Lit Reading NJO...Again

Just finished Dark Journey. Going to take a short break from NJO to read The Last Jedi novelization, then back to it. Living in 2 separate Star Wars timelines is interesting.

Re: Dark Journey

It's a decent book where mostly nothing happens. I struggle to say there's even much character development for Jaina, and this is her sole novel in the entire EU as the main protagonist. Whatever moves her forward, it all happens in the final chapters as a sort of epiphany. Kyp gets more development throughout.

I feel like Anakin's funeral was a huge missed opportunity. We dont get a eulogy from Luke? What? I get Cunningham was going for the still in shock Jaina sort of tuning it all out, but I cant shake how unceremonious the whole thing actually was. Kind of weird.

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Kyp's development was a possible romantic relationship with Jaina *shivers*. Considering that Jaina would look to Kyp as a sorta older brother figure (remember how Han all out adopted Kyp as his kid during Jedi Academy) it just creeped me out and continuing to bring it up to snub both Jagged and Zekk (Jagged was always a better fit for Jaina if everyone wasn't trying to break them up all the time) really irritated me.

 

Careful with that...there are still a whole lot of fangirls on here who pine for that relationship!
I actually liked Kyp in this book, but I agree with Dawud...the rest of the book didn't do anything for me. And I've never really liked Jaina since...she showed herself to be (IMO) wishy-washy, extremely distant, and a crap friend.

 

The cold, arrogant and callous way Jaina acted in Destiny's Way really turned me off to the character.

 

I have a question,i may have bought Edge of Victory I Conquest with out knowing it was in the middle of the series......do i need to read them in order or can/should i dive in?

 

You should read them in order.
However, I didn't when they came out - I forget even how I got any of the books or why I got them out of order, but I did. It does spoil things and can leave you a bit confused with talking of past events. So I wouldn't suggest it, but it is possible to start with that and then backtrack.

 

Yeah, active Jaina Solo ship wars were scary.

Initially I didn't read them in order (started with Star By Star, yikes) and I could still get the gist of things. But a re-read some years later, in order, was much more enjoyable. The scope of the events and characters' growths is fantastic.

 

ok thanks

 

Really enjoyed the series.

 

So what does everyone think of Nom Anor's character arc throughout the series? Does he have one?

And what is everyone's opinion on him?

I always thought he was a great character as he is very much an outsider-an atheist in a highly religious culture and a pragmatist and cynic among zealots.

 

I dont like him, but he is bloody interesting to read.

 

Did anyone else have a really hard time getting through Destiny's Way? A whole lot of nothing. Too much explaining the previous books, I know what happened...I read them. Time to further the plot please, thank you!


Also Danni Quee is such a useless character/walking plot device. The only "green eyed blonde" I want to read about is Tahiri!

 

I always enjoyed destiny's way personally. It has a proper balance of conversations, intrigue, action, and politicking.

Luke meeting Jacen is especially enjoyable to read. "My boy my boy" I just love that scene.

As for Danni I always liked her and part of me wishes she had ended up with Jacen.

 

I loved Destiny’s Way. It brings clarity, and discusses open ended questions, while setting up the successful last leg on the NJO.

 

I wish they'd kept the Jacen & Danni relationship going. I didn't much care for the Tenel Ka romance and I didn't like Allana at all (even as she aged).

 

Destiny's Way is overrated. It's been widely beloved on these forums for years, but mostly it seemed like people wouldn't cite any more than "Ackbar is back!" for the reasons why they were so fond of it. Three lines don't define a 450-page book, though --- they're kind of like the scene in James Kahn's ROTJ novelization where Luke takes Vader's mask off in that regard. Sure, that scene is cool, but can you tell me about the rest of the book ... ?

My biggest problem with DW was how... heavy-handed everything was. Cal Omas says to Luke "We'll make a politician of you yet!" about once per chapter. Vergere and Luke talk about Jacen and say the word "destiny" 8700 times. Luke reforms the Jedi Council and there's a scene where he and Mara are going through all the potential candidates that could have been cool but really just came off as fan service.

And the pacing wasn't great, either. The author seems to realize halfway through that he's spent way too long on Mon Calamari doing nothing, so there's an awkwardly shoehorned action scene with Mara chasing a Yuuzhan Vong in a submarine. The final space battle didn't have to be ninety pages long, but it seemed like Walter Jon was trying too hard to write another Battle of Coruscant.

Nice to see Ayddar Nylykerka play a large role, though.

 

DW basically exists to say: This is why the Vong haven't completely annihilated the inept New Republic. (A large part of the reason it's liked is, I think, that it was only the second or third NJO book with a load of wins, with Enemy Lines preceding it.)

To do so, it restores everyone's intelligence to pre-NJO levels, pulls out several boosters for the NR out of its arse, renders the Vong as morons and gifts the NR several victories, finishing off with Ebaq 9.

After this, the series immediately went and bottled on the idea of following through on the moral dilemma of how to win against the Vong without killing them all by giving the Vong a steady stream of power-ups in preparation for the super escape book that was TUF.

 

Yes, the a***pull that was Zonama Sekot. Luke abandons the remaining war effort after finally getting the Jedi in line. Han and Leia go on a journey to visit two Bantam Era planets (and rewrote Jobath's character to make him appear anti-Republic/Alliance). Tahiri has a breakdown and Jaina gets the fun part of dealing with it (yawn). Jacen and Danni spend time together, and Pellaeon survives to be the ultimate victor of the war.

 

Okay, that's it....lightsabers at dawn!

I really liked her as a character and wish that they wouldn't have stuffed her into the background. She would have made a great addition to the 'new' Jedi...someone who didn't even know she was Force sensitive until she was 20-odd, someone who had duties and a life before the war, someone who was working wa-ay out of her expertise as a scientist but still managed to turn the tide of battle...what's not too like? I still maintain that her and Jacen would have been great as a moral center of the Jedi.

 

You make it sound like that description do not fit all of Luke's first class, and probably second, third, fourth and fifth

 

Fair point...what I was getting at was it was someone of the 'younger' generation who didn't grow up Jedi.

 

Like Zekk or Lowbacca?

 

Okay, never mind, I give up. You made your point. Or Tenel Ka, Tahiri, Alema...pretty much everyone who didn't know they were Force sensitive since they could walk.

 

I love the irony of Nom Anor organizing the Shamed Ones, giving them hope and a cause to believe in solely to further his own agenda, but it then turning into something truly positive and important to help end the war, save the galaxy and also the entire Yuuzhan Vong race. I also think he had a real chance at redemption in The Final Prophecy, but he then squandered it by murdering Nen Yim and attempting to destroy Zonama Sekot to regain Shimrra's favor.

 

You know if they ever did make an NJO tv show or series of movies-seeing Nom Anor would be one of the main attractions in terms of characters for me.