PT Club Jocasta: Dark Disciple

I have already read this so I will get to join in on the discussion for this one.

Sent from my communication device on which I hardly do any communicating.

 

I'm pretty excited for this book! I have a plane ride on Tuesday so hopefully I'll get a lot of reading time in.

 

Already read it but I want to give it another read. Problem is it's packed up in a box somewhere from when we moved.

Either way, I really enjoyed this book. I love the Clone Wars TV Show and they translated it pretty well onto the page.

If you guys haven't read it yet you're in for an interesting experience.

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I'm 1/2 way through. Im listening on the CD Audibook.

 

It's so weird how the Jedi act like no one ever turned dark. But if you look at canon, everyone seems to turn dark, unless Qui-Gon's first apprentice is no longer canon?

 

So far as the nucanon goes I think Obi-Wan was QGJ's only padawan. So far.

 

Given my tendency to post in EU and Lit, I think some of you already know my (tremendously negative) opinions on Dark Disciple but I'll let everyone get a chance to catch up before I comment further. Wouldn't want to spoil anything just yet.

 

It was mixed for me. It felt like TCW but sometimes in silly ways. The story wasn't great and the writing didn't help. I'm pleased we got this but if they had have made it, I couldn't see myself enjoying it.

 

After reading the complexity of Aftermath & ALD the simple writing of DD was a good break. Still 1/2 way in. My stupid cheap Chinese CD player broke!

 

I don't think he is. AND ZOMG Sepra! You're here!!! Welcome back

As for the book in general, I love it. It's one of my favorite Star Wars books I've ever read. I actually reread it again recently as part of TCW marathon. I think it's really interesting how there was a growing ideological split among the Jedi Council over the course of the war. Yoda and Obi-Wan were really the only ones who remained true to Jedi ideals, and I don't think that's coincidence.

Lol, Anakin going in guns blazing as usual

 

Blast! I won't have the time to get and read DD soon. So sadly, I'm skipping this Club Joc, but definitely joining for the next one. It'd be interesting to hear what the Prequelites think of it, though.

 

I very much enjoyed Dark Disciple on my recent readthrough, as it was in context with the rest of TCW, much better than when I read it on it's own. I had just finished watching all the completed arcs and story reels, and also interleaved Son of Dathomir between the Season 7 and Season 8 halves of the book.

I was very satisfying, and was a good adaptation of the tone and style of the show. The only downsides were the lack of visuals, as TCW was always very invested in that aspect. I do think that both Vos and Ventress held the 'idiot ball' at a few points, mainly regarding Tholme's death. Surely Vos realises that Ventress is no longer Dooku's assassin anymore. Ah well, it didn't hurt the book too badly. The second half also felt more rushed and less intricate, but this is probably down to it being adapted from first draft scripts.

 

I could see the Jedi trying to capture Dooku but not assassinate. Especially 1 who was a former Jedi.

 

Do you like the idea of certain Jedi having specialized abilities that others do not, like Vos' ability to read memories from objects people have touched?

Yeah, I like Vos' phsycometry, it was an interesting ability, and especially liked how Dooku turned Vos' skill into a weapon, with Tholme's saber.

What are your thoughts on the Jedi sending someone to assassinate Count Dooku? Are the Jedi wrong or do the circumstances of the Clone Wars justify their actions?

I didn't see it as too bad, it's not really much different from all the times they've tried to kill or capture Dooku, Grievous or Ventress before.

 

The main problem I had with the whole ''assassinate Dooku'' plot was not the question of morality etc. and whether or not it was justified... but that it was Dooku who was the target. Because as soon as he was the target, it was guaranteed to fail, it had ALREADY failed due to the films later setting but earlier release. So the entire thing became moot. And that was even before they decided to have the assassin be a character who had appeared all of once or twice in the series before this point anyway - those who weren't aware of Vos from non-TCW sources were hardly going to be super-invested in his quest even if the outcome wasn't already set in stone.

 

Do you like the idea of certain Jedi having specialized abilities that others do not, like Vos' ability to read memories from objects people have touched?

Yes, I love this. This concept of the Jedi have certain personal Force abilities was something that was really brought to the forefront in The Clone Wars and it has continued into the new canon in a positive way, IMO. Obi-Wan and Ezra have a natural connection to animals or other people, Luke and Anakin have an affinity for foresight, Quinlan and Rey both have the ability to experience memories from the things that they touch, etc. It's fascinating stuff.

What are your thoughts on the Jedi sending someone to assassinate Count Dooku? Are the Jedi wrong or do the circumstances of the Clone Wars justify their actions?

It is a very unsubtle, exaggerated escalation of the portrayal of the Jedi in the films. Whereas their film portrayal was more subtle when it came to things like Jedi aggression, assassination and how the Jedi conduct themselves in general, TCW simplified and amplified a lot of those issues to try to better demonstrate how much the Jedi have fallen from grace.

I personally feel like their portrayal of these ideas in the medium within which they were portrayed is fine. I think that George was trying to illustrate a point about the Jedi in the films that he later wanted to really expand upon in this show and it works for me.

If anyone is familiar with Quinlan Vos in the Legends stories, how do you think his portrayal in Dark Disciple compares? Better? Worse? About the same?[/quote]

I was admittedly not a huge Quinlan fan in Legends, so I feel like his portrayal in TCW and new canon in general has been favorable. However, I still won't go out of my way to read or watch something with that character. He is not someone I am really invested in, but I like his role as it applies to illustrating the fall of the Jedi Order.

I DO think the whole everyone being fine with Vos by the end of the book was kind of awkward. For all of his assenting and participating in numerous species rights violations they were fine with not doling out a punishment for him. I suppose this is keeping in theme with how far they have fallen and how desperate they have become, but I feel like it could have been done a little better.

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