Tough Traveling: Dark Lord

The Thursday feature "Tough Traveling" is the brainchild of Nathan of Review Barn, who has come up with the excellent idea of making a new list each week based on the most common tropes in fantasy, as seen in The Tough Guide to Fantasyland by Diana Wynn Jones. Nathan has invited anyone who is interested to come play along, so be sure to check out the first link for more information. Compulsive list-maker that I am, I'm very excited to take part!

This week's tour topic is: Dark Lord

There is always one of these in the background of every Tour, attempting to ruin everything and take over the world  He will be so sinister that he will be seen by you only once or twice, probably near the end of the Tour…

Thank you, Nathan, for finally giving us an easy one. Dark Lords (and Ladies) run rampant in fantasy and science fiction, and what I tried to do with my list was think outside the box a little and aimed to mix some of the obvious classic ones in with others who might not be that well-known. As usual, I only list the books I've read, but I still had to cut myself off at ten. Here they are, listed in no particular order of importance or evilness...
 

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling - Lord Voldemort
Still, let's just get the big You-Know-Who out of the way right off the bat. I have a feeling the boy wizard once known as Tom Marvolo Riddle who eventually became the infamous Lord Voldemort is going to be appearing on many Dark Lord lists today. I am also sure Harry Potter is going to show up a lot more on these Tough Traveling posts.

The Iron Wolves by Andy Remic - Orlana
One of the handful of Dark Ladies I can think of, Orlana the Changer is evil incarnate, a inhuman entity in a sexually attractive woman's body. Cold and sadistic, she commits all sorts of monstrous deeds on her victims just for the fun of it. She is best known for turning the bodies of men and animals inside out and splicing them together to form new nightmarish creatures, and for sacrificing innocents to birth the Mud Orc army she'll need to take over the world.

Star Wars novels by various authors - Sith Lords
Always lurking in the background waiting to ruin everything and take over the galaxy? So sinister and evil that he'll only be glimpsed on screen a handful of times if we're lucky? Pretty much every Sith Lord and Darth that ever existed fits this archetype. A few Star Wars books that I've enjoyed which focus mainly on the "Dark Lord" include the Darth Bane trilogy by Drew Karpyshyn and Darth Plagueis by James Luceno.

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - Sauron
Here we have another heavy hitter in the world of Dark Lords, one who I'm sure needs no introduction. The lord of the rings and creator of the One Ring was also the lieutenant of another notorious Dark Lord, Morgoth, whom I would have included in this list as well if I'd actually managed to get through The Silmarillion in its entirety.

Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff - Shogun Yoritomo

Stormdancer is a coming-of-age story about a young girl and her fight against a despotic Shogun. Yoritomo is a monster who uses violence, torture and threats to control the population of Shima. With the Guildsmen standing with him behind his tyrannical rule, he chokes the land with the lotus industry, killing slaves to grow the destructive crop and continue making war on his enemies.

The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan - The Dark One
The head bad guy in Wheel of Time, the Dark One has many names including the Father of Lies, Lord of the Grave and Sightblinder, but his true name is Shai'tan, though it is said to be dangerous to use it. The characters in the series know him to be an ancient, power and evil force, the embodiment of destruction and chaos. 

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind - Darken Rahl
Come on, with a name like Darken Rahl, he's gotta be evil. Indeed he is the primary antagonist for the Sword of Truth series, said to be a vicious man and ruthless wizard. He likes to rule with an iron fist, has an unquenchable thirst for revenge and has no qualms about using torture to get what he wants. Obsessed with world domination, his pastimes include building an army and hunting down confessors.

The Emperor's Knife by Mazarkis Williams - Pattern Master
The Cerani Empire is held in the grip of terror by an epidemic. The plague, which strikes young and old and rich and poor alike, causes geometric patterns to appear and spread across the skin until the victim dies in agony, or worse, becomes a mindless minion controlled by an unknown and mysterious enemy, the Pattern Master.

