Author Topic: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Havac  14343 posts
Title: Lit Mod of War
Registered: Sep '05
23735_Obi-Wan Kenobi
Date Posted: 8/20/06 1:45pm Subject: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Discuss and analyze his style, his strengths and weaknesses as an author, whether he fills an authorial niche, if you would like to see him write again, etc. No bashing or gushing.

Previous Author Analyses:
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Roger MacBride Allen
John Ostrander
Steve Perry
Brian Daley
Barbara Hambly
Dave Wolverton
Troy Denning
Ann C. Crispin
K. W. Jeter
Sean Stewart
Haden Blackman
Greg Keyes
Michael Stackpole
Kevin J. Anderson
Matthew Stover
Michael Reaves
Aaron Allston

Go at it! grin

 

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Kenobi_Kid  1810 posts
Registered: May '05
6455_Ewan the Prankster
Date Posted: 8/20/06 1:48pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Not to sound ignorant, but what has he written?

 

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FTeik  4083 posts
Registered: Nov '00
39843_Palpatine
Date Posted: 8/20/06 1:51pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Kenobi_Kid posted:
Not to sound ignorant, but what has he written?


Destiny's Way, one of the better books of the NJO-arc.

 

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LtNOWIS  2481 posts
Registered: May '05
16494_Clone Assault
Date Posted: 8/20/06 1:55pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Also the Ylesia e-book.

 

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Crox  248 posts
Registered: Apr '06
7740_Tahiri and Anakin
Date Posted: 8/20/06 3:22pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
I haven't read Ylesia. I liked Destiny's Way, largely because of the Vong. I loved the characterization of Shimrra and Nom Anor, and it was nice to get more of a view of Vong politics. Certain parts of the Battle of Ebaq 9 seemed to drag on a bit. The one thing I extremely disliked about the book was Tsavong Lah's death. That was just pathetic.

 

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Whizkid  1202 posts
Registered: Sep '03
24189_Palpatine
Date Posted: 8/20/06 4:36pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams - Date Edited: 8/20/06 4:50pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Whizkid
I really enjoyed Destiny's Way, but it lacked the emotional impact of Vector Prime & SbS.

 

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Katana_Geldar  27945 posts
Title: Former CR Tasmania, AU'
Registered: Mar '03
48693_Elaine (617092)
Date Posted: 8/20/06 4:41pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Tsavong Lah went out like a punk even though Jaina was the one to do it.

What was that guy on?

I liked how he treated Vergere, this was one of the few books to show her that way.

 

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rhonderoo  41737 posts
Title: Former Head Admin
Registered: Aug '02
48917_Padme (719093)
Date Posted: 8/20/06 5:49pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Destiny's Way was one of the best books of the NJO. Characterizations were good and a lot of stuff had to happen and it went off pretty seamless.

 

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Katana_Geldar  27945 posts
Title: Former CR Tasmania, AU'
Registered: Mar '03
48693_Elaine (617092)
Date Posted: 8/20/06 5:50pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
I still don't like how Luke managed to rig the election while keeping his hands squeaky clean.

 

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rhonderoo  41737 posts
Title: Former Head Admin
Registered: Aug '02
48917_Padme (719093)
Date Posted: 8/20/06 5:55pm Subject: - Date Edited: 8/20/06 5:55pm (1 edits total) Edited By: rhonderoo
He handled the Knighting Ceremony very well. In fact that was a pretty emotional part of the book. I got teary-eyed when he described Anakin Jrs. pic being up and those that had died in the war. It was a pretty somber look at the impact of the Vong war, and captured a small piece of the emotion of the time right after 9-11.

 

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Yodas-evil-twin  5040 posts
Registered: Jun '05
Date Posted: 8/20/06 5:56pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams - Date Edited: 8/20/06 5:58pm (1 edits total) Edited By: Yodas-evil-twin
Katana_Geldar posted:
Tsavong Lah went out like a punk even though Jaina was the one to do it.

What was that guy on?

I liked how he treated Vergere, this was one of the few books to show her that way.


Not only that, he turned him into a death loving idiot.


I enjoyed Destiny's Way, but stuff like that kept me from ranking it among the top five.

 

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SlackJawedJedi  1111 posts
Registered: May '04
6482_Exar Kun
Date Posted: 8/20/06 8:54pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
I liked Destiny's Way, buuuut it was kind of 'just a bunch of stuff that happened' as opposed to a cohesive story. Like WJW had a checklist of things that needed to occur in the book, but didn't really tie the seperate events together. That said, his writing itself wasn't too shabby, and Ylesia was so much fun I'm sad it got left out of Destiny's Way.

 

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Excellence  24488 posts
Registered: Jul '02
6338_New Republic Seal
Date Posted: 8/21/06 1:15am Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams - Date Edited: 8/21/06 1:17am (1 edits total) Edited By: Excellence

I was disappointed with Destiny's Way, I have to admit. It was bland, generic, and the backcover gives the ending right out. It had a mountain of problems, actually. Primary issue with eYlesia is that it too was just generic action, aside from Jagged foot rubbing Jaina in public. But that's the problem with Star Wars---what you see written there is nothing how one writes their own, so my impression is withheld pending further research.

I've only sampled the Praxis books lightly, but whether they too showed more depth at least someone is writing good old space opera. Proper space opera of empires and fleets, which is increasingly rare in the genre. I respect anyone who can bulldozer past editorial vipers to get that published today.

Williams consulted with the Battle of Blackwater's strategy, in A Clash of King's finale. We'll blame him for Tyrion's victory, shall we? tongue

 

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AdmiralNick22  6949 posts
Registered: May '03
7783_Ackbar
Date Posted: 8/21/06 6:48pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
ACKBAR IS BACK!

Nuff said. tongue

The day I read Destiny's Way was one of the best days I have had reading a EU novel.

I mean, who turned the tide of the war for the NR?

Ackbar!

Who brought back morale to the fleet?

Ackbar!

Who decided to write a novel with him as the hero?

Walter Jon Williams!

--Adm. Nick

 

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Cypher18  1424 posts
Registered: Apr '01
23758_Obi-Wan
Date Posted: 8/21/06 7:24pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
I liked his books written for Star Wars, but I liked his Praxis books alot better.

 

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Dinner_Squadron  399 posts
Registered: Oct '04
Date Posted: 8/21/06 8:20pm Subject: RE: Author Analysis: Walter Jon Williams
Destiny's Way seemed to be a bland story following the tremendous fun of the Star By Star to Traitor books. He made a lot of choices in the book that hurt the value of long running plotlines (ending the Republic, offing Lah on a fluke), but didn't have the talent of a Denning or a Stover to make it come across enjoyably.

He proved to be a better author when tasked with events of lesser signifigance, such as those in Ylesia. There he delievered a Thrackan that was as good as ever, and made me long to see Thrackan return in a major villanous role (Swoons).

He was weaker in his "Republic Chief of State" plotline, as it was clear from a mile away that it was going to be the evil one from Enemy Lines. That came across poorly, as the evil chief of state was lacking believable motivation.

All in all, Williams was an ok author, but one who I think is worth hiring for future books, unless there is a serious lack of talent elsewhere at the time.

 

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