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Books Dawn of the Jedi: Into the Void (Now the OFFICIAL, SPOILERS-ALLOWED release thread)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Lazy Storm Trooper, Sep 26, 2012.

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Would you read this novel

  1. Yes

    114 vote(s)
    89.1%
  2. No

    14 vote(s)
    10.9%
  1. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    I started this this morning, and I'm about fifty pages in now. It is completely awesome and fully endorsed so far. Great prose, descriptive style, good premise, cool ideas, fascinating backstory, exciting characters . . . I feel confident in saying that this is the best novel since Knight Errant so far, and in fact very much reminds me of KE in overall impression.
     
    s65horsey likes this.
  2. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    kindle version is cheaper. anyway i have read a bout 1/5 of the novel. I like it so far. good read. not blown away so far though
     
  3. darthcaedus1138

    darthcaedus1138 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2007
    Two chapters in. So far I like it, the prose is different, we have an interesting main character with an interesting problem to face. Tech is still bothering me for this time period though. It all pretty much seems the same.
     
  4. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Finished it. Awesome. Solid prose, interesting and unique characters, a diverse cast, good exploitation of the setting, and a good feel for the DOTJ microverse (aside from the use of blasters rather than slugthrowers, but as they're described as "laser blasters" we can retcon them as an actual laser weapon and not blaster technology, which shouldn't be invented yet). The ongoing flashback story in the past was really effective, establishing Lanoree's relationship with Dalien, using and exploring the great setting DOTJ created, and showing off Dalien, who's a really great character. A child, in the flashbacks, who even then was dark, in the sort of troubling, psychopath way that keeps his family hoping he just gets out of this phase until it's too late. A Force-sensitive who hates and resents the Force as something outside, invasive, and controlling, he's determined to keep himself free of its influence, and rejects it throughout his Je'daii training. There's an interesting psychological and philosophical component there, a sort of child Kreia, and the interest factor is compounded with the competing fascination he fixates on: Tython's ancient past and its people's history as coming from somewhere else, somewhere he believes to be "home" and is desperate to recover, feeling that the Force, in bringing them together on Tython, has stolen his rightful destiny from him. It's powerful stuff, and the character work is great. Not just on Dalien, but on Lanoree, too, and the other characters.

    It's short, but there's a lot packed in, and it's a propulsive thriller that planet-hops across the system, so it works. The one thing I would prefer would be a little meatier ending that tackles Dalien's goals a little more, but the novel definitely works. It's creative, fresh, and exciting, and I really want more from Lebben. He's the best new talent on the scene in quite a while.
     
    s65horsey and Zorrixor like this.
  5. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    And now I'm sad at the idea that he might not get to do more with the universe, considering the impending Sequel Trilogy. It took years to get JJM to step out of the Old Republic era :p
     
  6. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2004
    =P~[face_love]
     
  7. Stymi

    Stymi Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 10, 2002
    I've been thinking that this could be an excellent era for him to continue churning out more SW books. Since it looks like post-ROTJ books may be off limits for a while, this era is rich with things and characters to explore and expand on. Already waaaay more interesting than all the TOR book combined (although I did like Kemp's contribution). We definitely don't need/want any more Clone Wars era stuff. The only other stories I would like to see explored/continued is the continuation of the Banite Sith line.
     
    ILNP likes this.
  8. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Hmm, might have a way to grab this for £12 that'd make it a worthwhile buy - on the strength of reviews so dar, keep 'em coming!
     
  9. The_Forgotten_Jedi

    The_Forgotten_Jedi Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 12, 2010
    Hmm, I was going to wait for the paperback, but Havac's endorsement just sold me on buying ASAP. Sounds like a really interesting villain.
     
  10. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    it might take me awhile to get the book read, but i like it. I think the biggest challenge for authors crossing thousands of years in universe, is tech differences. It does not seem to be a huge difference in tech 25,000 yars ago compared to aby. we need to see more differences.. At least they are using swords and not lightsabers lol
     
  11. max-attac

    max-attac Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    May 23, 2009
    There are indeed a lot of beheading in the novel. Apart from the two who commit suicide, I think that all the sect members lose their heads. This is pretty cool :p
     
  12. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    Yeah, I think that's one of the key differences between the Jedi and Je'daii, which is one of the things that makes the setting interesting -- the Je'daii aren't really bothered by killing, at all.
     
