Zevox
2011-06-04, 06:42 PM
So, I recently finished reading the seventh book in the current nine-book Star Wars series, "Fate of the Jedi," and felt like discussing it. I know there's a lot of Star Wars fans on these boards - hopefully I'm not the only one keeping up with these books.
Spoilers for the aforementioned book, "Conviction:"
The big thing that confused me, and more than anything prompted me to make this post, was the whole "Droid Manumission" thing that came up on Klatooine (aside: how many "-tooine" planets are there in this galaxy anyway?). I was kinda blindsided by that one. Last I recall hearing droids in the Star Wars Universe don't really possess genuine sapience or free will, and C-3PO and R2D2's apparent personalities were anomalies caused by the Skywalker and Solo families' decision not to have them undergo routine memory wipes, sacrificing efficiency for sentimentality. Did that change in some book I didn't read? When did the notion of Star Wars droids as slaves that should be freed enter into the EU at all? Or did they just make that up for this book due to whatever caused them to introduce the whole "freeing slaves" subplot in book six of this series?
Also... Tahiri. Can't say I'm pleased with the direction they seem to be going, what with her escaping after being sentenced and all. I was actually kind of happy they were actually putting her on trial for murdering Pellaeon, since I hadn't expected them to do that to a a major (or even secondary, which is probably closer to what she is) protagonist character that they just had Ben "save" from the "dark side." I'm more than half of the mind that she deserves to be sentenced to life in prison or death - she's certainly guilty, and whatever influence Jacen had over her at the time definitely fell well short of full mind control, so I don't see letting her off over that the way her defense at the trial was trying to argue she should be as legitimate. But even if they had acquitted her on that or some other reasoning, at least then there'd have been a pretense of justice for her actions. Having her escape like that is just grating, since now I seriously doubt she'll suffer significant consequences for her murder other than her current time on the run from the law. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but I doubt it.
On a similar note, Daala. I kinda hope they just kill her off next book. Honestly, I didn't think making her the new head of the GA at the end of the "Legacy of the Force" series was a good or sense-making move at all, but at least earlier in this series they were presenting her as potentially having a point in her clashes with the Jedi over their role in the GA. Now they've basically outright told us she's gone back to full-blown "Imperial Admiral" mode, turning her back into an old-school, one-dimensional authoritarian villain, and I don't have much interest in seeing that. When I do, I'll re-read the X-Wing series, not this.
I do have to give them some slight credit on the whole Tenel Ka incident in this one though. With how many major characters they've killed since the New Jedi Order books I honestly thought they were going to kill her and C-3PO when they started setting that up so heavy-handedly, so averting that the way they did was both surprising and pleasant. So at least they've taken advantage of the effect all those deaths have had on readers effectively at least once now.
Now don't get me wrong, I am enjoying these books. The relationships between Luke and Ben; Han, Leia, and Allana; and even (clockwork-predictable as most of the developments with it have been) Vestara and the Skywalkers have been enjoyable, and the new batch of Sith have been slightly more interesting than the norm. Abeloth hasn't made for a compelling villain in the slightest, sure, but at least she's set up situations where I can enjoy the other characters. But after reading this book I do find myself awfully confused by the first thing in that spoiler and rather weary and disappointed by the second and third.
So, anybody else here feel the same? Disagree? Have some answers for me on that first matter? Have other thoughts on the series?
Zevox
Spoilers for the aforementioned book, "Conviction:"
The big thing that confused me, and more than anything prompted me to make this post, was the whole "Droid Manumission" thing that came up on Klatooine (aside: how many "-tooine" planets are there in this galaxy anyway?). I was kinda blindsided by that one. Last I recall hearing droids in the Star Wars Universe don't really possess genuine sapience or free will, and C-3PO and R2D2's apparent personalities were anomalies caused by the Skywalker and Solo families' decision not to have them undergo routine memory wipes, sacrificing efficiency for sentimentality. Did that change in some book I didn't read? When did the notion of Star Wars droids as slaves that should be freed enter into the EU at all? Or did they just make that up for this book due to whatever caused them to introduce the whole "freeing slaves" subplot in book six of this series?
Also... Tahiri. Can't say I'm pleased with the direction they seem to be going, what with her escaping after being sentenced and all. I was actually kind of happy they were actually putting her on trial for murdering Pellaeon, since I hadn't expected them to do that to a a major (or even secondary, which is probably closer to what she is) protagonist character that they just had Ben "save" from the "dark side." I'm more than half of the mind that she deserves to be sentenced to life in prison or death - she's certainly guilty, and whatever influence Jacen had over her at the time definitely fell well short of full mind control, so I don't see letting her off over that the way her defense at the trial was trying to argue she should be as legitimate. But even if they had acquitted her on that or some other reasoning, at least then there'd have been a pretense of justice for her actions. Having her escape like that is just grating, since now I seriously doubt she'll suffer significant consequences for her murder other than her current time on the run from the law. Maybe they'll prove me wrong, but I doubt it.
On a similar note, Daala. I kinda hope they just kill her off next book. Honestly, I didn't think making her the new head of the GA at the end of the "Legacy of the Force" series was a good or sense-making move at all, but at least earlier in this series they were presenting her as potentially having a point in her clashes with the Jedi over their role in the GA. Now they've basically outright told us she's gone back to full-blown "Imperial Admiral" mode, turning her back into an old-school, one-dimensional authoritarian villain, and I don't have much interest in seeing that. When I do, I'll re-read the X-Wing series, not this.
I do have to give them some slight credit on the whole Tenel Ka incident in this one though. With how many major characters they've killed since the New Jedi Order books I honestly thought they were going to kill her and C-3PO when they started setting that up so heavy-handedly, so averting that the way they did was both surprising and pleasant. So at least they've taken advantage of the effect all those deaths have had on readers effectively at least once now.
Now don't get me wrong, I am enjoying these books. The relationships between Luke and Ben; Han, Leia, and Allana; and even (clockwork-predictable as most of the developments with it have been) Vestara and the Skywalkers have been enjoyable, and the new batch of Sith have been slightly more interesting than the norm. Abeloth hasn't made for a compelling villain in the slightest, sure, but at least she's set up situations where I can enjoy the other characters. But after reading this book I do find myself awfully confused by the first thing in that spoiler and rather weary and disappointed by the second and third.
So, anybody else here feel the same? Disagree? Have some answers for me on that first matter? Have other thoughts on the series?
Zevox