Kevin J. Anderson Messages from AOL (long) [08-25-95]
Alec Usticke
ACADEMY trilogy and THE SITH WAR comic book. He also edited TALES
FROM THE MOS EISLEY CANTINA and is writing the YOUNG JEDI KNIGHTS saga
with his wife, Rebecca Moesta. These are reposted from the America
Online Star Wars Forum.
If you'd like to ask Kevin a question, send it to me. I'll post it on
the AOL SW Forum and when Kevin responds, you can see the answer when
I repost the message here. Kevin asks that you pose these questions
publicly, so everyone may see the answer.
Thank you.
------------------------------------------
Subj: Re:young jedi & darksaber
Date: 95-08-10 13:37:02 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
The YOUNG JEDI KNIGHTS series is technically for young adults, but is
written at the same level as my other novels. I don't want to write
down to the kids because they are smart enough to enjoy high end
books. The characters are younger and the stories are shorter. We've
gotten a great deal of fan mail from adults who really enjoyed them.
If you don't like my STAR WARS books, though, and if you don't like
Jacen and Jaina as teenagers, then this series isn't for you.
DARKSABER picks up right where CHILDREN OF THE JEDI left off,
continues the romance between Luke and Callista, and teams up Admiral
Daala from my Jedi Academy books with Pellaeon from Tim Zahn's books.
Just yesterday, SCI-FI UNIVERSE magazine called DARKSABER "the first
of the new STAR WARS novels that makes the Empire into a genuine
threat again--the best sequel book so far."
And you'll get your big battle on Yavin -- don't worry.
Kevin J. Anderson
Subj: Force contradictions, etc.
Date: 95-08-12 21:13:45 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Thanks for all the welcoming messages, folks. To address the question
of Luke's rising and waning powers ... well, a lot of that is because
the books are being written out of order by many authors. In DARK
EMPIRE, remember, Luke was over on the Dark Side, using new techniques
with disastrous consequences. I loved those comics, and I tried very
much to make my books tie in with them -- I'm sorry if you thought my
Luke was a wimp, but if you get his powers TOO great, then the stories
are boring because he can do anything. Look at Obi-Wan Kenobi -- he
obviously had more power than he actually used. It seemed like the
more a Jedi Master learns, the LESS he uses his power.
Oh well, just my take on it. I agree with you about the Deryni-style
mind probe and the Force paddles -- those were additions I was
specifically asked to make at the last minute and not in my original
plan for the trilogy.
Thanks again for your interest and enthusiasm.
KJA
Subj: Re:A few more questions...
Date: 95-08-12 21:16:53 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
To FSUDog --
I'll be in Fresno on Sunday September 17 for some kind of SF con or
comic con at the Ramada Inn. I don't know much else about it yet.
As for your other questions, DARKSABER comes out in October, JABBA
comes out in December, Bounty Hunters comes out in June. As for what
else I'll be doing before or after the new films...who knows? I've
got a dozen books currently under contract and I've got to survive
those first!
Best, KJA
Subj: bartender
Date: 95-08-13 12:49:24 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
If I can make a comment about David Bischoff's bartender story -- more
of an explanation rather than an excuse.
David did that story for me in a real pinch, above and beyond the call
of duty, when the other author who had been assigned to do the
bartender dropped out at the last minute, *after* the deadline. I
couldn't possibly do a Cantina anthology without a bartender's story,
and David produced for me right away, saving the day.
so, if his story seems a bit rushed, at least there's a reason for it.
I'm glad everybody's liking the book. The JABBA'S PALACE anthology is
even better, I think. It'll be out in December.
Kevin J . Anderson
Subj: a few responses
Date: 95-08-14 13:57:45 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Thanks again for all your posts. To answer a few of them, my books
(and all the other authors') have to go through extensive approval
processes through Lucasfilm and the publisher. Because we are playing
in somebody else's sandbox, we have to make every effort to make our
work fit together not only with the existing stuff but with future
plans. There were several reasons why I had to add the various
detection routines for Jedi powers -- that's just part of the
give-and-take you have to do when working on media tie-ins.
