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Topic:
Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Jedi_Narf
Title: Hoosier Alliance Web Master
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
10/4/06 12:50pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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OK, I'm now done with the original Thrawn trilogy, and I have to say that overall I'm pleased. Individual Mini-Reviews follow. Warning - I did what I could to keep spoilers out of the reviews, giving no more information than what you could read off a dust jacket, but if you want to know absolutely nothing about the books I would stop before reading.
Book One: Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn
Personal Score: 6.0 out of 10
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This was a fairly good beginning to the trilogy, but in end I thought it could have been a lot stronger. Zahn's characterization of Thrawn was really the best part of this book. Thrawn oozed a manner of intelligence and brilliant emotion that simply couldn't be matched by anybody on the Republic's side. I think this may be because, in typical good vs. evil form, the side of evil has only a couple champions representing it (i.e. Thrawn and C'baoth), whereas the side of good splits itself up into many different champions who have to work together as a team to defeat evil (Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, Mon Mothma, Karrde (in his own way), Mara (in her own way), etc.). Having only a couple evil entities allowed Zahn to concentrate more on them and tell their story better, whereas Zahn had to split his storytelling efforts many more ways on the side of good and I think some of the feeling/emotion got lost on the way. As I said in a previous post above, this book also made heavy use of "memories" which distracted from the storytelling, and I occasionally rolled my eyes at yet another Star Wars analogy/metaphor which really didn't need said (i.e. stuff like (paraphrased) "he was as nervous as a rancor on ice").
But, thanks to a couple really good characters and a storyline that was intriguing, I was interested enough in the series to continue on to....
Book Two: Dark Force Rising by Timothy Zahn
Personal Score: 7.8 out of 10
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Ah, now this was a better book. The Republic's characters are finally starting to feel "alive". There are far fewer moments of "memories" (they still exist, but not as much), in general all the characters feel like they are actually living, breathing, sentient creatures, and I wasn't able to predict what was going to happen or be said quite as much. Except for Luke, that is. For a lot of the book, he was still quite wooden to me. Now, I know he is supposed to be guided by the Force, but I was constantly wishing the Force would cause him to do something surprising. I was able to predict most of his movements, what he was going to say, and in general what he was going to do. It was no surprise for me to imagine that Thrawn could predict his every move as well! But I was happy that he started "thinking" a bit more towards the end and I was happy to see him in more situations with "grey areas" that would need think his way through.
Beyond that, the continuing struggles during the war continued the intriguing storyline and the couple surprises at the end were great (well, not for the Republic, but you know what I mean). I like that the Noghri were more featured and the reasons for why they did what they did were explained. And of course, the story didn't end here, it ended in.....
Book Three: The Last Command by Timothy Zahn
Personal Score: 8 out of 10
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A good ending to a mediocre beginning, The Last Command was the closest book in the series to be called a page turner. One of the main things that bugged me about the last book, i.e. Luke's woodenness, was fixed by putting him back into more situations with Mara. Luke's character simply came alive when he was put into situations with her, and it was enjoyable to read the interplay between those two characters. Of course, part of this comes from her wanting to kill him, but what are you going to do? 
My main complaint with this book concerns the ending and the events leading up to it. Now, I'm not going to spoil the end for anybody who hasn't read it, but if you have you will probably get what I'm talking about here. The ending feels like it was copied and pasted from Return of the Jedi with some of the names and locations changed to protect the innocent. The play that the Republic makes that doesn't fool the Empire, the trap, the small strike force going to take out a necessary installation, etc. The details are different, sure, and the final battle played out differently, but the similarities were enough to cause me to groan. Now, don't get me wrong, it was still quite interesting to read. Zahn did have quite a few surprises up his sleeve, both in the ending and throughout the whole book, that I didn't see coming. I just think that Zahn could have come up with a better way to present the ending that didn't make it feel like he just watched ROTJ right before he sat down to write.
Overall Series Personal Score: 7.5 out of 10 (not an average)
Recommended?: Certainly. While I don't think this series is a must read, I think this series was a good starting point to the Star Wars Expanded Universe, and if you can get past the slowness of the first book I feel you will be pleasantly rewarded for your time.
For myself, I'm moving on to Specter of the Past by Timothy Zahn to see what is happening 10 years later....
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echo-3
Title: CR & President
Bloomington, Ind.
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
10/5/06 4:11pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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LOL
very good review Tim, This series is one of my favorites. I dont read many books, even SW related but Tim Zahn is my favorite.
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Bodknocks
Title: Hoosier Alliance Jedi Council
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
10/25/06 11:24am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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A Tag and Bink TPB has been announced. I thought this picture of the cover was cool.
