In Defense of the New Jedi Order

The New Jedi Order is my favorite set of Star Wars books. Is it perfect? No. Is each book in the series great? No, but as an overall series, it delivers.

Many fans do not like the series, which is fine. You have the right to dislike whatever you want. In no way am I bashing those who don’t like the series.

I’ve asked many people why they don’t like the series out of curiosity. Unfortunately, due to the internet’s high troll population, most conversations fall flat. Some people answered though, and their answers weren’t that surprising.

One of the biggest complaints about NJO is how much darker it is, usually linked with character death. The fact that the series is darker is one of the most appealing parts of it to me. Many of the books published previously seem a little too predictable. When a reader knows that the main cast and their closest friends will make it out of the situation alive every time, there’s no sense of suspense. Some type of suspense keeps readers turning pages. Was anyone worried that Thracken Sal Solo would actually harm Jacen, Jaina and Anakin in the Corellian Trilogy? We knew Han would escape Nil Spaar during the Black Fleet Crisis. There’s nothing wrong with having safe characters in most franchises. It doesn’t work in Star Wars, however. The universe is just too big for a large, untouchable cast. I’m not saying that the authors need to off characters left and right; that’s a mistake. Pointlessly killing a major character doesn’t do a story any good. Only when a character’s death fits the story and the character should authors do it.

Killing Chewbacca and Anakin worked for the series. Chewbacca’s let us know that characters close to the main cast were no longer untouchable and gave the series a specific tone. Anakin’s broke the idea that everyone was safe. Killing of a young, direct descendent of the main three threw the idea in the trash compactor. However, killing a character isn’t the only action that makes a series darker. Hopelessness, mass destruction and impossible odds add to this. Many characters hit rock bottom, something many are familiar with at some point in our lives. Sometimes that’s what it takes the situation to improve.

Character angst appeared more in NJO. Doubts, fears and other negative emotions ran rampant. It made the books feel more real. There’s no way to make a Star Wars book seem 100 percent realistic and I don’t want that to happen. Han Solo needs to have a ridiculous accurate for his age. Booster Terrik needs to be the old man running a Las Vegas-esque Star Destroyer. Without these types of characteristics, Star Wars loses itself. The advantage of bringing in the character angst is that readers understand the characters better. We become emotionally involved in more people. During “Traitor” by Mathew Stover, fans became locked into Jacen’s mindset through his breaking on Yuuzhan’tar. Had I not seen into his mind, felt his grief and pain, I wouldn’t have been as moved by his actions at the end of “The Unifying Force” by James Luceno.

The other major complaint I’ve seen regards the Yuuzhan Vong. I find them fascinating. They are religious fanatics. Anyone who’s tried to reason with a fanatic knows how difficult one is to deal with. The Vong weren’t defeatable like past enemies. New weapons, strategies and ideas were brought in. This type of villain added something different to Star Wars. Only so many superweapons can find their way into the books. Organic ships pose a new type of challenge to fighter pilots, for example. With such daunting odds, every successful encounter felt that much sweeter. Fighting a Sith and warlord every other book is boring and tedious. We need variety.

Is a long, dark series something that Del Rey should pump out regularly? Absolutely not. Fans need the light-hearted, movie-esque plots. Books with a large amount of “untouchables” aren’t unenjoyable. Throwing in a story arc that breaks the pattern is necessary, however, to keep the series unpredictable and interesting. The variety of fun, semi-series and dark story arcs makes the overall franchise appealing to more fans. Those who enjoy darker tales have something to read, as do those that like the fun, Big Three dynamic.

Another way NJO delivers is in the character cast. Michael Stackpole, for example, pushed Corran Horn forward in “Dark Tide II: Ruin.” Readers hadn’t seen Horn prominently for a while. Tahiri Veila, a fan favorite from the Junior Jedi Knight series, turned into a deep, well developed character. We also gained characters like Jagged Fel, who’s since his first line over comm waves at Ithor become an integral part of Jaina’s life. Many of the authors dedicated more page time Wedge, Jaina, Jacen, Han, Mara and many others to character development. “Dark Journey” by Elaine Cunningham showed us the darker side of grief and brought fans closer to Jaina. After “Conquest” by Greg Keyes, Anakin became an even larger hero for many. By focusing on so many characters, something possible in such a long series, fans grew closer to more beings. These deepened our emotional bond with the franchise.

