What dont you like about Anderson's books?
Admiral Daala
I like the character Daala but I don't like her "inability".
.
: . "When we drink, we get drunk.
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Hic! >__< C|c| lozi...@csugrad.cs.vt.edu
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gerard lynch
(POSSIBLE SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Let me start by saying that I have no desire to debate the issue
of who's better: Zahn or Anderson. Different people have different
tastes and that's fine with me. But since the question was
asked, here's why I didn't enjoy it:
1) _Too Many_ unnecessary references to everything else that has
ever been written about Star Wars. I personally have read almost
everything related to Star Wars and still felt overwhelmed with the
references...I can only imagine how people who haven't read everything
most have felt (it seemed that a good portion of this group hadn't
read _Dark Empire_ and were pretty lost/annoyed by those references).
2) All the things that very conveniently fell into place. eg:
"We need someone to investigate a possible gambling jedi"
(in walks Lando)
"I need a job"
"We need more jedi"
"I just found this new jedi reflex AND an imperial detector."
(Isn't it also a wonderful coincidence that Han and Chewie
find a jedi to save the day for them?)
3) The limited scope of the universe. To me, Star Wars takes place
in a big galaxy with a lot habitable planet. Why then must we
go to all the same places (Yavin, Bespin, Dantooine(sp?), etc.)?
This question also relates to my point #1. (I did like going
to Kessel...probably the best part of the book. Only wish he
took us more places.)
4) Why the EMPIRE? I'm personally tired of them. I understand
that this is probably due to the fact that I've read almost all
the SW books, but I think its time we move on to some other
agressor considering that based on Anderson's own references
the empire was beat at the end of ROTJ, the end of Zahn, the
end of Dark Empire....why is it we never get rid of them completely?
5) Why these ULTIMATE WEAPONS? Same thing as #4. As Anderson again
say himself: Death Star, Death Star II, World Devastors,......
6) Why are all the women Idiots? (ie both the commander of a
large fleet of the Empire as well as their best scientist.)
7) Overall writing style. I agree with the opinion that Anderson's
writting is not of the same _level_ as other authors that I enjoy.
His writing does seem like something I would consider to be _Young
Adult_. Had the book been labeled such, I think I would have enjoyed
it more since I would have know what I was getting into. (Again, this
is my personal taste and I don't wish to debate it)
There are some other things that I didn't like but it's been a while
and I can't remember them all. There are also some things that I didn't
like him doing with the Star Wars Universe but here especially is an area of
personal taste.
Though I haven't yet, I do plan on eventually reading Dark
Apprentice so I guess you can say that I haven't
given up hope. I do however wish Zahn would write some more since his
books had more of an "EPIC" sense about them that reminded me of the "EPIC"
sence from the movies.
Jerry Lynch
Jeffrey A Bowers
>I like the books except for a couple things here and there like the Jedi
>babies having so much power and they have lived with Winter for
>almost all their lives. Leia has trained more than them, yet they seem more
>powerful.
Yes, but it might be that they are powerful in the Force because they are
Jedi twins, and have a very close mental connection that might serve to
amplify their strength in the Force. It should be interesting to see them
when they are older; they might make a pretty powerful duo.
>I like the fact that there is a female Admiral, but they make her
>screw up every time. She has yet to do something really well. Also, the
>strange coincidences like Wedge meets up with the Hammerhead guy who was at
>Mos Eisley when Luke met Han.
Speaking of Wedge, I really liked the character of Qui Xux. I hope we haven't
seen the end of her. :(.
>I really dislike the way they have treated my
>favorite character Luke. He is almost a whimpy Jedi now.
Yes, this has been very noticable. But remember that right before the
_Search_ books, he turned to the Dark Side for a while and caused some major
havoc. Maybe he's still shaken by this experience, so that he's almost
afriad to fully explore the Force. Maybe he's afraid that he could be
tempted by the Dark Side again. IMHO, of course.
>I do like the
>books for the fast paced action but there seems to be lack of
>characterization in with that. The action goes too fast that we don't get
>to know anything about the character. The books are very interesting though
>and I am looking forward to reading the last one in which hopefully, Luke
>saves face. I like the Jedi academy idea, but the training is confusing
>me. I wouldn't mind reading 100 more pages a book if things were explained
>in better detail. All in all, the books are a good quick read and pretty
>interesting.
