Star Wars The Old Republic: Revan – A Preliminary Review

Revan Cover

This is just a preliminary review from the excerpts that I have read.  The 50-page excerpt released on Suvudu yesterday got me to page 52 of the book, while I’ve also read Chapter 11 (or at least part of it) from that excerpt being released previously.  My reviews usually only give my opinions on the book along with vague references because I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone so you can feel free to read this.

 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the parts that I’ve been able to read and I can’t wait to get my hands on the book itself.  The author’s writing style is quite pleasing and easy to read, it also draws you into the story.  Or, it did me at least.  I could feel myself getting attached to Lord Scourge, feeling for him when he got injured.  Sympathizing with him when he had feelings of doubt.  Feeling the urge to smack Sechel for his insolence.  There was one part early on, when Lord Scourge arrives at Lord Nyriss’ estate, that was extremely predictable for me, but it didn’t detract from the reading in the least.  It was just one of those moments where something is revealed and you’re sitting there saying, ‘Duh! I knew that all along.’  Although, not everyone may pick up on it like I did.  The details of the people and surroundings were well-written and not overdone, and they just added to the depth of the story.

 

After reading the smaller excerpts, I was left wanting more.  After reading the 50-page excerpt, I want it even more than I already did.  I look forward to the day I can get my hands on this book and read it all, it’s quite captivating.

Collecting Revan

Revan Cover

This is my Revan collection post, it includes links to chapter previews, links to interviews, and mini-excerpts that were posted on Facebook.

8 Nov 2011: Added mini-excerpt #4

11 Nov 2011: Added Final mini-excerpt.

12 Nov 2011: Added link to Suvudu’s 50-page excerpt.

15 Nov 2011: Added link to Suvudu’s interview with Drew Karpyshyn.

 

• Entertainment Weekly Revan Preview

• Barnes & Noble Revan Preview & Interview

• Random House Page

• SWTOR Revan Preview

• SWTOR Revan Revealed & Interview

• Suvudu 50-page Excerpt

• Suvudu interview with Drew Karpyshyn

• Check out a teaser from Drew Karpyshyn’s upcoming Revan novel from Star Wars Books:

  When he played the holorecording he’d made of the red- skinned man who’d taken Revan off the ship, Bastila gasped.
  “I guess the Sith aren’t as extinct as the Jedi thought,” Meetra said.
  “The Order is wrong again,” Bastila muttered. “Big surprise.”

• Check out a teaser from Drew Karpyshyn’s upcoming Revan novel from Star Wars Books:

  “I am Revan reborn,” he said to Nyriss. “And before me you are nothing.”

• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan mini-excerpt #1:

  “I should have guessed it was you.”
  Revan rose from his chair to face the speaker. She wore the robes of a Jedi Archivist, though she was in fact a Jedi Master. She was young for the position, but her hair was platinum white. She had cold blue eyes, and a pale complexion that spoke of a life spent inside the Archives, sheltered from the sun.
  “Atris,” Revan said, silently cursing.

• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan mini-excerpt #2 (ES):
  “It’s not enough to secure your silence through threats and blackmail. When we finally move against the Emperor, I want you on our side.”
  “And how do you intend to convince me?”
  “Have you ever heard tales of the Emperor’s childhood?”
  Scourge shook his head. “I don’t even know what planet he’s from.”
  “Few people do. He’s hidden his past, because if the truth came to light none would follow him.”

• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan: mini-excerpt #3 (ES):
  The Sith male waved a hand and the interrogator droid retreated.
  “What happened to your partner?” he asked. “Malak?”
  “I killed him,” Revan said.
  “Why?”
  “It’s complicated.”

• Check out a teaser from Drew Karpyshyn’s upcoming Revan novel:

  Scourge finally understood why Nyriss and the others wanted to take the Emperor down. Destroying your enemies— even destroying a planet— was understandable. But this wasn’t simple destruction. It was annihilation; obliteration. The very fabric of the Force had been shredded. Anyone capable of turning an entire planet into a nihilistic abomination had to be completely mad.

• Check out a teaser from Drew Karpyshyn’s upcoming Revan novel:

  I’m not doing this for the Republic,” he explained. “I’m not doing it for you. I’m not even doing it for me. I’m doing it for our child. And our child’s children. We might never live to see the horrors that are coming, but they will.”

• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan mini-excerpt #4 (ES):
  “Scourge cried out in anguish as the Emperor’s mind brushed against his, then he collapsed to the floor, shaking like a child. The touch lasted less than a second, but in that time he witnessed indescribable horrors that dwarfed anything the dark side could conjure in his worst nightmares. And beneath the formless terrors lurked the unbearable Void, the pure emptiness of total annihilation.”

• Star Wars: The Old Republic: Revan final mini-excerpt (ES):
  “Give these to Revan,” she said, placing the items in Meetra’s hands.
  The first was a holorecording she had made of their son’s last birthday celebration. The second was a heavy object wrapped in a swath of black cloth.
  Meetra unwound the cloth carefully, revealing a worn and scarred metal helmet with a red- and- gray faceplate.
  “Revan’s mask!” Meetra gasped.

Star Wars The Old Republic: Threat of Peace – A Review

A new and sudden obsession with the upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic, lead me on a search for knowledge; knowledge about the characters seen in the three cinematic trailers as well as knowledge about the Sith, the Old Republic era, and Star Wars in general.  I’ve been a Star Wars fan since the mid-80s, I just never worried about learning any of the lore or anything surrounding the Star Wars universe; I surely never read any of the comics or books that had been published.  That is, until now.  Now I want to know more, I want to understand the lore.  I may even watch the prequels that I never bothered to watch before, not because I wasn’t interested in them but because I just don’t get around to watching movies much.  It took a few months after the release of The Lord of the Rings Online before I ever saw The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The first comic/book I read was Blood of the Empire, you can read that review here.  The next one I read was Threat of Peace, also freely available on the web site.

Threat of Peace Vol II cover

This one I did not like, it jumped around too much for my taste so I had a bit of trouble keeping up.  I also really disliked the drawing style, it just isn’t my type but you may still like it.

Crop of Lord Baras and Lord Angral

It’s still an okay read for me because it reveals some details about the Sacking of Coruscant, the meeting on Alderaan, and events after.  I still recommend it for informational purposes, at least.  One thing to keep in mind, it has been stated that at the time of this comic the image of Satele had not been decided, which is why she looks completely different in the comic than the cinematics.

Star Wars The Old Republic: Blood of the Empire – A Review

A new and sudden obsession with the upcoming MMORPG, Star Wars: The Old Republic, lead me on a search for knowledge; knowledge about the characters seen in the three cinematic trailers as well as knowledge about the Sith, the Old Republic era, and Star Wars in general.  I’ve been a Star Wars fan since the mid-80s, I just never worried about learning any of the lore or anything surrounding the Star Wars universe; I surely never read any of the comics or books that had been published.  That is, until now.  Now I want to know more, I want to understand the lore.  I may even watch the prequels that I never bothered to watch before, not because I wasn’t interested in them but because I just don’t get around to watching movies much.  It took a few months after the release of The Lord of the Rings Online before I ever saw The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

The first book/comic I decided to read was Blood of the Empire since it is freely available on the web site.

Normally I do not care for comic books but I have to say that this one was just awesome.  Maybe it was because of the character of Teneb Kel (Darth Thanaton), maybe it was the story line, maybe it was both, I don’t know.  All I do know is that I thoroughly enjoyed reading the comic and even the drawings were great (I don’t like most comic-style art).  Another thing is that apparently this comic ties directly into the game so maybe we’ll see Darth Thanaton somewhere, maybe he’ll be a main character along with Darth Malgus.  It will be interesting to see.

Cropped image of Teneb Kel killing a Padawan

If you are a Star Wars fan, I recommend checking out this comic.

Thoughts on Suicide

All my life I have heard comments about people who commit suicide as ‘taking the easy way out’ or ‘being selfish’.  I beg to differ.  I don’t believe it’s selfish if you stop and think about what a lot of the people do before taking their life; they put their affairs in order.  I see that as the person thinking about the ones they are leaving behind, not wanting to leave them with the burden of trying to figure out what to do with the decedents belongings and all that. Besides, depending on the reason for suicide it could very well be the person is thinking of others.  Maybe they are a danger to other people and no amount of therapy or drugs helps, so they decided it’s better to kill themselves than to end up killing another.  I don’t see it as ‘taking the easy way out’, either.  I’m sure it depends on the individual, but I can’t see deciding to take your own life as something that’s easy at all.

It’s really hard to say because each person will have their own reasons but people shouldn’t be so quick to make accusations (I know, human nature) when you are not inside that person’s head.

 

So there you have it, some short, random thoughts on suicide.