A&A The Official Matthew Woodring Stover Discussion Thread

Hey, all. I, too, am new to the author boards, but I figured I'd come in and add my two cents. My two favourite SW books are, without a question, Traitor and Shatterpoint. I actually used them as the basis for a paper I wrote over Winter Term for my college. I'm definitely looking into reading some more Stover novels over the summer, but 'twould not be a brilliant thing to start one of his novels right before I need to start buckling down for exams. Even though I might do it anyway...

In any case, love your work. Used Shatterpoint to get one of my roommates hooked on Star Wars novels, and she still thinks it's the best one she's read. And by next year, all of my roommates will have read it. I'm really, really looking forward to the novelization of Episode III. This is one novel I might go ahead and read before the film comes out.

 

Hi folks.

First, as always, thanks to everybody for all the kind words. I am more pleased than I can say that some of you have been able to use my novels as the basis of papers and/or arguments in your classes; it is always my hope that the books I write will inspire their readers to think, as well as enjoy . . .

And no, Kollberg has nothing to do with Kohlberg (who I had to look up, btw). I got the name "Kollberg" from a Swedish police procedural novel I read 20-odd years ago -- one of the "Martin Beck" mysteries, I think it was THE LAUGHING POLICEMAN (very cool) -- and borrowed his first name from Toscanini.

However, Kohlberg's theory of moral development has some interesting implications (for me, anyway) for HEROES DIE, seeing as how -- on one level -- that book is very concerned with moral philosophy ...

 

I learned more about Kohlberg from Dan Simmons' CARRION COMFORT than from any class I've ever taken.

 

Just think: somewhere close to or on Matts computer is the rough draft of the Star Wars novelization.....

Am I supposed to feel this tingling sensation?

 

Mr. Stover,
Looks like Traitor is going to be another paper for me, this time in a real philosophy class, not just as an independent project. Pending my professor's approval, I'll be writing on metaethical themes in Traitor. I'm just wondering, was the book intended to have strong consequentialist leanings? I mean, I drew up a semi-sorta-outline today, and almost all my examples are in support of consequentialism. Actually, come to think of it, there's a good deal of normative realism in there, too. Or rather, a sort of debate between realism and irrealism, where realism wins out. I'll probably have to read it again before I write this, but it's being mailed to me this week.
In any case, that's just a bit of curiosity on my part, and would be useful in (hopefully) writing this paper.
Thanks much,
DWH

[edit: smelling pistakes]

 

Frankly, I'm not that hip to the jargon. If what you're saying is what I think you're saying, then . . . yes.

But only if you mean what I think you mean.

And maybe not even then.

Sorry I can't be more help.

MWS

 

Sorry, I only know what most of that babble is because I have my notes sitting in front of me, and I was double-checking definitions even as I posted that. And even then I reread my post and wondered what went wrong, as I'm a computer science major to begin with, and don't normally go around spouting such terms.

Basically, it's dealing with moral claims as reason for action (i.e. you ought to do it, therefore you have reason to), bringing about the most net good determining the "rightness" of an action, and determinism, fatalism, or whatever it is these philosophers insist on calling it, which basically amounts to Darth Vader saying, "It is your destiny..."

Am I on the sort of right track with what's going on in Traitor? I really just don't want to go about spouting stuff that isn't there.

*extreme chagrin* I feel really silly now. Like I said, I only know this stuff because I'm in the class right now, and I'll probably forget it by June.

Thanks again for your help, and sorry for being all confusing 'n stuff.

-DWH

 

I'm afraid I might not be able to help you very much on this. Ever see THE PRINCESS BRIDE? My favorite character, Inigo Montoya, says, "You keep on using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

With TRAITOR, the situation is exactly opposite: What you think it means is what it means.

I don't have any further answer. Only some advice: take particular care in deciding what you think it means.


Sorry.

MWS

 

No need to apologize. It'll actually be really helpful in the end, I think, because high school english teachers try to make you go five layers beyond what it says it means to find out what it really means, and I often find myself slipping into that mode. It'll be a lot easier to be able to tell myself, "no, what it says it means really is what it means."

Hope I wasn't a bother. I'm really enthusiastic about writing this paper, but it is the final for the class, and I want to get it right. And I find that Star Wars nerds in the philosophy department are somewhat limited.

Thanks a ton for your help. It's really aweseome that you're even willing to respond to some crazy college kid asking about a freaking philosophy paper. You just gained about ten million coolness points, as if you needed any more.

Just picked up Heroes Die today, and I'm looking forward to the read.

Thanks again,
DWH

 

Thank you Mr. Stover for 4 things:

1. once again thanks for giving me my term paper topic.

