DFW, TX Has anybody read the NJO books yet?

Kurgan thanks for the info.. ugh! I guess I'll have to break down and get it sooner, afterall. I really hate that. The only hardback in my novel collection that I have is the Maul EP I book. Not that I really planned it that way but I'll admit the paperbacks are easier and cheaper for me to get ahold of LOL!

I agree w/ you on the Bakura book - wasn't too fond of that one either.. hopefully BP will be pretty good tho'. We'll see I guess (just wanted to wait before I read it, but I don't think I can wait that long for it to go to paperback.. d'oh! hehehe). Maybe I'll get Maul's book first tho' heheheheh (I mean... if I'm going to be dishin' out the money for a book like that.. heheheh)

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

 

I have to say...Balance Point is much beter than Truce at Bakura....
Moves much faster..
My thinking is maybe she became more comfortable with writing about Star Wars, and the characters...who knows?

Emmm...what did you think of I,Jedi Kurgan?

 

Jedilona, cool to know. I was going to give it a try definitely.. still doesn't make the price of the hardback seem much better to me, tho' LOL!

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

 

I, Jedi? I thought it was brilliant. Stackpole did a wonderful job of not only making JKA's Jedi Academy trilogy seem less corny and outlandish, but he wove a wonderful story that was really two books in one, that meshed a lot of unfinished storylines from the X-Wing books, other novels that needed some continuity fixes, and an original storyline, and really made it all work.

I'd say it was my favorite stand-alone novel in the Bantam series up there with Courtship of Princess Leia. I think it also holds the record of longest SW novel out there, although Zahn's Vision of the Future (another GREAT book) is very lengthy, too. However, at least for me, the longer, the better, as long as it's because there's still story to tell and they aren't just trying to jack up the price by making it longer.

Personally, I'd love to see an original SW trilogy written by Robert Jordan, the master of all things that are unbelievably long. Any Wheel of Time fans can certainly testify to that. =)

At some point, I may put up some more extensive reviews of all the SW books (yes, I've read them all---I am officially a dork) somewhere on the site. The review for the Lando Calrissian books will be quite short, however. They are, without a doubt in my mind, the WORST books ever written. I'm not sure what's worse, the Holiday Special, or the Lando books.

Rant over now, stepping down from podium....

 

Well hello there, Kurgan..
Let me introduce myself...I'm a fellow dork..I've read them all as well
I was not happy(putting it mildly here)with the Lando Clarissian books..So i too know how short the review for those will be....
I really want a good novel or two feature Lando...but those won't fit the bill..

I like I, Jedi...i have an issue or two with a few thing, but otherwise i enjoyed it..

And thank you Stackpole for giving me an idea of where the heck Brakiss came from...
Sheesh, he just shows up in the Young Jedi Knights books..i'm sitting there going huh?
And a star for Kristine K. Rusch for adding to his background..
Ooops babbling i am..LOL
I do think our next subjects should be on some of the characters from SW EU..hmmm?In addition to the book reviews of course
Ok..i'm gone..buhbye

 

Wow! Someone that's actually read them all! I remember when I heard about Heir to the Empire coming out, and I got my dad to take me to the bookstore to get it one day. I remember I locked myself in a room and just read for three days, eating every word up.

<rant> Now, I look back at ALL the SW books that have come out in the past ten years, and it's hard to believe there have been so many. It was a rocky start, and it wasn't until about five years ago that they started putting out better products, in my opinion, at least. I mean, I liked the Thrawn trilogy, but I still have a big problem with a lot of things that Zahn did (making Luke kind of a weenie again, the whole Force repellant-creatures(WTF?) thing, not giving things a big sense of urgency or an epic feel really).

Now some of the books, especially the later ones (X-Wing, the Han Solo trilogy, the latter Zahn books, I, Jedi) were really good, and just worked really well.

But as a whole, I just don't feel the books hold up to the movies. And that is mainly for one reason. The books are more sci-fi, and the movies are more mythology. Now, both have elements of each other in them, but the movies were all about an epic, timeless story of adventure, sacrifice, betrayal, love, loss, and family set in galactic proportions. And I think the writers of the novels have forgotten that. Every book, no matter how well written, has had that feel of, "Well, these characters have fulfilled their TRUE purpose already, so what should we have them doing now?" And there's never really been a concerted effort to give these characters a new purpose or true threat to deal with. In fact, the entire Bantam line of books could pretty much be summed up with "Just mopping up the remnants and damage of 40 years of Imperial rule".

Now, the NJO has potential to give back that sense of urgency and epic feel, but more work needs to be done. And if the writers will start mixing more mythology and less sci-fi into the mix, then we'll be in good shape. </rant>

 

Interesting point, Kurgan. I have my faves and non-faves of the books for sure, and some I wish they had done this or that a little differently at least. I see what you mean, too, about the "sense of urgency". The way I personally view the books for myself is more like "wow, let's see what our old friends Luke and the gang are up to this time".. LOL I'm happy to have something to read because I definitely know I didn't get enough of the movies. Even if I don't like how something is written, I've got to try to finish it just to see what happens and to be able to "close that book" and move onto the next.

With that said I also am looking forward to see what they do now with the books.. I just am sad to admit I'm sick of the Vong (has mainly hit me the most now, with the last book I read before BP) - there's something about them that just doesn't have that SW feel about them to me... sci fi, maybe yes but I can't explain it :/ Maybe if they'd just done a few things differently.. but I'll still read them of course.

Thanks for sharing your view with us.. I really hadn't thought about the books that way. I still enjoy them and am glad I read the ones I have - even the ones I didn't care much for. At least it's a little more of those characters and worlds I've really come to love (and loved as a kiddo) My biggest regret is that I didn't actually start reading them sooner. I've read a ton of the books but I started the summer after EP I.. then again.. it really made for a lot of fun reading them all like that instead of having to wait any amount of time for them

MTF/DS/BWY
Cynthia

 

Oh, I agree. I've always been a SW junkie and love to read a new SW book, if nothing else, just to see old friends.

As far as the Vong go, I think they're okay, and have some potential, but I do see your point with getting tired with them. I get kind of a 'Starship Troopers bug' vibe from them, you know? What they're in need of is some serious character development and a few revelations. Just because SW books need some new life doesn't mean that we necessarily have to throw everything out the window and start anew. On the contrary, build on what's already been established (Sith/Jedi conflict, friendship, victory over impossible odds, etc.) and add new flavors to it. The Vong could be a great enemy, but they can't just remain stagnant and one-dimensional.

However, it is still very early in the whole NJO storyline, and I'm reserving judgment about most of it for the time being. In a year, I think we'll have a better idea of where things are going. It could be the writing team has some big stuff in store for us, and a year from now, we might not be able to even imagine having doubts. But it's just too early to tell, IMO. And all I can say is that I REALLY enjoyed the Stackpole NJO books, and to an only slightly lesser extent, the Luceno novels.

Speaking of new characters, who is your favorite character that has been introduced in the NJO series? Mine has to be Ganner Rhysode, Jedi Knight. I loved how Stackpole took a cocky, arrogant, elitist Jedi, and made him a human character with a sense of honor. Plus, he's just a bad dude. =)

Anyone else?

 

Yup! I agree completely. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things unravel. You're right, it is early.. so we'll see.

As far as new characters I can't wait to see more of.. same with me!!!
Ganner!! I don't know why but he just really clicked with me and I'm wanting to see more of his character.

Now I'm wishin' I had the money to dish out for BP.. LMAO!!! UGH, Cynth.. after the holidays.. after.. (when the bank balance isn't so darned low! LOL)..

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia