Resistance
A Youtini Collection

Star Wars books you should read if you like
Resistance

This is some text inside of a div block.
Resistance
"So you're with the Resistance?" "Obviously. Yes I am. I'm with the Resistance, yeah. I am with the Resistance." "I've never met a Resistance fighter before."

          The First Order was born from the ashes of the Empire, complete with Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters, stormtroopers, and a wannabe Emperor-figure with his black masked and red-bladed enforcer. When the New Republic demilitarized following the defeat of the Empire at the Battle of Jakku, need for a secret group embodying the ideals of the Rebel Alliance arose. Who else to lead the new rebellion but the Princess-turned-General, Leia Organa? The galaxy needed a military group to defend it from the evils of the First Order. That’s where the Resistance fits in.

          Leia is supported by numerous other heroes of the Alliance, including Admiral Ackbar, Nien Nunb, and C-3PO. Joining the old-timers are the new faces of the Sequel Trilogy: X-Wing pilots like Poe Dameron, Snap Wexley, and Jessika Pava; bombers like Paige Tico and her technician sister, Rose; droids like BB-8 and PZ-4CO; not to mention Rebel scum like Finn their own resident Jedi, Rey! There is an incredible wealth of characters and stories to be explored within the Resistance.

          But let’s be honest—distinguishing the difference between Empire and First Order, Rebels and Resistance can be difficult for the average moviegoer. That’s where the Expanded Universe comes in handy. Claudia Gray’s Bloodline, set seven years before The Force Awakens, tells of the origins of both the Resistance and First Order and of Leia’s place in galactic politics. New books on the horizon, Resistance Reborn and Spark of the Resistance promise to give us more detail than ever before. Recently released Black Spire sees Resistance agents Vi Moradi and Archex on a mission to set up a secret Resistance base on the out-of-the-way planet of Batuu. After reading these, you’ll be ready to be the light that will burn the First Order down! Or at least to be the spark that will light the fire, but regardless, there’s some good books here to read!

This reading guide is
Coming Soon
Our team is hard at work building out this collection. Stay tuned!

Books in this Collection

The Youtini Collections team has hand-selected the books in this collection
Canon
Canon
Graphic Novel

Age Of Resistance: Heroes (Trade Paperback)

Written by
Tom Taylor
Artwork by
Leonard Kirk
This collection is part of the ongoing “Age of” series of loosely connected one-shots set in the Republic, Rebellion, and Resistance eras. This book shows a wide swath of personal stories showing four very different Resistance characters: Rey, Rose, Finn, and Poe. We find out what makes them tick, why they want to be part of the Resistance, and what exactly makes them heroic. Stories about these newer characters are still sparse, so you won’t want to miss these!
This is the Age of Star Wars - an epic series of adventures that unite your favorite characters from all three trilogies! Explore untold tales of the greatest heroes of the Resistance. Finn starts to question the First Order as he is put on infestation control on Starkiller Base. Poe Dameron fancies himself the best pilot there is, but after a New Republic protocol droid is stolen he may just meet his better! Trapped in an asteroid field, Poe will have to learn a thing or two from this mysterious pilot if he wants to survive. Rey, Chewie and R2-D2 start their journey to find Luke Skywalker, but mechanical issues force them to land on the junkyard planet the Necropolis. Plus: Rose Tico, Admiral Holdo, Maz Kanata and BB-8!
Canon
Canon
Graphic Novel

Poe Dameron Vol. 1: Black Squadron (Trade Paperback)

Written by
Chris Eliopoulos, Charles Soule
Artwork by
Chris Eliopoulos, Phil Noto, Phil Noto
The Force Awakens introduced fans to the best pilot in the Galaxy—the Resistance's X-Wing pilot, Poe Dameron. In this, his ongoing comics series set in the months leading up to Episide VII, we get introduced to to the full cast of characters who comprise Black Squadron. We also meet Agent Terrix, Poe's arch nemesis, a high-ranking First Order officer with a complex backstory explored throughout the series. Not to mention BB-8's wonderful role as Poe's sidekick!
Poe Dameron, former Republic flyer turned Resistance fighter, is the best pilot in the galaxy. Hand-picked for the resistance by General Leia Organa to lead a squadron on a top secret and vital mission…Poe sets off investigating sites of historical importance to the Force. Revealing backstory leading directly into the holidays' greatest adventure, follow Poe and his X-Wing squadron on covert missions against the First Order brought to you by writer Charles Soule (Star Wars: Lando, Daredevil) and artist Phil Noto (Star Wars: Chewbacca, Black Widow)!
Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Resistance Reborn

Written by
Rebecca Roanhorse
Artwork by

Resistance Reborn is a striking initial entry from author Rebecca Roanhorse that is a crucial prequel to Episode IX and a beautiful love letter to the Canon. Featuring the main protagonists from the Sequel Trilogy alongside some of our favorites from the latest books and comics, Roanhorse follows the broken Resistance as they attempt to regroup after their decimation during the Battle of Crait.

