[Spoilers] * * Disciples of Lady Lumiya and Lord Shadowspawn * *

I think that ShadowSpawn is extremely powerful in the Dark Side, probably on the par of Kar Vastor, otherwise Luke would be able to defeat him with ease. I don't think there is a connection between Lumiya and ShadowSpawn, but i expect ShadowSpawn to have some Force-sensitive servatns, like the Akk Guards, though Luke will probably beat them all. The Mandos are in this one, so I guess we get to see ShadowSpawn open some tin cans with his swords, and some serious Mando smackdown, just like in Invincible. I do want to know what Lumiya was up to for nearly 30 years, what was she doing between 30 aby and 40 aby. As for the hidden threat, I think that Caedus was possibly under the influence of it, while these other Knights, like Valin are under it's control.

 

That is true, however, I believe that Lumiya only managed to beat Luke at Rooqo Depot due to the fact that she had planned it in advance, her use of hostages, Alema, and the proton detonator was what allowed her to bring Luke close to defeat. At Gilatter, she and Luke tied and then she held his hand. But on Terephon, there was nothing to stop Luke, but Lumiya wanted to die. So it's inconclusive, but Lumiya was more powerful in 40 ABY, I'll give you that.

As for ShadowSpawn, I think that he will have power on a par with Vastor, which I consider to still be less than Vader, so Luke will have some difficulty, but will most likely call upon his rage, which will make him do the big, oh I've been tainted thing.

 

I guess we'll be finding out exactly how powerful Lord Shadowspawn is in the next few days... in fact, some folks already have the book.

Which is slightly saddening, seeing is I've now been self-ostracized from the LSATSOM thread in the Lit section. This is the only story that's come out of the EU (or SW in general, for that matter) I've ever been spoiler-free for. I don't know if I have it in me not to highlight those spoilers....

 

Oh horror of horrors! I'm been informed by Amazon that my copy, which was supposed to arrive Jan 2nd or so, has been delayed! Now it will arrive Jan 12! So I canceled it and decided to just make the extra effort to pick it up from the store. Hopefully it'll be there. A couple of years ago they ordered wayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too many copies of Survivor's Quest, which practically flooded the store (seriously, think of a medium-sized Barnes and Noble with a few copies of Survivor's Quest on every table and major shelf, and a few dozen in stacks lining a back wall). It was rather impressive. But afterward they only ordered a few copies of everything, and they're usually late. And they don't do TPB or comics.


Anyway, the moral of this story is that Shadowspawn has a freakin' sweet hat, and I want that book. Oh wait... "freakin' sweet" is copyrighted, correct? Da****all. Maybe it's a... um... Crazy-go-nuts Sombrero of Radness? Regardless, I want that hat. Now you all know what to get for me for next Christmas. And you better damn well be taking notes.

 

^hahaha

Eeep!!! This comes out in a few days!

 

WTK is this doing on page 2?


Ok, I spent all New Years Eve reading LSATSOM. Finished less than an hour to 2009. Probably the one New Years I'll never forget.


THIS BOOK IS AWESOME!!!! As Blackhole's biggest fan for the last few years (come sue me if you disagree), reading this was like winning the lottery. Without taxes.

I don't think saying Shadowspawn/Blackhole is now officially badass is a spoiler. If it is, sue me for that too. I'm already telling myself I won the lottery.

Anywho, if you're going to post spoilers, use the black highlight. This is not a request, it is a demand. If you don't comply, you will be sacrificed to Waru.

So please feel free to post anything you want. I'd particularly like to start a discussion about the Blackhole stormtroopers and their relation to Lumiya. Especially since their very existence after this book seems questionable.

 

So I still haven't picked up this book...


Will do so this weekend.

 

I finished the book and have completely geeked out. I love Stover. I'll write up a blacked out review later cuz I just finished the book and I want to absorb the awesomeness.

 

I'm jealous.

It still hasn't arrived yet.

 

My thoughts: (Spoilers)

Hobbie POV - Amazing. Everything I could have wanted. The interaction between Hobbie and Janson is second only to Face/Phanan interactions and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to hear Hobbie's side of it.

