Who here actually likes Karen Traviss?

[Aitix]

OK, so almost everyone hates Karen Traviss and thinks she's a horrible writer. But who here actually likes Karen Traviss and thinks she's a great writer? Regarding myself, I'm apart of the majority. I loath Karen Traviss and I'm glad she's not writing anymore Star Wars novels.

[Captain_Zone]

You do realize that almost nobody is going to say they like her, right? I'm with you as far as her NOT being a good Star Wars author. To be fair, I read one of her real world fiction pieces, and she actually did a good job.

 

Doesn't excuse what she did in the ExU, though. Her "Super Saiyalorians" and killing off Mara Jade in such a lame way were what did it for me. She's gone, and I'm glad she's gone.

[Eillack]

One day I hope the world forgets her existance and everything she wrote to be lost for good.

[YoshiRaphElan]

O.O

 

People actually don't like her? I mean, I knew you were out there, but I've never actually met one....wow.

 

As you can tell by my reaction, I'm a fan. I love her novels (she sparked my love of Mandalorians), and I love her writing style (especially the unique (AFAIK) first-person prologue/third-person chapters thing). And the Legacy of the Force novels she wrote were some of the best in the series, all three being trumped only by Invincible. In fact (and I won't tell you where so you guys don't break the doors down), there's a website basically dedicated to her Republic Commando novels. And then there's the group called Mandalorian Mercs, who use the Mandalorian culture Traviss wrote. I also DESPISE both the hippie "Mandalorians" from TCW and Death Watch - both are nothing but wannabes, IMO. So there may not be many Traviss fans on this website, but trust me, we probably outnumber you haters. Traviss forever!

[tBenk]

I don`t mind her much, I can deal with it to get the story of books written by Troy Denning and Aaron Allstone, and the sequel series by Troy Denning, Christie Golden, and Aaron Allstone. I think the connected good outweighs the bad.

[tehjai]

I don't mind Karen's works**, at all., Her sanctimonious attitude through the last couple of years of her involvement with the SW EU was something that did bother me, though.

 

**by "works", I mean Republic Commando; I don't read post-Jedi EU

Edited June 17, 2012 by tehjai

[Captain_Zone]

O.O

 

People actually don't like her? I mean, I knew you were out there, but I've never actually met one....wow.

 

As you can tell by my reaction, I'm a fan. I love her novels (she sparked my love of Mandalorians), and I love her writing style (especially the unique (AFAIK) first-person prologue/third-person chapters thing). And the Legacy of the Force novels she wrote were some of the best in the series, all three being trumped only by Invincible. In fact (and I won't tell you where so you guys don't break the doors down), there's a website basically dedicated to her Republic Commando novels. And then there's the group called Mandalorian Mercs, who use the Mandalorian culture Traviss wrote. I also DESPISE both the hippie "Mandalorians" from TCW and Death Watch - both are nothing but wannabes, IMO. So there may not be many Traviss fans on this website, but trust me, we probably outnumber you haters. Traviss forever!

 

Fortunately, her "Super Saiyalorian" Mandalorian novels have already been retconned by novels by her former colleagues that brought them back to a "Captain America" level from the "Goku" levels she had them at. There is no longer "Lightsaber Proof armor", and they can no longer single-handedly take down a Jedi or Sith. Very few Mandalorians ever accomplished those feats, but in her little universe, they could ALL do it. Also, Mandalorian "pacifists"... ugh. Sorry, but in a warrior culture like theirs, pacifism is a big no no. She is VERY anti-Jedi, and that showed when she killed off Mara Jade in such a lame way.

[HaltHammerzeit]

I quite liked her books. Individually they told a good story, especially the Republic Commando series, when it raises questions about the ethics of creating and using a clone army. Even her post-ROTJ EU books were alright if taken on their own, but at the end of the day, they're just not SW. It think that's more the issue people have with her. Not that her writing was bad or the stories themselves were bad, just that they didn't fit with the SW mythos.

[Cegenaus]

O.O

 

People actually don't like her? I mean, I knew you were out there, but I've never actually met one....wow.

 

As you can tell by my reaction, I'm a fan. I love her novels (she sparked my love of Mandalorians), and I love her writing style (especially the unique (AFAIK) first-person prologue/third-person chapters thing). And the Legacy of the Force novels she wrote were some of the best in the series, all three being trumped only by Invincible. In fact (and I won't tell you where so you guys don't break the doors down), there's a website basically dedicated to her Republic Commando novels. And then there's the group called Mandalorian Mercs, who use the Mandalorian culture Traviss wrote. I also DESPISE both the hippie "Mandalorians" from TCW and Death Watch - both are nothing but wannabes, IMO. So there may not be many Traviss fans on this website, but trust me, we probably outnumber you haters. Traviss forever!

