Tucson What Recent Star Wars Novel Have You Read? What was there about it that you enjoyed?

I hope this doesn't come off as a lame attempt at trying to get some communication going on TFF's board. If it does, I apologise. I'm sincerely trying to see if TFF has enough spark to show some renewed interest, in the Star Wars novels that have come out recently. Some examples would be the last couple of NJO series novels and the more recent Clone wars novels such as the first installment of the MEDSTAR series, titled "Battle Surgeons" by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. Any takers?

 

Well, I havent read any of the new stuff, but I have re-read the Han solo adventures, and the lando series a few times. as well as the Splinter of a Minds eye. These are great for building a little character history of Our Favorite spice smuggler, and the splinter was a great shot at filling the need for more star wars between ANH & ESB.
Does anyone recall the Star Wras comic strip that was in the news papers in the Old days? I clipped many of them and saved them. Im sure they are rare.

 

I read Tatooine Ghost and I hold in high esteem because it connects the OT to the PT and has a good story. I don't want to post any spoilers but read it. Then I read The Hutt Gambit which is book 2 of the Han Solo Trilogy and I loved it, it did good with Han and gave you insight to his character, plus he meets Jabba, Boba Fett, and Lando all in this book. I only felt the massive space battle at the end was not necessary for the story. It was like hey it's Star Wars so we have to have a massive space battle. But it's as close to True Crime that you'll get in Star Wars and it actually is a great book without lightsabers or Jedi though Vader's scene at the end was nothing short of awesome. Right now I am reading Shatterpoint and it is pretty good. It's not like clonetroopers fighting battle droids. It's a rescue mission for Depa Billaba, Mace's padawan and he is sent and all I'll say is the book allows Mace to use more violence than a Jedi could because that is all he can resort to most of the time so you won't see much peaceful solutions.

 

I picked up my first Republic Commando novel "Hard Contact" by Karen Traviss. I can hardly wait to tear into this one! Part one of the Medstar series is shaping up into a good read so far. I'm at chapter 12 currently. It has plenty of subplots starting to solidify. Has anyone else been reading this novel? If so, what would you rate your enjoyment level of it at?

 

Uhh, Hello? Anybody home?

 

I'm here, to answer your question last SW book I read was in the NJO series, I forgot which one but Ben was born in that book (I'm trying to read them in order). It was not bad, I've tended to like the New Jedi Order series, much more hard hitting and adult than some of the other EU books. I want to read LABYRINTH OF EVIL (after I finally finish with Asimov's Foundation series) when it gets released just before Ep3.

 

An excellent choice for a series to read if I do say so myself. Some times a little sad with so many loses to the Vong, early on in the 1st few stories. Who was your favorite character in that series of novels, to date?

 

Ahhmmm...so was there a favorite character in that series of novels that you read?

I myself had/have a soft spot for Han's Ryn tag along, Droma. He proved to be a good distraction for Han after he started getting over the initial lose of Chewy enough to at least function. That and the fact that Droma was a very valuable ally on the intelligence gathering front against the Yuuzhan Vong.

Vangarian/John

 

Fav. EU is Mara... but from the "NJO" series it became Jaina (more that she "grew into her own").

 

Yes! I'd have to say that Jaina did the most growing up into her own later on after Anikan's death and her returning from her brief walk down the dark path. She showed a lot more kinship, understanding and solidarity with Kip Duran.

Vangarian/John

 

ill be honest, never read a sw book in my life. but if anyone could make a suggestion on which book to make my first, plz, just let me know, or else i fear il never reach the peak of loserness.

 

I'm down with this thread. We haven't really discussed it over in Albuquerque...

Anyway, I'm in the middle of the NJO series. Next up is Destiny's Way by Walter Jon Williams (signed copy, w00t!). And Alysia. Can anyone tell me where in the order that lies? I've seen some people say it comes before Destiny's Way, and some say after...

Anyway, I put that on hold because I'm also trying to make my way through the various Clone Wars novels. Just finished reading The Cestus Deception (started off slow, but the interaction between the Jedi and the Clone Troopers, especially an ARC trooper was pretty intriguing) and am now half-way through Battle Surgeons. That's pretty interesting. A different take on the Star Wars universe - with the whole Medical angle and all that. Pretty good so far, but after having read about Barriss Offee's personality in The Approaching Storm (pre-Episode II) and now reading about her now ... well, it seems like she hasn't really been up to that much, other than beefing up her healing ability. I expected Barriss to be a bit more substantial than she is now. But then again, I'm only half-way through. And she's still a Padawan. For now...

But it's good reading. I've gotten high recommendations on the MedStar series, so I'm looking forward to the rest of this and Jedi Healer...

