Star Wars books [Archive]

Cactus Wren

7th February 2009, 08:49 PM

PhantomWolf

8th February 2009, 12:00 AM

Would it be admitting it if I noted that I read Path of Destruction on the way home, and have since read Spector of the Past and am currently reading Vision of the Future...

My collection currently is: (in Cronological Order)

Path of Destruction
Outbound Flight
The Clone Wars
A New Hope
Splinter of the Mind's Eye
The Empire Strikes Back
Shadows of the Empire
Return of the Jedi
The Truce at Bakura
Rogue Squadron
Wedge's Gamble
The Krytos Trap
The Bacta War
Wraith Squadron
Iron Fist
Solo Command
The Courtship of Princess Liea
Tatooine Ghost
Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command
Isard's Revenge
Jedi Search
Dark Apprentice
Champions of the Force
I, Jedi
Children of the Jedi
Darksaber
Planet of Twilight
The Crystal Star
Before the Storm
Shield of Lies
Tyrant's Test
The New Rebellion
Ambush at Corellia
Assualt at Selonia
Showdown at Centerpoint
Specter of the Past
Vision of the Future
Survivor's Quest

PhantomWolf

8th February 2009, 12:03 AM

I gave up on the SWs books at Ambush at Corellia. I was hoping it would be a Han-and-Leia focused story -- with featured appearances by Chewie and the Brat Brigade, but primarily about Han and Leia. No such luck. Every single SWs book, by (I suspect) Lucasian fiat, had to be about Han and Leia and Luke and Lando and the droids and Mon Mothma and Ackbar and every damn woman in the galaxy that Luke Skywalker had ever looked at twice.

You might enjoy Tatooine Ghost it's very much a Han and Leia focused story. It's about Leia learning to accept her feelings for Han, her own connection to the Force, and her father's legacy.

Mason

8th February 2009, 01:53 AM

Darth Bane: The Rule of Two was pretty good as far as SW books go. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a SW book

PhantomWolf

8th February 2009, 02:56 AM

Darth Bane: The Rule of Two was pretty good as far as SW books go. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting a SW book

Is that the sequel to Path of Destruction?

Mason

8th February 2009, 03:54 AM

It's either the first or second book, yes. I haven't read Path yet, but plan to when I can find it.

PhantomWolf

8th February 2009, 05:00 AM

arthwollipot

8th February 2009, 05:59 AM

I had no idea there were so many...

:jedi:

PhantomWolf

8th February 2009, 06:12 AM

I had no idea there were so many...

:jedi:

My collection is no where near complete, there are another 23 or so pre-Battle of Yavin Books, 28 New Jedi Order and beyond books, and I'm still missing 1 X-Wing Book, as well as the Bounty Hunters Series (3 books) and the Tales of Series (5 books). When it comes to having a complete collection, I'll just stick with Terry Prachett's Discworld. :)

arthwollipot

8th February 2009, 06:35 AM

My collection is no where near complete, there are another 23 or so pre-Battle of Yavin Books, 28 New Jedi Order and beyond books, and I'm still missing 1 X-Wing Book, as well as the Bounty Hunters Series (3 books) and the Tales of Series (5 books). When it comes to having a complete collection, I'll just stick with Terry Prachett's Discworld. :)Yeah. Way to make me feel inadequate (http://www.arthwollipot.com/photography/books)...

lofgoernost

8th February 2009, 07:04 AM

Aside from the novelization of the first movie, which I bought maybe thirty years ago and never read, I'd never paid attention to SW books until a few weeks ago. In a bookstore I saw a number of titles by Karen Traviss which looked interesting. The only one I could find at my library was Sacrifice. It looked to be a mid-series book, but I decided to give it a shot. I made it about a third of the way in when I became bored with Jacen Solo, who appears to be on his way to Sithdom. He experiences a revelation that bureaucracy can be just as insidiously effective at controlling people and events as the force - apparently he hasn't read up on Palpatine. It became one of those books I fall asleep reading one night and never bother returning to.

It did put me in the mood for another Knights of the Old Republic game - thinking about video games while trying to read a book. Annoying and a bit troubling, but that's another topic.

alfaniner

8th February 2009, 10:35 AM

I have to admit, I really like the cover art on most of them.

arthwollipot

8th February 2009, 06:20 PM

Aside from the novelization of the first movie, which I bought maybe thirty years ago and never read...The Alan Dean Foster novelisations were actually quite good. The first one has additional scenes, like a conversation on Tattooine between Luke and Biggs, before Biggs leaves for the Academy.

Wowbagger

8th February 2009, 06:42 PM

I've read all SW books by Timothy Zahn. Can't be bothered with the rest. His trilogy was better than anything from Lucas, IMHO. Zahn's original Thrawn trilogy is the best! Yes, Lucas could have learned a lot from that guy. There were some real characters in those. And, the storyline was tight.

