Lit Author Analysis: Karen Miller

Another new author analysis thread: Karen Miller. Miller is the author of three Clone Wars-era novels: Wild Space, Gambit: Stealth, and Gambit: Siege.

Also, a reminder. These threads are for analysis of the author's writing style and skill, not a critique of the person herself. No bashing, personal attacks, etc.

Previous Author Analyses (PM a mod to unlock):
Tom Taylor
Karen Traviss
Jan Strnad
John Jackson Miller
Ron Marz
Steven Barnes
Chris Cassidy and Tish Pahl
L. Neil Smith
Jeremy Barlow
Dan Wallace
Alan Dean Foster
Paul and Hollace Davids
James Luceno
Daniel Keys Moran
Elaine Cunningham
R. A. Salvatore
Sean Williams and Shane Dix
Greg Bear
Kathy Tyers
Darko Macan
Vonda McIntyre
Walter Jon Williams
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
[link=http://boards.theforce.net/literature/b10003/23141067/p1/

 

Thanks for posting it, he is one of the more philosophical writers who dislikes action sequences.

 

I think Karen Miller writes the characters very well. I felt like Padme, Anakin and Obi-Wan were totally in character in her books. The only thing I didn't like was the repetetive Darkside attacks against Obi in Wild space. I would like to read more Star Wars from her.

 

One of the most pleasant surprises I've ever had from the EU was Wild Space, because of how well written it was. It was a fresh look at movie characters, and even made the characters from the awful CLone WArs animated series more than tolerable. I personally believe it to be in the top ten of EU works not only for how perfectly the characters were portrayed (the insights into Palpatine's mind are worth buying the book for by themselves), but also for how the whole book was just very fun and enjoyable to read. I haven't read any of Karen Miller's other works (yet), but would rate her very highly as an EU author based on Wild Space alone. Those who have not yet picked up Wild Space would do well to get a copy.

 

I'm biased because Karen's been kind to me as a fellow writer and I consider her a friend, but I read WILD SPACE before we ever met, so I trust my opinion -- which was then and is now that it's one of the finest character studies in the EU. It would have been the easier path for Karen to take the familiar characters and put them through their expected paces, not to mention the safer course of action for a writer working in someone else's universe. But instead she pushed to take us into their heads, and banged the characters together in intriguing, fresh ways. Pretty impressive.

 

Very descriptive would be a good way to describe Karen Miller.

I liked all three of Karen's novels. Her biggest strength is her ability to deliver emotion to the Star Wars universe. She has an ability to make the readers really care about a character, to really tap into their emotions on an intimate level.

She also has a very realistic feel to some of the aspects of her books and is great at little details like making Palpatine a former speeder racer or effectively using Anakin's mechanical skills as a viable part of the story.

She made Lok Durd an amazingly detailed monster, from his characteristics to his treatment of Fhernan. He presented as maybe one of the most vile Star Wars villians ever. He utterly unlikable, which is something we don't often see in Star Wars villians. Too often Star Wars villians have that cool factor that makes people like them, be it Maul, Palpatine, Vader, Thrawn, almost all of them. Lets just say I don't think anyone is gonna want to Cosplay as Lok Durd anytime soon.

She really voices numerous characters well including Anakin, Bail and Palaptine.

Interestingly I find her greatest strength to also be her greatest weakness. She is overly descriptive with characters at times and really loves to hammer home what a bad spot they are in, over and over again. Also her Obi-Wan Kenobi, while still an interesting read, I find to be a special Karen Miller version of Obi-Wan which I don't really recognize as a character.

In the process of digging deep down into the emotions and soul of a character she tends to turn Jedi into over emotional characters, something that they shouldn't be in my opinion. While characters like Anakin lend themsleves to that type of description because they are emotional volcanoes, Obi-Wan shouldn't be having similar issues.

But then do I like my Obi-Wan with a bit of a cooler, detached edge. Overall I really hope she gets a chance to again write some Star Wars novels in the future.

