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

Lit Standalone novels that deserve sequels?

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Darth Xalfrea, Oct 27, 2013.

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  1. The_Four_Dot_Elipsis

    The_Four_Dot_Elipsis Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2005
    Yes, and the writers could perhaps do a bit more research this time.

    The radio dramas! They do exist!
     
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  2. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Yes, neglecting Vader's response to Alderaan was a huge problem of mine.
     
  3. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2004
    I think EU before Heir to the Empire is generally ignored. Return of the Jedi radio drama is more recent but was also scaled down due to Daley's illness, IIRC.
     
  4. Havac

    Havac Former Moderator star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 29, 2005
    If you're going to steal my joke, at least steal the whole thing. The sequel is Death Star 2: Death Star II.
     
  5. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    No, see, the way I had envisioned it was that Death Star 2 would cover everyone's doings immediately after the ending of the first Death Star, particularly since it's a completely unexplored area of the EU. Then we could follow it up with a Death Star 3 which would cover the second Death Star, obviously.

    It just doesn't make sense any other way. You can't just spring a whole 'nother Death Star on people without some plot development, or people will think you're being derivative.
     
  6. Parnesius

    Parnesius Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 8, 2012
    For all the redundancy and unimaginativeness of the setting created for The Old Reublic, the decade-long Cold War really is a unique opportunity to see the Sith and the Republic/Jedi being forced to interact, by and large, peacefully and diplomatically (and when not, covertly and deniably), on a galactic scale, and without, for the most part, a greater threat to focus on. It's a pity we haven't seen more done with it.

    Given the variety and connections of the six viewpoint characters at the end of Fatal Alliance:
    • a recently-minted Jedi Knight close to the Grand Master
    • a recently-reinstated Republic Army officer, interested in
    • a Sith Imperial spy, ensconced with the Republic High Command, very aware of the factionalism and shifting alliances within Imperial Intelligence
    • a Sith apprentice to a prominent Dark Councillor (who will lose that position within a few years in currently unknown circumstances)
    • an enigmatic bounty hunter, secretly a member of the Star Cabal
    • a clever, devious, consistently under-estimated smuggler
    I could easily see a Fatal Alliance sequel set a couple years later doubling as an alternative prospect from which to view the machinations that shape the game's background and form its plotlines.

    For example, Darth Howl opposes Vengean and Baras's push to resume war and thus is removed by them, leaving Ax masterless and friendless, lone wolfing around the Empire pursuing her own vendettas.

    Or the Star Cabal and Imperial Intelligence's plans for Supreme Commander Stantorrs collide, leaving their agents scrambling to retreive something from the fiasco while the Republic military and the Jedi investigate.

    Or Konshi and Ax are appointed as Jedi/Sith liasons to the embassies on a neutral world, where they must attend the same parties and make small talk that's all thinly-veiled threats, partake in espionage hijinks, and eventually end up having to pretend they're married.

    That sort of thing.
     
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  7. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    The Truce at Bakura.

    Taking place three years later, concurrently with the Wraith Squadron trilogy and the Hunt for Zsinj.

    Since Luke isn't really doing anything at that time save for searching the galaxy for Jedi artifacts, he could easily take a break from his pursuits and be the star. Since Han, Chewie, Wedge, and Leia are all busy, Lando could be the other main star. Too much of a sausagefest, you say? Fear not, as Tyers is great at writing strong female characters. It couldn't be Gaeriel, since Assault at Selonia confirms that she and Luke didn't see each other in all that time, but don't worry about that either --- Kathy Tyers is the only author in the history of the EU to write a second novel that has absolutely nothing to do with her first novel. No returning original characters, no situations from the first book still being treated like the most important things in the history of the galaxy years later --- nope, Balance Point has absolutely nothing to do with Truce.

    The Empire under Ars Dangor could play a role --- Luke and Lando could race to stop them from doing... I don't know, something evil that's a last-ditch attempt to restore them to their glory. We could get some scenes on Orinda that show the Ruling Council deciding to send an emissary to the Pentastar Alignment, and Ardus Kaine could be the third party in the race for the artifact (or whatever it is). All of the stuff about the Empire in the years between Isard and Thrawn could finally make the jump from the pages of a sourcebook to the pages of a novel.

    Truce may not be my favourite book, but Balance Point is underrated. A new Kathy Tyers novel would be a welcome return.
     
