Memph, TN Unofficial Memphis EU Board.

Ok granted here....I'm not quite finished with SQ, but I like to read anything w/ Luke and Mara in the book....and I do like how Luke isn't the MASTER OF ALL THINGS CONCERNING JEDI!! If Luke was a master of all things Jedi then each other Jedi would just be an extension of Luke and that to me is just plain boring...having all Jedi molded after the same guy. I guess I am like Traci is here about knocking down all the "NAY" sayers that Luke should be better than Mara in all things( cue: booing crowd)
I like the fact that Luke is a pretty damn good Jedi and I don't think there are many of his students who could beat him if they confronted him, but he shouldn't and couldn't be the best at everything can he? He's not the best healer...he's probably not the best lightsaber combatant...he's not the best investigator and etc.... I believe though Luke and Mara are pretty damn equal, but with specialties in different fields.
I will feel pretty comfortable with the fact that Luke is probably the best all-around Jedi and he should be since he has been dealing with the force longer than anyone else now in the EU. Is he as good as Yoda WAS!?!? Well 30 years of force experience compared to 900 wouldn't come close to knowledge, but I think Yoda and the rest of the OR Jedi would smile upon Luke and his fellow students!!!

I guess this should have been in the rant rave, but I had to get that off my mind since Sunday night's convo.

One other thing....Zahn sure can draw things out...geesh.......almost half way through and no major action yet.......sighs....but it is Zahn and his ending always make up for the slow action in the beginning and middle

A liberated John

 

I can't discuss SQ in the Lit forum for all the reasons you just stated, John. Then again, we are talking about a forum populated by men whose wives will be required to walk 10 paces behind them. <roll eyes>

 

Check it out!!

New/Exclusive Valentine's short story by Timothy Zahn

 

I don't think Luke should be the best at everything, but I do think he should be batter at most things jedi simply since he's been at it longer. Mara has comparable skill too because she was trained as the emperor's hand. So anyone feeling like writing a spoiler free review?

I wish I had hyperspace. I love the Tales from... series. I wish they would do more. Like Tales from the Clone Wars, or Tales From The Boonta Eve, er on second thought... but seriously, would you guys like to see more SW Short Story books?

 

would you guys like to see more SW Short Story books?

Definitely! Several of the short stories are actually pivotal in the overall plot of the SW saga and it's a shame that they don't get the attention they deserve.

A spoiler-free review: Well, seems like the general rating over in Lit is a 5-8 on a scale of 10. But, you have to remember that Zahn is not very popular there.

Like Tatooine Ghost was a Han & Leia story, Survivor's Quest is a Luke & Mara story. It happens during the 6-yr black hole in their relationship between Vision of the Future and Vector Prime. For the L/M fan, it's a happy time before the advent of the NJO and there seems to be a generally enthusiastic reaction from that fanbase.

The biggest complaint I've read is about the number of unanswered questions.....and Zahn does raise a lot of them. However - I'm not sure if the marketing failed here or what - but this book will apparently be the companion to Zahn's prequel novel about the Outbound Flight project. Hopefully, a lot of the questions will be answered there.

Being a Zahn junkie, I'm not the most objective reviewer here - I understand many of the criticisms and agree with a few of them, but I thought it was, overall, a fun ride in the GFFA. Not up to the caliber of the HoT duo, but definitely a book worthy of "the SW feel" designation.

 

Okay, that was wierd. It didn't seem like Zahn writing it at all.... It almost seemed like fanfic.

*goes back to read it again*


or at least this part...

"The Presenter reached the platform. "Master Jedi, we have an unexpected but urgent request," the alien said. "Second Agricultural Coordinator Kei Ras Cirali requests your immediate presence at his Karrish Mountain retreat to discuss a problem he is unable to solve."

"I see," Luke said, his voice grave. "Even the powerful sometimes need the counsel of others, I suppose. Where is this retreat?"

