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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Elevator news from Timothy Zahn (a bombshell shocker)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Bravo, Apr 21, 2013.

  1. Son of a Bith

    Son of a Bith Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2013
    That's what I was trying to say, but chicken littles are gonna chicken little.
     
  2. Darth_Pevra

    Darth_Pevra Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 21, 2008
    If a hypothetical new Star Wars fan went to buy a book, Disney will likely not want him to buy one set in completely different continuity than the ST, as this would confuse and alienate the new customer.
     
    kubricklynch likes this.
  3. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    In his defense, the comics are run by an entirely different group of people, and it's very possible SOTJ won't be published at all.
     
  4. General Immodet

    General Immodet Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Dec 5, 2012
    SOTJ is not going to be published? :eek:
     
    Grey1 likes this.
  5. instantdeath

    instantdeath Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 22, 2010
    Not basing that off of anything official, of course, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. Of course, it's also possible that, like Crucible, it's far enough into the development process that it will be published anyway (though the fact that it's a trilogy might complicate things a bit).
     
    kataja likes this.
  6. FatSmel

    FatSmel Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Sep 23, 2012
    I hope not. I have no interest in reading a book written by someone with the writing skills of a 12 year old about Jaina and Jag's marriage problems and Bens teenage love interests. Can you imagine how bad that would be? Her FOTJ books were bad enough.
     
  7. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008

    Not surprised in the least that there's a freeze on post-ROTJ material for the time being - there would have to be, no? I think that's actually good news for EU fans, believe it or not. If Disney didn't care at all, they'd let the possible contradictions with the new films pile up without thinking twice.

    i hope your right that this is good news​
     
    DarthStymi likes this.
  8. Son of a Bith

    Son of a Bith Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2013
    If anything I think it's too early to say that it's bad news.

    I think it'd be wierd if they didn't put a freeze on the books until an action plan is sorted out.
     
  9. kataja

    kataja Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 4, 2007
    I don't think this 'freeze' concerns books that have been announced. In fact, I don't see this as anythng very dramatic. It's just common sense that they hold back to give themselves elbow place. It would be silly to start to announce books that follow one set storyline - in case they want to follow quite another one. And even if they choose to leave the EU be for most part, people will be likely to be more excited about things they know will 'matter'.
     
  10. Adam_Bosman

    Adam_Bosman Jedi Knight star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 30, 2007
    A couple points of speculation from me:
    1. Much of the post-ROTJ EU will be over written, but it will be used for reference much like CW did. What is able to stay will, but Disney will not allow old material to trump new. The mentality on EU will be the classic 'nothing will prevent them from telling the best story possible.'
    2. Zahn will be hired to write the novelization of EPVII
    3. He will be told to stick to the script, but that it's OK to pepper it with a few nods to old EU as long as it's not obtrusive or too specific. I.E. Thrawn may be mentioned but not an actual character in the book. Disney won't want to be inhibited by old EU, but will want to use it for some things. I.E. I could see Mara actually being a character in the movie, but her back story will either not be referenced or will be changed.
     
  11. Barriss_Coffee

    Barriss_Coffee Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 29, 2003
    ^I assume your #1 will be proven correct in time. In which case I can see maybe Thrawn or Karrde surviving, but not Mara (as Luke's wife at least) or the twins. In which case I don't see them asking Zahn -- he's one of the forefathers of the EU and it's his material that's going to get trampled the most in the end.

    I would hope they'd ask Stover again, although truth be told you'd probably need a clone army of Frys, Wallaces, and Peñas to even attempt to fix the mess that's coming.
     
  12. Zorrixor

    Zorrixor Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2004
    Pfft, Zahn could fix it by referencing the Clone War of April 1st 2012.

    And in one line, the pen shall prove mightier than the mouse.
     
    Barriss_Coffee likes this.
  13. MRCynical

    MRCynical Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 7, 2008

    Sounds to me more like Disney have put a temporary freeze on post-ROTJ stories to avoid either conflicts with the new films, or leaking plot details (e.g. if they say to an author "you can't have that in the plot" it gives away details of what will be in the new films). Wasn't there a similar ban on pre-ANH books in the leadup to the prequel trilogy?
     
