A&A The Official Troy Denning Discussion Thread

As a note, Anakin started doing bad in Rogue Planet which was when he was about 10.
It's unclear how much bad he did between 10 and 19 (AOTC) when he slaughtered the Tuskens.

So the fact that Mara thought she was doing good when she was taken from a younger age than Anakin was (and Anakin WAS doing good long before he was taken by the Jedi Order) and was inculcated into being an Emperor's Hand from a very young age isn't the bad part; it's that the retcon has been made that Mara wasn't doing bad things that's the bad part.

So the difference between Anakin and Mara is that the creators of each character has a different set of cajones for the most part.

All of which is relatively immaterial to Troy's writing.

 

3yrs after Phantom Menace, the kid looks 12 to me.

 

Well, almost 13. And yeah, how DARE he defend himself against a 40 foot long bug that wants to kill him. I guess Anakin was just supposed to lay down and die, eh?


I have to say, I don't understand the point of Allana at all. There's no way Jacen can raise her. He will always be a deadbeat dad. And really, a sort of flakey weirdo, too.
It's tragic to have a poor kid yet another family member grow up in a broken family. I hate it. There's absolutely no reason why Jacen and TK got back together for a sleazy one night stand, just because they were kind of affectionate as kids decades ago. It's just really annoying. All of the fans have moved on. (Same with Zekk and Jaina. No. Zekk stanks.)

Jacen and TK. No. Why force an old old issue? Jacen and TK never were a couple. They had one kiss. They have absolutely nothing in common and cannot be together. It's just so ..... pointless... Why? Why????

 

If I gave you the answer, I'd be revealing the big secret of life. So I can't reveal that just yet. You have to go through at least a few more "why?"s. Maybe one day I will

 

I am bummed about Troy Denning's plot bunnies.

... I have faith that it'll all turn out right in the end though. ::tries to get her hands on TSW...::

HELP! It's running away!

Ne ways, newbie to this board, dropping by to say 'hello'.

C S

 

just wanted to say thank you for an amazing read....the direction we see jacen going is not what i was hoping for, but it is damn interesting, so i can't fault that. the killiks realllly seemed to just be the backdrop to keep up on our favorite characters. i never once was worried about the outcomes of these situations, probably just knowing legacy was around the corner, though. any word at all on legacy? stuff you're allowed to say only, of course. i'm assuming lumiya was lomi plo's master and we'll see the lines traced right to her. anyone ever going to figure out where mara jade came from? are her parents still alive on yoda's planet? anything else with the aing-tii (thank you for including them)? can i come up with yet another ridiculous question?

anyway, it was cool

 

I don't know if anyone has asked, or even noticed it, but could there be a easter egg reference to our own Genghis12 in the book?

Maybe not, but it would be a neat little piece of fandom...

 

I missed it.

What's your theory?

 

Well, I know it's probably a long shot, but we remember the havoc that G12 could unleash it Lit...

 

I hope that the New Jedi Council do not be come baby beggars as the time as yoda.

 

Thanks for not killing Zekk, despite the wishes of various mean people.

 

And I want to give a big thanks for not killing or otherwise harming Allana - and for creating her in the first place. (Hopefully, she will have a larger role in later novels, when she is old enough to do more than sleep and cry. I think she's in a position with a lot of plot potential, and it'll be interesting to see what happens!) The Dark Nest trilogy was very enjoyable to read, and won me over to a few characters and 'ships that I had either ignored or opposed before. All the books were money well spent.

 

Just when I thought "The Unseen Queen" was unbeatable, "The Swarm War" comes and beats even that! I gotta say, I loved every minute of this trilogy. I've been looking forward to it ever since CIII when I got one of the signed book jackets they gave out at the Legacy conference

My only question is this: You have proven that you aren't the type of author to leave plot holes open for any reason. So was there a particular reason you wrote Alema's "death" so cryptic, or is she dead and done?

 

it appears that Blue Twileks are quickly becoming Star War's version of the infamous red-shirt ensign.

