Lit Literature member interviews

Well, I did get a holiday to Venice out of AC2, was walking round San Marco Piazza and had the oddest sense of deja vu!

 

13. What are your favorite SW novels and short stories?

It really boils down to sets of books by authors:

Zahn: TTT, HoT, SQ/OF, even A/CoO are fun reads if you don't expect a big 3 story.
Stackpole: X-Wing 1-4, 8
Luceno: TUF, CoD, LoE, DL, DP
Reaves: DM:SH, Medstar, CN1-4, SG, DS
Miller: KE, Kenobi
Allston: X-Wing 5-7, 9, Mercy Kill
Stover: Shatterpoint, ROTS, Mindor

For short stories the 5 Tales books are very hard to beat, but the recent Lost Tribe omnibus is a worthy addition. The 6 books do an excellent job of expanding the universe. It may be said that the stories are not needed, but this misses the point of an EU, which is to expand the story.

14. What do you like and dislike about The Clone Wars?

I love the idea of the Clone Wars being a dual purpose super-trap.

The assumption is that it's a trap for the Jedi, which it is - it's a way to whittle their numbers down, turn some to the dark side and then place the remainder in spread out, isolated positions for the final slaughter of Order 66.

But there's far more to it, as of the end of AOTC, it is not enough to simply have the galaxy convinced of the need to both have an army and use it in warfare, the galaxy, used to a millennium of peace, must reacquire a more militaristic outlook, it must view the state as superior to the individuals who pledge to serve it - and the Clone Wars are the mechanism by which this is done. So successful is it, that by the time of ROTS, when Sidious declares the Galactic Empire it is but practically a formality. The Empire has already existed for some time!

There's little I dislike although Ventress really should be dead. What I don't care for is the way the first set of material basically got steam-rollered for a re-do, sure you might be able to fix the chronology creatively but should you have to? I think not.

 

To be quite honest, there's little point asking me about the The Clone Wars series 2008-2013, I haven't watched it nor do I have any interest in doing so!

 

Now just hold your otter-obsessed-horses a moment: Did you, at the very least, watch the original 2003-2005 run? Because if not, we're through, Jedi Ben. Through, I tell you. I will take all your comic-aficionado advice and toss it to the winds, since it would be clear to me you're nothing more than an uncultured fiend.

 

That one - I do happen to have....Very well, that'll be the answer for 14b.

(That the DVD was cheap and easily obtainable helped too.)

That particular series was short 'n' sweet, some found the Jedi to be ludicrously over-powered, for myself it's one of the times where my interest in continuity has its limits, namely I don't really care about trying to reconcile the cartoon with the comics. Where the series really interested me was in the economy of the story-telling. Remember, stories like Judge Dredd work in 6-page episodes, for stories like Charley's War it's 3 pages - you can do a lot with very little. These Clone Wars cartoons were the animation example of that.

Next Q15....

 

The same goes for me and Umbara. Get on it, Ben.

 

Well, I guess I am uncultured, Coop. I don't care how good any of the stories are if TCW itself screws with the rest of the Clone Wars EU.

 

I have nothing but the highest respect for anyone who made it through all five seasons of TCW. (And the largest amount of sympathy humanely possible.)

 

Coop, Barriss, it's entirely academic now, but whether threat or promise, it's a lousy one as the loss is yours!

And Coop? Do try reading the posts before replying dear fellow!

 

Bear in mind Zeta they're referring to something quite different than the infamous later Clone Wars cartoons:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Clone_Wars_(2003_TV_series)

 

Coop was referring to the Umbara arc from TCW, which is supposed to be good, and that is what I was commenting on. I actually like GTCW, my acronym for the old Clone Wars series. Though I don't think I really got to see GTCW beyond in passing until I found it on YouTube, and I would try and find it if it was still readily available. I am all too familiar with the differences between the two cartoons.

 

Oho? Well since he neglected to give any context to render it meaningful, the term went right by me!

 

Can't believe I've saying this, but Zeta's right.

 

The only reason I even know about what Coop was referring to with Umbara is, because I was on the TV forums for a time, before everyone who had a negative opinion of TCW was drove out of there.

 

Sadly - or rather the opposite - there is more good stuff to experience in the world than anyone could manage in one lifetime, therefore we do have to choose some things over others!

 

You get points for being an adaptive interviewer! Q15 will be tomorrow though!

 

Just leaving this here.

 

Even i'm going to admit, as someone who didn't like the series, that the Umbara episodes are awesome. Krell and the clones are all portrayed wonderfully.

 

I have a response to that, but I think I will save it for if I am ever interviewed.

 

You don't need to save it, we all know it already.

 

15. If you could choose one Force power to have IRL, which one would it be and why?

Tempting as it would be to choke a fool or fry their arse with lightning, there really is only one to go for: Enhanced speed and reflexes!

I am a master at falling over, while 100% stone cold sober, on a perfectly flat surface, stairs? Ah, my old enemy! Well, not quite that bad and not as bad as escalators either. Hint: Falling down one, even a small one, ain't fun - got a colourful ankle from that one.

It is, all things considered, a pain in the arse, so yeah, not having to worry about this would be cool.