I'm thinking of skipping two titles in my chronological read of the Star Wars EU. I'm hoping to avoid major spoilers, but I know a little about the books I'm asking about already. I'm starting Order 66 right now, and I'm wondering since Imperial Commando 2 is never coming out, would Order 66 serve as a fitting finale to the series? Will I be missing anything by skipping 501st? Does Order 66 end on a cliffhanger? A similar situation is approaching with The Force Unleashed. From tidbits I've read, it seems TFU2 ends with major events unresolved. Is the original TFU self contained or does it end needing resolution in a sequel as well? I'm hoping to just read the first, have a fitting ending, and pretend the sequel doesn't exist. Thanks for any help!
You can safely finish The Force Unleashed and skip the sequel, though by the end you may be wondering how the hell a Gary Stu-style fanfic somehow found its' way into official SW print. Joking aside, I did see what George Lucas was trying to do with that one (not so sure he pulled it off). Avoiding spoilers, the theme of the book can best be summed up by these two quotes from Lord of the Rings: "A treacherous weapon is ever a danger to the hand....A traitor may betray himself and do good he does not intend." Or you could save yourself some reading time and just watch the movie. The novel really doesn't add much of anything to the story. You can do the same with Order 66, I think. It ends about as you'd expect an Episode III tie-in to end, and as one of its' main threads only resurfaces about 60 years later (in-universe time, in Legacy of the Force), you can easily deduce the fate of the rest of the cast.
I would still read Order 66 for sure, and probably 501st. The latter has some unresolved points, but more A New Hope-style than Empire Strikes Back.
Well I think I'll finish Order 66 (It's pretty good so far), and see how it ends. If I think it wraps everything up ok, I'll probably just quit there. If not, I might as well read 501st. I doubt I'll delve into The Force Unleashed 2.