Books JJM returns with 'The Living Force'

Regarding Valorum and TCW - in his appearence there he told a story about sending Sifo-Dyas to negotiate with the Pykes, since the Republic completely lost control over the situation with spice trade. In the EU decades before TPM were the golden era of crime, with the Black Sun reaching the height of its influence. So far in the NU Canon "shortly before Prequels"-works (aside from Darth Maul miniseries ) were focused on other problems of the Republic (Senate's corruption, local warlords and etc.), hope that this book will provide info regarding
criminal situation not only in specific sector, but in the Republic on the whole.

 

Gosh, um, probably its somewhat arbitrary, but for me I'd say what I meant by my post is I'd like a book that contributes to the "main story" in some way. Either advancing the story or providing additional context to the story. Darth Plagueis is a Legends novel someone else mentioned that I'd agree was "significant" in how it contributed to the overall mythos. More recently Shadow of the Sith I thought was a great, significant addition to the current Canon. I think The High Republic initiative is overall great at creating its own "main story" so it can be "significant" in its own space even though its separate from the film saga.

The descriptions I've read of The Living Force feels like its pushing these characters into a little pocket where a story can be told without impacting anything. This could be completely incorrect! That's just the impression I've got so far. And I don't want to criticize that type of book either; I've enjoyed plenty that fit that description. I guess I would just say the title and the talent involved give me heightened expectations for the book.

Kenobi by the same author could also be described as a "side adventure" in the description. But the quality of the book and the insights into the titular character elevate it in my mind despite the smaller scale of the narrative. I guess I would hope this book is the same.

Hope that helps.

 

While I didn't post the original message, I always appreciate the chance to share feedback. When I first read your question I thought the answer seemed obvious, but the more I thought about it the harder it became to actually give a concrete answer.

Perhaps an abstract way I would define "significant" is whether I would ever mention it during a long-winded Star Wars explanation to a friend. If someone asks me to explain the Sequel Trilogy to them, I will absolutely be mentioning a lot of events from Bloodline and Shadows of the Sith because I consider them essential to understanding the overall "Rise of the First Order" era. After watching The Mandalorian season three and seeing the episode on Coruscant with my girlfriend, I immediately started telling her about the treatment of former Imperials in the Alphabet Squadron trilogy and how that explains some of the New Republic's struggles in the show. I won't include any Ahsoka spoilers here, but I will say after the last episode I was also running to grab one of the Thrawn books off my shelf to explain something else to my girlfriend. Moments like those are some of the most fun parts of the books and comics for me.

I realize my definition is subjective, so I'll try to use some counter-examples to illustrate my point a little more clearly. Note that I'm not making the argument that a book is bad if it's not significant, but instead that being significant is just one quality I look for. The first example that comes to mind is The Princess and the Scoundrel. After the actual wedding early in the book, there's nothing else that feels unique or important because there's already so many Han and Leia stories and Madurs is an obscure planet we'll likely never see again. Another example would be Battlefront: Twilight Company, where we follow a group of characters we never see again fighting in a war that's already well explored, so once again there's just not much being added to the overall Star Wars story that makes it worth discussing. I contrast this novel with the Alphabet Squadron trilogy by the same author which also "follow a group of characters we never see again", but it explores a new era and helps define Operation: Cinder, the New Republic, the Imperial Remnant, and the Battle of Jakku; all things I wanted to know more about before I even read the books. I don't consider either of these books to be bad, but the feeling of significance is what gets me excited to read a book for the second or third time and I don't really feel that for those two examples.

 

Speaking for myself I think we need more "a day in the life of" stories.
Maybe they don't radically change the overarching story, but they offer a glimpse into characters we don't see often enough and further depth to the galaxy as a whole.
Of course, its tricky with Star Wars which is primarily an action driven series, but the quiet moments are still important and go a long way into giving us the full picture of who a person is and what their life is like.

 

Thanks for the expanded perspectives and feedback. Your thoughts and impressions are much appreciated.

 

I agree 100%.

 

I just wish that Coleman Kcaj makes an appearance in it

 

Lothal wasn’t ignored, it was simply placed lower on the Emperor’s priority list. After Ezra foiled his plans and made off with his best Admiral, I’m certain Lothal was placed on the Death Star’s target list. But another young Jedi foiled that plan. After losing the first Death Star, Sidious’s primary focus was on completing the second battlemoon and recruiting Luke Skywalker. Lothal was put on the back burner, but you can be assured that if the Second Death Star was completed, Lothal would have been on the list of worlds to be disciplined. Right after Chandrila and Mon Cala. Darth Sidious does not forget a slight.