Children of Fire by Drew Karpyshyn - Daemron
Long ago, a great warrior called Daemron was was chosen by the gods to lead the war against the Chaos spawn. Daemron, however, grew corrupted and the savior of the world instead became its destroyer. He was thwarted in the end, banished and sealed behind barrier called the Legacy. Now the Legacy weakens, and Daemron grows strong enough again to cast his essence into the world.

Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson - The Lord Ruler
Known as the divine and invincible "Sliver of Infinity", the Lord Ruler's reign is filled with red skies and falling ash, and enslaved Skaa are forced to live in misery and fear. At the beginning, no one knows who he is or where he came from, just that the world has sucked ever since he installed himself as a deity and assumed absolute power over the Final Empire.

Man, a lot of these were hard to write without revealing massive spoilers. I'm looking forward to seeing others' Dark Lord lists.

Book Review: Star Wars: Honor Among Thieves by James S.A. Corey

Honor Among Thieves by James S.A. Corey

Genre: Science Fiction, Media Tie-In

Series: Book 2 of Empire and Rebellion  

Publisher: LucasBooks, Del Rey (March 4, 2014)

Author Information: Website | Twitter

Mogsy's Rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been a reader for as long as I remember, but science fiction is still a relatively new genre for me. In fact, I don't think I started until I well into my high school years, and back then, I remember cutting my teeth on novelizations of the Star Wars prequel movies. There you go, my not-so-secret confession!

Obviously, I've branched out a lot more since those days, but I still retained my love for Star Wars books. To date, I've read a bunch by many different authors, and some of them have been better than others. Media tie-in novels have always been my guilty pleasure, especially when it comes to my beloved Star Wars, but admittedly the bar has never really been set that high. That's why whenever I do come across one that I genuinely like, I can't help but do a little happy dance.

And I'm definitely dancing now. Actually, I'd been excited about Honor Among Thieves for a long time, ever since I first learned that Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck will be working on a new stand alone Star Wars book under their nom de plume of James S.A. Corey. I adore their work on the Expanse series, and to hear that they would be writing a story about my favorite scoundrel was like a dream come true. Come on, James S.A. Corey and Han Solo? You just can't go wrong with a winning combination like that.

So you can see why I am so thrilled to say this book lived up to all my expectations. You can tell right away that the authors are fans of Star Wars and the characters themselves, because the first thing I noticed was how "right" Han sounded and felt in his dialogue and actions. He even felt true to the character in his internal narrative, all the way down to his growing affection for his new friends in the Rebel Alliance. This book takes place after the destruction of the Death Star but before the events of The Empire Strikes Back, so we get a real good look at how those experiences have affected and changed him.

The best part is, this is a Han Solo book through and through, and no doubt about it. Expect lots of his signature seat-of-the-pants approach to solving problems, the usual daring flyboy maneuvers, and of course a healthy dose of roguish humor. The plot is relatively simple, beginning when Han and Chewy are tasked on an assignment to extract a high-level rebel spy deep in Empire territory. Meet Agent Scarlet Hark, whose moxie might just give Han a run for his money. But as it turns out, Scarlet has uncovered delicate information about a new technology, one that can turn the tide of the war if only the rebels can secure it before the Empire gets their dirty hands on it.

I would say it's fairly predictable how things turn out, but then I think that is to be expected. We all know the war goes on in The Empire Strikes Back, et cetera, et cetera, so to an extent you can guess how everything in the story ends. Still, none of that manages to take away from the fun. Another thing I liked about this book is how deftly the plot involved all the main characters. One of my biggest problems with a lot of Star Wars books is how desperately some authors try to squeeze in all the prominent players, sometimes resorting to giving them obligatory sub plots that feel shoehorned in. Not an issue with this one, I can happily say. Despite Han Solo taking the center stage in this, Luke and Leia both also have their parts to play, and they actually are integral to the story.

