Within the first 35 pages of Paul S. Kemp’s “Star Wars The Old Republic Deceived,” Darth Malgus reveals to readers the reason why there will always be Sith in the galaxy. Malgus needs to kill and reveals that he would kill allies if necessary. His bloodlust appears in several parts of the books, like when he mentions the need for constant war. Following Malgus through “Deceived” is like watching footage of a video game. He’s slightly overpowered, and determined to finish his mission.
In addition to the Sith, Kemp introduces a down-on-his-luck smuggler, Zeerid Korr, and a conflicted Jedi Knight, Aryn Leneer. Zeerid isn’t as rough and dangerous as other smugglers seen in the Star Wars universe. Zeerid’s need for credits is honorable, making him the most sympathetic character in the book. This difference provides a refreshing feel to smugglers as a group. Readers wanting to see a powerful or traditional Jedi will be disappointed. While Aryn goes through realistic human emotions, her decisions lack the control and dedication associated with the Jedi.
The smuggler, trooper and Imperial agent classes are referenced, making the book a strong tie-in for “Star Wars The Old Republic.”
The books plot flows well and is easy to follow. Kemp describes all of the encounters in a way that fans of lightsaber fights and aerial dogfights will enjoy.
“Deceived” is ultimately a book for the Sith. Malgus’s overpowered actions make some parts of the book seem surreal and over the top. Fortunately, the excellent characters balance out these flaws, making “Deceived” a worthy addition to the Star Wars Expanded Universe.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
When "World of Warcraft" helps a marriage
Playing “World of Warcraft” helps my marriage.
A couple of times a year I see an article around the internet discussing how a husband’s gaming addiction resulted in divorce. Friends talk about how their significant other spends more time on their Playstation than with them. I knew one man, one of the most considerate people I knew, who ranted for 20 minutes about how his girlfriend wouldn’t get a job. She sat around and played MMORPGs all day and night. Yes, video game addictions exist, but not everyone who plays has a problem.
My husband and I play “World of Warcraft” together. It’s actually saved us money. Paying $14.99 a piece to play each month is cheaper than going out when we need something to do. We still go out, but not as much. It gives us something to do together. We don’t play every day, but several times a week. We tend to play PVP more than run raids or dungeons.
I wouldn’t call us “hardcore gamers,” even though we play a MMORPG several times a week. We don’t follow WoW news. We don’t know everything about the game even though we’ve played it off and on for several years. As we play, we pick up details of the lore, but neither one of us can tell you the whole story.
I suppose we fall under the “casual gamer” umbrella.
Could I become a hardcore gamer? Sure, but I don’t want to. Video game lore tends to exaggerate circumstances a little too much for me. I prefer to keep a touch of realism to the fandoms I follow closely.
At some point, BioWare will release “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” My husband has followed this game for years. And while I fully expect him to become a “hardcore gamer,” I won’t. As much as I love Star Wars, my passion lies in the post-ROTJ era. He wants to try all of the classes. We plan to roll two characters to run around together. My vote is on Chiss Imperial Agent. Anyone who knows where my passion lies in the Star Wars Expanded Universe can guess why.
More couples are playing MMORPGs together. It’s a hobby, that when managed correctly, can bring two people closer together. Those hours spent running battlegrounds or raids are an effective bonding activity. It takes some work to find a class balance between the two of you. For example, I know of a couple who ran as a healer and tank for years. When someone would criticize the tanking or healing, the other would jump to defend, regardless if the offending party was right or wrong. Often the group would break up and that was it. We tend to stick to DPS classes.
A stigma comes out when some players find out that a woman is controlling the character. I’ve been asked if my husband helps me play, or if I play because of him. The thought that I actually enjoy the game seems foreign to some players. Some players assume the reason I’m not a hardcore gamer is because I am a woman. I am not a hardcore game because I don’t want to be. It has nothing to do with what sex I am. I’d rather spend hours reading about the war with the Yuuzhan Vong or Corran Horn’s training with the Rogue Squadron than the details behind Deathwing the Destroyer’s return.
