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Author	Topic: Journey Through the EU: Disc. Jedi Quest 6: The Shadow Trap
Kast_Morben Registered: Aug '01	Date Posted: 6/6/05 4:59am Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I've only seen the picture of Thon in the Essential Chronology, and doesn't he have little arms in that picture that stick out from the front of his body. I just thought he used those to hold a lightsaber? -----signature----- Thanks to everyone who supported the bid London 2012, here we come!
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 6/6/05 7:26pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	The video games are the one aspect that I'll probably have to steer clear of, sadly. And great comments all. 3,998 Years before ANH: The Freedon Nadd Uprising – Tom Veitch Tott Doneeta threw this title out when he showed up to borrow Oss Willum in The Saga of Nomi Sunrider. So at the point this story starts, the uprising has been going on for around two years? That’s a bit odd, isn’t it? So, we’re all together again with Nomi Sunrider showing up to help our previously established Oderon group quell the uprising of people who were adherents of Freedon Nadd. The new queen reveals that her father, a follower of Freedon Nadd, is still alive in a secret medical facility. This is perhaps something it would have been nice to have heard about TWO YEARS AGO! The King, Ommin, is a great villain, very creepy looking. Of course, the fact that all these Jedi are getting their asses handed to them by a dead guy and a sickly old man who can’t even stand up on his own is hardly inspiring. If you guessed that one of the Jedi would get their hand cut off, give yourself a gold star. Okay, wall of light, Freedon Nadd’s spirit banished, Ommin dies, crippled Jedi gets a mechanical hand. Blah blah blah blah. Extremely short which would tick me off except it was so weak, I was glad it was over so quickly. All in all, 1/2 out of **** stars. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Sturm Antilles Title: Former Manager Registered: Jun '00	Date Posted: 6/6/05 7:33pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	The simple story, and art, of TFNU is really...meh. The worst of the TotJ series for me, by far. -----signature----- "You're the most compliant rebel I've ever met." - jaya02 Currently reading : About seven different novels at once.
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Excellence Registered: Jul '02	Date Posted: 6/6/05 7:45pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	It rains, it snows, I still say Ulic Qel-Droma and Kir Kanos look the same. And looks belie Knights of the Old Republic, vanguard in the Tales of the Jedi series that it is. This is actually two different stories: the Onderon arc, and the Ambria part, starring bald-headed Nomi. Considering the next installment, the elusive to find Freedon Nadd Uprising continues the Onderon storyline, they should have included it as well. This is a time when the Republic is still growing, still exploring the stars for new worlds, still ripe for adventure. When Onderon requests Jedi meditation to resolve its internal strife, acclaimed Jedi Master Arca Jeth dispatches his three apprentices to end the civil strife. What they find is dark side mayhem and a 400-year-old Sith spirit, dead but not quite digested. The art quality is a sample of what you'll put up with in TOTJ: horrible. Comics now, dominated by the ever-popular Republic series, have never looked better; and despite how art technology back then isn't up to today's standards, console yourself that at least this is better than that dreadful so-called art of Dark Empire. Illustrations aren't so bad. It's just that things look cluttered and messy. But that's the theme, what things were like four millenniums ago: patchy apparel, bizarre starships that look more Transformer toy than space vehicle, ancient-style architecture. Though why lightsabers of that era were drawn with a shimmer glow rather than simple straight lines is a mystery. Dialogue is nothing to applaud. Reader beware---we're dumb, so we need to be reminded of every character's full name every second appearance. It's enough to put you off the entire series. It was Jedi Master Jeth that hooked me in. I admit it, purchasing this vanguard of the series merely from an online preview I saw. The aging Arkanian just looked so haunting, so ominous, I knew it would be worth it. And worth getting despite the awful art quality it is. The plot moves along swiftly, and readers will eventually get used to the fact that the Jedi of this era can talk to animals, perform unusual feats, and bumble around like all good Jedi. I say this because Jeth's fortuitous arrival is all that saves the day, who then reprimands them for not sensing the dark side around them. Which then looks odd for old Jeth, when the students counter he never taught them how to repel it. More disturbing is Onderon's moon. If it orbits so close that their atmospheres periodically brush, allowing the moon's hostile fauna to migrate to Onderon, how doesn't it succumb to gravity and drop into the planet as well? Well? That sure heck needed explaining. And if that doesn't raise the cynical brow, then the implausibility of a Jedi character affixing a droid arm in place of his severed limb no probs surely will. Ah well. It gets worse with the second section, Nomi Sunrider---and so does the art. The art quality is so dirty, so filthy, it's simply shocking. WHY is Sunrider's head half-bald. It's unsightly, ugly, and yes, red-heads have less hair than all other colours, but this was bad! Beast Jedi Master Thon is a curious fellow, and about all that makes this story more so some tasty features. Like the brief flash of Jedi history, showing the origin of the Sith; and bizarre starships, hollowed out of kilometre-long space insects. Otherwise, you'll be wondering why the art was so poor, why Sunrider is severely balding, or how her late husband can pop in as a Jedi spirit when only wimpy apprentice. Overall, KOTOR introduces you to the main players and places of the series and is interesting and creative enough to well warrant a purchase. But there's too much creative, exotic and new material to forefeit this series. -----signature----- Rock-a-by baby, on the treetop, Beaming with pride, the filth they hold, But when the wind blows, my temper implodes, High above a pit, filled with sharkticons, Down will come hardcover addicts, beaming no more. ©
