Star Wars Books Thread

[fireproof78]

As I type this I know the minute @fireproof78 or @JD see this the response is going to be “This literally does not bother me at all”

How so? The market is always an interesting place to see prices.

 

[JD]

As I type this I know the minute @fireproof78 or @JD see this the response is going to be “This literally does not bother me at all” which is like the equivalent of Kane and Parker from Alien going “Right”. JD gets his ebooks from the library etc etc etc. That’s great that everyone can adjust if you can afford it, right on.

My opinion has changed a bit since this happened with the Trek book. It's always frustrating when the price goes up on something you enjoy.

I just see it as damn man, it’s a digital product. But, with a physical format change there is a physical reason for the price hike.
-Koric

Most of the time, the digital format is priced relatively close to the physical produce, it's that way with everything. It's the same product, so it makes sense that the different formats' prices would be relatively close.

 

[Reverend]

Most of the time, the digital format is priced relatively close to the physical produce, it's that way with everything. It's the same product, so it makes sense that the different formats' prices would be relatively close.

That's not entirely accurate. A physical object that is (more or less) a print-off of a digital asset, is not the same product as just the asset itself. A jpg is not the same as a framed picture, an mp3 is not the same as a vinyl album, a steam code is not the same as a boxed videogame and an ebook is not the same as a paperback.
The disparity in production cost between digital download and physical is rarely reflected in the retail price. Since no company ever is going to habitually sell such things at cost or at a loss, the only conclusion is that they're deliberately (and dramatically) overcharging for digital products. It's anti-consumer and the only reason people accept it is because companies conspire to fix the prices and prevent meaningful competition.

 

[JD]

OK, I guess that it's technically not the same product. I just meant that you're reading the same words, or watching the same movie, or listening to the same music, ect.
When this has come up in the Trek Literature forum, the authors have said that, at least with books, actually printing the books is a relatively minor part of the process, and so getting rid of that isn't going to have a huge impact on how much money it takes to make the book, and how much we have to pay for it.

 

[urrutiap]

Currently Im reading the Black Fleet Crisis Trilogy hardcover. First time reading it.

Previously recently since last week up to today i was reading the first two books of the Bounty Hunter Wars Trilogy

 

[Jinn]

I started reading Lost Tribe of the Sith yesterday. The first novella was interesting enough and I'm looking forward to see where it goes.

Unrelated, does anyone know if there are any licensed Star Wars stories (books, comics, whatever), set during the Clone Wars/Anakin/Vader's lifetime pre-Episode IV/the recent pastm, before the prequels came out? I'm thinking specifically stories that are set in that era, not other stories referencing how things were back then.

 

[kirk55555]

I know of a bunch of EU books that take place post Clone Wars but pre-Episode 4 that came out before the prequel films, but none that specifically star Anakin/Vader or mention stuff like that. It feels like, even though he generally didn't care about the spin off material, Lucas/his people had certain things they didn't want mentioned/played with in the tie in material.

The (in my opinion, excellent) Han Solo Trilogy by AC Crispin is basically an origin for Han Solo and goes from his early years to basically right before Episode IV (and its really good in my opinion), and there was a Lando Calrissian trilogy that takes place 3-4 years before Episode IV, but while both have the Empire involved in some events, neither of those books involve Vader specifically or anything Sith/Jedi related. Thats mostly what you'll get for that era from the old Eu before the prequel movies ccame out, stories of known characters in their earlier years and similar stories. Vader probably shows up in some of them, but I can't think of any where he was a focus.

 

[Jinn]

I know of a bunch of EU books that take place post Clone Wars but pre-Episode 4 that came out before the prequel films, but none that specifically star Anakin/Vader or mention stuff like that. It feels like, even though he generally didn't care about the spin off material, Lucas/his people had certain things they didn't want mentioned/played with in the tie in material.

The (in my opinion, excellent) Han Solo Trilogy by AC Crispin is basically an origin for Han Solo and goes from his early years to basically right before Episode IV (and its really good in my opinion), and there was a Lando Calrissian trilogy that takes place 3-4 years before Episode IV, but while both have the Empire involved in some events, neither of those books involve Vader specifically or anything Sith/Jedi related. Thats mostly what you'll get for that era from the old Eu before the prequel movies ccame out, stories of known characters in their earlier years and similar stories. Vader probably shows up in some of them, but I can't think of any where he was a focus.

Thanks! I'll definitely check out the Han Solo solo trilogy! Really, anything by AC Crispins should be on my reading order.

I was sort of hoping for some bizarre alternate version of events, like what Starfleet: Year One is to Enterprise, or the NovelVerse to Picard.

