So what did everyone think of the opening 100 pages of Death Star?
I sometimes have a problem with novels that start off with a bunch of different characters, in different places and bring them together. I didn't have as big a problem with this story, but I do wonder why a few of the characters are in the story so far. I guess that will be revealed.
This is also the first SW novel I have read that has a Vader view point, which I find pretty interesting.
Duffster
I enjoy the scenes with Vil and the Ti pilots; their perspectives are interesting. Did anyone else catch the parallel to the creation story at the beginning of the book, in the first scene with Tarkin? The Reaves and Perry used the line "and it was good" when they described the Grand Moff's assessment of his Battlestation. I don't have the book with me, so I can't write the exact quote. I'll post it later.
The stories are pretty loose ended right now, but I think it will become tighter after we read past chapter 18. I'm enjoying it thus far. Vader's scenes are my favorite.
Has anyone else finished the first 18 chapters?
Sorry, Jen; I'll pick up the pace. :)
I'm reading this while trying to finish up the DS9: Mission Gamma Series. Each time I pick up Death Star, the Star Trek books give me the ol' puppy-dog eyes, and I end up reading Trek instead. I'm going to have to lock those books up until I finish this one. 8)
I also like those characters. They are definitely the odd ducks out, and I have been finding myself wondering where they will fit in.
Duffster
Personally I like the sergeant (cen't recall his name right now). They keep calling him a guard but I wonder if he's a stormtrooper?
The one on Despyre? I bet he is a stormtrooper.
I recognized Uli's name (the surgeon) when I first read it... It just now dawned on me how I know him. He is also in the Clone Wars Novels Med Star I and II. Great books that are reminiscent of MASH.
I am up to Chapter 7, I hope to get to Chapter 18 by the end of the week. Seems like a lot of Characters so far, so hopefully I can keep track of them all. The Gunnery officer sounds interesting, and the Guard on Despyre as well.
I do like the Gunny. I would like to fire the big gun also if that was my career!
Duffster
Quote from: Duffster on November 28, 2007, 07:39:18 AM
I do like the Gunny. I would like to fire the big gun also if that was my career!
Duffster
Sounds like a fun idea but I think they may be setting him up to be a bit too moral to blow up planets.
I do like how MCGO Tenn Graneet's character is being developed. Who knows billybob? He might still not hesitate very much to pull the trigger on that super weapon. He works on guns--it's what he does and he loves it.
I also like Ratua and Sgt. Nova Stihl. Even though Nova is part of the Imperial military, he comes across as a good guy. According to the list of characters, he's an Imperial Marines guard sergeant. Does that mean he's a stormtrooper? What exactly is a stormtrooper anyway?
I find Darth Vader interesting as well; I didn't think he would be able to feel physical pain.
Jen, I didn't catch the parallels to the creation story. Either I wasn't paying too much attention or it simply went over my head which means my reading skills need to improve. :-\
I'd also like to add that I do really enjoy the way we're getting into Vader's head. It definitely makes him an even more interesting character then he was in the first place.
The reference I made about the creation parallel was early in Chapter two:
Willhuff Tarkin—now Grand Moff Tarkin, with that exalted promotion being due to this very project—stood before the deck-to-ceiling transparisteel viewport on the observation deck, looked out at his creation, and found it good. He was building a world.
The paragraph used "exalted promotion" to describe his title, as well as the sentences "looked out at his creation, and found it good." and "He was building a world." I just thought that was a great way to really drive home how full of himself Tarkin was. He very well could have thought of himself as a god with all that power the Emperor had given him. I'm sure he felt the Death Star would triple that power once it was completed.
Though interestingly, he knew that challenging the emperor was still beyond his power.
I agree Jen. The sentence structure and wording for that paragraph was pretty interesting.
I don't know that the Gunny will have a problem pulling the trigger. After all he is a career military guy. He may not like it, but I think he will feel that it is his job. This should make for a good morale quandary.
