Jedi Academy Reading Challenge (formerly SW Yearly Challenge)

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

So I finally switched from Jedi Master to Chosen One. Won't be easy but I like the challenge.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

If you're looking for books that would fit task 16, Audible made a rec playlist for SW non-fiction books and cast memoirs.

You can check it out here

Recommended audiobooks:
The Princess Diarist
I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story
A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away: My Fifty Years Editing Hollywood Hits—Star Wars, Carrie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Mission: Impossible, and More
Size Matters Not: The Extraordinary Life And Career Of Warwick Davis
George Lucas: A Life
Why We Love Star Wars: The Great Moments That Built A Galaxy Far, Far Away
How Star Wars Conquered the Universe: The Past, Present, and Future of a Multibillion Dollar Franchise
Inside Star Wars: The Complete Script of the Wondery Original Podcast

[Don]

Most of these non-fiction entries are average to bad. The only one on that list that really merits your time is Chris Taylors How Star Wars Conquered the Universe. It is the only content presented by a third party, and Taylor is an excellent journalist and really did his homework. The Princess Diarist> is popular and tickles the fancy of a lot of readers, but is not really any good.

Also, the linked edition to How Star Wars Conquered the Universe is the 'old' one. Make sure you get the revised and updated edition from 2015.

The only piece missing I would suggest is Star Wars Super Graphic . It is a fantastic data-driven visual guide that offers interesting insights into the movies.

The other entries are Star Wars cast and staff cashing in on their experience with the franchise and they are not great. Of course, that is my objective opinion.

I am not an audio listener, so I cannot speak to this material from that experience, but I hope this helps.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Don wrote: "that is my objective opinion."

That made me laugh. :D

Anyway, thanks for the recommendations, Don. Nothing beats personal experience. How Star Wars Conquered the Universe is on my TBR.

[Don]

Hailey wrote: "I wish the entire book was Carrie talking about her behind-the-scenes experiences with the entire original trilogy."

This.

It was a missed opportunity. And a missed opportunity in a profoundly terrible way. I got seventy-ish pages in and stopped and took the book out of my collection. I cannot add or detract from Hailey's comments and her review. She nails my feelings about The Princess Diarist exactly.

Thanks for 'listening' and for sharing your thoughts, guys.

May the Force be with you.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Thanks for your review, Hailey. It's disappointing that it was nothing but a cashgrab as I quite liked Wishful Drinking, Hollywood fluff and all, it was fun.

Have anybody read A Long Time Ago in a Cutting Room Far, Far Away: My Fifty Years Editing Hollywood Hits—Star Wars, Carrie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Mission: Impossible, and More? It's supposed to cover more movies than SW and Paul Hirsch's filmography is packed with great movies. While I find the art of film editing interesting I'm not sure 360+ pages focused on just that wouldn't become boring for me.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

I watched Wishful drinking as a CF's one-woman show first. I was fortunate enough to catch it on YouTube before it was taken down. It was my first exposure to Carrie outside of Star Wars and made me really appreciate her sense of humor. I read the book later - it's Hollywood fluff but told with tongue in cheek.

[Don]

I came across another Star Wars non-fiction book: Skywalker: A Family at War by Kristin Baver. It was released this April from DK Publishing, which, now that I think about it, probably makes it more of a source book, not a substantive non-fiction entry. That kinda makes my comments below irrelevant.

I have not read it, but I'll check it out when I get time. It is billed as the definitive story of the Skywalker family and all of the drama and significant events in their lives.

Baver is an employee of Lucasfilm. She hosts the Star Wars This Week YouTube show and the infrequent Star Wars Show Book Club, also on YouTube. While she was a journalist in Pennsylvania for a few years, as a current Lucasfilm employee, the content of Skywalker: A Family at War may not exactly be without certain biases and leanings toward approved points of view. I would say read with caution.

[Todd]

Hailey wrote: "Her relationship with Harrison Ford wasn't worth the amount of pages it got in this book especially with the way he treated her. They were using each other to a certain degree but still. The brief relationship didn't have enough substance for an entire book."

I just finished the audiobook version of this to fulfill the non-fiction book requirement of the yearly book challenge. While the revelation of the affair with Harrison was interesting at first, the book goes on way too long with her describing her feelings and Harrison's aloof personality and repeating it in different ways again and again.

I am sure I enjoyed the audiobook version more by hearing this told in Carrie's own voice (along with Billie Lourd who read her diary passages) than I would have if I had read it instead. Overall though, it was a disappointment.