 

lol

 

Hello Mr Denning,

thanks for answering my questions about THE UNSEEN QUEEN. They made some things clearer (and others were answered by Swarm War). But, as the rhyme goes: dieses war der zweite Streich, doch der dritte folgt sogleich .
I've finished THE SWARM WAR, of course, and I've also more or less finished discussing it with some fellow fans (at length, I can tell you; there are quite a few issues of controversy in this book). A few questions have remained that we were not able to solve even with our combined mindpower. I would guess that one or two points have not been explained because they will matter in Legacy, so I'm not even going to ask what happens to/with Jaina, Lowie and the other "rebels" or whether it truly was Jacen who betrayed Luke's plans to Jag Fel. But I hope you can comment on some questions that don't (neccessarily) pertain to LOTF.

But first, let me tell you how much I enjoyed THE SWARM WAR. Well, actually, "enjoyed" probably isn't the right word. I'm not really happy - that's not to say shocked - by some of the developments and directions the main characters are taking. Luke has become an inconsequential dictator, Jaina is still more bug than human, Leia has shot down her almost-son-in-law, the diplomatic temperature between Chiss and Alliance is lower than Csilla's poles in Winter, the Jedi Order is once again way too closely intertwined with the fate of one particular state, and Jacen... well, Jacen is turning into a second Palpatine who's betraying and manipulating basically everyone, including himself.
So, no, I did not enjoy reading all that. But I was and am thrilled and interested and desperate for BETRAYAL to come out. So: good job. And it's a good thing that you're also part of the LOTF team, which should ensure that the character developments and subplots which haven't concluded aren't left hanging (as happened so often in the NJO).

So... on to the questions:
- Allana's name: How did that come about? Does it have any hidden or not so hidden (it's the middle part of "Fallanassi", you know ) meaning or did you simply thumb through a name dictionary and chose "Allana" because it was a pretty one?
- Han's "torture": Um, what was that all about? So, obviously we know that it wasn't really Han whose ear was cut off. Who, then, was it? Some guy who just so happened to look like Leia's husband? That would have been really cruel of the Chiss (unless the guy happens to be called Thrackan...). Or was it a hologram (though one so perfect that even Leia was fooled)? Or some kind of bio-techno camouflage mask designed specifically for purposes such as this, to be slipped over the body of a Chiss soldier who is, himself, not harmed by the procedure (maybe engineered with the help of a few Yuuzhan Vong captives whom the Ascendancy spy agencies have "accidently" kept in custody and not deported to Zonama Sekot?)?
- Speaking of Vong: Could we please, please see more of them in Legacy? I mean, in all of DARK NEST we got, what, half a chapter?
- Was the step-by-step dismemberment of Alema Rar (at least one limb per book) intended from the beginning (as a sort of running gag) or did that just develop as you wrote each of the novels?
- Where were Jacen and Mara while Luke was teaching Lomi Plo some respect? Were they on that hospital ship? Or did Luke say the truth: that the Bothan general/admiral(?) had foreseen that the Killiks would attack it and therefore transferred all but a skeleton crew to other ships? If so, it kind of dilutes Luke's character (which I, personally, don't have a problem with ). Because, after all, in that case he still hasn't really mastered his fears, but instead removed anything that Lomi Plo might use to make him become afraid out of her reach.
- Did the Ithorians finally get their planet? It's not really important, so I'll assume it won't come up in LOTF, but I had hoped that it would be mentioned at the end of SWARM WAR.
- Right, and what was that about the Killik containment? I didn't really get that. So Cilghal extracted these real

 

A full trilogy in barely half a year, Star Wars hasn't published something of this calibre in half a decade. Thank goodness this wasn't hardcover!

No, you don't understand---my relief is palpable. I'm serious.

Finished Swarm War over the weekend. This is what fans wanted: Luke earning his pay after doing nothing for most of the NJO series. There was never a senseless fight, brawn was always matched with brain and tactics. The book had so much new technology, new ships, new Forcing it puts the entire NJO to shame.

Swarm War was giraffe neck above other mundane peers, but the amount of unresolved endings was a key issue. The predicament Jagged was in throughout the book generates a great deal of sympathy, and allowing his possible survival is cheap compared to the emotion you would feel knowing who killed him. The same for Rar. After all the damage she caused, you're robbing readers of satisfaction, a sense of closure, without either redemption or death. In light of the fact she's stuck armless inside a predator's mouth that would have reflexively clamped down as it crashed from a high fall, it looks positively ridiculous.

