Podcast # 465 - "Star Wars" EU

Praxis · December 06, 2013, 11:20:04 AM

Good one. Entertaining cast even though I know almost zilch about canon, let alone EU!

Jen · December 17, 2013, 01:47:47 PM

Really enjoyed this conversation, guys. It's funny, I've been wanting to do a "SW EU: Where To Start" episode for Anomaly. The EU can be overwhelming to fans who are interested in reading the Expanded Universe, but are faced with a wall of novels and comics. I invited the only other Anomaly staffer who reads the EU to join me, but she's busy with a baby or something. ;) I'm hoping she'll feel up to it in a few months.

I enjoyed many of the books you talked about. Revenge of the Sith, The Rise of Darth Vader, Death Star, Dark Rendezvous and Shatterpoint were among my favorite prequel novels. Labyrinth of Evil was meh... there were a few others I read that were not good enough to stick in my head.

I read Hard Contact, but didn't read the others in the Karen Traviss series. I too was curious about how her characters handled Order 66. I wrote to her a few times—she was very approachable. Speaking of which, did you ever listen to the Star Wars En Direct podcast? They interviewed her a few times and were on such good terms with her that she named one of her characters after Dany Pepin (a co-host of SW En Direct). I read that she became ticked-off that all of her characters and their stories were negated by the Clone Wars Cartoon. She stopped writing in the EU because of it. I think that's why I stopped reading the series, though I do enjoy the newer cartoon series. May have to pick those up again.

Side note: the PR director at the company I work for, was an acquaintance of Timothy Zahn. He named "Winter Celchu" after her. I tend to believe my co-worker, she's a very reliable source.

I read Darth Bane: Path of Destruction, which was very good. The other two books are on my "to read" list, as is Darth Plagueis, but I've heard mixed reviews about the latter.

As far as older novels go, I REALLY enjoyed The Han Solo Trilogy by A.C. Crispin (a noted Star Trek writer) and Tales from Mos Eisley. They were my favorite of the early books. If I recall, The Han Solo Adventures series, by Brian Daily, was good but there was one installment in particular that really bugged me... it was about circus performers who go on a mission with Han. One of the performers was a cat lady and her child. :confused

I was not a fan of some of the very early EU books and I did try to read all of them. I forget most of the ones I did manage to get through. There are a number that are very forgettable.

I'm currently working on Kenobi. So far, it is my favorite of SW novel. I really love the widow who runs the store. She rocks.

I started Revan, but didn't finish...the electronic version I checked out from the library came due and it disappeared from my iPad, now I'm stuck on a huge waiting list. Like video games, I don't buy EU books unless I know they're worth the money. I'm getting a subscription to Audible soon and will be trying some of the other books you mentioned. I wondered about the Thrawn Trilogy, have heard good things about it. Will have to start that at some point.

Anyway, great episode! Looking forward to more! And if you do another, I'd love to join you!

Bryancd · December 17, 2013, 03:14:56 PM

Agreed, Jen, I loved Kenobi as well! And you are welcome anytime! You would class up the joint big time. :laugh:

ChrisMC · December 17, 2013, 04:06:13 PM

Yeah, sounds like a follow-up is in order.

billybob476 · December 17, 2013, 04:55:27 PM

hehe looks like there's a few of us that could talk EU for days! Another one I don't think you guys mentioned was the Medstar duology by Micheal Reaves. It was basically MASH in the Star Wars universe, well, at least the later more serious episodes of MASH.

A very interesting take on things I thought.

As for the Tales From... books, some of the stories hold up really well and some don't. I re-read them a few years back with the SWAN book club.

You know...kind of makes me wish that SWAN book club had kept on going. It was tons and tons of work for Arnie but it was damned fun.

Jen · December 18, 2013, 08:13:53 AM

Oh yes, I read the first Medstar. I didn't know there was a sequel. I thought it was a pretty good book. Chris and I are talking about discussing Kenobi, as a group, for TrekSF. Have you read that yet Joe?

Bryancd · December 18, 2013, 08:30:27 AM

Quote from: Jen on December 18, 2013, 08:13:53 AM
Oh yes, I read the first Medstar. I didn't know there was a sequel. I thought it was a pretty good book. Chris and I are talking about discussing Kenobi, as a group, for TrekSF. Have you read that yet Joe?

I'm in on that action as well!

billybob476 · December 18, 2013, 08:57:48 AM

I had a chat with Chris last night and added it to my Kindle. Just started reading it and plan on getting through it over the holidays.

Jen · December 18, 2013, 09:06:44 AM

Quote from: Bryancd on December 18, 2013, 08:30:27 AM
Quote from: Jen on December 18, 2013, 08:13:53 AM
Oh yes, I read the first Medstar. I didn't know there was a sequel. I thought it was a pretty good book. Chris and I are talking about discussing Kenobi, as a group, for TrekSF. Have you read that yet Joe?

I'm in on that action as well!

Yep! :) I hoped you and Joe would be. Would be a fun discussion.