A Light from the Dark

Zine
Title:	A Light from the Dark
Publisher:	Alvyren Press
Editor:
Author(s):	Mary Jean Holmes
Cover Artist(s):	Mary Jean Holmes
Illustrator(s):	Mary Jean Holmes, Mary Wood
Date(s):	1984 (January?)
Medium:	print
Size:
Genre:
Fandom:	Star Wars
Language:	English
External Links:
Click here for related articles on Fanlore.

cover

A Light from the Dark is a Star Wars 134-page post-Return of the Jedi novel published in 1984 and written by Mary Jean Holmes.

The extensive art is by Mary Jean Holmes, with some additional art by Mary Wood. The proofreaders: Joel Kimpel, Pete Miller, Pat Molitor, and Roberta Stuemke.

The story is based on the events of a past role-playing game.

Descriptions

[From a flyer]:

IF...

you can't believe that the Force is in all living things

you don't believe that Han and Leia really do love one another

you hated Return of the Jedi

THEN

DON'T READ THIS STORY!!!

BUT...

if none of this bothers you, and you want to read something I swore I would never write, then maybe -- just maybe -- this novel is for you.

Alvyren Press proudly (and the author with mixed feelings) presents:

A post-Jedi novel by Mary Jean Holmes.

The time is four months after the destruction of the second DEATH STAR, Palpatine and Vader are dead, the Alliance victorious, the Republic regrowing — but the Empire lives on, encouraged by dissatisfied former governors and senators and Imperial sympathizers who want to destroy the new regime before it can take root, so that they can place a new Emperor on the throne. Standing in their ways are the former rebels and the last of the living Jedi, who must be destroyed before they can succeed.

There are many who want to see Luke Skywalker dead, but a Jedi is not an easy person to kill — so, if they cannot destroy him directly, they will do so through his comrades and friends and kin...But the Force has hidden designs. Destinies that no one — not even Luke himself has foreseen...

[From the zine]: The character of Taiden K'vishen was created by me to provide a nemesis for the players of my Star Wars-based Traveller game, back in 1981. He comes to these pages, unchanged; hence, this story is dedicated to those persons who participated in that adventure as role players. With out them, Taiden K'vishen would never have had a reason to come into existence: Scott Paulson (Luke), Pete Miller (Han), Joel Kimpel (Chewie), Karen Pauli (Leia), J.R. Holmes, Mary Wood, and Kyym Kimpel.

Author's Note: The events occurring in the flashback sequence in Chapter Three are basically the results of actions made by the players who participated in Chat phase of the original game. Luke's decision to keep his mouth shut was Scott's fault, not mine.

Excerpt from a Flyer

The fear of turning into another Vader was a very real one to Luke, and one he hadn't entirely rid himself of. His reactions to being, so accused were still totally instinctive, gut-responses, emotional rather than rational. He took one menacing step forward, fists clenched, plainly in tending to punch Han's teeth into a new home somewhere in his gut.

The spacer was unimpressed by the threat. He held his ground with a stubborn, "Go ahead and do it; you'll only prove me right" look on his face. Seeing it — and knowing it was justified — the impulse to attack instantly fled the youth. Skywalker was a Jedi; he was above such petty threats. He retraced his step and pushed his anger back under control.

Han, however, did not. There was raw emotion in his eyes, on his face, and in his voice — anger, hurt, bitterness that he turned on the one he perceived to be the source of it all; Luke. The depth of it struck Skywalker so hard, he felt a sudden, horrible ache inside, like the claws

of Death tearing through his innards. He shuddered.

Sample Interior

• 

  inside page sample text, dense and single-spaced

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Wood

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes. Most illos are full-page, but this one shares a page with text

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Wood

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Mary Jean Holmes

• 

  inside page sample, Obi Wan Kenobi watches Luke and Han from the mirror

Reactions and Reviews

My copy of A Light From the Dark came today. How shall I love it? Let me count the ways... It has honest, well-motivated conflict between Han and Luke that jeopardizes their relationship, as well as Han's marriage to Luke's sister — yet all were correct of their judgement of the situation as they saw it at that time. At the end of the novel, the situation has changed drastically, and the conflicts no longer apply. Yet all is not sweetness and light, even now. These are people we are watching, not cardboard cut outs. Most of the original conflicts have been resolved, but there are new ones cropping up. Nothing's ever easy, and life goes on, despite every victory.