I’m certain that if the Sith Eternal Fleet had successfully escaped Exegol, a Xyston would have paid Lothal a visit before long.

 

Ah, "disciplined", the new Imperial term for "complete planetary destruction".

 

It would make sense for those chosen for the council at a later date to be on the radar of council for some time prior to their appointment.
Wasn't there a term in Legends for the select group of Jedi said to me on the shortlist for a council appointment if their were to be a vacancy? Supposedly Quigon and Tsui Choi were on it. I know I read something about that a while back.

I would be surprised if he did show up but would be very happy if he did. Either way I pray there will be a sequel that gives a similar treatment to the AOTC and ROTS councils. The later one may prove tricky however considering Anakin's own appointment is rather essential to the plot.

 

Before even reading the book I'll already say more like this haha

More prequel era in general, though I'm probably biased having grown up with the PT

 

Apperently we will get an interesting and funny scene with Master Poof and master Ki Adi Mundi. Also Qui gon Jinn tells the Jedi Council to touch grass, lol

 

Twitter thread with those comments from NYCC, as well as JJM chiming in.

 

Mace Windu’s reply: you need to get off the grass man

 

Mace Windu is so overrated. He's the biggest d**head on the council, I think. It really shows in TPM, ROTS, and some of TCW & TOTJ.

 

Mace Windu is so overhated sometimes, he in underappreciated. His one weaknesses is his striclur for rules.

 

I think he’s underrated. He’s a good man and voice of reason. We see his kind side in TCW too. He was the most vocal supporter of saving the Zillo Beast’s life

 

Mace Windu is the Jedi who does the right thing no matter what. Wether Anakin and Ahsoka hate him for it, that he might be daming the Jedi Order with his arrest attempt.

 

He’s sometimes seems like the bad guy because he stays distant and has only harsh truths to say. Like his conversation with Boba

 

He’s distant, harsh, bureaucratic, judgmental — and the ROTS novel even directly states his attachment to the Republic is similar to Anakin’s attachment to Padme.
He has good moments, and he is a Jedi Master for a reason,

 

This is a debate for another thread, but I always felt Mace was on the brink of the Dark Side when he was planning on executing Palpatine.
Really highlighted in the last Mace comic, extra-judicial execution really isn't the Jedi way and Anakin was right in that regard, it doesn't mean letting Sidious live would have been a "good" thing, but Master Windu definitely didn't seem calm cool and collected when he raised his blade.

I like his character because he's so complicated, he is a good person deep down, but his modus operandi doesn't exactly make him approachable or easy to sympathize with. Which really just makes him all the more interesting to me. He has a point more often than not, he's just not good at communicating it.

 

Dosent matter, he was going to eliminate the Sith treath. He was calm and collected until the end. Yoda says in his visions to execute the sith. When it comes to the sith, Jedi will kill them if not able to arrest them. I think there's a fine line there. You cant let Palpatine live, no matter what.

 

I don't necessarily disagree and its just my interpretation, he didn't seem to be as serene as a Jedi should, and I think the scene is specifically staged to remind us of Anakin executing Dooku. It makes him look like a hypocrite, the Jedi should not execute an unarmed prisoner, a fact Anakin cites after the previous execution and before disarming him. Even his own master chews him out for it in the last Canon Windu comic.

But as is often the case with Mace, things may not be what they appear. Maybe he was calm in his decision to execute Palpatine? I didn't read it that way but can see why you did. He certainly has a point that leaving him alive is a bad idea, the dark lord controls the senate and the courts and has been plotting the downfall of the Jedi and puppeteering events for decades now. It's a virtual certainty that the galaxy would have been a better place if he has succeeded in killing him. In the end I just feel like he was on a precipitous and was risking becoming the thing he intended to destroy if the anger I read in his expression was in fact a motivating force.

 

At no point was Palpatine genuinely unarmed in that scene.

 

Obviously, but that doesn't change the point. Honestly, I said this wasn't the thread for this debate and I'm simply going to restate that the mirroring is intentional, and Master Windu doesn't seem calm to me personally. Of course, we know it would be better if Palpatine was killed, but there is a lot going on in the background too. I think it's questionable if Master Windu's reaction were entirely Jedi-like even if they may have been the best choice available, and the scheming of Palpatine or the righteousness of the decision itself doesn't really matter as far as I'm concerned when discussing the nuances of it. Thats that, and if you don't agree you do you. Its not worth delving into here.