Currently startint Book 2. Definitely agree that some of the elements are weird but the core ideas of Book 1 were really awesome!
You're in for a treat... Book two is the Empire to book one's New Hope. (And, spoiler warning: book three is, indeed, overrun with ewoks.)
Agreed about being in for a treat! Aww, book three is absurd but one of the most impactful books I have read. I was angry/frustrated with the ending for weeks but that just made the ideas stick better and hold more weight.