Sure I may have my biases, being a big fan of James S.A. Corey and having a massive soft spot for Han Solo, but this is probably now favorite Star Wars novel, beating out Darth Plagueis, which is the former holder of that distinction and also another really great story. Star Wars books have certainly come a long way, and I look forward to seeing this trend continue.

 A review copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Del Rey Books!

Panels: Star Wars: Legacy #6 (Vector)

Cade Skywalker is not a big fan of his surname.

Star Wars Legacy #6

Waiting on Wednesday 11/13/13

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Mogsy's Pick

Star Wars: Empire and Rebellion: Honor Among Thieves by James S.A. Corey: March 4, 2014 (LucasBooks)

A Star Wars book written by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck -- the writing team behind the pseudonym James S.A. Corey -- who brought us The Expanse series, plus a story about Han Solo. What more could I ask for?

"When the Empire threatens the galaxy’s new hope, will Han, Luke, and Leia become its last chance?

When the mission is to extract a high-level rebel spy from the very heart of the Empire, Leia Organa knows the best man for the job is Han Solo—something the princess and the smuggler can finally agree on. After all, for a guy who broke into an Imperial cell block and helped destroy the Death Star, the assignment sounds simple enough.

But when Han locates the brash rebel agent, Scarlet Hark, she’s determined to stay behind enemy lines. A pirate plans to sell a cache of stolen secrets that the Empire would destroy entire worlds to protect—including the planet where Leia is currently meeting with rebel sympathizers. Scarlet wants to track down the thief and steal the bounty herself, and Han has no choice but to go along if he’s to keep everyone involved from getting themselves killed. From teeming city streets to a lethal jungle to a trap-filled alien temple, Han, Chewbacca, Leia, and their daring new comrade confront one ambush, double cross, and firestorm after another as they try to keep crucial intel out of Imperial hands.

But even with the crack support of Luke Skywalker’s X-Wing squadron, the Alliance heroes may be hopelessly outgunned in their final battle for the highest of stakes: the power to liberate the galaxy from tyranny or ensure the Empire’s reign of darkness forever."

Book Review: Star Wars: Razor's Edge by Martha Wells

Razor's Edge by Martha Wells

Genre: Science Fiction

Series: Star Wars, Empire and Rebellion #1

Publisher: LucasBooks

Date of Publication: September 24, 2013

Author Info: www.marthawells.com

With thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey Spectra for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Speculation continues to fly as news and rumours permeate the internet about the new Star Wars trilogy. Meanwhile, the books and comics have suspiciously returned to the past. The Star Wars expanded universe is vaaaaaaast, yet, surprisingly, very little of it has explored the ins and outs around the original trilogy.

Razor's Edge takes place shortly after A New Hope with the rebels in desperate need of a new secret base. Leaked information puts their attempt to set up on Hoth in peril, and we find Leia and Han in just such a situation at the beginning of the book when their ship is attacked by Imperials. But there is more to the aftermath of A New Hope that this book addresses: Remember that planet Darth Vader and Moff Tarkin blew up? Well that was Leia Organa's home and she has taken its destruction entirely onto her own shoulders. And there happen to be other survivors who deal with the destruction of their world in various ways.

That isn't to say this entire story is about Leia and the displaced Alderaanians going to PTSD meetings, but the weight of their loss remains a strong aspect of the story that the movies didn't have time to address. Leia is more than irked when she discovers an Alderaanian ship has opted to go pirate rather than join the Alliance and is drawn into conflict with its captain, Metara.

With Leia as the focus, we are reminded of just how strong of a character she is. She is more than just a symbol to her people. She is a born leader and it's implied that she sometimes has to fight harder with the higher ups to be allowed to lead as opposed to simply be the Alliance poster girl. Proving herself to them means all the more to a perfectionist who hates making mistakes. Her wisdom, intelligence, sense of responsibility, courage and stoicism sometimes make it difficult to remember that she's barely into her twenties.