It's all about choice. I play the game because I enjoy it and it provides my husband and I with a fun hobby. It's better than sitting in silence in front of the television watching sitcom reruns. I can't tell you the story behind the Lunar Festival or Jaina Proudmore, but I know how to be that “F****** mage” people rant about the battleground and that’s enough for me.
A couple of times a year I see an article around the internet discussing how a husband’s gaming addiction resulted in divorce. Friends talk about how their significant other spends more time on their Playstation than with them. I knew one man, one of the most considerate people I knew, who ranted for 20 minutes about how his girlfriend wouldn’t get a job. She sat around and played MMORPGs all day and night. Yes, video game addictions exist, but not everyone who plays has a problem.
My husband and I play “World of Warcraft” together. It’s actually saved us money. Paying $14.99 a piece to play each month is cheaper than going out when we need something to do. We still go out, but not as much. It gives us something to do together. We don’t play every day, but several times a week. We tend to play PVP more than run raids or dungeons.
I wouldn’t call us “hardcore gamers,” even though we play a MMORPG several times a week. We don’t follow WoW news. We don’t know everything about the game even though we’ve played it off and on for several years. As we play, we pick up details of the lore, but neither one of us can tell you the whole story.
I suppose we fall under the “casual gamer” umbrella.
Could I become a hardcore gamer? Sure, but I don’t want to. Video game lore tends to exaggerate circumstances a little too much for me. I prefer to keep a touch of realism to the fandoms I follow closely.
At some point, BioWare will release “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” My husband has followed this game for years. And while I fully expect him to become a “hardcore gamer,” I won’t. As much as I love Star Wars, my passion lies in the post-ROTJ era. He wants to try all of the classes. We plan to roll two characters to run around together. My vote is on Chiss Imperial Agent. Anyone who knows where my passion lies in the Star Wars Expanded Universe can guess why.
More couples are playing MMORPGs together. It’s a hobby, that when managed correctly, can bring two people closer together. Those hours spent running battlegrounds or raids are an effective bonding activity. It takes some work to find a class balance between the two of you. For example, I know of a couple who ran as a healer and tank for years. When someone would criticize the tanking or healing, the other would jump to defend, regardless if the offending party was right or wrong. Often the group would break up and that was it. We tend to stick to DPS classes.
A stigma comes out when some players find out that a woman is controlling the character. I’ve been asked if my husband helps me play, or if I play because of him. The thought that I actually enjoy the game seems foreign to some players. Some players assume the reason I’m not a hardcore gamer is because I am a woman. I am not a hardcore game because I don’t want to be. It has nothing to do with what sex I am. I’d rather spend hours reading about the war with the Yuuzhan Vong or Corran Horn’s training with the Rogue Squadron than the details behind Deathwing the Destroyer’s return.
It's all about choice. I play the game because I enjoy it and it provides my husband and I with a fun hobby. It's better than sitting in silence in front of the television watching sitcom reruns. I can't tell you the story behind the Lunar Festival or Jaina Proudmore, but I know how to be that “F****** mage” people rant about the battleground and that’s enough for me.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Forceclap? Invisibility? Not in my books!
Imagine if Obi-Wan Kenobi slipped into stealth mode during his fight with Darth Maul in “The Phantom Menace.” He creeps up behind the Sith Apprentice and takes him down with a “finishing movie,” ending one of the best lightsaber fights in the franchise. Fast forward to “Empire Strikes Back.” Luke Skywalker turns invisible during his duel with Darth Vader. He appears suddenly and stuns him, stopping Vader from attacking right away. Horrible right?
Yet, we see character’s turning invisible in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” and it works.
Now, this type of action is fine in a video game. That being said, I hope that it never finds its way into a book or movie. Imagine if Jaina had gone invisible, decapitated her brother and that was it. Many readers would throw down “Invincible” in annoyance at such a cheap final confrontation.
The events of the Star Wars video games are a part of canon. However, only some of what is in the video games works in canon.
