A&A The Official Matthew Woodring Stover Discussion Thread

Does anyone have any recommendations for a Stover-newbie? I'm getting psyched for Traitor and I'm thinking of reading some of his other books beforehand.

 

He's only had a few books published, Fire_Light. Heroes Die is becoming hard to find, but it's probably the best place to start.

 

He's got two books in print:

Heroes Die, and Blade of Tyshalle. Heroes Die comes first.

 

Ok Heroe's Die it is then.

 

Note: This topic is Gandolf Approved©.

Many of you know about the situation with Matthew Woodring Stover's The Real Flash Gordon. And many of you probably do not. Either way, I've started a petition to get it published. Here is the text of the petition:

Dear King Features Syndicate,

We are unhappy with the way the novel The Real Flash Gordon has been handled. Here is the situation as we understand it:

In an attempt to revitalize the Flash Gordon franchise, HarperCollins Entertainment hired Matthew Woodring Stover to write The Real Flash Gordon. Stover?s editor at HarperCollins, Josh Behar, apparently loved the story. Harper?s marketing staff apparently loved the story. It was sent off for approval at Hearst Publications, the honchos at which apparently loved it. The novel eventually made its way to King Features Syndicate, the Hearst subsidiary which actually controls the rights to the Flash Gordon franchise.

Approval for publication was never given; Rick Karo, Executive Vice President, Entertainment Licensing and Family Programming of Hearst Entertainment, decided that the book was an ?unwholesome use of the trademark.?

The Real Flash Gordon should have come out mid-2002. It has been solicited on online bookstores such as bn.com and amazon.com. It?s made it into the Books in Print catalogue. And right now it looks as if it will never be published. Which is a shame. By all accounts, The Real Flash Gordon is a great read. As the author himself puts it:

In The Real Flash Gordon, there isn?t even any language stronger than the occasional goddamn. Anyone who knows me understands the profound respect I have for the classics in our genre. That?s why my book is named The Real Flash Gordon. My Flash is exactly the true-blue champion of the American Way that Alex Raymond dreamed up, and my novel works just like the original Flash Gordon strip: it goes like lightning from one incredible situation to the next, and every chapter ends with a cliffhanger. There is enough mind-bending super-science, rock-jawed heroism and plain old-fashioned adventure for five books; there is true love defying time, distance, even death; there is dark villainy of such depths as to beggar any power of description. There?s even some laughs. Not to mention gorgeous babes in scanty outfits.

Hey, like I said: it?s faithful to the source material.
Matthew Woodring Stover is an excellent author whose four published novels have received many accolades from a fan base which is growing daily, and which will grow exponentially with the publication later this month of his first Star Wars novel.

It is simply not right that The Real Flash Gordon should not be published. It will appeal to Flash Gordon fans, it will appeal to Matt Stover fans, and it will appeal to a good number of Star Wars and genre fans. Nearly everyone that has read it has loved it. Nearly every fan that hasn?t read it wants to.

So we ask that The Real Flash Gordon be approved for publication.

So please, go and sign the petition, and spread the word. This novel should be published.

Thanks!

 

Thanks Mastage.


I started with Blade of Tyshalle and then read Heroes Die, I think it actually turned out better that way so . . .

 

That's interesting. I suppose that could work.

Which did you like better?

 

I just finished Heroes Die and Blade of Tyshalle. Those were awesome books. I can remember the last time that I've been so engrossed in a plot, yet also freaked out by how sickening some scenes are. Blade of Tyshalle certainly had a clear hero's path. The ending reminded me of The Matrix.

My copy of Heroes Die has an ad for a novel entitled Fist of Caine. Am I to assume that was the working title for Blade of Tyshalle?

 

I've heard Traitor has anti-religious saying in it, although I emphasize this is what I Heard Can anyone confirm or deny this?

 

Nothing anti-religious. It claims that fanatacism is self-defeating, though.

 

I liked BoT alot better.

Do you really think they would let MWS put anything in a Star Wars book that was insulting to someone?

 

To be honest, I can't say whether I like HD or BoT better. IIRC, I've never read them other than together. When I think of them, I'll get scenes and snippets from both of them.

 

Wampa - Yes, Fist of Caine was a working title.

 

Thanks Bogga. That clears up a lot.

 

OMG - I cannot even believe that someone would construe that part of the book as anti-religious.

 

I liked BoT because it sent a stronger message, it was all about Caine's individuality. HD was more of the classic guy going after his girl story with a great Matt Stover twist.

