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I was having doubts about having bought Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire ... but after reading a bit and seeing annotation after annotation, it is very much worth it!
 
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I was having doubts about having bought Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire … but after reading a bit and seeing annotation after annotation, it is very much worth it!

I've never read those, but thought of it from all I've heard. I've tried reading some of the other EU stuff, but the vast majority of it is practically unreadable.
 
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I was having doubts about having bought Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire … but after reading a bit and seeing annotation after annotation, it is very much worth it!

To be honest, I'm a bit surprised you've never read it before. HttE is actually the only Star Wars EU book I've read. I don't remember much at this point (I read it shortly after release), but I recall it was the first of a planned trilogy. I mostly remember it for being the story that introduced Mara Jade.
 
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To be honest, I'm a bit surprised you've never read it before. HttE is actually the only Star Wars EU book I've read. I don't remember much at this point (I read it shortly after release), but I recall it was the first of a planned trilogy. I mostly remember it for being the story that introduced Mara Jade.

Oh - I *have* read it ... my doubts were that I paid $15 for the '20th anniversary edition' when I already had an old version from the early ebook days that I have carried up through devices since the late 90's (think I got them from Peanut Press or something originally)

I've never read those, but thought of it from all I've heard. I've tried reading some of the other EU stuff, but the vast majority of it is practically unreadable.

Zahn's series is pretty decent - certainly better than the vast majority of sci-fi/fantasy fiction. There are a few other decent things I have read, most either have a good idea or decent writing but seldom both ... and the majority I have read are pretty lousy and don't really put you 'in' the Star Wars universe.
 
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Heir To The Empire is still considered as THE best book by many fans. There are only very, very few books (personally I can't imagine a single one, I think - but I must also admit that I gave up reading ca. 5 years ago or so) that comes close to this trilogy.
 
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I am thinking of checking out her huge Vorkosigan Saga series. It would be quite an investment to get all ~27 books in the series though. Is it worth it?

For me yes, has the same style of characterisation, again with some grey mnoral choices, and engaging. They are classic light space opera (to use a label). Is there a library near you that you can try one? Or but 1/2 through abebooks or simialr for less than $10 including shipping (depending on where you are). There isn't any I would really recomend more than otehrs but it is probably easier to start with the first in the timelime (not the order written!).
 
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I'm currently reading the first book of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It's really well-written, but I don't read a lot, so it's taking me ages to finish this book.

The story isn't the most original but some of its concepts are quite good and well-incorporated. Worth a try in my opinion.
 
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Just started the new Neal Stephenson - reamde. Underlying premise (so far) is around MMORPG and using it to move/generate real $$ and implications of ransonware in context.
 
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I'm about halfway through Olaf Stapledon's Star Maker. At first glance, it's a sci-fi novel about one guy's journey through space. But, as soon as you delve past the first chapter, it becomes all-too-clear that it is actually a social commentary on our species. It is quite a good read... and it's remarkable how applicable much of the content is to today's world, despite having been written in 1937.

For all our advancements, human nature does not change.
 
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@Huris

I'll probably get reamde once available as a paperback. Let us know what you think of it. :)

G'day Thrasher,
finished it and would give it 6.5-7/10. It is a current day thriller with a touch too many cliches for me and also very right wing in parts (survivalists are very, very good for example). Also Stephenson is obsessed with trying to prove his geekiness every few pages to the extent of characters saying geeky things totally out of character which grates after a while. All that said, it is pretty well written and I did want to know what happenned so it is worth having a read with those provisos.
Hurls
 
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I've begun re-reading "The Crystal Of Al'Zul" again (it's only in German language, sadly) and it grows to become my second favourite TDE novel. :) Err, not really novel ... It's a series of 5 books of not quote 100 pages each ... It's a good read (book one even has several characters from Drakensang 1 in it !), very funny to read (often) and is imho quite a good display of the so-called "Wilderland", which is the area beween the safe Middlerealm and the Black Lands.

I just wish they'd translate it !
 
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Currently reading a series (fantasy of course) by Alexey Pehov which I think someone on these forums suggested. The first is Shadow Prowler and the second is Shadow Chaser. It is a bit cliche at times but thats fine - the story is fairly quick and enjoyable and its a great series to read when I want to relax and just enjoy a good romp. Nothing to heavy by any means. It is also interesting as the author is Russian and I read very few fantasy books outside of the US and the ones I do tend to be from the UK; for some reason I love many of their authors. So I like reading the different view point offered up that is somewhat behind the story (the meta-writing aspect I suppose).
 
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I've started buying and reading Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series. It's a huge commitment (about 14 novels). Considering that some of them won hugo or nebula awards, I think the risk is low.

I am following Ruth's recommended reading order:

http://beingruth.com/suggested-reading-order-bujold-vorkosigan/

After a nice little dramatic intro, Warrior's Apprentice is a little slow. Like all of her novels I've read do far, she starts by throwing a ton of names and characters at you with very natural yet somewhat patchwork introductions that takes a while of further reading before all the relationships and roles are established. It can be a confusing start.

But it REALLY took off to become a late-night (into early morning) page turner. This one's a madcap peccadillo in space. Somewhat unbelievable yet very entertaining.
 
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I'm currently reading the first book of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. It's really well-written, but I don't read a lot, so it's taking me ages to finish this book.

The story isn't the most original but some of its concepts are quite good and well-incorporated. Worth a try in my opinion.
The final book in the series should be out in March. All 14 books are about as big as Eye of the World plus there's a short novel called "New Spring". So, basically, you're set for life. ;)

If you have to put the book down for a time, the WoT encyclopedia can help remind you what was going on.
 
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