And again, not a post I was expecting to write...
Late Friday, hubs was reading his paper.
"Benedict Cumberbatch is at the London Film and Comic Con," he said.
I shrugged. I'm not really into the whole thing with him and Sherlock. I was expecting to take my monsters to the MCM Comic Con at the end of August.
"It's this weekend," he continued, then goes on to list guests. Several classic Who actors. minor Star Wars ones, and the not so minor actors who played Jyn Erso's parents in Rogue One. I can feel my geek heart sink at the awesomeness I'll be missing.
"And Alan Tudyk," says hubs.
Now he's just twisting the knife.
"I'd love to see Alan," I sigh.
Silence.
"How expensive do you think it would be to get his photo or autograph?"
I'm not sure I want to look. I remember how much it was to see Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill at SWCE, although I wish now I'd found some way to get the money together to get my photo taken with Carrie. Regret is so bitter.
But I look and tell him. It wasn't as expensive as Carrie.
"I could buy a ticket for your birthday," hubs suggests.
"Really?!" But he's already bought me a present which I can't talk about yet.
"If you really want to meet him."
And so on Sunday, we all went to London Comic Con. And it was fabulous!
There wasn't as much cosplay as I'd expected, and no, I didn't take many photos. The organized photo sessions were frighteningly fast and efficient - a literal hi, shoot, and bye! I felt a little twinge about whether the celebrities are actually happy about doing these, but Alan seemed to be genuinely smiling. For what it's worth, he's very nice to hug. :P
I'm glad I invested in the bonus photo frames on offer - it even came with an extra photo to swap with one of the two character shots and I'll tell you now I put in the K2SO shot over the Firefly one (sorry, Browncoats, but that wasn't where I first saw him and I haven't forgiven Whedon for Wash dying in Serenity (which I saw long before Firefly). The other picture is his foul-mouthed character Wat from A Knight's Tale with the late Heath Ledger, for those interested).
My eldest had her photo taken with Alyson Hannigan (Willow from Buffy), and she doesn't look a day older despite nearly being my age (while Alan Tudyk is exactly my age). Sigh.
I'll finish with some more shots from the con though I didn't take many - sorry. Too busy enjoying the experience, but I promise I'll do better with Nor-Con later this year.
Louise Jameson (Leela, companion to the 4th Doctor)
Sarah Douglas, Ursa in Superman 2
Nicola Bryant (Peri, companion to the 6th Doctor)
Status Update Unexpected is currently with my proof reader. I've not had time to work on anything else book related - today is the first quiet day I've had since the summer holidays began and I still have too much real life stuff to catch up with before my birthday on Thursday. Wow, is this year going fast!
Chook Update
The chicks are now looking more like mini chickens as they lose the last of their fluff and approach four weeks old (just as I turn 46). We've also started discussing proper names for them though we still don't know their genders for now. They're so much bigger!
I don't know if I'll get a chance to post again before September, so have a good summer.
As you'll recall, I actually went to a cinema to see the
much-anticipated Rogue One, and I've written my review. But I had a few
unanswered questions and decided to fork out the exorbitant cost for the novel,
written by Alexander Freed. My experience with novelizations of Star Wars stories
has been spotty in the past, but I dipped into the 'look inside' and liked what
I saw.
Alexander Freed did a stunning job. He had a huge task,
bringing that movie to life in a book, and he did it. I haven't read anything
so well written in a long time, and my experience with Star Wars stories has
not been good.
There were times as I was reading that I stopped and read
passages again, simply out of admiration. Such great descriptive language,
using all the senses – including smell, which we don't get at the movies. He
writes in deep third POV, and he writes exclusively in one character's voice
for a scene. He covers everyone you see
in the movie for any length of time – Jyn, Cassian, Bohdi, Chirrut, Baze,
Krennic, Mon Mothma, and others – and does it well. Because he writes in deep
third, the reader learns what's going through the character's mind, what s/he
is feeling. For me, that epitomises why I prefer books to movies. A movie is
the tip of the iceberg.
The book explained a few things I missed as the film
progressed. I certainly had a much better sense of why Jyn went from surly thug
to shining light. But if you're expecting more information about the interval
between 8-year-old Jyn and 23-year-old Jyn, there are just snippets and
memories. Which is fair enough, since it's not really necessary for the plot.
I think when I see the film again, I'll have a much better
grounding in the characters than I did at the first showing. I'd rate this book
an enthusiastic 5 stars.
I don't often get to go to bookstores these days, but on a visit to a slightly larger smoke than my current home town, I bought a copy of Catalyst, a Star Wars story written by James Luceno.
