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The Archives Are Incomplete

The Archives Are Incomplete

By Jonah Kellman

A Star Wars legends canon novels podcast. We're going to talk about all 147 Star Wars Legends canon novels, from Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void all the way to Crucible.
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Episode 31: Jedi Trial

The Archives Are IncompleteNov 03, 2022

00:00
48:20
Episode 48: Jedi Apprentice - The Fight For Truth & The Shattered Peace

Episode 48: Jedi Apprentice - The Fight For Truth & The Shattered Peace

We get another pair of books, these two unlinked, for the first time in the series. The first features Siri Tachi, another young padawan, and some of her growth, as she works alongside the more galactically aware Obi-Wan Kenobi.

In Shattered Peace, we get to see Obi-Wan continue to struggle to find the line of appropriate behavior between duty and self-care.

Mar 23, 202330:01
Episode 47: Jedi Apprentice - The Captive Temple & The Day of Reckoning

Episode 47: Jedi Apprentice - The Captive Temple & The Day of Reckoning

We return in the middle of an investigation to a mysterious intruder in the Jedi temple. Who could it be? (it's Xanatos, like we suspected, Qui-Gon's disgraced former apprentice).

What's more compelling is seeing how Obi-Wan works through the trauma of war, the loss of trust and how Qui-Gon struggles to find a way to trust someone who betrayed him.

Mar 09, 202342:06
Episode 46: Jedi Apprentice - The Defenders of the Dead & The Uncertain Path

Episode 46: Jedi Apprentice - The Defenders of the Dead & The Uncertain Path

Betrayal and war! Obi-Wan leaves the Jedi Order for a cause he sees as more important than his future as Qui-Gon Jinn's padawan! These two books contain a story that resonates throughout Obi-Wan's experiences as a Padawan, and later as a Knight and a Master, even impacting his mentorship of Anakin much down the line. These are a pair of really good stories!

Mar 02, 202342:35
Episode 45: Jedi Apprentice - The Hidden Past & The Mark of the Crown

Episode 45: Jedi Apprentice - The Hidden Past & The Mark of the Crown

We continue the adventures of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, as they go to planets rife with authoritarianism and help people find freedom and democracy! Obi-Wan struggles with patience and Qui-Gon contemplates the legacy he'll leave behind. Plus, I learn the difference between a swoop and a speeder!

Feb 23, 202329:45
Episode 44: Jedi Apprentice - The Rising Force & The Dark Rival

Episode 44: Jedi Apprentice - The Rising Force & The Dark Rival

We begin the journey of Obi-Wan Kenobi's apprenticeship to Qui-Gon Jinn with the first two books of the Jedi Apprentice series. We learn the struggles of Obi-Wan as he deals with frustration and anger, and see how those grow as he's exposed to the greater galaxy and a broader range of injustice. We see the history of Qui-Gon and the challenges he faces before he is able to fully accept Obi-Wan as his apprentice.

Feb 16, 202347:26
Episode 43: Season 2 Overview - The Clone Wars

Episode 43: Season 2 Overview - The Clone Wars

We're diving back into season two which wrapped up a couple of weeks ago. I briefly cover the last thirty books we've read, talk about the story, characters, and worldbuilding merits (and demerits) of each, as well as what I recommend as fundamental reading, which ones you can skip, and some details about which books touch on which characters and arcs.
We'll be back next time, starting the Clone Wars over with Legacy of the Jedi, by Jude Watson - and maybe more!
You can check out details about each episode including length, ratings for lore, characters, and plot as well as tags so you can find books that appeal to you in the TAAI Overview.
Feb 09, 202338:13
Episode 42: Season 1 Overview - The Old Republic
Feb 02, 202324:15
Episode 41: The Last Jedi

Episode 41: The Last Jedi

We round out the Coruscant Nights trilogy with book four - The Last Jedi, not to be confused with the movie by the same name. We get more conflict with Vader, fleeing from Vader, and fighting fruitlessly against, you guessed it, Darth Vader!

