Jordan’s Comments (group member since Sep 27, 2012)

Jordan’s comments from the The Expanded Universe group.

lol This is the first time I've seen positive comments about this change from fellow fans. I think this will be an interesting reboot of the universe. It'll be interesting to see how much of the old EU gets reimagined in the new Universe. I like the comparison to the DC New 52. Might also see elements of Marvel's Ultimate Universe. But it's going to take a while to get used to. A lot of the EU was background info to "explain" events or references in the canon films. For example, Darth Bane and the Rule of Two. And now that Darth Bane has appeared in the Clone Wars series, how much of his established background is going to carry forward?

Yeah, I couldn't resist revisiting some of my favourite books, which I haven't read in probably fifteen years. In theory, being able to enjoy the book in a couple hours, rather than 10 or 12 hours, seems nice, but if I hadn't already read and enjoyed the full novel I certainly wouldn't have enjoyed the audiobook as much.

I just finished listening to the abridged audio book for Rogue Squadron, which is one of my favourite Star Wars books of all time, and while I enjoyed the sound effects and music I thought it was criminal they cut it down to 2.5 hours. Missed out on so much of the great character stuff I loved so much in the book.

Not having played KOTOR, I'm hesitant to get into the Old Republic novels. Which sucks, cause I hear good things about them. Just finished reading the KOTOR comics though, so maybe I'll give it a try.

After reading Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi, of course...

Yeah, I enjoyed that aspect of the Hand of Judgement duology. Many of the good guys are Imperial characters, but you get to see Imperials working to protect lives and preserve order. Its not just the stormtroopers: Mara Jade is hunting down corruption, even if she is doing it in palpatine's name. Even Thrawn in Choices is trying to defend innocent lives. Kudos to Zahn for adding dimension to the "evil Galactic Empire."

My favourite series was the X-Wing series. Apart from introducing Corran Horn, it isn't hugely important to the larger canon, but it's just fun!

I also bought the Essential Reader's companion first day, and I use it to remind myself what happened in earlier books which I haven't read for nearly ten years. Actually just finished reading through the New Jedi Order summaries to help with context for Dark Nest. And the behind the scenes info about alternate story ideas, etc. was fascinating!

I made the mistake of selling off all of my Star Wars novels at a garage sale years ago, and I'm in the process of buying new or used copies of some of my favourite series that I've read. The problem is I keep thinking of books that I didn't especially enjoy, but which introduce stories or characters which are important later. For example, Children of the Jedi was the second Star Wars book I ever read, but despite sentimental attachment it remains one of my least favourite books. However, Irek Ismaren returns as an antagonist in the New Jedi Order. So do I seek out and buy that book to complete my shelf? I don't know how new readers can begin to decide what to read. Thank goodness for The Essential Reader's Companion, and recommendations from other GoodReads users!

That's a really good point. so many of the stories in the New Jedi Order and beyond draw heavily on characters and plot threads from earlier novels, which as a fan of earlier novels is a bit of a thrill, but it does make it extraordinarily difficult to "catch up". It reminds me of my recent attempts to get into reading Marvel comic books: everytime I try to start a story arc I realize that it relies on knowledge of events that happened across 8 different titles 5 years ago, and going back just forces you back further...

Anyways, just finished Dark Nest II so it's on to The Swarm War. I have to admit, I thought this trilogy was going to be one of those stories that fills in a gap but nothing significant really happens, but this second book really proved me wrong. The discord in the Jedi Order, and the developments in Jacen's character really impressed me. Sadly I've already been spoiled to much of what is to come (it's my own fault for being ten years behind but still curious to read all the book announcement posts for each new book!) but it's interesting to see how dramatic events which seemed "out of the blue" have been foreshadowed in this book. Really glad I've been getting into Star Wars again!

I agree. It's been a while since I read them, but I feel like people tend to hate on thr NJO more than it deserves. It definitely was ambitious, and it may not have always lived up to those.ambitions in every book, but it definitely took the series in a completely new direction, away from the "Imperial warlord"/"Dark Side User" of the month pattern of the Bantam era (not that many of those books are not excellent books themselves).

I'm so far behind in Star Wars novels. Finished the NJO and then got distracted by school, so now that I'm back in I'm reading the Dark Nest stuff. I've read a few prequel era books in the past year or so, but I'm really enjoying this post-NJO stuff more. Maybe it's because there is so much more flexibility for storylines. Maybe it's because I've already read so many books about these beloved characters. Whatever it is, I'm really enjoying it!

I did watch the show, but I can't say I loved it. Like the prequel films, I enjoyed it for the actions scenes: space battles and lightsaber duels. But I found the stories consistently childish. I just felt like the characters were inconsistent: is Anakin a wise Jedi teacher the Council trusts absolutely, or the arrogant kid who is frustrated at the council always excluding him?

Overall, I enjoyed the show. I am sad in a way that it is over. But in my mind it always felt like a "alternate, child-friendly" universe separate from the rest of the canon, which in my mind includes the movies, books, comics, etc. Of course, the irony is that TCW is more canon than any of that other stuff (except movies), but I never wanted to treat it that way.

Perhaps asking this in a group dedicated to Star Wars novels is redundant, but how do you guys feel about the ways The Clone Wars conflicted with the EU?

I wish everything would somehow fit together seamlessly, but I don't think these big producers and screenwriters are going to want to chain themselves to 20+ years of material that the average movie goer isn't familiar with anyways... :-(

I think best case scenario we can hope for for the EU would be a Marvel-like approach where the movies draw on the best storylines and. characters from the EU without explicitly adapting any particular book. I suspect they will largely ignore EU material though, similar to the way Clone Wars more or less tramples the EU clone wars timeline.

I preordered this book at the bookstore I work at, but it's still buried on a skid somewhere. hopefully I'll get my hands on it tomorrow!

here's an amazon link


http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/03455111...

Of course, with the Essential Reader's Companion releasing today it'll be a lot easier to follow these threads through twenty years of books!