[Don]

☆Lonely._.Blue☆ wrote: "Duration: One year from your start date.
Start Date: August 1st 2021 End Date: August 1st 2022
Level: Chosen One = 32 books (every task twice)
Category: Maverick - Both Legends and New Canon
Books ..."

Welcome to the Star Wars reading challenge, Blue! Wow, you've got an ambitious schedule set for yourself, and it looks great. Keep us posted on your progress, and good luck!

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

So how's your challenge going, folks?

I am at 19/32, but if I cave in and reshuffle what's already there and add some of the JudeWatsonVerse books I buddyread with Rebecca and Hailey I am at 25/32 and with 2 months to go it's still doable.


I plan to tweak this challenge a bit. Don, if you don't mind I'll use your idea and add option to do it in stages - across two or more years where you rise through the ranks.

I am also open to adjusting some tasks to make them a little easier.

Somebody suggested to add short story collections to anthologies (task 3). At first I didn't want to but it's true that if somebody elects to do either Legendary Hero or Rising Star there's not enough options to choose from.

I'm thinking about adding bonus tasks, too. If there's any task in the original challenge that you really want to skip you can substitute it with one of the bonus tasks or you can duplicate the existing task. Everybody would have 1 duplication and 1 substitution available, that would mean you'd be able to avoid two least appealing tasks. :)

What do you think? Any ideas for bonus tasks?

[Don]

Zuzana wrote: "So how's your challenge going, folks?

Oh man, it turned sour on me. I got stuck on The Mandalorian Armor . It's not great, and other non-Star Wars fare has distracted me. I am only three of six books in. There is so much to read and so little time. :(

Zuzana wrote: "I plan to tweak this challenge a bit. Don, if you don't mind I'll use your idea and add option to do it in stages - across two or more years where you grow through the ranks.."

This was going to be my default approach with the year's end looming. Stages might be the only way I advance to the next level. If it works for others, let's make it 'official.'

I love the duplication and substitution idea! It can be helpful when you get into a reading that is just not working out for you.

As a bonus task, what about a 'serious' review? A reader posts a 500 word review that goes beyond, "this book sucks," or, "this book is amazing!" Or, what about writing and posting a character profile from something you've read? Maybe fill in blanks you think the author missed or edited out. Show us how you engaged the book.

Maybe those ideas are bit too much, but it was what I've been thinking about. I know folks do not have time (or the inclination) to write an essay on their readings.

[Rebecca]

I'm not sure how I'm doing on this challenge anymore. I'll get back to you in a bit.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Don wrote: "Oh man, it turned sour on me. I got stuck on The Mandalorian Armor . It's not great, and other non-Star Wars fare has distracted me. I am only three of six books in. There is so much to read and so little time. :("

It's funny, I got stuck on The Mandalorian Armor, too. I have so many SW books I need to finish before the year is over: Kenobi, The Last Command and Into the Void. YOu're right, so little time.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Don wrote: "This was going to be my default approach with the year's end looming. Stages might be the only way I advance to the next level. If it works for others, let's make it 'official.'"

Thanks, Don, for allowing me to borrow your excellent idea. :) I believe it will make this challenge more enjoyable for people who'd like to participate but don't have time to read that much.

As for the bonus tasks so far I came up with:

- Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars)
- Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars)
- Read a SW comicbook omnibus (it's a great series and the original challenge has only two tasks for comicbook lovers)
- Read a next installment of a SW series you started reading this year
- Read a SW book by a new-to-you author

I might add your essay idea, don't know how popular it will be, but it could be fun.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Rebecca wrote: "I'm not sure how I'm doing on this challenge anymore. I'll get back to you in a bit."

If you add some of the Jude Watson's books we read together, Rebecca, you're bound to do pretty good. :)

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Hailey, I believe you counted wrong. You most definitely read (buddy read with me and Rebecca)
a movie novelization: The Clone Wars
a middle-grade book: in fact at least 20 ;)
a book set during the prequel era: The Phantom Menace
and if you shuffle Shatterpoint to a book with a male MC other than Luke, Han, Obi-Wan and Anakin

then you'll end up as a Jedi Knight.

... just saying :D

[Allyssa, Former Moderator/Group Founder]

Zuzana wrote: "Welcome to the challenge, Todd. I hope you'll have fun chasing the title of the exalted Chosen One.

BTW I didn't know that there's both a book and a comicbook dedicated to Captain Phasma. One lea..."

Agreed!