2. Thank you 'cause my oral presentation on my term paper got a 96% (highest in the class )

3. thank you for all your works so far (Can't wait for EP III and Caine Black Knife)

4. Thank you for being an inspiration, partly because of your works I have started to write. Also, an interview you did pointed me to the Ray Bradbury approach to writing.

Joey

 

Okay, well, there's now a blog at: http://s1ngularity.net/stoverblog.html.

 

Wow, a blog exists that might turn out to be worth reading.

 

Caine is the best character in fantasy literature since Rand Al'Thor - though George R. Martins' Jon is a close second.

 

I believe the Shakespeare qu0te is "by the pricking of my thumbs", not "by the twitching of my thumbs".

 

Mr. Stover, I have just finished Heroes Die. I must say it is the best novel I have read in several years. I enjoyed the sci-fi/fantasy mix, and the memorable characters. Blade of Tyhsalle is now on the top of must read list. I can't wait to see your take on Episode 3 in a year.

wolf

 

Completely off-topic:

I'm currently playing on the Stover tournament table on UltimateBet.com.

That is all.

(just found it funny... )

 

Shatterpoint was a work of genius, best EU book I have ever read.

After reading it I decided I would read the New Jedi Order for one reason, TRAITOR.

I really can't wait for the Episode III book.
And next time I go to the book store I will be sure to buy Hero's Die.
thanks for great reading Mr. Stover.

-Seldon

 

How will the E3 novelisation be commendable if a given author has access only to the script, and not a visual movie, which it's based on? AOTC was about as emotionally dry and rigid due to such unfortunate limitations. Not to the mention the utterly abbreviated ending.

 

How will the E3 novelisation be commendable if a given author has access only to the script, and not a visual movie, which it's based on? AOTC was about as emotionally dry and rigid due to such unfortunate limitations. Not to the mention the utterly abbreviated ending.

Well, he has seen the other movies, as well as (I'm guessing) storyboards and animatics and so forth, if not some of the dailies.

Also, I'd say that 1) AOTC novel was bad for other reasons. I'm not a fan of Salvatore's anyway, but AOTC's writing was particularly bad. 2) Even so, Salvatore didn't have much to work with. As bad as the book was, the movie was worse.

 

I'm sure GL will make sure Stover knows his way around the film.

And I am sure that Stover will do great things with this book.

-Seldon

 

Of course he will.

 

Hey there.

First, as always, thanks to all for compliments and good wishes and all that. Keep 'em coming. My vanity is always hungry.

I want to reassure you all that Mr. Lucas did indeed make sure I know my way around this film. I have seen about an hour's worth of rough scenes and animatics, and I have access to their vast on-line image archive. Unfortuntely, it currently looks like the actual rough-cut might not be done before I have to turn in the novel. On the other hand, if the schedule holds up, I should have the opportunity to watch it and tinker any necessary fixes into the copyedit or page proofs.

However, I would like to assure one and all that my book of Ep III will not be anything RESEMBLING "emotionally dry and rigid." I think novelizations should complement the films on which they are based, rather than simply retell them in book form.

What I'm doing is taking advantage of the fundamental difference between literature and film. Film is a visual medium, and Mr. Lucas is a master of visual storytelling. Literature is a psychological medium. I get to take you inside the characters in ways that are virtually impossible in film -- to let you feel how it feels to be them -- so that even if you read the book first, you can still be dazzled by the way Mr. Lucas brings his story to the screen. And if you see the film first, you'll already know what everything looks like; why should I waste your time with detailed descriptions of things you've already seen?

So: Fear not. All is well. Ep III approacheth, and unless I am very much mistaken -- which I'm not -- it will be worth the wait.

Less than a year away. Can you feel it yet?

 

Less than a year away. Can you feel it yet?

Either a disturbance in the Force, or gas from lunch.

Not sure which yet!

I think novelizations should complement the films on which they are based, rather than simply retell them in book form.

[C-3P0]I wholeheartedly agree with you.[/C-3P0]

Despite Mas' misgivings above, I thought that, with only THREE additional scenes from Salvatore's novelization (that's novelisation for you Brits) -- Padme and family in the beginning, Padme and family with Anakin (specifically: Padme in the kitchen and Anakin with her father) and the extended ending to the picnic scene -- the movie AOTC could have been the best of ALL of the Star Wars films.

 

So: Fear not. All is well. Ep III approacheth, and unless I am very much mistaken -- which I'm not -- it will be worth the wait.

Don't listen to him, kids. He's obviously lying to sell books

 

As if he'd actually have to sell his books to us. For shame, Mr. Stover, for shame !


Believe me, all of us here are quite confident in your abilities as a writer, and I wouldnt be surprised if most of us here (myself included) are fairly certain that your novelization of E3 will probably be miles better than the film itself.