 

Also her Obi-Wan Kenobi, while still an interesting read, I find to be a special Karen Miller version of Obi-Wan which I don't really recognize as a character.

Why cant you recognize him?

 

He's just not detatched enough. Suddenly he's a guy thats shares many of Anakin's faults as a Jedi. Suddenly he can relate to Anakin's dilemas on a very personal level. Karen gave him a lover, which is now a common occurance but none the less seemed to be a little un Obi-Wan to me. Karen voiced Obi-Wan well in terms of dialog, she captured his charm and wit, but deep down in his character POV's she just made him too understanding.

Obi-Wan Kenobi is the ultimate professional, the ultimate Jedi. I don't think he should have similar failings in common with Anakin. There is too much compassion in him for my tastes.

 

I really like the way her novels focus on characters rather than story. Obi-Wan and Anakin infiltrating an enemy planet to gather intel? It's been done a hundred times before. However, Miller shone a new light on it that made it one of the most interesting stories in recent years.

If I had to name one thing that bugged me about her books, it would have to be the large amount of anguish that the characters go through. Pain is a great way to get into a character's head, but when it's on every page I start getting a little squeamish. Still, Karen Miller is one of the best SW character authors and I hope she continues writing for the SWU, preferably with a Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan novel.

 

See, I've always felt that Obi-Wan is extremely empathetic with Anakin... he just puts on the front of total Jedi calm. We see all that break down on Mustafar after he's debilitated Anakin. After this betrayal by this young man he was trying to make in to the Ultimate Jedi Chosen One Messiah by teaching him all the Jedi calm, detachment etc. He failed, in part, because Obi-Wan truly wasn't that detached in the first place. He was trained by Qui-Gon Jinn, after all. Qui-Gon rubbed off on Obi-Wan more than anyone seems to want to acknowledge usually. We see it at the end of TPM with his "NOOOOO!" and killing of Maul, and ultimately his insistence that he trains Anakin as per Qui-Gon's wishes. Throughout AOTC he seems detached, and I think that's largely because he's trying as hard as Anakin to prove himself. Throughout the Clone Wars he and Anakin have a bond that just gets stronger and stronger and they move from being Master and Apprentice to peers and brothers. Obi-Wan cares deeply for his friends, for Anakin especially. It all cracks in the betrayal of Anakin and he nearly breaks down after their duel. Hell, he does break down. It's so bad for Obi-Wan that he has to concoct a story to assuage his feelings of guilt, betrayal and preserve his love for his friend and brother by saying Darth Vader betrayed and killed Anakin Skywalker. I don't think that was just a convenient lie to tell Luke to manipulate him into having the drive to kill Vader... I think it was something Obi-Wan needed to tell himself to keep on keeping on. You can see the wistful fondness in his face when he talks about Anakin having been a "good friend" in ANH. Obi-Wan was never fully honest with Luke because, even as he is speaking to Luke from the Beyond in ROTJ he's not being totally honest with himself about why he told Luke that "truth" from a "certain point of view."

IMO, Karen Miller writes the best Obi-Wan Kenobi.

I really enjoyed all of Karen Miller's Star Wars novels and I've read the first book in Kingmaker, Kingbreaker. I enjoyed that enough that I intend to read the rest of the books in the series, prequels and sequels.

 

Both Gambit novels dragged on quite a bit IMHO.

 

I didn't like Wild Space at all. Obi-Wan and Bail seemed like a bickering old couple.

I did enjoy the Clone Wars Gambit books, but one thing bothered me. She kept having characters swear, even though it was out of character. Like Padme thinking "stang!" It was weird.

 

Wild Space is one of my least favorite Star Wars books ever. Bail was such a moron and Obi-Wan didn't feel right, plus there wasn't really any antagonist and most of the action was one character or another going insane/being depressed/angry over nothing. There is a fine line between bold characterization and random plot-driven actions and Wild Space seemed to fall on the wrong side of it.

The Gambit books were alright, fun adventures but with some pacing flaws, not to mention really bland original characters.