TOP TEN TUESDAY: Books to Read if You Liked The Last Jedi

This is the Top Ten Tuesday topic I have been waiting for my whole life.

I suspect Rian Johnson reads (and possibly writes) fanfiction.

That man hit a number of comforting fanfic beats in his movie and I LOVED it.

He also produced some VERY GOOD ACTION SCENES.

TLJ felt epic to me in a way that other Star Wars films haven’t.

Since watching it in 2017, I’ve craved action-packed space books with a hint (or more) of romance.

These books scratch that itch.

YOU’RE WELCOME.

The Love Hypothesis

Look at this cover. Look at it.

This novel was once a Reylo fanfic. I’m not joking.

It’s GREAT. The character beats are excellent.

10/10.

Black Moon Rising

This book is also a Reylo fanfic.

I bought this with the intention of hate-reading it and instead fell in love.

I am desperately in need of a sequel. It’s been three years and so far, no news.

Not a joke: this book opens with a sixteen-page sex scene.

What a BOLD move.

100000/10.

Heart of Iron

Okay, so say the Romanov family briefly ruled space before dying in a satellite fire. One of the Romanov daughters, however, survived, lost her memory, and became a space pirate.

YOU WOULD READ THAT BOOK, RIGHT?

Heart of Iron made my Favorite Books of 2020 list.

It has action! Romance! Canonically queer characters!

ALSO, like The Last Jedi, HOI ends on the most heartwrenching note. It’s delectable.

I AM STILL TOO AFRAID TO PICK UP THE SEQUEL.

The Lunar Chronicles

When I first got into this series in 2014, I was excited to read a Star Wars-esque story that had GIRLS in it.

In the many Star Wars Expanded Universe novels I’d read, the female protagonists usually had to share page time with some guy, be it their brother, a smuggler, or their…master. (Hey, can we talk about the Jedi Order really quick?)

And, okay, Kai gets a lot of page time later in the series.

For the most part, though, this series belong to the girls.

It’s FAST-PACED and ACTION-PACKED.

I love it so.

Gideon the Ninth

This book is 69% jokes (nice), 18% skeletons, 10% violence, and 3% explosions.

Read this if you thought Star Wars could’ve been more metal.

Once & Future

*ahem* Queer King Arthur…IN SPACE.

Ari is here to TAKE DOWN CAPITALISM.

She wishes she could put her fist through this whole lousy, beautiful galaxy.

I loved all the characters, but I loved Merlin best of all.

One of my favorite Merlin portrayals in recent memory.

The City We Became

While The City We Became takes place on earth, it has space vibes.

(I can’t tell you why.)

It also has a cast of scrappy New York City avatars forced to team up and save their beloved metropolis.

The avatars fight otherworldly creeps, racists, and neo-Nazis while trying to locate the person who birthed them.

Imagine if Sense8 and Lovecraft Country did a crossover. This book is that.

I laughed and cried (sometimes at the same time.) I am STILL NOT OVER THE FIGHT SCENE IN THE SUBWAY.

If none of that convinces you, A MAN IS REVIVED WITH A TRUFFLE. YOU HAVE TO READ THIS.

Bonds of Brass

GET IN, LOSER.

STORMPILOT IS CANON NOW.

I’ve been on the fence about this book for a while.

I needed a space fix, so I’m going to read it.

I’m pretty sure the Poe in this story is a secret prince?

LOVE IT.

Winter’s Orbit

Space hijinks and WAR CRIMES???

Two men sharing a tent on a cold, inhospitable planet??

Also they’re married but haven’t consummated the marriage for EMOTIONAL REASONS??

I adore this book.

It caused my friends and I much emotional distress.

The Light From Uncommon Stars

Ahem, ahem.

From the Goodreads description:

“[C]ursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts…”

One of the characters is a retired starship captain, interstellar refugee, and mother of four.

Excuse me…GENERAL ORGANA??

I just bought this and I CANNOT wait.

TLJ fans, assemble!

I hope you like these recs.

I am two seconds away from rereading at least one of them.