You left out the very best part...the Blobstacle Races! We need more
blobstacle races! :)
--
Jeff Bowers
jbo...@mit.edu
Jason Nature Boy Hayes
>From: lozi...@netcom.com (Admiral Daala)
>Subject: What dont you like about Anderson's books?
>Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 19:20:25 GMT
>To repeat the subject, what do you like/dislike about Mr. Anderson's books?
>I like the character Daala but I don't like her "inability".
I like the books except for a couple things here and there like the Jedi
babies having so much power and they have lived with Winter for
almost all their lives. Leia has trained more than them, yet they seem more
powerful. I like the fact that there is a female Admiral, but they make her
screw up every time. She has yet to do something really well. Also, the
strange coincidences like Wedge meets up with the Hammerhead guy who was at
Mos Eisley when Luke met Han. I really dislike the way they have treated my
favorite character Luke. He is almost a whimpy Jedi now. I do like the
books for the fast paced action but there seems to be lack of
characterization in with that. The action goes too fast that we don't get
to know anything about the character. The books are very interesting though
and I am looking forward to reading the last one in which hopefully, Luke
saves face. I like the Jedi academy idea, but the training is confusing
me. I wouldn't mind reading 100 more pages a book if things were explained
in better detail. All in all, the books are a good quick read and pretty
interesting.
Where are you taking this...thing!
Jason
Bethany Murray
homor...@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jason "Nature Boy" Hayes) wrote:
> I like the Jedi academy idea, but the training is confusing
> me. I wouldn't mind reading 100 more pages a book if things were explained
> in better detail. All in all, the books are a good quick read and pretty
> interesting.
I've had a problem with the Jedi Academy idea from the very beginning. The
most common-sense problem: if anyone anti-jedi knows where it is, and has
any kind of a decent weapon of destruction, bye-bye possible guardians of
the New Republic! DUH! And as for as anyone being able to use the force
to stop such a thing, I'm sure there'd be a way around it. Get 'em when
they're sleeping; they seem to be pretty unaware then.
I KNOW Luke's got to get the Jedi back up to speed, but force training is
just not a group activity, as far as I can tell or am concerned. This
isn't something you can rush; you'll end up with people who don't really
know what they're doing or will start down that nasty ol' path to the dark
side, however unwittingly ("oh, just this once I'll..."). Luke would be
better off, IMHO, training like 3 apprentices intensively over a few years'
time, until they in turn are ready to train others.
I really had a problem with a lot of JS, if not ALL of it. It would appear
that I have repressed a lot of it, though. If I ever find I'm able to read
the whole thing again (and I've started trying), I will definitely try to
give examples of why. But I think it's hard to do that when referring to
tone and style, which is part of the problem I have with the books, JS more
than DA. When I say it really reminded me of the way I wrote when I was
15, I _mean_ it. How do I give examples of that? Dig out the stuff I
wrote then and cite it? Yeah, that would be real informative.
I was an English major in college, and as such have read some of what are
generally agreed/considered to be the best books ever written. One of my
favorite authors is Toni Morrison, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature
last year. This is what I'm used to, maybe. I expect a lot from what I
read, maybe, but what I saw in JS puts it at the bottom of my book heap. I
haven't read much SF, really only Adams and Donaldson. Maybe this is why I
have such a problem with KA. But that problem doesn't exist for me re:
Zahn, Wolverton(sometimes) or, as far as I can remember, Tyers.
Someone mentioned a while ago that perhaps it's Lucasfilm we should be
criticizing for giving the go-ahead to whatever author we don't like. I'm
starting to think this is a good idea.
I will definitely read Champions. I personally found DA to be an
improvement over JS, so maybe they'll keep getting better (for me).
Take it or leave it,
Bethany
Mark Browning
In a previous article, homor...@postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu (Jason "Nature Boy" Hayes) says:
>In article <lozinskiC...@netcom.com> lozi...@netcom.com (Admiral Daala) writes:
>>From: lozi...@netcom.com (Admiral Daala)
>>Subject: What dont you like about Anderson's books?
>>Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 19:20:25 GMT
>
>>To repeat the subject, what do you like/dislike about Mr. Anderson's books?
>>I like the character Daala but I don't like her "inability".
>I have read some other criticisms and I realize I have left things out. I
>did think the books were written for a high schooler or someone
>from middle school. Perhaps thats why it was such a fast read. There
>really was too much review of everything. If someone wants an explanation
>of what something is, go buy a Star Wars reference book. I have mentioned
>before the coincidences are bad, but things have improved in the second
>book.
