Has anybody read the NJO books yet?

The las I read was ruin. It was amazing. Michael went all out for it.
I tried to read the next one, but man! It was sooooooooo confusing. Please tell me they're not all that way.

I haven't read Balance Point yet (not too fond of hardback right now.. d'oh! Unless I'd been getting all my books in hardback, that is oh well heheh.. I may break down and get it after the holidays).

I have to admit that the only thing I really don't like are the Vong. I am a bit tired of them (ok so that's putting it mildly.. I'm way sick of them). I didn't even mind a lot of the changes that occur in the NJO series, and I am interested in how things will happen to many of the characters and groups (New Republic and Jedi etc).

I still read them, but I admit they're not my favorites. I think so far, my favorite books have been the Han Solo books.. that was some fun reading

Have fun reading more books, Wedge! take care

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

I assume you mean that you found the first novel of the James Luceno books confusing? I'm a bit confused by that. I found them to be fairly straightforward, easy to understand novels. I think the whole NJO series started off kinda slow (not a big fan of Vector Prime), and started to really rule with the Stackpole books, continued to be good with the Luceno, and I haven't been able to pick up Balance Point yet, but I hear it's just as good.

I'm liking the series so far for several reasons. One, they are doing it in chronological order, so you don't already know who lives and dies and what changes by reading a book that takes place after the supposed 'new' one. *coughBantamcough*

Plus, they've given the characters a good enemy that I think is going to surprise us even more in future books.

Now, if they wanted to make this series really rock, they should bring back the Sith ontop of all this Vong stuff. Not some cheesy version of it, where some snot-nosed Jedi decides to be evil, but the real Sith, that have been hiding since Palpatine's death. I refuse to believe that someone as smart as he was would have just let the Sith die out when he did. Balance, my butt. The Emperor was a genius. They should have them be waiting in the shadows, and eventually start using and working with the Vong, eventually running them. Which would give us another epic good vs. evil SW story that we haven't had in any of the books. And with the plethora of Sith info that Lucas has made available, it wouldn't be hard to do and to pull off well.

That's what I'm waiting for, at least. But as a whole, I'm pleased with the NJO storyline so far, and can't wait to see just how good it gets. =)

I've kept up to date...I am not a big fan of vector prime either..but oh well...I've completed Balance Point , and i'm thrilled with it...The story gets to the point, and the action does move along well....I'm not fond of the Vong, but they seem to be the necessary evil, at this point..So i'll make it i guess..

hey Jedilona-Sithster <hugs>.. haven't talked to you lately about Balance Point other than (at the time) you were trying to make the book last a little longer. I'm glad to hear you liked it, tho'.. I've really been trying to decide if I'm going to go ahead and get it after the holidays or not.. still don't know yet, tho'.

Yeah, don't get me wrong.. I may not like the Vong but I do enjoy the books.. I've been bookless since finishing up the Han books and the two kid's Maul books that a good friend sent me as a late birthday gift, and I haven't gone out to get another one yet - not sure which one to get yet :/ We'll see tho' (kinda hard for me to get into anything right now with the holidays and all).

Anyway.. MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

btw Jedilona.. a little after you left, vaders_guardian and I were chatting about the NJO books and others.. wish you had been able to chat w/ us

I havent read the NJO yet. I have finished all the pre NJO books except for the last one of the X-Wing books (my favorites) as soon as I get that I will start NJO!

I'd like to see a little more pre ANH like the Solo books but I guess those will come out after EP3's release.

Jarvis I agree That would be some fun reading for me. I skipped a lot of the "Tales of" type stuff and the xwing series so I could read most of the "main" books and get caught up (I guess you could say).. I'm glad I did that tho' because now I can go back and read this and that while waiting to get my next NJO story...

regardless.. I'm glad I still have SW books to read

Take care.. keep reading, everyone!