In a MMORPG, it’s necessary to even out the classes somewhat for fair play. A smugglers needs to possess an ability to render a Jedi Consular helpless. Without considering those, the game loses subscribers. Video games allow players to complete impossible feats. These feats cannot find their way into canon, though, or the franchise will fail.
Drew Karpyshyn said in his May 18 blog entry, “To put it bluntly, Revan in the book will not be the uber-powered death machine you controlled at the end of the video game. You might have min-maxed your character to smack Darth Malak down in seconds without breaking a sweat, but in a book that battle would have been a brutal, hard fought affair spread over multiple pages. In a video game it’s fun to kill hundreds of Sith Masters, but in a book that would just be boring. It would suck out any drama or conflict or tension, and as an author I have no interest in writing that.”
He can’t make it any clearer. As fun as it is to watch your DPS fly up as dozens of enemies fall to your feet, that’s not literature. It’s a game. If Luke Skywalker defeated the Lost Tribe of the Sith by annihilating them in one fell swoop in the Fate of the Jedi books, it’d be a travesty.
I’ve spoken before about the importance of suspense in storytelling. A battle in which two opponents have to work to survive is more gripping than throwing a thermal detonator. Are there times for that in books and movies? Yes. We all remember the infamous scene in “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” where Indy shoots the man in the market rather than engage in a lengthy fight. The scene worked there, but that man was not the main villain.
Some of the best encounters in movies and books occur when the hero is beaten down or her weakness exploited. She finds the opponents weakness and uses it. Obi-Wan Kenobi took advantage of Darth Maul’s smug behavior and overconfidence to defeat him to defeat him.
While I’m not arguing the decision to consider the overall story in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” canon, I don’t want to read about Jedi stunning an enemy with a Force Leap. Keep that to the game.
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan
Yet, we see character’s turning invisible in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” and it works.
Now, this type of action is fine in a video game. That being said, I hope that it never finds its way into a book or movie. Imagine if Jaina had gone invisible, decapitated her brother and that was it. Many readers would throw down “Invincible” in annoyance at such a cheap final confrontation.
The events of the Star Wars video games are a part of canon. However, only some of what is in the video games works in canon.
In a MMORPG, it’s necessary to even out the classes somewhat for fair play. A smugglers needs to possess an ability to render a Jedi Consular helpless. Without considering those, the game loses subscribers. Video games allow players to complete impossible feats. These feats cannot find their way into canon, though, or the franchise will fail.
Drew Karpyshyn said in his May 18 blog entry, “To put it bluntly, Revan in the book will not be the uber-powered death machine you controlled at the end of the video game. You might have min-maxed your character to smack Darth Malak down in seconds without breaking a sweat, but in a book that battle would have been a brutal, hard fought affair spread over multiple pages. In a video game it’s fun to kill hundreds of Sith Masters, but in a book that would just be boring. It would suck out any drama or conflict or tension, and as an author I have no interest in writing that.”
He can’t make it any clearer. As fun as it is to watch your DPS fly up as dozens of enemies fall to your feet, that’s not literature. It’s a game. If Luke Skywalker defeated the Lost Tribe of the Sith by annihilating them in one fell swoop in the Fate of the Jedi books, it’d be a travesty.
I’ve spoken before about the importance of suspense in storytelling. A battle in which two opponents have to work to survive is more gripping than throwing a thermal detonator. Are there times for that in books and movies? Yes. We all remember the infamous scene in “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark” where Indy shoots the man in the market rather than engage in a lengthy fight. The scene worked there, but that man was not the main villain.
Some of the best encounters in movies and books occur when the hero is beaten down or her weakness exploited. She finds the opponents weakness and uses it. Obi-Wan Kenobi took advantage of Darth Maul’s smug behavior and overconfidence to defeat him to defeat him.
While I’m not arguing the decision to consider the overall story in “Star Wars: The Old Republic” canon, I don’t want to read about Jedi stunning an enemy with a Force Leap. Keep that to the game.
Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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.
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.
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