Sweet Christmas, I finally finished The Last Command. Overall it was pretty good. But Zahn's obsession with his smuggler characters nearly killed this book, and is one of the reasons it took me so long to finish it. I mean, it's clear that Zahn loves his creations more than the film characters. Thrawn alone is evidence of that. Even Karde, despite being incredibly boring and ridiculously named, is a useful character and serves a purpose. But the rest of the smugglers -- the dozens of interchangable, nearly anonymous smugglers who all have these detailed interpersonal relationships -- are a bridge too far. I think Zahn wanted them to pique the reader's interest ala the Bounty Hunters from Empire or (to a lesser extent) Jabba's retinue from Jedi. Those groups inspired kids and adults alike because we knew very little about them, so there was an air of mystery and wonder. Instead here it's just page after page after page of boring back and forth dialogue between characters no one cares about. They don't even end up playing a crucial role in the end; they help in the final space battle, but not in any way that is unique or special. The main story with the cloning and C'Baoth and Luke and Mara was good. I really liked that aspect of it. And overall the trilogy was good. But this book needed about 100 pages culled from it. Still, it was worth reading and I am glad that I took Shag's advice to pick these books up and check them out. Not sure what's next; probably volume 3 of Slam Dunk as a pallete cleanser.
On Friday, April 26, 2013 8:27:42 AM UTC-4, Luke Jaconetti wrote: > I warmed up to Heir To The Empire as I read it, and Dark Force Rising was > pretty good too. I think I may just be a littl too removed from the > zeitgeist of these novels at this late date, especially with the "real" > Episodes 7-9 on the way now. > > With the rate at which I read it's going to take me a while to finish it, > but still, will be nice to finish the trilogy. > On Thursday, April 25, 2013 10:11:02 PM UTC-4, Shag wrote: > >> Oh hell no I didn't recommend "Vanderken's Children" by Christopher >> Bulis!!! I realize you are just yanking my chain, but I don't joke when it >> comes to Bulis. I wasted too many hours on his books!!!!! >> >> Shag >> >> >> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 10:01 PM, Dug B. <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Shag has also recommended the book "Vanderken's Children" by Christopher >>> Bulis to me. Can't wait to red that one! >>> >>> >>> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 9:55 PM, Shag <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Well... if you were underwhelmed with Heir to the Empire, I think Last >>>> Command will get the same vote. Now if you tell me the Lando >>>> Calrissian books are better than Zahn/Thrawn trilogy then I know you >>>> are seriously broken. >>>> >>>> Try the X-Wing books next by Michael Stackpole. >>>> >>>> Shag >>>> >>>> >>>> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 8:03 AM, Luke Jaconetti <[email protected]>wrote: >>>> >>>>> Well, I had my copy of the Lando Calrissian trilogy, but cannot find >>>>> it. So I read volume 2 of Slam Dunk instead, and now will be starting >>>>> The >>>>> Last Command, finally finishing the series that I started reading several >>>>> years ago because of discussions on THIS very usegroup! >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Thursday, April 18, 2013 5:42:48 AM UTC-4, Edward Crosby wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> That Scott Snyder stuff is really good. I enjoyed Court of Owls and >>>>>> Night of Owls stuff. I've never been much of a fan of crossovers but >>>>>> those >>>>>> worked really well crossing over to the other Batman family titles. What >>>>>> I >>>>>> found that really worked even better was the Death of the Family story >>>>>> with >>>>>> the crossovers. >>>>>> It's funny that I've been kind of living through Devon, my 13 yr old, >>>>>> lately when it comes to novels. He read The Hunger Games books first and >>>>>> told me how good it was so I decided to check it out. Same for Ender's >>>>>> Game. He now wants to read a book called Fair Coin ( >>>>>> http://amzn.com/1616146095) a**nd I'll probably read that after him >>>>>> after I've read the other two novels on my wait list. >>>>>> >>>>>> ------------------------------**---------- >>>>>> Have a Better One, >>>>>> Edward Crosby >>>>>> http://about.me/edwardcrosby >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 8:34 PM, Irredeemable Shag < >>>>>> [email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Listening to JUST ONE OF THE GUYS myself to get my Kyle Rayner & >>>>>>> Giy Gardner fix. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Enders Game is great. Just read it for the first time last year. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Been reading old comics. Micronauts (surprisingly good) and 1970s >>>>>>> JSA from All-Star Comics (moderately good for Bronze Age). Have Scott >>>>>>> Snyders recent Batman on my "next" pile (Black Mirror, Court of Owls). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Shag >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Apr 17, 2013, at 12:17 PM, Edward Crosby <[email protected]> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Okay. I'll check it out. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> ------------------------------**---------- >>>>>>> Have a Better One, >>>>>>> Edward Crosby >>>>>>> http://about.me/edwardcrosby >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 12:16 PM, Luke Jaconetti >>>>>>> <[email protected]>wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Ed, if you are interested in the 90s Green Lantern comics, can I >>>>>>>> recommend a podcast? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Just One Of The Guys is a podcast by Shawn Engel which focuses on >>>>>>>> Kyle Rayner and Guy Gardner, and he is right now in the post Zero Hour >>>>>>>> era. A really fun show! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> justoneoftheguys.libsyn.com >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On Wednesday, April 17, 2013 10:48:32 AM UTC-4, Edward Crosby wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Just finished Catching Fire and Mockingjay now on my comic book >>>>>>>>> kick reading old comic books from the last 90's. I've been missing >>>>>>>>> Kyle >>>>>>>>> Rayner so much I've gone back and started buying all the TPB and back >>>>>>>>> issues not in those TPB starting at issue #57 where Emerald >>>>>>>>> Twilight/New >>>>>>>>> Dawn TPB left off. And in between reading all the JLA TPBs of the >>>>>>>>> comics >>>>>>>>> that started in the late 90's by Grant Morrison and Mark Waid. >>>>>>>>> Once I finish with those I plan on reading Orson Scott Card's >>>>>>>>> Ender's Game and Stephen King's Carrie before the movies are released >>>>>>>>> this >>>>>>>>> year. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> ------------------------------****---------- >>>>>>>>> Have a Better One, >>>>>>>>> Edward Crosby >>>>>>>>> http://about.me/edwardcrosby >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 10:33 AM, Dug B. <[email protected]>wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I just re-read Christopher Golden's "Strangewood". Perhaps a >>>>>>>>>> bad choice while my son was in the hospital; but it is a fantastic >>>>>>>>>> book. >>>>>>>>>> It's the story of a children's book author who has lost his >>>>>>>>>> childlike >>>>>>>>>> innocence...so he has lost his link with Strangewood (the subject of >>>>>>>>>> his >>>>>>>>>> books). The characters don't like this; everything in the magical >>>>>>>>>> world >>>>>>>>>> starts corrupting and the characters come out into this world to >>>>>>>>>> abduct the >>>>>>>>>> author's son and force him to return to their world. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Worth tracking down and reading. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On Wed, Apr 17, 2013 at 9:58 AM, Luke Jaconetti <[email protected] >>>>>>>>>> > wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Decided to update the Subject line and bring the thread back. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Just finished reading The Black Gryphon by Mercedes Lackey. >>>>>>>>>>> Lackey is my wife's favorite author, and she has most all of her >>>>>>>>>>> books at >>>>>>>>>>> this point. This is the first Lackey I have read, and I chose it >>>>>>>>>>> based on >>>>>>>>>>> my appreciation of griffons/gryphons as fantastical beasts. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> The book was actually quite nice. It takes place during a war >>>>>>>>>>> but focues on life in the camp of one side. It's all about >>>>>>>>>>> personalities >>>>>>>>>>> and relationships -- personal, professional, parental, romantic, >>>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>>> fraternal -- with a few scenes of frantic action. The titular >>>>>>>>>>> Black >>>>>>>>>>> Gryphon is an arrogant but loveable egotist named Skandranon, and >>>>>>>>>>> he and >>>>>>>>>>> his friens drive the story. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> I will probably read the other two books in the series -- The >>>>>>>>>>> White Gryphon and The Silver Gryphon -- at a later time. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Up next is going to be a collection of the Lando Calrissian >>>>>>>>>>> trilogy! >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> On Tuesday, September 4, 2012 8:58:14 AM UTC-4, Luke Jaconetti >>>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> To add something I forgot to mention: I would really like to >>>>>>>>>>>> see >>>>>>>>>>>> Wizards revist the plane of Mercadia. The next block of cards >>>>>>>>>>>> is >>>>>>>>>>>> returning to the very popular plane of Ravnica (the first set >>>>>>>>>>>> is >>>>>>>>>>>> creatively titled... Return To Ravnica) and they previously >>>>>>>>>>>> have >>>>>>>>>>>> revisited the plane of Mirrodan. I think that Mercadia is ripe >>>>>>>>>>>> for >>>>>>>>>>>> another look. I really, really liked the setting of this book, >>>>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>>>> after the end of the story events are set in motion which would >>>>>>>>>>>> push >>>>>>>>>>>> it still other interesting directions. So I for one want to >>>>>>>>>>>> see it >>>>>>>>>>>> again. But alas I don't think it will happen as the Masques >>>>>>>>>>>> block is >>>>>>>>>>>> pretty unpopular (due primarily to a lack of powerful cards). >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Another oddity: the compliment to the Rebel mechanic in the >>>>>>>>>>>> cards is >>>>>>>>>>>> the Mercenary mechanic, which works similarly (not exactly the >>>>>>>>>>>> same >>>>>>>>>>>> but close) and is found in Black. The mercenaries get a pretty >>>>>>>>>>>> big >>>>>>>>>>>> spotlight in the first half of the story, but the rebels do >>>>>>>>>>>> not. So >>>>>>>>>>>> odd. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> On Sep 4, 8:54 am, Luke Jaconetti <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> > Finished up Mercadian Masques. It was alright. The first >>>>>>>>>>>> half of the >>>>>>>>>>>> > book is really good, as we get to know both the mercantile >>>>>>>>>>>> Mercadians >>>>>>>>>>>> > (and their behind the scenes goblin noble masters), their >>>>>>>>>>>> Cateran >>>>>>>>>>>> > mercenaries, the pastoral Cho-Arrim, the seafaring Rishadans, >>>>>>>>>>>> and the >>>>>>>>>>>> > merfolk race from Saprazzo. The second half though gets >>>>>>>>>>>> bogged down >>>>>>>>>>>> > as the villain of the piece is revealed. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > Two things work against the book: the first is that even >>>>>>>>>>>> though this >>>>>>>>>>>> > is "book one" of the block it is also continued from the >>>>>>>>>>>> previous >>>>>>>>>>>> > Weatherlight saga books. So I feel as if I am coming in late >>>>>>>>>>>> as far >>>>>>>>>>>> > as who the characters are. Some of them get fleshed out >>>>>>>>>>>> quite nicely >>>>>>>>>>>> > (Orim), others, not so much (Gerard, Sisay). This would have >>>>>>>>>>>> been >>>>>>>>>>>> > easierreadinghad the characters been introduced better. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > Secondly, the second half of the book feels really rushed in >>>>>>>>>>>> certain >>>>>>>>>>>> > respects because it has to tie back to the earlier >>>>>>>>>>>> Weatherlight >>>>>>>>>>>> > stuff. One of the major mechanics and narrative aspects of >>>>>>>>>>>> the >>>>>>>>>>>> > Mercadian Masques card set is the Ramosian rebellion. >>>>>>>>>>>> Essentially, >>>>>>>>>>>> > all throughout the provinces and kingdoms of Mercadia there >>>>>>>>>>>> is a myth >>>>>>>>>>>> > of the "Uniter," Ramos, and there is an insurgency which >>>>>>>>>>>> believes in >>>>>>>>>>>> > the prophecy of his return. A LOT of White cards in MM were >>>>>>>>>>>> based >>>>>>>>>>>> > around the Rebel mechanic. But the rebellion itself never is >>>>>>>>>>>> fleshed >>>>>>>>>>>> > out as well as it should be, and instead is sort of just >>>>>>>>>>>> background >>>>>>>>>>>> > noise in the second half. This was very disappointing to me, >>>>>>>>>>>> > especially when one considers that there is a character in >>>>>>>>>>>> the story >>>>>>>>>>>> > who could have been the perfect main character of the story, >>>>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>>>> > focused more on the rebellion. So that was a bit of a >>>>>>>>>>>> letdown. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > I'll probably read the other two books in the cycle (Nemesis >>>>>>>>>>>> and >>>>>>>>>>>> > Prophecy), but they form a cycle in name only, and are not >>>>>>>>>>>> realted >>>>>>>>>>>> > beyond the time in which they occur. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > Up next is Doctor Who And The Cybermen, which is the >>>>>>>>>>>> adapation of the >>>>>>>>>>>> > second Cybermen serial, The Moonbase. 6 chapters in and >>>>>>>>>>>> really >>>>>>>>>>>> > enjoying it; I can really picture this as an early (Patrick >>>>>>>>>>>> Troughton) >>>>>>>>>>>> > episode of the show. The Cybermen are very adept at sneaking >>>>>>>>>>>> around. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > On Jul 25, 10:24 am, Luke Jaconetti <[email protected]> >>>>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > I just a few days ago finishedreading"James Bond And >>>>>>>>>>>> Moonraker" by >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Christopher Woods. This is the novelization of Woods' >>>>>>>>>>>> screenplay for >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Moonraker, which is vastly different from Fleming's >>>>>>>>>>>> Moonraker (hence the >>>>>>>>>>>> > > novelization). I really enjoyed this one. The novel lacks >>>>>>>>>>>> all of the >>>>>>>>>>>> > > slapstick humor which ended up in the movie, and, >>>>>>>>>>>> ultimately, mars the >>>>>>>>>>>> > > viewing experience. There is also an extra action setpiece >>>>>>>>>>>> which I will >>>>>>>>>>>> > > describe in two words: >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Bond EVA. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Your enjoyment will depend entirely on how much you can >>>>>>>>>>>> accept the story >>>>>>>>>>>> > > for the movie version of Moonraker, whichi involves a nerve >>>>>>>>>>>> gas being >>>>>>>>>>>> > > rained on the Earth from a space station. I dug it. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > I have now startedreadingMercadian Masques by Francis >>>>>>>>>>>> LeBaron. It is a >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Magic: The Gathering novel, the first in the (evidently >>>>>>>>>>>> loosely connected) >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Masques trilogy. So far I am enjoying the story, mostly >>>>>>>>>>>> for the setting -- >>>>>>>>>>>> > > Mercadia is a plane based on commerce and trade, and like >>>>>>>>>>>> the expansion >>>>>>>>>>>> > > this novel is based on, there is a lot of wheeling and >>>>>>>>>>>> dealing and >>>>>>>>>>>> > > bargainig and such going on. So far so good. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > On Tuesday, February 7, 2012 8:51:30 AM UTC-5, Luke >>>>>>>>>>>> Jaconetti wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > The old thread timed out once again, so here's a new one. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > I just finishedreadingHereticus by Dan Abnett, the final >>>>>>>>>>>> volume of >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > the Eisenhorn trilogy (and the Eisenhorn Omnibus) last >>>>>>>>>>>> night. This >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > was an amazing series of books which I wholly recommend >>>>>>>>>>>> to anyone who >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > will listen. >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > > Next on the queue: How The West Was Won by Louis >>>>>>>>>>>> L'amour.- Hide quoted text - >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - >>>>>>>>>>>> > >>>>>>>>>>>> > - Show quoted text - >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the >>>>>>>>>>> Google Groups "The Unique Geek" group. >>>>>>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from >>>>>>>>>>> it, send an email to theuniquegee...@**googlegroups.**com. >>>>>>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]* >>>>>>>>>>> *. >>>>>>>>>>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/**group** >>>>>>>>>>> /theuniquegeek?hl=en<http://groups.google.com/group/theuniquegeek?hl=en> >>>>>>>>>>> . >>>>>>>>>>> For more options, visit 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