My books (and many others) came out in paperback instead of hardcover
in order to allow them to be published in a very short time (all three
came out in eight months). Tim Zahn's novels came out a year apart in
hardcover. Bantam's general schedule is to do two hardcover novels a
year, plus a paperback trilogy; they may also squeeze in some
"bonuses" like the CANTINA book and the upcoming X-WING books.
Again, I'm sorry if some of you think my work is "ruining the STAR
WARS universe" -- but the very popularity of my books and the volume
of fan mail received by Lucasfilm suggests that such opinions are in
the minority. JEDI SEARCH, DARK APPRENTICE, and CHAMPIONS OF THE
FORCE became the top three bestselling science fiction books in all of
1994. TALES FROM THE MOS EISLEY CANTINA is the best-selling science
fiction anthology of all time, and YOUNG JEDI KNIGHTS #1 appeared on
the New York Times bestseller list, one of the only young adult novels
ever to do so.
Lucasfilm has asked me to do many more projects for them, and my books
will continue to appear regularly over the next several years. You're
entitled to your opinion -- nobody says you have to like everything I
write...but if you don't care for what I'm doing, then don't buy it.
Read Roger McBride Allen's books, or Steve Perry's, or Kristine
Kathryn Rusch's, or Mike McDowell's, or Mike Stackpole's -- they're
all coming out in the future, too. It's a big universe and there's
room for everybody.
Kevin J. Anderson
Subj: Re:a few responses
Date: 95-08-14 20:39:48 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Darksaber is in hardcover, and it follows very closely after CHILDREN
OF THE JEDI, so it would be best if you read that one first (though
there's a synopsis included, in case you missed it). You'll see more
of the Jedi trainees, though not as much as you saw in the Jedi
Academy books.
KJA
Subj: Re:a few responses
Date: 95-08-14 22:01:25 EDT
From: Tom Veitch
<< TALES FROM THE MOS EISLEY CANTINA is the best-selling science
fiction anthology of all time>>
Well, they printed a LOT of them, but after an initial burst of
activity, it doesn't seem to be selling that well, Kev. I told ya
they should have put Han and Chewie on the cover, instead of that ugly
green snooter!
;-) Yer SW Bud,
TV
Subj: Cantinas, Sun Crushers, etc.
Date: 95-08-15 12:38:30 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
TV, I think you're just worried about royalties! The CANTINA book
sold well enough to hit #16 on the New York Times list (but they only
print the top 15, grrrr), and we made the top 5 in Waldenbooks and B.
Daltons. Common wisdom [sic] in publishing is that anthologies don't
sell at all, and for this book to ship nearly half a million copies
has got them all reeling. Unfortunately for all of us, bookstores
seem to be getting so accustomed to seeing new STAR WARS books that
they don't treat them as anything special. Sigh.
As for the Sun Crusher and quantum armor, Otterpop, I don't think
anybody expects that the stuff is tough enough to withstand being
dumped into a black hole. The Sun Crusher is now crunched down to
about the size of an atom. But I never said the quantum armor
technology was super-secret and unknown, and Qwi Xux certainly didn't
invent it. That information is available to the New Republic (and if
you rush right out and grab a copy of SHADOW ACADEMY, you'll see that
the New Republic is using it...to get those gems out of the high
pressure core of Yavin.)
Yes, indeed you'll see the original story of Luke and Brakiss in an
upcoming novel, and you'll meet the Second Imperium's new leader in
YJK #3, The Lost Ones, out in December.
KJA
Subj: Re:Tales of the Jedi
Date: 95-08-16 02:23:57 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
I'm going to have to be careful in these postings so I don't give
away too many details about DARKSABER and other upcoming projects.
Rest assured that you will see the Brakiss story (though not in one of
my books), and you will see Harrsk, and Kyp and others...and more
comics, and more Young Jedi books, and plenty to keep you busy.
Whew. I've got to get back to my deadline for X-FILES and DARKEST
KNIGHT.