 

[Reverend]

actually printing the books is a relatively minor part of the process, and so getting rid of that isn't going to have a huge impact on how much money it takes to make the book, and how much we have to pay for it.

It's not just a matter of the manufacture, but all the logistics and infrastructure around it. Production, storage, shipping etc. It adds *some* cost per unit that isn't spent on a digital file that just sits on a server to be copied ad infinitum. If they're both the same price then there's obviously an artificial price hike going on.
I'd put money on the cause of this being the large brick and mortar chains putting pressure on the publishers because they're afraid of the competition. Never mind that tens of thousand of unsold physical copies are destroyed every day...

Unrelated, does anyone know if there are any licensed Star Wars stories (books, comics, whatever), set during the Clone Wars/Anakin/Vader's lifetime pre-Episode IV/the recent pastm, before the prequels came out? I'm thinking specifically stories that are set in that era, not other stories referencing how things were back then.

So far as I'm aware that whole period was off limits back then. All we got was the odd reference in stories set post OT.
Well, unless you count the old 'Droids' cartoon, but even that was more pre-ANH than post Clone Wars if you follow me.

 

[Allyn Gibson]

Trade Paperbacks are more profitable for the retailers, given that after a certain point of time they have the option of marking the price down and ensuring they make money off it regardless. With MMPBs meanwhile, they can't mark the price down and after a certain point of time, they have to return them to the distributor to get destroyed.

Close.

Trade paperbacks get returned to the publisher, who them resells them for pennies on the dollar as remainders. Those are the bargain books you'll see at the front of Barnes & Noble -- and also why they have the marker stripe on one of the paper edges, so a customer can't peel the sticker off and try to return it for full price.

Mass markets get their covers ripped off (and, generally, about twenty pages) at the bookstore. Those covers are sent back to the publisher for credit. The books themselves are tossed. This is called "stripping." It's why mass market paperbacks used to carry notices on the indicia page that if you bought the book without a cover the publisher and author weren't paid for it; the bookstore received credit for the book and reported it as unsold.

 

[JD]

It's not just a matter of the manufacture, but all the logistics and infrastructure around it. Production, storage, shipping etc. It adds *some* cost per unit that isn't spent on a digital file that just sits on a server to be copied ad infinitum.

Oh yeah, I'm sure that does add some price to it, it's just not a huge amount.

If they're both the same price then there's obviously an artificial price hike going on.
I'd put money on the cause of this being the large brick and mortar chains putting pressure on the publishers because they're afraid of the competition. Never mind that tens of thousand of unsold physical copies are destroyed every day...

Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if that did have something to do with it.

 

[Koric]

Hey all,

Just a heads up. I was purchasing the new Trek deals and came across a new upcoming promotion banner on AMAZON US:

Kindle summer rewards BETA

“Starting in July, for a limited time, you can earn Kindle Points on book purchases, get special offers, and collect badges. Sign up for emails to be the first to know by clicking "Subscribe" below.”

So hopefully everyone who wants to, will be able to participate in this new promotion.

Just wanted to let everyone on the forums know about this.
Good luck,
-Koric

 

[Koric]

@Jinn
Actually there is a great book involving early Anakin Skywalker transformed into Darth Vader pre Episode 4: its called Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith by James Luceno. It is EXTREMELY good. Without spoiling the book it is basically Darth Vader coming to terms with being in the armored suit, the Emperor’s apprentice, shredding Anakin Skywalker, and other things as well. It picks up immediately right after Revenge of the Sith. I highly recommend reading the novelization for Revenge of the Sith by Matthew Stover too.

Also, don’t forget Darth Plagueis by James Luceno, and excellent SITH book and actually makes the Phantom Menace a better story.

Lastly, I can’t recommend HIGHLY a million times A.C. Crispin’s Han Solo trilogy, but you also HAVE to read Brian Daley’s Han Solo Trilogy as well known as the Han Solo Adventures.

Unrelated, Brian Daley and James Luceno both incredible Star Wars writers, teamed up together to be known as the excellent pen name Jack McKinney for the equally excellent 21 book ROBOTECH book series, the Sentinel series, and The End of the Circle, based on incredible anime series.

Rest in peace AC Crispin and Brian Daley, may their works and writing, and their eternal contributions to each of their own Han Solo series live on forever. It was such a damn CRIME to label any of the books I mentioned as that stupid “LEGENDS” banner B.S. Such an insult to their excellent writing and hard work. Worse, they are not alive to defend their works against that. I’m sorry it’s downright criminal.