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 6/7/05 7:27pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	Excellence!! I was hoping you'd drop in with your, always fascinating, opinions. Ah, now this next one is one of my favorite reviews I've written. By the by, if you feel I'm being too negative, it's just the quality here. There are great pieces of EU and I'll probably disgust just as many of you with my gushing over certain pieces as I've disgusted with my bashing of the previous pieces. Bottom line, if you're wondering if I even like the EU or even Star Wars, I do really. Parts. Tales of the Jedi – John Whitman An audio adaptation of Knights of the Old Republic and The Freedon Nadd Uprising. There is nothing quite like bad audio drama. Okay, you can stop referring to him as “Tott Doneeta.” One name is plenty. And if you’ve ever wondered how Twi’leks curse, they say, “By the great Twi’lek Goddess!” And if you thought Anakin Skywalker’s “Yippee!” was bad, you’ve got to hear Ulic Qel-Droma’s “Hooray!” A woman is required to scream, totally seriously, “My baby! It’s got my baby!” Suffice it to say, Meryl Streep’s got nothing to worry about. You know, you’d think it would be hard to say “No,” and sound totally fake and stupid, wouldn’t you? But it can be done. Oh, yes, it can be done. That Twi’lek cursing thing? They say that a lot. Just . . . a . . . whole . . . lot . . . The Twi’leks are intellectuals who despise violence? Since when? Oh my God . . . the guy reading Ulic Qel-Droma is the worst actor I’ve come across in a long, long time. Okay, I’ve heard some stuffy British accents in my time, but that air traffic controller just sounds like he needs an enema. Okay, that villain could not be more laughable unless he actually said, “ARRRRR, it’s the life of a pirate for me, arrrrr.” Funny moment: Queen Amanoa bawls, “I call down the spirit of Freedon Nadd, Dark Jedi, upon your heads.” Kidnapper says, “O . . . kay . . .” Okay, if a missile was really going six times the speed of sound, you’d be shot down before you had time to talk about it for five minutes like you idiots do. Okay, even by the standards of audio drama, that cheer was just incredibly desultory. That’s not how you pronounce “chaotic,” smart one. Also, you should all probably reach some kind of consensus on how to pronounce “Onderon” cause this little ‘all saying it different’ method ain’t really working. A routine I thought I’d never hear again done with a straight face: “That guy’s carrying Adegan Crystals.” “Adegan Crystals?! Wow! I never thought I’d ever see Adegan Crystals . . . wow, Adegan Crystals. Uh, what are Adegan Crystals?” Oh, God, let’s just say that these are the most annoying villains ever. Ever. Anywhere. And, yes, I’m including the Phantasm films. Okay, this is just beyond the pale. You remember that whine Luke did when he said that power converter line. Well, Satal Keto speaks in that tone ALL THE TIME. AND IN A NASAL VOICE. ARGH! KILL! H ULK SMASH TAPE PLAYER!! You know, I used to find it annoying when there would be action sequences and the participants would just be speaking in a normal voice, while explosions and etc went on behind them and they were supposedly doing back flips and trying to kill each other. Only, just now, they did an action sequence which consisted solely of lightsaber noises and two actors taking turns doing “scream/grunts.” I think I liked the other way better. Okay, I hated this thing and I’m spending way to much time, even to be making fun of it. Let’s speed things up. Why do they sometimes accompany Master Thon’s travels with sounds reminiscent of a horse’s hooves clopping? He doesn’t have hooves, the tempo and sound is clearly coming from a beast not nearly as big as Thon, and, well, if you’re going to do it you should damn well do it all the time, not just when you feel like it. And is it just me or does that argument Thon uses to sway the Senate into helping the Jedi just really, really not hold any water whatsoever? And why does Nomi sing her first line on Onderon (“Need a little help, fellas?”). I mean, she just unashamedly sings it. It just boggles the mind. Seriously, steer clear of this train wreck, unless you’re in the mood for mind blowing stupidity. * out of **** stars. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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Sturm Antilles Title: Former Manager Registered: Jun '00	Date Posted: 6/7/05 8:07pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	Tales of the Jedi is probably the lamest audio drama there is, but I enjoy it for the cheese factor. The DLotS one is far better, and they replaced the main cast with better voice actors to boot. -----signature----- "You're the most compliant rebel I've ever met." - jaya02 Currently reading : About seven different novels at once.