General Leia Organa knows that the Resistance needs leaders and strategists if they have any chance of winning the war, and it's time for everyone to call in some favors. Leia enlists the help of allies new and old from every corner of the Star Wars Canon in an attempt to create the fearsome fighting force that will finally burn the First Order down.

In this Journey to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker novel, Poe Dameron, General Leia Organa, Rey, and Finn must struggle to rebuild the Resistance after their defeat at the hands of the First Order in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
Canon
Canon
Junior Reader

Spark of the Resistance

Written by
Justina Ireland
Artwork by
Phil Noto
Disney/Lucasfilm Press have released several middle-grade novels leading up to each of the Sequel Trilogy films, and have been wonderful contributions to Star Wars storytelling. They even feature several illustrations by legendary comics artist Phil Noto! Justina Ireland's book fits into the Journey to The Rise of Skywalker publishing program as a prequel to Episode IX. This book feels like exactly what we’ve been waiting for, as it places Rey, Rose, and Poe on a quest for the Resistance including a battle against the First Order, classic Star Wars creatures, and even a superweapon. Although billed as a middle-grade novel, you’ll be disappointed if you skip it, no matter your age!
When a distress plea goes up from the isolated planet Minfar, Resistance heroes Rey, Poe and Rose hear the call! Together they will face down a First Order battalion, terrifying flying creatures, and a weapon that could change the course of the war!
Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Bloodline

Written by
Claudia Gray
Artwork by

After the fall of the Empire, the Senate is split into the Populist and Centrist parties. Both profess the goal of restoring the Republic, though they are unable to set aside their opposing views. Tired of the pointless bickering within the Senate, Leia takes on one final mission before retiring. However, the mission proves to be bigger than she originally thought, inducing chaos and unveiling corruption.

Leave it to Claudia Gray to make politics exciting with action and drama! Bloodline is also an excellent gateway into the sequel trilogy, making this an essential read for fans interested in that era.

WITNESS THE BIRTH OF THE RESISTANCE

When the Rebellion defeated the Empire in the skies above Endor, Leia Organa believed it was the beginning to a lasting peace. But after decades of vicious infighting and partisan gridlock in the New Republic Senate, that hope seems like a distant memory.

Now a respected senator, Leia must grapple with the dangers that threaten to cripple the fledgling democracy—from both within and without. Underworld kingpins, treacherous politicians, and Imperial loyalists are sowing chaos in the galaxy. Desperate to take action, senators are calling for the election of a First Senator. It is their hope that this influential post will bring strong leadership to a divided galaxy.

As the daughter of Darth Vader, Leia faces with distrust the prospect of any one person holding such a powerful position—even when supporters suggest Leia herself for the job. But a new enemy may make this path Leia’s only option. For at the edges of the galaxy, a mysterious threat is growing. . . .

Canon
Canon
YA Novel

Leia: Princess of Alderaan

Written by
Claudia Gray
Artwork by

In keeping with Alderaanian tradition, Princess Leia undergoes her Day of Demand, where she claims her right as heir to the throne and sets forth how she will prove herself worthy. Yet things have been tense between her and her adopted parents, Queen Breha and Viceroy Bail Organa. As Leia - also a member of the Empire's Apprentice Legislature - undertakes her challenges of the Body, Mind, and Spirit, she learns more about her adoptive parents than she ever suspected and begins her own journey that will forever change the galaxy.

Claudia Gray excels at taking on the challenge of portraying one of the most important and beloved characters in the entire Star Wars mythos, and along the way treats us to compelling depictions of other on-screen characters as diverse as the former Captain Panaka, the future Vice Admiral Holdo, and Bail Organa. This book presents the not-to-be-missed backstory of how Leia became the fearless rebel we meet, and love, in the films.

Sixteen-year-old Princess Leia Organa faces the most challenging task of her life so far: proving herself in the areas of body, mind, and heart to be formally named heir to the throne of Alderaan. She's taking rigorous survival courses, practicing politics, and spearheading relief missions to worlds under Imperial control. But Leia has worries beyond her claim to the crown. Her parents, Breha and Bail, aren't acting like themselves lately; they are distant and preoccupied, seemingly more concerned with throwing dinner parties for their allies in the Senate than they are with their own daughter.

Determined to uncover her parents' secrets, Leia starts down an increasingly dangerous path that puts her right under the watchful eye of the Empire. And when Leia discovers what her parents and their allies are planning behind closed doors, she finds herself facing what seems like an impossible choice: dedicate herself to the people of Alderaan--including the man she loves--or to the galaxy at large, which is in desperate need of a rebel hero...

Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Galaxy’s Edge: Black Spire

Written by
Delilah S. Dawson
Artwork by
After the Battle of Crait, General Organa's Resistance is decimated almost to the point of oblivion. But the fight is not over; they need allies and outposts. Leia sends her best spy, Vi Moradi, along with the newly reformed Archex to Black Spire Outpost where the pair will learn to deal with their past traumas, recruit an entirely new crew, and do their best to hide from the sinister First Order who has followed them all the way to Batuu.