Wells introduces some interesting new species, something I expected after reading her world and culture building talents in The Cloud Roads. She also introduces several new characters, but they are not much more than plot devices - red shirts, if you will - who mostly serve as targets for Han's snark. Even Luke, Chewie and the droids play only a minor role. This isn't a bad thing though, with the focus so heavily on Leia and subsequently Han. These two are my original OTP so I was quite happy to spend all this time with them and enjoyed their attempts to not admit their mutual attraction.

Beyond or underlying all of the above is typical good old fashioned Star Wars adventure that should please fans.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Waiting On Wednesday 9/11/13

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that lets us feature upcoming releases that we can't wait to get our hands on!

Wendy's Pick

Star Wars: Razor's Edge by Martha Wells: September 24, 2013 (Del Rey)

Martha Wells' The Cloud Roads made me an immediate fan of the author and it was a no brainer that I would need to read her first adventure within the Star Wars universe. I love the leaps into the Star Wars future with stories like Legacy, but I'm also enjoying this recent return to tales about our original heroes.

Times are desperate for the Rebel Alliance. Harassment by the Empire and a shortage of vital supplies are hindering completion of a new secret base on the ice planet Hoth. So when Mid Rim merchants offer much-needed materials for sale, Princess Leia Organa and Han Solo lead an Alliance delegation to negotiate a deal.

But when treachery forces the rebel ship to flee into territory controlled by pirates, Leia makes a shocking discovery: the fierce marauders come from Leia’s homeworld of Alderaan, recently destroyed by the Death Star. These refugees have turned to pillaging and plundering to survive—and they are in debt to a pirate armada, which will gladly ransom the princess to the vengeful Empire . . . if they find out her true identity.

Struggling with intense feelings of guilt, loyalty, and betrayal, Leia is determined to help her wayward kinspeople, even as Imperial forces are closing in on her own crippled ship. Trapped between lethal cutthroats and brutal oppressors, Leia and Han, along with Luke, Chewbacca, and a battle-ready crew, must defy death—or embrace it—to keep the rebellion alive.

Mogsy's Pick 

The Abominable by Dan Simmons: October 22, 2013 (Little, Brown and Company)

The Terror, Dan Simmons' horror novel inspired by the 1845 Franklin Arctic Expedition is probably one of the most bone-chilling novels I've ever read. The Abominable sounds very much like something in the same vein, and as such is right up my alley.

"It's 1926, and the desire to summit the world's highest mountain has reached a fever-pitch among adventurers. Three young friends, eager to take their shot at the top, accept funding from a grieving mother whose son fell to his death on Mt. Everest two years earlier. But she refuses to believe he's dead, and wants them to bring him back alive.

As they set off toward Everest, the men encounter other hikers who are seeking the boy's body for their own mysterious reasons. What valuable item could he have been carrying? What is the truth behind the many disapperances on the mountain? As they journey to the top of the world, the three friends face abominable choices, actions--and possibly creatures. A bone-chilling, pulse-pounding story of supernatural suspense, THE ABOMINABLE is Dan Simmons at his best."

Comic Review: Star Wars: In the Shadow of Yavin by Brian Wood and Carlos D'Anda

Star Wars, Volume 1: In the Shadow of Yavin by Brian Wood

With thanks to NetGalley and Darkhorse Comics for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Star Wars universe has become so vast that if you want to look up something on Wookieepedia, you should set aside at least an hour of your time to allow for the multitude of side-clicking you’re inevitably going to end up doing within each entry. Expanded Universe (EU) stories extend into the distant past and the distant future and everything in between, but it seems that the legacy is returning to its roots with a series of new stories focusing on Han, Leia and Luke, directly following A New Hope. I’m looking forward to the upcoming Razor's Edge , and in the mean time, enjoyed this new comic series.

The most impressive aspect of this story is that it dives right into the fact that both Luke and Leia just watched their lives and the people they loved catastrophically destroyed. Things like that tend to weigh on you, particularly Leia, who was forced to watch the destruction of her entire planet shortly after hours of rigorous torture at the hands of Darth Vader.

