How Many Star Wars Books Are There? The Complete List, Reading Order & Timeline (2026)
Star Wars Book Covers by Era
Hover or focus a cover for the title, era, timeline date and Canon/Legends status.
Light of the Jedi
Canon · 232 BBY
CanonLight of the Jedi
Charles Soule · 2021
High Republic · 232 BBY
Master & Apprentice
Canon · 40 BBY
CanonMaster & Apprentice
Claudia Gray · 2019
Fall of the Jedi · 40 BBY
Thrawn
Canon · 19–11 BBY
CanonThrawn
Timothy Zahn · 2017
Reign of the Empire · 19–11 BBY
Lost Stars
Canon · 11 BBY – 5 ABY
CanonLost Stars
Claudia Gray · 2015
Rebellion · 11 BBY – 5 ABY
Catalyst
Canon · 21–16 BBY
CanonCatalyst
James Luceno · 2016
Reign of the Empire · 21–16 BBY
Aftermath
Canon · 4 ABY
CanonAftermath
Chuck Wendig · 2015
New Republic · 4 ABY
Heir to the Empire
Legends · 9 ABY
LegendsHeir to the Empire
Timothy Zahn · 1991
New Republic · 9 ABY
Darth Plagueis
Legends · 67–32 BBY
LegendsDarth Plagueis
James Luceno · 2012
Rise of the Empire · 67–32 BBY
Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
Legends · 1,003 BBY
LegendsDarth Bane: Path of Destruction
Drew Karpyshyn · 2006
Old Republic · 1,003 BBY
Revan
Legends · 3,954–3,950 BBY
LegendsRevan
Drew Karpyshyn · 2011
Old Republic · 3,954–3,950 BBY
Vector Prime
Legends · 25 ABY
LegendsVector Prime
R. A. Salvatore · 1999
New Jedi Order · 25 ABY
Rogue Squadron
Legends · 7 ABY
LegendsRogue Squadron
Michael A. Stackpole · 1996
New Republic · 7 ABY
Cover artwork is original era illustration created for Star Wars Name Generator — not publisher cover art.
Author Spotlight: Who Wrote What
The eight authors whose series shape most Star Wars reading lists — with the table on this page where each of their books appears.
Timothy Zahn
Canon & Legends1991–present
Creator of Grand Admiral Thrawn and the novel that revived Star Wars publishing
Major series
- Thrawn trilogy (Legends)
- Thrawn / Alliances / Treason (Canon)
- Thrawn Ascendancy trilogy
Start with: Heir to the Empire (1991)
James Luceno
Canon & Legends1999–2016
The continuity architect — specialises in Sith history and Imperial politics
Major series
- Darth Plagueis
- Tarkin
- Catalyst
- Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader
Start with: Darth Plagueis (2012)
Claudia Gray
Canon2015–present
The strongest character writer in current canon
Major series
- Lost Stars
- Bloodline
- Master & Apprentice
- Leia: Princess of Alderaan
Start with: Lost Stars (2015)
Drew Karpyshyn
Legends2006–2012
Sith novelist and lead writer of Knights of the Old Republic
Major series
- Darth Bane trilogy
- Revan
- Annihilation
Start with: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction (2006)
Michael A. Stackpole
Legends1996–2003
Defined Star Wars starfighter fiction
Major series
- X-wing: Rogue Squadron (books 1–4, 7)
- I, Jedi
- New Jedi Order contributions
Start with: Rogue Squadron (1996)
Matthew Stover
Legends2002–2008
Author of the most acclaimed film novelization in the franchise
Major series
- Revenge of the Sith novelization
- Shatterpoint
- Traitor
- Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor
Start with: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
Charles Soule
Canon2017–present
Launched The High Republic and writes canon's biggest comic events
Major series
- Light of the Jedi
- The High Republic (Phase I–III)
- Darth Vader (Marvel)
Start with: Light of the Jedi (2021)
Timothy Truman & Karen Traviss
Legends2004–2009
Traviss defined the clone-trooper voice of the prequel era
Major series
- Republic Commando series
- Order 66
- Legacy of the Force contributions
Start with: Republic Commando: Hard Contact (2004)
Quick Answer: How Many Star Wars Books Are There?