In this prequel to the Disney Parks experience, General Leia Organa dispatches her top spy to Batuu in a desperate search for Resistance allies.

Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Phasma

Written by
Delilah S. Dawson
Artwork by

The Force Awakens introduced Star Wars fans to a new kind of villain -- a female stormstrooper commanding her troops behind reflective chrome armor. Through the end of the film, Captain Phasma remained mostly a mystery. Who was she? Where did she come from? And why did she look different than all the other stormtroopers?


Delilah S. Dawson managed to answer all of our burning questions about this antagonist in her adult novel, Phasma. Throughout the book, readers learn the ruthless extremes the character takes in order to survive, and how she finds herself among the high ranks of the First Order, despite never having heard of them before.

One of the most cunning and merciless officers of the First Order, Captain Phasma commands the favor of her superiors, the respect of her peers, and the terror of her enemies. But for all her renown, Phasma remains as virtually unknown as the impassive expression on her gleaming chrome helmet. Now, an adversary is bent on unearthing her mysterious origins—and exposing a secret she guards as zealously and ruthlessly as she serves her masters.

Deep inside the Battlecruiser Absolution, a captured Resistance spy endures brutal interrogation at the hands of a crimson-armored stormtrooper—Cardinal. But the information he desires has nothing to do with the Resistance or its covert operations against the First Order.

What the mysterious stormtrooper wants is Phasma’s past—and with it whatever long-buried scandal, treachery, or private demons he can wield against the hated rival who threatens his own power and privilege in the ranks of the First Order. His prisoner has what Cardinal so desperately seeks, but she won’t surrender it easily. As she wages a painstaking war of wills with her captor, bargaining for her life in exchange for every precious revelation, the spellbinding chronicle of the inscrutable Phasma unfolds. But this knowledge may prove more than just dangerous once Cardinal possesses it—and once his adversary unleashes the full measure of her fury.

Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

Written by
Alan Dean Foster
Artwork by

Alan Dean Foster brings his fantasy and sci-fi storytelling experience to Star Wars canon for the first time in his adaption of the highly-anticipated 2015 film The Force Awakens

The official novelization of the film expands upon the events shown onscreen, giving readers the chance to see the Resistance engage in battle with the First Order from the unique points of view of different characters. Whether you’re a fan of Rey, Poe, Finn, or a combination of figures old and new, this book will take you on a journey across the galaxy you’ll not soon forget.

More than thirty years ago, Star Wars burst onto the big screen and became a cultural phenomenon. Now the next adventures in this blockbuster saga are poised to captivate old and new fans alike—beginning with the highly anticipated Star Wars: The Force Awakens. And alongside the cinematic debut comes the thrilling novel adaptation by New York Times bestselling science fiction master Alan Dean Foster.

Set years after Return of the Jedi, this stunning new action-packed adventure rockets us back into the world of Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C-3PO, R2-D2, and Luke Skywalker, while introducing a host of exciting new characters. Darth Vader may have been redeemed and the Emperor vanquished, but peace can be fleeting, and evil does not easily relent. Yet the simple belief in good can still empower ordinary individuals to rise and meet the greatest challenges.

So return to that galaxy far, far away, and prepare yourself for what happens when the Force awakens. . . .

Canon
Canon
Adult Novel

Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi: Expanded Edition

Written by
Jason Fry
Artwork by

Jason Fry gets the honor of continuing Star Wars’s rich history with novel adaptation. In particular, his novelization shines in adding additional material to enhance the story in written form, such as Luke’s Force vision introduction and re-insterting deleted scenes from the film–even Rey’s third lesson! The novel allows us to get an inside look at certain characters such as BB-8 during the space battle over D’qar. Reading the novel of Episode Eight will allow you to soak up the story like never before, taking your time with the characters and getting the story from all-new perspectives.

Written with input from director Rian Johnson, this official adaptation of Star Wars: The Last Jedi expands on the film to include scenes from alternate versions of the script and other additional content.

From the ashes of the Empire has arisen another threat to the galaxy's freedom: the ruthless First Order. Fortunately, new heroes have emerged to take up arms—and perhaps lay down their lives—for the cause. Rey, the orphan strong in the Force; Finn, the ex-stormtrooper who stands against his former masters; and Poe Dameron, the fearless X-wing pilot, have been drawn together to fight side-by-side with General Leia Organa and the Resistance. But the First Order's Supreme Leader Snoke and his merciless enforcer Kylo Ren are adversaries with superior numbers and devastating firepower at their command. Against this enemy, the champions of light may finally be facing their extinction. Their only hope rests with a lost legend: Jedi Master Luke Skywalker.

Where the action of Star Wars: The Force Awakens ended, Star Wars: The Last Jedi begins, as the battle between light and dark climbs to astonishing new heights.

Featuring thrilling photos from the hit movie.

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. View our Privacy Policy for more information.