by Cormac McCarthy
I was looking forward to seeing this movie, since people only had good things to say about it, but then I discovered that the book came first. And when that’s the case, I always read the book before I see the movie. Though I’d never read Cormac McCarthy’s work, I didn’t think I’d like it because I had the impression that his stories are all set in the Old West, which doesn’t interest me. But since I knew the movie is set more recently then that, I gave it a whirl and I’m glad I did!
To absorb all the nuances, I read this book twice — partly because it wasn’t until about halfway through that I was able to understand McCarthy’s narrative style. His use of dialogue reflects the speech patterns of that part of Texas, which is more extreme than say, a Houston accent, which I only know because I lived in that city for a year. McCarthy writes almost phonetically, so I had trouble understanding some of what was being said. For example, he’d write “kindly” when what the character actually means is “kind of.” In addition, McCarthy rarely, if ever, uses quotation marks throughout, so sometimes it was hard to know who was saying what until you got to know the characters. The second read helped a lot.
The narrative is sparse, yet includes so much detail. He makes your imagination work hard! Seeing the movie first would have ruined the aesthetic experience for me. Each chapter begins with a first-person narrative that reads almost like a journal entry, and is what the story is really about. It only took me about 2/3 of the way through the book to figure it out, though!
I’m very excited about seeing the movie — just bought the DVD. It’s bound to be as great as everyone says, considering it’s a Coen brothers film.
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by Terry Brooks
Books tend to be better than their movie versions, and in this case, though the movie was released first, the book is still better. I’m not a big sci-fi/fantasy lit. fan (except for Star Wars obviously, and Harry Potter I suppose), so I’m unfamiliar with Terry Brooks’s work, but it’s clear he’s an excellent writer. I just don’t like his writing style.
Brooks wrote in scenes and in some places, entire chapters, but The Phantom Menace isn’t his story. If I read one of his own novels, I may have a different opinion. I realize that what bothers me about his writing style is nitpicky. For example, he often refers to Obi-Wan as Qui-Gon’s protégé, which he is, but I don’t believe that word exists in Basic (the predominant language in the Star Wars universe). “Padawan” and “apprentice” are more appropriate. At one point, Brooks uses the word glass, but in SW, this is called “transparisteel,” just as paper is “flimsiplast” or “flimsi” for short, and concrete is “permacrete.”
As mentioned earlier, TPM novelization is an improvement over the movie. One reason, and this is certainly true for most books-to-movies, is because the storyline is expanded. Brooks’s additions provide more insight into the characters’ qualities and relationships with one another, along with their intentions and motivations. He achieves this even in chapters directly from the screenplay by cutting a bit here and writing in something there, which results in more fully developed characters. The author also allows readers into the characters’ heads, successfully transforming Jar Jar from an annoying fool into a tolerable being with intelligent thoughts and sincere feelings but without the capacity to express them.
If not for the special effects and Darth Maul’s gratifyingly menacing face, all of which are described well, I’d recommend the book over the movie. Without a doubt.
See more about Star Wars, Episode I: The Phantom Menace
by Jan Strnad, Anthony Winn, and Robert Jones
Prelude to Rebellion is a six-issue series with a bonus mini story arc in issue #s 4, 5, and 6. Both are biographical accounts of Jedi Council Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, including how he was named to the Jedi High Council and, in the mini-series entitled “Vow of Justice,” how he was discovered to be Force-sensitive as a child.
Prelude and “Vow” describe life and culture on Cerea, Ki’s homeworld. For example, the ratio of men to women is one to twenty, so men, including Ki, have a bond-wife and several honor-wives. Some men will go as far as kidnapping a male child in order to have a son, so one can understand Ki’s father’s relief and reluctance in allowing him to study at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. Once he finishes his trials (approximately 67 BBY), Ki returns as the guardian of peace and justice on Cerea. Only his lightsaber marks his difference from the rest of Cerean security, as he wears the same uniform rather than Jedi robes.
When Prelude begins (33 BBY), Cerea, a world far from the Core, is a non-technological planet, still relying on pack animals as transportation, for instance. Despite Republic representatives’ presentations of the benefits of bringing technology to Cerean society, the planet’s governing body of Elders refuses after a counter-presentation by Ki. As it turns out, one of his daughters is involved in pro-tech rallies. Thus, Prelude also covers themes such as family life, and generation and gender gaps — Ki may be an esteemed Jedi, but that doesn’t mean he’s a great husband or father.
Prelude encompasses the first six issues of the 83-issue Star Wars comic series, Republic. Unfortunately, both the larger and mini-series rely too heavily on narrative rather than dialogue and artwork to tell the stories. The art, particularly for Prelude, more than makes up for this and keeps the action exciting.
