People that would make good EU authors?

[Coiler]

Shamelessly taken from a similar thread on TFN: What non-Star Wars writers do you think would make good EU authors?

There are many authors that could fit the bill, but I'd say Andy Remic. His writing is far from perfect, but he can write passable action and he has what the vast majority of EU authors lack-a sense of scale. When he gave the population of a city world as over a hundred trillion, I almost shouted with joy.

[Ender]

Me.

[Starglider]

Peter F. Hamilton. He has a reasonable sense of scale, is fairly inventive and definitely has that 'fantasy story pasted over a science fiction backdrop' style down (see; the Night's Dawn trilogy). Contrary to popular belief he can actually write short stories too. There are a lot of things I don't like about his books, but the same flaws are largely endemic in Star Wars EU books (even the better ones), so I'm sure it would work out fine.

[Havok]

Me.

Nice.

I may get strung up for this, but I would like to read a Tom Clancy military focused EU novel. Maybe a fleet battle type scenario like Red Storm Rising. No Force, Jedi, Sith or anything like that.

I would be curious to see what type of research and information he comes up with for space battles.

[Stark]

I would be curious to see what type of research and information he comes up with for space battles.

I'd be AMAZINGLY AMUSED to see what type of research he does. How can he work in 'Mexcians = bad' and 'omg Russia' into a SW context? Can we have cold war thrillers with more blasters? I think yes. Amusingly Clancy might be a hack, but that sort of story set in SW would be more interesting than another rehash.

I vote Ender.

[Havok]

Well obviously the Russians would be the Empire. Maybe the Wookies would be the Mexicans? I do have to say, I don't remember Mexicans=Bad... what book was that in? Or is it something ongoing?

[Stark]

It's in the new stuff and the games, which is barely related the Clancy himself anymore. I believe the 'chaos in Mexico drives the plot/terrorists/etc' is quite old however. Almost every TC game for several years has started in Mexico.

[pj1351]

David Drake. In many ways, the weapons and vehicles technology found in the Hammer's Slammers can be quite easily translated to SW tech. And not only can Drake write gritty depiction of very lethal warfare that utilises a combination of small and medium sized vehicles, supertanks, and artillery, he's actually good at writing morally ambiguous characters.

[Darth Hoth]

Harry Turtledove. With the way the rest of the EU is already unoriginal rehash with political axes to grind, he should fit right in.

Possibly Steve Stirling? Yeah, I know he is kind of hated around here, and his original universes are pretty weak, but if you give him a setting to work with and an outline for a novel to fill, he can do quite well. Of course, his writing style will probably not make the kiddie-friendly LFL "quality" control people happy . . .

[Ted C]

Having read both her fantasy novels and her science fiction novels, I'd have to say Elizabeth Moon gets my vote.

I've read David Weber's fantasy stuff and enjoyed it, but I don't know much about his science fiction writing except that it sounds (from various third party descriptions) rather wanky. Still, if he can get his head into the setting properly, I think he could do Star Wars pretty well.

[Coiler]

I may get strung up for this, but I would like to read a Tom Clancy military focused EU novel. Maybe a fleet battle type scenario like Red Storm Rising. No Force, Jedi, Sith or anything like that.

I would be curious to see what type of research and information he comes up with for space battles.

I haven't read any books by Clancy himself, but the one "Tom Clancy's ___" book written by the "David Michaels" ghostwriter was utterly forgettable and boring. I would not recommend him writing an EU novel. Besides, someone who is used to terrestrial-scale battles would not have the sense of scale needed to write a good Star Wars novel.

I wouldn't go for any technothriller authors.

[pj1351]

Another suggestion: Lois McMaster Bujold, author of the Vorkosigan saga books. You have to respect an author who designed the main character of her series with the idea of "what's the worst that I can do to this character?", and only tacked on "and survive" as an afterthought. How many authors do you know of makes a main male character that is short, ugly, with chalk-like bones, born and raised on a militaristic planet that prizes physical abilities, and shuns or outright hate "muties" (mutants... though as the books explains, there's actually nothing wrong with Miles' gens).

[pj1351]

P.S. I'm operating under the assumption that "would make good EU authors" means that the suggested authors could write EU books that are worth reading even on their own merit, not that they would fit the mould of the majority of EU authors (ie. utterly craptastic)

[Coiler]

Harry Turtledove. With the way the rest of the EU is already unoriginal rehash with political axes to grind, he should fit right in.

I asked for people who would make good EU authors.

Seriously, Turtledove isn't bad as long as he's limited to one book in length, and isn't allowed to milk his cash cow over an overlong series. As the writer of just one EU book, he probably wouldn't do worse than the current crop of authors, at least.

