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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit SOS: Save Our Skywalker, Luke Skywalker (v4)

Discussion in 'Literature' started by JediMatteus, Sep 12, 2015.

  1. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001

    Hi, everyone! Hope you are all doing well!

    Okay, while I am, of course, delighted that they are finally making a Luke book, I guess I don't really like the premise of this one. If I understand this correctly, this is going to be a book filled with some tales that various people are going to be telling about Luke, but it's likely that these "tales" may not be true, right? If that's the case, why should I really care to read this? Isn't it really a lot like fan fiction, with people making up stories that they would like to have happen with and about certain characters, except this one is being written by a professional author? If it really isn't about what Luke has been doing, it isn't canon either, so how is that different from what's now called the Legends books?

    Since we have waited this long to get any new "real" information about Luke, I guess I would rather wait another six months to find out what Luke has really been up to, instead of reading some legends about him which are likely not true anyway. I don't think I am going to be getting this one, unfortunately.... Books are too expensive to get one that is sort of a cross between a fan fiction story and a choose your adventure story. Not a fan really. It's disappointing that the first Luke book in a long time would be one that really is questionable that Luke actually did these things.

    As for the poster, it's pretty good, but what's with all the red on these posters, and why not show the whole head/face? I guess I don't get what the whole point of it is.... which is sort of the way I feel about the new book!

    On the other hand, that's good news about the author for the novelization of The Last Jedi.
     
  2. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Hey, Child! Good to see you!



    Well, why care? I think because it shows what people think of Luke. Which will be pretty awesome. And even though the stories themselves may be exaggerated and non-canon, likely the events will be canon things Luke did, just in more exaggerated and overblown stories told secondhand. Which actually makes me more excited, in a way, because it shows how much of a mythological hero Luke has become, and that's just really cool.



    Well, like you said, it's only six months, so it's not that much longer of a wait if you decide against this book. But how can you decide you're not a fan before it's even been released? This is also a young reader's book so it'll likely be inexpensive. And again, I'm thinking these are going to be things Luke actually did, retold by people who witnessed it in an exaggerated form. So I don't think that you should be so disappointed. These are likely to be canon. They're just exaggerated. Sort of like how the extra levels in LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens are retellings of canon events (such as Han capturing the rathtars), it's just the goofiness and them being LEGO isn't canon. But the actual stories themselves are. I think that's the situation we're seeing here.



    That's just the style. The theme color for TLJ seems to be red, since the "Star Wars" text is also red (when it's usually yellow). I think it's predominantly because of the red salt/sand kicked up on Crait in the trailer. Sort of like how orange was the theme color for ROTS because of Mustafar. As for the half-face thing, I think it's because it's just a "trendy" thing to do. It looks cool and it's different, so hey, why not? But I do think that there have been pics leaked of those posters with full faces.

    And yes, Jason Fry writing the novelization is exceptional news. He did a fantastic job with Weapon of the Jedi, so I expect to be blown away by the novelization. I'd bet on it being held up next to the ROTS and R1 novelizations.
     
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  3. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    The story device, that of tales-within-tales, being used for the book is not new, but it is new to SW.

    The way it tends to go is this: Stories are told of a figure considered mythical, so there are now various portraits of this person. Each spins a tale of their own, where the reader is uncertain of how much has been true and how much embellishment. After the last story is told, however, a mysterious figure who has been there the whole time will announce their presence, say thy enjoyed the stories and depart with a quip as to the truth of them. A short while later the nature of the quip becomes apparent to both the audience in the book and the reader. I would reckon Luke will be in the audience, cloaked in an unassuming manner - only revealing himself at the end.

    As to the cover - it's likely JG Jones work, so the colours will have been carefully chosen to lead the eye.

    Also, get the book - it'll be cheaper than a usual hardback as, like Guardians of the Whills and Weapon of a Jedi, it's aimed at, but not exclusive to, a younger audience.
     
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  4. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    Thanks for the information, JB. So, if Luke has been there listening to "yarns" told about him the whole time, does he just come out and "debunk" everything that everyone has been saying at the end? Do you know when in the timeline it is supposed to take place?
     
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  5. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    That's too un-subtle a move for this type of set-up. It'd be more subtle and Luke's line would only reveal his identity after he's departed from the group.

    As to chronology, I know nothing more than anyone else, this is just my take on how I think it'll work.
     
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  6. ChildOfWinds

    ChildOfWinds Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Apr 7, 2001
    Thanks, J B. I will keep an eye out to see if any further information comes out. Considering what you said though, maybe I will reconsider my decision not to get this one.
     
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  7. Jedi Jessy

    Jedi Jessy Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2016
    It's like lucasfilm want us to think Luke as a myth, like the galaxy thinks too. Also if this book doesn't fit with the canon after VIII, they can easily say "this book has tales, no every information in it is real ;)"
     
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  8. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    What I'm hoping for is that this book makes it clear that this reason the galaxy considers Luke a myth is because his exploits have seemed too incredible to be true... but are.
     
  9. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    If Luke actually had any exploits after the OT in canon, I would be more inclined to buy the Luke is a myth, because of all of the fantastical things he has done, but I just can't.
     
