A&A The Official Troy Denning Discussion Thread

Wow Mr. Denning I just finished TG and it was great. TG combined with SbS has reenforced my belief that you are one of the, if not the best writers of Han and Leia. I really liked how you tied up loose ends from COPL especially Han's dislike of Mon Mothma. It had always seemed strange that he had 'disliked' her part way through COPL and then afterwards supported her once more.

J_J

EDIT: Spelling.

 

Mr. Denning, I have a quick question for you.


How do you think of the names for your characters (especially the non-human ones)?

 

Whoa, whoa! Corphelion Interlude!? Here's something I completely missed! What story is this and where can I find it?

By the way: Tatooine Ghost was amazing. Heartwarming, homey, exciting. The Squibs, gotta love those Squibs. ( I included a Squib in a fan story I wrote almost ten years ago. Mine was a little hyperkinetic--loosely based on Squib characters from the WEG Scavenger Hunt adventure--but after reading TG, I think my characterization was close enough to your characters that I don't feel the need to retcon my own story! )

I'd love to comment on A Forest Apart, but there seems to be a problem downloading the file. ( I ordered it from amazon.com, it's paid for, but there is some linkage problem at the site. *grumble* )

Now, I'd like to see the Bilar in a story....

 

I just finished Tatooine Ghost the other day. It was great!

 

Kelly's Corran Horn Page and Jedinet.com will be hosting an online moderated chat with Troy Denning on Friday, May 16th, at 9 PM EDT. Details can be found here.

 

Ghenghis, I think I phrased that badly. How does this sound?

"Anakin was not as popular a character at then as he is now, in fact, because of the unpopularity of the Solo kids among some EU fans, there was even some concern that nobody would care if Anakin died"

Is that a little more accurate? I think it's fairly safe to say that Anakin became more popular during the NJO series (although he was certainly a popular character previously.) I wasn't trying to detract from Dark Empire, or the Anakin Solo character, just trying to take the heat off of poor Mr. Denning, as some people seemed to be blaming *him* for killing Anakin.

TC

 

Quick answer to Ultima 1's quick question, "How do you think up the names for your characters?"

To tell the truth, I have no idea. Sometimes they just come to me, sometimes I page through books of names (this is my least favorite way, since they don't always "fit"), sometimes I try to think of a name that suggests one of their traits.

Thanks, everyone, for the kind comments on Tatooine Ghost! It makes my day to hear how much people are enjoying it.

 

Ultima 1 got in before me. Thanks. I, too, am curious how people name their characters. Going by a wide range of feedback I've done, it seems like anyone supporting a promary cast is not so finicky, but important characters will have names that suggest clever or creative connotations about them.

 

Mr. Denning excellent work on TG. I look forward to reading the trouble with squibs. Happy Easter!

 

I found out about Anakin's death the day the book came out, and I went over to the book store closest to my school, and being the stupid idiot that I am, I read the death scene as soon as I found it. I just had this horrible feeling that it would be Anakin. Anakin has long been my favourite character, seeing as the first Star Wars book I ever read was The Golden Globe. Anyway, that day was Halloween, and I went to my best friend's house for trick-or-treating, and the whole time I was swaying between giddyness and depression. I bought the book a week later (my friend and I actually split the price, so it's both of ours) and I still haven't read the whole thing. But what I have read of it seems good. Exciting. But Tahiri is portrayed in the complete wrong way in my opinion, and WHY didn't she get a good scene in reaction to Anakin's death?????Honestly, if he had to die, couldn't she at least have a good mourning scene?????? Leia's was good, but she wasn't the only female in his life. I'm still not over Anakin's death, and it's been a year and six months! Ridiculous, isn't it? Call me crazy, but I just loved Anakin. If you're an Anakin lover like me, check out the website my friend and I made ages ago. Don't ask when we updated it last, but it's still good. Anyway, I'm going now. I might have liked Troy Denning better if he'd just killed someone else instead of Anakin. I'm dying to find out how the whole Anakin and Tahiri prophesy thing works out now!

 

Self-promotion of that kind isn't allowed... but if you'd like to repost your theory here, we'll be glad to hear it!

 

Just letting anyone interested know that the transcript for the recent Denning chat is now posted. The link in my sig should take you there. Enjoy reading!

 

I recently finished Tatooine Ghost and really enjoyed Troy's portrayal of Leia. I still prefer Star By Star but TG was also great.