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by Michael Reaves
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter centers on Maul and what should have been, for him, a simple mission that Michael Reaves turns into a novel with potential but falls flat. Not only is the story predictable, the author’s writing is . . . not good.
The narrative is written mostly in the vernacular, that is, in plain language, which is fine. However, on many occasions he suddenly incorporates one word that, though perhaps accurate in usage, simply does not belong in the phrasing. Some examples: “Darsha felt the stairwell shift and shudder as if in the throes of a temblor” (153). “Temblor”? Is there something wrong with “earthquake”? Or: “It was a twisty path that Green Hair led them down, even for Coruscant — through dark alleys and back utility routes grown vermicularly complex over the centuries” (277). “Wormlike” would have worked just as well if not better than “vermicularly,” especially since one character here is called Green Hair. Reaves also uses weak similes such as, “a stab of pain like a blaster bolt through her skull” (199) to describe a headache.
Shifts in point of view are not smooth. A situation or action takes place in just a few paragraphs, then abruptly continues from a different character’s viewpoint. This happens often between Maul, the antagonist, and Darsha Assant, one of the protagonists. Indeed, what Reaves does best is draw parallels between the Sith apprentice and the Padawan by describing both characters’ interpretations and subsequent actions via the Sith and Jedi Codes, respectively. Still, disappointing all the way around.
The good news is, James Luceno’s short story, “Darth Maul: Saboteur,” previously available only in electronic format, is included in the paperback version of Shadow Hunter and is a real treat.
See more about Star Wars, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
by Ron Marz
Just before he’s sent on assignment, Darth Sidious presents Darth Maul with the Sith Infiltrator, a state-of-the-art spaceship complete with hyperdrive, cloaking device, and speederbike stored aboard. Maul is sent to cripple the Black Sun criminal organization, which Sidious warns is a powerful and dangerous operation that stands in the way of his larger designs. Maul proposes annihilating its master and nine vigos, but Sidious disagrees, as Black Sun may prove useful in the future.
The word “vigo,” which Darth Sidious uses to describe Black Sun’s lieutenants (issue 1), is incongruous in the Star Wars universe. “Vigo” conjures images of men in suits with guns, not a number of alien species wielding just as many different weapons. Further, Sidious calls Maul his “tool” (issue 1), and that’s exactly what his apprentice is in this story arc — merely a killing tool, presumably so Sidious doesn’t have to get his own hands dirty.
But despite Sidious’s description of Black Sun as dangerous, composed of one master, nine lieutenants, their bodyguards and other soldiers, as well as his express order not to destroy the entire organization, that’s what Maul does. There are, however, a couple of opponents Maul fights that are surprising in a good way, particularly the Black Sun master and his bodyguard.
The most impressive part of the 4-issue series is the artwork. Well, admittedly, Jan Duursema is my favorite Star Wars comic book artist, so no surprise there.
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by James Luceno
James Luceno’s Cloak of Deception is the first novel in the Star Wars canon that takes place during Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum’s reign. As the title implies, the story is filled with intrigue, mainly political, and the author includes descriptions of the characters’ cloaks whether or not they are the deceptive type, which is a nice touch. Indeed, unless the reader is familiar with the characters in The Phantom Menace (novel or movie), s/he may have a difficult time keeping track of everyone involved in the story, as there are many central characters, some more so than others.
Although it has its share of Jedi wisdom; blaster and lightsaber fights; and other staples of Star Wars lore, Cloak of Deception is mainly a political novel, and in that, will appeal to those who aren’t necessarily Star Wars fans through and through, so long as they are able to follow who’s who: there are, after all, 1,024 senatorial delegates representing at least that number of planets in the Old Republic rather than a mere 100 senators representing 50 states. 
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by James Luceno
Originally published as an ebook, James Luceno’s short story, “Saboteur,” introduces Darths Sidious and Maul to the Star Wars Expanded Universe canon. Though it is unrequired reading, it serves as an excellent introduction to Luceno’s novel, Cloak of Deception, and is now available as bonus material in Michael Reaves’s paperback novel, Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter, which follows Cloak of Deception chronologically on the EU timeline.
Darth Sidious does not play a large role, but the essence of the Sith Master’s relationship with his apprentice, Darth Maul, is revealed. Indeed, the story centers around Maul’s first solo mission to the Outer Rim planet, Dorvalla.
