Readings perfect for the ‘nerd’ at heart

Grant Nelson, Staff Writer

Disney’s “Star Wars”

So, I’m not fan of most “Star Wars” content that comes out of Disney, but in recent months, a new multimedia “Star Wars” project called the “High Republic” was released. It is very similar to the old republic that I grew up with and loved, although it is not as far back in the “Star Wars” timeline.
However, it tells a tale of the golden age of the republic and Jedi, and takes place in a time of great peace and expansion across the universe. The era is a mix of classical age of the roman empire with the discovery of the new world. As always, there are dark forces in the “Star Wars” universe and the time of peace ends.
The book relays focus on the Jedi and expands on their lore. The franchise is a mix of books, comics, and video games. As a fan of the old republic era and the story and narrative it was so filled with, I find this new era in “Star Wars” very nostalgic and brings back the sort of space adventure and poetic universe I fell in love with as a kid. The era is filled with all sorts of new factions, story arcs and cool new ships that I think most fans would love.

“Jedi Series”
A comic book series I grew up loving is the classic tales of the “Jedi Series,” these comics cover the old wars between the Sith empire and the Old Republic. It follows ancient Jedi heroes’ battles against the forces of darkness in wars against its armies and their own souls.
The book really captures the soul of what it means to be a Jedi and given the responsibility to make the choices they make. The show features the love they share with others and how it falls apart.
The books also capture the nature of the dark side. The Sith and their evil magic, along with their lore, is far more chilling than the Disney series. The books cover wars, and it feels like the stories of the trojan wars and other aspects of mythic epics.
These books had strong female Jedi masters long before Disney tried forcing cut out characters like Rey. They are both nuanced, and they both kick butt at the same time. The comic books really deliver on the history of the Jedi and Sith that organs really breathed into us all. If you are done with Disney give this a shot.

“Forerunner”
With the next halo game around the corner, I spend most of my time immersing myself in the “Halo” universe. A book series that really stands out as a sci fi classic would be the “Forerunner” trilogy. These books cover the rise of the “Forerunner” empire, and its war with other alien nations.
One of the alien nations is a prehistoric human empire, featuring the spread of the flood and the creation of the “Halo” weapons. The world building in these books feels like Greek mythology. The books are very much a space opera with the building and breaking of trust, and broken families that have an impact on the universe.
The books have primitive humans as major characters, and their story ark is very alike to something out of “The Hobbit.” The book builds upon much of the lore from the games, and takes “Halo” to narratives that are very refreshing.
The books deal with technology and view of a universe that entails magic. The books open up plot threads that are very new to the “Halo” games. I recommend these books to anyone wanting to read a good space opera.

“The Dark Nest Trilogy”
A book that any fan of classic “Star Wars” will love is “The Dark Nest Trilogy.” This series takes place 30 years after the films and follows the next generation of jedi. Among them, many of the new Skywalkers fall under the control of the hive mind of an alien race.
The books take jedis to the unknown regions of the universe while a war is being waged between two alien empires. They are tested to their limits on how they will fight this war and what they will do for the greater good as the dark side force users to manipulate the war to spread chaos across the universe.
The books are filled with space battles and are action packed. The books also deal with the legacy of the Skywalker bloodline and world, linking Anakin to Luke and Lea to their children and the shadow that Darth Vader has over them.
The books are filled with jedi action and deep nerdy imagination. The books take “Star Wars” to very dark levels and show what war can inflict on the soul. You will read this if you hate Disney.