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http://boards.theforce.net/Board.aspx?brd=10417 -- The Hoosier Alliance "Yub, yub, Commander." -- Wes Janson to Wedge Antilles Recipient of Thrawn McEwok's Twin Twi'lek Masseuses™
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Sword_of_SPEA
Registered:
Feb '05
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Date Posted:
11/21/06 4:20am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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For anyone else who's now reading the Legacy Series (the books, not to be confused with the comics) the next book: Tempest comes out in a week! From the leaking of the DP and different tid-bits it looks awesome. (and Denning is the coolest guy ever, so it's awesome no matter what).
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"Remember, your focus determines your reality"
Qui-Gon Jinn, TPM
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Jedi_Narf
Title: Hoosier Alliance Web Master
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
2/12/07 5:06am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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OK, I have a question for whoever might know. I'm currently reading "Jedi Search" by Kevin J. Anderson and Luke keeps referencing when he apprenticed for a while under the resurrected Emperor and learned some of the ways of the dark side (just like Vader did). Now, as far as I know using a list I found at Wikipedia (Link) the time line went straight from the early Thrawn trilogy (9 ABY) right to Jedi Search (11 ABY). Is there a book that's missing in this list that chronicles what happened with Luke and the resurrected Emperor in 10 ABY?
Later,
T.
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darth_tristar
Registered:
Oct '05
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Date Posted:
2/12/07 8:04am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Technically it was a comic series by Dark Horse. Try reading Dark Empire I and II and Empire's End. That should fill in all of the holes. You should be able to find them all in trade paperback.
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Jedi_Narf
Title: Hoosier Alliance Web Master
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
2/12/07 8:10am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Thanks!
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darth_tristar
Registered:
Oct '05
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Date Posted:
2/12/07 7:27pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Not a problem! They just released Dark Empire II together with Empire's End in one trade paperback. You should be able to pick it up at any comic store. Finding Dark Empire I in paperback may be a little harder, but with a little digging you should be able to find it.
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daemondred
Registered:
Nov '05
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Date Posted:
2/15/07 6:35am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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If you can't find them let me know and I can help you out
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Jedi_Narf
Title: Hoosier Alliance Web Master
Registered:
Jul '06
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Date Posted:
2/15/07 10:15am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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daemondred posted:
If you can't find them let me know and I can help you out
Cool beans, thanks. I'm probably going to go ahead and go through the Jedi Academy trilogy first and then look up the Dark Empire stuff then.
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echo-3
Title: CR & President
Bloomington, Ind.
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
5/12/07 7:39pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Hey guys , I just wanted to let everybody that dint know, iTunes has a huge assortment of books up starting at $12.95.
Today I bought Shadows of the Empire & The Mandalorian Wars for $12.95 each. The cool thing is they only break it up into 2 parts instead of 50 or more. Try loading a 5 disk book onto your ipod . Its like adding 100 songs and if it doesnt add them in order...auuuh.
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Sword_of_SPEA
Registered:
Feb '05
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Date Posted:
6/12/07 8:28am
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Just thought I'd see what everyone was reading recently? I managed to haul my books out of "storage" and am reading them in chronological order. Finished all my PT books (mostly novelizations of the movie and Jedi Healer duology), and I maintain that Matthew Stover's novelization of RotS is still a must read for all fans. I have fallen deeply in love with the writing style of the book. Every "this is ____" section is wonderfully crafted.
Yeah, so anyone else reading/listening to anything good? I forgot to mention that only a week or two back they had a free expert from Sacrifice on iTunes, unfortunately I don't think it's there anymore
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"Remember, your focus determines your reality"
Qui-Gon Jinn, TPM
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daemondred
Registered:
Nov '05
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Date Posted:
6/12/07 7:02pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Currently, I am not reading any thing Star Wars related, just going through the Harry Potter books again in preparation for the last one coming out this summer. After that I might go back to wading through the New Jedi order series. I really should get through those so I can read the legacy books, which have looked really interesting.
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echo-3
Title: CR & President
Bloomington, Ind.
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
6/13/07 4:21pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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I just this past weekend finished SACERFICE by Karren Travis. Its the 5th(?) book in the series.
With out any spoilers I'll have to say over all I did not like this book as I felt it was to boring threw out the most part and the kick ass SHOCKING part was too short, but thats just me.
I loved BLOODLINES wich Travis also wrote but this book was just not for meI guess my biggest gripe was that is way to political.
$$/$$$$$
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echo-3
Title: CR & President
Bloomington, Ind.
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
2/6 4:22pm
Subject:
RE: Official Star Wars Book discussion Thread
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Bump thread to unlock.
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