This focuses heavily on the fact that Leia has not been allowed, nor allowed herself the time to deal because the situation is still dire. The destruction of the Death Star has only increased pressure on the Rebel Alliance and her role as a leader means she is constantly working and constantly needing to prove herself. The pressure rises even more when Mon Mothma tasks her with forming and leading a black ops team of pilots. Their purpose: find a new location for the Rebel base and root out the traitor in their midst. Leia herself gets to fly the sleek new X-Wings, revealing yet another of her skills.

Luke doesn’t feature as prominently as expected, though he and Wedge are part of the team. Luke is played up a bit more as the cocky kid we saw in A New Hope, rather than the more subdued and stoic Luke that starts to develop in The Empire Strikes Back. His attitude reminds us that he is barely twenty years old, so his actions are somewhat understandable. But that means that Leia is the same age, revealing the stark contrast of maturity and responsibility between them. I would have liked to see far more that conflict, but instead, we get the more simplistic love triangle plot device that plays out weakly for all involved.

Meanwhile, the fallout from Yavin has affected others as well. Namely, Darth Vader, whom the Emperor is pretty mad at for letting a wee X-Wing blow up an entire space station. Vader has been demoted to supervising the construction of the second Death Star and spends a lot of time mulling over the name “Skywalker” and what he sensed from the pilot that destroyed the Death Star.

And last, but certainly not least, is Han Solo. Joining up with the Rebels has tagged him and Chewie, their career as neutral smuggler and leaving them no other options but to continue working with the Alliance. Mon Mothma has entrusted him with a significant amount of credits to broker a deal with a contact. Is Han worthy of that trust? Hmmm….

Overall, I liked the elements of the characters and story that are introduced. There is a lot of potential for interesting intrigue and character development, with some reasonably good gun and dogfights tossed in for good measure.

3.5 of 5 stars

Wendy: Favourite Female Character

I have several favourite female characters, two of whom have already appeared in Character Appreciation Posts. For the reading challenge, I opted for someone a little more unusual. In fact, Vergere is a Star Wars character that I mocked, initially, because really? She's a Jedi chicken! How could I possibly take her seriously? Then I read Traitor and Vergere was transformed from a source of ridicule to a subject of respect, curiosity and maybe even some awe and adoration. She may have even surpassed my previous Jedi Masters, Kreia and Jolee Bindoo, taking the deconstruction of the force and the ways of the Sith and the Jedi to an entirely new level, as manifested in her pupil, Jacen Solo. She shreds her pupil to his core, separating him from everything that he is and pushing him towards uncertainty. In the end, he learns a truth about the force that I have always wished would be explored within the Star Wars realm. Vergere is identified most readily as Sith and therefore evil, but her actions and teachings spoke much louder than that simple definition.

“Everything I tell you is a lie."

May The 4th Be With You!

Star Wars Legacy by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema

Star Wars: Legacy by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema

The Jedi and Sith infuriate me. They are the same side of a spherical coin, but they refuse to see that. I have complained about my frustration with these Force users before, but usually, my complaints are within reviews of Star Wars books, games, shows, etc that point out the hypocrisy and stupidity of the Jedi and Sith perceived dichotomy. Star Wars: Legacy joins this collection.

Legacy takes place 100+ years after the original trilogy and is about Cade Skywalker, who is, well, a Skywalker. If there’s a “fate of the galaxy” involved, then assume a Skywalker will be there, for good or evil. Unlike the rest of the Skywalker line, events in Cade’s life have made him choose to forget his legacy, no matter how many times ghost Luke pops by for a visit. When we meet Cade, he is a bounty hunter hiding his last name and his Force abilities and drowning his visions with deathsticks, while the Sith, Galactic Republic, Imperials and Jedi fight over control of the galaxy – and of him.

