The book we will be covering for the next two months is Coruscant Nights I: Street of Shadows by Michael Reaves:
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Coruscant_Nights_II:_Street_of_Shadows
As always, the only thing we ask is that you be courteous to others' opinions. Disagree in a respectful manner. But do feel free to disagree.
That being said, be sure to check out some of the new book club format/organizational changes:
http://tinyurl.com/BC-changes
Tangents are fine. But if they get too far off topic, we will ask you to start a new thread to continue discussing the tangent. But error on the side of saying what you have to say. It could lead to an interesting discussion.
If you have not participated in the book club discussion before, please feel to jump in on the discussion and consider yourself a member (no obligations: participate as much or as little as you like).
Always feel free to let me, or any of the PooBahs (i.e., book club facilitators), know if you have any questions, comments, grips, and/or concerns.
And be sure to cast you vote for the next book you'd like to see covered at the following link: http://tinyurl.com/BC-vote-9-09
Aug 30, 2009 5:29 PM | Report Abuse reply
SWEET! I have that book waiting at my nightstand! Can't wait to dig in! I woulda started it sooner, but I wanted to make sure that CN2 was chosen.
I am really excited about seeing the furthere adventures of the team!!
Aug 31, 2009 7:17 AM | Report Abuse reply
The first time I read it, I wasn't that impressed with it, but *IF* I can get my hands on it, I will read it and discuss.
Aug 31, 2009 10:15 AM | Report Abuse reply
Well, do you remember much from when you read it last? What parts do you remember? Do you remember what you weren't impressed with and why? Do you think that rereading it with a new light from the last discussion will make it more or less enjoyable? How so?
Aug 31, 2009 10:19 AM | Report Abuse reply
I don't remember much except that somehow a droid is involved in the crime Jax is hired to solve and that's the part I was really unimpressed with.
It might, but as I said earlier I'm staying out if I can't get my hands on a copy.
Aug 31, 2009 10:58 AM | Report Abuse reply
Hi everyone, hope you're all having good Monday and that the rest of the week will be pleasant. This is a tad bit off topic...and I hope it's okay to leave this small notice concerning my book club participation this month. If this irks anyone...I apologize in advance.
I just want to let the book club participants know that the earliest I'll add to this month's discussion will be next week. I need to take a very short break from SW books for the moment. I'm one of those people that when I'm reading for pleasure, I can only concentrate on one book at a time. I'm currently reading a book that's totally unrelated to Star Wars which I'm likely to finish by the end of the week.
I didn't want anyone to think i wasn't going to contribute after I voted for CN2 and it's the book chosen to be covered for September. I'll post my thoughts on CN2, but the earliest it will be is next week.
Aug 31, 2009 1:28 PM | Report Abuse reply
No problem at all, MJF! Our motto has been "Participate as much or as little as you want" and it hasn't changed!! We look forward to your opinions when you are able to start the book :D
Aug 31, 2009 2:29 PM | Report Abuse reply
About forty pages into the book. So far, so good, though I have thought of one quote that I just have to put here.
"whenever they give up their own judgment to some sort of higher power, instead of looking for answers within themselves and their actions, they are the worse for it."
Wonderful way to describe the Jedi Order, but also, I feel a great way to describe "religion". How often do people blindly believe in X and then end up worse for it? All I can think of is the parents who thought that by praying for their child, the child would be healed. It ended up in the child's death (as he/she didn't take insulin medicine) and the parents being charged with manslaughter.
And yet...is it all that wrong to place trust in a higher being? There are copious religions in the world, with people who affirm a belief in a higher being. Are they too worse for the wear? Why or why not? What is the difference between the two? How do you keep in balance?
Sep 1, 2009 7:17 AM | Report Abuse reply
LOL @ Artorius!
Does anybody know where to get a free copy?
Sep 1, 2009 10:10 AM | Report Abuse reply
I won't be able to comment on the book at all if I donlt get a copy. And Ilm staying out of the religion based tangent altogether...as my opinions can be very unpopular...especially at IRL family gatherings.
Sep 1, 2009 5:38 PM | Report Abuse reply
Boobius, weren't you able to get a copy that you emailed me last time via torrent? Think you can do that again?
Sep 2, 2009 5:21 AM | Report Abuse reply
I'm not finding the book anywhere online. Sorry. Let me know if anyone else has any better luck. Interlibrary loan may be your best bet. Or even a used book store...you could find a copy for only three books there.