Our next episode will be a season wrap up, and I'm excited to cover everything we've talked about before!wrap-up

Jan 26, 202350:16
Episode 40: Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force

Episode 40: Coruscant Nights III: Patterns of Force

We reach the conclusion of the trilogy, but not the conclusion of the story following Jax Pavan. The threat of Vader looms ever closer, but the possibility of a mission to assassinate the Emperor begins to fracture the group. I have a lot of critique in this one, but there are a few interesting notes about the development of Jedi and their training.
Jan 20, 202336:45
Episode 39: Coruscant Nights II: Street of Shadows
Jan 12, 202344:06
Episode 38: Coruscant Knights I: Jedi Twilight

Episode 38: Coruscant Knights I: Jedi Twilight

We return to Coruscant in the days after Order 66, following one of the few Jedi survivors (okay, there have actually been a lot, but we pretend that it's a few for narrative reasons) as he struggles to survive in the underworld! We're joined by several returning characters and are introduced to several more who we will encounter in the future!

Welcome to Noir Wars.

Jan 05, 202338:39
Episode 37: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

Episode 37: Dark Lord: The Rise of Darth Vader

The legend of the great Sith warrior begins. We get the final embers of Anakin's inner turmoil as he grows in confidence as the fist of Palpatine, and we see the last few months of harried jedi fleeing the wrath of the new Empire. This is written by the loremaster James Luceno and offers unique insights into one of the galaxy's most infamous villains.

Dec 29, 202249:47
Episode 36: Kenobi

Episode 36: Kenobi

Hold on to your cowboy hats and put on your sunscreen - we're head back to the home of itchy and irritating sand that gets in everywhere! Kenobi is an excellent western, a slower paced story that focuses on a smaller scale than practically everything we've read so far - just the lives a few water farmers on the outskirts of civilization and one Jedi Master who would like nothing more to have nothing interesting happen ever again in his life.

Dec 22, 202255:59
Episode 35: Imperial Commando: 501st

Episode 35: Imperial Commando: 501st

We wrap up the final installment of the Republic Commando series, and, unsurprising to any of our listeners, a book that I really enjoyed! We go over the story, and talk about clones, Mandalorians, Jedi, and the rise of the Empire while touching on the impact of Order 66 from previous events.

Dec 08, 202201:25:59
Episode 34: Republic Commando: Order 66

Episode 34: Republic Commando: Order 66

It's time to cry! Come join us for the Order 66, a dive into the philosophies of Bardan Jusik and the Jedi as well as looking at the culture, customs and beliefs of the Mandalorians and how that's reflected in the Grand Army of the Republic.

In book news, the first book in this series, Hard Contact is joining the Essential Legends Collection and will be available in April of 2023. Furthermore, I've gone ahead and added a significant portion of the Dark Horse legends-canon graphic novels and many more young a adult novels to the collection, so the "just the novels" bit is turning into more and more of a lie!

Dec 01, 202201:32:37
Episode 33: Labyrinth of Evil

Episode 33: Labyrinth of Evil

We're coming up on the end of The Clone Wars - Labyrinth of Evil takes us right up to the opening crawl of Episode III: Revenge of Sith, as it follows the last few days or weeks of action for Anakin and Obi-Wan as the dynamic duo take on one more galactic goose chase, trying to discover the Sith Lord behind the separatist power.

Nov 24, 202247:27
Episode 32: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

Episode 32: Yoda: Dark Rendezvous

We dive into the last book in the Clone Wars multimedia project with a story focused on Yoda. This, much like the book centered on Mace Windu is exceptional, and there are some brilliant arguments for and against the personal philosophies of Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, and the little green swamp toad himself. It's a highly enjoyable read, with a great mix of quirky sass, young protagonists discovering themselves, and wisdom of the ages.