At the time (several weeks ago), all of my fellow contributors to Spacefreighters (except Donna) were hangin' out for Rogue One as much as I was, so this book jumped into my hands without even asking. It is marketed as "a Star Wars Rogue One" novel, and it is the back
story of the Death Star development, Jyn Erso and her parents, and a
number of the folk we get to know in the new movie.
The story revolves around Galen Erso, a brilliant physicist whose skills are essential for
completion of the weapons system, but he is a principled pacifist. Orson
Krennic, the white-uniformed villain in charge of the secret weapons project, needs Erso, and he'll do anything to gain his cooperation. We all know that in the end the Death Star is completed, and that is it destroyed by a well organized rebel group. As well as the Death Star, this novel also introduces the first stirrings of the rebellion. At the end of the story, Jyn is still a small child.
I'll have to be honest. Catalyst isn't exactly huge on excitement and page-turning. To some extent I think that's the author's style. I've read one other of his Star Wars novels and he's not a favourite. Like (IMO) far too many of the Star Wars books, it's written in omniscient. We get POV from Orson Krennic, Moff Tarkin, Hals Obitt (smuggler), Galen Erso (Jyn's dad) and Lyra Erso (Jyn's mum). To be sure, Krennic is well-drawn as a clever manipulator with an eye on the main game - himself. He and Erso had been friends and Krennic uses the friendship to coerce Erso into working on his project. He tells the scientist that what he's actually building with kyber crystals is a device capable of powering whole planets at low cost. The parallel to Oppenheimer, who was part of the team which developed the atomic bomb, is evident. To quote the Wikipedia article, 'Oppenheimer remarked later that it brought to mind words from the Bhagavad Gita: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."' Perhaps the difference is Oppenheimer knew where his project was going. Erso does not. Luceno did his homework on using crystals. For those interested in the specifics, there's some detail in how the power source actually works.
The tension between Krennic and Tarkin is excellent, as each maneuvers to take over ultimate control of the Death Star project (it's never called the Death Star, by the way). Galen is a driven man who rarely has his head in the real world. I liked his wife, Lyra, who is much less likely to be manipulated. Jyn, it seems, is very much like her mother, even at that early age. Catalyst finishes a few years before Rogue One kicks off.
The book didn't keep me up reading at night, but I feel it was worth my time. I think when I saw Rogue One the background story was well worthwhile, adding three dimensional detail which is so often lacking from movies.
Today we are very pleased to welcome award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author S.E. Smith
with our final installment of Spacefreighters Lounge Goes Rogue Week.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of Ms. Smith's review contains spoilers, so if you haven't yet seen the movie please stop at the "Spoiler alert" message below. Unless, of course, you want to know some of the details before viewing the movie. (But you've been warned. : ) )
Well, if you are reading this you probably have seen the newest edition to the Star Wars collection. I remember the first time I saw Star Wars. I’m talking about the original three with Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and the rest of the amazing cast that brought a movie unlike anything we had seen before to the movie screens. I think I saw the first movie at least sixteen times in the theater and fell in love with it more each time I saw it.
I will admit the next set of movies didn’t wow me, but they were still a visual masterpiece. Each movie since the original three has been darker which in many ways is to be expected since the film makers gave you the ending before they gave you the beginning. In a way, watching the Star Wars movies is like reading the end of a book and knowing how it ends then going back and reading the first part of the story. Personally, I always do that with a book. I have to know if it is going to have a good ending so I know whether or not to invest my time in reading the rest of the story.
Rogue One isn’t much different. It is one of those movies you’ll either love, hate, or find it somewhere in between. I found it to be the in between. On a scale of 0-5 with 5 being the highest, I would give it a 2. Now, I know everyone has an opinion and I was asked to give mine, so be prepared to accept it is only one person’s opinion. If you have not seen the movie and plan to go, stop reading here as there will be spoilers.
Spoiler alert!! Do not proceed.
I’m approaching this as both a Star Wars fan and as a Scifi writer. I love my scifi movies, but I also know that I’m an HEA (happily ever after) or HFN (happy for now) type of gal. Maybe that is what appealed to me so much about the first three. You could still feel the hope. In the latest round of movies, you couldn’t. Now, understanding this, I will do my best to remain unemotional in my review of the movie.
The beginning: Let’s just say my head was spinning the first ten minutes because I was watching the scenes randomly jump from point A to point B to point C to point Z to point… Well, you get my meaning. It felt disconnected and out of place. I never had enough time to understand why each scene was connected before they bounced to the next one. When they finally got to the good-guy-who-played-bad-guy and he was talking to the other guy… Again, no real connection because the dialogue wasn’t very engaging and neither was the scene. It was meant to build suspense and tension, but came with a predictable this guy is about to die which basically continues throughout the movie.