Sep 2, 2009 5:41 AM | Report Abuse reply
I've come up with a big fat zero myself. There are some used copies on Amazon, but with shipping, it's almost cheaper to buy brand new.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0345477545/ref=sr_1_olp_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251900901&sr=1-1
Sep 2, 2009 7:22 AM | Report Abuse reply
Well, back to the discussion, thougths so far? This was my favorite of the series and much more the pulp noir detective story, which the sereis was sort of advertised as. This is defeinately a genre book.
One of my favorite things about the book, and the series, is the exploration into the philospohy of the Force, which fits in with Jax's attempts to sort of reconnect with his beleifs.
So in context of the story, and the Force, it is possible to discuss religion without espousing your own beleifs.
Great quote, BTW, Ninja Cat. Can you give a page number for that and who said it, so I can understand the conext better?
Has anyone reached the new female character? I'll be interested to hear an potential Mary Sue accusations in regards to her.
Sep 2, 2009 7:49 AM | Report Abuse reply
I found that on page 33 and I believe I-Five says it. Lemme say, it is a great discussion quote, as I shared it with two others and we ended up on the heavy subject of religion! We all decided that while dedication to a higher being isn't necessarily a problem, it becomes a problem when you bond to a religion blindly and believe whatever they tell you. This is a conversation I've also had with others, how formalized religion just doesn't cut it, how it needs to be personalized.
I don't think I've met the new possible Mary Sue (YAY! More Mary Sues to hunt :D ), unless you are talking about the Zeltron or the Camaasi. Actually, bringing up the Camaasi, I did have an irk.
What the hell is it with there ALWAYS being one society that is 100% gung ho for peace?? It always smarts too much of Star Trek for my pleasure. The Camaasi are so peaceful, they only have a militia (which did make sense and I appreciated that actually), but I am SO sick of the exaggerated generalizations! Elom are perfectionists, Corellians don't want to know the odds, Hutts are gangsters, Wookiees are loyal, Camaasi are peaceful...it is just sickening!
Looking at our world: Humans are as ranged as they come. You've got hicky whites, well-educated whites, stupid whites that drive like @ssholes on the road. It is stereotypical to say things like "All Mexicans work at McDonald's" or "All blacks are burglars" (That one is a homage of sorts to House) or "All whites are cool". So why does this segregation occur in the Star Wars galaxy? Are people just too confused? For once, I want a Hutt philanthropist (with NO hidden agenda), an Alderaanian gunslinger, and a Corellian economist. Anything!
Sorry, I didn't even know I was holding that in! I hope you don't think I'm complaining about CN2; I am TOTALLY enjoying it so far. My complaints are more directed at SW EU in general and not specifically at CN2. I feel that CN has in fact broadened our view, by making I-Five a smart-@ss protocol droid and Den Dhur a truly varied character (despite being Sullustan).
Sep 2, 2009 8:14 AM | Report Abuse reply
Ninja...look at a lot of Buddhists and most of them are pacicfistic and in the very earliest days of their religion so were Christians so it's not just a STAR TREl./ STAR WARS EU thing, OK? Cool the jets about that. Personally, I think it's cool that the Camaasi are on the brink of extinction solely by virtue of their pacifism. And not because I think extinction is cool.
Kinda hard for me to exp;ain what I like about the Camaasi being that way.
That's going to be my *ONLY* commentary on this book until I get my hands on the book once again. It is on its way to me through Interlibrary Loan.
Sep 2, 2009 1:55 PM | Report Abuse reply
"Cool the jets about that"? Why? This is a discussion, and it's my opinion. I want to see if anyone else finds it odd about what I feel is an overly pacifistic nation. I haven't gone on and on and on about it (this is my FIRST time bringing it up), like I did with the flying replitian avian from Ro2, so I see no reason why I need to "Cool my jets".
Furthermore, Buddhists and Christians are religions, not ethnic groups. Yes, Christians tended to be Middle Eastern/Jewish/Roman in the early days, but there is a drastic difference between saying that Christians/Buddhists were pacifistic and that Germans (just to pull out a group) are pacifists.
I do hope you will be able to get the book through the library. I wish there was a blasted online version :P
Sep 2, 2009 2:49 PM | Report Abuse reply
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