Summary

• Star Wars is a massive transmedia franchise, which means the adventures continue in books as well as on the screen.
• Lucasfilm's most popular projects include Star Wars: The High Republic, set centuries before the prequels.
• Every period of the Skywalker saga's timeline has been fleshed out in books.

Here's your official guide to the Star Wars books in chronological order. When George Lucas launched Star Wars, part of his genius lay in the decision to embrace transmedia. The first tie-in novel, Alan Dean Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye, was actually published before the release of The Empire Strikes Back. Still, it wasn't until 1991 that Lucasfilm really began to exploit the potential of novels, with Timothy Zahn relaunching the Star Wars Expanded Universe with the launch of his bestselling Thrawn trilogy. All that was erased from canon, officially branded "Legends," shortly after Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.

Since then, Disney has evolved Star Wars into a trailblazing transmedia franchise. Lucasfilm Publishing has launched several successful initiatives to tie in with movies and TV shows, while the Star Wars: The High Republic transmedia initiative has opened up a whole new part of the Star Wars timeline. That makes it incredibly difficult to keep up - but here's your guide to the Star Wars books in chronological order. Note this doesn't include choose-your-own-adventure stories, siimple adaptations, or some novelizations of debatable canonicity.

Books In Star Wars: The High Republic Phase II

382 BBY

Star Wars: The High Republic technically takes a tip from George Lucas himself, with the overarching story told out of chronological order. That means phase II technically comes first, some 350 years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. It's worth noting these stories often overlap significantly, with events occurring concurrently - particularly toward the end. Path of Vengeance technically begins before Cataclysm, but ends as something of a coda to the era, so logically comes last in this list.

• Path of Deceit by Tessa Gratton and Justina Ireland
• Convergence by Zoraida Córdova
• Quest for the Hidden City by George Mann
• The Battle of Jedha by George Mann
• Cataclysm by Lydia Kang
• Quest for Planet X by Tessa Gratton
• Path of Vengeance by Cavan Scott

Books In Star Wars: The High Republic Phase I

232 BBY

Set 200 years before the prequel trilogy, Star Wars: The High Republic Phase I is the story of the Jedi Order at its height. The High Republic Era is a time when the light of the Jedi shone brighter than ever before, as the Republic expanded across the Star Wars galaxy map toward the Outer Rim. But the brighter the light, the darker the shadows it casts, as the Jedi learned to their cost.

• Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule
• Into the Dark by Claudia Gray
• A Test of Courage by Justina Ireland
• The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott
• Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel José Older
• Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland
• Tempest Runner by Cavan Scott
• Mission to Disaster by Justina Ireland
• The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray
• Midnight Horizon by Daniel José Older

Books In Star Wars: The High Republic Phase III

229 BBY

Star Wars: The High Republic Phase III is set a year after the events of Phase I. The space pirates known as the Nihil appear to have triumphed, but the Jedi are organizing against them. Phase III launched in November 2023, which means only three books have been released to date.

• The Eye of Darkness by George Mann
• Escape from Valo by Daniel José Older & Alyssa Wong
• Defy the Storm by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland

Star Wars Books Set Before The Prequel Era

292 BBY - 32 BBY

Several stories are set between the High Republic Era and the prequel trilogy. The Vow of the Silver Dawn is included in this list, but unfortunately, it has yet to be translated into English; its timeline placement has recently moved as a result of the reference book Star Wars: Timelines. Claudia Gray's Master & Apprentice is a particularly important book during this period, finally revealing details about the Chosen One prophecy.

• The Vow of Silver Dawn by His Majesty the King
• Dooku: Jedi Lost by Cavan Scott
• Padawan by Kiersten White
• Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray
• Darth Maul & the Rathtars by Steven Behling

Prequel Era Star Wars Books

32 BBY - 19 BBY

Lucasfilm Publishing's Star Wars canon books have done a good job of adding depth to the prequel trilogy. This period includes a tremendous range of novels by E.K. Johnston focused on Padmé Amidala, and a trilogy by Timothy Zahn that ends shortly after the rise of the Empire. Christie Golden's Dark Disciple is an unusual book, the only one still officially considered canon even though it was technically produced after Disney's reset; it's an important story from Star Wars: The Clone Wars that was never made because of the show's cancelation.

• Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston
• Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston
• Queen's Hope by E.K. Johnston
• Brotherhood by Mike Chen
• Dark Disciple by Christie Golden
• Thrawn Ascendancy: Chaos Rising by Timothy Zahn
• Thrawn Ascendancy: Greater Good by Timothy Zahn
• Thrawn Ascendancy: Lesser Evil by Timothy Zahn

Books Set During The Reign Of The Empire

19 BBY - 0 BBY