The Expanded Universe discussion

Okay. So there was some discussion about authors earlier. Everybody seems to have an opinion on this...go figure. So the question is asked. Who and why? You favorite, least favorite, you couldn't finish this person's book, etc., and why you do/don't like said author.

Me first!

I think that my favorite author is Michael A. Stackpole. I think that he seems to have enough description in his books that it is really involving, but is still fast enough to keep an ADD person engaged. Another thing is that he writes battles really well. A more in-the-moment type of writing. I like that. Another author that I like (there are many) would be Matthew Stover, the guy who wrote the Episode III book. That book in particular is interesting because it gives you a personal view of a character's thoughts and feelings, but still has a 3rd person narrative. I think that is cool.

The author that is probably on the bottom of my list is R.A. Salvatore. I couldn't finish his Episode II book. Of course, Episode II just seems to drag, but the author is supposed to make a story at least a little interesting!

Tirade ended.

My favorite author is Karen Traviss, though I've so far only read her Clone Wars era stuff. So my opinion is based on that. She really inserted some rather tougher philosophical topics into her fiction that I especially loved. Her novels provoke you to think, in my opinion. She really got into the heads of the Clone troopers, which I love. She made them very human.

As for least favorite, I didn't particularly like the MedStar series, so that would be Michael Reaves and Steve Perry. It was too much like MASH inserted into the Star Wars universe.

Do you mean Star Wars authors? Or any and all?

My fav, no doubt would be Timothy Zahn, he is awesome.
I have yet to read a book of his that I don't love.
Although I will admit to enjoying Michael A Stackpole muchly as well.

James Luceno's books bore the snot out of me, the insanely detailed enviroments are an interesting idea, but it takes WAY too much time to read, and I soon lose interest.

Fav? Timothy Zahn. Had to give thought to who I really didnt like, but id say Vonda McIntyre. "The Crystal Star" just didnt portray the characters properly, imo.

Hmmm, I liked that one, but then, I was 10 when I read that. Plus, even then I thought it was pretty weird.

It's got to the Zahn for me as well. There's just something indefinable about his writing - I've read descriptions of it elsewhere and he's been described as "fast-paced, light on description, action-oriented, with plenty of military detail", but I think that sells him short, because it makes him sound like some sort of author equivalent of Michael Bay. Zahn can nail characterisation better than just about any other SW author and he just about stands alone in making us really care about his original creations - Mara Jade and Grand Admiral Thrawn being the primary examples.

Least favourite? I'd have to say Kevin J. Anderson. His Jedi Search trilogy was such a letdown coming immediately after Zahn's books; his original characters were paper-thin, his characterisations of just about everyone seemed off-kilter. Worse yet was his standalone novel "Darksaber" - a whole book about building a stripped-down Death Star (the coolest superweapon in fiction) in which Anderson drops sledgehammer-subtle hints repeatedly throughout that corners are being cut and construction is shoddy and then at the climax...big surprise, it doesn't work.

I remember reading it and not quite being able to believe that someone like this was able to be a professional writer.

Note to Timothy Zahn fans, this was recently posted on the big book thread:

Sue Rostoni wrote: Yes, there are plans for a 20th Anniversary Issue of Heir to the Empire, coming out next June. It's a hardcover -- and that's all I can reveal at this time.

Q: Can you say if there any plans to do special cover art for this version?

SR: Yes, we're looking into some variations of a special cover.

Happiness upon happiness!

I also found a blurb on starwars.com.

The important bit is:

"The hardcover release will include insightful annotations on the text, as well an exclusive short story by Timothy Zahn featuring his most famous Star Wars creation, Grand Admiral Thrawn."

Here's the GR page:

I'm in complete agreement with Michael up there. Zahn, Stackpole and Allston. Zahn because he started it all and because he really is a great writer. Stackpole and Allston because they make me laugh. And I'm probably biased because I love the pilots. Wedge was always my favourite character when I was small first watching Star Wars. Weird as that seems.

There were two books I actually stopped reading and then finished months later because I felt I had to. Vector Prime and Children of the Jedi. So I guess by default that makes those two authors my least favourite.

I'm not sure who my very favorite is, though surely my overall favorites are Zahn, Stover, and Luceno. I guess I'd have to say that Karen Traviss would be among my top five also.

My least favorite SW author so far is Kevin J. Anderson. I could hardly get through the Jedi Academy trilogy, and I thought that the characters were shallow and the action was cartoonish.

Hi guys! I just made a group totally dedicated to the authors of the star wars universe. This is the link. http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/4...
It is open for anyone to join! (right now it is very small.)

I'm a really big fan of Drew Karpyshyn and Karen Traviss. The Darth Bane and Republic Commando series are amazing, it's too bad that Karen Traviss never got to finish the Commando series, but at least Drew Karpyshyn is releasing TOR: Revan.

For me, it's Timothy Zahn, hands-down. He single-handedly revitalized the EU with Heir to the Empire, and there hasn't been a single book of his I haven't liked. He's an author who knows and loves his subject, and we can't help but love it too. His favorite characters are our favorite characters; we feel what they feel, and we laugh and cry alongside them. That's what makes a good character, and that's what makes a good author.

Least favorite author? I have no clue xD But The New Jedi Order has to rank as my least favorite series. Far too long and much too depressing.

I think the EU could use some re-vitalization. I think they should call upon the best superhero (or author) duo in Star Wars history: Stackpole and Zahn.

Allston is the funniest EU author - I loved his run on X-Wing, and I can't wait for the new X-Wing book. I wish Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi were better overall, but I don't blame Allston.

I absolutely love the contributions of Matthew Stover. I also love Timothy Zahn, who of course started it all. Another favorite: Kevin J. Anderson. I know some people have criticized him, and I admit that The Jedi Academy trilogy is not the best, but I absolutely loved his Young Jedi Knights books when I was kid. That series is largely responsible for introducing me to the world of Star Wars books.

I thought the Jedi Academy series was pretty good! I figure pretty much anything would pale somewhat in contrast to the Thrawn trilogy, but I still enjoyed it. If Zahn revitalized the EU, then Anderson revitalized the Jedi.

I also enjoyed the YJK book series, even though I started reading it when I was a senior in high school.

Timothy Zahn is my favorite star wars author. I love both his post ROTJ books and his ones that take place during the original trilogy.

My least favorite is Barbara Hambly. Her two star wars books irritate me to death. I didn't mind the creation of Callista in Children of the Jedi but thought that her attempt to write a star wars romance fell flat. I felt Darksaber resolved the relationship enough for me but I get the feeling Hambly didn't like it so she wrote Planet of Twilight so that she could resolve the romance her way.

So far my favorite SW author is Karen Travis; the Republic Commando series is my favorite of all her books that I have read.

Apart from Zahn, who is the only author that gave me the movie trilogy "feel" in his storytelling, I like Denning and Karpyshn. Mainly due to their awesome characters. Bane series was amazing and Dennings Dark Nest was a big miss for me, but I love Saba Sebatyne. my least favorite was Karen Traviss. While I admire her non-Jedi approach it felt more anti-Jedi than anything, while Bobba is a true BAMF, I get so sleepy reading all this Mandolorian crap. Sorry!