Nov 17, 202201:22:47
Bonus Episode 4: Guest Show with Meg Rickman

Bonus Episode 4: Guest Show with Meg Rickman

In this spoiler-heavy show (seriously, we spoil most major moments, villains, and plot lines) I'm joined by my good friend Meg Rickman, to discuss the breadth and depth of the Star Wars Legends novel chronology. Meg has been reading the books in a slightly modified read order and has a bit over a dozen books left - that means (and I stress this) that we will spoil pretty much everything. I'd recommend waiting on this episode if you don't want to be spoiled on things until you get the chance to read them or I get to the deep dives. When we finish those off I'll remind y'all to come back and give this a listen.

If you ignore these spoiler warnings and proceed, you'll hear us talk about the many large arcs of the Archives, what we liked, what we didn't, and what we thought was plain cool. Villains, heroes, and phenomenal books abound in the next two hours of two geeks ranting and raving!

Nov 10, 202201:53:47
Episode 31: Jedi Trial

Episode 31: Jedi Trial

We return to the hero of the Clone Wars - Anakin Skywalker as he strives to earn his knighthood! If you enjoyed my episode on The Cestus Deception (y'know, the one with a lot of ranting and nit-picking, and not a ton of analysis) you might enjoy this episode as well! This story now canonically occurs before The Clone Wars (both the book, TV show, and movie of the same name) so that Anakin can be a Knight in time to take Ahsoka on as an apprentice, and it honestly fits better there.

We talk about the plot, the various command styles of several characters, and briefly touch on the differences in Jedi Trial for Darsha Assant (from Shadow Hunter), Barriss Offee and Anakin himself.

Nov 03, 202248:20
Episode 30: MedStar II: Jedi Healer

Episode 30: MedStar II: Jedi Healer

We return to Drongar for the thrilling conclusion of feelings and self-discovery! The blurb on the back of the book is so far off I don't even know what they were talking about! Loaded with references to things both within Star Wars and without, this is quite an enjoyable read. Join us next time for Jedi Trial, by David Sherman and Dan Cragg, as we watch Anakin attempt to gain Knighthood.

Oct 27, 202237:40
Episode 29: MedStar I: Battle Surgeons

Episode 29: MedStar I: Battle Surgeons

We join Barriss Offee (of Approaching Storm fame) on her Jedi Trial for Knighthood! Battle Surgeons is M.A.S.H. but in space, and with lightsabers! It's a very enjoyable book, with a very different perspective on the Clone Wars than the past ten books. It's enjoyable, and a quick read. The story started here will be wrapped up in the next episode, covering Jedi Healer.

Oct 20, 202256:24
Episode 28: The Cestus Deception
Oct 13, 202201:02:42
Episode 27: Shatterpoint

Episode 27: Shatterpoint

It's time for the Mace Windu story! If you haven' t been reading along, this is actually a great book to read! There are lots of dynamic fight scenes and wonderful philosophical conversations that I don't delve into too deeply. Plus it's a standalone book, so there's not a huge commitment, it features a character that you're likely familiar with if you've seen the movies, and, in my opinion presents some interesting questions and conclusions (which, of course, are discussed in this episode).

There's also a bonus short story "Equipment" which we talk about at the end of this recording, and aren't releasing as a "bonus episode" because it takes like, thirty seconds to cover it in full.

Oct 06, 202201:10:28
Bonus Episode 3: Republic Commando: Targets & Odds

Bonus Episode 3: Republic Commando: Targets & Odds

Today we talk abou two short stories in the back of Republic Commando: Triple Zero and True Colors - titled Targets and Odds respectively. One follows the spaceport siege of fame that's referenced regularly during the events of Triple Zero and the other looks into the incongruent numbers and curious military strategy of both sides of the Clone Wars.


This is a short episode, to give you (okay, really to give me) time to recover before continuing apace.

Sep 29, 202208:48
Episode 26: Republic Commando: True Colors

Episode 26: Republic Commando: True Colors

 We get to book three of the Republic Commando quintet! We talk about lines in the sand, betrayal, and what it means to do the right thing. There's also conversation on cannabalism. Does eating a sentient alien species make you a cannibal? That question gets asked more than you might think in this book and answered once!