There are roughly 400+ Star Wars adult novels as of 2026 — about 80 in current Disney canon (published after April 2014) and about 320 in Legends (1976–2014).
| Category | Approximate count |
|---|---|
| Canon adult novels (2014–2026) | ~80 |
| Legends adult novels (1976–2014) | ~320 |
| Total adult novels | ~400 |
| Young-adult & junior novels | ~400 |
| Children's & reference books | Several hundred |
| Comic issues | 3,000+ |
| Everything with the Star Wars logo | 2,000+ books |
That headline number — 400+ — counts adult novels only. It is the figure most lists mean when they say "how many Star Wars books are there."
The Two Eras: Canon vs Legends
Every Star Wars book falls on one side of a single date: April 25, 2014.
| Canon | Legends | |
|---|---|---|
| Published | Sept 2014 – present | 1976 – April 2014 |
| Adult novels | ~80 | ~320 |
| Status | Official Lucasfilm continuity | Rebranded, non-canonical |
| Still in print? | Yes | Yes (Legends banner) |
| Coordinated with films/TV? | Yes | Loosely |
| Timeline span | ~232 BBY – 35 ABY | 36,453 BBY – 137 ABY |
| Best entry point | Light of the Jedi or Thrawn | Heir to the Empire |
Pre-2014: The Legends Era
Lucasfilm Licensing oversaw an "Expanded Universe" (EU) from 1976 to 2014, organized into canon tiers (G-canon, T-canon, C-canon, S-canon). At its peak, the EU spanned more than 25,000 years of in-universe history.
| Era | Approximate dates | Notable books |
|---|---|---|
| Old Republic | 25,000 – 1,000 BBY | Tales of the Jedi, Revan, Deceived |
| Rise of the Empire | 1,000 – 0 BBY | Darth Bane trilogy, Darth Plagueis |
| Rebellion | 0 BBY – 5 ABY | Han Solo Trilogy, Death Star, Death Troopers |
| New Republic | 5 – 25 ABY | Thrawn Trilogy, X-wing series, I Jedi |
| New Jedi Order | 25 – 40 ABY | NJO 19-book series (Yuuzhan Vong war) |
| Legacy | 40 – 137 ABY | Legacy of the Force, Fate of the Jedi |
Post-2014: The Disney Canon Era
When Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012, the new owners wanted a tightly coordinated continuity across films, TV, novels, and comics. In April 2014 they rebranded the entire pre-existing EU as Legends — kept in print, no longer canonical — and started fresh.
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Canon includes every film, every Disney+ live-action and animated series, and every novel and comic published since September 2014 (A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller was the first).
Complete Star Wars Books List by Series
Canon Novels (post-2014, adult)
| Series / line | Books | Notable titles |
|---|---|---|
| The High Republic | 12+ adult | Light of the Jedi, The Rising Storm, The Fallen Star, Convergence, Cataclysm, Temptation of the Force |
| Thrawn Trilogy (canon) | 3 | Thrawn, Alliances, Treason |
| Thrawn Ascendancy | 3 | Chaos Rising, Greater Good, Lesser Evil |
| Aftermath Trilogy | 3 | Aftermath, Life Debt, Empire's End |
| Reign of the Empire | 3 | The Mask of Fear, and follow-ups |
| Prequel-era standalones | ~8 | Master & Apprentice, Queen's Shadow, Brotherhood, Dooku: Jedi Lost, Catalyst |
| Imperial-era standalones | ~10 | Tarkin, Lords of the Sith, A New Dawn, Ahsoka, Battlefront: Twilight Company |
| Sequel-era standalones | ~15 | Bloodline, Lost Stars, Phasma, Resistance Reborn, Shadow of the Sith |
| Alphabet Squadron | 3 | Alphabet Squadron, Shadow Fall, Victory's Price |
Legends Novels (pre-2014, adult)
| Series | Books | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Thrawn Trilogy (original) | 3 | Heir to the Empire, Dark Force Rising, The Last Command |
