Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor discussion thread

[The Original Nex]

You are certainly entitled to that, but keep in mind that there are many on this board who really enjoyed the ROTS novelization, and consider Stover among the creme of the crop of the current EU authors...I'll let someone who'd actually read the new book to comment on your tirade if they wish.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Stover does grind his axe at every opportunity, but he's definitely better than almost all the EU authors. What do you like?

[Darth Fanboy]

So what is this new one about? Does it involve a Jedi getting lost, touching the dark side and somehow winning at the end?

All has happened according to your design!

[Darth Fanboy]

This book is a perfect example of both Stover's best and worst qualities. I like Stover as an author also, but one can't deny the fact that his best book was a novelization of a script already written, where he wasn't the one telling the story.

Pro:

-Stover conitnues to write the established characters well. Even the more "emo" bits of Luke dialogue were not terrible and I liked the Han and Leia scenes even though that subplot with the creatures was jarring.

-Using Blackhole as the bad guy was much better than the "villain of the week" and the idea of Shadowspawn not being who everyone thought he was ended up being a nice touch.

-The intial battle between NR and Shadowspawns forces was handled nicely, Luke was lured into a trap, and he figured it out, but Stover had a good way to still getting the trap to spring and legitimately get Luke into Danger despite his talents.

Con:

-Constant references to holodramas were annoying. Almost as if he was taking jabs at his own title.

-There was no need to reintroduce and shoehorn his created characters from Shatterpoint into the book at all. The release of this book is BADLY timed because Nick Rostu is being used in the Coruscant Nights Trilogy, the last book of which is being released on the 27th, and any danger Rostu is put in for that third book is now moot.

-Anticlimactic ending.

[Imperial Overlord]

This book is a perfect example of both Stover's best and worst qualities. I like Stover as an author also, but one can't deny the fact that his best book was a novelization of a script already written, where he wasn't the one telling the story.

Actually his best book is The Blade of Tyshall, one of his Acts of Caine novels.

-Constant references to holodramas were annoying. Almost as if he was taking jabs at his own title.

I didn't find it so, but people's relationships with popular entertainment is one of the major themes in the Acts of Caine series. The roll of mass media, and we know there is mass media, in Star Wars has rarely been touched on. Considering manipulating public opinion is part of Blackhole's plan, I think it's appropriate that it's in there. To be fair, Stover does handle that aspect better in his own universe.

-Anticlimactic ending.

I liked the ending, which was a nice change from a lightsaber battle against generic wannabee Sith Lord #427

[Duckie]

Now, who has the quotes on what Han says about Mando'a?

Both my linguistic and my conlanging senses hate that stupid 'poorly search-and-replaced english with the same sounds and similar sounding words' bullshit that low-skill fantasy and sci-fi authors do, and it'd make my day or hour or so to hear what it is now canon Han says about it.

[Imperial Overlord]

Now, who has the quotes on what Han says about Mando'a?

Both my linguistic and my conlanging senses hate that stupid 'poorly search-and-replaced english with the same sounds and similar sounding words' bullshit that low-skill fantasy and sci-fi authors do, and it'd make my day or hour or so to hear what it is now canon Han says about it.

Second page, this thread, posted by yours truly.

[Darth Fanboy]

Actually his best book is The Blade of Tyshall, one of his Acts of Caine novels.

I should have specified, "Best Star Wars Book", my bad.

I didn't find it so, but people's relationships with popular entertainment is one of the major themes in the Acts of Caine series. The roll of mass media, and we know there is mass media, in Star Wars has rarely been touched on. Considering manipulating public opinion is part of Blackhole's plan, I think it's appropriate that it's in there. To be fair, Stover does handle that aspect better in his own universe.

I don't mind the idea of manipulation through the media, but Stover's handling of it was terribly cheesy in this book.

I liked the ending, which was a nice change from a lightsaber battle against generic wannabee Sith Lord #427

Lightsaber battles might be a common way out, but its better than Luke Skywalker and Kar Vastor holding hands and killing Blackhole with the Care Bear Stare.

[Duckie]

Well, at least recognizing its bad sound is good enough. We can't expect Han to notice it's the exact same as English with the words slightly distorted as he doesn't speak English (the equivalent of a fantasy DM naming his fire elemental god "Fyræn" or something) and that it has approximately the same grammar and phonology as English with a few 'interesting' twists (interesting to the creator who doesn't know anything about language besides speaking English, so they think adding a letter or removing one is how you make a language)... but I digress.

Good enough to call it out on sounding like shit, although the lack of phonological data caused by Traviss now knowing what phonology is to any large degree means that for all we know it could sound like anything from Mandarin to Norwegian to English (hint- English).

[Imperial Overlord]

Lightsaber battles might be a common way out, but its better than Luke Skywalker and Kar Vastor holding hands and killing Blackhole with the Care Bear Stare.

Well I read it as the bad guy getting schooled by a Jedi because of his hubris and fundamentally flawed understanding of Force.

[Connor MacLeod]

Lightsaber battles might be a common way out, but its better than Luke Skywalker and Kar Vastor holding hands and killing Blackhole with the Care Bear Stare.

It worked for Luke and Leia and fetus Anakin in Dark Empire

Edit: The recurrencec of alot of the shatterpoitn characters didn't really endear me either, though how Nick popped in was a surprise, and he did have some amusing interactions with Luke. The Kar Vastor thing bugged me more tho, but I rank that about the same level as Allston bringinb back Irek from CoTJ and turning him into the Lightsaber Mixmaster of Death. And really, it was a minor thing relative to the rest of the novel, so it didn't ruin it majorly.