Next week we'll have a short episode on the Republic Commando short stories: Odds and Targets, and the week after that will be Shatterpoint, by Matthew Stover - a Mace Windu story. It's one of those books I've recommended a lot, so I'm excited to discuss it!

And oh yeah, I just added a ton of Star Wars YA books to my collection, so I'm going to be figuring out how to add those into the ever-growing readings and archives!

Also also! I'm releasing this episode just three short days before the anniversary of the first full episode release, and I've had just over 1000 listens in that time. It's really coll that y'all listen to me talk about Star Wars for literal hours. Thanks!

Sep 23, 202201:13:49
Episode 25: Republic Commando: Triple Zero
Sep 15, 202201:29:01
Episode 24: Republic Commando: Hard Contact

Episode 24: Republic Commando: Hard Contact

It's the attack of the clone commandos! This starts off one of my favorite series as it follows some non-force-sensitive characters (which is actually a big part of many of my favorite stories...). We begin to really delve into the training of the clones, the similarities between their upbringing and that of the Jedi and the morality of breeding a child-slave army (Hint: Not Ethical), and how various jedi manage the challenges it presents.

We return next week with Republic Commando: Triple Zero

Sep 08, 202201:10:10
Episode 23: The Clone Wars Gambit: Siege

Episode 23: The Clone Wars Gambit: Siege

We wrap up the five-book Clone Wars series with part two of Gambit! Will Anakin and Obi-Wan make it off the planet and survive to fight another day? Will devastating bioweapons attacks destroy Coruscant and the major planets of the Republic? Do we get confirmation on yet another ex of Obi-Wan's? Find out the answers to these and more in this week's episode!

And if you're a fan of Clones and Wars, don't worry, we have more content from the Clone Wars era, we'll just not be focussed so much on the characters of the show - this might be the last we see of Ahsoka, and Anakin and Obi-Wan play much smaller roles in upcoming stories. 

Sep 01, 202249:00
Episode 22: The Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth

Episode 22: The Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth

It's another zany adventure from Heroes of the Republic, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi! The two find themselves going behind enemy lines and being forced to allow for lesser evils to pass them by as they try to stop planetary devastation. Bonus antics from Ahsoka Tano, who makes a new friend!

Aug 25, 202256:23
Episode 21: The Clone Wars: No Prisoners

Episode 21: The Clone Wars: No Prisoners

How dangerous is attachment? What are the responsibilities of a jedi during war? An officer? A citizen of the Republic? What are acceptable losses and who is expendable? These questions and more are posed in No Prisoners and not necessarily answered, given their deep complexity. Join Anakin and Ashoka as they meet Jedi who have a healthy relationship with attachment!

So many questions, so few answers, so much satisfaction at the character growth!

Aug 18, 202240:22
Episode 20: The Clone Wars: Wild Space

Episode 20: The Clone Wars: Wild Space

In Wild Space, nothing happens! No, seriously, it's a bunch of wild goose chases and oodles of character development! The book is fantastic and sets up so much growth and tension between characters - the blurb on the back saying it's filled with never-before-revealed insights is actually accurate!

#JediNeedTherapy

Join us next time for The Clone Wars: No Prisoners

Aug 11, 202201:02:06
Episode 19: The Clone Wars

Episode 19: The Clone Wars

This week we dive into the novelization of The Clone Wars animated movie. This gives us our first look at Ahsoka and the clone army, as well as delivering insights on Anakin and Count Dooku, their personal philosophies, and why they fight.

Our next episode continues to delve into the clone wars with Wild Space, by Karen Miller, part two of this five-book series.

Aug 04, 202233:05
Episode 18: The Approaching Storm

Episode 18: The Approaching Storm

We get closer and closer to the Clone Wars - in this final novel before war breaks out across the galaxy, we follow four Jedi trying to keep one small, insignificant (but actually super important) planet as a part of the Republic! It's a little repetitive, and not the best offering, but still gives an interesting foundation for Bariss Offee (introduced in this novel) and develops the narrative of Anakin's fall a little bit more!