  8. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2004
    I think Heir to the Empire being the "first" of the Expanded Universe as a cohesive publishing strategy resulted in the time period between Return of the Jedi and Heir being something most writers didn't want to tackle, at least with the Big 3. Tyers wanted to marry Gaeriel to Luke, or at least get things rolling in that direction but the absence of Luke having a romantic interest or wife in Heir evidently was enough for Lucasfilm to preclude such a concept.

    I don't think a one-off line in Assault at Selonia, or even if it's given more than that, which indicates or outright says that Luke and Gaeriel had not seen one another in all that time should necessarily preclude another meeting between the two anymore than I would have been bothered by her being Luke's love interest and not appearing in the Thrawn trilogy if sufficient cause is given. Plus, Heir to the Empire has such things as Luke thinking to himself that his battle with TIEs over Nkllon will be his first dogfight since he became a Jedi -- I don't know if that's inaccurate now but Zahn seems to think so in his annotations!

    But I think the fact that Heir was five years after Jedi resulted in writers shying away from the time period with the Big 3 because Zahn opted for the status quo so there wasn't a lot you could actually do with the characters in terms of development, which results in us getting stories in which Leia is apparently about to leave Han for Space Fabio and the like. I'm surprised that Del Rey has limited itself to Shadows of Mindor and Tatooine Ghost for exploring that particular era, and both those novels do show that some character development can be done, not that it's even necessary for a pulpy Luke and Lando adventure. There's a year unaccounted for between The Crystal Star and Before the Storm that could have a Luke-centric novel too!
     
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  9. Jeff_Ferguson

    Jeff_Ferguson Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    May 15, 2006
    Yeah, Mindor proved that there's plenty of room for big three romps with character development in that time period. Now it's time for Tyers to write Luke Skywalker and the race for the evil artifact that may be the Empire's last hope and also Ardus Kaine wants it but they'd better watch out for Lando because he's pretty smooth and hey Ken and Triclops are in this too because why the hell not.

    OK, I'll happily cede the title to someone else.
     
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  10. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    I agree, I'm surprised that Del Rey hasn't taken advantage. I think authors during Bantam publishing stayed away. Though I think Wolverton was originally supposed to be writing a trilogy, not sure what happened there.

    But if we're going to have an evil MacGuffin it should fit the era and be the Nostril of Palpatine.
     
  11. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    Luke Skywalker and the Lando System
     
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  12. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    It's not so much neglecting it- as having a different take on it.

    The Rise & Fall of Darth Vader may have a take more akin to the radio play- haven't heard the radio play though:


    The Rise & Fall of Darth Vader
    "I think it's time we demonstrated the full power of this station," Tarkin said. Turning to Motti, he commanded, "Set your course for Alderaan."
    "With pleasure," Motti replied with an evil smile.
    Realizing what Tarkin intended, Vader surveyed the man with new respect. The Dark Lord had done many horrendous and unpardonable things, but it seemed that Tarkin- at least in this situation- was even more diabolically inventive. However, Vader had one problem with Tarkin's scheme. "Alderaan is one of the foremost of the inner systems," Vader said. "The Emperor should be consulted."
    "Do not think to challenge me!" Tarkin snapped. "You are not confronting Tagge or Motti now! The Emperor has placed me in charge of this affair with a free hand, and the decision is mine! And you will have your information that much sooner."
    Vader had long suspected that Grand Moff Tarkin was insane, but it was not until Tarkin had addressed him just then, without a trace of fear, that Vader was left without a doubt. Vader said "If your plan serves our purpose, it will justify itself."
    "The stability of the Empire is at stake," Tarkin said. "A planet is a small price to pay."

    In Death Star, the same scene, written slightly differently, still suggests Palpatine has specifically approved any course Tarkin needs to take, up to and including the destruction of Alderaan, at least according to Tarkin- but also that Vader is far from disapproving:

    Death Star
    "I think it's time we demonstrated the full power of this station," Tarkin said. He looked back at his officer. "Set your course for Alderaan."
    The man mumbled something and left, but Tarkin was already thinking ahead. If Princess Leia was a thorn in the Empire's side, then Alderaan was a forest of thorns.
    Well, it was time to purge that forest. With fire.
    Tagge started to say something but apparently thought better of it. Tarkin smiled almost benignly and said, "I understand your concerns, General. Rest assured I've spoken with Emperor Palpatine recently about demonstrating his battle station's range and strength. He has assured me that I have full rein to do so." He looked at Vader. "You disapprove, Lord Vader?"
    "Not at all, Governor."
     