KJA
Subj: Re:Question for Keviin
Date: 95-08-17 19:32:12 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Boy these questions come fast and furious! I don't have Des Moines
anywhere on my publicity schedule, though I did do Chicago and two
cities in Wisconsin in May. To tell the truth, I have taken 28 trips
in six months this year and I'm really dragging...
Otter, you're assuming that it's easy to make the quantum armor. The
U.S. Navy *could^ coat all of its battleships with diamond sheeting,
too, but that doesn't mean it's feasible. I thought I had made it
clear that the armor was very precious, very difficult to make, very
expensive, etc. -- and is only used on a tiny craft such as the Sun
Crusher, or two small vessels in SHADOW ACADEMY. It would be
impossible to coat the entire New Republic fleet with it, or even a
single Star Destroyer. But that's the way military technology works
-- somebody invents something very powerful, it becomes mass produced,
and then somebody else invents another item even more powerful to
counter it.
As for Leia's powers seeming to wane -- take a look at the beginning
of JEDI SEARCH, when Luke and Leia have a heart-to-heart. He wants
her to practice more, and she says she's not sure she *wants* to
become a Jedi. She has other things in her future. Also, from a
strictly practical point of view, if you make all the main characters
into Superman, you have a tough time coming up with interesting
stories for them.
And okay, okay -- I'll stop apologizing to the complainers. Thanks
for the kind words.
KJA
Subj: Re:One suggestion, Kevin
Date: 95-08-17 19:39:45 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Jacen, don't worry -- I don't have a problem with my critics as long
as they don't get insulting and mean-spirited. I think that's
uncalled for. I'm glad you're liking so much of the stuff, mine
included. The sheer volume of it coming out means that we can't
expect every reader to like every project.
I'm getting myself exhausted just keeping up with my own folder here,
so I don't have a lot of time to surf through the other folders. I've
got to have time to write the books that get discussed here on the
board!
Best,
KJA
Subj: Re:(((Anderson is awesome)))
Date: 95-08-17 19:42:53 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
>Kevin J. Anderson has done more for the Star Wars >universe than any other person, except Lucas of course, he >has written the Jedi trilogy, TOTJ, Dark Lords, and the Sith >War...
Thanks very much for all your enthusiasm...but credit where credit is
due: Tom Veitch wrote TOTJ, and he cowrote Dark Lords of the Sith, and
he plotted all of the Sith War with me. Couldn't have done it without
him -- in fact, I wouldn't be in comics at all if not for his
guidance. i edited the Cantina anthology, but the authors themselves
turned in great stories. And my wife Rebecca is cowriting all the
Young Jedi books with me. "The Force is in all things..."
KJA
Subj: Quantum armor
Date: 95-08-18 11:15:27 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Otter,
Lando didn't coat Gem Diver Station with quantum armor -- he only
coated the tiny diving bell, which isn't much larger than a minivan.
Big difference.
KJA
Subj: Re:Bounty Hunters
Date: 95-08-18 23:44:33 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
The Bounty Hunters authors are:
Dave Wolverton (Dengar)
Kathy Tyers (Bossk)
M. Shayne Bell (Zuckuss & 4-LOM)
myself (IG-88)
and Daniel Keys Moran (Boba Fett)
Glad you're keeping an eye on us, Tomdup...we'll try to keep our
grammar and spelling clear and concise.
Subj: Signing/appearance schedule
Date: 95-08-18 23:50:52 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Here is a list of where I'll be appearing from now until December.
Hope to see many of you, if I come to your area.
August 19-20, StarQuest, San Jose, CA
August 25-27, World Science Fiction Con, Glasgow, Scotland
September 17, Fresno, CA (Ramada Inn)
October 6-7, Tucson, AZ
October 13, Livermore (CA) public library
October 27-29, World Fantasy Convention, Baltimore, MD
November 11, Waldenbooks, Monterey, CA
November 13-16 Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver, Colorado Spr.
November 17, Edwards AFB, Lancaster, CA
November 18, Target, Pasadena, CA
December 3, Vancouver, BC, Canada (X-FILES convention)
Rebecca will be at most of these with me. Nothing else scheduled at
the moment -- I have to keep SOME time for writing.