Leia/Han - It was very cute to read the flirtiness between the two again. Leia's jealous reaction seemed slightly un-Leia-like, but I'm willing to accept it and it was done tactfully. (Plus I don't remember much of the courting books so I'm not entirely sure if she ever acted jealous before I just don't remember her doing that, but I could be wrong.) Well done Han characterization though.

Luke - Loved this Luke. Captivating characterization. I lost myself so completely in the book that at one point I didn't think Luke was going to survive despite me knowing where in the timeline this story took place.

Lando - Classic Lando. I enjoy when Lando gets written as a military genius. He's the best character who thinks outside the box and this battle needed that so Lando was perfectly put into that role.

Blackhole - I had no idea what to expect with this character and I'm still not sure. I'm guessing there is a backstory that I am missing (I'll get someone to fill me in). I enjoyed how he had contempt for both the Jedi and the Sith, believed to use something other than the Force. Typical bad guy downfall though, not believing anyone could beat him. Like the possibility that he's still alive and I would love to read more about Vastor and Nick tracking him down.

R2D2 - SQUEEE!!! I did that out loud when I got to the R2D2 POV. Love love love getting inside the droid's circuits and his devotion to Luke (or the order from Leia) is unmatched.

Overall, the story was incredible. The scenes flowed nicely, the book was one I didn't want to put down. The meltmassif properties were a little tough to grasp at first, but it was nice to be challenged and the stuff was used enough that by the end I had a very good grasp of all that it can do.

I feel like there was an extra meaning to the briefing and debriefing, perhaps an OOU meaning. I won't put words into someone else's mouth though, but if that has been addressed in the other thread I'd like to know since I haven't had a chance to read it yet (PM me.)

 

I went to B&N but they did not have it.

2 DAYS after it came out...

SO please, keep your crap to yourself.

-B-

 

IT CAME!

Mindor finally arrived...now I shall spend all weekend reading it!

 

I'm about three-fourths of the way through...and it is AWESOME.

 

My opinions are in the post HTR'd above. Awesome.

Vivec - sign up for Million Colors!

 

Signed up!

 

I only read half the book. I love it so far, but I only get to read it on my lunch break at work. Good thing I work at Borders or I might not be able to find time to read.

 

This was one of those rare books I find myself finishing and wishing I had a time machine to go back to the day I started and read it all over again.

It might have had one or two flaws, but it was certainly one of the most entertaining stories in the EU.

Going back to the topic at hand, I think one of the major reasons the story was so darned unique was due to Mr. Shadow's Pawn himself. He definitely takes the cake as being one of the most bizarre baddies to grace the EU. I'd love to see him come back sometime, and especially see more of his weird quasi-anti-Force-atheism philosophy. Or how it changed after his encounter with Luke and the Light.

And of course, I'm glad the While Eyes theory hasn't been discounted. Yet.

 

I think that Shadowspawn officially replaced Thrawn as my favorite NR-era villain with this book.

Creepy, scary, and really cool.

 

Wha-- wait, you can't say Shadowspawn's better than Thrawn! The boards will explode! They're rigged to go off whenever someone says "____ better than Thrawn!"

But honestly, I like the little old psycho better. Anyone who has a fettish impersonating Luke and making crappy B-rated holothrillers like "Luke Skywalker and the Jedi's Revenge" while not raiding Sith tombs gets an A+ in my book. Not to mention he has a frickin' sweet hat. Although it lacks the supreme omnipotence of Teh Frickin' Sweet Hat.


In the meantime, I'd like to invite Lord_Vivec back as Senatorial Aide. Seeing is he's the Maker of the club and all (and might have former Vice Chancillor of the EUC somewhere on his resume in the fine print), I thought that was the least I could give him, out of the kindness of my heart. That, and he probably has the power to shut us down if I refused.

 

Hey hey! Sinre did you see the Lumiya action figure?

 

Here are a few --

Lumiya(s)

Shira Brie

The head, the head!