Lit POLL: which upcoming EU works are you MOST looking forward to?

I know you like to go against the grain, but usually you've got an explanation. Why the harsh sentiment in this case?

 

Eh, I'm not too keen on the Kenobi novel. It just doesn't sound like an interesting time period. Kenobi is supposedly lying low on Tatooine, yes? I suppose it could be interesting to get into his head during that time, but it doesn't sound very exciting. While I enjoyed Lost Tribe and Knight Errant immensely, those stories are not similar to what I thought Kenobi would be doing on Tatooine, which is absolutely nothing.

Here's a tagline: "Kenobi is a sweeping story that’s all Star Wars, part epic western, part romance, and part high-stakes drama."

I'm not really a fan of westerns. Definitely not interested in Kenobi romance (unless it's Ventress! Then I'm all in), in fact I'm quite strongly opposed to it. Maybe JJM will throw some excitement into it, but should he? Shouldn't Kenobi be keeping his head down, not calling any attention? Any drama that could possibly prevent the OT would be high stakes drama, but should there really be any drama on Tatooine? Maybe he takes on an active role as Luke's guardian angel, but I'm not sure what that would entail.

I imagine Kenobi would have a crapload of time to reflect on, well, everything. I'm sure he went over his time as Anakin's Master a million times. He seemed pretty bitter about it in the OT, naturally. Maybe he's communicating with Qui-Gon. Maybe he's wondering what's happened to all his old friends, what's happened to his old life, what's going on in the galaxy. This reflection doesn't sound very interesting to me, especially since I think I already know the answers. This kind of character study, focused on deep inner thoughts, doesn't seem like JJM's style, but I'm not that familiar with his work.

But I'll do what I always do, I'll wait for it to come out, I'll look into it and maybe I'll read it, or not.

Here's another bit of info on the book: "Author John Jackson Miller has been working on the concept of this book for years."

That has me a little more optimistic.

I let Knight Errant sit on my shelf for like a year, and Lost Tribe on my Kindle for just as long. When I finally got around to reading them, I wished I had read them so much sooner.

I did the same with Darth Plagueis, let it sit for a year. When I finally got around to reading it, I didn't feel like I was missing out on anything.

 

Not a fan of westerns? Blasphemy!

Personally, I'd love an reflective, philosophical Obi-Wan novel- liar and apparent womanizer that he is, he's still one of my absolute favorites- but yes, swashbuckling action does seem to be more JJM's style, and that's something I won't say no to either, if it's done well. After all, the entire premise of this novel is that Obi-Wan has to stop being Obi-Wan, and become Ben Kenobi; there is absolutely a great story in there, whether it involves quiet meditation or giant lizard space pirates. Not to mention that it's an absolutely vital transition that has never been shown in any EU work, and what else is the EU for, if not to shine light on the films and the surrounding universe?

Quite simply, to call not the novel, but the premise itself "retarded" is just baseless, apathetic bellyaching. Which, unfortunately, we've seen quite a bit of lately.

 

That is why you fail.

I actually agree with you in general principle -- Obi-Wan should be lying low on Tatooine, not having nonstop adventures, and his time in the desert should be fundamentally boring. But I'm still looking forward to the book.

One reason is because I think it's a really ripe setting for a character study. Obi-Wan is a wise, powerful Jedi Master, a member of the Jedi Council, an experienced general and diplomat. He lived in the Jedi Temple on Coruscant his whole life. He's coming off playing a leading role in three years of wrenching galactic war. And now he's stuck for the next twenty years sitting in a hovel in the middle of a desert, with everyone else he knows dead or completely isolated from him, having just lost the war, lost everything, as he watches over a remote hope for the future, the son of the best friend who devastated him by turning inexplicably to evil. I'll accept just about any premise I have to to get at that character material.

But I do think that this book can have its action-adventure and not be too bad. I don't want Obi-Wan's life filled to the brim with action while he's on Tatooine, but we've only got about two stories at the moment, and I don't think one more is too bad. The thing about Tatooine is that it's a lawless, dangerous frontier, with natural opportunities for low-level action. There are the Tusken Raiders, obviously. But there's plenty else. Maybe some bandits set up shop in the Anchorhead area, and Obi-Wan has to root them out before they prey on the Lars farm. Maybe the farm has a bad year, and Owen defaults on a loan, and Obi-Wan has to protect the farm from thuggish collectors out of Mos Eisley. Maybe Owen refuses to pay Jabba protection money, and Owen is drawn in to protect Luke by breaking up Jabba's protection operation in Anchorhead while finding a way to avoid heavy retribution for the operation's breakup and make sure Jabba doesn't try to set it back up. Maybe a big land baron or mining magnate wants to buy up Owen's land, and Obi-Wan gets involved in keeping his enforcers off the farm. On a lawless frontier world, there are a lot of ways to work in low-level, one-off protective action in as the basis of a storyline without disrupting the fact that Obi-Wan's nineteen years in the desert were overall, fundamentally, a long stretch of sitting around, growing old and full of regret.

