From your first expectations of the NJO - what has suprised you?

The thing that has suprised me the most about the NJO is how dark it has become. I never expected the storyline to become as dark as it has become, with so much death and anguish. I also didn't expect the Solo kids to have has much prominence as they have had, altough I do enjoy their story arc's.

What has suprised you the most from your early expectations and thoughts of what would happen?

 

That its continuing to excite me, and actually expand my reading into other realms besides Star Wars. I didn't expect that, I expected something dull and stupid I think, although I was excited for new books. The series is really working for me.

 

The one thing I have noticed is that as the series progresses that more and more people are dying and in horrible ways. It has become a bit too dark for SW standards.

 

Im suprised by the things they have done to heighten the story

 

I?d expected Vector Prime to be like RA Salvatore?s Crimson Shadow books; fairly upbeat, fast paced books, with likeable heroes and fun villains. Instead, we got Vector Prime.

After Vector Prime, I actually expected things to be darker. Before Balance Point, I was predicting that Anakin would soon die and that Jacen would go to the Dark Side; after Balance Point, I changed my mind about the direction of Jacen?s character and became more certain about the direction of Anakins character.

It had been my expectation that there would be more Imperial involvement. However, I?m not too disappointed by the lack. The amount of screen time that the Solo kids have gotten was a little surprising. And the Leia/Han thing was uncalled for

 

I was surpised when Chewie died. I almost put down the series. But now I love the series, but I still miss Chewie.

I thought the Vong would be easy to defeat and we would yet be in for one of those "all the main characters are invisable" type deals. But I was wrong, and I am glad I was wrong.

 

Surprisingly, going into the NJO, I had no expectation other than they would write an epic-style story that would probably change a lot of what we would expect as the norm. They've done that, and while I would prefer certain characters to have played different roles, I'm still pretty happy with where it's going.

 

The more I search if I had any expectations, the more I realize I hadn't any.

I just take it has it comes, and so far it was really really enjoyable. The level of darkness is quite surprising for Star Wars, but I find it refreshing - in a certain way.

 

I didnt think it would be so dark, and I thought it would follow Zahns ideas.

 

I'm the opposite of Gatherer. Ever since the whole "The galaxy just got darker" campaign, I expected it to be MUCH darker than it's been.

 

Even you would have to admitt Mr. Darkside, that the death of 3 main characters is dark.

 

What's surprised me mostly is just how good it's actually turned out to be, especially lately. The first few books of the series were good but didn't really draw me in. As the storyline advanced and things got more urgent (and at the same time more complicated), though, I really got into it. I'm utterly hooked by now.

 

I actually didn't really think it was going to be this dark.This whole series is one big surprise.Some of the best books I have ever read.I actually don't mind the main character deaths,as long as it is done correctly and to further the storyline.

 

Even you would have to admitt Mr. Darkside, that the death of 3 main characters is dark.

No, I have to admit that the death of 3 main characters means 3 main characters are dead.

First, Vector Prime. I understand it now, but at the time the Vong were beaten back and I was thinking, "great, Trek-style episodism coming our way." Then there was Dark Tide -- OK, there was a lot of violence and devastation, but Stackpole's not exactly a "dark" writer. Nor is Tyers or Keyes. When I think Dark I don't just think things going badly, I also think of a whole style. Star by Star was pretty Dark. I know that both Stover and WJWilliams can write very Dark stories. I really like the NJO, but I've just been surprised at how not Dark it's been. I truly expected much more darkness, both in terms of devastation and in terms of Gothic style.

 

i honestly didn't think it would last as many books as i heard it is gonna last... the more the merrier

~Nike Skylark~

 

Yeah thats the thing. People are too simplistic and think "being dark" is just killing off main characters. ESB was dark and didnt kill off any of the main characters or revel in mass death or destruction, the darkness came from within the characters. It was the threat of the darkside not the threat of death that made ESB what it was.

How do ah feel bout NJO? Mixed. At first when VP came out ah was excited. I liked that the Solo kids would take a major focus and that they were planning one big epic cohesive story.