His other stuff, with the Outbound Flight-related drama is not quite as great. But, not too terrible, either.

Most of the non-Zahn novels do come off a little too potboiler, though.

JohnG

8th February 2009, 08:18 PM

I've read probably about 15 Star Wars books, but usually came away disappointed by most of them, even the much lauded Timothy Zahn trilogy. My problems with most of the books is that the authors didn't quite capture the fun, giddy feel of the original trilogy.

Can anyone recommend a book or series that comes closest to the vibe of episodes IV-VI?

TriskettheKid

9th February 2009, 12:55 PM

I read most of the Star Wars books, up until it started getting obscenely silly.

As in Jedi having powers in a Dragonball Z kind of way silly.

Most of the books, as I look back on them, are rubbish, with a few exceptions.

1. Pretty much everything Zahn wrote, with the exception of his new book that dealt with matters that that awful Young Jedi series dealt with.

The Thrawn Trilogy:
Heir to the Empire
Dark Force Rising
The Last Command

The Hand of Thrawn Duology:
Specter of the Past
Visions of the Future

Simply put, those are practically the ONLY books written in the Expanded Universe that feel like honest to god Star Wars, and not that angsty, horrendous Prequel Trilogy. I'm talking Empire Strikes Back.

Zahn's also responsible for pretty much all the most memorable EU characters:

Borsk Fey'lya
Tallon Karrde
Grand Admiral Thrawn
Mara Jade
etc
etc.

And, of course, Pellaeon.

Pellaeon is a beast. Read the books and find out why.

2. The X-wing series (Books 1-4).

The first 4 X-wing books are the best of the more "common character" oriented novels, in that tales of Jedis and such take a backseat, for the most part. It's a series of novels that deals with the best of the best in terms of snubfighter squadrons: Rogue Squadron.

The first 4 books in the X-wing series are:
Rogue Squadron
Wedge's Gamble
The Krytos Trap
The Bacta War

Fairly descent set of books, focusing on three of the more memorable side characters in the EU:
Wedge Antilles
Tycho Celchu
Corran Horn

If you were to read ANY EU novels, it would be those 9.

You're not going to be missing much by skipping out on the others.

Shalamar

9th February 2009, 01:24 PM

I also recommend the Republic Commando books by Karen Travis. Her books touch a GREAT deal on the Clone Wars, and especially the Clones themselves. How they were trained, who trained them, and the consequences of suddenly having an instant made army that aren't even members of the republic. She also expands on Mandalorian Culture, which has the bounty Hunter and Fett fan boys pretty happy.

TriskettheKid

9th February 2009, 01:32 PM

Shalamar

9th February 2009, 02:17 PM

Which version of the Clone Wars?

The god awful version as presented in the Prequel Trilogy?

Or the version as touched on in Zahn's trilogy?

Technically the version alluded to in the prequel trilogy. The books take place between 'Attack of the Clones' And end during the events in 'Revenge of the Sith'. None of the Major characters are present, but they are mentioned.

The main storyline focuses around a group of 4 clones, Commandos. Regular Clones are present as well, But ARCs also have more prominence.

Think of the novels closer to the clone wars TV series (Both of them) With less focus on the Jedi, and more on the troops themselves.

(Yes. I know way too much about it all, but did enjoy the books. At least the jedi were NOT super all powerful in these.)

TriskettheKid

9th February 2009, 02:43 PM

Technically the version alluded to in the prequel trilogy. The books take place between 'Attack of the Clones' And end during the events in 'Revenge of the Sith'. None of the Major characters are present, but they are mentioned.

The main storyline focuses around a group of 4 clones, Commandos. Regular Clones are present as well, But ARCs also have more prominence.

Think of the novels closer to the clone wars TV series (Both of them) With less focus on the Jedi, and more on the troops themselves.

(Yes. I know way too much about it all, but did enjoy the books. At least the jedi were NOT super all powerful in these.)

I can't, in good conscience, give a recommendation to, or read, any novel based on or set in Lucas' Prequel Trilogy.

Had this novel been based on, say, the Clone Wars (as touched on in Zahn's works), then you might have had a sell.

But a book based on the god awful Clone Wars as based on Lucas?

I just can't bring myself to read it.

alfaniner

9th February 2009, 03:01 PM

My problems with most of the books is that the authors didn't quite capture the fun, giddy feel of the original trilogy.

Hell, even Episodes I-III didn't do that!

RobRoy

9th February 2009, 03:20 PM

The Alan Dean Foster novelisations were actually quite good. The first one has additional scenes, like a conversation on Tattooine between Luke and Biggs, before Biggs leaves for the Academy.