 

No, it's just special

 

And who says opinions can't be wrong?

 

I can definitely picture something like this with the Empire moving into Mos Eisley and Obi-Wan having to remember he's not Obi-Wan anymore, can't go running in, lightsaber blazing anymore, can't be the hero anymore, and battling between the fact that his duty now is to look after and protect Luke, that he can't save everyone anymore, and that if the Empire are making other people's lives crap... that's just life now, it's the Dark Times, he can no longer be that guardian of peace and justice.

Just like Dass Jennir, Obi-Wan is going to have to accept the fact that it's no longer within his power to save everyone. Ben Kenobi has to learn to accept being a normal person, and being content with the things he can do.

 

Just as long as he doesn't fight Vader in the novel I will be fine.

 

Just like with Dooku and Anakin and Obi-Wan and Grievous facing each other several times throughout TCW.

 

It is buddy boy that book has no purpose at all.

 

Your right, at times I have been known to go against the grain. I apologize Barriss for not putting a reason. These final exams and work have been killing me. Heck going back to school in my late 30's is not easy at all. But, the reason why I just went and posted retarded was back in 2005-2006, a 10 book juvenile series came out which was right after ROTS. It starred a bunch of charcters including Obi-Wan who already was on Tatooine. Obi eventually left the planet and assited Ferus Olin in preserving Padme's secret. I thought that those 10 books were very well written and well........that would be the last adventure of Obi-Wan until A New Hope. His job was to stay and protect Luke. The future of the galaxy depended that the boy grew up and then was trained as a jedi to confront his father and all that jazz.

I accepted the story as being a one time event. Now.......were just going to make another story make a western, get Obi Wan probably off the planet and do another adventure ...that just don't jive with me. Remember, in this time period, the idea is not to attract the Emperor or Darth Vader through uese and exposure of the force. Everyone knows who Obi-Wan is, and unless he stays in the ship looking at the controls and bore himself to the end of time he really can't be seen anywhere cause security cameras people ect can pick him up, on top of him using anything with the force will set those two siths and all their acolytes off.

Thats why I'm against the book, and anyway.......it reminds me too much of the clone wars I'm still very bitter that the show got cancelled in midstream. I have nothing against Miller, he writes very good, but Kenobi? Maybe if he did it in another era I wouldn't mind. I don't want Obi staying as a hermit on Tatooine overlooking Luke to be devalued with a story of the week. Hey, we got an adventure, Obi leave Tatooine on Friday to help save the day and be back Monday morning to his regular job of watching Luke. To me that is the most important job he held after being a General in the Clone Wars. Preserving the future of the jedi order.

 

see my newly posted explanation and you'll understand.

 

No dude its not

 

I went back and tried to respond to everyone who posted to my initial response

Also, if he dosen't leave the planet, then I'll accept the book, but if he does....I won't

 

I opened myself up when I just put the word retarded. I hope he stays on the planet, that would be very ideal for me.

 

Definitely the Kenobi novel.

It's a novel, about one of my absolute favorite Star Wars characters, and it's written by JJM.

....what more could I want? Aside from JJM writing a Luke novel sometime, but hey, let's not make me die from happiness-overload here.

 

Crucible and the Rebels series.

 

Haven't bought any new Star Wars material for a few years now so I'm not really excited about about anything, but looking at this list Crucible would probably come the closest to tempting me. Haven't read FOTJ, but I enjoyed Denning's LOTF books. And the idea of checking in on Luke and company one last time before the Disney era arrives in full force has a certain nostalgic charm to it.

 

The Rebels novels.

 

vong333 Are you sure you're a Star Wars fan? Maybe you're in the wrong forum...

Dawn of the Jedi is interesting, the previews for Crucible and Into the Void have certainly piqued my interest. I'm interested in Legacy at least to find out how Ania is related to the big three, though the story is turning out interesting also. I wonder if they'll touch on Kenobi and A'Sharad Hett's encounter in the upcoming novel?

It amazes me how people could not be interested in more 19-0 BBY material.