I Love Star Wars.

[beccatoria]

I hate the prequels.

Actually, that's not entirely true, but I mostly hate them, and I've never really written out why, at least not here. I'm not the only kid who hated the prequels. Hell, I wasn't exactly a kid when I first saw the movies, impoverished as my childhood was by parents who never thought to show them to me until the cinematic

Comments

[beccatoria]

Yes, the novelisation of ROTS is pretty amazing for what it manages with the material, but Matthew Stover is phenomenal.

I do understand the popularity of Traviss' work, but I can't get on board with her for two reasons. Firstly because I don't actually think her stuff is that great. I understand why people like her Mandos, but frankly I find them tedious and overly perfect. I actually really like Mandalorians, even the ones that are written based on the history and culture she invented, such as the ones that appear in John Jackson Miller's Knights of the Old Republic comic. They're awesome, shockhead warriors. But Traviss' guys are superbest at everything, morally superior to everyone, and so holier than though I want to punch them in the face.

Traviss harps on endlessly in interviews and on her own various web presences about how she wants to turn a critical eye back on the Jedi, etc., but has never managed to do so with her own guys. In fact, her novels don't smack so much to me of a nuanced interpretation of ethics so much as a role-reversal where Mandalorians can do not wrong and Jedi are all elitist out-of-touch jerks.

In one of her most recent novels, Revelation, Boba Fett is selling weapons to both sides of a war he is simultaneously judging the Jedi for failing to prevent. The Mandalorians tell Jaina that the Jedi suck because they are too removed from their families, from people, that they fail because they don't have this filial loyalty, and the SAME TIME they're judging Jaina and making her feel like crap because they accuse the Jedi Order of playing favourites (presumably based on filial loyalty), and refusing to take out Jaina's brother who is causing the war in the first place. And none of this is ever really dealt with in the text. At a certain point the number of contradictions reach breaking point and I can no longer take the book seriously. It all seems to be an excuse for the Mandalorians to act wronged about something.

The second reason I can't stand her is her personal conduct. She's more than snarky with fans. She's flat out insulting, and I have a limited tolerance for being insulted by someone whose life I am financing. Well, was, I don't buy her stuff anymore. I find her comparison of fan behaviour with islamic extremists, and extended use of, if not coining of, the word "talifan" to be in extremely poor taste. I find her continued armchair analysis of fans and diagnosis of us as having various serious mental disorders to be downright offensive. And frankly, anyone who's response, on their official FAQ to, "why don't you like Jedi?" is, "WHY ARE YOU A NAZI?!" (literally, this is what she says) is more infuriating than I have time for.

I really do respect the fact that you like her stories - as I said, they're not my cup of tea, but that's an issue of personal taste, and I don't mean to jump on you about it. I just have very, very strong feelings about the unacceptability of her public conduct, so I'm glad that she won't be writing any more novels.