  13. GrandAdmiralJello

    GrandAdmiralJello Comms Admin ❉ Moderator Communitatis Litterarumque star 10 Staff Member Administrator

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    Nov 28, 2000
    Yeah, the first scene is actually using dialogue straight from the radio drama, which is nice. I can't find it at all compatible with the second. Both have the "free hand/free rein" verbiage, but in the former Lord Vader interprets it as not extending so far as to the destruction of a Core World, and given that Vader isn't the type for protocol, I would submit that the consultation is more than pro forma: the dialogue suggests to me that I. Tarkin's authority as grand moff governor of Oversector Outer does not extend to the Core Worlds and II. that the Emperor specifically would not approve of this course of action.
     
  14. The_Four_Dot_Elipsis

    The_Four_Dot_Elipsis Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Mar 3, 2005
    Indeed - the radio drama's depiction enhances the characters of Vader, Tarkin, and Palpatine in one go. The Reaves/Perry version does... not.


    This was once true, but we just had a big novel series instigated by a Marvel villain a few years ago.
     
  15. mattman8907

    mattman8907 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 17, 2012
    The Last Jedi 2: The not so last Jedi.
     
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  16. Master Agoraphobia

    Master Agoraphobia Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Nov 9, 2012
    "Fatal Alliance 2: Fataler Alliance, Harder"

    "Before Bane: The Dessel Diaries"

    "The Death Star!" - This is the true story...of seven Stormtroopers...picked to live in a Death Star...and have their lives taped...to find out what happens...when Stormtroopers stop being polite...and start being real...The Death Star!

    "Denial and Acceptance or: How Luke Learned To Stop Worrying About Kissing Leia"
     
  17. mattman8907

    mattman8907 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 17, 2012
    Fatal Alliance 3: Fatal Alliance....with a Vengeance!
     
  18. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2004
    Yeah, but that was a role that already existed, and they decided to make it Lumiya afterward. It isn't something in the forefront of their mind.
     
  19. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Fatal Alliance 4: A good day for a Fatal Alliance
     
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  20. CommanderDrenn

    CommanderDrenn Jedi Knight star 4

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    Oct 19, 2013
    I would like to see a sequel to The Last Jedi
    Another one that comes to mind is Outbound Flight, although it is sequeled in part by Survivor's Quest.
     
  21. Riven_JTAC

    Riven_JTAC Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2011
    Knight Errant absolutely needs a sequel. I completely agree about Kerra.

    For me, while Dathomir has been used since then, I'd LOVE to see a sequel to The Courtship of Princess Leia. Dathomir and the Witches are some of the most fascinating things in the EU to me. TCW, like with many things, totally ruined Dathomir...
     
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  22. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    It's a planet, a whole planet. Whatever happened there in TCW can easily be explained to take place on the other side of it or on an other part of the continent. Also Dathomir and its witches continuity was already a bit scrambled
     
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  23. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

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    Feb 17, 2004
    Dathomir is one of my favorite EU planets and I feel like TCW only enriched it.
     
  24. Zeta1127

    Zeta1127 Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Sep 2, 2012
    Dathomir, and Mandalore for that matter, were both butchered by TCW in my opinion. When you come up with something so radically different than what previously happened, the other side of the planet just isn't good enough to fix it for me.
     
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  25. DarthJenari

    DarthJenari Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Dec 17, 2011

    She wasn't even a perfect character, and I liked that about her. Some of her thoughts I agreed with, some of them I didn't. She's very much a Jedi trapped in a horrible situation, but doing the best she can, and is herself toeing the line between the Light and the Dark. Can't praise the novel enough. I went in with low expectations and was completely surprised. If I didn't have so much to catch up on, i'd pick it up right now.

    Agreed on TCW Dathomir. I found all of it to be uninteresting and fairly unnecessary to both the Nightsisters and the character of Asajj Ventress. It's not even that I don't believe it can't take place on another side of the planet, it was just all badly written and therefore doesn't deserve to. The fact they then tied Darth Maul into things just made it all worse.
     
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