 

i think you are the first KT fan i have ever seen. as a matter of fact there was an entire thread dedicated to the hatred of karen traviss during beta and id dare say we outnumber you by a massive amount

[TKMaster]

Fortunately, her "Super Saiyalorian" Mandalorian novels have already been retconned by novels by her former colleagues that brought them back to a "Captain America" level from the "Goku" levels she had them at. There is no longer "Lightsaber Proof armor", and they can no longer single-handedly take down a Jedi or Sith. Very few Mandalorians ever accomplished those feats, but in her little universe, they could ALL do it. Also, Mandalorian "pacifists"... ugh. Sorry, but in a warrior culture like theirs, pacifism is a big no no. She is VERY anti-Jedi, and that showed when she killed off Mara Jade in such a lame way.

 

There not at Cap levels...more like Bucky, they've completley destroyed the Mandalorians and made entire armies lightsaber fodder for a handfull of jedi.

 

This was one of the worst ideas out of all this mess, beskar was lightsaber resistant long befroe Traviss.

 

Im in agreance that shes anti-jedi but my question is why Denning and co. turn Jedi into Gods among lichen and no one says a word? It out of hand and completley absurd, im going back and read my old Bantam SW novels now...you know when Jedi were feirce warrior monks, not unstopable forces of nature.

[CassusVerda]

I sorta like Karen Traviss sorta

I liked all of her Republic Commando Books and her story on Boba Fett and his wife and kid.....that's about it.

 

Legacy Of The Force...sucked. When I first read it "I was like Mandalorians heh...yeah"...then I realize those are the only parts I read. I skimmed through the rest so I could get to the "good parts". Then I got the whole series and read all of them from cover to cover...and I came to the conclusion that Mandalorians did not need to be in this book. They should have had their own book.

 

KT could have written her own series dealing with Mandalorians or Boba Fett. She did not have to work on a project that starred the very group of people she publicly despised I.E. Mara Jade didn't have to die.

 

I used to say she was a great author...then I read LOTF and then I found out about her treatment of critics and fellow fans who disliked her Anti Jedi View.

 

Your a 40 to 50 Year Old Something Woman and your insulting what mostly 15 to 22 Year olds....your supposed to have class and simply ignore them or or respond to them in a professional way...not label them Neo-Nazis or Talifans that's how you make the people who are supposed to be buying your product NOT like you.

 

Your supposed to be better than that. A Forumite like me might be able to get away with that on some forum, because basically I'm a nobody voicing my opinion. I'm going to piss off people but I won't be declared a social pariah like KT did.

 

I still like her Republic Commando Books and Boba Fett a Practical Man.

 

I think the only people now who avidly like her are the MandoMercs Costuming Club, and that's only because her works caters to their culture.

Edited June 17, 2012 by CassusVerda

[Captain_Zone]

I sorta like Karen Traviss sorta

I liked all of her Republic Commando Books and her story on Boba Fett and his wife and kid.....that's about it.

 

Legacy Of The Force...sucked. When I first read it "I was like Mandalorians heh...yeah"...then I realize those are the only parts I read. I skimmed through the rest so I could get to the "good parts". Then I got the whole series and read all of them from cover to cover...and I came to the conclusion that Mandalorians did not need to be in this book. They should have had their own book.

 

KT could have written her own series dealing with Mandalorians or Boba Fett. She did not have to work on a project that starred the very group of people she publicly despised I.E. Mara Jade didn't have to die.

 

I used to say she was a great author...then I read LOTF and then I found out about her treatment of critics and fellow fans who disliked her Anti Jedi View.

 

Your a 40 to 50 Year Old Something Woman and your insulting what mostly 15 to 22 Year olds....your supposed to have class and simply ignore them or or respond to them in a professional way...not label them Neo-Nazis or Talifans that's how you make the people who are supposed to be buying your product NOT like you.

 

Your supposed to be better than that. A Forumite like me might be able to get away with that on some forum, because basically I'm a nobody voicing my opinion. I'm going to piss off people but I won't be declared a social pariah like KT did.