The next scene was actually pretty good – until they blew it. No explanation as to how they found Galen Erso, but I could deal with that. What I couldn’t deal with is having his wife abandon their daughter so she could be TSTL (Too Stupid To Live). Yes, let’s walk up on a bunch of bad guys and wave a blaster around, say they can’t take the man you love after he tells them you are dead, just so you can get killed? Really? No suspense there – or common sense! What parent would abandon a child to hide by herself in a desolate place after they had made careful plans if such an event were to occur so she could get herself killed or captured instead? Come on, writers! Think!
I could go through the movie and point out gaps, or should I say holes, a mile wide in the script, but I’ll keep it to a few that really pulled me out of the movie.
• Jyn Erso trying to be tough and uncaring; then suddenly the only one wanting to fight.
• Darth Vader walking like he is on a Catwalk. I was afraid he was going to dislocate a hip with the way he was swaying them.
• Saw Gerrera’s character rescuing Jyn only to abandon her and go off on his own cause – which is very unsuccessful.
• The rebellion suddenly too afraid to fight or work out a way to get the information.
• The suddenly complete Death Star working when I could have sworn it was only partially built and tested for the first time on Alderaan.
• The Death Star suddenly appearing in the last scene. Hard to believe something that large can move through space that fast and none of the rebel fighters knowing.
• The robot was funny, cute, but way too human. It was a case of a great character taken just a little too far.
• The jerky motion of the ships suddenly appearing like they were Photoshopped.
• The ending – had me shaking my head. Really? You steal a supply ship, are able to sneak into the enemy base, get uniforms and into the building, then set off explosives to let everyone know you are there? Hello! NO! You don’t set off explosives to announce you are there! You continue with your mission as quietly as possible and get the hell out before they know what is going on! You don’t have the rebel forces show up so they close the shields. You have them waiting for you when you sneak out right under the bad guy’s nose.
• Then, to wow the audience, make sure you kill off all the good guys in a dramatic display so that they really rush for the exit when the movie is over.
Yes, that is what happened. I’ve never been in a nearly full movie theater where there was a mad rush for the exit when it was over. The movie didn’t leave you excited or hopeful. It left me, my hubby, and many others depressed and unsatisfied. As one movie goer said, it was a filler movie.
Would I recommend you go see it? That is entirely up to you. Many people enjoyed the movie. It was visually nice, the acting was pretty good, the plot so-so, and if you are a diehard Star Wars fan, then yes. Would I go see it again? No. Will I buy the movie? No. Will I see another Star Wars movie? Only if it is the original first three movies being re-released. I hate to say this, but I’m probably done with Star Wars (sniff-sniff).
About the Author
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away. Readers can follow her at http://sesmithfl.com or her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/se.smith.5
Yes, folks, I went to the cinema to see Rogue One. I have avoided going to a cinema for years because I hate crowds, yahoos, and popcorn. But I was persuaded it would not be crowded, so I inveigled my wonderful husband to come with me. As an aside, I suppose these days the block buster movies make their money from sales of toys and what have you, and of course the DVDs, so the movie theaters are not quite as popular. There were about a dozen people in the theater - although it was the 11:30am 3D showing, specifically picked to avoid crowds. I was very disappointed in the 3D effects - but I expect they will be better when I watch them at home with glasses paired with a TV. If you're thinking of spending the extra for 3D tickets, my advice is don't bother.
Well - on to the movie. First I'll tell you that I have read Catalyst, James Luceno's Rogue One prequel novel. I'll post the review for that next week. It did give me, I think, a bit of background knowledge about Galen Erso and his daughter, Jyn, and Director Krennic, and that provided me with extra depth for those characters, and for the Death Star project itself.
The story starts off with Jyn as a child, being separated from her parents, then moves on to her as a young adult. As a result the action is a bit fragmented to begin with, jumping from place to place, and time. That didn't bother me so much (maybe because I'd read Catalyst) but my husband found it a bit difficult. After that, though, we settled into an action-packed war movie. Because that's what it is. A gritty, brutal, in your face war movie. It pulls no punches.
The most compelling aspect of the story - what I took away - was that a rebellion is made of many different people with very different causes. It's never homogeneous, and it isn't necessarily nice. There's courage and sacrifice and varying degrees of commitment. Similarly, Imperial agents have their own agendas. The animosity between Director Krennic (he of the white cloak) and Grand Moff Tarkin was well done, and I was delighted to see everybody's favorite villain, Darth Vader, make his appearance as more than just a token. Unlike Pippa, I liked that there were no Jedi in this film (Darth, of course, is Sith, not Jedi). These were ordinary people with their own reasons for fighting against the Empire. It made the rebellion much more... understandable. Certainly watching the Death Star do its stuff gave so much more depth and gravitas for Star Wars: A New Hope.