>
>I will take you to Jabba now! - Bib Fortuna
>Jason
>
>
>
>
>
>>
> Hey anyone know about the movie, The Blob and Son of the Blob, now we
know where they are from... Mark
Jason Nature Boy Hayes
>From: lozi...@netcom.com (Admiral Daala)
>Subject: What dont you like about Anderson's books?
>Date: Thu, 4 Aug 1994 19:20:25 GMT
>To repeat the subject, what do you like/dislike about Mr. Anderson's books?
>I like the character Daala but I don't like her "inability".
Glenn M. Saunders
: Speaking of Wedge, I really liked the character of Qui Xux. I hope we haven't
: seen the end of her. :(.
I'm waiting for the sex scene. "She squealed in her high-pitched voice
in ecstacy as Wedge _wedged_ his manhood inside her compatible genital
organs. Wedge's heart raced as he experienced what he had lacked for
most of his adult life."
James Lin
>5) Why these ULTIMATE WEAPONS? Same thing as #4. As Anderson again
>say himself: Death Star, Death Star II, World Devastors,......
I agree with you there... Zahn had a much better concept of using an
ultimate strategist instead... I think it made his books much more
enjoyable... and the Sun Crusher is wayyy too Ultimate. Quantum Armor?
How corny is that? Make storm trooper gear out of it and make an
ultimate storm trooper. Train him in the Force and he's even more
formidable. And the hell with a lightsaber, make him a quantum sword! =)
jame...@west.darkside.com
James Lin
>I have read some other criticisms and I realize I have left things out.
>I did think the books were written for a high schooler or someone
>from middle school. Perhaps thats why it was such a fast read. There
>really was too much review of everything. If someone wants an
>explanation of what something is, go buy a Star Wars reference book. I
>have mentioned before the coincidences are bad, but things have
improved
>in the second book.
Well, I personally think that the books were written for elementary
schoolers... (well, maybe 5th or 6th graders) ... I'm in high school,
and I thought that books were too simplistic...
I thougth that DA was slightly better, but not much... the ogre scene?
What? Since when does a SW universe have OGRES? If they called it a
Gamorrean, it would have been much better... and skiing too? How
ridiculous.
jame...@west.darkside.com
TL Webster
Somehow I can't see it -- you know what LFL are like about anything
R-rated (or M-rated, considering what films are like at the moment).
Remember all the fuss about "Ships in the Night"?
Incidentally, *WHOP!* for that pun.
:)
Cheers, Trace.
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Non Omnia Possumus Omnes
red...@aurora.cc.monash.edu.au++++++++++++++++++red...@penfold.cc.monash.edu.au
Bethany Murray
(James Lin) wrote:
> Well, I personally think that the books were written for elementary
> schoolers... (well, maybe 5th or 6th graders) ... I'm in high school,
> and I thought that books were too simplistic...
>
To everyone who says this: If they were written for "young adults" after
all, and if "young adults" are supposed to read at such a mindless level,
then why did my 13-yr-old cousin have no trouble with Zahn's books, which
were much more complex etc.?
I don't mean _you're_ wrong in saying it. I mean that if this is the case,
then KA is doing some serious underestimating of that particular audience's
skills. Make 'em look up a few words. Make 'em think about stuff. Don't
write down to them.
> and skiing too? How
> ridiculous.
I don't really think so. You got snow, you look for a way to make it fun.
Aerodynamic & physics principles are supposed to (or can, anyway) apply all
over the universe.
Bethany
You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought.
user id as ind
Writer decides, "Okay, I now will introduce this character,
a high-level military commander with exceptional strategic
skills ( "creative solutions", etc. )".
Problem: Writer is not a high-level military commander with
exceptional strategic skills. Writer has to attempt to
"play" the part, with mixed success.
Examples:
- Daala orders her ships & TIEs to attack the Sun Crusher,
even though its armor is indestructible ( as she should
know ); she loses a S.D. for this reason in Jedi Search.
- In Dark Apprentice, Daala decides to attack Coruscant,
possibly the most heavily defended world in the
galaxy, with no discernible plan to circumvent the
planet's energy shield. She simply plans to
ram the planet. Star Destroyer or no Star Destroyer,
she would have been toast.
- also in Dark Apprentice, she falls for a relatively
simple strategy of Admiral Ackbar's.