 

I still like her Republic Commando Books and Boba Fett a Practical Man.

 

Ah, but there's the rub-out. She set out to kill Mara Jade. She, figuratively speaking, spat in the face of Tim Zahn and all the other members of the ExU writing pool when she did that. From all reports I read, she knew that Tim was working on a new Mara Jade novel, but she never even consulted him. She also ignored or bashed down anyone who protested what she was doing.

 

The long and short is, she is NOT a team player. She made arbitrary decisions on what SHE wanted to do, and The Force help anyone who said anything different. As I said before, the real world fiction story I read of hers was good. She just can't write Star Wars with her attitude. Imo, she should never have been hired by LL in the first place.

[BlazingShadow]

whatever, honestly. if ya don't like KT, that's fine, her clone commando novels were ruled non-canon, and therefore we work on what other information we have on Mandalorians... among which includes them bringing the Republic (and the Jedi) to their knees in the war preluding the jedi civil war and the great galactic war. Plus lightside (and most in general) bountyhunters are Mandalorian... and the bounty hunter character killed -many- jedi nobodies in addition to several very powerful jedi.

[Mirdthestrill]

THE THREE BIG LIES ABOUT TRAVISS MANDALORIANS:

 

#1. They can take on Jedi or Sith single-handedly

 

When do we see them doing this?

 

Ever?

 

I suppose you could make a case for the moment in order 66 after Etain's death where Kal kills some padawans. Wow, insanely overpowered, killing a few padawans with a lightsaber. Wow. And yes, they talk about killing Jedi a lot. What criminal, mercenary, or underworld dealer doesn't?

 

#2. Beskar is completely invulnerable

 

No, Beskar is not the ultimate lightsaber blocker. It may have great resistance to sabers, as shown, but there are many, many ways to get around it. We just don't see any in the books because (refer to number one) they never fight Jedi. Outside of Traviss novels, we see Exar Kun cutting open Freedon Nadd's Beskar tomb. We see Jacen Solo blasting apart a Beskar chestplate with Shatterpoint. Nothing that Traviss ever contradicted in the books, just something that was never given the opportunity to be shown. It is also implied, within Traviss and outside of her works, that Besker will not stand up to a direct lightsaber stab. All we ever see it blocking in the books (in training bouts and things of that nature) are glancing cuts, not stabs.

 

#3. The books are explicitly anti-jedi simply because Traviss hate Jedi

 

Indeed, the Mandalorians hate Jedi. I'm not going to contradict you there. I won't even deny that Traviss hates the Jedi. However, something that has been established long previous to this is that, as stated above, Mandalorians hate Jedi. This book is being written from a third-person "jumping heads" perspective, with almost all of the jumpees being Mandalorians. Follow the logic. If almost anyone else wrote a similar book about Mandalorians, then the same measure of disdain for Jedi would be called for.

 

Edit: And can we all agree to deny the pacifist Mandalorians from TCW? Those go against everything ever established even without Traviss.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Mirdthestrill

[TKMaster]

Im still waiting for the bathrobe cheering section to tell me why the Jedi are gary stu'ed into the realm of gods and no one says a word. But if any other group is it's pitchforks and torches.

 

Anakin- "No one can kill a jedi."

Qui-gon- "I wish that were so."

Anakin- "You must not read the EU after NJO."

Edited June 17, 2012 by TKMaster

[grandmthethird]

as others have said, it is probably unfair to say she is a rubbish writer. she just wasn't a very good star wars writer.

 

i'm curious about this beskar thing tho. atm i'm reading "fate of the jedi" series, and the mandalorian's are wearing beskar in that (although 5 mando's can't take down one jedi even with lightsaber resistant armor in these books). so are these books not canon because they have beskar in them?

[Kilikaa]

For the most part I liked Traviss' SW novels. The Republic Commando series was especially good, I just wish she could have finished it with the final Imperial Commando novel. I did hate how she made the Mandos so powerful while dumbing down or outright killing off other characters. She made Jaina look weaker than she really is. Killing off Mara Jade I could live with if iher death was done better. As it is Mara's death was lame. It had some purpose but it was such a weak death.

 

I don't hate her. I think the death threats she had recieved were uncalled for. I also think her reaction to the criticism of her novels was childish. She obviously did not respect the SW fans. Her obvious hatred of Jedi and all other Force users will no longer affect the EU. She refused to be open minded and as a result she angered a LOT of people. Many hate her. I don't but at the same time, outside if the final Commando novel, I am glad she is not writing Star wars novels any longer.

