Are you in it for the Star Wars, or the Literature?

I have an honest question to ask every one on the Literature board: Do you read Star Wars books for their literary value, or just because they're Star Wars?

I personally read for the literary content, so am often disgusted when a book is released without any. I hate it when I find people reading just because it has a brand name on the title. When I see that I tend to start yelling at them, which never ends very well.

Which isn't to say I'm oblivious to the fact that it's star wars. It is a perk, it's just not that important.

 

They have literary value?

I read them because I love Star Wars and they're good, fun, light escapist reading.

Overall, I'd say that less than ten percent of SW books are what I'd consider "good" or "worth my time" if they weren't Star Wars. Which just goes to show that the whole is more than the sum of its parts.

 

He's right- "Star Wars" books have the same literary value as "The Babysitters' Club," only we're into aliens, Jedi, and starships, and not preteen romance, strict parents, and stuck-up cheerleaders.

 

and not preteen romance, strict parents

The NJO Critics' Club might have a thing or two to say about that...

 

Guys, you dissapoint me.

I'll admit, there are quite a few crappy star wars books, but the ones that are worth reading are very well written, and I will not stand for them being insulted.

Face it guys, people like R. A. Salvatore, Timothy Zahn, Mike Stackpole, and Greg Bear are <i>incredible</i> writers! All their work is phenomenal, but only if you read them as a reader, not a star wars enthusiast.

 

I'm in it for both SW and good books (probably because their SW)

 

Im in it for both. There are some crappy books. But I'll read them because its Star Wars. I will also read because its a book, and most of them are good.

 

i'm definitely in it for the star wars aspect, although i think the quality is quite high... they may not be classic, but they're not trash either... of course, i'm bound to be slightly biased....

 

I read them because they're SW, but I also want the writing to be good, too.

The books that are well written I'll read again. The ones that are poorly done collect dust on a bookshelf...

 

I agree with Crow. Both. I hate it when they stink. They give Star Wars a bad name.

 

What stinks to someone, might be thoroughly enjoyed by another. Both books may have the exact same quality writing, but the readers view it differently for some reason. But this just means that both people have oppinions, and it doesn't mean that both are wrong or right. Both views are valid, that neither gives either view a bad name.

 

I am in it for both, actually. I am interested in the books initially because they are the continuing adventures of characters I grew up with, in a galaxy I grew up with. But once I open the book, I do want it to be a good piece of literature. I am not expecting War and Peace, but I do at least expect it to be well written. I am certainly not going to fawn over it just because it has my favorite characters ....cough...hack...Crystal Star..cough...ahem, where did that come from? Anyway, I am in it for both.

 

honestly, they aren't written very well. i read it to continue the legacy that star wars started.

 

At first it was because they were SW books but now it's both

It doesn't really worry me when a book doesn't quite meet my lofty standards (LOL)
If we all had the same tastes in books these forums would be pretty boring.
and besides, is there ever truely a bad SW book [face_shocked]

 

I read them because they are SW. Most are not written very well but all are fun and good reads, (except Approaching Storm,).

I read a lot of stuff,( I read about 5 or 6 books a month) but that is mostly non-fiction things like politics and wine and trade mags. When I want to escape it is always SW EU stuff. Fine Lit is is not, but fun it is.

 

I liked chrystal star when I read it. I found it very enjoyable.

 

Well, (and please, I do not want this thread to turn into the merits/demerits of the Crystal Star!), I found the Crystal Star downright silly. Luke going temporarily insane and 3P0 in purple lacquer was just .... ugh.. well, words cannot describe how it made me feel. I am pretty passionate about my Star Wars, and I just felt the author portrayed the characters poorly. This is only my opinion of it, but I even feel it rates low on the end of the literary scale, whereas other novels, while not completely SW to me, at least would have been a fun read and were literarily well done had they not been using the SW label (I.E. completely different cast, not set in the SW universe, I think you get the idea.).
Just my take on it.

But you are right. One man's refuse are another man's riches, and there is no accounting for taste. People just like different things.

 

Well, The Crystal Star did have a nice cover...

 

There is very little literary value in any of the njo books! But they are entertaining nontheless.

 

I think I will take exception to that Boba.

I have so far found the NJO books to be the best ongoing adventure series out there, given the time span it covers. I think everyone from the movies has been written to character, the old cliched lines from the movies aren't repeatedly overused like the bantam series, and each book is captivating, despite what happens. I have found (just speaking generally here) that most people who hate the NJO either do so because they are not ready to pass the torch to the newcomers, or they resent it from the beginning because of the death of Chewie. At least that is what I have found. Anyway, thats just my opinion.

 

I think I will take exception to that Boba.

Don't bother, SithSpit. That's just our friendly neighborhood spammer, here to try to annoy us again tonite.

 

To quote Tenel Ka: "Ah. Aha."

 

Basically one of the biggest complaints I hear about chrystal star is that "It's star Trek like".

The fact is I like star trek. I like star wars as well. Having grown up being influenced by both, I see nothing wrong with stories that have more whimsical feel to them, like TOS, or have more science based ideas of most star trek. Alternate dimensions nothing wrong with that either. I personally didn't see that luke was that off. Purple paint personally didn't really cause me any emotion. I liked the scenes with the kids.

So this is definitly a good showing of how different books are seen differenty by different people. There is nothing wrong with having different oppinions, as sithspit has said.

 

Both. There is little literary value in SW, or, to put it more accurately, the "literary people" wouldn't recognize it as having any, so it amounts to the same thing.

What I do like, is getting a taste of the different narrative styles of authors I probably wouldn't read outside of SW. (I'm not really into other Sci-Fi books.) I've yet to read a SW author I truly dislike, although I absolutely despise SBS for other reasons. They all have their strengths and weaknesses.

TC

 

nice question. make us question our motives.

The primary reason we read this stuff is because we're emotionally attached to the characters. we want to know what happens next.

Good SW fiction has literary merit. Thrawn trilogy, some NJO books. but most don't.

There are lots of sci-fi series with epic battle,s good writing etc. but Star Wars is easy because we know and love teh charcaters and their universe already.

cya

Communista