This... this... is what Rogue One is all about.
It is a period of civil war.
Rebel spaceships, striking
from a hidden base, have won
their first victory against
the evil Galactic Empire.
During the battle, Rebel
spies managed to steal secret
plans to the Empire's
ultimate weapon, the DEATH
STAR, an armored space
station with enough power
to destroy an entire planet.
Pursued by the Empire's
sinister agents, Princess
Leia races home aboard her
starship, custodian of the
stolen plans that can save her
people and restore
freedom to the galaxy....
The special effects are, as you'd expect, fantastic, and the movement from this film into A New Hope is pretty much seamless. You might even recognise some of the fighter pilots who fight in both battles.
The
movie has a number of side references to some of the other movies which
someone like me would notice and someone like my husband would not.
Most of them could have hit the cutting room floor without making much
difference. In fact, I'd be rather inclined to believe the director was
asked to add them to make the movie more part of the Star Wars family.
The musical score was mostly new - but with overtones of the old which
worked very well for me.
Do I think it was better than The Empire Strikes Back? No. But back then I was younger and more easily impressed. Back then Taun Tauns were done with stop-motion photography, the Imperial Fleet was a bunch of models on strings, and Yoda was a puppet - but I didn't notice. And I recall being so sucked into the story that I didn't notice the bit about being able to travel between systems without a working hyperdrive until somebody else pointed it out to me. I saw the movie 4 times in the first week of its release, and I've lost count of how many times since then, in picture theaters , on video tape, and on CD and DVD. In contrast, although I enjoyed Rogue One, I wasn't totally engaged. Maybe that just means I'm older and more cynical.
I'll certainly watch Rogue One again. It is much better than the prequels (SW1-3) and light years ahead of The Force Awakens, which I felt was a wonderful opportunity wasted.On the list of Star Wars movies so far, I'd put it at #2, after Empire.
"...Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire's ultimate weapon..."
And so begins Rogue One, from that one line in the opening intro to A New Hope...
After all the hype, the waiting, the anticipation, I finally got to see Rogue One on release day. And what did I think of it?
First up, I was more excited for Rogue One than The Force Awakens. Why? Well, I was more nervous about TFA. After all, it was Disney's first attempt after the frankly depressing prequels by George. We had no idea what it would be like, and I was personally fretting over Luke. In the end it proved to be unfounded fears. It might have played to nostalgia but they took some risks with diversity and kept the Star Wars mythos intact.
Secondly, having been to the Rogue One panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe, I had an advantage. Several. I'd heard Gareth Edwards' huge enthusiasm and love for Star Wars and how thrilled he was about actually directing one. It got the seal of approval from George Lucas (although, I'm not sure that made me feel better but was clearly a huge relief to Gareth). I'd met the cast for real, seen the props and costumes close up, and seen an exclusive sizzle. The trailers showed carefully reconstructed sets and scenes from the original films. The attention to detail was spot on.
In some ways that made it worse because I went in with very high expectations. Disney had proved they could make a good Star Wars film. Now they had to impress me by topping that...
The Opening...
As per The Force Awakens, no pretty Disney castle and fireworks for the opening. The classic tagline pops up and then...
No story scroll. Rogue One breaks the mould by NOT having the traditional scrolling intro because Rogue One IS the scrolling intro. THIS is the film that leads into A New Hope so it doesn't need it. Kind of a shock but a logical choice I think.
The music...
Except for a very small snippet late in the film (for a very specific reason) and the end credits, there is NO music from the original films at all. Despite being a prequel to A New Hope, this has its own identity and its own music to match, and doesn't rely on using the music to stir up any nostalgia. This is not The Force Awakens trying to worm into the affections of hardcore SW fans. RO aims to be itself, take it or leave it. Some of it was good. Some of it...not so much. I can't say it really stirred my emotions in the way the originals did, or TFA, but it was unique to the film.
Come to the Dark Side, we have Rogue One...
Okay, so no one thought this was going to be a fluffy bunny of a Star Wars movie, right? Right?! I personally expected it to be darker, even hoped that it would be. Someone posted an article about Disney trying to keep their brand of fluffiness over the Star Wars brand and that whole, horrible 'war' thing *imagines Disney top brass shuddering*. Rogue One does not try to soften the concept. Take lots of tissues because the original Star Wars film was named A New Hope with damn good reason. Rogue One doesn't hold back, and IMO should have been rated more than the 12A it was given here--the same rating as The Force Awakens. I thought TFA more graphic in its violence than the previous films, and RO has gone further. Unlike TFA, I'm unlikely to make a further visit to the cinema to watch it again. Not because it's a bad film but because it left me feeling raw.