Jul 28, 202229:24
Episode 17: Outbound Flight

Episode 17: Outbound Flight

We're back from our (longer than anticipated) hiatus with Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn. This is our first book by Zahn, and it introduces a long-running character - Mitth'raw'nuruodo. We talk about the philosophy of Jedi Jorus C'baoth, the tactics of Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo and how the philosophy of the Jedi as a whole overlap with that of the Chiss Ascendancy. 

Jul 07, 202201:10:20
Short-Term Hiatus

Short-Term Hiatus

Hey folks - as the audio says - I'm out for at least this week, with a minor medical issue. I'm not sure when I'll be back, but ideally soon and ideally things remain smooth *after* this week!
Jan 27, 202200:38
Episode 16: Rogue Planet

Episode 16: Rogue Planet

As we move to the pre-war period, we get our first story that truly features Anakin Skywalker as a primary character, in Rogue Planet, written by Greg Bear. While I am critical in many ways, I think this book is important to see some of the early development of Anakin, as this is the only legends novel (there are some YA books) that covers him at age twelve, and one at fifteen, before we see him going from nineteen to twenty-two over the course of the Clone Wars.

Join us next week as we tackle Outbound Flight, by Timothy Zahn

Jan 20, 202246:18
Episode 15: Darth Plageuis

Episode 15: Darth Plageuis

After great delay, we finally reach episode 15, Darth Plageuis, by James Luceno. This book is absolutely fantastic with absolutely massive amounts of detail that's connected to all sorts of things. This is our longest episode yet by a *lot* clocking in at nearly two and a half hours, so save this for a longer drive.

We talk about the development of the Sith and the execution of the Grand Plan set in motion by Darth Bane a millennia earlier. That's underselling it.

I do want to apologize for the delay in getting this one out - as you can see, it was a massive episode and it took longer than I would have liked. Next week we return with Rogue Planet by Greg Bear, which should be a tamer affair.

Jan 15, 202202:21:54
Darth Plageuis: Coming Soon!

Darth Plageuis: Coming Soon!

Darth Plageuis is a meatier book than anticipated, so the reading and notes is taking longer than I would like. I'm traveling this weekend, so I'm not going to be able to record until Monday at the earliest AND this episode has the potential to be so large that I split it into two episodes. It's coming, I promise!
Jan 07, 202201:52
Bonus Episode 2: Darth Maul: Saboteur & Restraint

Bonus Episode 2: Darth Maul: Saboteur & Restraint

We take a quick break from the deeper dives on longer novels to look at two short stories featuring Darth Maul, both written by James Luceno, before his appearance in Shadow Hunter. These are relatively light and quick but do provide some good background information on the character, and some insight into his experiences.

We come back next week with Darth Plagueis, by James Luceno, to finish out the unofficial pre-Phantom Menace Sith Quartet.

Dec 30, 202112:15
Episode 14: Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter

Episode 14: Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter

We return to the "galaxies deadliest killer" - Darth Maul. In this book, by Michael Reaves, we follow Darth Sidious' apprentice on Coruscant as he tries to prevent information about the plans of the Sith from getting to the Jedi.

Next week is a half-break, where we'll touch on Maul: Saboteur and Maul: Restraint in a bonus episode covering two short stories, before returning to Darth Plageuis, by James Luceno the following week.

Dec 23, 202142:55
Episode 13: Cloak of Deception

Episode 13: Cloak of Deception

Oh boy! I'm excited about this one. Cloak of Deception, by James Luceno really digs into the meat of the story before The Phantom Menace. This book is the first must read. While I do recommend other books, the story of the prequels is incomplete - we don't see enough of the machinations of Palpatine and the Sith, and this book supplies much need context and an excellent foundation future exploration of the Fall of the Republic and the Rise of Empire.

