From: keith@cco.caltech.edu (Keith Allan Schneider)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars
Subject: Re: Luke's lightsaber
Date: 21 Nov 1992 02:02:07 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: punisher.caltech.edu

flowerpt@coos.dartmouth.edu (Bill McGonigle) writes:

>In article <1eee4qINN6av@gap.caltech.edu> keith@cco.caltech.edu (Keith Allan Schneider) writes:
>>
>>No, I still disagree.  For example, the wind can propel a clipper ship, but
>>this does not mean that the same wind can propel a bullet at muzzle
>>velocity.  Do you see the difference?  The force can not cause the desired
>>local intensity, but it can apply a small force on a large scale.  Again,
>>while the wind can move a ship, it can't stop a cannonball-type projectile.

>I understand what you are saying, but I don't understand where you get your
>theory from.  If you believe the Zahn books, C'boath can accelerate little
>rocks to speeds fast enough to break through the shield and hull of a
>space craft.  Lucasfilm checked these books before they were released, 
>too.  

How many times do I have to say that I think the Zahn books are garbage?
Sure they were okayed by LucasFilm, but I really doubt that George read them
personally.  Also, I really doubt that Zahn was told he COULDN'T do anything.
The Zahn books are great pieces or fiction...  I read a few chapters.  He is
a good writer (and has wond several awards supposedly), but the novels are
just not set well in the Star Wars universe.  There are too many
inconsitancies.  I believe that the FAQ mentions this briefly (not that it
has been posted recently).  Basically, the plot devices in the novels are
crude.

My main beef with the novels is that they make the force such a common thing.
In the real Star Wars, the Force is a very mysterious thing.  Only a handful
of beings are able to manipulate it, and only a few people really believe
in it.  It is sort of a magic in a modern day world (of course, all this is
the point.  Perhaps people do not realize the extent of the symbolism in
Star Wars.  Lucas even hired that mythology guy (his name escapes me)--he
did this on purpose.  Maybe people would be interesting in discuss some
of the allusions--mostly religious--present in the trilogy).  However,
Zahn does not capture this same spirit.  Once the Force becomes the main
subject, it loses its appeal.  Now all of the conflicts (well, most of them)
center around controlling and blocking the Force.  And, now that Zahn has
pushed the Force up to the front, he now has to account for it always.  What
better then to invent a Force-blocking creature?  <spit>  I basically stopper
reading the novel when I got to the Ysalmiri (or whatever) part.  This just 
ruined it.

Has anyone read any of the old epics?  King Arthur, etc.?  How many magicians
were there?  One?  Two?  This is how it should be.  I get sort of upset when
some of these role-playing roups are filled with spell casters.  In the
good classic stories, only a few possessed this power.  What are some of the
good ones that follow this?  The Lord of the Rings, the movie Dragonslayer,
the Conan things... many others.  Even most of the newer stories limit
the amount of magic.  Too much magic ruins a story.  Zahn fell into this
trp, and he has no way out.  It is a shame, too, because he should have done
better (and could have, I mean).

>>>>However, it is clear from the movies that Jedis AREN'T invincible.  Remeber
>>>>that the Jedi were all but exterminated before Star Wars too place.
>>>True, but it took another Jedi to help destroy them.
>>Oh?  Who was that?

>Vader.  Remember in Ben's House, he said something like:

>A young Jedi, named Darth Vader, who was a pupil of mine until he turned to
>evil, helped the Empire hunt down and destroy the Jedi. 

Weren't you the one saying that Vader wasn't very powerful?  Anyway, this
is evidence that there really weren't any "Dark Jedis" except for Vader.
I don't know how the Emperor managed to become so powerful.

See, since Zahn cause the Force to become so powerful all of the sudden,
now he had to create some super villians.  The Force is great, but it 
really isn't so powerful.  Remember, the magicians of all the great stories
were basically pretty weak (look at Gandalf, for example).

Anyway, jsut about anyone can write a story by inventing a bunch of new
concepts.  When you run out of creative ideas within the universe, just
create fantastic ones to cover you back  Just bad writing style if you
ask me.

keith