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mrslush50 Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 6/7/05 8:11pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	well I could've told you that. radio dramas=crap don't think I've ever heard a good one. -----signature----- Master of Ideas... Forgetter of Details Adoptee of Jedi_Sha Delta 6 (Lieutenant) EUDF Want to get added to my WUL? It's easy! See my bio for details. --> http://boards.theforce.net/user.asp?usr=787041
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Sturm Antilles Title: Former Manager Registered: Jun '00	Date Posted: 6/7/05 8:13pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	Have you heard Brian Daley's radio dramas of Episodes IV-VI? -----signature----- "You're the most compliant rebel I've ever met." - jaya02 Currently reading : About seven different novels at once.
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EmpressOfTheChiss Registered: Mar '05	Date Posted: 6/7/05 8:41pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	That has to be the funniest reviews of anything I've ever read! I once tried to listen to one of the Rogue Squadron books on tape, because my library didn't have the book and for some reason I couldn't get to a bookstore to buy it...good skies that was painful winces I wonder why books on tape and radio dramatizations are so...not good... -----signature----- Not all those who wander are lost. Which is really nice to know, considering how much I wander.
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Sturm Antilles Title: Former Manager Registered: Jun '00	Date Posted: 6/7/05 9:02pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	I say it depends on your taste, or which ones you've heard. Seeing as how the SW films are basically B-movie cheese-fests, I don't mind a little Velveeta in my EU now and again. -----signature----- "You're the most compliant rebel I've ever met." - jaya02 Currently reading : About seven different novels at once.
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 6/8/05 2:08pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	There are great radio dramas: Suspense, the series, and Escape, the series, leap to mind as having provided some really great radio drama. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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ThrawnRocks Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 6/8/05 3:21pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	It’s like Romeo and Juliet. If it had been written by an idiot. *Okay, now this is just ludicrous. Ludo Kressh was presumed dead at the end of The Golden Age of the Sith when Sadow blew up his ship. He returned at the start of this story and Sadow blew up his ship again. Here, at the climax of this story, Kressh returns AGAIN and Sadow blows up his ship AGAIN! This time, judging from the next few books, he actually dies, but still, get a grip, man, that’s just stupid. :^O :^O :^O :^O :^O :^O That's great! :^O I remember when you started this in EUC. I was wondering what happened to in a few months ago... I your reviews! Good luck -----signature----- My Icons: http://www.powow.com/thrawnrocks/icons.html Roan Fel's badassery knows no bounds. "The next Allston book should be all Syal and Myri, all the time." - Jello
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Leto II Registered: Jan '00	Date Posted: 6/8/05 4:37pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	Try subjecting yourself to the BBC's radio adaptation of Lord of the Rings sometime. All the High Elves sound like Darwin on SinkQuest. -----signature----- "If there's one thing I hate, it's losing. If there's TWO things I hate, it's losing and getting cancer." - Kenny Powers
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Rogue1-and-a-half Title: Manager: Amphitheatre Registered: Nov '00	Date Posted: 6/11/05 8:46pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project
	3,997 Years Before ANH: Dark Lords of the Sith – Kevin J. Anderson/Tom Veitch Exar Kun, baby, Exar Kun! Vodo Baas, baby, Vodo Baas! Sylvar and Crado, baby, Sylvar . . . and . . . you know, these guys aren’t important really . . . never mind. An amusing bit where Exar Kun fights Vodo Baas and Vodo uses just a staff to defend himself against the lightsaber attack. Kun loses his temper and utilizes TWO lightsabers, an interesting precursor to some of the sequences involving two lightsabers. He manages to break Vodo’s staff. Kun says he’s the best and Vodo hilariously admits it: “Yes, with your two lightsabers you have managed to break my humble staff.” Har har. Satal and Aleema, the youngsters who the spirit of Freedon Nadd anointed as the next generation of the Sith in the previous comic, take over the Empress Teta system by using Sith illusions. Including making a man think his tongue is a worm. This is perhaps not as menacing as choking the life out of someone with a gesture, but they’re young. Exar Kun, having left his master, comes to Onderon to investigate the Sith artifacts. Despite knowing that he is interested in them primarily so that he can toy with the Dark Side, Master Arca allows him access, stating that “A Jedi is free.” This is the first instance of a totally idiotic and ludicrous