| X-wing series | 10 | Stackpole's Rogue Squadron, Allston's Wraith Squadron |
| New Jedi Order | 19 | The Yuuzhan Vong invasion; 25–40 ABY |
| Legacy of the Force | 9 | Jacen Solo's fall to the dark side |
| Fate of the Jedi | 9 | Post–Legacy of the Force |
| Darth Bane trilogy | 3 | Path of Destruction, Rule of Two, Dynasty of Evil |
| Republic Commando | 5 | Karen Traviss's clone commando saga |
| Old Republic novels | ~6 | Revan, Deceived, Fatal Alliance, Annihilation |
| Han Solo trilogies | 6 | Brian Daley's and A.C. Crispin's trilogies |
| Standalones | 100+ | Darth Plagueis, Shatterpoint, I Jedi, Kenobi, Death Troopers |
Young Adult, Junior & Children's Books
- The High Republic Adventures — the YA and middle-grade branch of the High Republic
- Star Wars: Jedi Academy — bestselling middle-grade graphic novel series
- Jedi Quest / Jedi Apprentice (Legends YA) — Obi-Wan and Anakin's early years
- World of Reading — early-reader picture books
- DK visual dictionaries and encyclopedias — reference for every film and series
Star Wars Books in Chronological Order (Canon)
The single most-searched reading question is what order to read Star Wars books in. Here is the canon timeline using BBY/ABY dating.
| In-universe date | Book | Era |
|---|---|---|
| ~232 BBY | Light of the Jedi | The High Republic |
| ~231 BBY | The Rising Storm | The High Republic |
| ~230 BBY | The Fallen Star | The High Republic |
| 40 BBY | Master & Apprentice | Prequel era |
| 32 BBY | Queen's Shadow | Prequel era |
| 22 BBY | Brotherhood | Clone Wars |
| 21 BBY | Catalyst | Clone Wars |
| 19 BBY | Dark Disciple | Clone Wars |
| 18 BBY | Ahsoka | Reign of the Empire |
| 14 BBY | Tarkin | Reign of the Empire |
| 14 BBY | Lords of the Sith | Reign of the Empire |
| 11 BBY | Thrawn | Reign of the Empire |
| 5 BBY | A New Dawn | Pre-Rebels |
| 0 BBY | A New Hope novelization | Original Trilogy |
| 0 BBY–4 ABY | Lost Stars | Original Trilogy |
| 4 ABY | Aftermath | New Republic |
| 5 ABY | Life Debt, Empire's End | New Republic |
| 28 ABY | Bloodline | Sequel era |
| 34 ABY | Phasma, Resistance Reborn | Sequel era |
| 35 ABY | Shadow of the Sith | Sequel era |
For where the animated shows fit alongside these books, see our Star Wars Rebels timeline and watch order guide.
Star Wars Books by Publication Order
Publication order shows how the universe was actually built.
| Year | Book | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Star Wars: From the Adventures of Luke Skywalker | The very first Star Wars book |
| 1978 | Splinter of the Mind's Eye | First original novel |
| 1979 | Han Solo at Stars' End | First Han Solo novel |
| 1991 | Heir to the Empire | Launched the modern EU |
| 1996 | Shadow of the Empire | Multimedia event novel |
| 1999 | Vector Prime | Opened the New Jedi Order |
| 2006 | Darth Bane: Path of Destruction | Origin of the Rule of Two |
| 2012 | Darth Plagueis | Final major Legends novel |
| 2014 | A New Dawn | First canon novel |
| 2015 | Lost Stars, Aftermath | Canon takes shape |
| 2017 | Thrawn | Thrawn returns to canon |
| 2021 | Light of the Jedi | High Republic begins |
| 2025–26 | The Mask of Fear | Reign of the Empire begins |
Best Star Wars Books: Where to Start
Best Star Wars Books for Beginners
If you read only five, read these:
- Lost Stars — Claudia Gray (2015, canon). Two childhood friends end up on opposite sides of the Galactic Civil War. Covers the entire original trilogy from the outside.
- Thrawn — Timothy Zahn (2017, canon). Self-contained, tense, and the best single-volume introduction to canon publishing.
