One of the stupidest could be some of the really out - there Force - related concepts that were hard to swallow. For example, some stories had the Force being used in ways that seemed to break the established lore. It was like they were just making up crazy stuff for the sake of having something new.
Some of the stories where they tried to give every minor character a huge backstory were stupid. It was like they were over - inflating the universe with unimportant details. For example, a random background character who had no real significance in the movies suddenly had this elaborate backstory that no one really cared about.
The 'Dark Nest' trilogy is often considered among the worst. The storylines were a bit of a mess, and it deviated too much from the core themes and feel of Star Wars. It introduced some elements that were hard to swallow for many fans, like some of the new and rather strange alien species and their behaviors.
The 'X - Wing Series' is among the top Star Wars EU stories. It focused on the pilots in the Rebel Alliance. It was full of exciting space battles and great character development for the pilots. Another good one is 'Darth Bane Trilogy'. It explored the origin of the 'Rule of Two' for the Sith, which is a very important concept in the Star Wars lore.
One of the best is 'Thrawn Trilogy'. It brought back the beloved Star Wars universe in a new and exciting way after the movies. Grand Admiral Thrawn was a great villain, his tactical genius made for some really engaging storylines.
In my opinion, 'The Thrawn Trilogy' is very important. As I mentioned before, 'Heir to the Empire' starts it off. These novels were really the first to expand the Star Wars universe after the movies and had a huge impact on how fans saw the post - ROTJ galaxy. Thrawn was a brilliant villain, not just a brute force bad guy but a strategic mastermind.
Sure. 'Heir to the Empire' by Timothy Zahn is a great one. It really kicks off the post - original trilogy storylines in the EU and introduced some iconic characters like Grand Admiral Thrawn.
In my opinion, 'The New Rebellion' is not a great addition to the EU novels. The story lacks the usual excitement of Star Wars. The conflict seems forced and the resolution is rather anticlimactic. It also doesn't do a great job of building on the existing relationships between the main characters.
Some of the best Star Wars EU novels include 'Heir to the Empire' by Timothy Zahn. It really expanded the Star Wars universe post the original trilogy and introduced great new characters like Grand Admiral Thrawn. His strategic mind and the way he outmaneuvered the New Republic made for a gripping read.
Some Star Wars EU fanfiction focuses on alternate timelines. Like what if Anakin Skywalker didn't turn to the dark side? This could lead to a completely different story arc, with the Jedi Order remaining strong and the Sith being defeated much earlier, changing the face of the galaxy forever.