Dec 16, 202152:38
Episode 12: Maul: Lockdown

Episode 12: Maul: Lockdown

We hit up our twelfth book, and our first in the Fall of the Republic era featuring Darth Maul as he goes into a prison to acquire a weapon and get into a ton of fights in this story by Joe Schreiber. We go over the plot and look at some seeds planted for future plot points, including some interactions between Darth Plageuis and his apprentice, Darth Sidious.

Come back next week for Cloak of Deception, by the master of history, James Luceno.

Dec 10, 202132:27
Episode 11: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil

Episode 11: Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil

We return for the third and final book in the Darth Bane series by Drew Karpyshyn. This is the last book in the greater chronology written by Drew, but if you're interested in more of his work, I can heartily recommend Knights of the Old Republic as well as the earlier Mass Effect games. He's also written for many other games and created many other novels, but I haven't read them personally as of yet.

In any case, this episode is shorter, as Dynasty of Evil is a payoff for the build-up of the first two. While I discuss the plot and some character interactions, a lot of the philosophy and character development has been covered thoroughly by the first two stories.

Join us next week as we cover Maul: Lockdown. We're deviating from the path prescribed in the front of the books, and waiting to read Darth Plagueis as it encompasses a broader span of time. The next three books - Maul: Lockdown, Cloak of Deception, and Maul: Shadowhunter - all take place during the story of Darth Plagueis, and by reading them first, it's easier to refer to those moments when they come up spoiler-free in Darth Plagueis.

Dec 02, 202120:36
Episode 10: Darth Bane: Rule of Two

Episode 10: Darth Bane: Rule of Two

We dive back into Darth Bane with the second book in the trilogy covering his character's history and philosophy. This episode, we look at how he trains his apprentice Zannah, as well as evaluating Jedi and Sith philosophy, as we have so often before.

This book, of course, has some references to previous stories, but mostly finishes setting the foundation for the ultimate conclusion of the series, and the development of the modern order of Sith.

Check back in next week for Darth Bane: Dynasty of Evil and the conclusion of the storyline.

Nov 25, 202134:23
Episode 9: Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
Nov 18, 202141:36
Episode 8: Knight Errant

Episode 8: Knight Errant

This week's discussion focuses on a standalone story of a Jedi Knight fighting for survival in the remnants of the Sith Empire, and their constant infighting. This is the second book we've read by John Jackson Miller, the other being our second episode "Lost Tribe of the Sith".

I discuss the plot and a few references, as always, but I also talk about Sith political structure and ideology - as opposed to their philosophy of power and the Force, and touch upon the guiding behaviors of the Jedi.

Join me next week as I rant about Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, by Drew Karpyshyn.

Nov 11, 202128:24
Episode 7: The Old Republic: Annihilation

Episode 7: The Old Republic: Annihilation

This episode covers the last of the books tied to The Old Republic MMO, following the story of Theron Shan, the son of Grand Master of the Jedi Order Satele Shan. I dig into the impact of close familial relationships with the Jedi as well as talk about the Jedi Gnost Dural and some ethical considerations that arise from his actions.

We'll see you next week for Knight Errant by John Jackson Miller.

Please excuse any audio-errors - editing was done on a flight.

If you do notice any errors or have comments or feedback, please feel free to reach out @JediArchive on twitter or podcast@fatelfgames.com.

Nov 05, 202146:53
Episode 6: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance

Episode 6: The Old Republic: Fatal Alliance

Join us in a deep dive into the characters of the Old Republic, and see what happens when Empire and Republic, Jedi and Sith, Mandalorian and smuggler are all forced by the circumstances to work together.

Be sure to give us a follow @Jedi_Archive or reach out via email with podcast@fatelfgames.com. 

Oct 28, 202152:36
Episode 5: Red Harvest
Oct 21, 202128:20
Episode 4: The Old Republic: Deceived

Episode 4: The Old Republic: Deceived

This book introduces us to the time of the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic. It's closely tied to the cinematic of the same name, Deceived. Also mentioned are Return and Hope.

Be sure to give us a follow @Jedi_Archive or reach out via email with podcast@fatelfgames.com. Tune in next week for Red Harvest.

Oct 14, 202128:41