KJA
Subj: Re:New Novels & tucson
Date: 95-08-21 18:17:13 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Layla, I don't know exactly where in Tucson yet -- it's a comic store
and bookstore, run by Tom Patterson who has a radio show. I'll get
exact information closer to the right date.
Since THE NEW REBELLION and THE BLACK FLEET CRISIS are works in
progress, I can't really comment about them, and I don't know exactly
where they fit in. They're next year's books...I'm still working on
1995!
Best,
KJA
Subj: More stuff
Date: 95-08-22 20:53:16 EDT
From: Kevin J. Anderson
Thanks, Tom Dupree, for answering the question of how to write a SW
novel -- if these people take your advice and go to work on their own
creations, we may have a tidal wave of new science fiction coming out
in the next few years.
DARKSABER is coming out in hardcover, on sale date in October; it
follows CHILDREN OF THE JEDI, but has a summary up front so you don't
*have* to read Barb's book first
Ditto Steve Perry's argument re: the fans not being a captive
audience. If that were true, then every SW book published wold sell
the exact same number of copies, and that just isn't the case. I
believe that there is a hardcore group of fans -- probably most of YOU
-- who will indeed try to pick up everything they see, and will like
some items better than others, but will continue to buy the stuff,
regardless. But you're only the "cream of the crop" (or the tip of
the iceberg, or whatever).
As for the CANTINA book, I worked closely with all the other authors,
sometimes strong-arming them into writing a particular character,
while others had their pick. I made certain the authors whose stories
connected, got in touch with each other. Wait until you read JABBA,
which is even more intricate, I think.
Rebecca and I have a true collaboration: we plot the whole book
together, break it down into chapters, divide them between us, and
then go writing. Afterward, we edit each other's stuff.
DARK EMPIRE will indeed be included in my STAR WARS CHRONOLOGY as part
of the saga; George Lucas personally liked DE so much that he gave out
the collected version as his corporate Christmas present the year it
was published...much the same as this year he is giving out THE
ILLUSTRATED STAR WARS UNIVERSE, with gorgeous new art by Ralph
McQuarrie and text by some author named Andnerdson or something...
Off to Scotland for Worldcon. Back in a couple of weeks.
KJA
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__________________________________________
_________| |_________
\ | May the Force be with you . . . | /
\ | | /
\ | Alec Usticke AOL Star Wars Host | /
/ | unc...@nai.net -or- uncl...@aol.com | \
/ |__________________________________________| \
/____________) (___________\
Greg Gerrand
: WARS universe" -- but the very popularity of my books and the volume
: of fan mail received by Lucasfilm suggests that such opinions are in
: the minority.
The rebellion was a minority too.
Atsushi Kanamori
Greg Gerrand <gger...@postoffice.utas.edu.au> wrote:
>: Again, I'm sorry if some of you think my work is "ruining the STAR
>: WARS universe" -- but the very popularity of my books and the volume
>: of fan mail received by Lucasfilm suggests that such opinions are in
>: the minority.
>
But the rebel scum had the the fact that the person
who ultimately decides what happens in their galaxy
(George) was on their side.
In your case, he is not.
Jason John Seaver
Alec Usticke <unc...@nai.net> wrote:
>Here are some more messages from Kevin J. Anderson, author of THE JEDI
>ACADEMY trilogy and THE SITH WAR comic book. He also edited TALES
>FROM THE MOS EISLEY CANTINA and is writing the YOUNG JEDI KNIGHTS saga
>with his wife, Rebecca Moesta. These are reposted from the America
>Online Star Wars Forum.
>
>If you'd like to ask Kevin a question, send it to me. I'll post it on
>the AOL SW Forum and when Kevin responds, you can see the answer when
>I repost the message here. Kevin asks that you pose these questions
>publicly, so everyone may see the answer.
Kevin says...
>DARKSABER picks up right where CHILDREN OF THE JEDI left off,
>continues the romance between Luke and Callista, and teams up Admiral
>Daala from my Jedi Academy books with Pellaeon from Tim Zahn's books.