To be fair, this wasn't really Foster's concept, but Lucas'. Some scenes between Biggs and Luke (along with some other friends) were scripted and shot, but left on the cutting room floor for timing reasons. There were other scenes with Biggs where he had joined the Rebels and, of course, the infamous non sequitor, from the Battle of Yavin "Blast it, Biggs, where are you?" Biggs is, obviously, killed during the battle, and this is meant to lend greater import when Luke finds himself all alone.

Shalamar

9th February 2009, 07:54 PM

I can't, in good conscience, give a recommendation to, or read, any novel based on or set in Lucas' Prequel Trilogy.

Had this novel been based on, say, the Clone Wars (as touched on in Zahn's works), then you might have had a sell.

But a book based on the god awful Clone Wars as based on Lucas?

I just can't bring myself to read it.

Well, to be fair, the Zahn novels were written before Lucas even knew what was going on for the prequels.

Though *some* of the ideas were used from the Zahn books were used. Evidence of unstable clones, even the later used Spaarti cloning cylinders.

I actually had a chance once to talk with Timothy Zahn regarding the Star Wars Novels. He enjoyed writing them, but they are a pain to do. These days, the writers are told what the books are about, what will happen, etc etc. The authors fill in the blanks.

Out of curiosity, what is it that you dislike about the Lucas Clone wars? The current animated series is *quite* good, and does capture the feel of Star Wars. Better than the prequel movies.

JohnG

9th February 2009, 09:02 PM

Hell, even Episodes I-III didn't do that!

Oh, I know.:p

The new Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network is fun, though.

TriskettheKid

9th February 2009, 09:21 PM

Well, to be fair, the Zahn novels were written before Lucas even knew what was going on for the prequels.

The Thrawn Trilogy was written pre-Prequels.

Not that it matters.

Though *some* of the ideas were used from the Zahn books were used. Evidence of unstable clones, even the later used Spaarti cloning cylinders.

Evidence of unstable clones? There was a bit more to it than that.

I actually had a chance once to talk with Timothy Zahn regarding the Star Wars Novels. He enjoyed writing them, but they are a pain to do. These days, the writers are told what the books are about, what will happen, etc etc. The authors fill in the blanks.

Bingo. He got to actually create the EU, and nowadays, Lucas has his fists around the EU to the point that they now have to grade Canon.

Pathetic.

Out of curiosity, what is it that you dislike about the Lucas Clone wars? The current animated series is *quite* good, and does capture the feel of Star Wars. Better than the prequel movies.

It's hard to put into words my dislike of Lucas' handling of the Clone Wars.

I guess it's this grandiose sense of events as touched upon in the Zahn novels.

Whereas with Lucas, we get an incredibly thinly veiled allusion to the rise of Rome and Nazi Germany, along with a bunch of Jedi so stupid that one wonders how they became Jedi in the first place.

I mean, "Order 66." Seriously. WHAT. THE. ****.

Robert Oz

9th February 2009, 09:56 PM

Hoping not to start a Star Wars vs Star Trek discussion, but what are the Star Trek series of books generally like?

Can anyone recommend say the top five?

Back to Star Wars now. :boxedin:

RobRoy

10th February 2009, 10:09 AM

Hoping not to start a Star Wars vs Star Trek discussion, but what are the Star Trek series of books generally like?

The run the gamut. I don't know what they're like these days, but I used to be a reader of them. I could tear through a paperback during a high school basketball trip (I lived in Nevada, everything is an hour away from everything else).

Can anyone recommend say the top five?

In no particular order, I enjoyed:

Spock's World - A pretty decent depiction of the rise of the culture on Vulcan.
Kahless - A nice retelling of the rise of the religion surrounding Kahless the Deathless.
The Kobayashi Maru - Maybe I have a thing for backstories. This one hit Kirk's infamous "commendation for original thinking" as well as Sulu's and Chekov's solutions for the "no win scenerio".
Black Fire - Spock becomes a space pirate. No, seriously.
Prime Directive - Kirk is thrown out of Star Fleet for breaking the Prime Directive. The conclusion was less than satisfying, but everything else was, to coin a phrase, fascinating.

Robert Oz

10th February 2009, 06:19 PM

In no particular order, I enjoyed:

Spock's World - A pretty decent depiction of the rise of the culture on Vulcan.
Kahless - A nice retelling of the rise of the religion surrounding Kahless the Deathless.
The Kobayashi Maru - Maybe I have a thing for backstories. This one hit Kirk's infamous "commendation for original thinking" as well as Sulu's and Chekov's solutions for the "no win scenerio".
Black Fire - Spock becomes a space pirate. No, seriously.
Prime Directive - Kirk is thrown out of Star Fleet for breaking the Prime Directive. The conclusion was less than satisfying, but everything else was, to coin a phrase, fascinating.

I'm considering trying Federation and The Return. I've read good reviews of both of them on the internet and they generally appear on a lot of the top ten lists on Amazon.

Anyone read these?

I gave Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire a go a couple of years ago, but had to put it down. I thought it was terribly written and the characters were nothing like they were in the films.