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

I have read them up till 'Balance Point' --yeah, the hardcover bit made me hesitate, but im expecting (hoping) it might show up under the christmas tree--
I think the books can be a bit confusing, depending on the author. My favorite is Hero's Trial. I really liked the way everything tied together on the Queen of Empire.
MTFBWY

Darthvaney, I hope you get Balance Point for Christmas. I considered asking for it too but decided since I had so many other books on my list that I'd treat it like Rogue Planet and just wait for now. I'm sure I'll probably get it soon enough but I'm not sure when - I might still read an older book before I pick that one up. We'll see..

anyway.. hope everyone gets something SW under the tree this year if you celebrate Christmas

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

darth cynthia,
yes, i have to wait on Rogue Planet too--ack!Of course I could always check them out from the library but it just wouldn't seem the same as owning it. . .that's what my friend was suggesting >1
(obviously not a star wars fan)

I know the feeling regarding the library.. I started doing that and then 2nd book into the Thrawn trilogy started buying them because the library wasn't always stocked up when I needed them...

now I wish I'd started off buying them.

D'OH!!!

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

I can't say that I'd recommend Rogue Planet except for completion purposes only. It's pretty heavy on the techno-babble, and the characterizations of Obi-Wan and Anakin are pretty much wrong.

However, it does have a tie-in with the NJO series, so for the full story, you have to read it. BUT, I wouldn't pay hardcover price for it. My advice? Wait a few months for the paperback.

Having said that, I am anxiously awaiting the Darth Maul hardback coming out pretty soon. That, at least, should be pretty dang good.

And, after hearing the news that Aaron Allston is writing two of the NJO books, we've got some good stuff in store. (If you have not read Allston's X-Wing books, or Stackpole's for that matter, shame on you--I know the X-wings went for nine books, but they are some of the consistently best SW books out there--get them now)

Thank you Kurgan. You've helped me decide on Rogue Planet. I hadn't heard ANYTHING about it. I will wait til it's paperback. The main reason I hadn't bothered with it yet was because I was catching up w/ the other stuff and figured "hey.. EP II isn't going to be out for a while but NJO stuff - at the time - is out sooner". Now I do know to wait on RP for a little while longer at least

I agree.. (I think it's also pretty obvious LOL!!!) I'm excited about the Maulie book too. There's been only one book so far for him that I didn't like (Watson's Journal) and a few of my friends agreed with me. Some of those kids books were fun, tho' - isn't that pathetic? Us Maul fans have to get our fixes from kids' books!!! <sighs> ah well..

Anyway.. I just woke up and am really out of it so I'm going to hit post before I forget which forum I'm even at.. LOL!

(Oh yeah.. I haven't read any of the xwing series yet, either. I don't plan on it until I have nothing else to read, I don't think. Some day tho'....)

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

No shame for me..I've read the x-wing books
(stackpole & allston)
Enjoyed them, mainly because i felt they moved quickly and were well written (IMO of course)..
And there is some kind of comedy(comic relief)in most of the them...which i think also adds to the enjoyment..

I do agree with rogue planet being too technical, it makes you want to sleep on some parts....

Do tell, has anyone had the (dubious)pleasure of reading the black fleet crisis books?

I read them, but I can't say I had much pleasure in doing so. I thought they were just kinda weird and in the end, they had the same problem that most of the Bantam books did----nothing changed and they kinda messed with even their own continuity. Oh, well.

And who's dissing the Darth Maul journal?!!!!! That book was great! All that background info on Maul's training and stuff about Sidious was invaluable. I'm hoping a lot of that will be expanded upon in the hardback that's coming out.

And you hit the nail right on the head about the X-Wing books. Especially Allston's humor. All I have to say is: Yub Yub Commander. =)

The problem many of us "Maul Followers" have with the Maul journal by Watson is the fact that she made him out to be a twittering airhead. Other children's books did a much better job with his character.

I've read an interview with her and she didn't even want to do it to start with from the sounds of it - I personally felt it showed with how she handled him. I didn't have a problem with the information it showed of him per se.. just how she made him out to be an idiot.