[Don]

Zuzana wrote: "As for the bonus tasks so far I came up with:

- Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars)
- Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars)
- Read a SW comic book omnibus (it's a great series and the original challenge has only two tasks for comic book lovers)
- Read a next installment of a SW series you started reading this year
- Read a SW book by a new-to-you author"

These are fantastic ideas and align with the spirit of any reading challenge very well. Very thoughtful, Zuzana. These tasks not only encourage reading in general, but my favorite idea here is that two of these tasks motivate a reader to re-engage material.

[Allyssa, Former Moderator/Group Founder]

Don wrote: "Zuzana wrote: "As for the bonus tasks so far I came up with:

- Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars)
- Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars)
- Read a SW..."
Agree with you, Don.

[Don]

I read six Star Wars books in 2021. One less than I planned. With so many reading interests it was hard to focus on a bulk of Star Wars books. It did not help that the Star Wars books I chose to read were mostly below average reads. The only standout was Most Wanted .

I will get to Master and Apprentice early this year. I still 'advanced' to Jedi Initiate. So, that's good. :)

[Don]

Zuzana wrote: "As for the bonus tasks so far I came up with:

- Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars)
- Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars)
- Read a SW comicbook omnibus (it's a great series and the original challenge has only two tasks for comicbook lovers)
- Read a next installment of a SW series you started reading this year
- Read a SW book by a new-to-you author"

So, would the 'new' task list look something like this?

Tasks:
1. Read a SW stand-alone book.
2. Read a SW book that's part of a series.
3. Read a SW short story anthology.
4. Read a SW comic book collection.
5. Read a novelization of a SW movie.
6. Read a graphic novelization of a SW movie.
7. Read a middle-grade or a young adult SW book.
8. Read a book set anytime before The Phantom Menace.
9. Read a book set during the prequel movies era.
10. Read a book set in the interim between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
11. Read a book set during the Original Trilogy.
12. Read a book set after Return of the Jedi.
13. Read a book with a male main character other than Luke, Han, Obi-Wan and Anakin/Vader.
14. Read a book with a female main character other than Leia (and Rey).
15. Read a book with Luke, Han, Obi-Wan, Anakin/Vader or Leia (or Rey) as the main character
16. Read a non-fiction book on the history of SW, its pop culture significance or making of the movies or a biography/memoir of a member of SW cast or crew.
Extended Tasks
17. Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars).
18. Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars).
19. Read a SW comicbook omnibus (it's a great series and the original challenge has only two tasks for comic book lovers).
20. Read a next installment of a SW series you started reading this year.
21. Read a SW book by a new-to-you author.

And, what do you think about adding some High Republic tasks to the list for 2022 and beyond.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Yes, That's what it's going to look like. It's like you're reading my mind, Don. ;)

As the challenge would be open-ended and no longer a "yearly thing" I plan to rename it to

"The Jedi Academy Reading Challenge"

It corresponds with the levels (Initiate, Apprentice and so on...). How quick or slow you want to "study" is everybody's choice.

I'll add (formerly "Yearly Challenge") so people who participated last year aren't confused where the original challenge dissapeared to.

[Rebecca]

I forgot to log which prompts I filled already... The new tasks sound cool though!

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

I've added all the changes to the original challenge description. I plan to add a FAQ section where I'll address some of the changes (with examples.) Probably next weekend. If you want to help read through the description and point out what's not clear and should be explained better. (I will def address the Chosen One and The Force Itself ranks in more detail.)

Welcome, Hailey, to the slightly new and not so shiny Jedi Academy challenge! Ta da!!!

Don't worry, Rebecca, you can always log the books later.

[Todd]

I just finished Star Wars: A New Dawn to complete the 32 books in the Chosen One Level-32 books (every task twice). Unfortunately, I was 2 days after the December 31st deadline.

I started Star Wars: Tarkin on November 20th thinking I would have no problem finishing the 2 remaining books set in the interim between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope in order to complete this achievement before the end of the year. However, the holidays and associated activities kept me from hitting this goal by the end of 2021.

Standout canon books for me were Phasma, Master & Apprentice, and most of the High Republic books.
I enjoyed the Old Republic book Revan, but did not care much for the Dawn of the Jedi books I read (the graphic novels and Into the Void).

The biggest surprise for me was how much I enjoyed the 10 Jedi Quest books by Jude Watson. I could only slot 5 of them into the 32 book "Chosen One Level", but I read all 10. They were quick enjoyable reads during the time of Anakin being Obi-Wan's padawan. I like these so much that I bought the 20 book Jedi Apprentice series (used since they are out of print) by Jude Watson and look forward to starting these in 2022.