 

i am currently reading the first medstar book, as with most, they take some time to build up characters but it is coming along. i hope it gives more insight into bariss offee's character and allows her to develop a personality outside of a padawan...shows how the clonewars have shaped her. by far, best of the best are, Star by Star from NJO, and shatterpoint. showed darker parts of star wars and shatterpoint shows what CAN happen to one born with force potential yet not trained in any capacity....just raw!!!!! i grew to like corran horn a lot during NJO.....cestus deception was good to seperate the clones...allowed one to develop a personality outside of what had been conditioned.

 

Exactly, LordMorpheus!

Nate ... errr, Jangotat, was a really cool character. I want more of that.

Shatterpoint was really good. Mace is da man. Just the sheer power and rawness of a Jedi Master at war is astounding...

And yes, I hope Barriss really comes into her own in the Medstar duology. She's a cool enough character to really turn into something meaningful...

 

I can see where Bariss is already showing some stinker potential. Allow me to elaborate. Her causing Mr. Phow Ji to trip and almost land flat on his face, were it not for his conditioned reflexes kicking in to save his precious face. Oh yeah, she covers well and says to Phow Ji "Careful, the ground is slippery from the dew." He glares at her and then walks away. Oh yeah, she's developing a sense of justice in her own way in this story. No doubt about it. (Heh, heh.) For anyone who's been a victim of bullies, this is a treat in the story. Pay back. A slip up and the slightest inch towards the dark side for Bariss? Maybe. But, who cares. The jerk got a taste of something he refuses to acknowledge exists being used against him and realizes he's not necessarily the hottest thing since the Hyperdrive after all. Bottom line for that part of the story? She stops putting up with the local chest thumper's BS.

 

HAHAHAHAHA

I just read that part!

 

Well, I just finished Battle Surgeons last night. Too bad about ... okay, so I don't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. Barriss is still letting me down. Sure, it's neat to read about other non-Jedi or clones, but still!

Starting Jedi Healer tonight...

 

Ok, so Bariss is a disapointment. Could you elaborate without spilling the beans? Lacks credability, brains, can't see the forest from the Gump? (Heh, heh)What is/are the disapointment(s) of Bariss.

Vangarian

 

Well, it's not that she's a disappointment, it's just I don't think the author used her to a Jedi's full potential. I managed to zip through Jedi Healer a lot quicker than Battle Surgeons, she has more to do in Jedi Healer, I5 is an interesting droid character, there's more meat to the story, but still, I expected more of Barriss. Maybe the Clone Wars cartoon spoiled her potential for me. Then again, the story mostly focused on the Republic medics and surgeons than her, so maybe I'm not being fair.

She does typical Jedi stuff. Her lightsaber mishap is never fully explained, the resolution with Phow Ji was LAME, her attaining Knighthood was ... rather forced, IMO. I can't blame the author though, he's really good at the material he knows (the whole martial art, kinesthetic thing, and the medical profession), and the character interaction (the parts that weren't forced, and there was a lot of it) was good. I just felt rather ... bleah about it.

Then again, I also just zipped through Jedi Trial and was rather disappointed with Anakin attaining Knighthood as well. Maybe my expectations are too high?

 

You said that Bariss's promotion was forced? was this due to the possible fact that in times of war, padwans were more likely to advance due to necessety, especially with so many Jedi being killed during the clone wars?

 

No, it didn't work out quite that way. It's not necessarily a promotion, more of a ... transition. Can't think of a better way to say it.

But it just didn't feel ... right. It happened more like, oh, look I'm a Jedi Knight now. Then again, I really don't have anything to base it off of other than Obi-Wan's trials (against Darth Maul).

 

I just got done reading

Darth Maul : Shadow Hunter
Cloak of Deception

and

Trying to finish Labyrinth (?) of Evil before tomorrow night.

Darth Maul has got to be one of the best SW books I have read since 10 years ago Heir to The Empire stuff

Cloak of Deception totaly made me understand why Palps was doing what he did with the trade fed, now I get it

Lab is just full of action, amazing writing.. and lucky me, he also wrote Cloak

 

I wanted to read Labyrinth before tomorrow night, but too much has been going on. I managed ROTS and also medstar series and also Survivor's Quest in the last four weeks.

 

Yeah, LoE is by far one of the best, if not the best, of the Clone Wars series of novels. Though Yoda: Dark Deception was pretty good too.

Tomorrow afternoon, after the movie, I'll start reading the RotS novel. When I'm done, I should be ready to go again!

 

I think after the movie I will reread ROTS as will be looking at from a new perspective.