I have a bad feeling about this...
Yes, the same classic key phrases scattered through all the films make an appearance in this one too. It's like a quiz for geeks - how many can you spot?
Welcome to the Star Wars Rogues Gallery...
You may know that Darth Vader, Princess Leia and Mon Mothma make appearances, but again it's like a geek's spotter guide, almost to the point that made me groan a little because a couple seemed so contrived and forced that I rolled my eyes. One in particularly was a rather creepy addition, for reasons that will become apparent when you see it. But it does help contribute to that continuity line, linking it ever more tightly to A New Hope. The same with the settings - Yavin 4 is beautifully recreated, as are the Death Star graphics, the ships etc. It also blends perfectly into the opening of A New Hope...
As for the settings - a whole bunch of lush, wonderful new worlds, and also those suffering more deeply under the Empire's reign. There was a definite Bladerunner/Stargate slum/Hunger Games feel. If you thought Mos Eisley was a hive of scum and villainy, it was kindergarten compared to these new worlds...
The characters... Cassian - oh, boy. We find out pretty quick that this guy will do whatever is necessary for the cause, however unpleasant. This put me off him at first and also hits home that this is a serious, gritty film that's not going to skirt around how unpleasant war actually is, and that when it comes down to it, the 'good' guys can be just as ruthless as the bad guys, and sides become blurred. Jyn - she's an interesting contrast to Rey in that both have had a similar start in life: essentially orphaned and left to fend for themselves. They've taken slightly different paths, but again we learn what Jyn's really like in her first fight on Jedah. Although we do see a major shift, all her motivation fits with what we learn about her, although space.com disagrees (it's about the only point I don't agree with that review on, other than I won't be putting Rogue One at #1 either). Chirrut - his constant chanting was a bit annoying, but a disabled character makes a refreshing change. Baze - I kept confusing him with Saw Gerrara... >.< Bodhi - we really didn't get to know him. I feel that's kind of sad, because he played such an important role... K2SO - I keep trying to add a 4 to this (chemists will get it) and my 12yo's favourite character. His deadpan sarcasm provides what little humour there is in the film - a perfect match. Director Krennic - quietly chilling and ruthless in such a soft, elegant way that it's far more scary than standard villains. This is a man who really knows how to use people and you don't even notice until there's blood on the floor and planets exploding. *shudders* Saw Gerrera - I can't say much without giving spoilers but I really expected more... Darth Vader - I get why he was in there but really didn't see the point beyond the end sequence. Felt like they'd crowbarred him in. But that end sequence? Wow. I think that was pretty much my favourite. Telling you the others will sadly be spoilers.
The main problem I had with all the characters was we never really seemed to get to know them, and we came out of the cinema with my two boys barely able to name anyone other than Jyn and K2SO. It wasn't that they didn't get any screen time or that we didn't learn their backgrounds. I can't quite pin down the issue...
Random thoughts...
The Imperial cargo carrier looks like a baby turtle. It was easy to spot the section filmed in a tube station in London that I know pretty well and just a few stops down from the ExCel centre when it was home to the Star Wars Celebration Europe in July. This was youngest's favourite film for the sheer number and types of Stormtroopers (he's obsessed!) but neither me or my boys are putting this at number one (though 12yo puts it among his favourites). One thing I'm really going to complain about is a big deal was made of Jedah and the kyber crystal temple re Jedi, but we saw/learned bugger all about it in the film. Did it get cut? A change of plan? Jyn even wears one and yet it doesn't really play a significant part. I feel like something was missed (but maybe it's just my Jedi obsession. I did miss them in this film).
All in all, this was a great film that doesn't sugarcoat that whole 'war' thing in the series title and shows a darker side of the rebellion. There's plenty of action, quite grim and gritty, but I'm not sure it's worth the 3D except for the battles (I actually found the 3D rather irritating for the main part). This is a story of sacrifice and hope, of doing what needs doing no matter the cost, tying itself well and truly into the Star Wars universe and A New Hope, and a must see for anyone who likes Star Wars or even just gritty scifi/dystopia. Someone asked me if it was fun, and I would definitely say no unless to you fun=emotional, dark, stark, and action packed. Perhaps even shocking. I cannot say it was entertaining either and I won't be going again unlike TFA, but I will be buying the DVD. This is not a feel good movie. This is a blub fest requiring tissues and possibly chocolate AND icecream. I would also not recommend it for young children or those sensitive - my 8yo was okay but if he hadn't already seen TFA I might have left him at home for RO.
