main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit SOS: Save Our Skywalker, Luke Skywalker (v3)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Jedi Ben, Mar 22, 2008.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    thought so too. I really didn't like SotME at all

    interesting. This is probably the only book with Luke in it that i have not read. Luke fans have suggested it to me.
     
  2. Mat Skywalker

    Mat Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2005
    I found an article that focuses on the topic of habit buying, while the center of the focus is on comics this could apply to books as well. Please read it when you get a chance. I felt this was relevant due to the trend of current Luke books now a days. I wanted to ask how many of you felt that you have bought bad books either in the past or presently cause they feature Luke in it ? I know I felt that way once I passed Inferno in the LOTF series back in 05-06, after that I gave most of my collection to the library saved for two books. I know the fact that Luke is featured in one medium(for now) affected my decisions in buying books.

    From there I have tried my best to buy books as carefully as I could on the basis of the book featuring my favorite character in-character(personality, actions, etc, "wow" moments), a good story arc, and rereading value. I currently own 7 books and 2 comic trades, where I originally owned about 20-30 EU books.

    http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/12/12/hey-thats-my-cape-stop-reading-comics-you-dont-like
     
  3. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    I'll get back to other commens later - just MS now 'cos it's so easy and non-debatable and my head's dead

    To be honest, I buy very few SW books out of earnest hope they'll be actually good... I even bought Chrystal Star a couple of months ago, just because it has Luke in it... But because I know how bad that book is, I bougth it second hand - my own little rebellion against my own compulsive habits...o_O

    Ok, edit to this post - now I read the article too and it definitely has a good point. Then again - living in Denmark, I have the hell of a time to get to read the books if I don't buy them - it's not like they're available at the lokal library. Second - I write fanfic - and canon-close fics among that - and thus need to have the books available for reference. Third - I've been fairly ok with the recent novels and thus have no problem buying them. As a protest against CoO I doubt I'll buy Scoundrel's in hardback, though. Still, if it gets good revs, I'll probably buy it when it gets out in paperback - also as it doesn't have Luke in it.
     
  4. Tim Battershell

    Tim Battershell Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    The only SW books I've ever regretted buying were SoTME and Death Troopers. The first I can't do anything about, the second, well that author is now on my 'do not consider' list.
     
  5. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    My habit, such as it is, is long, long broken!

    COW,

    I don't think it is anywhere explicit in CoO that Mara is boosted by Sidious, but it's quite plausible and is suggested by Thrawn in the earlier works, Zahn likes to self-reference so....

    As to Jacen, it's a possibility, but that doesn't mean it is either probable or should be. For instance, there's nothing to say Jacen couldn't have drawn on that experience as a form of inspiration for his next steps in a positive way.
     
  6. Mat Skywalker

    Mat Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2005
    I'm usually non-debatable :p

    lol, I would like you to explain me why do you buy bad books ? I know people who take an odd joy in bad movies.....is it because Crystal Star is so bad it's good ?

    I thought so.

    good point, my library has them in spades. Although I hardly used the library back in 05.

    good point.

    even though I enjoyed CoO, I'm not really interested in seeing a Solo book.


    I can imagine with those two, I'm very please with myself for just borrowing DT.....the book seems like bad fanfiction. I think when I was younger I totally abhorred VotF to the point I ripped it in half and I praised CoPL. Now I praise VotF and after my recent rereading of CoPL I threw it out.

    how about with comics ? o_O
     
  7. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    has anyone read "The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi?' interesting , what little i have read. It comed from Luke's perspective at times as he is learning to build his lightsaber after ESB. I swear some of this must come directly from SotE
     
  8. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    MasterSkywalker86:
    LOL! Good point! ;)

    That's pretty much the way I feel about it too. Maybe it would have been a far better series if they would have pared it down to about 5 books instead of 19. There was far too much filler, and Luke and the other heroes had to look incompetent for far too long in order to allow 19 books to be published. It was very annoying and frustrating to see Luke sitting passively on the sidelines for far, far too long.

    Sounds like Luke would be performing some pretty amazing miracles there! ;)

    I just don't know that Abeloth would work all that well as the villain of the sequel trilogy. She just seems too "cartoony" and weird.


    Yes, I would say that you do! Good luck!

