Fannish Ramblings

So today I became the newest news reporter on EUCantina. Now I get to share my love of the EU with even more people, hooray! :D

In fanfic news, I'm more than halfway done with Part 1 of my OT AU trilogy. I've gotten lots of positive feedback and I'm very happy with the way it's going. But why wouldn't I, I'm writing about our heroes when they were young and they are cracking me up. But the shit's gonna hit the fan eventually, because I'm evil like that!

So I'm skimming through Heir to the Empire for the EUCast book discussion, and I came to the end of Chapter 7, in which Han tells Leia that she needs to start getting serious about her Jedi training, and she reluctantly agrees. The following exchange occurs:




She smiled at Luke. "I guess semester break's over, Teacher."

"I guess so," Luke said, trying to hide the sudden lump in his throat.

Leia noticed it anyway; and, for a wonder, misinterpreted it. "Oh come on," she chided gently. "I'm not that bad of a student. Anyway, look on it as good practice--after all, someday you'll have to teach all this to the twins, too."

"I know," Luke said softly.

"Good," Han said. "That's settled, then. I'm heading up; see you later."

"'Bye," Leia said. "Now--" She turned to give Threepio a critical look. "Let's see what we can do about all this goop."

Leaning back in his seat, Luke watched her tackle the hardened webbing, a familiar hollow pain in the pit of his stomach. I took it upon myself, Ben Kenobi had said about Darth Vader, to train him as a Jedi. I thought that I could instruct him just as well as Yoda.

I was wrong.

The words echoed in Luke's mind, all the way back to Coruscant.




First: Way to go, Bantam (cough Kevin J. Anderson) for dropping the ball on Leia becoming a Jedi. Even as a diplomat, she should have been fully-trained after The Thrawn Trilogy, especially after Dark Empire! GAH! Why did they finally have to make her a Jedi in the god-awful bug trilogy?

Point the second: GAH DEL REY WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MAKE LUKE'S WORRIES COME TRUE WITH STUPID JACEN SOLO ARGH. ::throws stuff at people:: Not only did they make Luke's fears come true, but also Leia's about having children. Sigh. Poor, poor Skywalkers. :pets Luke:

The story of L/M, as told via Facebook.  Written for a board challenge, to write a Facebook page for a character that tells a story.

I couldn't resist doing this.  Yeah.   


( The story of L/M, as told via Facebook: )

(in chronological order)

(note I did not include Thrawn's death, Ton's death, or Ganner's death, as they were included in my EU quotes list)

( click here for nerdiness )

So we had my Top 10 EU characters...now we have my

Top 10 Books


1. Vision of the Future by Timothy Zahn
The perfect end to the Bantam line. And of course this reader couldn’t get enough of all the wonderful Luke/Mara interaction. Repeat with me: FINALLY!

2. Outbound Flight by Timothy Zahn
Zahn managed to combine many different plots seamlessly and provided new insights into the motivations of both Palpatine and Thrawn. And oh, how I loved Thrawn in this book. Considering this is a prequel book without my two favorite characters – Luke and Mara – the fact that this book tops my list says a lot about how awesome it is.

3. Tatooine Ghost by Troy Denning
This is a wonderful character study of Han and Leia’s early relationship, and her fears about having children while coming to terms with her parentage. I want more books like this.

4. The Last Command by Timothy Zahn
The conclusion to the best series of the EU. It provided a fantastic end to Grand Admiral Thrawn’s character and a promising beginning to Mara Jade’s.

5. The Unifying Force by James Luceno
The conclusion to the New Jedi Order. One of the reasons I was so disappointed with the post-NJO books is that the series ended on such a high note and brilliantly set up the characters to go in certain directions…and then that was all pushed aside for the Dark Nest trilogy and Jacen turning dark.