I'll give it four and a half Death Stars out of five because it's good but upset me, and it's not going to knock The Empire Strikes Back and The Force Awakens off my top Star Wars films list. It does, however, get bonus point for gritty realism and not pussyfooting around the ghastliness of war, as well as sticking to the inevitable outcome however unpopular that might be.
Status Report
I've been reading! Reviews will follow in the New Year (if I enjoyed the book). I've also been working on revisions for Keir's Shadow: Book Three of Redemption though there's a long way to go.
Chook Update
Unfortunately I have sad news this week. With very little warning so at least very little suffering, my poor one-eyed grey girl Chiana died on Saturday night. She was the second oldest of the group after Scoop and along with Kyru. Chickens are not kind to members of the flock who show weakness so the past few months after losing her eye have been a bit hard on her, dropping her down the pecking order though she held her own. Hopefully it isn't down to bird flu (there's currently an epidemic here). While I call all the chooks my girls, Chiana was specifically mine though I still have Fizzgig. 2016 has not been the best year.
Finally...
I'm going offline from Wednesday to spend the Christmas school holidays with my monsters although I will have posts going live here on the 27th of December looking back at 2016, and the 3rd of January looking ahead to 2017. I wish you a very Merry Christmas if you celebrate it, or Happy Holidays if you celebrate something else. May the Force be with us for 2017!
This week Spacefreighters Lounge Goes Rogue. We'll be discussing our thoughts on the latest Star Wars installment while keeping our comments as spoiler-free as possible for those who haven't yet seen the film. I'm kicking it off today with my take on Rogue One, to be followed byPippa, Sharon and Greta. On Friday, we'll have bestselling Sci-Fi Romance author, S.E. Smith, so be sure to stop back throughout the week.
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Wow. Where do I even begin?
I saw the non-3D RPX version on Friday night. I've been trying to sort out my feelings ever since.
Rogue One was the deepest...darkest...most conflicted Star Wars installment to date. Did it live up to the hype? To quote an old Jedi master: "Difficult to say." It certainly did in many surprising ways, yet it was a very different movie from what I was expecting. Let me try to flesh that out a little without giving away too much about the actual story.
The original Star Wars movie (which later became Episode 3: A New Hope) hinted that obtaining the plans to the Death Star had been a great struggle. This film is the embodiment of that struggle. After seeing it, you'll understand at a soul-deep level what the risks and the stakes were, and it could get very personal for you.
For myself, the most remarkable aspect of #RogueOne is how it actually contributes and enhances the viewing of Episode IV: A New Hope. (4/6)
This mission will no longer be just a footnote in the overarching Star Wars saga. It will be real, it will be raw, and it will pack a punch.
Oh, the anticipation! I'd been looking forward seeing this movie with much glee since viewing the very first trailer, almost a year ago. I've watched each subsequent trailer and read all the non-spoiler reviews I could find. Each time I got more visuals on the film, I thought, "Oh, yes. Rogue One is going to be just awesome." I wasn't prepared for what this story really was going to be. And I'm still in shock almost 20 hours after the film ended.
In fact, maybe it would be best just to tell you what NOT to expect:
-- Don't expect any of the zany, cutesie characters some of the other installments are known for, and although there are many moments of well-timed and often surprising humor and levity--let there be no mistake. It's dark. Is it for kids? That depends on the kid. It may not be suitable for sensitive children under the age of 8-10. Heck, to be honest, it may not be suitable for sensitive viewers of any age.
-- On the timeline, this story takes place just before the start of Luke Skywalker's adventure, so there will be no Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren or Poe Dameron. They won't be born for a decade or two.
-- But that's not to say there will be no returning characters. Prepare to applaud and cheer. Prepare not to.
-- Likewise, there's no Millennium Falcon in this one (or at least, I didn't catch a glimpse of the ship even in the distant background).
-- The story centers on a heroine who's not a queen, a princess, a senator, a Skywalker or a Jedi-to-be. She's a...well...she's a thug. With good reason, but yes. Thug. They broke the mold with Jyn.
-- Don't expect a hero like any in the Star Wars franchise to date. While he may shoot first--or last--Captain Cassian Andor is from a very different universe far, far away than the heroes you've known.
-- There is no black and white. Yin and yang. Light and dark side. There is only do. Or do not.