>Just yesterday, SCI-FI UNIVERSE magazine called DARKSABER "the first
>of the new STAR WARS novels that makes the Empire into a genuine
>threat again--the best sequel book so far."
NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't mess with these characters. I like
Callista, and hope she's written out in a creative way when Luke and Mara
finally get together, but who out there really wants to see Daala again?
And hasn't the wholesale abuse of Mara Jade by Kevin J. Anderson and Roger
MacBride Allen been enough to make anyone else very afraid of what will happen
to Pellaeon when Anderson grabs him?
This Kevin guy also writes...
>Lucasfilm has asked me to do many more projects for them, and my books
>will continue to appear regularly over the next several years. You're
>entitled to your opinion -- nobody says you have to like everything I
>write...but if you don't care for what I'm doing, then don't buy it.
>Read Roger McBride Allen's books, or Steve Perry's, or Kristine
>Kathryn Rusch's, or Mike McDowell's, or Mike Stackpole's -- they're
>all coming out in the future, too. It's a big universe and there's
>room for everybody.
Ah, but if Bantam Spectra is going to be showing some restraint in
how many SW books they release in a given year, every Kevin Anderson book
is occupying a slot that could be filled by a COMPETENT author, or even
someone actively good like Tim Zahn, Brian Daley, or Barbara Hambly. And
Mr. Anderson is tying up a lot of slots.
>>Kevin J. Anderson has done more for the Star Wars universe than any other
>>person, except Lucas of course, he has written the Jedi trilogy, TOTJ, Dark
>>Lords, and the Sith>War...
Or TO the Star Wars universe.
I'm sorry. That was nasty and gratuitous, but oh-so-hard to resist.
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: I'm sorry. That was nasty and gratuitous, but oh-so-hard to resist.
Yeah, well, as long as you're telling the truth, who gives a shit if it was
nasty and gratuitous?
And you were telling the truth. You put it perfectly. Every book that
Anderson writes is a slot taken from a potentially good author.
Greg Gerrand
> and Hambly screwed SW up!
Ahhhh, the cut and thrust of intelligent debate.
I got this on Email. I don't know if it's on the newsgroup or not.
OrganaS
Here's the thing: a lot of people, like me, are often going to buy
WHATEVER SW books are out there just cos we crave new SW stuff. The fact
that a book is purchased doesn't mean the person automatically likes the
book, as any author ought to realize. I finished reading the Jedi Academy
trilogy even after I realized I really didn't like it, because I was
interested in seeing what Anderson would do, and I kept hoping he would
improve in my eyes. This never happened and I've decided not to put
myself through his other books till I'm desperate for new SW stuff.
Here's another very important thing: instead of just posting our gripes,
********we need to send them to the people who MAKE THESE DECISIONS: the
publisher and Lucasarts themselves. If we really care about this being
changed, then that's where we have to go, cos no matter who agrees or
disagrees on the newsgroups and fan clubs, we can't do nothin' about it
like this.********
"I don't know the meaning of the word surrender!! --Well I mean I know
it; I'm not dumb. Just not in this context." --the Tick
Bethany
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: > Shut up! Zahn, Anderson YES Anderson were both good. I think Wolverton
: > and Hambly screwed SW up!
: Ahhhh, the cut and thrust of intelligent debate.
: I got this on Email. I don't know if it's on the newsgroup or not.
Well, after rereading all of these books (except Crystal Star - don't want
to ever read another 'we want the jedi babies for new Emperors so we'll
kidnap them' plot), here's my ranking. Top to bottom.
Tyers
Wolverton
Zahn
Anderson
Of course, there is a HUGE gap between Zahn and Anderson.
Am I missing anyone?
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: ********we need to send them to the people who MAKE THESE DECISIONS: the
: publisher and Lucasarts themselves. If we really care about this being
: changed, then that's where we have to go, cos no matter who agrees or
: disagrees on the newsgroups and fan clubs, we can't do nothin' about it
: like this.********
Wanna bet, sweetheart? Anderson is slated to do these books, and what do you
think the odds are that he's got it in a contract? Not to mention, after
seeing the reactions to his first few books that he probably had everything
copied MANY, MANY times and stored in many safe deposit boxes around the
world so that not all copies could be destroyed.