After rereading NJO, I felt more connected to the entire Star Wars universe. I felt like I understood the characters better, which in turn made parts of Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi more logical. I find rereading a book more enjoyable the than first go-around. When you reread, you notice little details missed before. You aren’t running to the finish. You notice the strengths and the flaws.

No book is perfect. A story that seems perfect to one person is horrible to another. While we should expect a quality product, it’s okay not to like every detail of a book or series. As fans, we need to respect people’s viewpoints.

Therefore, its okay with me that you don’t like NJO, just don’t bash me (and others) for liking it.

Star Wars eBooks Coming June 28

On June 28, fans of the older Star Wars novels will finally have the opportunity to purchase the Random House books for their ereaders. This news doesn’t come as much of a surprise. George Lucas has spent his career staying on top of the new technological trends. With more and more consumers purchasing ebooks, the logical move for Lucas is to permit digital sales.

With how many titles that are available in the Star Wars Expanded Universe, ebooks provide the perfect solution to those looking for particular titles. Many bookstores do not carry every single title. Starting June 28, fans can download that copy of “Solo Command” no bookstore in the area carries.

The availability of these titles will also aid those new to the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Soon, fans won’t have to wait for their Amazon orders to arrive to enjoy the adventures of Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Mara Jade, Darth Reven and other beloved characters.

UPDATE: X-Wing Books are Here to Stay

The other day, Michael Stackpole informed fans that his X-Wing books are still in print. Having read his blog entry explaining why he was under the impression the impression that his books were no longer in print, I completely understand why someone would come to that conclusion. I hope that this type of confusion does not happen to anyone else.

This error, however, has a positive side to it. One, Stackpole is giving fans his perspective on the publishing industry. The more authors and publishers that share their views, the clearer the picture becomes for those who outside the business. In addition, fans rallied behind Stackpole. Anyone, regardless of the industry, benefits in some way from support.

The third group to benefit from this ordeal is the Star Wars franchise. Fans of the X-Wing books backed Stackpole and X-Wing series. The sheer amount of fans who shared a common sadness for the loss of such great works in the Star Wars fandom displays that yes; the fans are still out there. It also shows what fans want as a whole. Lately, many blogs, forum, Facebook and Twitter posts state the many issues of the current Star Wars fandom. These range from a severe lack of strong female characters to repetitive plots to poor characterization. I will not dive into these issues in this blog post.

The X-Wing series feature a rich cast of characters not seen in the movies. With Han, Leia and Luke aging, it’s past time for the next generation to take the spotlight. The X-Wing series serves as a strong example that a book featuring many Expanded Universe characters works.

So rejoice, Star Wars fans, we get to keep a treasure! I wish many more years of royalties to Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston for their great contributions. They deserve them.

Stopping the Presses on Our Beloved X-Wing Series

Yesterday fans of the Star Wars Expanded Universe learned through Michael Stackpole’s blog that his X-Wing books were no longer in print.

This is a huge mistake.

When someone new starts reading the Expanded Universe, more often than not people recommend Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy and the X-Wing series. Both sets of books incorporate the very heart of Star Wars. Zahn’s Thrawn Trilogy is set for a major rerelease while the X-Wing books are left to die. These two strong series help draw in and keep people reading the Expanded Universe.

The X-Wing focuses on the story of fighter pilots, reformation of the Rogue Squadron, Wraith Squadron and the early days of the New Republic. These books introduce many new characters, like Corran Horn and Mirax Terrik, and bring in characters from the movies, like Wedge Antilles and Wes Jansen. The books contain all the elements vital to a good story- developed characters, romance, comedy, action and strong plot. The feel of the books is different from other books that focus mainly on Jedi. The books themselves feel like Star Wars. The excitement, stress, adrenaline and fear felt by the pilots during each run radiates from the pages. Readers feel as if they are in the cockpit with Corran Horn and Wedge Antilles as they take risk after risk in the name of what is right.