    ?.... ?.... and ? I don't understand what you're trying to say here, MS.


    I have found both of them difficult.


    That's for sure!!!! It sounded like Luke was going to be the most important character in the book. That was certainly false advertizing! :mad:


    So far, I haven't gotten the impression that she was unhappy about anything. Maybe later in the book?

    I'd like to see that fact made clearer.







    JediMatteus:
    I'm glad you were able to enjoy it, JM. I wish that I could have! I just really didn't like the basic premise of an alien invasion from another galaxy, and I was really disappointed in Luke's characterization and roles throughout most of the NJO. It was SO very long too! For those of us who didn't like it, the NJO amounted to four long years of mostly disappointing and frustrating SW books. The NJO was really only ONE story that took 4 years and 19 books to tell. There were no other choices either. Those were the only SW stories involving the Big Three for FOUR years. If you didn't like the story, you were stuck with it anyway or you could stop reading SW EU. Many people made the decision to stop reading during the NJO and never returned. Maybe the new film will lure them back...

    Read it! I'd be interested in your "take" on it! It's been a very long time since I read it. Most of what happened in it is pretty vague now, but I know that I had a very negative reaction to it back then.

    As for your question about the Obi-wan book, I don't have it and haven't read it, but if it's the book that Dewback Rancher spoke about a long time ago, it sounded pretty good. I may someday try to find it at the library.

    More tomorrow...
     
  9. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Comics is getting there MS, getting there!
     
  10. Mat Skywalker

    Mat Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2005
    Can't say I have, although I remember Luke talking about building his lightsaber at great length in other books.

    well buying hordes of them doesn't help but I understand what you mean. Although with you being the biggest advocate of DarkHorse on this particular thread, has DH really wane in interest for you ?

    too long, too dark, too alien(the irony), and not enough of my character in the series to recommend it.

    just another day in the galaxy for him;)

    the idea of Abeloth, yes. The particular character no. There is something fascinating about Luke facing a great evil in which only he can handle, that feels Star Wars to me.

    thank you, after this I graduate :D

    just a joke. I think you were complaining that we weren't talking about Luke enough on the thread due to it being dead for the week so I decided to make up for lost time ;)

    why ? I can understand for Allegiance but why do you feel that way for CoO ? was it due to the blurb or my favorable review ?

    Luke makes more bank than EU characters :cool:

    it's very noticeable when she works with the Hand of Judgement

    it's rather clear in TTT, and both Allegiance and CoO mention it a couple of times.
     
  11. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    DHC's SW line does remain one of the major trade buys, with the majority of their TPBs being bought, it's rare I won't pic up a DHC trade but it happens - Darth Maul: Death Sentence, Old Republic stuff are 2 examples where I won't buy. In the main, they've got one of the best quality reps going and is mostly maintained despite some bad mis-steps over the last few years. Company I'm buying far more from is Image, while Marvel, DC and Vertigo greatly reduce.
     
  12. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    I like this theory. Either that - or she's somehow wounded in the Force after ROTJ to explain why she looses her powers after her death. But if she's wounded, there should be some scars afterwards - and since we never hear of them, I think your theory is better.


    LOL I buy bad books because I want to write fanfics that explain why this all happened and Luke is STILL a super guy! I wish i could say I'm joking, but I fear its pretty close to the truth. It was definitely fanfic that drove me into buying EU books. First you buy the good ones. then you buy the ones less good but that contain vital events like say JAT. In the end you lack only a handfull and you think: what the heck, I can as well make the collection complete. Besides, there's only a few bookshops that sell SW books and two of them lie on Copenhagen, both specialized in fantasy and sci fi. I support those stores by buying SW books - if I buy only teh good ones - and it every one thinks the same way - then those stores might not be around when the next good book comes out.



    I know exactly what you mean.



    I haven't read it all but is seems to be like the Luke bio - bascially retelling stuff from other sources. Not that I mind at all, but you shouldn't look for new things in it

    It's retold in JediVersusSith. A very nice little scene where Luke recalls his struggles for a group of students.

    Hey! GOOD LUCK!!! Tell us if tehre's a particular time we should keep our fingers crossed!
     