Duffster
True about the gunny, though I think if he is a reasonable human being (which it looks like they are making him out to be), destroying a world would weigh heavily on his conscience. They're going to have to do something with him!
Well finally hit chapter 18 last night - book came slow via Amazon's "Free" shipping. Anyway, I'm pretty much in agreement with everyone else so far. It's a pretty easy and quick read but does seem a bit disjointed with all the different characters showing up chapter after chapter. But I think the authors are trying to show how a variety of individuals worked on the Death Star and the vast majority of them were just ordinary people. Kind of makes you think a bit about when Luke blows the thing up. :dstar
I wonder if we will get to that point in this book? I also wonder if many of them escaped? I remember Tarkin refusing to evacuate so I'm guessing most of them were still on board. I do find it a bit funny that they put the best gunner in the fleet to man the "Big Death Star Gun." How hard is it to hit a planet? LOL! I guess maybe it still has to hit a certain spot to blow it up. I do enjoy the Vader stuff. I'm happy he is in the book. So all in all I'm enjoying it so far.
Quote from: Rico on November 30, 2007, 05:03:46 AM
I do find it a bit funny that they put the best gunner in the fleet to man the "Big Death Star Gun." How hard is it to hit a planet? LOL! I guess maybe it still has to hit a certain spot to blow it up. I do enjoy the Vader stuff. I'm happy he is in the book. So all in all I'm enjoying it so far.
I know! I found myself thinking the same thing... I would have assigned the best shot in the Universe to the turbolazers. Hitting moving targets is much harder than hitting a big planet.
Quote from: Jen on November 30, 2007, 06:38:32 AM
Quote from: Rico on November 30, 2007, 05:03:46 AM
I do find it a bit funny that they put the best gunner in the fleet to man the "Big Death Star Gun." How hard is it to hit a planet? LOL! I guess maybe it still has to hit a certain spot to blow it up. I do enjoy the Vader stuff. I'm happy he is in the book. So all in all I'm enjoying it so far.
I know! I found myself thinking the same thing... I would have assigned the best shot in the Universe to the turbolazers. Hitting moving targets are much harder to hit than a big planet.
I don't know about that. Wouldn't it be like a reward? You work hard, become the best gunner in the Imperial Navy and as a reward get posted to a cushy high-profile job killing billions of people at the throw of a lever?
That's exactly how I took it. I also think that that is how Tarkin would have ordered to be. Along the lines of give me only the best....even though all they will have to do is push a button.
Duffster
Sounds like military type thinking. LOL!
Does anyone have the book handy right now?? What chapter ends around page 200??
Chapter 42 begins on page 203. :)
Chapter 41 ends on page 202 Duffster. That is military-type thinking Rico. The best people get to play with the biggest, baddest toys. It's sort of a reward for the best gunner in the navy. Also, I'm sure Tarkin would want the best guy manning his precious weapon.
Also, in the movie all they really showed was a guy pulling a lever, but we might imagine that there is slightly more to firing the superlaser then what was shown. It IS the biggest gun in the galaxy, that would also potentially make it the most complex.
Quote from: PepperDude on November 30, 2007, 11:39:23 AM
Chapter 41 ends on page 202 Duffster. That is military-type thinking Rico. The best people get to play with the biggest, baddest toys. It's sort of a reward for the best gunner in the navy. Also, I'm sure Tarkin would want the best guy manning his precious weapon.
That's weird chapter 41 begins on page 197 and chapter 42 begins on page 203 in my book. :confused
Same with my book Jen. So, chapter 41 ends on page 202. What are you confused about? :confused :)
I'm perpetually confused... especially today. Sorry. Long day. :D
I like stories... :)
So far I am liking the book, I am a bit sof a slow reader so I just hit page 100 yesterday. I do find that with all the characters it gets a bit confusing to keep up with all their stories, I probably have the least grasp on the Bar owner and Bouncer. It definitely helps having Vader and Tarkin showing up regualily. Now I need to get to work on the next 100 pages ;)