  14. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    If they cared about confusing and alienating fans that much, then they won't try to create a new post-ROTJ continuity to begin with.
     
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  15. Ghost

    Ghost Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2003
    double post
     
  16. Darth_Pevra

    Darth_Pevra Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 21, 2008
    They'll care about new fans. Acquisition is more important than keeping old fans like us around.
     
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  17. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Except what are those? There's Legacy Volume 2 but that's about it.

    Books? Crucible and Sword of the Jedi.

    It wouldn't be hard to not do any more of either respect.

    I'm hoping DHC can at least keep Legacy going long enough to tell a decent tale, but I'm not optimistic given past form for informing writers of cancellation. Their other comics are all OT-era or earlier, but I don't expect those to last beyond 2014 at most.
     
  18. JediMatteus

    JediMatteus Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2008
    you would think that they would at least keep the thrawn trilogy as a anchor for a new eu. You need something foundational to refrence to. honestly since episode 7 luke is older, he needs to have a history. a history that fans can relate to. they need to keep the Jedi Academy trilogy and all of the core eu books. You can't just start over from scratch after all this time.
     
  19. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Book 1 of the History of Luke Skywalker - coming to a bookstore near you Dec 2015. Also available on Kindle.
     
  20. FatSmel

    FatSmel Jedi Knight star 3

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    Sep 23, 2012
    You guys need to realise that the books and EU continuity as it currently stands means nothing to them. The revenue from films is the only relevent factor.

    You can come up with all kinds of financial reasons why they shouldn't ignore the EU, but in the end, deep down, we all know the truth.
     
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  21. HEDGESMFG

    HEDGESMFG Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 20, 2010
    While it's certainly possible the EU may mean nothing, even seems reasonably likely, one can't simply assume that or act as if the rest of the franchise hasn't generated significant revenue through the sale of countless books, comics, games, and things beyond the films. The EU in all forms has generated big money.

    I can accept them being ignorant of their significance, but the truth is the Star Wars universe is very, very small if the 6 films are all that count. Tossing out the entire EU (not just post ROTJ parts of it, and this includes games, comics, and TCW) would leave the franchise a shallow shell of its former self, and half as interesting.
     
  22. Darth_Pevra

    Darth_Pevra Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    May 21, 2008
    They don't need to toss the EU. EU is simply declared special canon and whoever wants to buy the books can still do so.
     
  23. Robimus

    Robimus Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Jul 6, 2007
    They may not have a choice based upon the contracts that Dark Horse & Del Rey have. Once those contracts expire, then I suspect we will see the sweeping changes.
     
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  24. dewback_rancher

    dewback_rancher Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Some of us, however, prefer to try to hope for a better outcome, as the alternative would be far too depressing.
     
  25. Grand Admiral Crumb

    Grand Admiral Crumb Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Apr 25, 2013
    I think of it like this, if they wipe the EU, they're going to either have to ignore the gap or try to come up with some completely new stories to fill the gap. I know it wasn't a new movie, but all the Bantam novels managed to survive a license switch, so I don't see why the current stock can't survive. Frankly I'd be more worried about the whole franchise becoming super child friendly. Disney doesn't publish anything can could be remotely construed as non-children's novels. Though everything under Marvel has managed to maintain its age relevancy, so maybe I'm worrying for nothing. I suspect if they wiped the EU there might be some sort of employee/author exodus, I mean how would you feel as Leland Chee if someone told you tomorrow everything you had done with the Holocron was rendered null and void? The smartest move I can see is Disney leaving Lucasfilm alone for the most part, Del Rey and Dark Horse have been very nice to the franchise (regardless of you personal opinion of the plot, they've still managed to put out bestselling novels), and treating them as they have Marvel. Everyone worried what was going to happen when they bought Marvel, and it was all for nothing.
     
    dewback_rancher likes this.