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

What happened to Kevin J. Anderson?

Discussion in 'EU Community' started by Julius Vernon, Dec 12, 2012.

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  1. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    So in the late 90s Kevin J. Andersen seemed like he was so involved in the EU, even working as editor on a few of the short story collections. Why has he not returned? Was there disappointment in the quality of his work? Was it the Bantam change?
     
  2. Darth_Zandalor

    Darth_Zandalor Jedi Master star 4

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    Aug 2, 2009
    He just stopped writing I guess. I suppose his deal with LFL had ended and he moved on. Plus, his books tend to be contentious on the best days. I am a big fan of the Jedi Academy trilogy because I liked how insane and goofy it got, but I know a lot of people who absolutely loathe it for how it treats certain characters than the prevalence of super duper bigger than the death star super weapons and whack jobs like Daala or Qwi Xux. And the Umgullian Blob race. (Best chapter concerning giant homicidal amoeba horse races ever.)

    And Darksaber.... not very good at all.

    I'm a fan of his books for their fun sense of escapism, but there's a lot of definite criticism for his take on the galaxy.
     
  3. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    @Darth_Zandalor

    I had wondered if it was disappointment in his work. I have seen a lot of people critical of him. I haven't read the Young Jedi Knights, but I didn't mind the Jedi Academy Trilogy. I didn't like DarkSaber either. It just seemed like he was so involved that I was surprised that they didn't keep him involved in some capacity.
     
  4. zark

    zark Jedi Master star 4

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    Feb 23, 2009
    I liked Young Jedi Knights a lot actually, and I enjoyed the Jedi Academy Trilogy for the most part as well though largely because my favorite EU novel is I, Jedi. (Though there are moments I am disappointed with discontinuity in the tie-ins between those.)
     
  5. Julius Vernon

    Julius Vernon Jedi Knight star 3

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    Nov 7, 2012
    That's good to know about YJK, I plan on getting to it, but I have so many others I'm trying to get to now.
     
  6. Darth_Zandalor

    Darth_Zandalor Jedi Master star 4

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    Aug 2, 2009
    Plus he helped with Tales of the Jedi.
     
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  7. Stackpole_The_Hobbit

    Stackpole_The_Hobbit Jedi Master star 6

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    Jul 31, 2002
    Around the same time the licence switched from Bantam to DelRey, he started working on the Dune prequels, sequels, and inter-quels with Frank Herbert's son. To say nothing of his ridiculously large number of author-owned works.
     
  8. s65horsey

    s65horsey Otter-loving Former EUC Mod star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 24, 2006
    He's got a facebook page and is pretty interactive with fans on there. He goes hiking a lot and shows up to bookstores around the Denver area with his wife.
     
  9. Adalia-Durron

    Adalia-Durron WNU/Costume/Props/EUC Mod. star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2003
    He was here in Australia last year promoting his new novel with Rebecca. Didn't seem much interested in talking about Star Wars books....but he did sign my picture of Kyp :D I have him on my Facebook too.
     
  10. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Nov 19, 2009
    To be honest...would you want to talk about SW books when most of the fandom really doesn't like your books?


    (personally I don't mind them)
     
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  11. darklordoftech

    darklordoftech Force Ghost star 6

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    Sep 30, 2012
    I have several questions for him about TOTJ.
     
  12. V-2

    V-2 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Dec 10, 2012
    It's my opinion that he either knowingly writes **** for rent money, or he's an incompetent.

    Does anyone know anything about his connections to Scientology, by the way? Is that a case of just taking their money for a novelization, or is he a Scientologist?
     
  13. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

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    Nov 19, 2009
    ...what did I just read?
     
  14. Robimus

    Robimus Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Jul 6, 2007
    This might be an ignorant question but did Scientology exist when he was writing Star Wars stuff?:p
     
  15. Stackpole_The_Hobbit

    Stackpole_The_Hobbit Jedi Master star 6

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    Jul 31, 2002
    I'm gonna have to go ahead and say, re: scientology, cite your source, because this is literally the first I've heard about any scientology connectivity.

    Also, according to the wikipedia page, the Church of Scientology was incorporated in 1953. So ... yes it existed? :p
     
  16. V-2

    V-2 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2012
    This is on his IMDB page (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1218473/)
    "Guinness World Record holder for largest single-author book signing, specifically for his novelization of the L. Ron Hubbard screenplay AI! Peditro!: When Intelligence Goes Wrong."

    His wiki page has next to nothing to say about it:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_J_Anderson#using_materials_by_L._Ron_Hubbard

    I realise these sites are less than trustworthy, but the book exists:
    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ai-Pedrito-Intelligence-Wrong-ebook/dp/B008Y8CSP0/
     
  17. JediMara77

    JediMara77 Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2004
    He attends Dragon*Con every year and always sits in on the Star Wars author panels. He's actually quite funny. He started off the Masculinity in Star Wars panel by ripping off his jacket, and spent the rest of the panel wearing a black sleeveless shirt.
     
  18. Darth_Zandalor

    Darth_Zandalor Jedi Master star 4

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    Aug 2, 2009
    Why does writing a book for L. Ron Hubbard automatically make him a scientologist?
     
  19. V-2

    V-2 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Dec 10, 2012
    It doesn't, that's why I asked the questions I did. It is a matter of interest though, at least to me!

    I think it's probably a case of take the money and run, but I suspect the church would wish to favour their own, or at the very least go for someone sympathetic to their cause and ideals. The book signing world record suggests to me that it happened at a Scientology event (as Hubbard isn't exactly a big draw in literary/SF circles). I could be wrong.
     
  20. Darth_Zandalor

    Darth_Zandalor Jedi Master star 4

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    Aug 2, 2009
    Interesting. I'm just curious what difference it would make if he was a scientologist or not. I'm not exactly fond of the group myself, but a person's presence in the society doesn't diminish my enjoyment of their work. (Battlefield Earth is the best ironic comedy ever)
     
  21. V-2

    V-2 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Dec 10, 2012
    LOL yeah it has its moments... I enjoy what I've read of Neil Gaiman, he was brought up in Scientology, as I understand it. I enjoy a lot of films featuring Scientologists, even if I think those actors are mistaken. L Ron's writing was diabolical though.

    It wouldn't make me reconsider the quality of KJA's writing; as I said before, I think he's probably either a cynical hack or he's genuinely bad (probably a mixture of both), but if he were a card carrying Scientologist I might consider his work for them seem less of a cynical act of greed, instead making it an act of moral principle (even if I may disagree with most of what that organisation says and does).

    I'm clearly prejudiced.
     
  22. Force Smuggler

    Force Smuggler Force Ghost star 7

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I liked the JA trilogy, Darksaber, Dune works, Saga of the Seven Suns and Enemies and Allies
     
  23. Allana_Rey

    Allana_Rey Jedi Master star 4

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    Sep 2, 2012
    I read his Jedi Sunrise trilogy, it was decent. I'd like to see him write a Allana/Ben book series.
     
  24. General Immodet

    General Immodet Jedi Master star 5

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    Dec 5, 2012
    He went to the dentist, just as Yularen did!
     
  25. Red.Two

    Red.Two Jedi Padawan star 1

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    Nov 25, 2012
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