Outbound Flight comments and such

[Ender]

Right, polished it off earlier today. Suffers from "prequel ness" - you already know a bit of what is going to happen, and the author has to cram all of it in in a set space. As a result, it lacks the usual "can't put it down"ness of other Zahn books. It has its good points and bad points -

1) scope of galaxy. It is fairly common for characters, even knowledgeable sources like Dorina, to have no idea bout something because of just how freaking big the galaxy is. EG Dorina knows nothing abou gravity projectors despite them being used commonly in the military before. Most of the general public has never heard of Outbound Flight despite the fact that C'boath is this grandstanding, spotlight hogging Bill O'Riely type. C'boath, a very learned Jedi Master who has traveled far and wide, has never heard of Tatooine before. Further, it goes new places, within the galaxy. The only planet we have ever heard of before are Coruscant and Yaga Minor (and that's something like a total of 5 pages). A bunch of other planets and sectors are mentioned that are new creations.

2) Tech divergence. Thrawn is proud of the fact that Chiss warship laser and missile weapons are slightly more advanced then the KT level lasers and multi MT missiles that a smuggler freighter packs; highlighting their low level of tech. They hyperdrives go FTL smoother then the freighter, but compared to what we have seen aboard Imperial warships their hyperdrive is behind there as well. The Chiss big killer is a simple neutron bomb. There is no mention of Chiss or Vagaari shields, in fact the Vagaari seem dependent on hostages to protect their ship, hoping that defenders won't fire on their own people or innocent civillians. Unfortunately there is ZERO mention of Republic shields as well, which should have handily held off the attacks he was leading. That is a major tech issue to be resolved; but given how he has been clear about the importane of shields in combat before, their absence here implies he wants some mechanism to make them not a factor that I missed.

However, he does slip in the pharase "reverse the polarity" with regard to shields. It makes them so the reflective bit is on the inside instead of letting the shots out and reflecting incoming fire.

3) Thrawn himself. This is gonna be hit or miss for a lot of people. Yes, he does get wanked pretty hard to make him uber. However, in the end a lot is revealed that people have insisted on here for a long time - that one of his big things is to make people in awe of him and let that do a lot of his work. That he isn't the end all be all, most of the plan was the work of an admiral and his brother who handeled the strategic and political ends, and he just did the tactical stuff.

4) Minor detail that stuck out - he claimed Palpatines hair was brown, when it had previously been established to be red. Dammit Publis, little details like that are only supposseed to stick out to TFN babies, not me.

I'll probably post more and quotes later.

[Chris OFarrell]

Right, polished it off earlier today. Suffers from "prequel ness" - you already know a bit of what is going to happen, and the author has to cram all of it in in a set space. As a result, it lacks the usual "can't put it down"ness of other Zahn books. It has its good points and bad points -

1) scope of galaxy. It is fairly common for characters, even knowledgeable sources like Dorina, to have no idea bout something because of just how freaking big the galaxy is. EG Dorina knows nothing abou gravity projectors despite them being used commonly in the military before.

For that matter neither did the Chiss themselves. Of course somehow they are able to steal one which could be folded up and tucked away....that I didn't get.

Most of the general public has never heard of Outbound Flight despite the fact that C'boath is this grandstanding, spotlight hogging Bill O'Riely type.

Wasn't it mentioned that Palpitine had been deliberatly trying to keep a low profile for the project, least the senate get public preasure over the waste of money most of them thought it was?

C'boath, a very learned Jedi Master who has traveled far and wide, has never heard of Tatooine before.

And thank God for THAT.

Further, it goes new places, within the galaxy. The only planet we have ever heard of before are Coruscant and Yaga Minor (and that's something like a total of 5 pages). A bunch of other planets and sectors are mentioned that are new creations.

2) Tech divergence. Thrawn is proud of the fact that Chiss warship laser and missile weapons are slightly more advanced then the KT level lasers and multi MT missiles that a smuggler freighter packs; highlighting their low level of tech.

I don't think Thrawn was impressed with their *yield* in context, he was looking more at the general design of the technology. He also notes that this was just a freighter and not a line warship.

They hyperdrives go FTL smoother then the freighter, but compared to what we have seen aboard Imperial warships their hyperdrive is behind there as well.

Well I wouldn't necessarly say Chiss hyperdrives are behind, we don't have a point to compare them. They could very well be comprable, although the NJO shows their navigational computer technology sucks ass.

The Chiss big killer is a simple neutron bomb. There is no mention of Chiss or Vagaari shields, in fact the Vagaari seem dependent on hostages to protect their ship, hoping that defenders won't fire on their own people or innocent civillians. Unfortunately there is ZERO mention of Republic shields as well, which should have handily held off the attacks he was leading.

It's worse then that. After Thrawn tricks the Jedi into mindfucking themselves, he brings his ships over and passes *through* the shields with nothing more then a 'mild buffeting' or something similar. Then inside the shields, his ships in single volleys destroy the weapons on the Outbound Flight.

That is a major tech issue to be resolved; but given how he has been clear about the importane of shields in combat before, their absence here implies he wants some mechanism to make them not a factor that I missed.

I'd also note when he had the Cruiser sitting directly in front of the TFB bridge with its missile racks pointing at them there wasn't even a hint of a mention of the ships shields.

However, he does slip in the pharase "reverse the polarity" with regard to shields. It makes them so the reflective bit is on the inside instead of letting the shots out and reflecting incoming fire.