You decided that Han was a Force Sensitive, but his capitulation is kept strictly in character (I wonder if, in Decoy, it doesn't always sound a bit rushed and/or pat, but that could just be me jittering...Ghod and Bog know I rewrote that sucker enough!). As we should have known, even if Han accepts the simple fact that he is a Force Sensitive (which, from the comment about his mother and her death, he has always suspected, but feared to find out), Han Solo is not, no matter what, going to accept the fact that he might become a Jedi. After all, what has being a Jedi ever gotten Luke? Damn near skragged, that's what! As well as a great deal of mental anguish and guilt-stained responsibility. Han would just as soon pass on chat — he has enough problems. Han's methods of instructing his men on proper security methods. It would surely be infuria ting to have your own commanding officer running right hrough your blockadesoo.it*s enough to be found less-than-sufficiently-corapetent, but to have it be done by a cocky and supercilious Corellian smuggler...the confrontation scene is lovely!

There are no Ewoks! Chewbacca is given a full-blown role in this one, instead of Just being stage-dressing or local color, as too many other authors treat him. You are not guilty of this — Lumpy would shed all over your typer — but many other writers are, having difficulty coping with him as a character. [Indeed, yes. The worst example I believe I ever read was in a zine which shall remain nameless, by a writer (who shall also remain nameless) who plainly could not handle him as a character. Rather than find an excuse for him to be elsewhere, s/he killed him two pages into the story. The death had no real bearing at all on the rest of the talet it wasn't even a story of retribution. I find that to be an excessively extreme method of shuffling aside a character one cannot deal with.]

I myself have intentionally put him out of the picture to clear the stage for my tale. But you give him as well-rounded a role and person ality as any other character, and thus deserve plaudits- Many writers can*t seem to manage that, and you do it magnificently. Han didn't quite come all the way apart when he saw the spectre of Obi-wan in Luke's quarters. Them's the good points that surface immediately. There are undoubtedly more, but I read the whole thing as soon as the mail came this PM, and it's still all in there, burbling at me. I love it! But I have a few minor quibbles... The Flashback scene in Chapter Three is fascinating, but much too short. I'd like very much to see that done, eventually, as a short story of its own. It deserves that, I think. Any way, I'd like to read it. It's like that little bit of their mutual history that Luke used to determine if he was sitting with Han or Rissen at the end of No Place Left to Run. Just enough to tease. Though I'll admit that the latter fragment is more tantalyzing, if only because there is less of it. Have you written that story out? I really want to see that!

[I rather figured you'd like that flashback, given your evident tastes. The scene in NPLTR is part of my hopelesslyblocked-at-the-moment novel, Deathmasaue. Sooner or later, it will be completed and printed. As for the other thing...well, I'd never really intended to write all of it down, since the story for which I invented Taiden K'vishen was part of a Traveller game. If I can corral the play ers, and we can all piece the story toge ther, I may write it, but I really just pulled K'vishen out of my backlog of de tails and used him in A Light From the Dark because he was such a spiffy villain. But, if you recall, he was mentioned in "Me an' My Shadow" back in issue #6 ... ]

You passed right over Han and Leia deciding to marry, and the actual ceremony, and not only that, skimped on the details. Like, Han is stated and des cribed to be wearing the naathia band that signifies Corellian-marriage. It is never stated if Leia is wearing one, too. Is it only for the male of the couple? Or only for the Corellian? I'm real interested... [Ahem. Okay, well... it's not that I don't know all these things; I deliberately chose not to discuss them, because I felt they were non-essential to the novel as a whole. For instance, if I had gone into detail concerning the wedding, it may have been very nice, emotionally speaking, but would have needlessly slowed down what I considered an already-slow beginning. All the reader needed to know for the sake of the story was that the two had, indeed, married; further details were not essential. Maybe I'll write a short story on it when I have the time. As for the naathia band...I deliberately avoided details on this, too, because I could give a several-page disser tation on the history, culture, and traditions I drew when I evolved it. However; if you will look at the illustrations, you will see that Han is clearly wearing it, while Leia is not. That's 'cause he's Corellian and she (presumably) is not. (Hard to tell, since we aren't sure if she's really Alderaani, these days...) She, however, is drawn as wearing a ring around her right middle finger, the Alderaani custom. Your comment on this, however, makes me wonder if I ought to write down all the details of Corellian culture as I have developed it, so that I can show other people when they ask...hmm, another odd column comes

to mind...]

