBoogie

BioShock Infinite is like playing some homeless guy's vivid imagination
Leondexter said:
Let me put in another good word for the Hyperion series.

It's got everything. Space battles, romance, hacking and super AIs, poetry and philosophy, androids and killer robots, tragedy and redemption, aliens and alien creatures, searching for immortality, religion and politics, talking to dolphins, rebellions and wars, even a bit of detective work. And mountain climbing. And kayaking. And duck hunting. And magic carpet rides. Okay, I'll stop. But I left out a lot.
Click to expand...

Hyperion needs to be considered a literary classic already. The first book in particular is one of the most beautiful and inventive pieces of literature I've ever read.

But when it comes to GRAND SCALE EPIC I feel few series can top Malazan Book of the Fallen.

This is a universe where everything bat-shit crazy that you think CAN happen, happens.
 
T

totowhoa

Banned
Oh yeah, the foundation books are great too. I'd recommend reading all 6, but the last has a lot philosophizing that wasn't all that interesting to me. Also, the last 3 books pay off a bit better if you've read other books in the Asimov series (his robot books, etc). He sort of worked his sci-fi books series so they're in the same "world" later in life, just separated by many millennia. If you want to read all of it, there's many recommended approaches online.

The original foundation trilogy is his best work though, highly recommended if you want to start with something really strong.
 
E

EvilRedEye

Member
The Legend of the Galactic Heroes series deserves a mention. The first three volumes have been translated so far. Has lots of space battles and stuff, with more of a focus on strategy and a sweeping cast of characters.
 
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