- Bloodline — Claudia Gray (2016, canon). Leia six years before The Force Awakens; explains how the New Republic collapsed.
- Master & Apprentice — Claudia Gray (2019, canon). Qui-Gon and a young Obi-Wan; the warmest book in canon.
- Light of the Jedi — Charles Soule (2021, canon). Requires zero prior reading; the Jedi at their absolute peak.
Best Canon Star Wars Books
| Book | Author | Why it's essential |
|---|---|---|
| Thrawn | Timothy Zahn | Definitive canon Thrawn characterization |
| Lost Stars | Claudia Gray | Best-loved canon novel overall |
| Bloodline | Claudia Gray | Political thriller; bridges OT and sequels |
| Master & Apprentice | Claudia Gray | Best Jedi-philosophy novel in canon |
| Light of the Jedi | Charles Soule | The High Republic's launchpad |
| Phasma | Delilah S. Dawson | Surprisingly brutal origin story |
| Catalyst | James Luceno | Essential Rogue One prequel |
| Alphabet Squadron | Alexander Freed | Best canon starfighter fiction |
| Shadow of the Sith | Adam Christopher | Luke and Lando; deep Sith lore |
| Ahsoka | E.K. Johnston | Bridges Clone Wars and Rebels |
Best Legends Star Wars Books
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| Book | Author | Why it's essential |
|---|---|---|
| Heir to the Empire | Timothy Zahn | The book that built the EU |
| Darth Plagueis | James Luceno | The finest Sith novel ever written |
| Darth Bane: Path of Destruction | Drew Karpyshyn | Origin of the Rule of Two |
| I, Jedi | Michael A. Stackpole | First-person Jedi POV |
| Shatterpoint | Matthew Stover | Mace Windu; Heart of Darkness in space |
| Revenge of the Sith novelization | Matthew Stover | Best film novelization ever published |
| Outbound Flight | Timothy Zahn | Thrawn's earliest major appearance |
| Death Troopers | Joe Schreiber | Star Wars horror done right |
| Kenobi | John Jackson Miller | Obi-Wan on Tatooine as a Western |
| Traitor | Matthew Stover | The philosophical peak of the NJO |
Best Star Wars Books by Character
| Character | Best book |
|---|---|
| Darth Vader | Lords of the Sith (canon) / Shadows of the Empire (Legends) |
| Palpatine | Darth Plagueis (Legends) |
| Leia Organa | Bloodline (canon) |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | Kenobi (Legends) / Master & Apprentice (canon) |
| Thrawn | Thrawn (canon) / Heir to the Empire (Legends) |
| Ahsoka Tano | Ahsoka (canon) |
| Mace Windu | Shatterpoint (Legends) |
| Han Solo | The Han Solo Trilogy (Legends) |
| Luke Skywalker | Shadow of the Sith (canon) / I, Jedi-adjacent NJO (Legends) |
Best Star Wars Audiobooks
Star Wars audiobooks include John Williams' score and authentic sound design — they are closer to radio drama than plain narration.
- Thrawn — narrated by Marc Thompson, the definitive Star Wars narrator
- Dooku: Jedi Lost — a full-cast audio drama, audio-only by design
- Doctor Aphra — full-cast, one of the best audio productions in the line
- Heir to the Empire — the 20th anniversary edition with full sound design
- The High Republic: Light of the Jedi — Marc Thompson again, with a huge cast
Star Wars Reading Order by Series
Thrawn reading order
Canon: Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising → Greater Good → Lesser Evil → Thrawn → Thrawn: Alliances → Thrawn: Treason
Legends: Outbound Flight → Heir to the Empire → Dark Force Rising → The Last Command → Choices of One
Darth Bane reading order
Path of Destruction → Rule of Two → Dynasty of Evil. All Legends, all by Drew Karpyshyn, all set ~1,000 BBY.
The High Republic reading order
Phase 1 (Light of the Jedi → The Rising Storm → The Fallen Star) → Phase 2 (Convergence → Cataclysm) → Phase 3 (The Eye of Darkness → Temptation of the Force). Adult novels first; the YA and comics slot between them.