Just finished A Light From the Dark and I had to write! Mary Jean, this is a wonderful story!! I love it!

You actually had bad feelings about this?! And I thought I had problems with the Supercritic aspect of my personality! Lock up those bad feelings and throw away the key! These are a few of my favorite things:

A living, breathing Wedge Antilles and Chewbaccao Chewbacca is always alive to me in your stories — not some spear carrier (uh, bowcaster-carrier?), always in the background — but I love his role in this one! That Wookiee definitely has a devious streak! And Wedge! His exasperation at his commander's methods of testing security (itself a delight to follow) endeared him to me right off. I like very much the way you've handled the man. Oh, yes, and a certain Chief of Security's "lessons." The party goods scene was priceless — I crack up just re-reading the chime-ball/hot potato toss.

The artwork (both yours and Mary Wood's) is excellent. Of course, I do have my favorites — Chewie lugging Han and Luke around like toys, and page 132. I love the expressions on Han's and Luke's faces! Beautiful! The Gyrastians. The background detail you've given them, their appearance, behavior — what a fantastic job you've done on them! They are a completely believable race, with motivations well-thought out — what can I say? They feel right; they feel real (if that makes sense).

K'vishen. What a wonderfully nasty being you have as a villain. Brrr.

I could go on and on (actually, I'm having a hard time stopping — there's so much I like about this story), but what matters is, this story works. The characters are alive, with oh-so-realistic quirks and unpredictabilities. On one hand, a very involving murder mystery; on the other, a very well-thought out psychic battle (and you know how much X enjoy psychic battles), and you end up with a story that is totally impossible to put down, once started (and I'm very glad that it was a slow day at the library when I started to read this, otherwise there would have been a very frustrated librarian at day's end). An excellent piece of work, Mary Jean.

A Light From the Dark was FANTASTIC! I got it yesterday, and I just finished it a few minutes ago. It was everything I got into fandom and fanzines for in the first place. Nothing else has come close.

Really! Granted, I still have quite a stack of fanzines on my bookshelf waiting to be read; I've only known about fanzines about four months now, thanks to a friend. But your novel was exactly what I've been wanting to read. Ever since I read you: very interesting and amusing ad for it, I had a really good feeling about it, and the Force wasn't wrong. I let everything go today (and I'm not telling my husband; I really never do this), and pushed all the guilt feelings aside, sat down with a big bowl of popcorn (it should be a movie), and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I laughed, I shuddered, and almost gagged and thought of throwing up when I read of Vhatti's end as main course and dessert. You did your job well. There really aren't words to tell how much I enjoyed it, so I guess I should shut up.

You said you'd never do this, but I'm sure glad you did. When I thought of my friend (when I first started reading your novel), I wasn't sure she would approve, knowing how much she disapproved of Luke in JEDI and how disappointed she was in the way Han's character was treated. But surely, she would love what you have done for Han. I kind of think it's the ending to JEDI some of the more disappointed fans would approve of, but I guess that remains to be seen.

Thanks for all the pleasure. I'm going to read it again.

Are you sure you're not a figment of my imagination? Or perhaps a bit of projected wish fulfillment?

More seriously, I have rarely found a piece of Star Wars fan fiction that reflects my own view of the main characters as well as your A Light from the Dark. (I'd like to think that the novel mirrors George Lucas' perceptions of his creations as well, but exacting characterization does not seem to be a major concern of his, so he may never have considered his heroes in great depth.) I was very glad to see that you did not "play favorites," as many fan authors do, but actually gave everyone in the cast an important goal to accomplish within the plot.

You addressed one of my problems with Luke in Return of the Jedi: his tendency to perceive himself as a pawn of Destiny, to the extent that he often tread on the feelings of his friends when he thought it advisable. He never explained anything of what was happening to Han, and he dropped a bombshell on Leia, only to leave poor, bewildered Solo to pick up the pieces. I don't wish Luke to fall to the Dark Side, nor do I think he did so in ROTJ, but he does have character flaws that he needs to examine and mend; he recognized them and began to rectify them in your novel, and that suits me fine. It was also nice to see that he's developing more of a sense of humor than he usually exhibited in the movie trilogy. He could sure use light in his life to balance all the somberness I might quibble with his ability to read ordinary minds via the Force, if only because no Force-sensitive ever demonstrated that specific talent in the films.

