First Look: Force Unleashed novel

[Mange]

The OS has posted this blurb about the upcoming The Force Unleashed novel:

In 2008, the next chapter of the Star Wars saga will be told in LucasArts' brand-new, next generation video game, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. The game casts players as Darth Vader's "Secret Apprentice" and the storyline promises to unveil new revelations about the Star Wars galaxy.

The official The Force Unleashed novel by author Sean Williams (based on the story by Haden Blackman) will cover the events of the game, providing the one true "canon" path of events that affect the Star Wars saga. [Hey Darkstar, are you reading this?] The hardcover novel comes out from Del Rey Books next year around the time of the video game release. Here's a first look at its cover, featuring art by Petrol Advertising in conjunction with LucasArts.

Here.

[Ghost Rider]

Honestly I am hoping for the ISD moving is just game mechanics, but sadly that damn cover is making it look like it might truly be just the nameless dork.

As for the story, maybe it'll make good free bookstore reading at this point.

[Battlehymn Republic]

You're wrong; he's clearly using the Force to make the little explosion in the 'O' in 'Force Unleashed.'

It's a strange reaction to having a huge starship crash into the city in front of you, but then again what do I know about Dark Jedi.

[VT-16]

Well, Jedi moving ISDs isn't new, a group of them did in Darksaber, IIRC.

And this guy's meant to be a "Force Wrecking Ball", so he's been pumped up, Force power-wise. I remember a Padawan keeping a Venator in the air for a few minutes in one of the CW Adventures stories, but she wasn't strong enough and it bore down on her eventually.

[Darth Fanboy]

Well, Jedi moving ISDs isn't new, a group of them did in Darksaber, IIRC.

Not only did they move an ISD, but they moved SEVENTEEN, and IIRC they were propelled into the next Star System and had their hyperdrives wrecked to boot. It wasn't just Jedi, but KJA's shitstain cadre of Gary Stus.

[TC Pilot]

Considering it caused Dorsk 81's face to melt off, I don't think that's what can be considered normal.

And those Sith-built Force amplification temples, or whatnot, helped.

[Ritterin Sophia]

And those Sith-built Force amplification temples, or whatnot, helped.

I don't remember this part, you got a quote or something?

[NecronLord]

The official The Force Unleashed novel by author Sean Williams (based on the story by Haden Blackman) will cover the events of the game, providing the one true "canon" path of events that affect the Star Wars saga. [Hey Darkstar, are you reading this?]

Shouldn't be an issue for his 'worldview' given that George Lucas is supposedly personally involved with the story of this game.

We began by speculating what exactly became of the Jedi survivors of Order 66. What did they do? Based on feedback from Lucas, we had some answers. Some of them put away their lightsabers and purposefully turned their backs on the Force, lying low and becoming farmers. Others still adventured in the galaxy, but under the guise of bounty hunters, mercenaries and pirates.

[FTeik]

It wasn't just Dorsk81`s face, that melted, his entire body was burned from the inside out. As a consequence Dorsk82 had to take over.

Why can't ordinary gravity play a large part in the crash of the ISD. It doesn't have to be the SA on completely on his own after all.

Uhhhh, Blackman and Sean Williams. Wasn't Williams responsible for one half of the FH-trilogy? Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

[Fingolfin_Noldor]

And those Sith-built Force amplification temples, or whatnot, helped.

I don't remember this part, you got a quote or something?

I believe everyone went up the top of several pyramids and channeled their Force energy through him.

[VT-16]

Why can't ordinary gravity play a large part in the crash of the ISD. It doesn't have to be the SA on completely on his own after all.

Based on the animated preview, the ISD gets its front janked out of the sky, dipping the whole ship downwards and forcing it into the ground.

[Darth Fanboy]

Considering it caused Dorsk 81's face to melt off, I don't think that's what can be considered normal.

And those Sith-built Force amplification temples, or whatnot, helped.

It's not normal, but if throwing seventeen Star Destroyers light years away from the system is upper limit, then you can think that causing one ISD to crash isn't entirely out of the question. Especially if it's true that the Apprentice just yanks down on the nose enough to cause the Star Destroyer to go into an unstoppable dive.

[NecronLord]

I expect there will, if that's not just a promotional image/movie on the same level as Lord Vader being almost the size of the Death Star, be a plot around the destruction of that Star Destroyer. Sith artifacts or sabotage or something. Otherwise even the most addled players will wonder why they can't telekinetically flatten a city.

