Discussion in 'Literature' started by russelguppy, Apr 24, 2005.
Another abridged novel from Denning then.
That's . . . shockingly short. Denning and Allston have tended to smaller books, especially as the series has gone on, but that's pretty short for the big finale. I'd hoped for something more than that.
That short from someone who wrote something as long as Star By Star? Well, I guess the decision isn't entirely in his hands.
There is no way this series can be properly finished in 299 pages. I hope thats wrong.
Wow, and at hardcover price, too. This better be a darn good book.
Agreed. I expected at least 400 pgs. Then again, Inferno jumped around like an Aing-Tii monk on crack cocaine, so it's conceivable that Denning can squeeze a lot into that small a space.
Yeah... Here's hoping she accidentally typed the 2 instead of a 3.
Err...actually multiple SW authors have said that the length of their novels is pretty much left up to them. There may well have been some other factors in this case, desire to keep pricepoint low or something, but mandated lengths haven't been something I've seen any SW authors talk about, and it's usually quite the opposite reply when they are asked.
Yeah, I doubt they'd tell Denning that he couldn't write a 400- or 500-page novel if he wanted to and he had to tie up LOTF. They let Revelation come in at 400 pages, so clearly the editors aren't gun-shy about it, and they'd only be more inclined to let that go with the final chapter. I guess we just have to assume Denning thinks he can tie everything up in 300 pages.
totally...it was like playing blind-folded boomerang. I hope he does the final in a more tame fashion because if I read it, I am not particularly looking forward to another dizzy spell. Sometimes loose ends were not tied up at all though and there were more books to get there, but this last he won't have that benefit.
Only 300 pages to conclude this wreck of a series?! Ok, now I'm really worried. Not to mention that it seems like a waste of a hardcover for something that short. Though it'll be a big book since its a hardcover, so maybe more words per page? But considering how big VotF and TUF were, I'd expect something bigger. Than again, they just need to kill Jacen, deal with Tahiri somehow and than talk the Confederation members down and... I think that's it. Revelation will cover the "revelation" of who killed Mara (no, I haven't read the latest book yet, but considering its been ridiculously obvious, I don't think that's a spoiler anyway).
Oh well, I'm still hopeful Denning will deliver. Though I'll probably read through the book in the bookstore first before buying it...
Wonder if there'll be any other extras included in the hardcover.
No extras, I think we can be sure of that. The paperback version of it is of course a different thing.
It better be good... I mean sheesh, the jacen v Jaina fight should be at least a chapter in itself. How can you possibly wrap up a story like that in 299 pages...
Don't let us down Denning
I'm still wondering why they gave Leia 3 children in the first place only to kill off one of her boys and set the other one up for a stunning killing as well. What did Leia do to deserve this? All I can think is that the new series wants to highlight Jaina as the new great hope, saving Ben and Allana in the wings for future series. I suppose they could redeem and save Jacen, but if they don't, I would be pretty disappointed in their overall treatment of Leia's line. It is like it was destined for doom - maybe this is some sort of oddball payback for her not seeing the good in her father? Luke set Anakin's path for redemption so his line, the Skywalker namesakes, get all the glory?
I think the answer is simpler. Leia had three kids and the people at DR see deaths as an easy way of moving plots forward and thought that killing one of the boys wouldn't harm their sales and that nobody would miss one child after the initial shock because there would be still two kids left. Jacen would be the main hero in the future and Jaina would be the necessary girl having her somewhat lesser adventures and her romances.
But then came Kathy Tyers and gave Luke and Mara a male child, so dooming Jacen.
I think it's certain that without Ben Jacen wouldn't have fallen, because he would have been needed to be the male main character in the younger generation. But with Ben there was again an "extra" character in the younger generation and with the PT, Skywalker became a far more important brand than Solo. And as DR is keen of character deaths, they decided to kill Jacen and make Ben the leading character. After all, nobody would really miss Jacen if he would be killed, as there would still be one male and one female character in the second generation, the first one being the main hero and the second one having her subplots and romances.
Now Ben is safe for a long time, because Skywalker name is such a big brand in EU, eclipsing everything else, and because there are no male competitors for him. Allana being a girl means that she can't be a future main hero. Ben has to live so long that he has at least one male child and that there is a male replacement for him among the younger characters. Even if Jaina would get together with Jagged Fel and had a son already in 41 ABY, that would mean that Ben is safe at least until the mid-50's ABY, and more likely Ben can be replaced only by his own son as the main hero of the younger generation because of the last name. As much as the Fel family fans praise their objects of worship, the Fel name isn't strong enough to carry the franchise.
That is assuming Luke has no more children. With Mara dead, some irrepresible author may find a new wife for him who gives him a son...But yeah, I wrote about the Solo infection in another thread. Han Solo is ordinary and in the end, so are his kids. Thus, they are all disposable.
Yes, Luke might get another son by a new wife, but still Ben would be safe until he would have a son himself (Cade being confirmed as descendant of Mara) and his half-brother would be ready to become the main hero and that could happen - if Luke wouldn't remarry really quickly - no sooner than in the late 50's ABY.
I don't think that Han being ordinary is the reason. It's that the PT made SW the story of the Skywalkers and Han's children are Solos - descended from Skywalkers, but they don't have that last name and so they are inferior to true Skywalkers, at least when it comes to marketing purposes. As long as there wasn't a true Skywalker of the younger generation available to be the main hero the Solos were used because they were the only choice, but when the prince of the Skywalker dynasty became old enough to be given his "rightful" place in EU, the younger Solos had done their duty for the franchise and could be disposed of.
I agree, but that is pretty lame. I mean there are enough references to "your grandfather" made to reassure the reader that we are still dealing with the Skywalker legacy. And Han was a hero of SW also. I say use up his line, but don't destroy it. Let them retire in peace.
disappointed as i was at the length of the novel (i wanted another SbS too!) i have the feeling that you nailed it; i think this book is going to have the feeling that Denning chased a pot of coffee with a few lines of coke, then wrote the whole book in 30 minutes.
that's not so say it's going to be bad though. i just don't expect a lot of 'down time' for characters in Invincible. once the *#$& hits the fan, i expect it's going to be one hell of a ride for the remainder (most of) the book.
which is the only thing that does disappoint me; if i'm right, i don't expect much closure at the end of the novel.
Rogue - seriously - what is with you and the reoccuring gender war? was not Nomi Sunrider a massively important Jedi of her era? why do you insist that the females cannot be 'the' hero?
do you just have some kind of personal issue?
You misunderstand me. I would like to see a female character as the main hero in some era. I'm just commenting how in current EU female characters apparently can't get that role. The main hero always has to be a male. Yes, Nomi Sunrider was important - she was the equivalent of Leia in TOTJ, yet Ulic was the main hero. Males are always the main heroes in EU. The only exception is KOTOR II, a game, where the canonical gender of the hero was later, in the Droids guide, chosen to be female. But that was sometime after the game was released. And people still complain about it!
i rescind my previous accusation
I am in the process of reading the book, and I think it's pretty good so far.
One thing I would like to say is I found a line by Boba Fett extremely funny. It was where Jaina said something along the line of "No one has killed more Jedi than you." And he replied with a "I don't know, my brother killed quite a number back in the day." I don't know why I laughed so hard at that, but I found it disturbingly funny.
Oops! Wrong thread!
You mean the brother named Jango Fett, right?