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Books Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void (Now the OFFICIAL, SPOILERS-ALLOWED release thread)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Lazy Storm Trooper, Sep 26, 2012.

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Would you read this novel

  1. Yes

    114 vote(s)
    89.1%
  2. No

    14 vote(s)
    10.9%
  1. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    I think, in cases like this, it depends on the series. There are certain series that have elements that I would prefer remain shrouded in mystery forever. In Star Wars case... it's become such a massive series, and I'd argue a large portion of the most appealing mythos were shot point blank by the prequel trilogy. I mean, the only real mysteries I can think of that we have left is the origin of the Jedi (which is now being unveiled, though frankly, it's not something I feel demands to be left to the imagination) and Yoda's backstory. There are lots of other little details that we don't know much about, but those are the two big ones I can think of.

    We've known about the origins of the Sith for ages, if it means anything. There is a certain inherent appeal in leaving the Jedi's origins a mystery, though if it comes down to a choice between upholding that continuing mystery or a good story (which, so far, DOTJ is proving to be), I would prefer the good story.
     
  2. MercenaryAce

    MercenaryAce Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 10, 2005
    I never really understood the appeal of mysteries that are never solved. Better to solve them, then add new mysteries in the process. That is how universes go.
     
    RC-1991 likes this.
  3. Danz Borin

    Danz Borin Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2012
    I guess we all differ on "mythos" and the destruction SW has done to its own mythos and if DOTJ is a good story on not as well.
     
  4. _Catherine_

    _Catherine_ Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2007
    That's true, but the prequels are already out so it's kind of a moot point.
     
  5. Danz Borin

    Danz Borin Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2012
    There's still plenty of mythos in SW (though, its quickly, very quickly eroding) that the EU/TCW doesn't need to destroy.
     
  6. QuentinGeorge

    QuentinGeorge Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2003
    Just think of how awesome the mystery could have been if we had no Star Wars movies at all.
     
  7. Ulicus

    Ulicus Lapsed Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 24, 2005
     
    Havac likes this.
  8. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2004
    It was called the 1990s...

    And it was awesome.
     
  9. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    Frankly, I don't care how this book turns out... any Star Wars book named for a Black Sabbath song is cool with me.

    Mystery can definitely be appealing. I just think, for something as freaking massive, and, let's face it, as cash grabbing as Star Wars, pretty much all will inevitably be unveiled. Better to have it revealed as a story by John and Jan than in a throw away reference in TCW or something. Though who knows, maybe we'll get that too.
     
  10. Danz Borin

    Danz Borin Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2012
    I've read the "backstory" for the comics and a description of it, and it doesn't matter if it was written by Stover, or Tolstoy, the idea of it just sounds horrible.
     
  11. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    On the whole "mystery vs revelation" thing, I suppose one point you could give mystery is the whole midi-chlorian thing. Many people claimed to hate the idea of midi-chlorians because it destroyed the mystery of the Force... I personally disliked it not for ruining the mystery, but for being a dumb concept in itself, but that's aside the point. In the whole idea of "poetic magic vs scientific magic" that runs through fantasy, the Force would definitely fall under the "poetic" heading, even with midi-chlorians. So, should the Star Wars universe be the same way? If it were only the movies and a few tie-in books, I'd say definitely. As of now, charting new ground seems to be the only break from constant monotony (though many writers have shown you can easily go back and do fantastic "fill in" novels, I really wish we would see more of those).

    Of course, you could also easily argue that the midi-chlorian example is a moot point, because even with them, we understand... well, nothing more about the Force than we did before.

    In this particular instance, however, all we really know that we didn't know before is that the Jedi began on Tython, and that was revealed in TOR. Now, we've just got the Tho Yor, which I'll agree is a somewhat strange concept, though I'll wait to see where it goes. DOTJ is much more a fun adventure story that just happens to precede everything else, rather than a story containing one ground shaking revelation after another. Part of me wishes it contained more of those, but it's only on its first arc. In fact, now that I think about it, the biggest revelations (besides the original Jedi wanting to balance between the light and dark, that one is pretty different) has to do with pre-existing continuity: the Rakata Infinite Empire. As of now, I just see DOTJ as a modern TOTJ (and I'm sure there were plenty that were offended of the idea at that), a story that happens to be set thousands of years before everything else, but not one that rocks the foundation of the universe at its core.
     
  12. RC-1991

    RC-1991 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2009
    On the whole, I'm quite pleased with DotJ. I'm looking forward to the novel. With any luck DotJ comics+novel will do well enough that the publishers realize what a an untapped goldmine the early Republic era is. Though if it turns into another Jedi vs. Sith story, I'm done. The canon specifically says that the Dark Lords of the Sith were founded in 6900 BBY, and the whole Jedi vs. Sith conflict growing staler by the second.