Dorvalla’s main resource is lommite ore, one of the substances employed in the creation of transparisteel, used for windows, ground vehicle windscreens, air- and spaceship canopies, and the like. Maul barely interacts with any characters on Dorvalla, but “Saboteur” exemplifies Sith cunning and subterfuge in orchestrating events, both on local and galactic scales. Luceno not only describes Maul’s peak physical condition and swordsmanship through his actions, but brings readers into his mind — his very thought processes. Because of Maul’s intense focus on discipline, his brief display of sensitivity (from which he quickly recovers) and sense of humor are nice surprises, as is his deference to Sidious. Darth Maul is so often portrayed as the face of evil and ruthlessness, a man of few words, that it is easy to view him as two-dimensional, which Luceno overcomes by imbuing him with these other qualities. Maul is eager to be on his own and to please his Master: he is so confident in his physical abilities and intelligence that failure seems not to be a part of Darth Maul’s worldview.
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by Randy Stradley
The Jedi Council we first encounter in The Phantom Menace are introduced in Acts of War. We also meet Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who along with other Council members and Padawans, pay a visit to the Yinchorri, a violent species admitted to the Republic a mere 20 or so years before this story takes place. They’ve taken advantage of the Republic’s technology: ships, blasters, and especially cortosis ore, fashioning them into shields that can burn out a lightsaber. It’s a suicide mission not just to Yinchorr, but to two other nearby planets in search of the Yinchorri’s command base.
Meanwhile, an army of Yinchorri barge into the Jedi Temple to obliterate the Jedi. This is a nice foreshadowing of what happens in Revenge of the Sith, as Darth Sidious has a background role in the Yinchorri’s attacks, something Yoda senses but not clearly. Thus, readers are introduced not just to the Dark Lord, but to his apprentice, Darth Maul and best of all, to Vilmarh “Villie” Grarhk, a Devaronian who fancies himself a bounty hunter, but will take on any shady mission. Those who only read the novels or watch the movies won’t encounter him again unless they read the Republic comic series.
Mace Windu, coolest Jedi ever, leads the mission to Yinchorr, which isn’t the success he would have liked, but ends as he expected. Strangely, it’s Saesee Tiin who sports the purple lightsaber rather than Windu — weird, especially because this series was released after The Phantom Menace.
Aside from the mix-up in lightsaber colors, the artwork is phenomenal. What else is there to say? 
See more about Jedi Council: Acts of War
I’m not going to review every single Jedi Apprentice book, but I do recommend this series to anyone who’s a fan of Obi-Wan Kenobi’s. I’m a sucker for backstories, so of course I was sucked in.
The series begins when Obi-Wan’s 13, the age at which most young Jedi have already been chosen to be a Padawan. Although the Jedi Apprentice series is for young readers (ages 9 - 12), Jude Watson well conveys young Obi-Wan’s insecurities: about whether or not he’ll become an apprentice; if Qui-Gon Jinn, who we all know chooses him, approves of him; if he’s doing well enough — emotions most teenagers feel, including teenage crushes(!), which is something all adults can relate to and makes this series worth reading.
This last volume ends with a 17-year-old Obi-Wan about to graduate from “Jedi high school” and to embark on his journey, still with Qui-Gon, to “Jedi college,” where he’ll go through his trials and if successful, become a Jedi Knight.
by Lilian Jackson Braun
Yeah, yeah — I’m reading “fluff” books because number one, I’m a sucker for books that have cats in them and two, that’s what ECT does to your brain — makes it hard to read literary fiction.
Actually, I’ve been re-reading The Cat Who… series because I have a bunch that I haven’t read yet and because of the ECT, couldn’t remember exactly how Qwill got Koko, etc.
If you aren’t familiar with this series, the first three volumes were written in the 60’s, and let me tell you — they were pretty risqué for their time. For example, a husky female metal sculptor named Butchy Bolton? Braun didn’t publish her fourth volume until the ’80s because: “The rising mystery author disappeared from the publishing scene for 18 years. The blame came from the fact that mystery novels were starting to focus on sex, violence, and foul language, and Braun’s light-hearted books were not welcome in this new territory.” (Wikipedia, Lillian Jackson Braun) Personally, I think this series is now written by ghost writers. I mean, the woman was born in 1913, which would make her like, 93 or 94 now and she’s still publishing! More power to her, I guess.
OK, on to this particular book. Qwilleran and his cats leave their country home “400 miles north of everywhere” to sublet an apartment “Down Below,” (the city) in order to save a historic building from being torn down by developers. A preservation committee, on which some old friends of his are members, are the ones who ask him to make the trip. Not only did the plot plod along, we never find out what actually happens to the building at the end of the story! Will it be restored? Will it be torn down and gentrified with the rest of the neighborhood? WTF? Come on, Lillian — you can do better than that!