Which is what the Chiss use it for apparently, as security fields that lock down around people breaking and entering. So if they shoot....

3) Thrawn himself. This is gonna be hit or miss for a lot of people. Yes, he does get wanked pretty hard to make him uber. However, in the end a lot is revealed that people have insisted on here for a long time - that one of his big things is to make people in awe of him and let that do a lot of his work.

That was just Cardais and that chick from the republic. The rest of his peirs were not so...impressed by him.

That he isn't the end all be all, most of the plan was the work of an admiral and his brother who handeled the strategic and political ends, and he just did the tactical stuff.

Uhh not as I recall it. He tricked the Admiral and used her as part of his plan. He tricked Cardis and used him as part of the plan. Hell he tricked everyone in this book. The Admiral wasn't in on it., but he got her on board with the promise of the interdiction technology IIRC.

[Ender]

For that matter neither did the Chiss themselves. Of course somehow they are able to steal one which could be folded up and tucked away....that I didn't get.

I was left with the impression that the emitter folds up like the radiators and antennas on our sats do.

Wasn't it mentioned that Palpitine had been deliberatly trying to keep a low profile for the project, least the senate get public preasure over the waste of money most of them thought it was?

Yes, but I was talking abou the bit when they are at Yaga Minor, where people at the spaceport it had been built at for years didn't even mention it leaving.

And thank God for THAT.

I know. It alomst makes up for 200 star frigates being a major threat. Almost.

I don't think Thrawn was impressed with their *yield* in context, he was looking more at the general design of the technology. He also notes that this was just a freighter and not a line warship.

I guess that is another way to interperate it; but I take his comment to his brother about the differnce between a freighter and warship to keep Thrass from underestimating the Republic. As in "well it looks like we have them beat, but this is only a little thing", which imnplies to me he was referencing yield.

Well I wouldn't necessarly say Chiss hyperdrives are behind, we don't have a point to compare them. They could very well be comprable, although the NJO shows their navigational computer technology sucks ass.

True.

It's worse then that. After Thrawn tricks the Jedi into mindfucking themselves, he brings his ships over and passes *through* the shields with nothing more then a 'mild buffeting' or something similar. Then inside the shields, his ships in single volleys destroy the weapons on the Outbound Flight.

I missed that line, but it bothers me only a bit - its similar to what happened with the Death Star

I'd also note when he had the Cruiser sitting directly in front of the TFB bridge with its missile racks pointing at them there wasn't even a hint of a mention of the ships shields.

Yeah, that bugged the crap out of me. I'd rather there be some line about "the missile will hit before we can even get the shield up" or "their missiles have some kind of shield penetrating tech" or something.

Which is what the Chiss use it for apparently, as security fields that lock down around people breaking and entering. So if they shoot....

I'm wondering if that is a nod to the bit on the IH in ROTS, implying its a tactic Dorina brought back with him for subduing Jedi.

That was just Cardais and that chick from the republic. The rest of his peirs were not so...impressed by him.

They were pretty impressed by his ability, they said they had to protect him from his own skill, remember?

Uhh not as I recall it. He tricked the Admiral and used her as part of his plan.

No, at the end it says she was part of it and she looked the other way because they were concerned about the Vong. Page 446

He tricked Cardis and used him as part of the plan.

page 410

A thousand times in the past day he'd wondered what he was doing in the middle of this whole thing; wondered how in the galaxy Thrawn had managed to talk him into playing bait for the Vagaari

He convinced him, not tricked.

Hell he tricked everyone in this book. The Admiral wasn't in on it., but he got her on board with the promise of the interdiction technology IIRC.

No, interdiction tech is the excuse she is using to protect him. page 446 makes it clear he was acting under orders.

Another note - they have Viceroy Kav in this book. Can the TF have multiple Viceroys? Is Viceroy leader of a planet of the TF, and Nute Gunray is CEO in addition to being a Viceroy? Is Kav the prior leader of the TF and keeps the title out of respect?

[Mlenk]

Was it just me or did any else feel that Obi-Wan and Anakin were kind of unneeded. Reading through the book, I almost kinda got the feeling that maybe the publishers made Zahn include Anakin and Obi-Wan because the era that the Outbound Flight is taking place in is the prequel era and they perhaps wanted that era's main stars to be in the book. They're presence in this book, in my opinion, almost seemed forced. Sometimes it just didn't flow well.

[Ender]

Was it just me or did any else feel that Obi-Wan and Anakin were kind of unneeded. Reading through the book, I almost kinda got the feeling that maybe the publishers made Zahn include Anakin and Obi-Wan because the era that the Outbound Flight is taking place in is the prequel era and they perhaps wanted that era's main stars to be in the book. They're presence in this book, in my opinion, almost seemed forced. Sometimes it just didn't flow well.

That's becaue that's exactly what happened.

[Mlenk]

Really? I didn't know that. Did you read that from a magazine or online article?

[Ender]

Really? I didn't know that. Did you read that from a magazine or online article?

It came up here a while back, not sure the exact source.

[Lonestar]

Another note - they have Viceroy Kav in this book. Can the TF have multiple Viceroys? Is Viceroy leader of a planet of the TF, and Nute Gunray is CEO in addition to being a Viceroy? Is Kav the prior leader of the TF and keeps the title out of respect?

Say what? I read it as Vicelord.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Is there the chance that "reverse the polarity" could be a Doctor Who reference?