For my third installment of posts on pulpy summer reading, one that surely holds to Futurismic's post here on how as a series gets longer, it inevitably gets worse. This series is undeniably fluff, pulp and it's sole purpose is to entertain. I am today recommending to you dear reader what are easily the best regarded of the ever-expanding novels set in that classic universe of light sabers, Jedi, Darth Vader and Boba Fett: Star Wars.

Timothy Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy make up the majority of the Star Wars novels I've read and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the characterization of our heros throughout the series. Luke Skywalker grows stronger in the force and matures, coming to terms with the nigh-simultaneous death and redemption of his father. We see Leia coming into her potential as a diplomat and as a Jedi under the training of her brother and we see the birth [though thankfully not the conception ] of Han and Leia's first children.

There's also a great amount of action: space battles, light saber duels, and good old fashioned gun fights. The plot of the series centers around the attempts of one of the Imperial fleet's last great Grand Admirals and his fight against the fledgling new Republic. Thrawn is easily one of the most interesting Imperial characters I've read or seen in the films, he's right up there with Grand Moff "destroy Alderran for a demonstration" Tarkin. Mara Jade is also introduced here and is again one of the most popular characters in the Expanded Universe.

If you liked the Star Wars movies there's no reason for you not to pick up these books for some light amusing summer reading. Also, since they're so popular there are used copies everywhere and they usually go on Amazon and the like for the cost of shipping.