Secondly, the lack of Dark Jedi background after a trilogy made them just "I am a villain, I have strong powers." We saw enough of Thul to see he was as much a slave as Jaina was, but why would we care for Plo when we know nothing about her? Thirdly, I suspect the baby subplot will continue next book, Legacy: Betrayal, but here in the trilogy it looked meaningless without further development. It gave Jacen new and darker characterisation, but the momentum was halted in Swarm War.

To lesser extents, it would have been nice to see what becomes of the Jaina-Zekk mindlink with the Killiks pacified. Don't forget, purring her throat like her bug buddies is perfectly natural to her. And a final scene with Thul would've provided a sense of closure.

Prose was pretty good, actually, like calling Killiks "battle-ready nymphs", and it was refreshing to see people talking normally, saying they'll be there in five minutes, not five standard minutes. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single instant without Lomi Plo's full name every time; even Cal Omas too most of the time.

Some feel adding extra dialogue to the Mustafar flashbacks was a violation of a sacred movie; but who cares, it's just a few innocuous speech lines, and Anakin threw her away. It changes nothing minor or major.

Swarm War's the first book to give Artoo actual speech, if anyone realised this. And no other book has showed Luke speaking sharply to his nephew. The character tension was just great. I think a lot of authors watch the old movies, see the actors speaking calmly and sedatively, and forget their people can shout at each other. Even Pellaeon barked at Luke a few times.

Troy, if Joiner King had me suspecting you have a mindlink into my head, Swarm War cemented that suspician. You wrote so many identical things I would have done it's an X-Files case, like the adjustable multi-laser cannon. I waited 10yrs to see that in a book.

Dark Nest was creativity and realism from start to finish. I don't know what I enjoyed most: fans upset fried eggs was "too Earthy" for Star Wars and seeing their beloved mascots a little naughty for once, or feeling a little spoilt I read such a cool trilogy.

 

Think there's any chance that Kyle Katarn could ever actually be a prominent player in one of the upcoming Legacy novels? Or in the future?

I'm obviously a big Kyle fan, and one of the best parts of "the Swarm War" was actually seeing his name mentioned more then once...Heck, he was even commanding a battlegroup!

Also, i'd love to see Keyan Farlander make another appearance (although i'm not sure that that'll EVER happen.)

 

Well, Keyan Farlander did get some screentime in the NJO, as a general in the New Republic and later Galactic Alliance navy. He commanded the MC-80b cruiser Mon Adapyne.

--Adm. Nick

 

First of all, I really did enjoy the Swarm War. It had a good deal of tension, action, an engaging plot line... all that good stuff.

But it drove me crazy. It's nothing but angst after battle after Jacen-is-a-Sith(ling. Without the dark side, of course)... one and on. I guess all the darkness is starting to wear on me. We haven't had a lighter book since... well... the Enemy Lines Duology, was it?

I did enjoy Jacen's storyline, though. Very interesting. I'm going to love seeing this all play out. Luke actually snapped at him... that was a first...

May I ask why you are so hard on poor Jag Fel? Is the guy ever going to catch a break... or just die and be put out of his angst? My heart was about in my toes when I realized that Jaina or Leia might have killed him. That would have been... heavy. I honestly like him and would be happy to see his character at least get some closure one way or the other. Is that little subplot going to get any more coverage, or was this it?

The baby subplot is obviously unfinished, but it kind of went under the radar here. Poor child. I just can't see Jacen helping raise her.

I am also in the faction that hopes that Legacy will focus more on the newer characters. I love Luke, Han, Leia, and Mara... but Han's getting up into his sixties, isn't he? They've got to pull back sometime. There is a lot of potential in characters like Tahiri and Lowie.

Ah well. I guess we'll just have to see. Next year, is it? *twitches impatiently*

 

I think Troy treats Jag poorly because he's not able to smack around Kyp as much as he'd very much like to...

 

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for the kind comments, as always. Here are some answers:

1) I've got something of an interest in the history of the New Republic's naval comanders (thread here) and I was wondering if you could provide any insight, especially as to whether or not Kre'fey is still commanding the First Fleet after being dismissed as Supreme Commander, and when Bwua'tu took command of the Fifth, precisely, and anything else you care to enlighten us upon. Many thanks.