Otherwise, his Jedi abilities were neither exaggerated nor belittled, making him a person with gifts that are helpful, but no deus ex machina. I very much liked this Luke, who is basically good and skilled without being irritatingly perfect or omnipotent.

Han's own peculiar attributes were well-illustrated, particularly in his efforts to keep Endor Base security alert. Just because he has become "responsible" is no reason for him to forego using unorthodox tactics, especially when they prove useful. Even though I know his jealousy of Luke and Leia's relationship was somewhat childish, my sympathies lie with him, because he had very little reason to feel secure in his marriage after only four months, especially since Luke had been bluntly excluding him from Leia's training sessions. The solution of the family conflict pleased me, doubly so because Han did not lose Leia and gained a whole new world. His discovery and use of his own psionic resources — which I firmly believe he possesses — were portrayed well; his reaction to the situation was very, much in character, from his touch of smugness at his prowess to his slight embarrassment over Che fact that there was something to this nonsense after all. To paraphrase a certain quotable Corellian, he may not look like much, but he's got it where it counts...

Leia maintained her familiar determination and stubbornness throughout the story, but you tempered these characteristics with her softer, more vulnerable traits, the ones that the mass audiences usually fail to notice. She is a novice in more than the ways of the Jedi; her reluctance to deal with the conflicting demands laid on her by her husband and her brother reveals an uncertainty on her part as to how to cope with her personal needs and emotions. Considering how much she had lost with the death of Alderaan, it's no wonder that she felt such a driving desire to regain even a small part of it, almost regardless of cost. In that way, her overwhelming physical quest recalls Luke's spiritual one, in that both nearly cause disaster but ultimately result in more good than harm. The empathic bond between the twins could indeed be a potential liability, and Leia's need for further training was amply demonstrated through her inability to shield herself while under torture. Aside from that difficulty, the siblings have a solid friendship with, thank the Maker, no romantic undertones. Those were saved for Leia's marriage, which looks to be strong, consisting of mutual support and affection to a greater degree than its relative newness might seem to warrant.

[Ed: Concerning the business of "romantic undertones." I have mentioned before to many people that, two weeks after A New Hope was released, we heard two rumors from a friend who apparently had "an inside source." We all know the reliability of such sources, so, when he told us the pair of rumors he had heard, we found them laughable. After "Darth Vader is Luke's father" proved to be true, I stopped laughing at "Luke and Leia are brother and sister." Since that time, I have lived believing that this would turn out to be so, and saw in their relationship in TESB not one of passion or romance, but almost more of teasing (of Han) and good friendship. All the truly romantic gestures have been between Han and Leia — running back through collapsing corridors to check on her condition, pursuing the opposition when outnumbered to guarantee her safety, delaying escape from the enemy to get a bit of revenge for the horrors they have inflicted. Luke's attitude has always been that of a staunch friend, infatuated at first, but a friend nonetheless. Just because she seemed beautiful, in danger, and promising of adventure when he first saw that hologram was no real indication of romantic love, on Luke's part. Although I can't say the novelization of ROTJ was the best bit of fiction I've ever read, I do like one line from it: "The love he had always felt for her — even from afar — now bad a clear basis. Believing all this, why bother with romantic undertones in a relationship that is best fraternal?]

Lando, less well-defined than the other three in the movies, came across as the quintessential con-artist here. He's obviously an asset to the Republican military in that capacity, as his deftness in staging the exposure of the murderer shows. As in ROTJ, he spent much of the novel out of the company of the trio [well, if Leia's brother hanging around all the time causes problems, wouldn't the constant presence of Solo's old card-playing buddy just add to it?], but he proved capable of carrying out his end of the plotline very well without the other main heroes' assistance. Poor man, always being used as a scapegoat by everyone in sight, even when he's not at fault for whatever he's accused of doing! After Bespin, though, I wonder if he's come to expect such treatment. At any rate, he delivered himself from the charges with grace, in this case. Subjective as this sounds, I'm glad that you seem to have as little interest in the droids as I do. At times, I consider them.to be impediments to the plots of the films, although Threepio's prissiness is amusing, if used in moderation. Chevbacca interests me far more as a minor hero than the droids. The hints at Wookiee culture and attitudes, as explained and displayed by Chewie, were quite intriguing, and I assume you have a more fully fleshed xenological treatise on the Wookiees elsewhere. Chewie has the intelligence and quiet dignity that many probably don't see, and I liked the recognition of those qualities in the novel.