Since when would Darth Vader say, "I saw him blown to bits"? :eye-poppi

RobRoy

11th February 2009, 01:04 PM

I'm considering trying Federation and The Return. I've read good reviews of both of them on the internet and they generally appear on a lot of the top ten lists on Amazon.

I've seen them on top lists as well, but since I don't follow the genre anymore, I couldn't speak about them. I am curious though. If you read them, will you let me know what you think, and if they're worthwhile?

alfaniner

11th February 2009, 01:30 PM

Some of those listed are parts of series.

I personally hated Spock's World. One chapter of made-up history alternated by one chapter of story.

Avoid anything by Diane Carey. Classic Mary Sue stuff, and everyone is always so frustrated.

RobRoy

11th February 2009, 02:22 PM

Some of those listed are parts of series.

I personally hated Spock's World. One chapter of made-up history alternated by one chapter of story.

Yeah, that's a good description. I liked the history. It lent a level of understanding for the ongoing story. But I can understand how some people wouldn't enjoy that.

ETA: This was also how Kahless went, so I guess it's no wonder that I liked that too!

Robert Oz

11th February 2009, 03:31 PM

I've seen them on top lists as well, but since I don't follow the genre anymore, I couldn't speak about them. I am curious though. If you read them, will you let me know what you think, and if they're worthwhile?

I've decided on my first foray into Star Trek novels.

I plan on buying the Khan trilogy:

The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume 1 and
The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume 2

covering Khan's life from birth up to his exhile from Earth and

To Reign in Hell: The Exhile of Khan Noonien Singh

covering Khan's life from the end of Space Seed to the beginning of Wrath of Khan.

The books have been retconned to tie up Khan's story with actual events during the 90s. These also generally get very good reviews.

RobRoy

11th February 2009, 03:48 PM

I've decided on my first foray into Star Trek novels.

I plan on buying the Khan trilogy:

The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume 1 and
The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh Volume 2

covering Khan's life from birth up to his exhile from Earth and

To Reign in Hell: The Exhile of Khan Noonien Singh

covering Khan's life from the end of Space Seed to the beginning of Wrath of Khan.

The books have been retconned to tie up Khan's story with actual events during the 90s. These also generally get very good reviews.

Interesting. I read the first one and couldn't get through it. It was at this point that I decided Star Trek books were no longer for me.

Miss_Kitt

11th February 2009, 04:03 PM

I loved the Timothy Zahn books!! The Admiral Thrawn trilogy are what Lucas should have done instead of the movies he did.

They're so good I can't get very far into any of the other SW books...

Just my thoughts, MK

JWideman

11th February 2009, 04:15 PM

11th February 2009, 05:06 PM

I used to be. But not for many years now.

I did, out of curiosity,, check to see where the storyline has progressed to thus far.

Chewie dies.

Don't click the above unless you want to read a major spoiler. And don't blame me if you do click it, and don't like what you read.

ElMondoHummus

11th February 2009, 06:03 PM

Hoping not to start a Star Wars vs Star Trek discussion, but what are the Star Trek series of books generally like?

Can anyone recommend say the top five?

Back to Star Wars now. :boxedin:

The run the gamut. I don't know what they're like these days, but I used to be a reader of them. I could tear through a paperback during a high school basketball trip (I lived in Nevada, everything is an hour away from everything else).

In no particular order, I enjoyed:

Spock's World - A pretty decent depiction of the rise of the culture on Vulcan.
Kahless - A nice retelling of the rise of the religion surrounding Kahless the Deathless.
The Kobayashi Maru - Maybe I have a thing for backstories. This one hit Kirk's infamous "commendation for original thinking" as well as Sulu's and Chekov's solutions for the "no win scenerio".
Black Fire - Spock becomes a space pirate. No, seriously.
Prime Directive - Kirk is thrown out of Star Fleet for breaking the Prime Directive. The conclusion was less than satisfying, but everything else was, to coin a phrase, fascinating.

I'm considering trying Federation and The Return. I've read good reviews of both of them on the internet and they generally appear on a lot of the top ten lists on Amazon.

I've seen them on top lists as well, but since I don't follow the genre anymore, I couldn't speak about them. I am curious though. If you read them, will you let me know what you think, and if they're worthwhile?

Federation is way, waaaaay better a story about Zefram Cochrane than the movie First Contact was. I think it's definitely worth reading; it's head and shoulders above a lot of the pulp Trek pablum that's out there.

Robert Oz

11th February 2009, 06:03 PM

Interesting. I read the first one and couldn't get through it. It was at this point that I decided Star Trek books were no longer for me.

You've convinced me to stick with my original choice and I'm going to pick up Star Trek: Federation today. :)

ElMondoHummus

11th February 2009, 06:04 PM

You've convinced me to stick with my original choice and I'm going to pick up Star Trek: Federation today. :)

I don't know what your tastes are, but I think you'll end up digging it.