Face it, Bantam has fucked up, and short of Anderson dying horribly, nothing
will change.
PS. I just realized that I forgot (in my previous post) Allen. He goes
about level with Zahn.
OrganaS
(me here -->)
: Here's another very important thing: instead of just posting our
gripes,
: ********we need to send them to the people who MAKE THESE DECISIONS:
the
: publisher and Lucasarts themselves. If we really care about this being
: changed, then that's where we have to go, cos no matter who agrees or
: disagrees on the newsgroups and fan clubs, we can't do nothin' about it
: like this.********
>Wanna bet, sweetheart? Anderson is slated to do these books, and what do
you
>think the odds are that he's got it in a contract? Not to mention, after
>seeing the reactions to his first few books that he probably had
everything
>copied MANY, MANY times and stored in many safe deposit boxes around the
>world so that not all copies could be destroyed.
>Face it, Bantam has fucked up, and short of Anderson dying horribly,
nothing
>will change.
Well, sure, I know you're right about that contract thing. I just meant
that we're preaching to the choir here. The people who OUGHT to hear our
discontents are tucked away in their little offices....
Atsushi Kanamori
Joshua Edward Sitarz <sit...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu> wrote:
>Yeah, well, as long as you're telling the truth,
>who gives a shit if it was nasty and gratuitous?
Hmm, pretty revealing.
And pretty childish.
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: that we're preaching to the choir here. The people who OUGHT to hear our
: discontents are tucked away in their little offices....
Well, supposedly, they do read this group..so who knows?
Slice
>sit...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu (Joshua Edward Sitarz) said:
>: Or TO the Star Wars universe.
>: I'm sorry. That was nasty and gratuitous, but oh-so-hard to resist.
>>Yeah, well, as long as you're telling the truth, who gives a shit if it
>was
>>nasty and gratuitous?
>>And you were telling the truth. You put it perfectly. Every book that
>>Anderson writes is a slot taken from a potentially good author.
>Here's the thing: a lot of people, like me, are often going to buy
>WHATEVER SW books are out there just cos we crave new SW stuff. The fact
>that a book is purchased doesn't mean the person automatically likes the
>book, as any author ought to realize. I finished reading the Jedi Academy
>trilogy even after I realized I really didn't like it, because I was
>interested in seeing what Anderson would do, and I kept hoping he would
>improve in my eyes. This never happened and I've decided not to put
>myself through his other books till I'm desperate for new SW stuff.
>Here's another very important thing: instead of just posting our gripes,
>********we need to send them to the people who MAKE THESE DECISIONS: the
>publisher and Lucasarts themselves. If we really care about this being
>changed, then that's where we have to go, cos no matter who agrees or
>disagrees on the newsgroups and fan clubs, we can't do nothin' about it
>like this.********
>"I don't know the meaning of the word surrender!! --Well I mean I know
>it; I'm not dumb. Just not in this context." --the Tick
>Bethany
Well if you're interested in talking to someone who means something, why
don't you talk to Kevin himself.
His e-mail is
kev...@aol.com
Simple as that....
Sarah Biery
The women, McIntyre and Hambly.
--
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sig, sig, bo big, banana fanna fo fig, me my mo mig, sig!
-----------------------------------------------------------
Atsushi Kanamori
If I was using this group as a representative of my target
audience, I wouldn't be peddling novels, I'd be peddling
picture popup books.
Pat Gonzales
sit...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu writes:
>But they're not, because people will buy the books once Anderson teams up
>with his four year old and starts writing the books in crayon. People will
>buy pretty much any Star Wars book just because they want to see how the
>Universe is going.
Wrong.
I bought the Zahn books when they first came out -- thrilled that Lucas
had finally given the go-ahead to someone to publish professionally in
the Star Wars universe.