  13. Mat Skywalker

    Mat Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2005
    I think it's mentioned in CoO/Allegiance during her conversations with Palps, but also TTT had her p'oed at Skywalker for her lost of powers among other things. There was also the short story in Star Wars Tales where mentions it as well.




    quite an endeavor



    I understand, although you could buy other books you like from them instead of bad SW books right ?




    yeah that's the one I remember

    thanks I think I'm all done this coming thursday
     
  14. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    MasterSkywalker86:
    Well, I've read books that were bad (like most of LotF and FotJ ) because I knew that Luke and his family would be in them, but the library has been a good friend. ;) I do own all of the Bantam books in which Luke played a role, good or bad.

    I haven't read the article that you suggested yet, but will when I have a chance.








    kataja :
    Buying it second hand or at a place like Half Price Books, is a good idea.

    Those are two good reasons for buying them. And, if you really enjoy them, that's the best reason of all.








    Tim Battershell:
    Ah! Another one who didn't like SoTME. I'm glad I'm not the only one!








    Jedi Ben:
    Very true. I agree. At least that one didn't come out of absolute nowhere though, unlike Denning's Luke in TJK who suddenly has a philsophy that didn't make any sense and wasn't consistent with TUF at all.









    MasterSkywalker86:
    I'm not either, and I'm not sure exactly why.... I know the lack of Luke is one factor, but I also think it's probably because there won't be any Jedi in the story, and I guess I see Jedi as one thing that makes SW unique. Without them, they don't seem as much like a SW story. I would have enjoyed a book with a Luke/Han/Chewie adventure though.


    :::Wince!:::::: That was harsh! I actually really liked CoPL.









    JediMatteus:
    I haven't read it, but it sounds plausible that it came from SotE.








    MasterSkywalker86:
    Ah! I think you're right about that!

    I don't think I read that one. What's the name of the story? Do you remember?


    Good luck with the tests this week!
     
  15. Tim Battershell

    Tim Battershell Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    The X-Wing series didn't have Jedi in them either -- but most people seem to find them good reads and very much SW!
     
  16. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    My secret mission in life :p

    Hey, I have trouble finding time to read as it is - I don't wannna get hooked on another megaseries. And as for books in general - well I have a very big bookshell , full of books I look forward to, so...

    I'll keep my fingers crossed! [:D]

    Yes, we have a second hand comic shop close to my work taht I try to support whenever I come by. Plus there are a couple of cons where people come with their old stuff.

    Well, even if I don't enjoy the actual reading process, I can be fascinated by how differently people approach the same universe. I really like comparing writing styles!

    Good point. Yes, I'd definitely agree to both as well. That is, Stackpole's prose rubbs me the wrong way, but I can still appreciate the plot and the ideas he has for SW. Allston's books are superb IMO - pure fun and adventure!

    But of course I lacked Luke in these books. [face_thinking] Ok, that was worded wrong. I don't lack Luke in the existing X-wing novels, 'cos they're very complete as they are. But I lack X- Wing books with Luke in it! I'd love to see some stories that had that same adventure spirit, but that focused on Luke's time as Rogue - and his adventures with his squadron mates. We've had so many Han, Luke Leia stories (at least if you count in the comics)- but almost nothing about Luke and his other friends.
     
  17. Mat Skywalker

    Mat Skywalker Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2005
    Yup the library is an invaluable asset, while I regret that I bought the first 6 LotF books I did manage to read all of FotJ via the library. I think CoPL was the last bad book with Luke I owned but got rid of [face_devil]

    For the past 4-5 years I usually use the library for any new EU books that I'm not certain on, which means most of them. The latest Luke book I bought without doing that was Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor back during it's release. But the book had so many good reviews and word of mouth from this thread that I felt confident with buying the book before actually reading it. It's one of my favorites to this day.

    let me know when you do.

    I kind of expect that from the first Star Wars book which didn't had many restrictions during those days. Why did they incorporate that book into canon baffles me, but is a good sign that they might incorporate more plausible stories from EU to the new films.

    Luke Skywalker, Jedi, and The Force makes Star Wars unique to me as well(and what I look for in books), although there are other factors in the GFFA that stand out among other Sci-fi genres. As Tim mentioned Rogue Squadron and their aerial assaults as freedom fighters is what makes Star Wars to some Star Wars. Bounty Hunters and the criminal element bring out a depth to the galaxy in the sense that the Empire has allowed evil to thrive and prosper. There's also the unique alien cultures, Tusken Raiders, Ewoks, Wookiees, Gungans, etc.

