Star Wars: The Last Jedi - 10 Great (Canon) Books To Read While You Wait

10. Tarkin

As far as Star Wars villains go, they don't get anymore one-dimensional, ostensibly, than A New Hope's Grand Moff Tarkin. That isn't to say that there's anything necessarily wrong with Peter Cushing's foul-stenched imperial officer - he is, after all, one of the most recognisable villains of the franchise - but it is obvious the character only served one purpose: to personify the malice of the Empire in full.

Of course, Cushing's portrayal lends Tarkin an edge that few Star Wars villains can match (though some would perhaps argue that he lacks the aesthetic flare to compete with the likes of Boba Fett), and that in turn has fuelled a discernible level of interest in the character from the fanbase. Enter James Luceno, who, having commanded various Star Wars novels in the past, set about exploring the character in a massive way in 2014. There, we see Tarkin, the eponymous soon to be commander of the Death Star, morph from a loyal ally of the Republic into the iron hand of the Emperor, a process that adds some much needed depth to one of the most recognisable faces of the Star Wars mythos.

Luceno is something a veteran of the franchise, and his experience with the universe more than pays off in Tarkin. If you've just gotten round to revisiting Rogue One (and you're after more of that Episode III/IV hype), then you could do a lot worse than to give this book a shot.