If anyone was unsure of how popular the X-Wing series actually is, search for the fan reactions to the announcement that Aaron Allston (who wrote four of the series titles, including “Wraith Squadron”) is penning a Wraith Squadron book. Fans cannot wait to get their hands on this book. As a long time EU fan, I am looking forward to rereading the X-Wing series around the time this book comes out. Now that the books are out of print, however, I have to hunt down copies of the few I don’t have.

No longer can fans give each new copies of “The Bacta War” or replace their tattered copy of “The Krytos Trap.” Now it’s harder to pull others in to the EU when they cannot find some of the best books of the fandom.

In the end, it’s going to cost the franchise money and potential members of the fan base. With falling book sales, it’s clear that the EU fans are holding on to their money. Removing one of our favorites only further drives keeps us from fully supporting something that many of us hold dear.

A convention to celebrate the female geek!

Attention all female geeks: there’s a convention for us.

In Seattle, from Oct. 8-9, GeekGirlCon will celebrate the female fan force. The guest list is still short, but it’s early. The number of attendants at this convention should serve as yet another clue to publishing companies that woman are interested in science fiction, video games, comic books and fantasy.

VW Vader's gender debate- why using the stereotypes to identify only harms the cause

During the Super Bowl, Volkswagon aired a commercial showing a child in a Darth Vader costume trying to use the Force.

Everyone wants to know if the child is supposed to be a boy or a girl. Some argue that the pink room and doll indicates a girl. Others say it’s Star Wars and he’s trying to Force-choke the doll, so it’s a boy. Both sides use gender stereotypes to make their claims.

Using the gender stereotypes defeats any victory there would be if the VW Vader was a girl. It’s using the same type of argument people use when saying Star Wars is for boys.

The idea that girls like pink and dolls is one that those fighting for gender equality fight. Yes, some girls like pink and dolls. There’s nothing wrong with that. There’s also nothing wrong with a boy playing with a doll or wearing pink. The concept of Star Wars being for boys is decades old, yet incorrect. Girls love it, too.

So who is correct?

The actor was a boy. Whether it was VW’s intention for the character to seem ambiguous, we don’t know. They did succeed in inspiring debates all over the internet.

Personally, I would love if the VW Vader were a girl. It would push the idea that women love Star Wars, too further into mainstream media. I do not support these arguments based on gender roles, though. Claiming that the character was a girl based on the pink room only harms the fight.

Dear Del Rey

Dear Del Rey:

Hello. I am one of the many disgruntled Star Wars fans. My love for the Fate of the Jedi series was killed with the release of “Allies.” I did not run out and buy the book. I waited almost a month for it to come in at the library. It took me two weeks to read. My desire to finish my review and not earn an overdue fine at the library forced me to finish it.

Nevertheless, the release of Vortex, restored my hope. Thank Troy Denning for that.

I have mixed feelings about Troy Denning. I find him to be a talented author. Star by Star is one of my favorite books. He captures emotions well. His personal feelings about characters tend to leak onto the page, however. He likes to mess with fan favorites. It affects the story negatively and is, frankly, distracting and annoying.

How did Troy Denning manage to do this, you ask? First off, his plot goes somewhere. To put it bluntly, stuff actually happens. I don’t want to give away any details, but the plot moves forward. Your editors know this. A stagnant story is boring. His characters act, for the most part, appropriately. He creates situations and events that keep the reader interested. For example, the long scene at the end involving Jaina, Han, Leia, Zekk, Taryn and the other was gripping and exciting. At no point was a bored and ready to move onto other things.

Vortex’s sales are down, as expected. When a company puts out a piece of crap, people are going to be hesitant about buying another product. It will be interesting to see how Conviction does. I intend to buy that book. I have faith in Aaron Allston’s ability to produce excellent content.

The damage has been done, though. Readers won’t forget what a mess Allies was. We won’t forget the bad writing, poor characterizations and lackluster plot. Regardless of the events of Ascension, I will not purchase that book. Christie Golden’s first two books were simply too awful. I hope Del Ray learned their lesson: simply slapping Star Wars on a book isn’t going to make fans love it. We won’t pay for crap.

Sincerly,
An avid Star Wars fan