Sorry, I don't really know what happened to Kre'fey. Sovv reappeared at the top of the flowchart sometime between TUF and TJK and Kre'fey disappeared. Given the "enthusiasm" with which he prosecuted the war after ar'krai was declared, I assumed that the powers-that-be decided Kre'fey wouldn't be a good peace-time leader (especially with the YV given quarter) and reassigned him.

2) 1. Pellaeon: Will he be the new Supreme Commander in the LOTF series, or will another character be named?

I probably shouldn't answer questions about what's going to happen in the LotF series. Sorry!

2. Admiral Nek Bwua'tu: Any chances that he might appear in the upcoming series as well? I enjoyed how he seemed to be doing some major planning during TSW.

You can assume that he'll keep popping up at least in stories I write.


3. Include Mon Cal cruisers!: I love Star Destroyers, but I would be thrilled to see some lumpy Mon Cal warships.

I'll keep that in mind!

3) Jaina Solo asked some spoiler questions about Jag/Jaina. I'll echo something I side on TOS: One of the things that authors love to do is create love triangles, because it generates a lot of suspense. You--the readers--generally want the hero/heroine to end up with the "right" mate. We--the authors--like to introduce some competition to make you worry. In the Jaina/Jag/Zekk triangle, this tactic clearly succeeded beyond my wildest expectations.

Also, some people seem to have the impression that Jag died at the end of TSW; that's not what I meant to imply--just that he's going to spend a little time in the jungle.

4) Also, what's a power blaster (G-8 and G-12)? Is it a pistol or rifle? I just had trouble picturing it

Picture a sawed-off shotgun (but without the shot spread).

5) Is to early really to ask about Legacy? Because I'm wondering if any of the issue's above are resovled, And (with a lot of other people) what happened to the guy you made MIA?

Afraid it is a bit early to say anything about legacy--but at least I answered your question about the MIA. (See above.)

6)any word at all on legacy? stuff you're allowed to say only, of course. i'm assuming lumiya was lomi plo's master and we'll see the lines traced right to her. anyone ever going to figure out where mara jade came from? are her parents still alive on yoda's planet? anything else with the aing-tii (thank you for including them)? can i come up with yet another ridiculous question?

Unfortunately, I can't answer the questions touching on LotF, and I don't know the answers to Mara Jade questions. I don't have any plans to do any more with the aing-tii (unless maybe TK should send Allana off to be raised by them in secret? . . . That's a joke, btw!!)

7) My only question is this: You have proven that you aren't the type of author to leave plot holes open for any reason. So was there a particular reason you wrote Alema's "death" so cryptic, or is she dead and done?

I could answer that . . . but I'm not gonna.

8) Gorkos--whoa--that's a lot of questions. I hope you don't mind, but it's going to take a special session to answer all those!! :0 I'll try to get back to them fairly soon.


That's it for now--thanks again!

 

Also, some people seem to have the impression that Jag died at the end of TSW; that's not what I meant to imply--just that he's going to spend a little time in the jungle.

You're mean... did anyone ever tell you that? It suceeded because the authors have been tormenting anyone hoping for resolution on that plotline for a very long time...

But I suppose it wouldn't be Star Wars if anything came easy.

Yrch. You're saying that Alema's still alive? I'm sorry... she gets on my nerves. Jacen needs his villian spotlight all to himself.

 

Mr. Denning, this has probably been asked before, but did you intend for all Killik names to be palindromes?

 

Mr. Denning, I did have one question (well not really one, but its several questions around a single major heading) about Legacy that you MAY be able to answer.

Will we be seeing Character Death in Legacy? if so what model are you going to use.. the NJO model (one of the few things I liked about the series) or the DN (not knocking your series I did rather enjoy it as it were, by previous posts as evidence) not really anyone dying. See I do rather enjoy a well written death scene especially if its someone I really like, or someone I really hate.

Part Duex would be.. If you can answer.. who is on the Lucas no-kill list currently.. have you killed anyone yet in the LOTF books youve written already (if youve finshed any all the way).. no names of course a simple yes/no would suffice