Star Wars Books Thread

[Mr Light]

Why not have a running thread about Star Wars books?

I just finished TARKIN by James Luceno. My library took forever to order it

I'd give it 3/4.

I was delighted to see it was a loose sequel to Darth Plageuis (which is therefore still canon!!!) and that it showed a lot of Vader and Sidious.

But the book is limited in the fact that Tarkin is not nearly as interesting a character. And while Luceno does a good job of making his back story interesting, it will never be as relevant as Vader or Sidious or Plageuis.

Also, the primary plot line of Tarkin and Vader chasing after some rebels who stole his ship... it's alright but it's nothing amazing.

And maybe it's because I've been reading too many how to write books lately, but all I could see was the constant use of run on sentences and passive tense. I wonder if Plageuis had that as well?

So I'd definitely recommend it, but it doesn't hold a candle to Plageuis one of my all time favorite SW Books. I did love reading more about Vader and Sidious, and how they felt about Tarkin.

Was very surprised that there was no mention of Daala, though! Obviously her post-ROTJ appearances are wiped out of continuity, but does she even exist anymore?

The first book of the new continuity, A NEW DAWN by Jonathan Jackson Miller, I also gave 3/4. It was similar in that it was really interesting to learn the back story of this character (Kanan from Rebels) but the actual plot of the book was not terribly memorable. And that book was also in some ways a loose sequel to the author's previous book, KENOBI, not in the character but in the themes.

I thought KENOBI was pretty over-rated. 3/4. I certainly liked it, and it was well written, but I just did not care about the lives of a bunch of rando farmers in the middle of a Tatooine desert. Great job of writing Obi-Wan though. I really felt like the character from Clone Wars was leaping off the page.

RAZOR'S EDGE I felt a little less happy about. 2.5/4. Like these other books, it was well done but just not an interesting storyline. I am looking forward to the paperback of HONOR AMONG THIEVES coming out in two weeks as I've heard good things about that one.

 

[ryan123450]

I've reviewed all the new canon novels so far. I've liked them all to varying degrees. Check out my latest review for the upcoming Heir to the Jedi.

http://startreklitverse.yolasite.com/star-wars-reviews.php

 

[Masiral]

Was very surprised that there was no mention of Daala, though! Obviously her post-ROTJ appearances are wiped out of continuity, but does she even exist anymore?

The novel takes place only 5 years after ROTS - it's entirely possible that she and Tarkin just haven't met yet.

ETA: Though her backstory won't fit in the new canon - there are a number of women in positions of power in the Empire, including a Star Destroyer captain in A New Dawn.

 

[Mr Light]

Wasn't she the only Admiral, though?

 

[Masiral]

Wasn't she the only Admiral, though?

In the old EU, yeah, Daala was the only female admiral (and was promoted to the position by Tarkin), because the Empire was misogynistic. But the new canon seems to have a more equal opportunity Empire.

 

[Ithekro]

The Empire was asssumed to be mysogynistic because we never saw any women Imperials in the military. The only women we saw that had been Imperials were senators Leia Organa and Mon Mothma.

The second part of the assumption was because the Rebel Alliance did have women. Not only in power by at least a few working in their military.

Mind you around 1975 you probably wouldn't see women on a naval combat ship in the US Navy very often, and that is what we mostly see from the Empire, their military.

 

[Mr Light]

They could still do Daala and just down play the "no women" rule. The controversy could be over her being Tarkin's girlfriend and getting a favorable position because of that.

 

[Masiral]

The Empire was asssumed to be mysogynistic because we never saw any women Imperials in the military. The only women we saw that had been Imperials were senators Leia Organa and Mon Mothma.

The second part of the assumption was because the Rebel Alliance did have women. Not only in power by at least a few working in their military.

It may have started as an assumption, but it became established EU canon.

They could still do Daala and just down play the "no women" rule. The controversy could be over her being Tarkin's girlfriend and getting a favorable position because of that.

Yeah, and I would love to see her show up (maybe in Rebels?) - after Thrawn, she's probably my favorite evil Imperial (by evil, I mean people who stuck to the old philosophy, not people like Mara Jade or Pellaeon).

If she ever appeared in live-action, I think Julianne Moore would be a great actress to portray her.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I did not like the Daala character, so I am not upset if she becomes a "legend".

I need to get to my Star Wars reading, thanks for creating this thread.

 

[indianatrekker26]

Using the essential reader's guide, ive just started a chronological read through, beginning with "Darth Plaguies" even though the author put that book right after Episode I. Then I plan to read all the novels, since i own them all. I have none of the young adult books, but i'm not really worried about those anyways.

 

[Masiral]

Using the essential reader's guide, ive just started a chronological read through, beginning with "Darth Plaguies" even though the author put that book right after Episode I. Then I plan to read all the novels, since i own them all. I have none of the young adult books, but i'm not really worried about those anyways.

If I remember correctly, Darth Plagueis is after Episode I because it weaves togetherthe books leading up to Episode I, and I would recommend reading it that way. You can really see how Plagueis and Palpatine's plans come together.

 

[Hound of UIster]

Using the essential reader's guide, ive just started a chronological read through, beginning with "Darth Plaguies" even though the author put that book right after Episode I. Then I plan to read all the novels, since i own them all. I have none of the young adult books, but i'm not really worried about those anyways.

Darth Plagueis is one of several novels written by author James Luceno that occur in the Prequel Universe and deal with the machinations of the Sith. It connects with plot threads in Cloak of Deception which deals with how Palpatine creates the situation in TPM and Labyrinth of Evil which deals with him and Dooku during the final days of the CW. It would be recommended you read DP last since there is a big twist in the novel which put a different perspective on the situations in CoD and LoE.

 

[Mr Light]

Darth Plageuis is one of my all time favorite SW novels and any fan should definitely check it out. Not only is it a wonderful story, brilliantly written, it's the most plot-important book of the entire franchise. Plageuis is a fascinating character. And you learn EVERYTHING about Palpatine too. Except his first name

 

[EnriqueH]

I've really enjoyed the Star Wars books. I've read everything from Truce at Bakura to the Jedi Academy trilogy.

I also read Darth Plagueis, Darth Maul Shadow Hunter, Cloak of Deception (all three excellent), Episode I, Rogue Planet, Outbound Flight, The Approaching Storm, AOTC, Republic Commando: Hard Target, Shatterpoint, The Cestus Deception, and Medstar 1 & 2. And I enjoyed them all in varying degrees.

I also read Revan.

I had to.

Knights of the Old Republic 1 and 2 are two of my all time favorite games, and a big reason is that the stories are badass. So I *had* to find out what happens to Revan. It's interesting.

The X-Wing books, not the original Zahn trilogy, is what really got me into Star Wars books. I looooooved the XWing books, but I still need to read a few of them.

 

[Mr Light]

I enjoyed reading Revan because I was a huge fan of the games and I've been dying to know what happened to him since KOTR1 ended. It was really bizarre to have Revan as a talking character though...

The only SW books I haven't read are basically the X-Wing series and the Young Jedi Knights series. I read the first 1.5 X-Wing novels and I just couldn't get into it. Star Wars to me has to have Force users in it. I just didn't care about an entire book about starfighter combat starring a bunch of non-movie characters. I'll try and go back to them one day.

 

[Skywalker]

The only thing I can say in response to your thoughts on the X-wing books, Mr Light, is to just keep reading them. If you've read all the other SW books one of the main characters in X-wing ought to be familiar to you.

 

[Mr Light]

I did read I, Jedi and I wasn't a huge fan of it. I did think the Stackpole books of the NJO series were very good though. I just think that non-Jedi space combat should only play a supporting role in a Star Wars story.

 

[EnriqueH]

Man, I thought the X-Wing books had great characters: I loved Corran Horn and Ooryl Qyrgg.

I thought Stackpole and Allston did a great job with the characterization because I was sometimes worried about who might die.

And yes! It was kinda weird seeing Revan speak!

BY THE WAY, ON A SEPARATE NOTE, WE SHOULD PROBABLY PUT SPOILER WARNINGS WHEN DISCUSSING THE ENDING OF ANY OF THE BOOKS. EVEN OLD ONES.

I don't think anyone has given away any endings, but just in case.

I still haven't read the New Jedi Order, or Yuuzahn Vong books.

 

[Mr Light]

The New Jedi Order series is the Vong War. They're a mixed bag. There's a lot of great stories in it, particularly in the second half. "Star By Star", "Traitor" and the "Enemy Lines" two parter are some of the best Star Wars Lit has to offer.

But I really don't like the very idea of the Vong as villains. No Force powers. Obsessed with torture and self-mutilation. It's just too dark and disturbing for Star Wars. I would have enjoyed this series twice as much if the villains had been less R Rated. I believe the original plan (back when it was a Dark Horse Comics storyline) was to have them be long lost Sith from the other side of the galaxy or something.

And the first half of the series (Pre-Star By Star) is horrifically repetitive. It seriously needed to be shortened. Every book was just the Vong taking yet another world and the heroes losing yet again.

That said, I loved that we saw a long brutal war that brought the entire galaxy to its knees. They did a brilliant job of showing everything falling apart in slow motion. PALPATINE WAS RIGHT! And they had the courage to kill off MAJOR characters.

 

[EnriqueH]

Did you imagine any actors playing any of the roles?

I always imagined:

*) Hugh Jackman as Corran Horn
*) Ricardo Montalban as Tallon Karrde
*) Sean Connery as Bel Iblis