 

On a broader scale, I think Heroes Die was an analysis of some trends in culture (reality tv obsession, class seperation) and taking them to extreme ends to show their futility. When I think of the message of the book, I think not of Caine's adventure specifically, but of the worlds that Caine thrives in. The Earth population that supports and worships him, and the Overworld population that fears and respects him.
Although I haven't finished Blade of Tyshalle (I am taking a break to read Traitor), I'm sensing more of a theme about life instead of society. It explores death, life, winning, and losing. Just because Hari's body was more or less intact, Caine was dead. Even though he "won" his trial in Heroes Die, he feels like a loser because he's so miserable. He got the girl, but it can never be like it was. His only friend is a man that would love to see him dead. His daughter who he loves more than anything is not even his, and she has a much closer connection to her mother than she can ever feel for him. BOT is about hollow victory in contrast to a fulfilling defeat. More of a personal, introspective look at Caine than Heroes Die was, although both novels have some element of both in them.

 

I just finished Traitor and I loved it!!! If MWS reads this- GOOD WORK!!!!

 

I loved what Stover did with "Traitor" and NJO. I've been waiting for something like this a long time. It probably took alot of courage to write that, with Vergere telling Jacen that there is no dark side. It makes so much sense, but when I read it-- the first thing that came to mind was-people aren't going to like this.

 

I've noticed a sort of theme in Stover's works.




Traitor and Heroes Die spoilers



In Heroes Die, Pallas Ril taps into the power of the river to become a goddess by joining in with the "music." That connection continues into Blade of Tyshalle and is shared by her daughter. I thought it was interesting to see Ganner surrender to a sort of "dance" in the Force, similar to the music of Pallas Ril. Jacen did something similar as well.










That's it.

 

Nope, a lot of people won't like it. But that's the beauty of change.

A dominating theme I find in Stover's work (besides the existentialism) is the inevitability of change and evolution (of course any engaging story really provides for it, but Stover discusses these issues in a really grab-you-by-the-throat way). We see plenty of it in Heroes Die and Blade of Tyshalle, and we find it again in Traitor.

Certainly, there have been a wide range of responses in the Reviews thread and the Offical thread for Traitor, but I think we can safely say that the good far outnumbers the bad. A book that makes everyone happy is all well and good, but where's the fun in that? Usually, these books lack a certain challenge I look for in my reading anyway.

I've read some really amazing and riveting reviews. For some, Traitor struck very close to the heart. Others mention how Traitor rekindled their interest in Star Wars and still others sincerely hope Traitor marks a trend to come for the Expanded Universe. I've read things like how Traitor made some think about their own lives and helped them discover new insights into Star Wars as well. I've read a myriad of page-long reviews discussing very thoughtful interpretations on some of the issues raised in Traitor.

I've never seen such an overwhelmingly reflective and inquisitive response for any SW book so far for the short time I've been around. Sure, we've had people completely lose it over character deaths, but nothing like quite this.

Absolutely incredible.

Thank you, Matt Stover, and I hope we continue to hear your voice grace the GFFA.

 

I hate Stover's writing.

 

I hate Stover's writing.

That's NOT helpful, chissdude. It's one thing to passionately disagree or agree with something -- but in order to be understood the WHAT isn't important but the WHY.

WHY do you hate Stover's writing?
WHAT about it incenses you so?
HOW did you come to these conclusions.

Simple statements of opinion like "chissdude10's signature isn't appropriate!" isn't worth a crap, whereas "chissdude10's signature isn't appropriate because it espouses a religious view that not many share and could offend some, and religious statements belong only in JC Senate!" may not be correct, but it espouses a point of view with a rationale.

 

Haha!

 

I was about to post this in the Literature section's similar "Matthew Woodring Stover Discussion Forum" which has a different title other than what I mentioned, anywho...

I just had a few questions for Mr. Stover.

1) How does it feel to mess around in such large genre within a genre such as Star Wars? Is it difficult working with characters that are a) not your own b) already in development c) not able to become completely developed within your story?

A lot I know.

2) How much of your time, if any, was spent consulting other previous and/or future authors in the NJO to gain insight or other material regarding your main characters? How difficult a collaboration was it, if a collaboration at all?

3) Do you feel like you are completely finished with the characters you explored in Traitor?

Thanks. That's all I have and even that is a load to answer. I really enjoyed the novel. especially since most of it is a dialogue between Jacen and Vergere. A very nice, new aspect to a Star Wars novel. In addition, Traitor touched on philosophical elements which I had never seen before in a Star Wars novel, and I really enjoyed that. I picked up Blade of Tyshalle and will begin reading it when I'm done with a summer course. How do you pronounce the last word, "Tyshalle"? Thank you again for all your hard work.