Being a firm proponent of recurring players, I was pleased to see such familiar faces as General Rieekan and Wedge Antilles used in the story as more than walk-ons. I'm not certain where the tradition began that the two of them are Alderaani, but I have no objection to it, particularly since it gives Leia some fellow survivors with whom she can share old times.

[snipped]

The basic plot was good, although both threads were tied together a little tenuously. I also thought that the story stretched beyond its natural end, which seemed to occur at the conclusion of the penultimate chapter (I wouldn't have wanted to miss Han's encounter with Ben, though). The only real flaw I could find involved your lack of explanation for how Rieekan, who could not understand Wookiee in Chapter Eight, is suddenly conversant in the language, eight chapters later. Reference to a translator is made eventually, in regard to one of the other human characters, but the existence of such equipment should have been noted sooner. Still, this is a minor error, and I can find no greater ones in the story.

[snipped]

I feel less qualified to judge the art, but I can say that I enjoyed it and thought that the faces bore a reasonable resemblance to the actors'. [That's all I really try for. I'm not much of a portrait artist9 I try:' to make them look like the characters.] Some of the poses looked a little awkward, but the expressions were uniformly excellent. The highest praise I can think to give A Light from the Dark is to ask for a sequel.

I probably didn't tell you in the last missive, but I really enjoyed A Light from the Dark. Not the least of your talents is the fact that technically, you're a darn good writer. Better, I may say, than some people who are actually being published.

I cannot believe you were nervous about the reactions to your novel (believe it or not, even though I've read it three or four times. Your continuation of the relationships between all the characters that GL left us with after ROTJ were right on the spot.

I really did love A Light from the Darky very much. I particularly liked the conflict between Han and Luke about Leia's training and its resolution. The final scene in which the three escape, Luke and Leia supporting Han, and all of them laughing, once again a family, was really touching, and felt very true to the feel of the SW films (sort of like the scene in SW:ANH, where the three of them leave the docking area on Yavin, wrapped in each others' arms) — except this is even better. They really know each other, now, including all their individual quirks and faults, which you brought out and handled beautifully. Han and Luke were very well-portrayed; maybe Leia was a little less decisive than usual, but this was an impression based on not knowing why that particular object was so important to her. Once she explains is significance, her reactions return to character.

I want to say that this is the only long SW story I've ever read that keeps the three central characters' interactions with one Again, many thanks for all the hard v^ork that I know must have gone into your novel. I really appreciate it, and will enjoy reading it over many times. The artwork was also terrific; I loved having full-paged, regularly-spaced illos. It gave the story a more visually flowing impact. By the way, I read — made up, really — a very abbreviated, summarized version of your another true to the films'... Also, having Han turn the tables on Luke — who was becoming a little big-headed — was great. I was halfway through writing a story of my own on a similar theme — i.e., Luke's values put to the ultimate test by a power stronger than the Emperor's, with the lives of his friends hanging in the balance. Your story was so great by comparison... that I was going to toss mine into the garbage — but I've persisted with it, and since the ending and setting are completely different (i.e., Leia is present in only the first few pages), I've t decided to complete it — and it does seem to be shaping up rather well, now, so I guess I haven't given up yet.

By the way, I read — made up, really — a very abbreviated, summarized version of your story, and related it off the top of my head with those excellent illos to help me, to one of my primary grades. (I am a relief teacher.) That class was palying up on me; I happened to have your story with me, so I said I'd tell them a SW story. Instant silence. They were absolutely rapt... and this is the absolute truth... they begged me to tell it to them again! So I did (the highlights), then the kids spent another half hour discussing their favorite bits and writing and drawing about it. Believe me, you were a smash hit.

The relationships between the main characters after Jedi is occupying the attention of many writers. Mary Jean Holmes in her novel A Light from the Dark writes about Han, Luke, and Leia in the months after Endor. Happiness is not "ever after" in this tale. Luke is worried about the future of the Jedi, Han is resistant to Luke's interference in his marriage, and Leia is caught between her husband and her brother. Holmes deals with these personal problems all the while telling an adventure story replete with Dark Side villain, cannibalistic monks, and petty-minded senators.