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Notes -
...I was going to make an objection here to including Legacy of the Force, but then I saw that you mentioned The Crystal Star as well, so I assume you are taking the piss.
There are indeed a lot of excellent Star Wars novels and sequels, though, and Rogue Squadron and New Jedi Order are definitely among them.
I haven't read any Star Wars books in maybe ten years, and The Crystal Star in particular in maybe fifteen years. But I do not remember The Crystal Star's being particularly bad (though I do recall thinking it was rather weird that the Solo twins were able to create light with the Force by vibrating air molecules in their prison cell). The point is that it is among a zillion books that are suitable for movie treatment.
Crystal Star is so out there that I'm convinced that, along with many other books, are actually edits of preexisting sci fi works hidden in the deep drawers if authors that were repurposed to Star Wars as long as there was a spaceship and magic involved. Black Fleet Trilogy, Crystal Star, even Courtship fall in this category. Once new concepts totally unrelated to established main canon are introduced as standalone concepts, then the whole fanfic aspect becomes obvious.
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