Robert Oz

11th February 2009, 06:05 PM

Federation is way, waaaaay better a story about Zefram Cochrane than the movie First Contact was. I think it's definitely worth reading; it's head and shoulders above a lot of the pulp Trek pablum that's out there.

I don't know what your tastes are, but I think you'll end up digging it.

That's settled then. I'm excited. :)

Robert Oz

11th February 2009, 06:10 PM

I don't know what your tastes are, but I think you'll end up digging it.

I think First Contact was a good movie, but I never really liked the almost comical interpretation of Zefram Cochrane.

ElMondoHummus

11th February 2009, 06:14 PM

Back to Star Wars:

This may piss some folks off, but I need to enter a vote against reading the Jedi Academy series. Gaaaaack! Sorry, but Kevin J. Anderson's work comes off more simplistic than a Dick and Jane novel. That series damn near ruined the SW book experience for me.

I liked Barbara Hambly's Children of the Jedi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Children_of_the_Jedi). While parts of it have been sort of rendered null by the prequel trilogy's canon (yeah, what hasn't? :cool:) I think it's one of the best written books in the Expanded Universe. I personally think it stacks up well next to Zahn's original series. It feels like it has some heart, decent characterization, and some good thought behind it as well.

Too many of the newest books are aggravating me to no end. I couldn't make it through some of them. They feel like they're being cranked out, and not well thought out.

One book that interested me, even though it had elements that aggravated me was Reaves and Perry's Death Star (http://www.amazon.com/Death-Star-Wars-Michael-Reaves/dp/0345477421). I like to think of it as the realization of that scene in Clerks where they talked about the subcontractors on the Death Star :D. It definitely had its moments, although it also had some seriously groan-worthy elements. Regardless, I think some of you folks might find it worth reading.

ElMondoHummus

11th February 2009, 06:28 PM

I think First Contact was a good movie, but I never really liked the almost comical interpretation of Zefram Cochrane.

I don't want to oversell it, but at the risk of doing so, I'll note that the Amazon reviews (http://www.amazon.com/Federation-Star-Trek-Judith-Reeves-Stevens/review/product/0671894234/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_summary?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1&sortBy=bySubmissionDateDescending) have been fantabulous :D. Drawback: You'll have to put out of mind the canon established by the movie in order to accept the book's settings and narrative, but I think it's definitely worth the trouble to do so.

If you weren't that taken with the way they portrayed Zefram Cochrane - and I sure as hell wasn't - then I believe you'll appreciate this book. Now it's true that a novel can always get deeper into a character than a movie can, but in spite of that, Federation's Cochrane just feels more vibrant, less one-dimenisional, and more interesting all around. And that's just one component that I feel is superior; I loved how the authors accurately captured the interplay between the crew members, and (I don't think this is a spoiler, so I'll refrain from hiding them in tags) contrasted the personalities of the Original Series crew with the Next Gen ones. It was really effective, I think, and just really well done. Personally, I wish they'd de-canonize First Contact and do this book as a mini-series, but that has less than a snowball's chance in hell of ever happening.

Blah... here I was worrying about overselling the book, and what do I end up doing? Sorry... I hope you haven't gotten too excited about this book. I'm not about to call it life-changing, not in the least, but as far as sci-fi pulp fiction, I think it's a fine, fine read.

ElMondoHummus

11th February 2009, 06:33 PM

Oh, one last post to re-rail the thread back to Star Wars:

I, Jedi (http://www.amazon.com/Jedi-Star-Wars-Michael-Stackpole/dp/0553578731/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234402195&sr=1-1)... I liked it. Nice to see someone else besides Luke dealing with the stresses of becoming a Jedi in the post-Empire Republic, and like Children, I think it was just well thought out and well written. Drawback: You can make the argument that Corran Horn (the protagonist) is a Mary Sue - and another fellow did exactly that when I told him about this book - but I personally didn't think it went anywhere near that far. So it didn't bother me.

Overman

11th February 2009, 09:53 PM

I've read all SW books by Timothy Zahn. Can't be bothered with the rest. His trilogy was better than anything from Lucas, IMHO.

Agreed.

His original Thrawn trilogy inspired that some old Star Wars feeling that even Lucas couldn't inspire again with his prequel. I am still hoping for it to be Starwars 7,8, and 9.

I've read a couple others, and they were MAJOR CRAP! Just telling stories and making stuff up. There was no flair and no consistency. 8 books later Luke is still questioning himself on going to the darkside...come on.

JohnG

12th February 2009, 12:45 AM

His original Thrawn trilogy inspired that some old Star Wars feeling that even Lucas couldn't inspire again with his prequel. I am still hoping for it to be Starwars 7,8, and 9.

Thrawn trilogy? More like 'yawn' trilogy.

