I know I've recommended them highly to some other fans of the galaxy far far way, though I'm not sure everyone feels the same as I about them.
Thing is, the characters are so true to their origins and movies. The places and planets all seem to fit in with the Star Wars look and feel. Though it is a book, so perhaps that's just how I visualize it.
Probably. Maybe. But Star Wars is Star Wars, characters, places, ships, all of that. It's its own thing, for sure.
I remember when I saw Rogue One for the first time- and that one outpost planet / asteroid belt (can't remember the name) that looked like a planet had exploded and what was left was two halves that were still connected... and so what a perfect place to build a city!
Cool factor aside, I found myself upon seeing this for the first time, feeling like I don't really know if this planet fits into Star Wars or not.
And OK, maybe it's 'cause I'm old'ish- leaving the 40's in a few months - but there's since sensitivity I have to what I call the "Mac Factor". It started about when the movie Twister came out, which was great and entertaining and the wow factor for that one was pretty brilliant. But what soon followed were many 'disaster movies' that anyone with a Mac could churn out. And churn out they did. Suddenly we're using our computing skills for special effects and not using it for actually writing a script worth it's ones and zeros.
And a better movie, that does not make.
I'm a sucker enough for some of the popcorn-ness of these movies and their titles have been earned. Good fun, good laughs, lots of wow type special effects, etc. The good popcorn movies have both though, the script along with the wows. Go figure. So movies like Independence Day (the first one, missed the second), Armageddon (makes me cry, the scenes with the boy and the 'salesman'- I'm such a wimp), Godzilla, etc... And trust me, I love getting the home theater fired up and making a huge bowl of popcorn and both turning off the lights and turning up the sound, curl up on the couch with someone fun and watch that stuff. Great way to kill some hours, for sure.
So anyway, this planet in Rogue One made me immediately go to that 'Mac factor' place... like it didn't need to look like that. So, was that design adding to the story of those characters there, or was it a vague distraction to what was taking place? A fine line, perhaps juggling those two objectives.
In the end, I'm accepting of these things, and the more times I see the film, the more I accept. But I trust those initial reactionsI have as maybe a more pure "Star Wars" rule of thumb than as they grow on me.
But like I said, I do love a good Mac movie.
There is another. This Star Wars fan I know. We go way back, she and me. And she gets the nostalgia parts of all this, and it's always a good time discussing these Star Wars moments that happen again. Rogue One, A Force Awakens, and the rest. It's a geek fest. All that's missing is the couch.
So, here we are. The Thrawn books are over 20 years old now, like the original trilogy is. Characters and ships and planets- they all need to be Star Wars true. Thrawn has made an appearance in Star Wars Rebels, so he's now canon. Maybe we'll see Mara Jade, Talon Karrde, Jorus C'Baoath, and a few others?
A new generation, Guardians of the Republic, these newer, younger people with Macs are doing it all now. Let's hope they stay on target.
Stay on target.
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