[Darth Hoth]

Harry Turtledove. With the way the rest of the EU is already unoriginal rehash with political axes to grind, he should fit right in.

I asked for people who would make good EU authors.

Stirling might manage, if he understands the setting; as noted, his writing is not at fault, but sunk by bad ideas and crappy worldbuilding in his his original series. (As well as bad research, in those that are supposed to be relatively "hard" sci-fi.)

Seriously, Turtledove isn't bad as long as he's limited to one book in length, and isn't allowed to milk his cash cow over an overlong series. As the writer of just one EU book, he probably wouldn't do worse than the current crop of authors, at least.

Have you read In The Presence of Mine Enemies or more recently, The Man With The Iron Heart? Turtledove is bad in standalones as well. In the EU, he would be average at best, which is mediocre by any reasonable standard.

[Guardsman Bass]

Bujold would be a good choice. I'm also thinking Jeff Grubb would make an entertaining Star Wars author. He's not an excellent writer, but the books I've read of his in the Warcraft and Starcraft Universe are pretty good, fast-moving reads.

Turtledove would be .. . interesting. I'm wondering how he'd try to work in his usual "every character has a sex scene" act into the novel.

[Coiler]

Have you read In The Presence of Mine Enemies or more recently, The Man With The Iron Heart? Turtledove is bad in standalones as well. In the EU, he would be average at best, which is mediocre by any reasonable standard.

I've read ITPOME, and it certainly was bad. However, I've also read two other standalone books by him, and they were both good. He isn't the best writer in the world, but he isn't the worst, either, and he wouldn't be the worst EU writer.

[The Romulan Republic]

Having read both her fantasy novels and her science fiction novels, I'd have to say Elizabeth Moon gets my vote.

I've read David Weber's fantasy stuff and enjoyed it, but I don't know much about his science fiction writing except that it sounds (from various third party descriptions) rather wanky. Still, if he can get his head into the setting properly, I think he could do Star Wars pretty well.

I've read a lot of the Honor Harrington books, and I do not like them. I found them repetative, melodramatic, and later on, jammed with ill-defined minor character I couldn't keep track of. They had a propagandistic edge to them I didn't like as well (pro-war, pro-vigilante), and the battles read too much like math textbooks. I understand that some people are interested in that, but I don't know if it would make good reading in a Star Wars book.

So no, I don't really want Weber getting his hands on Star Wars.

Come to think of it, I can't name one modern sci-fi writer who I'd prefer to the top EU writers like Zahn and whoever wrote Dark Lord. Lucas just needs to be a little more careful about who he hires, once he's shown Travis and maybe some others the door.

[Darth Hoth]

I've read ITPOME, and it certainly was bad. However, I've also read two other standalone books by him, and they were both good. He isn't the best writer in the world, but he isn't the worst, either, and he wouldn't be the worst EU writer.

Which ones?

To be worst in the EU would almost take a conscious effort, unless you hire fanfic writers for the job, given how it is. Still, Turtledove would rank among the lowest in the tier, if not quite on par with KJA and his ilk.

[DrStrangelove]

whoever wrote Dark Lord.

james luceno

[Stofsk]

Me.

Echoed.

Literally, if they let someone like Karen Traviss write for the EU, then why not let anyone write for it? At least someone like Ender would know what he's writing about, which is a damn sight better than anything that's come from Traviss' brain.

I have read some bad examples of SW EU that some fanfics ended up being better reads.

[Rawtooth]

I'll toss another board member into the hat; Publius.

[Ender]

I'll toss another board member into the hat; Publius.

You know, they are on a trend of letting fans work on books lately - Dr S and the ICS/ITW, the guy who is on the Atlas, the guy who worked on the encyclopedia, etc. If they let Publius writhe the next essential guide to characters, or let me have a go at the next EGW&T or EGV&V you would see some pretty awesome stuff.

[Sarevok]

It is impossible to say which known published writers will do well in Star Wars. For example recently there has been quite an uproar over Jane Espenson's writing in Galactica. But at same time many Buffy fans say she wrote many great episodes. So it is difficult to gauge how a writer will handle Star Wars. Furthermore writers with sense of scale often suck at writing people and dialogue and writters with these aspects end up with well written but implausible settings and plot.

[Illuminatus Primus]

I'll toss another board member into the hat; Publius.

You know, they are on a trend of letting fans work on books lately - Dr S and the ICS/ITW, the guy who is on the Atlas, the guy who worked on the encyclopedia, etc. If they let Publius writhe the next essential guide to characters, or let me have a go at the next EGW&T or EGV&V you would see some pretty awesome stuff.

I thought Dan Wallace was doing the Atlas?