Also, if all the talk about this game pans out, I may have to buy a console and play it.

[Havok]

What's the problem with just having this apprentice be really good at TK. Jedi seem to have specialties, maybe this is just his.
Of course that won't be the case, as he will probably have good precog, great force lightning, super repulse etc etc.

[Ghost Rider]

What's the problem with just having this apprentice be really good at TK. Jedi seem to have specialties, maybe this is just his.
Of course that won't be the case, as he will probably have good precog, great force lightning, super repulse etc etc.

There's a difference between being good and doing shit that would make one go "So why am I fighting people on a single basis, and not just simply crushing entire battalions of my opponents from orbit?"

[Stark]

What about the Clone Wars Cartoon haters rationalisation that Yoda used TK on the controls to move transports? Could this guy have just overridden the thrust vector controls, rather than fighting the maneuveur drive of a mile-long starship with his MY-UND?

[Havok]

What about the Clone Wars Cartoon haters rationalisation that Yoda used TK on the controls to move transports? Could this guy have just overridden the thrust vector controls, rather than fighting the maneuveur drive of a mile-long starship with his MY-UND?

Sure. Why not. It's just as reasonable as anything else in the EU... oh wait.

[Ryan Thunder]

He actually 'pushed' the guy at the repulsor controls, causing him to spill his coffee on them. Of course, having been recently picked up from the onboard McDonalds, it burned through the console and destroyed the controls.

[Stark]

Sure. Why not. It's just as reasonable as anything else in the EU... oh wait.

1) oh the EU is an unrelenting pile of dogshit, no need to tell me

2) reducing stupidity is a hobby, and this is honestly what people say about the 'wanky' Yoda crashing troop transports together scene in the cartoon

3) clearly it's less 'wanky' when it's in a stupid game

4) Jedi mess with things inside other things all the time, so it's not outside the realm of possibly and much better than 'some nameless moron player character is jesus' that the devs/authors/EU in general will give us

[Noble Ire]

And those Sith-built Force amplification temples, or whatnot, helped.

I don't remember this part, you got a quote or something?

I believe everyone went up the top of several pyramids and channeled their Force energy through him.

The Sith Force-amplification was mentioned in the OT:ITW, specifically the Yavin IV Base section.

More than the dynamics behind the feat the Apprentice is apparently preforming (although I am a bit troubled by its implications), I'm curious as to why he would be smashing an Imperial Star Destroyer into what is apparently a high-density population center. From what I've heard of the story, he'd either still be an Imperial agent (and thus would presumably not kill thousands of Imperial soldiers, even if he was on a "deep cover" mission) or he'd have gone rogue (if this is done out of some change of heart, as it probably would be, I have to wonder why he's crushing a city under the ISD). Hopefully, the image will make more sense in context, but its still rather troubling.

[Ritterin Sophia]

More than the dynamics behind the feat the Apprentice is apparently preforming (although I am a bit troubled by its implications), I'm curious as to why he would be smashing an Imperial Star Destroyer into what is apparently a high-density population center. From what I've heard of the story, he'd either still be an Imperial agent (and thus would presumably not kill thousands of Imperial soldiers, even if he was on a "deep cover" mission) or he'd have gone rogue (if this is done out of some change of heart, as it probably would be, I have to wonder why he's crushing a city under the ISD). Hopefully, the image will make more sense in context, but its still rather troubling.

Let's see, he's a secret assassin, powerful and with enough potential to rival a Sith Lord, and he's being trained by Vader to kill Palpatine. Now, considering Palpatine kills any dark sider that doesn't start bend over backwards for him, never mind any force user that's stronger than average. All in all, I don't think letting anyone who has seen you to live is a good idea.

[NecronLord]

To be fair, the idea of the secret apprentice is quite acceptable. There are two Sith Lords. There are also acolytes and disciples - Sidious clearly approves of this concept, witness Ventress. If Vader wants to train a tool to use against Palpatine's interests, that's the Sith way. Just don't get caught.

[Connor MacLeod]

So this would be Vader's third or fourth apprentice. Man he's a busy guy.

[NecronLord]

So this would be Vader's third or fourth apprentice. Man he's a busy guy.

Well, I figure this poor sap mostly spent his life being raised in a box somewhere, with occasional 'lessons' from Darth Vader. Probably involving pain.

[VT-16]

Yeah, the Apprentice is pretty much socially-challenged, but gains more of a personality when he interacts with other people in the game besides Vader, according to the people behind it.