The challenge begins. I start off by entering something simple and basic such as the word Jedi into the search engine. Pages and pages of hits are found and I'm so very smug and happy. I click on the first link that appeals to me and… it doesn't load. So I continue forth on my quest and click on the second link. Success! The page loads albeit with a deluge of annoying pop up adds and a diabolical attempt by Gator Software to try and load their crap spyware onto my system. Once I've squashed these annoying trivialities I reconnoitre the site, read the introduction and glance at the links to see what type of information is offered. Thinking I've struck gold I click on a link and once again view what's offered, which is, not much. The ower of the site obviously has not done their homework. Luckily for this poor inept schmuck he has a links page. Now having a links page is a small redemption for making me view your laughable attempt at information sharing over the internet.

I click on the first link and the site comes up blank and with a 404 error. Rolling my eyes I click on the second link only to find a page of the host site saying it no longer exists. Hmmm, see the trend? Being that I'm very stubborn and willful I click through all the links which are maybe 20 in all and at the end only 4 work. Now this is why I'm frustrated! People just don't follow through on site maintence. How hard is it to check your links every few days and make necessary corrections? It's not! It's probably the most simple task you can perform as a webmaster.

Ahh well, so anyways 2 hours have passed and my jaws are clenched (which if my dentist knew would kick my ass because he's warned me about that) and I'm stressed because so far only 3 sites have proven to be fruitful. I conclude my sojourn by visting amazon.ca for books. Yes that's it! Books!! Lovely lovely beautiful reliable books. Books have no errors, they don't disappear overnight and you can scribble in them and stick post-it notes on them and highlight important information. Mmm, books are neat-o, I love books.

I type in jedi and then star wars and find a small list of books offered but wow, they're great! They have all the information I'm looking for but alas there is a glitch. Buying books requires some sort of cash flow and that's a whole other kettle of fish since I'm a student and all my money goes towards gas for my car so I can go to school. I negotiate with myself and decide that I will buy the books later but for now I'll build a website dedicated to my sometimes unhealthy obsession for all things Jedi and Star Wars in general. Tying this into another idea from a few other Cantina patrons, the gerbil wheel that is my brain starts churning in search of inspiration and a plan because you always need a plan.

While the site and the proposal are in development I want to share with you the books that I did find. Most are role playing game books but the information in them is invaluable to fans of the Expanded Universe fiction. Watched the movies but haven't quite caught the euphoria of Star Wars novels and comics but still want to learn all you can about jedi and Star Wars? I offer you a small yet important list of books to help you on your own auspicious journey to the light side of the force. Enjoy!

The first book is the quintessential book on Jedi. The Power of the Jedi Sourcebook was published in 2002 and is written by Owen K., C. Stephens, James Maliszewski, and Michael Mikaelian. Here is a small slice of a review that sums the book up nicely I think: "Most players will probably be most interested in the selection of new Jedi Prestige Classes, Light Side Force skills, feats, and equipment that the book offers. But there are also sections discussing Jedi history, Jedi traditions, new equipment, and new force-sensitive creatures. There are entries on important characters, important locations, and even advice on how to run a Jedi campaign. And of course, no book on the Jedi would be complete without a discussion of Force Spirits. This is also a section discussing new races, but most of these are also in the newer Ultimate Alien Anthology.

This book has been one of the important resources in my Star Wars campaign. I've really enjoyed using the Prestige Classes. From the Jedi Healer to the powerful Jedi Weapon Master, players now have a much wider range of advancement options open to their characters. In addition many of the force-sensitive characters, creatures, and locations have already popped up in my storyline. I also found the notes on running a Jedi campaign to be very useful, for not only can they guide a GM but they can also aid players on how a Jedi should conduct himself."

My second choice is I, Jedi by Michael Stackpole. This book is written in first person and tells the story of former CorSec agent and Rogue Squadron member Corran Horn. From the first person perspective it recounts the events of the Jedi Academy trilogy by Kevin J Anderson so you won't feel as if you jumped into the middle of a story already unfolding. You can probably find a review of this book at the Outpost10f.com Library site. My final choice isn't a book but rather a website dedicated to the Jedi. I warn you in advance that the links on the site might not work (of course, surprise surprise I am so very shocked) but in all it's a great site for Jedi information and history. It also gives information on I Ching and Taoism, which are of course the principle religions that the Force is based on. The site is called The Jedi Creed and you can find it here: http://212.168.23.160/creed/index.shtml

Like I mentioned it's a small list but a very good list. You can also follow the continued adventures of the Jedi by reading the Dark Horse comics or by reading the Jedi Academy trilogy, the New Jedi Order, Jedi Apprectice, Young Jedi Knights and Jedi Quest series. Hey! You can also play Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast game and wait for the new Knights of the Old Republic and Jedi Academy games to arrive later this year. It can be all Jedi, all the time and what could be better than that for a Jedi junkie?