posted
Yeah, Tom, I didn't even think of that -- that's really why I hated the NJO. The Yuuzhan Vong are just...ugh. One thing that *makes* something gritty and real is an accessible, almost human enemy -- like OSC makes the buggers in the end, and like the adults in Ender's Game are all along -- so we can actually *understand* what makes them evil. The Yuuzhan Vong are totally inacessible, and almost invicible, and totally unconvincing, imo.
Posts: 1784 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
I think it depends on which NJO books you read, Kasie. I don't remember the names, because frankly several of them were so mediocre I never read all of them...but some of them did a good job, I think, of making the YV accessible. The one where the Caamassi (sp?) permits himself to be taken prisoner, for example? I also enjoyed Traitor a great deal. Seemed to me that it took Jedi in a very Eastern direction, which is honestly the first time I'd seen much of that in SW books.
I think the YV are sort of like Aztecs, people absolutely thriving on blood and slaughter and torture. There have been those sorts of humans...but it's been awhile, I think, and fortunately we can't really empathize with `em.
Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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posted
That's true, as well. But I have to respond to this:
quote:Tell that to Qui-gon Jinn, or Anakin and Padme at the end of Revenge of the Sith.
NOTE: ALTHOUGH SEVERAL OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED, MAJOR NJO SPOILERS BELOW. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! * * * * *
Qui-Gon was not a core character to me. Besides, his death was understandable and expected within the framework of the (otherwise pretty dumb) movie. Anakin eventually is okay in the end-- okay means here that his death has a purpose and a resolution to it. Padme, well, if she dies in this movie, which she probably will, Lucas is contradicting ROTJ, and will, I think, alienate a lot more fans than me (although I still have hopes for Sith). But then, he did that with Jar-Jar to begin with. But hopefully, at least, her death will have a meaning within the movie. The big problem I had with Chewie's death is that although he was dying for a cause that we could understand (he does have a life debt, and it's well-established that he considers that to extend to Leia and the kids), it was a stupid reason for him to need to die. So, everything is not all right. And then, Anakin dies anyway! So, um, it was pointless? (Okay, honestly, I didn't read much past Anakin dying and Jaina turning dark.) It just got to be too much; why don't you keep the "darkness" where it belongs, with the enemy, and maybe some internal governmental strife, and I liked the political stuff, but frankly, making the fate of the universe hang on the the decision of Jacen, whom I never really particularly cared about... Stupid, stupid, stupid! That whole "balance to the Force" thing was supposed to be resolved! Leave it alone already! I could have gone for Anakin turning dark, but Jaina, not really, and Jacen doing weird crap, definitely not. Then there's the whole "Luke's baby heals his mother in-utero" thing, which, honestly, seems like exploitation to me... And if not that, then just trite and stupid. (I seem to be using that word a lot. Huh. Maybe because it's just all so stupid!) Oh, and what happened to the Chiss? That wasn't really explained very well.
Honestly, my purpose in reading Star Wars novels is not to get mad at the universe. (That universe, or this one.) Since that's what was happening every time I read the NJO, I stopped, and decided to delete them from my personal canon list. Hmph.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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Honestly, Skywalker Jedi are more or less expected to go seriously dark, KQ And I liked the 'weird crap' Jacen did Posts: 17164 | Registered: Jun 2001
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Is there someplace I can find a timeline on the extended universe books? I have a bunch of them and don't know where they fit together in terms of a mass read, plus I'd like to fill in the holes if I can.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
That timeline works well if you want to know how every single little piece of EU ever released fits into the continuity, but TFN's Novel Review Timeline works better if you only want to know how the novels fit together.
Posts: 450 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
I think that the final book in the NJO ("The Unifying Force") helped to humanize the Vong to some extent. But I guess those that hated the series didn't get that far...
Posts: 1569 | Registered: Dec 2004
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posted
You do remember how offensive it is to them to be called "the Vong" without including "Yuuzhan" don't you?
Posts: 6213 | Registered: May 2001
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posted
Only Tahiri ever really argued the point on that one, the difference between Vong and Yuuzhan Vong.
Posts: 21898 | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
Okay, this thread has successfully convinced me to never pick up a Star Wars book. Thanks for the warnings one and all. Sounds like the lot of it is just barely above the level of fanfic- which I despise with unending passion.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Neo, if that's what he came away with, then (a) his mind was already made up anyway, (b) he listened to only a very few people who posted, and/or (c) he only wants to read a book if everyone agrees it's good. Realizing that Hatrack has never agreed on anything, (c) is essentially the same thing as (a). No need to blame people who posted in the thread.
posted
Papa Moose is right, of course. This thread just solidified my preconcieved notions on any works derivative of major motion pictures- especially sci-fi.
Posts: 4753 | Registered: May 2002
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posted
Yeah, if I had to point to any of the books that I've read that have a Star Wars label, I'd have to say Zahn's Thrawn Trilogy would be the only ones that would bear a true mark of quality.
I mean, there's so much going on and such great development of character and plot, that they make the movies seem very superficial by comparison. I don't think of them as derivative works at all, but more a realization of the potential of the Star Wars universe.
The other books I've read ride on a lot of coattails, falling off as often as not and scrambling to catch up. Zahn set the bar very high, and I don't feel anyone has yet come close to clearing it.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
See, I didn't have a problem with that. And even so, when put next to Thrawn himself, Rukh (and the other Noghri), Mara Jade, Winter, and the whole host of other awesome additions to the universe, it more than makes up for a name choice.
Posts: 3960 | Registered: Jul 2001
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But hopefully, at least, her death will have a meaning within the movie. The big problem I had with Chewie's death is that although he was dying for a cause that we could understand (he does have a life debt, and it's well-established that he considers that to extend to Leia and the kids), it was a stupid reason for him to need to die. So, everything is not all right. And then, Anakin dies anyway! So, um, it was pointless? (Okay, honestly, I didn't read much past Anakin dying and Jaina turning dark.) It just got to be too much; why don't you keep the "darkness" where it belongs, with the enemy, and maybe some internal governmental strife, and I liked the political stuff, but frankly, making the fate of the universe hang on the the decision of Jacen, whom I never really particularly cared about... Stupid, stupid, stupid! That whole "balance to the Force" thing was supposed to be resolved! Leave it alone already! I could have gone for Anakin turning dark, but Jaina, not really, and Jacen doing weird crap, definitely not. ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
Then there's the whole "Luke's baby heals his mother in-utero" thing, which, honestly, seems like exploitation to me... And if not that, then just trite and stupid. (I seem to be using that word a lot. Huh. Maybe because it's just all so stupid!) Oh, and what happened to the Chiss? That wasn't really explained very well.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
And I liked the 'weird crap' Jacen did ![[Angst]](graemlins/angst.gif)
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