i slogged through tarkin, plaegus and the ep 3 novelization, but what are some GOOD Prequel Era novels?
You seem to be in the wrong place youngling. Maybe @trampledamage could move this down to the Star Wars sub-forum.
You didn't like the Episode 3 Novelization? Try it on audiobook maybe. Some of my favorites are Labyrinth of Evil by James Luceno, and Kenobi by John Jackson Miller. I highly recommend Kenobi. It takes place shortly after episode 3. It's totally a western, and has 3 intertwining stories: Kenobi taking the name "Ben" and learning how to adjust to his new environment, The small town he lives near, and a tribe of Tuskens. It's like Yojimbo in the SW universe, which is ironic since A New Hope also took inspiration from Yojimbo.
You can try: Cloak of deception, Darth maul: shadow hunter or Dark lord: Rise of Darth Vader. I think these books are great and one of the best Star Wars novels