 

I just recently heard the news that Troy Denning is writing a new post-NJO trilogy of books. Up until now, I was only moderately excited about future EU novels, but this news is probably the best I have heard in a long time. Troy, if you read this, you did an incredible job with Star by Star, now my favorite Star Wars book ever. Can't wait for this new trilogy!

 

Hello Mr. Denning,

There are some questions I've had since reading Star by Star (don't worry nothing about Anakin or spoilers for upcoming books!) that I just decided I might as well ask here on the off chance they'll get answered.

As you could probably guess, I'm a big fan of Danni Quee and there were two questions I had regarding Danni and SbS:

1. Was it your decision to include Danni in SbS, or did DelRey tell you to include her?

2. Why didn't you include any scenes between Jacen and Danni in SbS, or even mention that know each other?

Thank you.

 

Hi,

I'm not sure whose decision it was to include Danni Quee in SbS. To tell the truth, I just assumed she should be in it, since she felt like an important and interesting character.

As for showing her in a scene with Jacen . . . at the time we were planning and writing SbS, I think everyone just assumed their relationship had run it's course. So, since I didn't need a scene between the two to advance the plot, we didn't put one in.

I didn't mention that they knew each other? Didn't realize that! I wasn't trying to hide the fact, but it just didn't need to come up.

Thanks for your questions!

Troy

 

Mr. Denning,

Thanks for your quick answers.

I really didn't feel that Jacen and Danni's relationship had run its course with that scene in Onslaught, I thought (hoped) that it was just beginning, but I guess I was in the minority there. But maybe since I just starting reading the NJO last year and read VP and Onslaught closer to SbS than most people, it was just freseher in my memory.

Well, anyway, thanks for answering my questions, I really do appreciate it.

 

Just posted my review of Tatooine Ghost, finally:

http://www.theforce.net/books/reviews/r_tatooine-ghost.shtml

 

Hello Mr. Denning,
I love Star By Star, minus the fact his death, which was written really well. Just a got a couple of questions about SbS and TG.
SbS Question,
Why did you not have that almost last kiss shared between Anakin and Tahiri?

TG Question:
What made/had you have Watto show affection to Shmi?

Thank you.

 

Denying the kiss says more unspoken than having that kiss done. (emotion, tension, etc)

 

SbS Question,
Why did you not have that almost last kiss shared between Anakin and Tahiri?

Answer: What Excellence said! Anakin and Tahiri were young and there was still so much unsaid between them, and I felt that leaving the kiss un-done reflected that.

TG Question:
What made/had you have Watto show affection to Shmi?

Hard to remember, but I think it was a line in the new Essential Guide to Characters that suggested Watto had grown sad after Anakin's departure. That started me thinking about how he felt about his slaves, and I decided he would be a much more interesting character if he had actually felt some attachment to Shmi.

Thanks for your questions!

 

Hello Troy, I tought I would make your day again by something I found in a tread. It was a post written by Solgal.

http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=10509483&page=13

Thanks again for writting such great stories.

*Netty*

 

Hello Mr. Denning, I've got two questions to ask about Star by Star and I figured if I was to ask anyone, I might as well ask the man himself. First of all, what exactly happens during the battle scene in Chapter 28 when Mara orders all of the Saber pilots to lunch all proton torpedoes and immeditley exit the battle plane? What happened when she created that glowball like shroud and suddenly her and Luke were under the underbelly of the Vong cruiser? And also in the last part of tht same chapter, what was the whole deal with the Republic Star Destroyer preventing the Vong ships from microjumping and tearing the yammosk ship in three? Sorry if the answer is obvious, but I was just a bit cofused.

 

MR. Denning I must thank you for writting "Star by Star".

When I first got that book in my hands I was thinking "Who's that guy". I never heard about you before and I was a little scared. But when I started reading I just couldn't stop. It was a fantastic book.

Now I'm waiting for "Tatooine Ghost" to be published in Poland. I can't wait to read it.

 

I enjoyed TG alot, and i knew i wouldnt be dissaponted by it at all.
SbS was amazing, though it was the saddest book i ever read, in which, its a book ill never forget.
while my favorite character perished in it, i know for a fact it must not have been enjoyable to write, so those that blame Mr. Denning for his death...hey, whatever floats your boat!he didnt plan the story arc.
beautifully written, heartwrenching.i wish it had been someone else to die, but one else could have written it as well as you did.

thankyou for a life altering experience Troy!