6. Iron Fist by Aaron Allston
Ton Phanan. Dia Passik. Face Loran. Lt. Kettch. Need I say more? Of all the X-wing books, this is the one that made me both laugh and cry so much. And I firmly believe that Ton Phanan’s death is the best of the EU. It is quiet and dignified, with just him and his best friend, as all deaths should be: Phanan's chest did not rise or fall. But his organic eye was still open, directed upward, and his expression—for once lacking pain, lacking the shields of sarcasm or manufactured self-appreciation—was that of a child wondering at the glittering beauty of the stars.

7. Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor by Matthew Stover
No book in recent memory has made me more excited about the EU or done a better job with Luke Skywalker. It shows his transition from pilot to Jedi and cements his place as the hope of the Jedi Order with my favorite line of the EU: “Unlike the Knights of old, you are not afraid of the dark.” It even made me like one of the Mandalorians!

8. Star by Star by Troy Denning
A monster of a book that was the turning point of the NJO. So upsetting, but beautifully written. Anakin shouldn’t have died, but at least he went out like a hero.

9. Force Heretic: Remnant by Sean Williams and Shane Dix
I didn’t like the entire Force Heretic trilogy that much, but this book had it all for me: great action, great characters, and Pellaeon being a BAMF: “The Empire will always strike back.”

10. I, Jedi by Michael Stackpole
I have always wondered why there haven’t been more books like this. Reading a Star Wars book written in the first person was very different and very interesting. I’d love to go back to old series and get a first person book focusing on some of the minor characters.

So I'm going to make some Top 10 lists.

My first list is my list of favorite SWEU characters, 'cause I was thinking about it the other day.  Feel free to join me if you'd like. 


Top 10 Favorite EU characters

1. Mara Jade Skywalker
Duh.

2. Talon Karrde
He is the Most Interesting Man in the Galaxy.

3. Corran Horn
He has an ego the size of Corellia, but I love him anyway.

4. Anakin Solo
The one who shouldn't have died. :(  I loved what they were doing with his character, and then *poof*.

5. Gilad Pellaeon
The first Imperial I ever liked.  

6. Thrawn
Obviously.  The Thrawn Trilogy made him intimidating.  Outbound Flight made him fascinating.

7. Mirax Terrik Horn
She's feisty and tough and the only woman who could put up with Corran's ego.  I want a Mara/Mirax book, like, NOW.

8. Wedge Antilles (he counts as an EU character because the bulk of his storyline comes from the EU)
If you don't love Wedge Antilles, you're a dirty stinking Sith.

9. Face Loran
What's not to love?  Funny, dreamy, and just all-around awesome.

10. Nomi Sunrider
Nomi goes on my list for purely nostalgic reasons.  The first comics I ever read were the Tales of the Jedi comics.  KJA notwithstanding, I still really enjoyed the story, and really felt for Nomi's character.  I really hope that the Nomi Sunrider novel happens, because I can't wait to read more about her.  



Top 5 Characters I Loooooooove to Hate:

1. Nom Anor
Screw Shimmra, Nom Anor was the standout villain of the New Jedi Order series.  I couldn't stand him, but he was so damn interesting. 

2. Borsk Fey'lya
Who doesn't love a good game of "Kick the Bothan"?

3. Viqi Shesh
What a pathetic piece of Kuati trash. 

4. Ysanne Isard
Iceheart was one cold-hearted bitch.  And she looked cool. 

5. Jorus C'baoth
I wanted to throttle him while reading Outbound Flight.  What. An. Ass.  But fascinating, especially after you know what happens with his clone.



Coming up next: Top 10 EU books

I found this on lanewinree's LJ and oh my god, it almost made me pee my pants.



Someone needs to cosplay as Karrde at Dragon*Con while holding a bottle of Dos Equis.  I may die. 

"Mara, if you want him to stop following you around, you're gonna have to sleep with him." - said by a friend to me re: another online friend who likes to make fun of Timothy Zahn all the time to goad me


I responded that that is the absolute best summary of Luke and Mara's relationship that I've ever read in my entire life.  

And I think I just got a plot bunny.  LOL.