[Rebecca]

Todd, feel free to read the comments and add to them for all of the Jedi Apprentice buddy reads we did in 2021 as you go through the series.

[Todd]

Rebecca wrote: "Todd, feel free to read the comments and add to them for all of the Jedi Apprentice buddy reads we did in 2021 as you go through the series."

Hi Rebecca,
Will do. Thanks!
Todd

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Todd wrote: "I just finished Star Wars: A New Dawn to complete the 32 books in the Chosen One Level-32 books (every task twice). Unfortunately, I was 2 days after the December 31st deadline.

I started Star War..."

That's fantastic! Congratulation, Todd. And don't worry about the additional two days - under new rules you're free to extend the challenge up to 4 years. :)

Like Rebecca wrote we buddy read all of Jude Watson's Jedi Apprentice books last year. Feel free to check out our discussion threads and leave a comment there as you go through the series.

[Don]

Hailey wrote: "2022 Jedi Academy Reading Challenge "

I like the of content on your list, Hailey. I'll keep my eye on your reads and jump in to hear your thoughts as you go (if I remember). I think you have a good Star Wars reading year ahead of ya.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

Great reading list, Hailey.

From the books you listed I'd like to make Hard Contact our group read. Not sure when but definitely in 2022.

[Don]

Where in the cirriculum would Bane: Path of Desruction fit besides 'Book That's Part of a Series?' Dumb question, but I want to know where else we could slot that, if any.

Zuzana wrote: "BTW you can read Master and Apprentice in April with the group."

Thanks! I might wait till then.

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

LOL! Don, that comment of mine about M&A group read is 1 year old. We read it in April 2021.

Back to you question, Path of Destruction fits either as books set before Episode I or male main character other than Luke, Han, Obi-Wan or Vader.

[Don]

Zuzana wrote: "LOL! Don, that comment of mine about M&A group read is 1 year old. We read it in April 2021."

OMG! That is hilarious. I needed that laugh - thanks for pointing that Internet gaffe out, lol.

Okay, I'll add Path of Destruction as Task 13 as you noted. Thank you...

:)

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

I added rules for the highest rank "the Force Itself":
64 books altogether. You have to complete all the original AND bonus tasks three times (no substitutions, no duplications). You have to complete at least one full set of tasks in Legends, one set in Canon and the last set you can mix Legends and Canon. The last book the 64th one is your choice, can be whatever you choose as long as it's SW related.

Added FAQ section.

If you have other questions that you think should be added, ask away. :D

[Zuzana, Jedi Apprentice]

I'm going to try this again.
I'll just read and see how I progress.

Zuzana's Jedi Academy Challenge
Start Date: Oct 1, 2024
Books read: 6
Current Rank: Jedi Initiate
(view spoiler)[Force Sensitive = 1-4 books
Jedi Initiate = 5-7 books
Jedi Padawan = 8-10 books
Jedi Knight = 11-13 books
Jedi Master = 14-16 books
Chosen One = 32 books (every task twice)
The Force itself = 64 books (special rules for this one - see bellow) (hide spoiler)]
Category: Maverick - Both Legends and New Canon

Original Tasks:
1. Read a SW stand-alone book.
2. Read a SW book that's part of a series.
3. Read a SW short story anthology or a SW short story collection.
4. Read a SW comic book collection.
5. Read a novelization of a SW movie/ TV show.
6. Read a graphic novelization of a SW movie/ TV show.
7. Read a middle-grade or a young adult SW book.
12/6/24
8. Read a book set anytime before The Phantom Menace.
11/1/24
9. Read a book set during the prequel movies era.
10. Read a book set in the interim between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope.
11. Read a book set during the Original Trilogy.
12. Read a book set after Return of the Jedi.
11/21/24
13. Read a book with a male main character other than Luke, Han, Obi-Wan and Anakin/Vader.
14. Read a book with a female main character other than Leia (and Rey).
15. Read a book with Luke, Han, Obi-Wan, Anakin/Vader or Leia (or Rey) as the main character
16. Read a non-fiction book on the history of SW, its pop culture significance or making of the movies or a biography/memoir of a member of SW cast or crew.

Bonus tasks:
1. Re-read a SW book you loved (rated 4 or 5 stars).
2. Give another chance to a SW book you didn't enjoy (rated 1 or 2 stars, or DNF'd).
11/2/24
3. Read a SW comicbook omnibus (or equivalent of one).
4. Read a next installment of a SW series you started reading during the challenge.
5. Read a SW book by a new-to-you author.
(Joe Schreiber) 10/28/24 (Greg Bear) 11/10/24