    *In a dark tone* If the book will not be enjoyed then it'll be destroyed! [face_devil]

    I actually though want to cut back from throwing away books if possible, hence I try to buy books I would like.

    It's not really subtle but in comparison to Mara's proficiency it's easy to forget the content is there at times.

    Mara Jade: A Night on the Town, it's a canon short-story featured in the SW Tales series. It takes place after ROTJ and perhaps during By The Emperor's Hand. I remember one distinct scene where she struggled with telekinetically moving her saber when she was being covert in neutralizing a guard droid.

    http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Mara_Jade:_A_Night_on_the_Town

    thanks, this semester has been making me work for it.

    my secret mission is to get super powers :D or somehow to move things with my mind.....whatever comes first :p

    how many mega series are you hook on ? But I somewhat understand what you mean, reading the bad among the good books of the EU brings a type of familiarity to it and benefits you as well.

    thanks....it has been a long time in the making, I still have to take the CPA exam after I graduate but one thing at a time I suppose.

    can you give me examples of the different writing styles, like we always praised Timothy Zahn, James Luceno, and Matthew Stover, but abhorred Barbara Hambly and Kevin James Anderson. what works for some and not for others ? especially in handling the character of Luke.

    that is a big point I noticed, we lack a lot of stories with Luke as Rogue Leader. While Wedge spent most of his career as Rogue One Luke was the one who started the flight squadron. There should be a couple of books dedicated to him as a pilot like there should be more solo books where he's a jedi knight in his early years. I never notice the lack of Luke books as a pilot until I read SOTE. The scene where he flies with Rogue Squadron on Gall made me wonder why there aren't more of these during the Galactic Civil War.

    There was a comic mini-series called Rogue Leader that took place right after ROTJ and before Bakura I think, but Luke doesn't fly at that point he's a full jedi knight. He does save one of the rogues by telekinetically supporting a falling AT-ST.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]



    exactly, the organized criminal element also feels uniquely Star Wars.
     
  18. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    Only SW - but that's more than enough :p

    What is CPA? Sorry - me english appreviations not be good ;)

    Glad you agree. Yes, the SOTE scene was very nice. Only that's far too little. And as you say, in Rogue Leader Luke's more Jedi than Rogue.

    BTW - how the heck do you add pics on this site? I tried to, from my own computer, but it didn't work out at all. Then I tried to upload the pic to Flickr, but it still didn't work!???

    Oh dear. It's hard to answer quickly to that - and withut makeing a whole lot of quotes. Well, lets' take KJA - he has got a whole lot of ideas - they practically pour out of his pen, all in good adveture style. If his prose was better, his books would be such a hit. But his second big problem is that his interest in his charcater's inner life is practically zero. His charcaters feel what the plot requires them to feel - and the explanations we get are not much more complicated than that. Luckily for him, in good adventures, characters and plot do correnspond pretty often, but we never get more than stereotypes from his pen. His exact opposite is Stover - who bascially can't have a scene without thinking around in in terms of why's and how does this affect the characters. An author like Barbara Hamlby actually has got a nice balance between these two: plot and character. She also writes a suggestive language that however has a certain mannerism and a pretty obvious use of 'devices' (like in CoPL there is this song that appears again and again, like a charm in a fairytale - but that seemed perrty odd (at elast to me) in terms of SW). Hambly in turn, has the same tendency as Zahn - to 'state' characteristics for her characters rather than show them. Ok, Zahn does show them, but often in a pretty wordy way - and not seldom rather 'thought out'. In contrast, he has an unbeaten eye for 'deliscious' scenarios. Luceno, I can't pin down yet - I never manage to get through his books, so I have him supscted for writing complicated sentences and using a varied language that I as non- native english reader find hard to follow. But he's definitely an intelligent writer who doesn't write down to his audience. Just like Stover. Allston is one of my absolute favs - he focuses on telling a good story and he always has an idea of what he wants with his characters in that particular story. Also, his writing style is very smooth - as author he makes little noice about himself and it would probably be hard to recognize a single text of his among others'. Wolverton has the same force and weakness as KJA - but his ideas are more colorful (they remind me of Edgar Rice Burroughs) and his language's better. Interesting is also that neither KJA or Wolverton use that much humor in theor stories (in contarst to f.ex. Allston). And I don't think it would be possible to find one grain irony in them - in contrast to Stover's works which can contain many layers of it. Denning, I'd say, is pretty straightforward in his style, though I know he does things that some people find unbearable - I just haven't been able to pinpoint what it is. His forte is that he weaves in ideas for new stories into his present ones - but his problem (or one of them) is that he's inclined to leave too many of them gaping too wide at the end of his books, denying the readers the feeling of a proper conclusion.

