That break was very healthy for me – and I ended up fresh and energized for the new era of Star Wars storytelling that began in the fall of 2014. The books of the Legacy era irritated me more than I enjoyed them, so I made the choice to step back, and only read the books that actually excited me: a handful of amazing reference books like the Essential Atlas or Essential Guide to Warfare, or one-off books like Shadow Games. The Bantam era, New Jedi Order, and prequel trilogy were the high-water marks of my engagement with Star Wars – and there was a lethargy to the franchise in the years afterward. In the years before ETE was founded, I was on a break with Star Wars. Or at least, you need to re-evaluate what’s happening to you.īreaks can be a good thing.

But sometimes it gets exhausting, and you need a break. Usually, people do this because they love it – it’s energizing and fun. The desire to read everything, watch everything, and talk about everything can be all-consuming. For people who are invested, dedicated to a “fandom” – that level of engagement might be different.

For many people, that’s just what Star Wars is too: a fun thing to engage with sometimes. If I’m feeling let down by Marvel movies, or if a TV show feels more like a chore than something fun – it’s easy enough to drop it.

Burnout is real, fatigue is real – and sometimes the best way to preserve your joy is to take a step back, at least for a while.įor most things, it’s easy. No, I’m not talking about the upcoming closure of this website – although this is Eleven-ThirtyEight’s penultimate article – but instead, an all-consuming interest in Star Wars itself. But sometimes, it might be the healthiest choice. It’s not easy saying goodbye to something that’s been a significant part of your life for a significant part of your life.

Manor matters final level