As I said.. I enjoyed Darth Maul's Revenge and the Fury of Darth Maul more.

MMBWY,
Cynthia

Um, she was pretty much on the money, IMO. Darth Maul was hell on wheels, but he was also overconfident, arrogant, and ultimately didn't have what it took.
When push really came to shove, I'm sorry, but the boy lost.

Poor Darth Maul. Always two halves there are--the top and the bottom half. =)

Well.. opinions are opinions You liked it.. I didn't

there we go

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

Hey Cynthia don't be so nice, he is casting Maul in a bad light....hit him.
If anybody needs to be smotted...smatted...smitted...hit it's Kurgan. If you want me to I'll gladly do it for free.

--T

LOL Tim thanks You might make a good Sithlord actually mwahahahahah.. jk

I do try to be nice (heck there was a misunderstanding at one other board and I felt horrible until I finally heard back from the person that they understood I didn't mean anything with the message I posted to them.. I may be weird but I don't like to have folks mad at me any more than I want to be mad at them heheheh I'm too nice for a Sith I guess hmm?).. I know everyone has their opinions and such and I don't like to try to force them to see my view..

just as long as they understand I have mine (and you know I love my Maulie.. LOL!! Right, Jedilona? LMAO)

Anyway.. this thread was for NJO anyway.. LOL! We all seem to have wandered to every other book out there! I'd love to see more book discussion too tho' so if you want to start up another thread about other books, please feel free! This thing'll be 100 posts long and about every book outside of NJO if we're not careful!! hahahah

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

Yessss, strike me down! Give into your anger!

BTW, nuthin personal with the disagreement. I just like to make sure there's at least two opinions on issues like this, so people will be conflicted and will feel the urge to go check it out for themselves. Nothing chaps my hide worse than people who make judgments on things that they haven't seen or read. So, I just thought I'd put a point/counterpoint kinda thing here. No harm intended. Move along, move along. =)

And to get back to the topic, has anyone picked up Balance Point and read it yet? I haven't had the cash to do so yet (even though I work at a bookstore), so I was wondering what the buzz was on it.

Yeah, I understand... the same with me for ppl who will "like" anything if that makes sense? Just because it has Maul on it doesn't mean I'll like it. For example.. there're some uuuuuuuuuuuuugly figures and toys out there of him bummer, too. (and not just him, either).

Yup.. I mainly just state my opinion.. heck.. I usually don't listen to folks' reviews of books. I've found that what some ppl think is brilliant just downright stinks to me.. and what some folks think is awful I enjoyed reading.. LOL! And then some things I seem to agree with.. so you never know...



As far as Balance Point, I'm waiting. Do you happen to know when it's going paperback? I had a friend tell me that not only will it be awhile but most likely there'll be two paperbacks released before BP even goes paperback... is this true? I haven't looked into it, myself (I have a lot I could read while waiting, anyway.. the Tales of... books and heck even the xwing books if I wanted to). Anyway.. since I think you mentioned you worked in a bookstore I just thought I'd ask...

Anyway.. MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

It's me again..LOL
I have bought and completed Balance Point..
I enjoyed this as well..
I thought it moved along quite well...
If i say anymore, I'll ruin it for you...

But it was a good one (IMO of course)..


It's too bad it takes so long to get to paperback...i hope they can hurry it up..

Hmmm, Jedilona.. perhaps we'll chat on Y! IM about it a little more, then

MTF/DS/BWY,
Cynthia

Yup, I already know the 'big' Balance Point spoiler, but I was just wondering if the book was any good as a whole. I didn't enjoy Tyers' first effort at writing SW (Truce at Bakura--shudder), so I was wondering how this one was.

As far as when it'll be out in PB, it's usually a year after the hardback is released. I expect Balance Point to be the same. So probably October/November of next year. So, yes, there will be several new SW books to come out before BP does in paperback. At least three--a paperback NJO duology and the Darth Maul hardback. Probably a few more, too, I'd have to look.