Old Republic reading order
Revan → Deceived → Fatal Alliance → Annihilation, with the Lost Tribe of the Sith novellas as optional background.
New Jedi Order reading order
Read the 19 books in publication order, starting with Vector Prime (R.A. Salvatore) and ending with The Unifying Force (James Luceno).
Key Star Wars Book Authors
| Author | Known for | Read if you like |
|---|---|---|
| Timothy Zahn | Thrawn (canon + Legends), Outbound Flight | Military strategy and tactics |
| Claudia Gray | Lost Stars, Bloodline, Master & Apprentice | Character and politics |
| James Luceno | Darth Plagueis, Tarkin, Catalyst | Sith lore and Imperial machinery |
| Drew Karpyshyn | Darth Bane trilogy, Revan | Dark side origin stories |
| Matthew Stover | Shatterpoint, Traitor, RotS novelization | Philosophy and prose style |
| Alexander Freed | Alphabet Squadron, Rogue One novelization | Grim, grounded war fiction |
| Charles Soule | Light of the Jedi, Darth Vader comics | Large-cast epics |
| Delilah S. Dawson | Phasma, Black Spire | Dark, propulsive thrillers |
| Michael Reaves | Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, Coruscant Nights | Noir and the galactic underworld |
| John Jackson Miller | Kenobi, A New Dawn, KOTOR comics | Frontier westerns |
| Karen Traviss | Republic Commando series | Clone troopers and Mandalorian culture |
| Michael A. Stackpole | X-wing, I Jedi | Fighter pilots and squadron drama |
What About Comics?
Comics aren't novels, but they're a massive chunk of the canon.
- Marvel Star Wars (2015–present, canon) — main Star Wars, Darth Vader, Doctor Aphra
- The High Republic comics (canon)
- Dark Horse Star Wars (1991–2014, now Legends) — Dark Empire, Republic, Legacy, KOTOR
- IDW Star Wars Adventures (all ages, canon)
Counted individually, Star Wars has published well over 3,000 comic issues. As collected volumes, the count is in the high hundreds.
Collecting Star Wars Books
- Legends editions are still printed under the Legends banner; the 1990s first printings of Heir to the Empire are the most collectible mass-market paperbacks in the line.
- Omnibus and Essential Legends collections repackage older novels in trade paperback with new covers — the cheapest way to fill gaps.
- Hardcover firsts for major canon releases (Thrawn, Light of the Jedi, Bloodline) hold value better than paperbacks.
- DK reference books — the Visual Dictionaries, The Essential Atlas, and the in-universe handbooks (The Jedi Path, Book of Sith, The Bounty Hunter Code) are the most display-worthy shelf pieces.
Naming Characters for Your Own Star Wars Story
If you're writing fan fiction or building an original character, the era determines naming style.
- High Republic Jedi — see the High Republic Names Guide and our Jedi Name Generator
- Old Republic / KOTOR era — see the KOTOR Name Ideas Guide and Sith Name Generator
- Mando-era frontier characters — use the Mandalorian Name Generator and Bounty Hunter Name Generator
- Imperial officers and cadets — try the Imperial Names Guide and Imperial Officer Name Generator
- Original species characters — see the Star Wars Alien Species Names Guide
- Getting the pronunciation right — see the Star Wars Pronunciation Guide
For deeper craft, the Complete Star Wars Naming Guide covers conventions across every era.
The Bottom Line
There are roughly 400+ Star Wars novels — about 80 in current canon and about 320 in Legends. Counting young-adult, children's, reference books, and comics, the figure passes 2,000.
You will never read them all. Nobody has. The goal isn't completeness — it's finding the books that match the corner of the galaxy you love most and going deep.
Pick an era. Pick a faction. Pick a writer — Zahn for thrillers, Gray for politics, Luceno for Sith, Stover for philosophy. Then start reading.
May the Force — and a comfortable reading chair — be with you.
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Webb, M. (2026, June 12). How Many Star Wars Books Are There? The Complete List, Reading Order & Timeline (2026). Star Wars Name Generator. https://starwarsnamegenerator.com/blog/star-wars-books-complete-list