    Here's a question outside of the whole "mythos" discussion- do we know how closely tied to the comics this is? Are we looking at something similar to Knight Errant- where the novel featured the comic characters and took place between arcs- or will this feature a different cast altogether, set in the same period but a different location?
     
  13. _Catherine_

    _Catherine_ Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2007
    Legions of Lettow. Not necessarily in this series, but one day, please. [face_praying]
     
  14. RC-1991

    RC-1991 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2009
    See, that I wouldn't mind, as long as the Legions of Lettow are written as, well the Legions of Lettow, and not carbon copies of the Sith. I'd love to see Xendor, Arden Lyn, the Battle of Columus, etc. With Xendor (based on his bit in the Guide to Warfare) we might even get to see all the crazy sweet Force-using sects that he visited before he caused the schism. Though my real preference is Republic vs. Hutts/Tion/Alsakan Conflicts.
     
  15. Jedi Trace

    Jedi Trace Former RSA star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Dec 15, 1999
    I enjoyed the comics very much and I'm sure I'll give it a shot. Just wish John O. was writing it.
     
  16. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    Yeah, don't need Sith. Rakata are easily enough villain for one series. Though I wouldn't mind some dark Jed'ai, since I would really like to see what drives them to abandon the whole "balance between the light and the dark" philosophy.
     
  17. Lazy Storm Trooper

    Lazy Storm Trooper Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 18, 2012
    The dark Jed'ai would be interesting.
     
  18. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2004
    While I'd enjoy some dark Je'daii, I'm even more interested in some far too obsessively light Je'daii.

    The image currently in my head is simply of some passive monks who are no help to the rest of Tython at all, "The Force will provide," "The Rakatan invasion is the will of the Force," "His death was the Force's will" or some such similarly unhelpful dogma.

    But that's just the image I've got. I'd love to see what the ones sent to Ashla are indeed like.
     
  19. Lazy Storm Trooper

    Lazy Storm Trooper Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 18, 2012
    I wonder how many arcs are planned in the comic series. We could see a whole lot in that era and if this novel is good I would like to see more.
     
  20. Lugija

    Lugija Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 3, 2009
    Speaking about revealing mysteries, I have long thought that of course you can give an answer to a mystery, as long as you introduce another mystery. Case in point: while prequel films showed what the Clone Wars were about, how the Republic fell and so on, they also introduced the idea that there's a cult of Sith which has been thought to be extinct since Darth Bane, and the Rule of Two, and that a long time ago the Sith ruled the galaxy. The first Tales of the Jedi comics made references to an ancient war between the Sith and the Republic, which was later told in Golden Age of the Sith. And that comic told us about the Hundred-Year Darkness and Dark Jedi conquering the Sith Space.

    Here's a timeline of major events I just made. Arrows are references. Red events are yet to be told outside source-books.
    [​IMG]
    This of course raises the question: Does DotJ introduce any mysteries beyond 25,000 BBY?
     
  21. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    Of course! The comic formally began in 37,000 BBY, with the Tho Yor awakening across the galaxy... summoning and gathering Force-sensitives. That's a pretty big mystery.
     
  22. Sinrebirth

    Sinrebirth Mod-Emperor of the EUC, Lit, RPF and SWC star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Nov 15, 2004
    Probably because the Jed'ai met the Rakata and realised that they didn't need to balance themselves because there is plenty of darkness for them to act as the light of.
     
  23. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Yeah. Unless DotJ answers it, the Tho Yor will take their place as the "So we know where the Jedi came from, but where did those come from then?" mystery.

    I'm also curious about where all the Sith went -- my expectation is that with the Je'daii split, and then the Force Wars, the Sith will either just run off to Korriban, or Andeddu's place, or just all die, but it stands to be seen whether or not we'll get that story in DotJ or need to wait for something later.
     
  24. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    I'm hoping there's a few dozen hidden Je'daii colonies existing into post-FOTJ times, kind of the mirror-image of Kesh, that have light-sided Red Sith existing harmoniously with the other species. Stuck somewhere in the Deep Core or the Unknown Regions.
     
    darklordoftech likes this.
  25. Dr. Steve Brule

    Dr. Steve Brule Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 7, 2012
    I actually think the origin of the Sith is a good warning example. I far, far preferred it when the Sith and Jedi emerged at basically the same 25,000 BBY timeframe. We all know, for better or for worse, that the Sith and the Jedi are the great yin and yang of Star Warsian conflict and historical development, and having them mirror each other from the start was, IMO, far more satisfying than having the Sith emerge tens of thousands of years later.

    Especially if that massive change was done simple due to a single, easy-hand-wavable line about a single Dark Jedi using a lightsaber. Talk about over-kill, over-compensation, over-whatever-you-want.