However although I have enjoyed many elements of NJO the series as a whole falls a little short. The editors have fallen back on that simplistic mindset of blowing everything up and calling it dark and innovative. The fact that they think that gimmics like character deaths are real plot twists rather than gimmicks is just insulting to my intelligence. Please note I am not against character death but it had best be more than just put there as a suprise. ESB didnt have one major character death but one BIG suprise that has become one of the defining moments in all of pop culture. I know it's hard to top "I am your father" but NJO has never come close. I do appreciate the balls it took to kill Anakin, I wish Del Rey had real reasons for doing it but you cant have everything. If they wanted to take a real risk on a character death kill Mara, that'd be the first death that would really surpise me.

Heres how ah judge NJO.

Character development for the movie characters: 5% They have mostly just been stagnant the whole series except for Han. Luke hasnt done much although he seems to be becoming the Luke of the movies again which aint development. Han has been explored most thouroughly which is why I'm giving it the score I am.

EU character development: 30% because they did such a wonderful job developing Anakin and Borsk although I dont feel that they heavily developed any of the others except for Jacen who I now hate. And just because Mara featured heavily doesnt mean that her character was developed, we just saw a lot of her.

New character development: 0% The baddys are one dimensional and so are the new characters so now score there.

Plot Twists: 10% for the birth of Ben and the death of Anakin. Only real suprises for ne.

Brains: 2% the storyline is just too damn simple. Makes the movies look like Tom Clancy.

Epic Nature: 40% the story aint smart but it shore is big.

Cojones: 13% percent just for risking alienating fans with this whole stunt.

In all ah enjoy NJO but it's strictly a no brainer.

 

Wedge 88 and Balance_Point - I agree completely. I'm liking this much more than I thought I would.

What makes it dark is the constant sense of despair, desperation and fear which is so unlike the rest of Star Wars, where Imspstars are shrugged away with a grin and a quick catchphrase. I'll admit I hated Vector Prime, not ebcause of Chewie death - I never really liked him anyway. Its sole good point was introducing the Vong.

And then Dark Tide came along. The Fall of Ithor. OMG, that was spectacular. The Jedi vs Vong in full out ground combat on herdships. It was the best SW thing I had ever written, and despite a weak period after that (Balance Point did not impress me) Star by Star returns to greatness.

See, before, Star Wars was always a sterile kind of universe when I read it. Sapce combat was clean and crisp, skies were blue, etc. but after two years of devastating warfare the GFFA actually has colour. The dark Bantha nebula, the fire turning the sky of Coruscant the colour of flame. SbS was very Orange IMHO.

Adressing Beef's points: Beside scoring way, way, way too low for everything:

Character Development is often overrated and misunderstood. People don't continuously change form one day to the next - people do change, with stable personas lasting a long time before extrinsic events change them. HAn, especially, in this regard. Leia is worn out. Luke has settled comfortablbly into his Jeid Master Role. Mara, ok, well, 2D still.

EU Characters: Well quite frankly, most of the EU characters were carboard cut-outs before NJO, because allthe earlier books focused on the adventures of Luke and Co, making the other characters either plot points or deus ex machina. THE EU charcaters have really come into their own, having their personalities well defined. JAcen is an irritating ****, but hey, lots of people are. Anakin, bravo. Jaina has been very subtle. Her going slowly insane form the war (which was discussed in an earleir thread) has been a highlight for me.

Bad Guys: The Vong have become and incredibly rich and intense society. True, they're not horribly complex, but tis understandable for a society that has been rigidly controlled for hundreds if not thousands of years.

Plot Twists: You're kidding, right? Ithor being wiped off the face of the universe, the fall of cuoruscant, Vergere's back, Thracken fired Centrepoint, Anakin's exploits.

As for alienating fans, well. any fan that cries: we want the Imperial Remnant to fight the NR 4evr! is obessed with Star Wars for the wrong reasons. Life is risk, evolution, and Del Ray have delivered in spades.

adious amigos

 

If I can chime in here, I have to agree with the Green Guy, what's his name, Zixor? Xizor? Whatever, anyway, I never had any expectations to be let down. Instead of always having high expectations for things like this, I have none, that way I can't be let down by listening to hype. What I have read, I have for the most part, enjoyed. I haven't been surprised by anything because I hang out in the Lit forum of theforce.net- where saying you're 'Spoiler Free' carries about as much weight as a narc at a biker rally.