"In a cave at the base of Karrish Prime," the Presenter said, twitching his ears to point at the range of snowcapped peaks visible in the distance out the wide window behind them. "If you are willing, we have an airspeeder and driver awaiting you."

"Thank you," Luke said, standing up. "I've spoken with Master Cirali before. If he needs us, we're more than willing to go to him."

"We of the city echo his thanks for your forbearance," the Presenter said, bowing. "I will send the complainants home, to gather again whenever you are free to return."

"Thank you." Luke looked at Mara. "Come on, we'd better get going."


Maybe I've just read to much fanfic here lately. Anyone see this?

 

I got the impression that it was written in a hurry. "Tim! Quick - we need a Valentine short. Something to complement SQ. And we need it in, um, 3 hours. Oh - and add some mush. All the L/M shippers are bitching about a lack of mush. We'll be waiting....."

 

I just finished SQ lastnight, and with the busy day I have had...I just now am writing my review of it. I will say first off....I have NOT read the duology, but plan to soon!!!! I agree a lil bit with farmboy and red head lovers that there wasn't a lot of "MUSH" , but as for Zahn showing how Mara and Luke compliment each other....he did a fantastic job!! I do wish a lil less detail on the details that Zahn put in.. I think I read the book 3 times as many times as I re-read some parts .... just to understand what EXACTLY he was getting at. I was neat to see a point of view from stormtroopers too!! Not to spoil it.......but I like the twist at the end of it that sort of "Foreshadows"...which most of us know!!! I wouldn't rank it up there with some of the great NJO books and I don't think it ranks with Zahn's first trilogy either, but that doesn't mean it isn't a good book. I liked it a lot, but I think Zahn could edit his books a hundred pages less and still get across his brillance without having to spend that extra hundred pages explaining in minute detail.

Overall, good book.....it ties with Shatterpoint from the clone wars on it's scale of 1-10. I give SQ and SP a 7 out of 10 stars!!! They weren't TUF good, but good books and wasn't disappointted with either of them!!

John........aka plastic pusher

 

I liked it a lot, but I think Zahn could edit his books a hundred pages less and still get across his brillance without having to spend that extra hundred pages explaining in minute detail.

Dude - wait till you read the HoT duo. There are, like, 3 or 4 main plot lines with about 10 different sub-plots. Those books need a map, technical dictionary and glossary......but I love them.

I finally read "Side Trip" by Stackpole & Zahn in Tales from the Empire. It was good. But, Zahn fan that I am, I just have to say: Oh no, you did-UN'T!! Thrawn is cool, but those red eyes should be buggy from a Force choke for talking to Vader like that!

 

Dude - wait till you read the HoT duo. There are, like, 3 or 4 main plot lines with about 10 different sub-plots. Those books need a map, technical dictionary and glossary......but I love them.

Hmmm....Technical dictionary, glossary, map.... Throw those in and you'd have "Dune".

 

It was good. But, Zahn fan that I am, I just have to say: Oh no, you did-UN'T!! Thrawn is cool, but those red eyes should be buggy from a Force choke for talking to Vader like that!

It was a good story, but you're right. I loved the part - "would you like me to take care of Xizor? You know the one - right? The one trying to kill your beloved son? Yeah, him. I could just have that done in a jiffy. What's that? You actually enjoy killing your mortal enemies who push your buttons, yes, THAT button, yourself?" Timmy, Timmy, Timmy...you're a great writer, but Thrawn would be gasping right about now...

 

He would be Grand Admiral Thr....Thrhhhh....gasp....Thrhhhhh.....thud

You don't F with the big DV and walk away, especially if you're wearing an Imperial uniform.

 

I finally got the chance to get TUF and read it a couple of weeks ago. I wasn't very fond of the AoC Duology. In fact i would rank it at the bottom of the NJO, so when I heard he was writing TUF I was a bit dissapointed. (I was hoping they would get Zahn). Anyway, I actually really enjoyed TUF. It was the best I've seen Han and Leia written in a long time. I actually enjoyed reading their sections. Considering what he had to tie up in a single book, I think he did rather nicely. Havent gotten ahold of SQ yet, but I'm hoping to in the next few days or so.

