Category: books and comics

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Friday afternoon news sweep: Dave Filoni, John Jackson Miller and the Squishies are starting a band

There’s been an absolute barrage of news today and I haven’t much time, so you’re getting most of it in roundup forum. Aren’t you lucky?

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Review: Karen Miller’s Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth

Karen Miller’s high regard and curiosity concerning Obi-Wan Kenobi is quite charming. In her second Star Wars book, Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth, every character has a lot to shoulder in the war, even (and especially) Obi-Wan.

Ahsoka has more to consider as Anakin’s Padawan than the teachings of the Jedi Order. She cares for his well-being and has learned how to read her Master’s emotions to help herself navigate and deal with his temperament. Anakin struggles with the responsibilities of being the Chosen One. What he feels they should do, what he should do as such a prominent figure, conflicts often with the wider doctrine of the Jedi, not to mention how delicately he juggles his forbidden relationship with Padmé. Obi-Wan still wrestles with his misgivings as a teacher and his emotions over the health of a dear friend. It’s clear, though, that as Bail Organa brings a frightening new element in the war to the Jedi’s attention, this cast of extraordinary beings have rather ordinary problems.

All things considered: Obi-Wan and Anakin, for as much as they remain larger than life figures, symbolic of the Jedi Order and its potential, are still forced to deal with their very human emotions and drama. After a harrowing skirmish on Kothlis, Anakin and Obi-Wan are forced to realize they both need some much needed rest. Obi-Wan is still running a bit ragged from his encounter on Zigoola; Anakin and the entire galaxy agree. The pair are sent to Lanteeb anyway–a planet of no consequence until recent Separatist actions pique the Republic’s curiosity. Their physical wounds may be healed, but Anakin and Obi-Wan learn the hard way: some scars never go away. Continue reading “Review: Karen Miller’s Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth“

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Poll: Weigh in on Fate of the Jedi: Backlash

The triumphant return of not only Fate of the Jedi, but our book polls! No doubt you’ve been looking forward to it. (Okay, maybe not the poll.) In any case, the fourth Fate of the Jedi book, Allston’s Backlash, came out last week, so now it’s time for you to cast your vote. Head below the cut to play (and don’t forget to check out Erika’s review!) Continue reading “Poll: Weigh in on Fate of the Jedi: Backlash“

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Review: Aaron Allston’s Fate of the Jedi: Backlash

Luke and Ben seemed to have abandoned their mission to uncover the murky truth of Jacen’s turn to the Dark Side during the third FOTJ book, Abyss, when a weird new tribe of Sith caught their attention. In Backlash, the adventure continues.

Luke’s on the prowl, metaphorically sniffing out Vestara Kai like some crazy bad ass Jedi hunting dog. With his blood splattered on her person after a lightsaber battle that ended with the death of her Master, Vestara is unaware she’s even being tracked, but you can bet she’s looking for a place to hide. Ben, aware of his father’s exhaustion and despite Luke’s protests, elicits the help of the Jedi via an encrypted, sneaky, and very under-the-radar message intended to make absolutely clear it isn’t Luke who’s asking (which would violate the terms of his parole.) Eager to help and reminding us the “good thing about the Solos and Skywalkers” is they “never run out of things to do” (p. 6), Han and Leia pack Allana and her pet nexu aboard the Falcon and head to the place Luke and Ben guess is the most likely location Vestara would land: Dathomir. And here, ladies and gentlemen, is where the fun begins. What follows is a witty and wild adventure in which Daala realizes she’s in over her head, Han gets a flamethrower, and a nexu manages to elicit more pathos out of me than Allana ever will. Continue reading “Review: Aaron Allston’s Fate of the Jedi: Backlash“

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EUbits: Catching up with Karen Miller’s Gambit

Gambit: Stealth cover teaseStealthiness. Our pal Mandy at TheForce.Net interviewed author Karen Miller this week, touching on the writing life, tie-ins and (naturally) subtext.

On that note, while I’d like to start doing review roundups for the books, but they can sometimes prove difficult. Witness: Even at almost a month out, I was only able to find two for Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth. NJOE’s MizzeeOH found that she enjoyed the book, but not as much as Wild Space; Hendel D’bu found it engaging, and especially praises the battle sequences. There’s always the review thread on the TFN boards if you’re dying for more.

More interview. Star Wars Books catches up with John Jackson Miller

Fanboy games. StarWars.com has a peek at Pablo’s Head to Head, pitting Chewbacca up against a wampa.

The Old Republic is starting up a new webcomic and adding Belsavis, aka the planet from Children of the Jedi. Random!

Poll. io9 asks which expanded universe is most unnecessarily. I suppose it depends on what you consider necessarily… I mean, I can’t for the life of me get excited about some nice-sized chunks of the Star Wars EU, but I could also care less about BSG or Lost outside of their primary formats. To each their own, I suppose.

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Head-to-Head with the internet’s Pablo Hidalgo

Pablo Hidalgo is interviewed by The Sci-Fi Block about his upcoming book Star Wars:  Head-to-Head.

The ultimate fanboy conversation in a book, Head-to-Head intends to examine who would win various mash-ups by using various RPG and card game stats, as well as video games. 

Unfortunately, he was unable to match up Threepio against another to see who could talk the other to death.  No one can beat him there! (via)

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EUbits, arty scoundrel edition: Han, Chewie, Lando and Cade

Visions. So I haven’t been unimpressed with the peeks we’ve had of this ‘mystery’ book so far, but I wasn’t really blown away until Raymond Swanland’s ‘Shadows of Tatooine’ appeared today. It may not be ‘The Death of General Wolfe’ pastiche I so greatly desire, but: WANT.

Fate of the Jedi. Why hello there! Get your first look at Lando on the back cover of Allies.

Comics: io9 has the preview for Legacy #46.

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Win a copy of Backlash from Aaron Allston

Aaron will be giving away an autographed and personalized copy of next week’s release to the person who can guess the below:

So, what’s the contest? I sometimes imagine a specific actor or actress when I’m writing a character. It can be useful to see specific expressions characteristic of that performer, to hear dialogue in the exact voice of an individual. Such was the case when I was writing the Admiral Daala character in Outcast and Backlash, especially the former. Guess who the actress I was envisioning when writing Daala and the copy is yours.

Head over to AaronAllston.com for a couple of hints – and how to enter.