philosophy that runs through the Jedi mindset here, wherein you have to let people do what they want, even when they end up causing incredible amounts of pain to innocents. It’s like Kant with a lightsaber. Except even stupider. The Jedi however move against Satal and Aleema with a battle fleet which seems to run counter to the leeway they just gave Exar Kun who is also toying with the Dark Side. Is it because Satal and Aleema aren’t Jedi? Are Jedi given more human rights than others? Anyway, Ulic is grievously wounded by shrapnel when a ship crashes into the bridge of the Republic flagship. Hilariously, this just sprays shrapnel around and doesn’t make anything depressurize or vent into space or kill anyone or anything. Which is not how it would actually work. So, a meeting is called of every Jedi in existence. To deal with two kids who can’t do anything but create illusions. All the actual violence comes from plain old weapons, weapons constantly referred to as out of date. Why are the Jedi having a hard time with these jokers? So, Exar Kun saves a couple of followers of Freedon Nadd from an angry mob. Again, we’re supposed to believe that Kun is falling to the Dark Side when he’s only guaranteeing free speech. Are the author’s trying to say free speech is more evil than censorship? Bastards. This story is doing something none of the others have done: ticking me off. Let a Jedi go his own way even though the Force tells you that he’s falling to the Dark Side and will be responsible for the death of thousands. And, oh, yes, defending someone’s right to speak their mind is the same as agreeing with them. Yeah, this seems like a fairly logical moral code. I’m surprised the Jedi lasted as long as they did. So, the tomb of Freedon Nadd is constructed out of material that a lightsaber will not cut through. Unless the person with the saber tries really hard? How does that work again? Well, I guess when you’ve got a name as drop dead stupid as Freedon Nadd, it’s going to be tempting to resurrect the character just for laughs. Geez Louise, Odan Urrr (the scholar Jedi from The Golden Age/Fall of the Sith duology) is still alive? His master prophesied that he would live to be one of the most ancient and respected Jedi, but over a thousand years? Even Methuselah didn’t hit that milestone. Okay, in what frigging galaxy would droids be able to attack a gathering of every Jedi in the galaxy and actually take names? And in a bit of irony so subtle that Wes Anderson is shaking in his boots, Master Arca gets blown away from behind while lecturing Ulic on how a Jedi must always be watchful and never turn his back on an enemy . . . So, the Jedi masters believe that Ulic is going down a dangerous path by going to avenge his master’s death, but they say that he must be allowed to go his own way. They don’t even attempt to argue with him! Despite the fact that he flatly states that he’s going to investigate the Dark Side in order to gain his revenge. These guys are just way to lassez faire. In a nice scene, Freedon Nadd makes Exar Kun fall to the Dark Side by breaking all of his bones and promising that the Dark Side can heal him. If only the rest of the story had been so bleak and horrifying. In a nice twist, Satal and Aleema know that Ulic plans to destroy them, but they take him in anyway, for the challenge. I also like the challenge set up between Exar Kun and Satal and Aleema as to who will be the next Dark Lord. The Jedi Masters try to dissuade Nomi and Cay from going to snatch Ulic. Again, Ulic has fallen to the Dark Side, helped Satal and Aleema update their weaponry and cut all his ties. What does it take for you guys to decide it’s time to put a stop to someone? After confronting Ulic, Nomi says that, after mounting this huge rescue operation, that they must leave him to follow his own path (again with that crap!), stating that a Jedi must pay for his decisions. What, I wonder, about all the innocent people that are going to die because of Ulic’s upcoming actions? How do they fit into this “A Jedi must be allowed to take his own path” thing? *Exar Kun shows up and joins forces with Ulic, pushing Aleema onto a second tier, I guess. How . . . menacing, I guess. -----signature----- Don't be a fool, don't be blind Heart of mine If you can't do the time, don't do the crime Heart of mine
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The2ndQuest Title: Manager: -Literature -LACWAC -Games Registered: Jan '00	Date Posted: 6/11/05 9:47pm Subject: RE: Journey Through the EU: A Retrospective Project - Date Edited: 7/29 8:56pm (1 edits total) Edited By: The2ndQuest
	Well, I guess when you’ve got a name as drop dead stupid as Freedon Nadd, it’s going to be tempting to resurrect the character just for laughs. In all fairness- though his last name is rather silly (no doubt thanks to Beavis & Butthead), ignoring the pronounciation aspect of things- it actually does look rather elegant in a written sense on the page. -----signature----- "When your future self tells you to do something, YOU DO IT." K'Kruhk, 140 ABY:"Why haven't I come forth earlier to share my Jedi knowledge with Skywalker? Well, it's kinda a long story, see, I had this freaking sweet hat..."
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