After finishing his trilogy, I decided at that point *not* to buy any
more Star Wars pro stuff -- because much of the fan fiction I had read
during the previous 10-15 years was, I felt, better than the story that
Zahn had put together. Though his storytelling was quite competent, and I
liked his writing style, I found his novels lacking in the "look and
feel" of the Star Wars universe, and I *hated* the cliched plot
contrivance of having the female protagonist (in this case, Leia) having
TWINS -- one of each sex. If it was from Lucas, I think he could have
done better. It's like "let's get everything out of the way at once." (Of
course, Zahn may not have had a choice.....it was twins or nothing....)
Perhaps that colored my viewpoint, but it has been a few years since I
even bothered to look at the SW novels on the shelf. Even with the
respectable Barbara Hambly and Vonda McIntyre (both of whom I have read
and enjoyed immensely) writing.
Last month I picked up Anderson's Jedi Search, partially because he's
doing the next X Files novelization, and partially because I was curious
to see if the bitching in this newsgroup and elsewhere was justified, and
quite frankly, in my opinion it isn't. I guess I disagree with most of
the people on the list. I liked his plot very much, at least in this
first book of the trilogy, and I don't have any problems with the
"despised" Sun Crusher so far. (Heck, if I can buy the Death Star -- that
amount of metallic mass -- traveling through hyperspace fast enough to
get to Yavin 4 to blow up the rebel base, I can buy into the Sun
Crusher.) He has a very straightforward literal style, and I would
prefer a little more adjectivity :-) (I never thought I'd be asking a
writer to be more flowery, but in this case, I am) but I look forward to
reading the other two books in this trilogy, and his other stuff as I
have time for. And more probably the stories by the other SW writers, too.
I'm not a dewy-eyed twentysomething Wing Commander junkie. I'm a
fortysomething eccentric old lady who stood in line at the theater for
the first showings of TESB and ROTJ. I've been around the block in
fandom, having read and written more fan Star Wars stuff than some of you
whiners could read in a year.
I just couldn't take any more "Anderson's writing sucks" posts without
giving the viewpoint of the other side, someone who actually does like
his stuff.
Pat Gonzales
Keeper of the X Files FAQ
Jason John Seaver
>sit...@alpha2.csd.uwm.edu (Joshua Edward Sitarz) said:
>
>: Or TO the Star Wars universe.
>
>: I'm sorry. That was nasty and gratuitous, but oh-so-hard to resist.
>
>>Yeah, well, as long as you're telling the truth, who gives a shit if it was
>>nasty and gratuitous?
>
>>And you were telling the truth. You put it perfectly. Every book that
>>Anderson writes is a slot taken from a potentially good author.
>
>Here's the thing: a lot of people, like me, are often going to buy
>WHATEVER SW books are out there just cos we crave new SW stuff. The fact
>that a book is purchased doesn't mean the person automatically likes the
>book, as any author ought to realize. I finished reading the Jedi Academy
>trilogy even after I realized I really didn't like it, because I was
>interested in seeing what Anderson would do, and I kept hoping he would
>improve in my eyes. This never happened and I've decided not to put
>myself through his other books till I'm desperate for new SW stuff.
I understand this; I, myself, buy every new SW book that comes out
and I do read it, if only because the stuff in it may be referenced in an
actual GOOD Star Wars novel, which is currently defined as one written by
Timothy Zahn, Barbara Hambly, Brian Daley or L. Niel Smith. But let no-one
think I get something by Kevin Anderson because I ENJOY it.
>Here's another very important thing: instead of just posting our gripes,
>********we need to send them to the people who MAKE THESE DECISIONS: the
>publisher and Lucasarts themselves. If we really care about this being
>changed, then that's where we have to go, cos no matter who agrees or
>disagrees on the newsgroups and fan clubs, we can't do nothin' about it
>like this.********
True enough.
Atsushi Kanamori
>think the odds are that he's got it in a contract? Not to mention, after
>seeing the reactions to his first few books that he probably had everything
>copied MANY, MANY times and stored in many safe deposit boxes around the
>world so that not all copies could be destroyed.
>
>Face it, Bantam has fucked up,
Fucked up according to whose criteria? And according to whose accounting
of that criteria?