    Really, this question of yours is most interesting, but to do the authors credit - it would be best to take a couple of charpers form here and there and analyze them more properly. That above is more general observatons I've made - and theyr'e maybe not quite fair.
     
  19. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
  20. Tim Battershell

    Tim Battershell Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2012
    Photobucket is easy to set up an account with and use (and it's free) -- it helpfully provides a drop-down list of four popular linking formats if you mouse over an uploaded image (for on here, use the Direct Link; second down -- mouse over the Direct Link URL info and click to automatically copy, then, in here, click the Insert/edit image above the reply box and paste the link into the pop-up box, then click on Insert). If you have a Facebook account you can also do it from there, only you have to bring the image up to full-size by clicking it in the album, right click, select 'properties' and copy all of the link info (may be several lines worth), again paste into the pop-up box on here etc. Wookipedia and Wiki images, do the same -- and it probably will be several lines worth of link info with those.

    Hope this helps!
     
  21. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    Thanks Tim and Ben! I'll see if I can figure it out. I'm pretty blonde though, when comes to stuff like that.

    And lazy - I hate figuring out new things ;)
     
  22. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    I finished "The Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi" Good book, most of it i already knew. What makes the whole book worth reading is when Obi-Wan's spirit watches in shock as Vader saves Luke , and is redeemed and then Obi-Wan teaches Anakin how to become corpeal and retain his essence. forgivness is given.
     
    kataja likes this.
  23. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    That's one of my favourite bits- another is where Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan how he's arranged for Shmi to receive something which will help her obtain her freedom.
     
    kataja likes this.
  24. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    Haven't had very much time to read much more of the Luke Skywalker biography lately. However, I did some reading today. Still following Luke on Tatooine, and I really enjoyed a scene that had Luke and Biggs find themselves on the site where Anakin slaughtered the Tusken tribe. Luke is able to sense something there, something that physically pains him, to the point where he nearly begs to get away. I don't know if he was sensing the pain of both Shmi and the Tuskens, or Anakin's anger (perhaps both), but I liked how Luke was not only able to sense that, but those emotions caused him distress. I'm probably looking into it too much, but I think it shows some of Luke's gentleness; where Anakin thrived off of those negative emotions, they're enough to physically hurt Luke.

    I really enjoyed that part as well. Anakin's apology was touching.
     
    kataja likes this.
  25. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    Tim Battershell:
    I read them, and I pretty much liked them, BUT, I really did miss the Jedi in general, and Luke in particular in them. It was actually disappointing that Luke didn't participate in at least one mission with the other X-wing pilots. And, I guess I disagree that the X-wing books seemed all that much like SW books. If the names of the characters, planets, and ships were changed, they really could have taken place in pretty much any universe involving small fighter ships and outer space. I really do feel that it's the Jedi and the Force which makes SW unique from other universes.







    kataja:
    EXACTLY! I completely agree. Luke should have been involved in at least one X-wing adventure story.









    MasterSkywalker86:
    They're what I look forward to the most too, though I enjoy other elements as well. But definitely Jedi and the Force are unique only to SW.


    Thanks, MS!


    I think they started it together, but I completely agree that we have far too few stories with Luke as Rogue Leader. There were many, many early fan fictions stories about Luke as Rogue leaders, but not all that much in the Pro fiction.

    We definitely need more!


    It must take palce AFTER Bakura, because Bakura takes place immediately after RotJ, I believe.
    I remember the Rogue Leader comic book title, but I think that was about Wedge, not Luke, right?







    kataja:
    I think it stands for Certified Public Accountant.

    I'll respond to the rest of your message tomorrow!
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.