Ten Thousand, All in Advance... Pro Novel News & Reviews
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| Title: | Ten Thousand, All in Advance... Pro Novel News & Reviews |
| Creator: | the editors of Crossfire Zone, and a fan named Kimberly |
| Date(s): | fall 1994 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Star Wars |
| Topic: | |
| External Links: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Ten Thousand, All in Advance... Pro Novel News & Reviews is the title of a 1994 conversation among fans about the quality of Star Trek tie-in novels.
The first part was in Crossfire Zone #9 (September 1994). The rebuttal by fans, and comments by the original authors, was in Crossfire Zone #10 (November 1994).
Some Topics Discussed
- the terrible quality of Star Wars Tie-in Novels
- the tie-in novels lack character development, emotion, originality, and common sense
- are bad Star Wars better than none at all?
- Splinter of the Mind's Eye, and the Trek novel The Price of the Phoenix
- should Trek writers write Star Wars fiction?
- why aren't real admirers of Star Wars allowed to write the novels? is it because they care too much?
The First Comments: Editors of "Crossfire Zone"
REPORT: "CHAMPIONS OF THE FORCE" was listed at #4 on the fiction paperback bestseller list. There's no accounting for taste, but we can explain the brisk sales of the "pro SW novels" here in Louisiana. We stock up on hurricane supplies year round, toilet paper is always a necessity and books take up so much less room than those bulky rolls...
Any comments -pro or con- on the pro novels will be printed. Send 'em on, stop us from complaining alone. - Eds.
The Response: "Kimberly" and the Rebuttal: "Editors of 'Crossfire Zone'"
[Kimberly]:To my beloved Crossfire Editors; may I be allowed to explain? please? Um, I am curious as to the outright hatred of the SW novels by Kevin Andersen, Timothy Zahn. It seems that Kathy Tyers and Dave Wolverton have yet to face the executioner's block, but I suppose that is coming. Being a voracious book worm, I have already finished reading "The Crystal Star, and I, personally, liked it. No, in fact, I loved it. I thought it was great. Really. I did. I also liked "Heir to the Empire", "Dark Force Rising", "The Last Command", "The Truce at Bakura", "Jedi Academy", "Dark Apprentice" and "Champions of the Force". The only novel I wasn't terribly fond of was Wolverton's "Courtship" and that was basically because the title character maintained a supporting role while two men fought over her again. I have no reason for liking than, aside from the fact that they deal with characters I love.
What I want to know is, am I crazy for liking them? The Editors made it sound like no self-respecting SW fan would even soil their hands with the novels. Why? What's the big deal? I like reading SW fiction, good or bad, pro or amateur. Why? Because I like the characters and having to wait has made me crazy. Of course you must realize that this is coming from someone who
hated, literally, "Splinter of the Mind's Eye". I think we should all be glad that someone has picked up the torch and is attempting to create stories in involving Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia et.al. There are over 75 ST novels, some of these are bantha fodder, some are great; does it matter? No, not to Trekkers. Please note that C.Z. is not the only fan publication to announce extreme dislike for the pro SW novels. There are others, so can someone please explain to me why SW fans seem totally against the pro novels? I would really like to know, maybe I am missing something; thanks for all the great work & for giving me a chance to vent; I don't get to do that much around here.
[Crossfire Editors]:THANK YOU, Kimberly, for expressing your opinion. That's what we're trying to encourage in C.Z. WE don't vent much around here - and believe us, WE COULD, but we figured if our readers wanted our PROUDLY BOMBASTIC OPINIONS they would ask for it. You have...so here goes...Why are so many SW fans totally against the pro SW novels? Because they/we think they
SUCK!
We, as Editors and fans, did not - and would presume to judge another fan's self- respect based on whether or not they share our opinion on entertainment. We were speaking FOR OURSELVES and we have since reconsidered...it isn't our HANDS we would soil with the pro novels... We're surprised, but really happy to hear you like the pro novels, and we're happy for you. We, too, have waited a long time. It has made all SW fans crazy in different ways. Some wandered away from fandom, some were compelled to write their own SW adventures. We think it's safe to say that ALL SW fans were hoping to go to a bookstore and get a blown away by the same grand adventure, emotion and mysticism we saw on the screen.
The pro novels fall short of almost all expectations on so many counts it's sad. We have enough to cover with the literary content of the novels without getting into the puppeteering, by Lucas, of the authors.
To start at the beginning, consider Zahn...Directed to steer clear of the very facets of the SW universe that most fans want expounded upon, he gave us a look at 'characters we love' who - five years after ROTJ-seem to have RE-gressed, not progressed. Five years older,Luke is no wiser, Han and Leia are making babies they can't safely raise AND Leia is waddling and rolling thru blaster battles (what a target!) Zahn made capable, heroic characters listless, lifeless cardboard imitations who are not only irresponsible, they are insensitive. Where is the emotion, the love,between these characters?
Still, there were to be other novels by other authors and we would surely,find something to our liking in them. Alas, LFL has ensured that five different authors would be restricted by - and sacrifice their individuality (dare we say integrity) to Zahn's formulaic, juvenile, vapid manifesto. So, instead of anticipating each new novel, we cringe. Lorrie found the last offering SO putrid that she returned it to the bookstore for a refund.
We envy you, Kimberly, the ability to enjoy these books with such equanimity. Are you crazy? NO, you are an individual and are entitled to your opinion. Does it matter if everyone agrees with you? It shouldn't. It doesn't matter to US whether or not we have others share our views. In fact it's a strange feeling to find ourselves amongst the majority of SW fans for a change! Other fan publications are as anti-"The Cloned Chronicles" as we are? Good! We hope the 'pros' are listening, but don't bet on it.
So, Kimberly, the why's of fandom's negative reactions to the pro novels are as numerous as there are individual points of view.
Which brings us to a question for you - and any other SW fan who feels as you do about "Splinter of the Minds Eye". How is it possible to "like reading SW fiction GOOD or BAD..." and HATE "Splinter"? It deals with the characters we love, does it not? It makes MORE sense in it's post ANH time frame than "Heir" does in it's post ROTJ one. Why is this novel always treaty with disdain? It's our favorite, besides the Lando novels, which were a riot. If you think our hatred of the pro SW novels is contradictory to our love of the SW saga we would point out that your love of anything featuring the SW characters contradicts your hatred of "Splinter". Different strokes for different folks...Which brings us, before we hop off of our soapbox, to the similarities between the pro SW novels and the ST novels you mentioned. These are authors more familiar with ST and IT'S EARTHBOUND universe (Ghostlings, Dragons, Incubus', Succubus', WYRWULFS??? What happened to no earth references in SW?) The Trekkers of our acquaintance certainly DO care if the the novels go far afar of ST as they thing of it! Ask any Trekker about Price of the Phoenix, and you will likely get a loud GAG as a response. Maybe a big part of the problem with the SW novels is that ST authors wrote them. Force forbid a SW fan would get hired; or is it that a writer who LOVES the saga would love it too much to trade imagination for income?
Does this answer your question, Kimberly? We encourage ANYONE who would like to get into this discussion to feel free, speak your mind. We won't edit anything; we can take it if you can.
LATE BREAKING NEWS; HOT OFF THE COM NETS HUMILIATIONS GALORE!, TROOPS. The "PLOT" TO KEVIN ANDERSON'S NEXT DEPOSIT FEATURES, GET THIS, GANG: HUTT'S BUILDING A DEATHSTAR!!! WOW! That's NEW! And these guys get PAID to do this to the public. Maybe we're supposed to be amused; instead, we're insulted.