A few random thoughts on viewing Rogue One:
I found the opening to be a little jarring after the familiar "Long ago in a galaxy far, far away..." statement, but then...bam! The composer definitely wanted the audience to know this is no typical Star Wars tale. The music was in-your-face and a little dissonant. Fitting, that.
One of my favorite characters overall wasn't human. The droid K-2SO is no little comedic sidekick, he's a big, bad, no-nonsense, lethal and decisive hunk of statistic-spouting tech with a healthy slate of one-liners. Voiced by the amazing Alan Tudyk, probably best known as the wisecracking pilot from the Firefly franchise, who lent not only his excellent articulation but true heart to the performance.
Most of the other supporting characters were compelling and relatable, with one notable exception--a sort of "mad monk" type. To be fair, that may be my issue more than the film's shortcoming. Possibly the importance of this character to the plot or emotional development of the story just evaded me. But like I said, I'm still mulling.
This film probably had the most diverse settings--and weather--of any of the films yet. Many different planets, some Mars-like, some tropical, some stormy, some with eye-opening imagery and others with heart-pounding spectacles. Star Wars has always set the bar on space imagery, and this film is no exception.
A couple of the scenes carried an eerie familiarity, almost like I'd been there before, you know? And I couldn't help it. In one of the X-wing battle scenes, I kept expecting to hear a young pilot report: "Red Five, standing by." Heh.
So did Rogue One live up to the hype? Was the Force strong in this one? I don't honestly know how to answer that except to say...
Yes, I'm very excited about this movie. Did you realize I'm a Star
Wars tragic? All reports coming in from the lucky elite who got to see
an early release (no reviews allowed) indicate the film is every bit as
good as the trailers lead one to believe. Rogue One is being compared to
The Empire Strikes Back, universally acknowledged as the best of the
franchise. This movie will be dark - it's said that it's darker than
TESB. Bring it on, I say. There are so many more stories in the Star
Wars universe than the Skywalker thread.
I'm so excited that, although I don't like movie theaters, I might go and see it. But not in the first week or two. I'm not good with crowds. However, stay tuned next week when two of my Spacefreighter colleagues will have actually seen the movie. So jealous.
In other news the first draft of The Stuff of Legend is nearly finished. Now comes the fun part - editing. Yes, I really mean that. I prefer to edit than write. The idea is there, I just need to polish the words. I'm hoping to get it out there in late Feb - early March.
There's only one thing on my mind this week, and it's the release of Rogue One at my local cinema in just two days. Woo hoo! Me and my two boys will be seeing it in 3D - eldest is unfortunately missing out as she has a prior date at a music concert. Shame. I could have gone to a one minute past midnight showing on the day, but I'd feel bad about seeing it before my two boys.
Wil Wheaton was lucky enough to get invited to the Rogue One premier, and here's what he had to say...
The last time I loved a Star Wars movie as much as I loved #RogueOne, it was 1977.
Does this make me happy? Hell, yeah! I was too young to see the very first Star Wars shown at the cinema (before it ever got renamed as A New Hope), but I still remember the magic of seeing it on TV for the first time a few Christmases later. It changed my life. I went from writing fantasy to scifi, and to a lifelong crush on Luke Skywalker, and to dreams of being a Jedi and flying an X-wing. It sparked my first scifi trilogy (never finished and never to be published, but it was the start). While I'm not expecting to discover a new fictional boyfriend (or girlfriend), after The Force Awakens and hearing Gareth Edwards enthusiasm for Star Wars at the Rogue One panel at Star Wars Celebration Europe, I am expecting to get all the same feels. I think it'll be darker, I'm not convinced there'll be a romance--though probably some sparks--but I am expecting the same Star Wars awesomeness of the originals.
So while you wait for my non-spoiler report next week (when Spacefreighters Lounge will be Going Rogue!), here's Wil Wheaton's non-spoiler take on the premier HERE. (And I haven't read it because I want to go in as innocent as I possibly can.)
Still my favourite teaser!
Happenings
It's also the start of the SFR Brigade Holiday Showcase on Thursday, and I finally completed my first Christmas SFR to give away as part of the event. Woot! The short features my main couple - Keir and Quin from the time travel series Redemption - so if you haven't read the two current books of the series, you might find it a little hard to follow and somewhat spoilerific. Sorry! Of course, you could always buy the two main novels first...
On Friday, my post at Romancing the Genres is all about the inspirations that finally helped me to write my Christmas SFR HERE. After next week I'll be taking time off the internet to spend time with my family but I'll still have two posts going live here rounding up 2016 and looking forward to 2017 before my official return after the 4th of January.
Status Update
The Christmas short is finished and ready to download from the 15th. I'm making more notes on Keir's Shadow, strengthening the secondary romance in the story. I'm hoping to do some reading over the Christmas holidays - long overdue!
