What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedStar Wars: The Force Awakens
J.J. Abrams · Film · 2015
If you loved Star Wars: The Force Awakens, start with Star Wars Rebels (Simon Kinberg, 2014) — a series on the same thread. Below: 3 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Star Wars: The Force Awakens across media.
What hooked you in Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the way grand galactic stakes intersect with personal journeys of discovery.
Books on the same thread
The Thrawn trilogy
Timothy Zahn · Book · 1991
Shares 3 threads with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Good vs Evil, Space Opera, Science Fantasy.
If the legacy of the Rebellion in Star Wars: The Force Awakens resonated with you, this trilogy continues those epic struggles for freedom against remnants of the Empire.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling · Book · 1997
Shares a thread with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Destiny.
Just as Star Wars: The Force Awakens follows an orphan discovering a hidden destiny, this story mirrors that classic hero's journey through a magical and transformative coming-of-age lens.
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling · Book
Shares a thread with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: hero's journey.
This narrative mirrors the core hero's journey found in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, focusing on a young protagonist honing their unique powers to stand against rising evil.
Series on the same thread
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
George Lucas · Series · 2008
Shares 3 threads with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Good vs Evil, The Force, Space Opera.
The large-scale conflict between Jedi and droid armies here provides the same sense of high-stakes galactic warfare that defined the backdrop of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Star Wars Rebels
Simon Kinberg · Series · 2014
Shares 2 threads with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Rebellion, Space Opera.
Fans of the underdog resistance movement in Star Wars: The Force Awakens will appreciate this focus on small groups fighting against the oppressive grip of the Galactic Empire.
Star Wars: Clone Wars
George Lucas · Series · 2003
Shares 2 threads with Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Good vs Evil, Space Opera.
This series captures the intense military action and Jedi-led combat that provided the thrilling, fast-paced atmosphere you enjoyed while watching Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The Mandalorian
Jon Favreau · Series · 2019
Explores: Lone Gunfighter, Redemption, Protecting the Innocent.
This series shares the post-Empire setting of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, focusing on a lone figure's personal journey of redemption and protection in a lawless galaxy.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Orphans
The Light and Tragic Company · Podcast · 2025
If the struggle for survival in a vast, hostile universe captivated you in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, this cinematic audio drama offers a similar sense of isolation.
Jocko Podcast
Jocko DEFCOR Network · Podcast · 2026
Explores: discipline, stoicism, accountability.
The themes of mentorship and leadership seen in Star Wars: The Force Awakens find a practical, real-world application in these discussions on discipline, warfare, and personal accountability.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Star Wars: The Force Awakens a direct continuation of the original films?
Yes, Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes place thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire. It follows Han Solo and his allies as they confront a new threat posed by Kylo Ren and his army of Stormtroopers.
Who is the primary antagonist in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
The primary antagonist in Star Wars: The Force Awakens is Kylo Ren. He commands an army of Stormtroopers and represents the new threat that Han Solo and his allies must face decades after the fall of the Galactic Empire.
Does Han Solo appear in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
Yes, Han Solo is a central character in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He works alongside his allies thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire to oppose the rising threat of Kylo Ren and the Stormtroopers.
What is the central conflict in Star Wars: The Force Awakens?
The central conflict in Star Wars: The Force Awakens involves Han Solo and his allies battling a new threat. This threat is led by the antagonist Kylo Ren, who commands an army of Stormtroopers thirty years after the Galactic Empire was defeated.