[Captain_Zone]

For the most part I liked Traviss' SW novels. The Republic Commando series was especially good, I just wish she could have finished it with the final Imperial Commando novel. I did hate how she made the Mandos so powerful while dumbing down or outright killing off other characters. She made Jaina look weaker than she really is. Killing off Mara Jade I could live with if iher death was done better. As it is Mara's death was lame. It had some purpose but it was such a weak death.

 

I don't hate her. I think the death threats she had recieved were uncalled for. I also think her reaction to the criticism of her novels was childish. She obviously did not respect the SW fans. Her obvious hatred of Jedi and all other Force users will no longer affect the EU. She refused to be open minded and as a result she angered a LOT of people. Many hate her. I don't but at the same time, outside if the final Commando novel, I am glad she is not writing Star wars novels any longer.

 

She should have known going in what the Star Wars fans are like, especially the rabids out there. She should have also listened to her former colleagues about doing the crap she was doing. They knew about the fans. They tried to warn her.

 

But apparently, no warnings were enough to stop her from killing off, in a very lame way, one of the most popular characters in the Expanded Universe. She was, from all accounts, hell and determined to do so. Nothing anyone said to her could change her mind.

[Captain_Zone]

as others have said, it is probably unfair to say she is a rubbish writer. she just wasn't a very good star wars writer.

 

i'm curious about this beskar thing tho. atm i'm reading "fate of the jedi" series, and the mandalorian's are wearing beskar in that (although 5 mando's can't take down one jedi even with lightsaber resistant armor in these books). so are these books not canon because they have beskar in them?

 

It's not lightsaber-proof anymore, is all.

[grandmthethird]

reading FOTJ right now and i just realized

 

:eek:karen traviss is natasi daala

[Captain_Zone]

Im still waiting for the bathrobe cheering section to tell me why the Jedi are gary stu'ed into the realm of gods and no one says a word. But if any other group is it's pitchforks and torches.

 

Anakin- "No one can kill a jedi."

Qui-gon- "I wish that were so."

Anakin- "You must not read the EU after NJO."

 

The other authors overcompensated a bit for Karen's screw-ups.

[Kilikaa]

She should have known going in what the Star Wars fans are like, especially the rabids out there. She should have also listened to her former colleagues about doing the crap she was doing. They knew about the fans. They tried to warn her.

 

But apparently, no warnings were enough to stop her from killing off, in a very lame way, one of the most popular characters in the Expanded Universe. She was, from all accounts, hell and determined to do so. Nothing anyone said to her could change her mind.

 

I comepletely agree. Her ignorance and arrogance is why I am glad she will no longer write a SW novel. Her hatred for Jedi was so obvious just in the wya she killed Mara Jade. Her hatred for Mara was even more obvious. Thankfully she is gone and will not screw over more characters. I don't hate her though. I just hate how she treated the Jedi and put the Mandos on such a pedestal.

 

She learned a lesson. NEVER f@%k with Star wars fans. We'll tear out your heart and hand it to you while it still beats. >

Edited June 17, 2012 by Kilikaa

[Captain_Zone]

I comepletely agree. Her ignorance and arrogance is why I am glad she will no longer write a SW novel. Her hatred for Jedi was so obvious just in the wya she killed Mara Jade. Her hatred for Mara was even more obvious. Thankfully she is gone and will not screw over more characters. I don't hate her though. I just hate how she treated the Jedi and put the Mandos on such a pedestal.

 

She learned a lesson. NEVER f@%k with Star wars fans. We'll tear out your heart and hand it to you while it still beats. >

 

The really rabid fans out there never forgive, either. She ticked off a HUGE part of the Star Wars fanbase. She pissed off the Jedi fans with what she did to the Mandalorians, and she pissed off the "realistic" Mandalorian fans with what she did to them, as well. I was left shaking my head at how OP she made them. Now the other ExU authors have overcompensated for her doing that by making the Jedi Goku level OP. I really hope they can balance it out soon.

[TKMaster]

The other authors overcompensated a bit for Karen's screw-ups.

 

Thats the best you got? Blaming her for a trend started long before she put pen to paper in SW and is continued and ramped up even more with every new novel? Or is it too difficult to call the EU what it's now become, Jedi fan fiction.

[Rahak]

reading FOTJ right now and i just realized

 

:eek:karen traviss is natasi daala

 

/thread