Chook Update
My girls are not happy about the cold weather but all is well with them.
On Contests...
Last week Donna posted about the changes being made to RWA's Golden Heart contest (you can read it all HERE rather than me regurgitating the whole thing). But it got me thinking about contests and why they matter, if they matter. So I thought I'd throw out a few of my own thoughts on the subject. Does entering contests achieve anything?
Well, first you need to look at what the contest might do for you and what you want from it. For example, in the case of the RWA LERA Rebecca, you get feedback from the judges, which is a bonus even if you didn't place. In my previous two entries I was able to see exactly why I didn't make the final, but also how painfully close I'd come only to just miss out. I do find at least one judge will disagree with the other two or vice versa so you shouldn't take that as sole feedback perhaps. When I finalled in my third year, it was with a story heavier on the SF elements than most I'd written, which not only surprised me but reassured me I could go heavier without scaring readers off.
In Donna's case, her GH award opened doors to agents, even those who had previously said no, so in terms of agents/publishers, an award - even as a finalist - is clearly a bonus. Do they sell books?
To agents/publishers, yes. To readers? Here I have no direct data and can only speak from my own experience. I have three books that are award winners/finalists. One sells consistently and better than all my other titles put together, though not as well as it used to. One sold well a couple of years ago, but no more. The third has never sold well, despite having a revamp and new cover (though it has done as well in six months back with me after rights reversion as it did in three years with the publisher). I can't say that announcing a contest win/final made any boost to sales, or that it's a deciding factor in any reader's purchase (it certainly isn't a factor in my reading choices but I know I'm not the average reader). However, if I ever went looking for an agent/publisher, I'd certainly be listing all my shinies. So are they worth it?
I don't have any regrets over the contests I've entered or the money I've spent on them, that's for sure! Okay, maybe a little pang over the ones where I didn't place at all. I tend to stick to RWA contests for romance and the EPIC for my non-romance because they're reputable and I know they're legitimate. I've never felt brave enough to enter the RITA/GH (having looked at some of the books that have won and the style/themes that seem to be favoured, I don't think I'm quite in the preference zone). But now my budget doesn't extend to doing many. I prefer to spend my money on edits and covers, which doesn't leave anything for promotions and contests. My only entries this year were the Ariana cover contest and the EPIC for my SFR short Quickshot. I didn't have any real aim with contests before other than I wanted some shiny things, feedback, and/or validation perhaps, so it's not a be all and end all for me.
So, it's down to the individual and what value you place on an award. Do I Have To Enter Contests?
No. Not at all (and not all contests are worth it anyway - do check them out beforehand!).
Reputable/highly esteemed contests are good for:
1. Getting that extra foot in the door with agents/publishers.
2. Possibly feedback to help hone your writing skills (but there are plenty of other ways to do this, and not all contests provide feedback so check carefully!). Workshops (some online ones are free), critique groups (like Critique Circle), finding critique partners among peers, beta readers, posting on WattPad, looking for a professional who will crit your manuscript (for a fee), and there are lots of books on writing). Also critiquing other authors work will give you some ideas of what doesn't work for you and how you can improve your own writing. TBH, I personally wouldn't rely solely on contest feedback anyway, but it can be an added extra.
3. It doesn't hurt to be able to mention that a book is an award winner in promo or that you're an award winning author, though I have no personal evidence to know if it helps. As a reader, it's the cover, blurb and opening that decide my purchases, not what the book or author has done or if they're a bestseller or not. But others may feel differently.
4. Validation. This may be the worst reason but I'm not going to deny it is one.
At the end of the day, it's a very personal decision as to what you chose to do, but as with all things, do your research.
Happenings
The second Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 teaser trailer released this week. Oh yeeeaaahhh. With Rogue One on my 'must see at the cinema' list of films in just nine days (woot!) and possibly Passengers a week later, GotG2 is top of my list for 2017. And how adorable is Baby Groot?!
Next week the SFR Brigade Holiday Showcase begins (the same day I'm off to see Rogue One). I'll be posting Christmas treats - a starry recipe and a short story giveaway.
And in two weeks Spacefreighters Lounge will be Going Rogue as Laurie, me, and possibly Greta will be posting our thoughts about the latest additions to the Star Wars universe.
Status Update
The Christmas story isn't quite finished. Ooops. I got distracted by having to make curtains and buying a replacement car. >_<
I leave you with a couple of pics - our newly bought and erected Star Wars tree (not our main one but a bonus edition) and another BristolCon cosplay photo recently sent to me by author Jaine Fenn.
