SW Force Awakens - Review w/ spoilers (Don't read until after you see it) | Page 5 | The Boneyard

SW Force Awakens - Review w/ spoilers (Don't read until after you see it)

FeedTheDove said:
Honestly, this is the first star wars reading material that I've taken part in, so I'm sort of with you here. I know the new comic books are Canon, but don't know what other reading material is Canon. I've been thinking of starting to watch Clone Wars and then Rebels. I've heard positive things about both.



Yes, and I was about to cry when they announced it. Twitter responses were hilarious though.
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I've watched some Clone Wars. Some of the early episodes are bad, but it readily picks up steam and there are some very good episodes. Makes Anakin a much more interesting character.

As for reading...I haven't done much in years. Even though it is non-canon, the Timothy Zahn trilogy Heir to the Empire is the crown jewel of the Star Wars books. Everything else is weak.

Books that are canon: this is a good rundown. Worth looking at the title and jumping down to the "Is It Worth Reading Section." No major spoilers or anything, since it's about the books relationship to the movie. There are probably some that have come out since.
 
I read the first book based on the original movie. It was good. It stuck pretty much to the movie but added some insights. I then read "Splinter of the Mind's Eye." It was pretty bad. I might read TFA. It sounds interesting.
 
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CL82 said:
I then read "Splinter of the Mind's Eye" is was pretty bad. I might read TFA. It sounds interesting.
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Wow, I forgot all about that book for more than 35 years until you just mentioned it. It did suck.
 
intlzncster said:
I've not read the books, but would probably like to, so I'm not reading your post (thanks for the warning). Couple of questions though. I heard previously the distinction between Cannon and non-Cannon books. What's the difference? Who writes the actual true dead to rights works. Are they worth it if you've already seen the movies? Which ones should I read? Note: I don't want to spoil future movies.

I could google all of this, but I don't want to accidentally happen on any spoilers. So I'd prefer not to do so. Cheers.
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My understanding is that the previous Star Wars Expanded Universe was wiped out. They might borrow concepts and characters from it but all of that stuff was wiped out or is now "Non-canon". Some of those books were "Canon" which were officially part of the storyline and a small amount was not. If I ever get time, I want to read the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy which takes place right after Return of the Jedi.

The new books are canon. But it seems like none of them get good reviews.
 
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ZooCougar said:
My understanding is that the previous Star Wars Expanded Universe was wiped out. They might borrow concepts and characters from it but all of that stuff was wiped out or is now "Non-canon". Some of those books were "Canon" which were officially part of the storyline and a small amount was not. If I ever get time, I want to read the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy which takes place right after Return of the Jedi.

The new books are canon. But it seems like none of them get good reviews.
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Lost Stars, a 'young adults' book, has been the best new, cannon Star Wars novel to date in my opinion.

There is a rumor now going around now that one of the biggest Zahn Star Wars Characters will appear in Star Wars Rebels season 3, which would make him cannon - Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo, i.e. Thrawn. That would huge as he is a fan favorite and is considered the best villain of the post ROTJ non-cannon characters. Of course, if he does make it onto Star Wars Rebels, there will be huge fan pressure on Disney to make Mara Jade canon as she is considered the #1 fan favorite of the Zahn characters. If she or a version of her does make it, it likely would be posthumous though at least respect to the Eposisode VIII and IX. Her character was an ex-imperial, Jedi, Luke Skywalker's wife and the mother of their son, Ben Skywalker. That puts a bullseye on her back when Kylo sacks Luke's Academy potentially leaving Rey as the only survivor.
 
Mr. Conehead said:
Lost Stars, a 'young adults' book, has been the best new, cannon Star Wars novel to date in my opinion.

There is a rumor now going around now that one of the biggest Zahn Star Wars Characters will appear in Star Wars Rebels season 3, which would make him cannon - Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo, i.e. Thrawn. That would huge as he is a fan favorite and is considered the best villain of the post ROTJ non-cannon characters. Of course, if he does make it onto Star Wars Rebels, there will be huge fan pressure on Disney to make Mara Jade canon as she is considered the #1 fan favorite of the Zahn characters. If she or a version of her does make it, it likely would be posthumous though at least respect to the Eposisode VIII and IX. Her character was an ex-imperial, Jedi, Luke Skywalker's wife and the mother of their son, Ben Skywalker. That puts a bullseye on her back when Kylo sacks Luke's Academy potentially leaving Rey as the only survivor.
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Yes please to all of this.

I haven't watched Rebels. Has anyone? Is it any good? Better, equal to, or worse than Clone Wars? To give context to that question, I've grown to really like Clone Wars, but it has some really weak episodes, particularly early on.
 
tzznandrew said:
Yes please to all of this.

I haven't watched Rebels. Has anyone? Is it any good? Better, equal to, or worse than Clone Wars? To give context to that question, I've grown to really like Clone Wars, but it has some really weak episodes, particularly early on.
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I watch it with my kids. The plot is OK, some good, some less so. Just trying to figure out how all of this will be tied into and sorted out before its timeline intersects with a New Hope. I believe that Rebel's storyline began 5 years before A New Hope or 13 years after Revenge of the Sith. It also feels like a bit of a tease because everyone knows that at some point Ahsoka Tano has to cross blades with Darth Vader and that is what everyone is waiting for.
 
8893 said:
But what? Please continue.
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...but it is fitting that a self-styled "pickup artist" / vaguely pro-rape / professional troll lives in his mom's basement (as the tweet said).
 