I have enjoyed the New Jedi Order. Not completely, but more than enough to want to see it through.

 

i was amazed of how many charactors died. i went crazy for a while when i read chewie was killed. then theres the other jedi who are killed. but also it is very interesting. what makes me mad is the Vong keep winning and we still dont know too much about them.

 

Darkness is relative. Can't say I've been surprised much really.

I didn't pick up Vector Prime to read about Luke, Leia and Han. I can watch the original trilogy or read other EU for that. Thankfully, VP started the transition to other, younger characters.

I didn't want to read about our beloved SW heroes escaping the the claws of death for the umpteenth time. Thankfully, this series severed that trend as well.

I didn't want to read about the generally positive overtones many eye candy books provide. Thankfully, the first half of the NJO dispelled that rumor.

Thank you for making me - and others from the looks of their responses - feel something.

As for the new generation of characters, Jacen Solo makes this series worth reading.

 

I had expected the series to be about a New Jedi Order, as the name suggests. I was surprised when it turned out to be a generic alien invasion plot with the Jedi Order in shambles and no sign of a new one.

 

NJO has expanded my reading, introducing me to several other excelllent authors that I would probably have never discovered on my own.
Every author so far has been a hit.

 

After reading Vector Prime, I was shocked: at Chewie's death and the new enemy.I didn't expect a forceless race of aliens who multilate themselves. It was good creativity but they started off too good.

I almost swore to not read NJO after Vector Prime, the shock of Chewie's death was just too much. Then I found out that the next tow were Stackpole's so I decided to give it a second chance and they were okay so I decided to read on. AOC surprised me, it was a refreshing change from the other novels and even though it wasn't as suspense ridden as the others it was good in its own sort of way. Then they bought back Kathy Tyers with Balance Point, TOB was really good esp. the Anakin/Leia scene... the action started to hot up

EoV blew me away, it was really good considering it was done in six months or so and we see the first sign of crackiong in the Vong invincibility streak... SbS was really good though again Anakin's death surprised me, Coruscant falling I think was timed brilliantly wihtin the arc

 

My general complaint is that everything that the Rebellion went through to create the New Republic seemed to come to pieces quickly, and we can blame that on Borsk. The moment he became the chief, he molded the Senate into something akin to the way he viewed politics and life. Because of him, the Senate once again became corrupt, just like in the Empire and in the Old Republic. I knew his becoming chief of the New Republic would be the worst mistake possible.

While I'm glad he finally kicked the bucket, I'm surprised he lived for so long. I think Leia's been having many thoughts of regret on persuading Han and Chewbacca from not going after Borsk and dealing with him permanently after the Katana Fleet battle in Dark Force Rising. That's the only reason I can think off as to why he was alive in The Last Command and in all the books afterwords.

I'm surpised the Yuuzhan Vong have become such a prominent race.

I'm also surprised that Kyp's still alive. I was hoping he would have been on the strike team to Myrkr. It sounded like the kind of thing he would have done. And I wouldn't have shed a tear if he died. I think his being a Jedi Master is an insult to the title and the Jedi order. I know he would have been kicked out of the Old Jedi order for what he did.

I'm also saddened by the numerous deaths, especially among the Jedi and Chewie. There's been far too many in my opinion. It seems that another Jedi Purge began the moment the Yuuzhan Vong entered the galaxy. I just hope the remnants of the Jedi and New Republic can get their acts together before any more Jedi die. I also envisioned having the Luke, Leia, Han, Chewie, Lando, and the rest of the prominent characters die from old age.

 

Like so many other people, I'm surprised with how dark the NJO is. I know there is a lot of death, but to me that provides a little more realism(as much as a fantasy world can provide). Looking at it objectively, to have main characters get into and out of impossible situations for 30 years(SW time) and not have anyone die is a bit of a stretch, at least to me.

By having "main" characters die, there is now real doubt about the future of the SW Universe. Probably more doubt now than ever before. This doubt causes tremendous drama, which makes for great stories(and reading.)

The NJO is a much different view of the people and places we've come to know and love. And personally, I find it compelling and very enjoyable reading.