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Jun. 28th, 2006 11:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rynneSo, I finally got around to reading Legacy of the Force: Betrayal.
Overall, I liked it. Better than I liked the Dark Nest books, though this is only the first book, and by one of my favorite EU authors, so I'm reserving judgment on the rest.
I thought the conflict was set up very well--not just within this book, but with the whole EU. Corellia wanting to go independent feels like a logical progression, from all the information we're given about it from previous books. It fits nicely, which is not something one can count on with the EU, and it didn't come out of practically nowhere, like the Killiks and the Dark Nest. Lack of adequate set-up is one of my biggest pet peeves in books, so I'm glad that wasn't a problem there.
And I find myself liking Jacen now. I didn't care about him one way or another in the pre-NJO books, but I hated him in the NJO and after. Not because of his personality, which I don't mind, but because of his role. It felt like he was supplanting Luke as the hero of Star Wars, and I didn't like that. I don't care if he gets a lot of page time and is one of the main characters, but I don't want him to be the hero, because that's Luke. I will always think of the EU as published, (mostly) high-quality fanfiction, and throughout the NJO and DN, I felt like Jacen was, in essence, an OC who was trying to supplant the canon hero, and even if I wasn't the huge Luke fangirl that I am, I would have hated that.
But now that Jacen is becoming a Sith--that removes him as Luke's rival. I actually rather like his characterization, with the utilitarian view of everything, and I think I would have been fine with him in the NJO and DN if it hadn't seemed like he was taking Luke's place. Now that he's moving to a place of his own, I like him. And I don't mind the idea of him Dark--Vader is my favorite character, after Luke, and I find Palpatine fascinating. I rather hope he stays Dark, but probably not, sigh. It's not just me not wanting him going back to stealing Luke's spotlight, though that's part of it. I'm just really bloody tired of how everyone (or everyone significant, at least) who falls to the Dark Side gets redeemed. I have my differences with the Old Republic Jedi, but Yoda lived for nine hundred years, and I think he knew what he was talking about when he said "forever will it dominate your destiny". That Anakin Skywalker was redeemed is supposed to be really bloody significant, and I think that significance is severely lessened in the EU when it seems half the new Order has fallen and then come back. So I want Jacen to stay Dark.
Not sure how I feel about Lumiya, though. I can't remember her appearing in any EU books, though admittedly I have not come close to reading the entire EU (completely skipped the YJK and JJK series, along with the Black Fleet Crisis and Crystal Star), and I don't know if she's showed up anywhere outside of the comics she initially appeared in. She explains enough of her backstory to make sure people don't get confused, but I for one only knew who she was because I looked up Shira Brie in Wikipedia when she kept being mentioned in fanfic. I don't even know what comics she appeared in, or if I can get ahold of them. I won't say that she came out of nowhere, and she does apparently have the background needed to resurrect the Sith, but while I think the Corellian conflict had adequate set-up, I don't think she did. Of course, it would make sense that she's kept to the shadows and not done anything to make people notice her--and give her page time--but I wish we'd gotten more foreshadowing than just the book that she appeared in. Knowing the EU, not something I should expect, but I can always hope. :p
Was totally surprised that Kyp didn't show up at all. I don't particularly like him, but he's always seemed to be a fairly significant character...
I loved Ben. He was totally awesome, from the whole Centerpoint thing to being the one to catch Shira Brie in the first place. I loved his funny bits, especially his Lando impersonation. Ben was great, and I'm totally glad to see he abandoned the whole "avoiding the Force" thing.
Speaking of impersonators...the scene with Luke pretending to be an actor playing himself was one of the best in the whole book. "No one would believe in a Luke Skywalker that short", indeed. *DEAD* This book isn't as funny as the Wraith books, but Allston's great with what humor he does inject.
Hmmm. Can't think of anything else that I wanted to say, though if I do later, I'll add it. In any case, I thought it was a good book, and worth reading, if you follow the EU.
Overall, I liked it. Better than I liked the Dark Nest books, though this is only the first book, and by one of my favorite EU authors, so I'm reserving judgment on the rest.
I thought the conflict was set up very well--not just within this book, but with the whole EU. Corellia wanting to go independent feels like a logical progression, from all the information we're given about it from previous books. It fits nicely, which is not something one can count on with the EU, and it didn't come out of practically nowhere, like the Killiks and the Dark Nest. Lack of adequate set-up is one of my biggest pet peeves in books, so I'm glad that wasn't a problem there.
