Books KENOBI by John Jackson Miller: The Official Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

That's true. BUT NOT BECAUSE LUKE ATE IT.

 

Now, now...I'm sure they sent him to a nice dune upstate where he could run around.

 

That's what I thought too. The main campus was on Alderaan, but likely they would be on one of the 10 planets instead of there. Kind of how students go to study wildlife in Africa, yet still are affiliated with a main campus or university.

 

The farm story doesn't work when they already live on a farm.

 

Now I've got the My Little Pony theme song stuck in my head....

My Little Eopie...My Little Eopie
What will today's adventure be?
My Little Eopie...My Little Eopie
Will there be exciting sights to see?
Where will you wander? Hither and yonder
Letting your heart be your guide
My Little Eopie...My Little Eopie
I'll be there right by your side
I'll be there right by your side

 

Well, what an absolute pleasure that was.

The book, I mean. Not the My Little Eopie song.

 

You monster.

 

I have been purposefully avoiding this thread for fear of eyeballing even an accidental spoiler!! Like all new SW that I have in the past looked forward to (which sadly to say this is the first in a while), I tend to get the item and devour it in the first or second night of owning it them I end up kind of...."it's already over!!" But I have been taking my time with this one! I am on chapter 18!! And it's pretty good so far.

 

In Life and Legend of Obi-Wan Kenobi it is said that Ben eventually sold his eopie to Jawas as he decided that he don't need it enymore. (And evidently travelled with Jawa afterwards). Weird, he seem to be so fond of that animal.

 

As he puts it in the RoTS novel:

"Being a Jedi means allowing things—even things we love—to pass out of our lives."

 

So the baby still could've made its way to Luke.

 

Ah man, I missed those. Or maybe I just don't remember them.

 

I really enjoyed it! Not what I was expecting at first, but seeing this part of Kenobi's life, especially since it was told almost exclusively through the eyes of these other characters, was a real pleasure. Miller did a great job.

 

I thought this was terrific - excellent characterisation, which really puts you in the heads of Obi-Wan, the Tuskens and the settlers. The relatively small-scale conflict comes as a welcome change after the epic multi-book series which we've had in recent years. Given the setting - almost immediately after ROTS, with Obi-Wan in hiding from the Empire - it's not realistic to expect that this novel would be yet another one dealing with the fate of the galaxy. Were people expecting that the Tuskens would develop a superweapon during the course of the story?

I also liked how tropes from Westerns were transposed to a Star Wars setting, such as rescuing a rider from a runaway mount, raising a posse and facing a cattle stampede. The novel felt like it tied with the Tatooine section of ANH. Obi-Wan's meeting with Annileen mirrors his meeting with Luke.

Orrin Gault's fate is extremely nasty and memorable as he becomes the thing which he hated, just like Anakin before him.

 

This probably belongs in the "Literature Casting Call" thread but:

Orrin Gualt = Ray Stevenson!!!

 

Gerald McRaney. But that could just be Deadwood talking.

 

Now you will witness the firepower of this fully armed and operational Bantha Gun!

 

I was picturing Redford myself. Probably back in his Sundance days. Though Jedi Journals' interview with JJM mentioned Sam Neill, which I thought worked, too.

 

Not reading any of the other comments, but just dumping this here:
A third of the way through now, and I have grown to like the choice of not having the novel appear from Obi-Wan's POV at all, except in his meditations with Qui-Gon's spirit.
The subtle continuity is great in this novel, by the way; Star Wars: Obi-Wan, a little-known Xbox game from 2001 has been referenced, to my delight. And this wasn't a "hey Master, remember that time I killed all those Tuskens during the Naboo crisis?", it was really well done.

 

My opinion as a non-fan of the EU is that this was a good book and I'll buy more if there are sequels. I totally nerded out with the Mosep Binneed cameo. That was the original Jabba not a stand in and had to be retconned because of ROTJ.

 

Miller seemed to have such fun writing this, you could tell. Add the humorous touches to the strong plot and characters, and it was a happy read over 3 days. Others have asked what makes a good SW novel, and to me, it's three things: Jedi, lightsabers, the Force.

I did hope that Veeka would be kidnapped/adopted into the Sandpeople, however.

 

I've been somewhat avoiding this thread. I have an hour and a half left in the audiobook.

I just wanted to noted that his is one of the few novels that made me emotional. I didn't start bawling or anything, but its very rare when I actually feel, in my soul, the hurt of the character. I'm referring, specifically, to the meditation where Obi-wan realizes that he has, quite literally, lost every friend he ever had. The jedi were his family, and they're all dead now.

Just, ya know, wow.

I don't necessarily know why its so poignant for me, but I was driving along and nearly had to pull over because I was so moved by that section. If I wasn't sold on JJM as a novelist before that, I am now.

 

Who needs meth when you can have magic, tasty water. The best water ever. Really. This is how Obi Wan will be sustained. With the best... water... ever.

 

The water must flow.