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Star Wars to me is a movie franchise and only that which appears on film can ever be considered canon. It's the exact opposite of film adaptations of books. For example, I like the LOTR series and appreciated some, but not all of the additions thrown into the Hobbit films, but none of the extra-novel material can or will ever be canon. Same here, only reverse---the books may have good and bad material, but no matter what Disney tells me in their promotional materials, neither is canon unless and until it appears on the big screen. Maybe you could call it official, but it's not canon.

Just the way I look at it.
 
Spartacus said:
Star Wars to me is a movie franchise and only that which appears on film can ever be considered canon. It's the exact opposite of film adaptations of books. For example, I like the LOTR series and appreciated some, but not all of the additions thrown into the Hobbit films, but none of the extra-novel material can or will ever be canon. Same here, only reverse---the books may have good and bad material, but no matter what Disney tells me in their promotional materials, neither is canon unless and until it appears on the big screen. Maybe you could call it official, but it's not canon.

Just the way I look at it.
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Congratulations.
 
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Spartacus said:
Star Wars to me is a movie franchise and only that which appears on film can ever be considered canon. It's the exact opposite of film adaptations of books. For example, I like the LOTR series and appreciated some, but not all of the additions thrown into the Hobbit films, but none of the extra-novel material can or will ever be canon. Same here, only reverse---the books may have good and bad material, but no matter what Disney tells me in their promotional materials, neither is canon unless and until it appears on the big screen. Maybe you could call it official, but it's not canon.

Just the way I look at it.
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That's a fair way to look at it, and a lot of people agree with you in this sense. I respect that point of view. But Star Wars as a whole has evolved into much more than just a movie series in many other people's eyes, including mine. Like Harry Potter, like LOTR, it is its own universe with its own unique history that is long and captivating. The movies sometimes lack the specific detail and background information that some Star Wars fans crave, so books, comics, and side tv shows are a great way for them to gather some of that information. However, coming from someone who is just beginning to indulge in the "extra" Star Wars material, it does seem a bit overwhelming.
 
FeedTheDove said:
That's a fair way to look at it, and a lot of people agree with you in this sense. I respect that point of view. But Star Wars as a whole has evolved into much more than just a movie series in many other people's eyes, including mine. The movies sometimes lack the specific detail and background information that some Star Wars fans crave, so books, comics, and side tv shows are a great way for them to gather some of that information. However, coming from someone who is just beginning to indulge in the "extra" Star Wars material, it does seem a bit overwhelming.
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I don't begrudge anyone going the other way---it's supposed to be fun. I mean, I used to read all of the Christopher Tolkein books, The Book or Lost Tales and what not, which gathered and published stuff written by JRR Tolkein because I wanted more info on his creation. It's just the way I look at it with Star Wars for some reason.
 
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Mr. Conehead said:
FYI...Just saw a posting on official ages of the new main characters at the time of the Force Awakens
  • Rey = 19
  • Finn = 21
  • Kylo = 29
  • Poe = 32
  • Hux = 34
Interesting that Rey is the same age as Luke on a New Hope and Anakin in Attack of the Clones. Also means she was 9 when the Academy fell and Kylo was 19 when he turned.
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Interesting and VERY much intentional. "Ring composition theory" , brahseph. Something I very much subscribe to, and really shows how deep and thought out Lucas had this.
 
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Spartacus said:
Star Wars to me is a movie franchise and only that which appears on film can ever be considered canon. It's the exact opposite of film adaptations of books. For example, I like the LOTR series and appreciated some, but not all of the additions thrown into the Hobbit films, but none of the extra-novel material can or will ever be canon. Same here, only reverse---the books may have good and bad material, but no matter what Disney tells me in their promotional materials, neither is canon unless and until it appears on the big screen. Maybe you could call it official, but it's not canon.

Just the way I look at it.
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Actually it is Canon. Sorry dude. They published books that are "accessories" to the new flicks. This the way of Disney/Marvel. That's they way things work now. It's multi-platform. The problem is the new books are bad, I don't do YA fiction.

BTW, the new Darth Vader comic series set in between Episode 4-5 is awesome. Basically Darth is in the dog house with the Emperor and he has a couple of sociopathic droids that "Assist" him. It's good stuff.
 
FeedTheDove said:
That's a fair way to look at it, and a lot of people agree with you in this sense. I respect that point of view. But Star Wars as a whole has evolved into much more than just a movie series in many other people's eyes, including mine. Like Harry Potter, like LOTR, it is its own universe with its own unique history that is long and captivating. The movies sometimes lack the specific detail and background information that some Star Wars fans crave, so books, comics, and side tv shows are a great way for them to gather some of that information. However, coming from someone who is just beginning to indulge in the "extra" Star Wars material, it does seem a bit overwhelming.
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I agree with this. Also, I understand why Disney retconned the old Star Wars books, of which I never read. I don't blame them for not wanting to be confined to storyline that worked in literary form that may not translate to film.

Since we're getting at least five more feature length Star Wars movies then the books, the comics and even video games can augment the story instead of carrying on the torch of the franchise that the expanded universe did for so many years.
 
ZooCougar said:
Actually it is Canon. Sorry dude. They published books that are "accessories" to the new flicks. This the way of Disney/Marvel. That's they way things work now. It's multi-platform. The problem is the new books are bad, I don't do YA fiction.

BTW, the new Darth Vader comic series set in between Episode 4-5 is awesome. Basically Darth is in the dog house with the Emperor and he has a couple of sociopathic droids that "Assist" him. It's good stuff.
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Disney isn't the Pope of my Fandom and can't tell me jack. I interpret the word for myself, like a good protestant.
 
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