  10. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Zeta, what the hell do you think this book is?
     
  11. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    A vain attempt at trying to salvage the bad premise of a terrible, terrible film that did irreparable damage to the universe.
     
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  12. DARTH_MU

    DARTH_MU Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2005
    whoa there.
     
  13. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Nope, that wasn't what Ken Liu signed up to do.

    What it is is stories of Luke on the new canon, something the entire thread has been wanting for over three years and you just just to decide to stay in auto-pilot slag-off mode?
     
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  14. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2013

    Tell us how you really feel.
     
  15. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    I can get loathing TFA, I can get despising it 3 years on, what I'm not going to be anywhere near as agreeable to is using that as a basis to slag off the first big Luke book in years, before it's even published, when the author of said book had nothing to do with the film. That's just being unfair.
     
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  16. LelalMekha

    LelalMekha Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Oct 29, 2012
    Although to be fair, it's stories as in "too ludicrous to be anything remotely real" rather than "things that did happen".
     
  17. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    You read the book? Already? How?
     
  18. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2013

    Again, though, there could be kernels of truth that are just exaggerated to the point of absurdity.
     
  19. JediKnight75

    JediKnight75 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 15, 2011
    We don't know if Luke had any adventures post ROTJ because there have been no Luke stories in that period. This book would indicate that he has had a lot of adventures in that period. Also, Rey's conversation with Han in TFA also supports the idea that Luke has done enough to be a legend. We really can't complain about a time period that's mostly unexplored. TFA said nothing about what Luke did until like 5-6 years before the film. So that leaves us over two decades of potential Luke adventures. This book is likely to be our first hint about that.
     
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  20. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Ken Liu does have better things to do with his time than write Star Wars yet that's what happened, but, rather than be intrigued by that and what drew him to the project and even be - gasp - optimistic about what he's written, let's slag it all off before it's even out. Yeah, that's so much better.

    Did anyone really expect definitive Luke stories ahead of The Last Jedi? Did any of LFL's operating methods or the Journey tag they've used on both films really suggest to you that it was ever on the cards in a realistic fashion? Of course it wasn't. They'll hedge and haze to the max ahead of the film and then, week or two after its out, there'll probably be new announcements.

    So yeah, this is for LFL a 'have cake and eat it' book, but until now all we've had for Luke stories is Weapon of A Jedi (great), Heir to the Jedi (OK) and varying comics, some good, a couple great, others middling.
     
  21. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I just can't see anything being able to fix the disaster that was TFA, where I hate all factions and just miss what the EU did. Combined with Wedge and Hobbie, I just don't see a universe I can get invested in anymore.
     
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  22. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    That's fine, for you, how about you stop trying to wreck it for the rest of us?
     
  23. DARTH_MU

    DARTH_MU Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2005
    If Zeta chooses to reply, before he replies, I will talk about what I think.

    It's a bummer that the whole book is labeled YA.

    There's some confusion about whether everything in the book is canon or not. Unless it ends up with Luke listening anonymously, and at the end says Story 1, 3 6 13 is true, the rest didn't happen at all, then what canonicity does the book have? If the book is not Disney Canon, that would mean there could be other books in Disney series eventually that are not canon, and then that would mean there were no reasons to label EU as Legend anymore because Disney cannot even figure out if things should be canon or not in their own series.

    yeah, it's unfair to bash a book when it's not even out yet, but I get what Zeta is coming from. Now, there was no need to attack and belittle. I wasn't sure if you guys were bantering, but it doesn't look like it. I don't get why every single thread in the lit board need to be Disney canon is the best thing since sliced bread and do not attack it ever! all the time. Why have SOS Luke Skywalker at all if everyone was satisfied about the ways Luke is portrayed? If indeed everyone is satisfied about the way Luke is portrayed, why would he need saving? SOS no less.
     
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  24. DARTH_MU

    DARTH_MU Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2005
    how are we (those who shares zeta's opinions regarding Disney EU policy) trying to wreck it for the rest of you?

    I don't see any way, if we were bashing everything in sight Disney NeU verse, if you want to buy any new books, we could stop you enjoy Disney EU. It's you guys trying to get anything dissatisfied with NEU locked.

    And if you, Jedi Ben, think it's fine for us, why curse?
     
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  25. Jedi Ben

    Jedi Ben Chosen One star 9

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 1999
    Zeta's being Zeta, but this ain't the 'let's rag on TFA' thread, I'm sure there's one somewhere perfectly suited for what Zeta wants - this ain't it.

    There's been no shortage of criticism of how LFL have handled Luke in the new, post-Jedi material, that he's been screwed over royally by it, yet, yet there is a line of thought that says maybe The Last Jedi can fix it, maybe it can live up to people's hopes rather than confirming their fears. But all of this is wholly separate and apart from The Legends of Luke Skywalker.

    EDIT: It's really not clear why I was irked by Zetas line?

    We have a book called The Legends of Luke Skywalker that covers exactly some of those exploits, so yes, what else could this book be? Could the title be a cunning ruse? A double-bluff? Will you open the front cover and find it's really about Han Solo?