Kevin J Anderson Is a Bad Writer.

I think Kevin J Anderson Is a Bad Writer.

I hate all the books he has ever wrote.

It made me Bloody mad to see him writing Star Wars books. I belive that Jedi Academy Trilogy was the worst set of crap ever. Hell they din't have one good thing about them.

Tell me your thoughts.

 

I believe he is a good writer. Not great like Zahn, Stackpole or Crispin, but not terrible either.

 

My thoughts:

-I think he is great, his books are the most like the movies. He makes fun books, and created Kyp himself. To me, he is third behind Allston and Crispin, although Luceno and Denning haven't but a foot wrong yet

-He is the EU Gatekeeper

-Dont swear, it demeans anything you say

 

In a way, I agree that KJA is a bad writer -- of novels. In fact, he reminds me of another writer, Peter David, who writes both comic books and novels.

I am not saying there is anything wrong with comic books as a storytelling medium (although I do not prefer them), only that they require a different style.

Comic books rely heavily on dialogue and visuals to tell the story (much like TV and Movies). Even then, there are limitations on the space for dialogue. They are also very action-oriented. They do not allow for detailed descriptions or complex narrative.

Novels, on the other hand, require both dialogue and complex narrative to be successful. Because you are limited to (at most) one image for your novel (that being the cover), you must create that image in the reader's mind through your narrative. At the same time, this allows for greater subtlety. For example, I do not believe that if the Thrawn Trilogy were written as a comic book it would have fully expressed Thrawn's character. You would have missed many of the nuances of his personality.

While the stories that KJA presents are wonderful, I cannot help but feel that they suffer because of his writing style.

Kimball Kinnison

 

See that is were you people are wrong.

He added only crap, to the Saga. It was all filler useless junk crap. that made me sad to read. I mean he used the comic books for back story. I didn't read any of those damn comics. They made no sense. What was the point of sending luke to the bloody astro-plane. It was pure crap. TO quote Wayne "IT sucked Wookie"

 

ScottyJSno, you asked "Why is Kevin J Anderson a Bad Writer?", not "Why were his stories so bad?". There is a big difference between the two.

The actually stories that he wrote were not all that bad, but they suffered greatly because of his writing style. Remember, he helped write many of the comics as well. Why shouldn't he then incorporate the material that he helped develop into the novels that he was asked to write?

Kimball Kinnison

 

On a deeper though. He is not gretest Star Wars writer. He just follows the basic star wars formula and little plot originality.
All book have the same things in it. Warlord Jedi, Superweapon. Jedi destroy Superweapn. He just isn't a good writer.

I don't like his writing. It was bad.

 

That is what I'm saying. He writes bad storys badly.

 

His writing style suffers because he generally writes for kids, but his plots were right on the money, feeling almost exactly like the movies.

 

I didn't like the comic books. They were just as bad. They never should have been included into the novels in the first place. I love all the star War books but the ones by K J A. His books just don't have what it takes to be good novels.

 

As I already explained, they are the books that most fit the formula of the movies.

 

He turned off a lot of fans to tall the Star Wars Novels. People had no Idea of what he was talking about so they didn't any more of the novels. He shouldn't have ever wrote the Jedi Academy Trilogy

 

Teh forumla writing makes bad writing. Hell what if every Star Wars Writer used the "Formula", then we would have a bunch of pointless dribble. I wish I was better at writing so what I would say would make sense.

 

Bib, perhaps it would be a good idea for you to explain in greater detail how the JAT books fit the formula of the movies. For example, are you talking about the books individually, or the trilogy as a whole?

If you are speaking of the books individually, I would have to disagree with you. I feel that the Thrawn Trilogy captured the spirit and feel of the movies better than any other books in the EU. They just felt more (from a style perspective) like the movies.

Would you care to elaborate?

Kimball Kinnison

 

I was referring to the trilogy as a whole. KJA uses a lot of similar elements as the movies:

Manipulative Sith Lord
Apprentice to Sith Lord
Dangerous student (this and the apprentice are rolled into the same character, though)
Superweapon

And let's not forget that KJA introduced us to the Jedi Academy, a staple for all of the EU that followed.

 

However, Bib, that is not the entire formula for the movies, only a small part of it.

How does the progression of the JAT compare to the progression and growth in the OT? There were important events in the trilogy, but, honestly, it could all have been done much better as a single, well-written book. As a trilogy, I personally expected a lot more from it.

What other parts of the formula did it do well in your opinion?

Kimball Kinnison

 

Their you are.

Formula writing.

It has done nothing.

Look at sitcoms on TV.
Most of them are same old dribble that you see every day. They are greatly stupid.

And movies, Most movies out there today are just the mindless crap.

Formulas are not good

 

But the SW films also follow a set path.
ANH:
Find out info about the main plot
Go to enemy base
Rescue someone
Go home
Destroy enemy base
Win

ESB is the only one not to have that structure, as the good guys get beaten first off, and again at the end.

ROTJ:
Go home
Rescue someone
Info on plot
Go to base
Destroy enemy base
Win

TPM:
Well, you see what I mean. Each one has similar topics. And if KJA's books are part of a series (Jedi Apprentice etc), they would have themes and new characters running throughout.

 

I'm inclined to agree with the author of this thread. What really bothers me is his either deliberate or incompetent disregard for Star Wars continuity.

 

I think Kevin J. Anderson is a good writer, and although you are entitled to your opinion, unless you're an author you probably shouldn't bash someone who does it for a living.

 

I'm not saying I'm a better writer, becuse I'm not I'm far from it.

But in my opion I think he is a bad writer.

Do people who Review movies make movies?

No, I don't write book, but I read a lot.

I have every right to not like KJA as you do for likeing him

 

IMO KJA is not a BAD writer. So maybe you didn't like the stories he wrote for EU. If you didn't like the JAT, then fine you didn't like it. If you didn't like Darksaber, then fine, you didn't like that. Don't just say stuff like "KJA is a bad writer." These people write the stories that define the universe we all know and love, and reguardless of a bad storyline or character rendition here and there, if you want to say something as controversial as "(any SW author) is a bad writer.", you should at least have the respect to try and back up your opinions while saying it.

 

I is our duty as the readers of Star WArs book to bash writers.

Then people can tell me I'm wrong and state their facts, and I can, to the best of my ability, state mine.

THis is how we learn and debate.

 

You people don't get it.

I don't like KJA's writing.
I think it is bad.

It is an opion. If I don't say it, then who will?

Lets not tell me I'm wrong for writing my opoins. Becuse that is why these forums are here. So we can all state our minds.

 

No one, because he is a gifted writer, some of his EU books may not have appealed to you personally but that doesn't make him a "bad" writer.