The only truly objective criterion there is (and the only one that
matters to Bantam) is how profitable the novel line is. Provide
figures backed up by reliable sources that show that Bantam is losing
tons of money by keeping KJA on their contract and maybe someone
other than the converted will start listening to your choir.
Of course, you'll be breaking r.a.s.s.m's Prime Directive by
bringing facts into the discussion.
>nothing
>will change.
About the only smart thing that's been said around here on this subject.
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: sledgehammer style is a bit jarring, but the subject material is
: pretty good, whereas Tyers' and McIntyre's writing styles were
: rather good, but the stories themselves weren't.
: - Jason
How can you SAY that? You give Anderson a good rating for content? The guy
who writes a book containing an indestructable ship and an entire boatload
of apprentices, of which you knew EXACTLY which two were going to head for
the Dark Side?
The indestructable ship is what really bothered me, though. HOW STUPID CAN
YOU GET?
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: Fucked up according to whose criteria? And according to whose accounting
: of that criteria?
Fucked up according to my criteria and the criteria of all those who believe
that Anderson is a big waste of paper.
: The only truly objective criterion there is (and the only one that
: matters to Bantam) is how profitable the novel line is. Provide
: figures backed up by reliable sources that show that Bantam is losing
: tons of money by keeping KJA on their contract and maybe someone
: other than the converted will start listening to your choir.
: Of course, you'll be breaking r.a.s.s.m's Prime Directive by
: bringing facts into the discussion.
But they're not, because people will buy the books once Anderson teams up
Paul Louis
>
>|> Tyers
>|> Wolverton
>|> Zahn
>|> Anderson
>|>
>|> Of course, there is a HUGE gap between Zahn and Anderson.
>|>
>|> Am I missing anyone?
>The women, McIntyre and Hambly.
THE women? What's Kathy Tyers now? Or doesn't (s)he count?
==_STAR_====================================================================
| | | Sent by Paul Louis The Hutt | |
| |<=0=>| EMail i8acorns.demon.co.uk o----[]--0 |
| | | May The Force Be With You | |
====================================================================~WARS~==
Joshua Edward Sitarz
: Simple as that....
Why? Because you can write him any kind of letter you want, and I can
guarantee he'll say 'but my work has been considered for several major
awards, etc, etc, etc...bullshit....bullshit...etc...'
Charles Baldridge
>I bought the Zahn books when they first came out -- thrilled that Lucas
>had finally given the go-ahead to someone to publish professionally in
>the Star Wars universe.
Same here. I had been thirsting for Star Wars for sometime, but wanted someone to do it right when
it was done. I read all of Zahn's books and I liked them. Like yourself, some people have expressed
a feeling of "lack" in the books. I thought they followed up pretty well, and hope Zahn continues writing
in the Star Wars universe.
>feel" of the Star Wars universe, and I *hated* the cliched plot
>contrivance of having the female protagonist (in this case, Leia) having
>TWINS -- one of each sex. If it was from Lucas, I think he could have
I don't think that is what he is getting at. Remember, Luke & Leia = twins. I think
he was following the "a twin is more likely to have twins" idea. Making them male and
female merely follows the story line to make them like their mother and uncle. I think
Jacen and Jaina bring an interesting point to the story, but I feel that Anakin (especially
so far in the Correllian trilogy) is a little bit TOO extraordinary. You may not have read
these books, but Anakin (for his age) seems to be RIDICULOUSLY powerful. Of course, this
is not one of Zahn's OR Anderson's books, so I'll leave it at that.
>the people on the list. I liked his plot very much, at least in this
>first book of the trilogy, and I don't have any problems with the
>"despised" Sun Crusher so far. (Heck, if I can buy the Death Star -- that
>amount of metallic mass -- traveling through hyperspace fast enough to
>get to Yavin 4 to blow up the rebel base, I can buy into the Sun
I enjoyed Anderson's books as well, but I think if I had to choose (which I would
rather not) I would pick Zahn. Of course, it was Zahn's books that first brought me
into modern Star Wars writing, so perhaps I'm biased. Maybe it's time to go back and
re-read both trilogies and recompare..
Charles Baldridge