Oh! I still got it.:p

No, but it was quite dull. I can't remember much about the series plotwise but I do seem to recall characters having long dry conversations while engaged in furious gun battles. Just a lot of meaningless, unnecessary chatter throughout much of the books (same problem I had with The Matrix sequels, now that I think about it.). It may help with exposition, but it doesn't make for exciting reading. It basically means that Zahn can't write good action scenes, which is a serious drawback if you are writing stories set in the Star Wars universe.

Yes, I read all three, but only because I was jonesing for some Star Wars material and at the time those books were the only game in town.

One thing I'll say for Zahn though, he had a knack for coming up with good 'Star Warsian' character, race and planet names. Most of them sounded like they had been invented by Lucas himself. In fact I believe it was Zahn who came up with the name Coruscant?

tomwaits

15th February 2009, 06:51 PM

I read most of the Star Wars books, up until it started getting obscenely silly.

As in Jedi having powers in a Dragonball Z kind of way silly.

To be fair, the very first Expanded Universe book A Splinter of the Mind's Eye has Vader shooting "a ball of pure white energy" from his fist.

TriskettheKid

15th February 2009, 11:18 PM

To be fair, the very first Expanded Universe book A Splinter of the Mind's Eye has Vader shooting "a ball of pure white energy" from his fist.

Not really.

I mean, yeah, it's like the Ki that are shot by those in Dragonball Z, but I was more referring to their ungodly power.

SnuffSnuff

17th February 2009, 06:05 AM

Path of Destruction is a great book. Should be required reading for anyone that wants to be a Sith Lord. The only real issue I had was its references to the KotOR computer game, though is someways it was nice to tie that into the canon of the EU by the novel referencing it.

Path of Destruction remains my favorite SW book I've read thus far, and that is mostly because most of the books I've read on SW are a major dissappointment (Rogue Planet and Episode I to name a few). I suppose it's because it takes after (somewhat) the game, Knights of the Old Republic (the Sith Lord Darth Revan). However, I'll have to disagree on how awesome Rule of Two is. It was a predictable, boring read and was nothing like the original it was a sequel to.

Too many of the newest books are aggravating me to no end. I couldn't make it through some of them. They feel like they're being cranked out, and not well thought out.

My thoughts exactly.

fuelair

17th February 2009, 09:30 AM

I haven't bought a Star Wars book since Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of Thon-Botha. Or was it the Flamewinds of Osean?
I remember Phartests from Rhimchobb and Han Solo and the Arsland Pirates
as rather disturbing. And then there was the epic wonder of Luke and Leia burning the Palace of Incesscha.

Rolfe

19th February 2009, 05:22 AM

I never much liked the Alan Dean Foster novels - his interpretation of The Empire Strikes Back was so so much less good than the film. However, I realised later, reading about the filming of that one, that Foster must have been working from the original script, which got changed for the better during production. A couple of the things I thought were really lame in the book, turned out to be things Harrison Ford stomped into Lucas's trailer and yelled about until they were changed.

Splinter of the Mind's Eye is a great title, but not a lot else. Pity nobody told Foster that Luke and Leia were brother and sister before he wrote that one. Incest really isn't pretty. Surely Lucas knew that's where the story was going - how come that got sanctioned?

I liked a short series of Han Solo books - Han Solo and the Lost Legacy was one. Are there any more like that? (While I was doing my PhD work I had to analyse a lot of horse sweat samples. I had a blown-up phrase of Han's from one of these books pinned up on my lab bench. "What does a punk like you know about sweat anyway?") They were light-hearted and non-intense and quite funny.

When I was a student, the James Blish Star Trek novelisations were just coming out. Pity, that. He was a great author but the wrong person for that job. In that case, Alan Dean Foster was better with the animated series. There were no other novelisations apart from Spock Must Die - which was awful.

I used to dream I was looking at a shelf in the bookshop and it was filled with Star Trek spinoff novels, all with brightly-coloured spines (the Blish novelisations were all in grey covers). In my dream I'd pick up two or three, and realise I didn't have enough money to buy them all, and then I'd wake up. A friend who lived in Tasmania at that time tells me she used to have the identical dream.

Of course by the time it came true, I didn't really want the books any more. And there are so many that you'd have to be mad to try to keep up with them all. And some of them are total dreck written by barely-literate hacks. However, if Vonda Mackintyre wrote it, it's good. Diane Duane is good too. And who could dislike And How Much For Just The Planet?

Rolfe of the mis-spent youth.

tomwaits

19th February 2009, 08:35 AM

Splinter of the Mind's Eye is a great title, but not a lot else. Pity nobody told Foster that Luke and Leia were brother and sister before he wrote that one. Incest really isn't pretty. Surely Lucas knew that's where the story was going - how come that got sanctioned?
.