Legacy starts with typical Star Wars tropes, familiar names and character archetypes that initially disappointed me because I had hoped that a series that takes place so far into the future could step away from all that. There were the cool ship and the cocky pilot and the princess and the questionable friends and the stoic Jedi and the evil Sith and, of course, a Skywalker. But once the connections to what we know had been established, the story comfortably moved on, with Cade leading the way as the atypical hero who has no interest in saving the galaxy, no matter what his name might be. Of course we know that the galaxy saving is going to happen anyway, right? But the books do a good job of casting doubt about the how and why. Will Cade give in to the darkness within him? Will he take up his legacy? Who will stand with him?

The series also adds interesting dimensions with the overall politics of war and all the sides involved. The Sith remain the official Big Bad and the Jedi the Persecuted Good, but now the Jedi and Sith are no longer intrinsically connected to the Imperial/Empire and Republic respectively. The two political factions in the middle teeter between fending for themselves, fighting within their own ranks, seeking alliances, betraying alliances… It’s not as confusing as it might seem. In fact, the politics became one of the aspects of the series that I really enjoyed, which surprised me. I also enjoyed the space battles, which don't necessarily translate well in this medium, but the battle tactics weren't overly dramatic and there wasn't any time wasted in the battle.

Despite the initial comparisons to movie counterparts, all the characters develop into strong players in their own rights. There are a LOT of characters, all of which are introduced in the primers, though not all play the prominent or support roles you might expect from them. My angry feminist initially poked her head out with the primer introductions for Moff Nyna Calixte with the glass ceiling accusations, Deliah Blue, the girlfriend with a wrench and Gunner Yage, the daughter that should have been a son. But, as with the rest of the series, everything moved on quickly from the basic tropes, and even the characters that appear only briefly are well established. Well, most of them.

Overall, an excellent entry into the Star Wars saga and one that anyone could get into, without knowing too much about the massive past.

Final verdict

3.5 of 5 stars

Traitor by Matthew Stover

Traitor by Matthew Stover

The issue I have with the Force is that the movies made everything so black and white. Give in to your hate and passion and poof, you’re dark side. The Sith have their code about killing all the things and power, and the Jedi have their code about not having sex and only killing all the things when you really, really have to. Both are annoying opposites and their philosophies and drama grow tiresome after a short time, more so when the struggle for every Jedi in the Star Wars universe includes going dark and staying dark, or going dark and finding redemption.

Thankfully, my recent gaming adventures into the Old Republic have renewed my faith in the Star Wars universe by providing numerous characters and stories that go deeper than the black and white/good and evil trope.

Yes, I did say Jedi Chicken.
Not to be confused with the
Jedi Bunny

Jolee Bindo started me down the path in KOTOR. In KOTOR2, Kreia, my beloved and hated master (spoilers), truly broke this trope, and then Traitor took it all one leap further, with the help of a Jedi chicken named Vergere who was once a source of ridicule for me, but is now a subject of respect, curiosity and maybe even some awe and adoration.

I initially had trouble with the New Jedi Order series – though I only read the first book – mainly because of the new enemy, the Yuuzhan Vong. While I liked the idea of a dominating race outside of the Force, I got a little tired of the “organic app for that” way the Yuuzhan Vong could deal with every single thing (except Lando’s pocket world melters and those pesky Jedi kids). The events on Sernpidal broke the Star Wars bubble of heroes (not including Jedi Masters who need to motivate their padawans) never die and set the tone for the subsequent series.

I skipped several books to pick up Traitor, as recommended by my fandom hero, Beccatoria. That bubble breaking had continued (though I’d already spent enough time on Wookieepedia to know that) and we now have Jacen Solo (spoilers) dealing with his “death” with the help of Vergere who robs him of the Force, tortures him with pain and forces him to question everything he is and everything the Force is and is not, in order to find his own path that surpasses both the darkness and the light.

It is a very personal journey that we get to go on with Jacen that initially had me at about three stars, but once all was said and done and Vergere revealed her pride in her student/teacher, I found myself overwhelmed with curiosity about what this means for the future of the Jedi and Sith through Jacen’s ... enlightenment.

4 of 5 stars