Sorry for the long post.
Enjoy,
-Koric

 

[Tuskin38]

It was such a damn CRIME to label any of the books I mentioned as that stupid “LEGENDS” banner B.S. Such an insult to their excellent writing and hard work.

It's not an insult at all lmao.

Worse, they are not alive to defend their works against that. I’m sorry it’s downright criminal.

Defend them from what? It's just a label. It doesn't ruin the books, they still exist, you can still read them, you can even still buy new copies of them.

Overly dramatic much?

 

[fireproof78]

It was such a damn CRIME to label any of the books I mentioned as that stupid “LEGENDS” banner B.S. Such an insult to their excellent writing and hard work.

How? What does that take away from the story? Did the quality of the story decrease? Did the lack of recognition somehow make the emotions people felt less real?

With due respect, it is a label. People treat canon as some sort of gold standard of quality when all that it means is that it is regarded as official. The EU was never canon in my mind; never stopped me from enjoying the books and getting Zahn's signature.

This is much ado about nothing. A "crime?" No.

 

[Koric]

@Tuskin38 that is true for actual physical book. But with an ebook especially in Amazon you do not have a choice. The ebook in both the ipad and kindle are updated automatically, regardless if you want the choice or not.

I wasn't trying to be dramatic at all. When I thought about what Jinn had asked, it got me thinking Brian Daley and AC Crispin have both passed. They don't have a say in what happens to their stories. I realize that if they were living, they couldnt do anything regardless. The publisher and the rights holder own the stories and can do what they want.

I agree with you @fireproof78. I could care less about CANON or not. That whole argument is beyond stupid. It is like the people that believe that the earth is flat? It is like really? They still make you? Like a betamax machine. I feel the Canon argument is dead and should stay dead.

As I and others said before a HUGE portion of the EU was utter crap and not worth the paper it was printed on. But, in the case of Darth Plagueis or the Darth Vader Dark Lord of the Sith novel, I didnt understand the need to label it LEGENDS? There was nothing in that book to contradict Disney's new Vader? I think in the end guys like Foster and Luceno may not want to work for Disney and Del Rey if what they write can be dismissed so casually.

Thanks for the perspectives.
-Koric

 

[fireproof78]

I think in the end guys like Foster and Luceno may not want to work for Disney and Del Rey if what they write can be dismissed so casually.

But dismissed how? It doesn't keep people from suggesting it. If you watch how I post I will always strongly champion the ROTS novelization as one of the best books out there. So, if they were not being published at all and people could not access them then I could see the problem. But, since it is still being published then nothing is being dismissed. As you say, canon argument is stupid and dead. So, how are they being dismissed?

 

[Tuskin38]

Luceno may not want to work for Disney and Del Rey if what they write can be dismissed so casually.

Lucerno has already written a few stories for the new canon already. He probably cares less then you do.

This is the nature of Tie-in media as Christopher is fond of saying over in the TrekLit forum.

But with an ebook especially in Amazon you do not have a choice. The ebook in both the ipad and kindle are updated automatically,

But they haven't changed the actual content of the stories. They're still the same books they were when they were originally published, save for the Legends label.

I didnt understand the need to label it LEGENDS?

Because it isn't part of the new canon.

It doesn't matter if it doesn't contradict anything, everything published before April 2014, save for a Darth Maul comic and a short story in the Star Wars Magazine, is part of Legends.

 

[Koric]

@fireproof78 I thought I read that the movie novelizations were or were not labeled as legends or canon? I can't remember which honestly. That is what I meant by dismissed that they were legends as well?

I wholeheartedly agree with you @fireproof78 about the ROTS novel, I just recommended it to JINN with the Vader novel, and Plagueis book. I only wished Matthew Stover had another chance to write another Star Wars movie novel.

I am also hoping that someday Stover's rough draft of ROTS is released like the anniversary edition of Heir to the Empire. Stover said in an old forum post, that Lucas did a line by line reading and changed some aspects of the novel.

Thanks guys for the viewpoints and keeping me straight.
-Koric

 

[fireproof78]

I thought I read that the movie novelizations were or were not labeled as legends or canon? I can't remember which honestly. That is what I meant by dismissed that they were legends as well?

Far as I know they are legends, or not treated with any sort of canon status.

But, again, there's no dismissal or diminishment of these works. A label really doesn't change it. We as the fan base put way too much value on canon status (not just here but I see it routinely around the fandom). It's commonly the first question that is asked "Is this canon?" And I sound like an insensitive but my immediate reaction is "Who gives a ?" Enjoyment of a story is still enjoyment.

I don't mean to belabor this point but honestly does the Legends label take away from the story?