The easy answer is that Lucas didn't know. He was making it up as he went along...despite his claims to the contrary.

alfaniner

19th February 2009, 08:41 AM

Delvo

19th February 2009, 09:51 AM

A couple of the things I thought were really lame in the book, turned out to be things Harrison Ford stomped into Lucas's trailer and yelled about until they were changed. Like what?

RobRoy

19th February 2009, 09:56 AM

For Xmas my sister gave me Obsessed with Star Wars, a quiz book that includes an electronic gadget into which you have to punch the question number to get the answer. I started with the Star Wars chapter (aka Ep IV), and the questions there are (rarely) very easy, or so obscure that you would have had to read all the books that have been out so far to answer them properly. I would have preferred the questions stay with what is in the movie alone. (and it includes, Universe forbid, countless questions from the "improved" version.) I've got plenty of other memorabilia and books, but I think this one is going on eBay.

There's a Trivial Pursuit specifically for the Lord of the Rings movies that is similar to this. Anyone who is more familiar with the books than the movies (me, for instance) can get things wrong because of how the script shifted quotes and events. It's frustrating but also kinna funny.

JohnG

19th February 2009, 11:55 AM

I never much liked the Alan Dean Foster novels - his interpretation of The Empire Strikes Back was so so much less good than the film.

Alan Dean Foster didn't write The Empire Strikes Back novelisation...unless he did it under the pen name of Donald F Glut.:p

fuelair

19th February 2009, 12:11 PM

The easy answer is that Lucas didn't know. He was making it up as he went along...despite his claims to the contrary.What's funny is how many people actually believed that he had a planned out 9-movie series - though he adapted well to the things that could have become gaping plot holes (except for that crap explanation of the force in SW 4 (oops) 1). (and one or five other items)

TriskettheKid

19th February 2009, 12:22 PM

What's funny is how many people actually believed that he had a planned out 9-movie series - though he adapted well to the things that could have become gaping plot holes (except for that crap explanation of the force in SW 4 (oops) 1). (and one or five other items)

He didn't.

There are more than a few plotholes in regards to the "planned" story arc.

And by more than a few, I mean several. And by "planned," I mean **** he made up as he went because he thought he was being clever.

Cactus Wren

23rd February 2009, 07:41 PM

I liked a short series of Han Solo books - Han Solo and the Lost Legacy was one. Are there any more like that? (While I was doing my PhD work I had to analyse a lot of horse sweat samples. I had a blown-up phrase of Han's from one of these books pinned up on my lab bench. "What does a punk like you know about sweat anyway?") They were light-hearted and non-intense and quite funny.
There were three in that series: Han Solo at Stars' End, the inanely titled Han Solo's Revenge, and Han Solo and the Lost Legacy.

When I was a student, the James Blish Star Trek novelisations were just coming out. Pity, that. He was a great author but the wrong person for that job. In that case, Alan Dean Foster was better with the animated series. There were no other novelisations apart from Spock Must Die - which was awful.
Spock Must Die! wasn't, precisely speaking, a novelization: it was an original novel in the Strek universe. Fanfic, in other words. And ISTR that at the time he wrote it, James Blish had still never seen an episode of Star Trek. (This may explain some things.)

I used to dream I was looking at a shelf in the bookshop and it was filled with Star Trek spinoff novels, all with brightly-coloured spines (the Blish novelisations were all in grey covers). In my dream I'd pick up two or three, and realise I didn't have enough money to buy them all, and then I'd wake up. A friend who lived in Tasmania at that time tells me she used to have the identical dream.
The geek's version of the cafeteria dream, where you are confronted with a huge array of delicious food and wake up before you get to eat any of it.

JohnG

23rd February 2009, 08:49 PM

The geek's version of the cafeteria dream, where you are confronted with a huge array of delicious food and wake up before you get to eat any of it.

Whoa, I have those sorts of dreams all the time, though usually it's some vintage issue of Starlog.:blush:

alfaniner

23rd February 2009, 08:55 PM

Whoa, I have those sorts of dreams all the time, though usually it's some vintage issue of Starlog.:blush:

Is that still being published? I have a box with issues #1-300 (give or take an issue). If not worth anything on eBay, at least it would be an interesting time capsule. I'm sure it was an article in there where it was mentioned that Vader got his injuries battling Kenobi on the rim of a volcano.

JohnG

23rd February 2009, 09:06 PM

Is that still being published? I have a box with issues #1-300 (give or take an issue). If not worth anything on eBay, at least it would be an interesting time capsule. I'm sure it was an article in there where it was mentioned that Vader got his injuries battling Kenobi on the rim of a volcano.