  13. Nobody145

    Nobody145 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2007
    There are other things about the Je'daii that disturb me a lot more....
    Finding out Lanoree has been growing that... thing on her ship, and then absorbs it to heal herself. [face_sick] I am so glad in later eras Jedi have healing trances for healing. Not to mention her and her master are budding alchemists, which is already pretty controversial so they keep their experiments quiet. Just glad that at least it doesn't seem like a Je'daii conspiracy yet, was almost afraid it would turn out Lanoree's master would be involved with the masterminds or something like that.

    Pretty good book, not one of my favorite Star Wars stories, but also pretty well written, and uses the Tython system very well. Partially because its a novel rather than a comic, but it is also kind of a side story so we actually get to see more of Tython rather than the actual DotJ comic which is focused more on showing the first outside contact in thousands of years.

    I also like most of the quotes, they show a lot of character, from the various figures quoted as well as just the general culture of the Je'daii. Don't much care for the main chase or the flashbacks, since basically Dalien is at best a whiny brat, who then grows up to just be really crazy, leading Lanoree to angst about that the whole book, as a Journeyer and as a grown woman. Perhaps the most interesting bit was one Master's brief reference to... what was it, the Shunned? People sort of like Dalien, perhaps (not just non-Force sensitives but something else).

    At least nice to get a definite timeline placement, that this novel takes place at the same time as the first DotJ arc. Its really interesting to see the far more... not sure to say ruthless or pragmatic approach the Je'daii take in most matters. Tech is a lot more primitive in this era (transit time between worlds is days at least), but still, its an interesting contrast. Though as Lanoree is the POV character for the entire novel, its hard to gauge her opinions objectively too.

    Kind of curious about the whole Tython mystery. Plenty of mention of Gree tech in this book, such as the hypergate mentioned in the preview, which just deepens the mystery of Tython (kwa, Gree, the tho yors, etc.).
     
    ILNP likes this.
  14. AusStig

    AusStig Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 3, 2010
    So no Xesh and a 'Child Keria' is the antagonist. Is that about right?
     
  15. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    No Xesh is correct, though the Force Storm surrounding his arrival hits at the end of the book. And the antagonist is philosophically similar to Kreia, but he's only a child in the flashbacks that run throughout the book.
     
  16. Cronal

    Cronal Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2009
    Oooh, interesting. I remember the gate in the preview but they never mentioned much about it in the comics... at east, not yet.
     
  17. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    i don't know why but i am trudging through this book. not sure if it is me, or if i just have trouble caring with characters i do not know.
     
  18. vong333

    vong333 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2003
    the book was okay, nothing to fancy. I do like though that this era has good tie ins with the comic book series.
     
  19. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    You people, read this more so I can actually talk about it.
     
  20. Point Given

    Point Given Manager star 7 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Dec 12, 2006
    I'll get to it at some point next week.
     
  21. RC-1991

    RC-1991 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 2, 2009
    Wire me the cash to buy it and I shall gladly partake in this discussion :p
     
  22. Todd the Jedi

    Todd the Jedi Mod and Loving Tyrant of SWTV, Lit, & Collecting star 6 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Oct 16, 2008
    Or be like me and make everyone wait a year for the paperback release.
     
  23. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    i am almost half done with it. good novel. but not great yet
     
  24. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    I'm definitely considering buying the book early. Question, Havac: is the book good enough that you're actually tempted to check out some of the authors original work?
     
  25. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    I don't tend to do that a lot, but I might consider it if I didn't have a backlog of about sixteen books and the complete works of Shakespeare. I don't want to oversell it -- it's not Stover-class work, just way better than the rote, lackluster tie-in stuff we're getting from Golden, Denning, Kemp, etc. It's good tie-in stuff.