 

I was nicely surprised at how well Luceno did with TUF, too, Randy. I haven't read the AoC duology in the NJO, but had heard the complaints about it from others, but I loved Cloak of Deception.

 

I haven't gotten the chance to read CoD yet. I've heard mixed reviews of it. Some loved it, others hated it terribly. I haven't really seen many that were on the middle ground. Rouge Planet kinda killed the PT books for me for a while there, but now that the NJO is over I'll have to go back and start reading them.

 

I'm up to chapter 14 of Shadows of the Empire!

I've got to hurry and read more EU so I'll know what the heck the rest of you are all talking about...

 

Poor, Lin- Bear confused when fellow FF members started talking EU.

Randy: I liked Rogue Planet, but not as much as the other PT books. Shatterpoint has been the best one so far, I think. Of course, we have Jules from Pulp Fiction playing Mace Windu, so it's all cool.

 

but now that the NJO is over I'll have to go back and start reading them.

Yeah, I'm backtracking too. I've had a really hard time getting into prequel/pre-Thrawn Trilogy stuff. In fact, I only read Shadows of the Empire this past year and that was the first book I'd ever read that took place before ROTJ. I'll read The Approaching Storm next...I'm making the Barriss costume for MidSouthCon and want to know more about her.

 

I finally started Survivor's Quest tonight. I hope they don't vote someone I like off the island.


What?

What?

 

I actually loved Rogue Planet especially after reading the rest of the NJO. I'm just not a Mace fan, so Shatterpoint was sadly put back on the shelf at about page 22.... I liked The Approaching Storm okay, but the political intrigue got a little much at time same with CoD.

Of course, this is from a girl who has to skim Zahn... , or pick and choose what I want to read of his books. I never read those cover to cover. I'm a prequel fan, so I actually started reading those before these strange post ROTJ books. Floating Tie fighters - anyone? Or how about Sith induced death sleep that only your two year old niece and nephew can get you out of?

 

Luceno's AoC (Agents of Chaos) books were a bit disappointting in the NJO.........not enough jedi fighting and a lot of Han ingenuity were packed in those books, but at least Luceno got Han out of his stuppor and started getting him on track. Luceno's TUF was very touching in the end where Han left his son's memento @ the foot of Chewie's grave...that was pretty touching. I haven't read Rogue Planet, but I might...not to sure about it, but it would tie into the NJO nicely I bet. As for prequel books...............I've read a few. I like Shadow Hunter as my favorite of right now, Shatterpoint is good too....looking forward to more CW books!!!!

 

OK- The first Mara/Luke scene in SQ.....

Could anyone else hear the Pulp Fiction theme music in their heads?

 

I guess by the time most of you guys read this....you'll have saw the "Jedi Trial" cover on the SW site. Anyways take a gander @ TFN for the link...Anakin looks cool and sounds like Luke and Corran Horn's ancestors are going to have a lil more in common after this book....also look in the background for the cool EU character

John

 

Jedi Trial

[image=http://www.rhonderoo.com/jedi_trial.jpg]

Rhonda has a fangirl - gasm

I saw that last night. Made my week SO MUCH better!

Can you say - Desertwind???


...think I,Jedi.

Way to go Stackpole, you're character is the "chosen one" to get to be with the chosen one in his novel. Seriously, I think this is an accolade for Stackpole, and brilliant on the part of the writers, another Jedi known to bend the rules a little bit and marry and er, um...procreate. .

Is it November yet?????

 

Yep, these procreating Jedi.... I swear....

IN MY DAY, THE JEDI WERE VIRGINS WITH LIGHTSABERS, AND WE WERE GLAD TO HAVE THEM!!!

Sorry, felt like having one of those "Grandfather" moments. I really should turn the floor over to Dale for those- He does them much better than I do.