It is still being published, AFAIK, but I haven't bought an issue in 20+ years. I bet you could get something for your collection. Back in the days before the internet and entertainment shows, magazines like Starlog and Famous Monsters were worth their weight in gold to sad little nerds like me.

tomwaits

30th June 2009, 06:37 PM

I remember when I was a kid I read Tales From Jabba's Palace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_from_Jabba%27s_Palace), and I remember really enjoying it. It's short stories written by different sci-fi authors, edited by Kevin J Anderson. The stories are about each character, but there's a murder mystery that spreads throughout. And of course, Boba Fett is there.

gnome

30th June 2009, 09:23 PM

Of course by the time it came true, I didn't really want the books any more. And there are so many that you'd have to be mad to try to keep up with them all. And some of them are total dreck written by barely-literate hacks. However, if Vonda Mackintyre wrote it, it's good. Diane Duane is good too. And who could dislike And How Much For Just The Planet?

*raises hand* Hated it--just too weird.

Vonda McIntyre I love... read "The Entropy Effect" !
Another vote for Prime Directive--and in fact, I loved the ending. Entire book was awesome front to back.

The Shatner-authored books starting with "The Return" are a little weird for me. They take the timeline in strange directions that I don't entirely agree with--and yet they touch on so many elements I find irresistible... such as the Mirror Universe, and the Preservers. Also, they tell you what happened to that Romulan chick that was macking on Spock in The Enterprise Incident. The books are filled with mysteries and mysteries revealed. I couldn't get enough even though it doesn't fit well with my personal "canon".

Read all Peter David. Greg Cox is also excellent.

Ysidro

2nd July 2009, 01:11 PM

It is still being published, AFAIK, but I haven't bought an issue in 20+ years. I bet you could get something for your collection. Back in the days before the internet and entertainment shows, magazines like Starlog and Famous Monsters were worth their weight in gold to sad little nerds like me.

Probably not a lot though. Genre mags from the 70s are much easier to come by than say, the 30s. I did some work helping an old fella out selling off mags he got at an estate sale. The 70s stuff often didn't even move and when it did it was folks filling out one or two pieces of their collection.

Morrigan

4th July 2009, 12:45 AM

I came here to see whining about the killing of Chewbacca, but I am disappointed - only one post mentioning it. Sigh, no entertainment via angry fanboys for me tonight.

JohnG

4th July 2009, 12:02 PM

I remember being a little upset when I heard about the killing of

Chewbacca, but then I remembered that the book series in question isn't canonical (at least not in my opinion), so it doesn't really matter.

On the other hand, this is a series of stories about War (it's right there in the title). It would be unrealistic if none of the main cast of characters met with a violent death. Harrison Ford famously said that he had wanted Han Solo to die in Return of the Jedi and while I understand his reasoning, I also understand why Lucas vetoed that idea. That doesn't mean however that all the main cast of characters would or should live to a ripe old age and die peacefully of natural causes, surrounded by friends, family and the odd alien or droid comic sidekicks.

I think a lot of fans have their own personal version of what would happen after the events in Episode Six, and in mine, Han and Leia die tragically a few years after getting married and starting a family. It becomes Luke's responsibility as Uncle to raise the kids, which is a nice echo not only of the Luke and Uncle Owen storyline, but with George Lucas' own life as a single father raising adopted children.

Also, to be fair to whatever editor or author who decided to off Chewbacca, it kind of makes sense in practical terms. First of all, now that Han and Leia are married, Chewie is sort of in the way. Plus, I'm guessing it is difficult to write for a character who doesn't speak the language you are writing in. There's only so many variations on "The Wookie growled angrily" or "Chewbacca grunted his assent", etc.

RIP, Chewie and MTFBWY.

God, I'm a nerd.

Lisa Simpson

4th July 2009, 12:14 PM

My problem with the expanded universe books is their lives are unending misery -

Chewie dies, Han and Leia have three kids, one of whom dies, another becomes a Sith Lord who kills his aunt (Luke's wife) and is then himself killed by Han and Leia's remaining child. The books lack the joy and hopefulness of the movies.

If I buy them, I buy them used so I don't spend too much money.

JohnG

4th July 2009, 01:03 PM

Right! Star Wars was always meant to be fun, but not necessarily goofy fun. Lucas sometimes steps over the line (Ewoks, Jar Jar, Federation Droids), but to be honest I'd prefer erring in that direction than on the side of serious, dour and hyperviolent. Judging by most of the "serious" fan made Star Wars movies that clog the internet, there's a generation of fans who think the ultimate Star Wars story would be wall to wall battles between Sith Lords and shifty Bounty Hunters.

That's the main problem I had with the relative handful of Star Wars "Extended Universe" books I've read, even going back to "Splinter of the Mind's Eye". Where's the fun? Or where are the moving, quiet moments like Luke staring off into the (double) sunset, or Yoda raising the X-Wing out of the water? Where are the moments where the character's guards drop a little and you see some of their, well, goofy side? Like Han's improvised "Everything's under control" speech in Star Wars? Where do any of the authors make an attempt to replicate the kineticism of the Star Wars universe in their writing?