And I find myself liking Jacen now. I didn't care about him one way or another in the pre-NJO books, but I hated him in the NJO and after. Not because of his personality, which I don't mind, but because of his role. It felt like he was supplanting Luke as the hero of Star Wars, and I didn't like that. I don't care if he gets a lot of page time and is one of the main characters, but I don't want him to be the hero, because that's Luke. I will always think of the EU as published, (mostly) high-quality fanfiction, and throughout the NJO and DN, I felt like Jacen was, in essence, an OC who was trying to supplant the canon hero, and even if I wasn't the huge Luke fangirl that I am, I would have hated that.
But now that Jacen is becoming a Sith--that removes him as Luke's rival. I actually rather like his characterization, with the utilitarian view of everything, and I think I would have been fine with him in the NJO and DN if it hadn't seemed like he was taking Luke's place. Now that he's moving to a place of his own, I like him. And I don't mind the idea of him Dark--Vader is my favorite character, after Luke, and I find Palpatine fascinating. I rather hope he stays Dark, but probably not, sigh. It's not just me not wanting him going back to stealing Luke's spotlight, though that's part of it. I'm just really bloody tired of how everyone (or everyone significant, at least) who falls to the Dark Side gets redeemed. I have my differences with the Old Republic Jedi, but Yoda lived for nine hundred years, and I think he knew what he was talking about when he said "forever will it dominate your destiny". That Anakin Skywalker was redeemed is supposed to be really bloody significant, and I think that significance is severely lessened in the EU when it seems half the new Order has fallen and then come back. So I want Jacen to stay Dark.
Not sure how I feel about Lumiya, though. I can't remember her appearing in any EU books, though admittedly I have not come close to reading the entire EU (completely skipped the YJK and JJK series, along with the Black Fleet Crisis and Crystal Star), and I don't know if she's showed up anywhere outside of the comics she initially appeared in. She explains enough of her backstory to make sure people don't get confused, but I for one only knew who she was because I looked up Shira Brie in Wikipedia when she kept being mentioned in fanfic. I don't even know what comics she appeared in, or if I can get ahold of them. I won't say that she came out of nowhere, and she does apparently have the background needed to resurrect the Sith, but while I think the Corellian conflict had adequate set-up, I don't think she did. Of course, it would make sense that she's kept to the shadows and not done anything to make people notice her--and give her page time--but I wish we'd gotten more foreshadowing than just the book that she appeared in. Knowing the EU, not something I should expect, but I can always hope. :p
Was totally surprised that Kyp didn't show up at all. I don't particularly like him, but he's always seemed to be a fairly significant character...
I loved Ben. He was totally awesome, from the whole Centerpoint thing to being the one to catch Shira Brie in the first place. I loved his funny bits, especially his Lando impersonation. Ben was great, and I'm totally glad to see he abandoned the whole "avoiding the Force" thing.
Speaking of impersonators...the scene with Luke pretending to be an actor playing himself was one of the best in the whole book. "No one would believe in a Luke Skywalker that short", indeed. *DEAD* This book isn't as funny as the Wraith books, but Allston's great with what humor he does inject.
Hmmm. Can't think of anything else that I wanted to say, though if I do later, I'll add it. In any case, I thought it was a good book, and worth reading, if you follow the EU.
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Date: 2006-06-29 03:32 pm (UTC)I've enjoyed what I've seen so far of Ben a lot, and that pleases me. I want to like Ben, you know?
It makes sense that Jacen is/will be going Dark. I think it's been set up for a while now. Actual logical character progession in the EU! Shocking! And he's doing it in a way that's more calculated than it is dramatic, and I appreciate that. I've actually always liked Jacen (I didn't see him as supplanting Luke, but I know lots of other people did, and I can totally respect that opinion, especially based on some of the NJO.), and I did like sensitive!Jacen, who got on a lot of people's nerves. I guess after Star by Star it's hard to rile me up about the EU anymore. *g*
I'm with you on Lumiya. I don't think she does appear in the EU aside from the comics she appeared in, though I could be wrong. (Obviously, I know some about her role in Legacy. I skip around, I spoil myself, what can I say? :))
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Date: 2006-07-03 08:02 am (UTC)I do think that Jacen's fall is logical character progression, which I appreciate. But I sorta liked sensitive!Jacen too, and now I find his utilitarian view very ironic, in light of that. :p
All I know of Lumiya, prior to her appearance in this book, I learned from Wikipedia. XD