Queen's Peril

Queen's Peril by E.K. Johnston
This young adult novel is both a prequel to Queen's Shadow and a lead-in to the story of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. It tells the story of Padme just after she's been elected as Queen Amidala of Naboo, and how she handles that challenge.

This is E.K. Johnston's third full-length young adult Star Wars novel, after Queen's Shadow and Ahsoka.

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This is a book from the New Canon timeline! It's guaranteed to be consistent with future movies, TV shows, books, and comics (and all new stories since mid-2014).

Queen's Shadow

Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston
This is the first-ever full-length novel focused on Padme, a.k.a. Queen Amidala. It tells the surprisingly-engaging story of her transition from planetary queen to galactic senator, and explores her relationship with her squad of handmaidens/elite bodyguards.

Though officially a young adult novel, Queen's Shadow is 350 pages long and a part of the same more-mature publishing line as Lost Stars, Ahsoka, Most Wanted, and other great books.

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This is a book from the New Canon timeline! It's guaranteed to be consistent with future movies, TV shows, books, and comics (and all new stories since mid-2014).

Queen's Hope

Queen's Hope by E.K. Johnston
This is the third young adult novel in author E.K. Johnston's Padmé Amidala series, after Queen's Shadow and Queen's Peril. In this one, the Clone Wars have arrived, and Padmé must come to terms with her role as a peace-loving politician during a time of brutal violence.

This book takes place between Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars movie and TV show, and right before the Obi-Wan and Anakin novel Brotherhood.

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This is a book from the New Canon timeline! It's guaranteed to be consistent with future movies, TV shows, books, and comics (and most stories since mid-2014).

Darth Plagueis

Darth Plagueis by James Luceno
A story set over the course of decades, this is the history how the Sith rose again to power through the schemes of Darth Plagueis, the ambitious Sith Lord who trained the later-emperor Palpatine in the ways of the Force! 

In many ways, it's more of a biography of Palpatine (a.k.a. Darth Plagueis) than of Plagueis himself, so it comes very much recommended for anyone interested in young Palpatine as well.

A fan-favorite novel, and something of a masterpiece of the late Legends publishing days, pulling together and drawing dots between many of the other Legends books, comics, and even video games set during the prequel era.

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This is a prequel era book from the Legends timeline. It may be contradicted by newer books, movies, or TV shows (if so, just think of it as an alternate universe).